AN: This started as a way of looking at the series if Harry and Hermione had become a couple, so thus far the story follows the basic line of events of book 5, with a few minor changes (plus the whole Harry/Hermione thing). Still unsure whether I should continue like this, or start to introduce completely new events, it has been left open enough that this is a possibility. Any thought on this matter would be appreciated. The title is just a placeholder for now, it may change.
Also, I'm new to this fanfic stuff, so any advice/criticism is appreciated.
And away we go.
Chapter 1:
Hermione sat in her favourite chair in the Gryffindor common room, her books spread out all over it and the floor. To an onlooker it would have seemed like she was hard at work, but her mind was elsewhere. The common room was quite empty, even Ron had decided to call it an early night when Hermione had appeared too pre-occupied to help him with his potions homework. She was now quite alone, staring into the fire, deeply immersed in her own thoughts. Perhaps it was her overly full timetable, she was still making use of the time-turner she had received in her third year in order to attend them all. Perhaps it was Umbridge and the disgraceful attitude the ministry had been spreading regarding Hogwarts and the return of Voldemort. Whatever the reason, she was really feeling the pressure as of late. Much of her energy of late had been spent organizing the DA, the only aspect of her life it seemed was actually going right; though even with success still had its pressures, the constant threat of being caught and the consequent expulsion was always in the back of her mind, no matter how sure she was they were doing the right thing by the students of Hogwarts. The only person she been able to open up even remotely to was Harry, she knew the pressure he was under was even worse, and this gave them a mutual understanding of each others experience. She also had a big job in trying to keep Harry under wraps at times. Perhaps the pressure was getting to him, but he seemed much more inclined to fly off the handle this year than the past, and she often seemed to be the only one that could get him to calm down.
Harry, in fact, was the thing plaguing her mind most severely at this moment. The growing closeness between them had started to create thoughts of a romantic nature within her mind. These feelings had been getting stronger by the day, and as a result, she was struggling more and more to keep up with her homework, spending more and more time thinking longingly of her desires. Harry had got himself thrown in detention with Umbridge again today, and Hermione had decided to wait up for him, and try to get homework done in the meantime. She knew he would be feeling angry at the injustice of yet more detentions for trying to spread the truth, and hoped she could comfort him. She also hoped she would get an opportunity amongst this to get her feelings out in the open, praying that deep down, those feelings would be mutual. She tried hard to not get her hopes up however, knowing that making sure he was alright was priority.
She sat staring at the book in her hands, reading over the words, though taking nothing in. She was so exhausted, yet felt as though she couldn't sleep, plus she was determined to wait up for Harry. The same thoughts and desires swam through head repeatedly, and slowly her eyes began to droop. Exhaustion eventually overcame her, and she fell asleep, still in the chair.