Harry couldn't sleep; he could hear the fight in the room next to his in Grimmauld Place. He shifted in his bed, pulling his covers up under his chin, drawing his knees closer to his chest. His eyes grew heavy and he allowed sleep to overcome him in his moment of need. A knock at his door stirred him from his sleep, anger ebbing into his chest. He growled as he swung his legs over the bed, calling to the door as he walked towards it.
"For the last time Ron, you are n- oh, Hermione, sorry 'bout that. What is it?" Harry muttered, blushing, realizing he only had a pair of boxers on. Hermione's eyes looked swollen and bloodshot in the little light available in the room.
"Hermione, are you ok? What's wrong Mione?" Harry stepped to the side to allow her entrance to the room. She wiped her nose on the back of her dress robe sleeve, choking back a sob.
"I'm sorry, Harry. This is stupid, I'll just leave." She turned to head back out of the room but Harry stood in front of the doorway, not allowing her to pass.
"Nothing is stupid about you, what's the matter?" He asked gently, placing his hands on her arms, stroking her robe with his thumbs. She shivered and he brought her into a hug, her arms in between their chests, feeling his heart beat against her hand. He switched to rubbing her back slowly, placing his chin on the top of her head.
"Mione, what's the matter?" Harry mumbled into her hair, breathing in the scent of her shampoo.
"Nothing, Ron and I just got into a fight. He really got into it, calling me names, telling me how I never seem to please him, all I want to do is please my self and then he hi-" Hermione stopped short when she noticed the look in Harry's eyes. Her breath hitched in her throat, and she buried her head in his chest, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks. Harry gently pushed her away, keeping his hands on her arms, looking at her face. Lifting one hand, he pushed aside the loose strands of hair away from her cheek. He could see the beginning stages of a bruise forming on her cheek. Gritting his teeth, he tried to suppress the urge to apparate right into Ron's room and beat him to a bloody pulp with his fists. He wouldn't use magic, if Ron was going to use his fists to control Hermione, Harry would give him a taste of his own medicine.
Hermione could sense he was fighting the urge to defend her and she wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing him.
"Harry, please don't. Stay with me." She muttered into his chest, squeezing his middle a little tighter. Harry's heart broke, and he wrapped his arms around her tighter. She seemed so fragile, so broken. The Hermione he grew up was the strongest woman he ever knew, and now it seemed the disappointment of the world was crashing down on her. He gently picked her up and slid her under his still warm sheets and crawled in beside her, keeping his arms around her.
"Please don't leave me, Harry." Hermione cried into his chest, her tears sliding down his side, finally falling onto his sheets. For the second time in the span of five minutes, Harry's heart broke again.
"I'll never leave you Mione. Never."
Harry waited until he fell asleep before slipping from the warmth of the sheets and Hermione. She mumbled a bit in her sleep and he placed a pillow in her arms, hoping to fool her into thinking it was him. He stepped out of his room, walking swiftly and quietly down the hall. He stopped in front of Ron's door, gathering his composure before killing the bastard. He opened Ron's door, immediately receiving a punch to the face. He toppled backwards into the hallway, covering his face with his hands, tears of pain forming in his eyes. He could feel the blood sliding down his cheek.
"Oh, sorry Harry thought you were someone else." Ron said, extending a hand out to Harry. Harry took it and pulled himself up and punched Ron in the jaw.
"Did you think I was Hermione?" Harry lashed out again, punching Ron again, sending him crashing to the floor.
"What the bloody hell Harry!" Ron cried, blood dripping from his mouth, staining his nightshirt.
"Oh don't play ignorant with me, you bloody wanker!" Harry screamed, jumping on top of Ron, bashing his face with his fists, hitting him every time he said a word. Ron cried in rage and pain, trying to roll Harry off his chest.
"Get off of me!" Ron screamed, pushing Harry off of him, standing up, and holding his hands in front of him. Blood streamed out of his nose and his mouth, dripping over his forearms.
"What is your problem?" Ron asked, quivering with anger and pain.
"You want to know what my problem is, huh? You putting your hands on Hermione is my problem! Just because she's your girlfriend does not give you the right to lay a finger on her!" Harry roared, articulating his words by throwing his hands up into the air.
"You'd probably jostle her a bit too if she wasn't putting out for you." Ron replied sarcastically. Harry lunged at Ron, slamming him against the wall, his hand clenched firmly on Ron's throat.
"Listen here you bastard! I have the highest respect for that woman! I would never lay so much as a fingernail on her! You have no idea how important she is to me, and here you are you bloody prick, 'jostling' her around like she was some animal. Get the hell out of my house you son of a bitch." Harry growled through clenched teeth, releasing his old on Ron's throat. Ron fell to the floor, slumped over, his chest heaving. Red finger marks tattooed Ron's throat and he stumbled to his feet, apparating out of the room. Harry shook with a ferocity he had not felt since he blew Voldemort to pieces in the Final Battle.
He walked back to his room, quietly closing the door behind him. He turned around and saw Hermione sitting upright in his bed, hugging her knees. Harry stopped dead in his tracks; he could see fresh tears falling from her eyes.
"Hermione? How much did you hear?" Harry asked his heart beating wildly within its cage.
"All of it." She mumbled into her knees. Harry walked quickly over to the bed and crawled in it, holding the crying Hermione in his arms. She snaked her arms around him, clinging on for dear life.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that Mione." Harry said, placing a light kiss to the top of her head. Hermione shivered and burrowed closer into the covers and him.
"You didn't have to do that." Hermione said looking up for the first time since Harry walked into the room. She gasped slightly when she saw the cut on his cheek and the dried blood. Her slender fingers traced the trail of blood, lightly touching his cut. He didn't flinch under her touch, instead he found himself pressing into her hand. He placed a kiss to her palm, taking it in his hand.
"Hermione, you know I would die for you right?" He continued when he felt her nod her head against his chest.
"If I could, Mione, I would give you the world. Anything and everything you've ever wanted, I would give to you in a heartbeat."
"I know. Harry, do you think I'm a prude?" Hermione asked, after a moment of silence. Harry looked at Hermione as if she had sprouted a second head.
"What? Did Ron say that? Hermione look at me! You are the most intelligent woman I know, even the most beautiful! Don't you ever let some guy tell you otherwise! You are my best friend, and I won't let some guy walk all over you." When Harry finished, he seemed breathless, staring deep into the eyes of the girl he loved. Did he love her? Or was what he was feeling just a feeling of protectiveness?
Hermione stared deep into his eyes before leaning in and pressing her lips against his. Harry's heart jumped into his throat, making it hard to breathe but he kept kissing Hermione. He thought this would feel so wrong, but to the contrary it felt so right, and good.
Harry brought Hermione closer to him, hugging her middle tightly. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead onto hers.
"Go to sleep Mione." Harry mumbled quietly, looking her deep into her eyes. She nodded against his forehead and closed her eyes, snuggling up against his chest. He pulled the covers up and around their fragile bodies, blessing the night that hid his tears from the love of his life. He could feel her slow, even breaths on his chest and he decided it was safe to move. He slowly slid out from under the covers for the second time that night and walked towards the kitchen.
He opened the fridge, shifting around the various bottles until he found a butter beer. He closed the fridge door with his foot and trotted towards the table, slipping into on of the chairs while bringing the beverage to his lips. His mind began reeling, steering towards Ron. 'Damn him' he thought bitterly to himself. Again he brought the bottle to his lips and swigged the remaining drink down. He abruptly stood, upsetting his chair, and walked back towards his room. Closing the door silently behind him, he made his way towards the bed, sliding in behind Hermione and snuggling his face into her hair.
"I love you." He mumbled into her hair, not knowing she was awake and smiling.