Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: Much like Harry, I don't have a plan for my relationship with this story either.

Chapter III: Hermione

Yours,

Harry

Hermione had to restrain herself not to squeal in delight. It was fast, she was out of breath, exhilarating - she hadn't felt this way since buying her first magical textbook! In hindsight, even that fell to second place now, and only Harry would be able to displace her most sacred memory to date...

Should she write back to him immediately? Or, hold off? Maybe she would appear more mysterious if she did restrain herself, and make her more alluring to him? Her hand was already instinctively going for the quill, as the opposing thoughts fought to confuse one another in her head.

"Enough!" She said out loud to herself.

Hedwig just stared at her oddly. Hermione reached for an owl treat sitting on her bedside table.

"Do you have any ideas, girl?"

Hedwig gave Hermione her best Harry-already-asked-me-that-question look, if that was even possible for an owl to do. Somehow, the message got lost in translation.

"I suppose I can write him after lunch."

Hedwig raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, tonight," Hermione conceded. She looked at the owl again to make sure she wasn't imagining things. "You deserve a break."

An appreciating hoot - Hedwig flew from the sill to the perch in the corner of Hermione's bedroom.

Truth be told, Hermione could not sit still since she had arrived back, a mere two days ago. She hadn't heard the exchange between Harry and Ron about her and the green-eyed heartthrob that she could now call a boyfriend, dating, and she could not trust Harry fully to tell her the truth about it, because he tended to hide problems, as she knew all too well...

Automatically, her mind turned to making a to-do list when she saw Harry. For the first time, it also added a "Too in appropriate to mention" column...she downright blushed at the realization, not realizing really how rampant her imagination could be!

If Hedwig could read minds, she would be smirking from wing to wing.

Hermione flopped down on her bed and opened a book in an attempt to distract herself from her conflicting thoughts.

Defence Against the Dark Arts, fourth edition by Ruckus Morningstar

It was the book they were initially supposed to use this year, but it had been changed in the last minute by Mad-Eye Moody's potion-ed alter ego. She had made it a point to read this particular book over the summer, after the frustrating trip to Hogesmeade's only book store on the second day of school.

And You-Know-Who? Saying the name still gave her chills, and it amazed her Harry could say it without fear.

She believed him when Harry said he was back. The look in his eyes plainly spoke the truth, and she knew it intimately from watching him these last 4 years of their relationship. What surprised her was how many did not believe her. From the early indications of the Ministry, they were going to pretend everything was just as normal as before.

If things got out of hand this coming year, she could very well die at Harry's side. He had said it before, and they had come close on more than a few occasions, but she stuck with him every time. Yes, it terrified her, but it felt right that she was at his side; somehow she did not want to have it any other way. The prospect of a walking and talking Voldemort able to wield a wand indeed added a new, even scarier dimension to her choice to be with Harry, but oddly and normally, it only intensified her feeling to be with him.

Would he withdraw like he usually did when faced with trouble? Leave midway through the year and go at it alone? Rather than Harry's arch-nemesis, this particular thought made her stomach turn more than anything else.

Hogwarts' ancient magic was well-suited to protect the school against attacks, even by its own rogue products. She didn't worry about that as much as she did whether Harry would stay within its protection? Would he also blame himself for exposing everyone he loved to danger?

That last one was a complex Hermione knew she would have to fight with all her power, because it had the sway to make Harry disengage from those he loved almost fully.

After surviving the tournament, what would Dumbledore make Harry do next? The relationship between pupil and student had been strained over the past year, and as much as Harry still respected the bespectacled headmaster, their relations could deteriorate further over the year.

She remembered Harry telling her and Ron about the Dementor attack on Privet Drive the previous summer, and wondered if Azkaban's finest might return for a visit?

The book she was holding had slipped on the bed beside her, but she hadn't noticed. But, when it hit the floor, it snapped her out of her reverie.

She was good friends with Ginny, but how would she react to this newest of unexpected development. Maybe Ron had already told her and the rest of his family. And Molly? Ron's mother was a fierce personality, and she knew where he got his jealous streak from - how would she feel about her and Harry dating?

Moreover, she could feel that Ron's friendship was going to be essential to both of them in the adversity that was shaping up to face them in her mind. While he was unstable at times, she hoped his loyalty would stay true, even if his behaviour did not always quite match.

And her academics? For the first time, she began to question the unquestionable priority her books represented when she saw the tribulation through which Harry was going, Ron, when he became jealous of his best friend and almost didn't speak to him for good, and her unwavering support for him throughout. A gut feeling told her that there were indeed more important things than the book and she would realize the truth of that idea yet further over the next year.

Most importantly, how was she to handle an entire summer without Harry?

Would he come to see her, and would the Dursleys let him? It wasn't that they were much of a threat to him, but the wards that protected the house were essential to Harry's survival, at least until he finished Hogwarts; and there were hawks circling around him at all times.

Why did the last of those thoughts suddenly make her giddy and excited?

She put it down to nerves...there were more than usual, lately, anyway.

Hedwig hooted quietly in the background and Hermione impulsively reached for another owl treat. She heard the snowy owl flap her wings and a second later, landed on her shoulder.

"Here you go, girl," Hermione held up her hand. "I know you prefer mice, but this is all I have."

Regardless, Hedwig took the proffered treat with satisfaction.

"How are you feeling, dear?"

Hermione did not hear the door to her room open, but her mother had peeked her head in to check on her daughter.

She turned around, startled, "Oh, fine, mum."

"Didn't mean to scare you, dear. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm alright for now, thank you," Hermione told her. A part of her became an irritated and she left the overwhelming desire to be left alone. "I'll be down in a bit, mum."

"Alright, do let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks, mum."

With that, the door was closed and Hermione sank back in her thoughts.

**'

Dear Harry,

I am happy to hear you're safe and well. I am alright too. Mum and Dad are happy to see me, and I'm happy to see them - I haven't told them anything about this year yet, and I don't know where to begin and what to leave out? Do you have any idea?

I still contend the Dursleys have more than stones for hearts! If you don't come, I'll come and take you away myself. If you aren't going to be my Prince Charming, I will be your Charming Princess! Don't fight with them, it will only make things worse. I promise, I will see you soon.

I think I love you too. Only, I seem to have perfect clarity about it, whatever this thing love is. I don't think I'll find it in the Library, even in the Restricted Section.

Yours,

Hermione

**

Watching Hedwig fly out, a silhouette against the full moon, inexplicably welled up Hermione with a sense of hope. She closed her eyes and drifted off peacefully...

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