Beautiful, that was the first thing he thought alter looking at the person sleeping right next to him, her face was just perfect in his eyes. His heart was full of love and respect for her, but at the same time there was a hint of sadness because he didn't know if what happened the night before was lust or love, for his part it was love, there was no questioning about it but he knew that if she did loved him back, she'll be put in a very dangerous position, his friends were targets already but if Voldemort found about her and just how much she means to him, well there was no question in his mind that in order to get to him he will use her and that was the thing that he was most afraid of.
Maybe he should just give up his feelings and say that it was a rush of the moment, just a need of comfort and let her go, but there was a part of his mind that told him he shouldn't do that, that he couldn't do that because he needed her, she was his rock, she was his everything.
Then as his eyes fell upon her face he saw the most beautiful pair of brown eyes he had ever seen. And then… silence… there was a silence but it wasn't an awkward one, it was a nice kind of silence.
"Hi", just hearing her voice, her innocent voice, so full of care and love he got a feeling of love all over his body he almost couldn't form any words.
"Hey, how did you sleep?" well at least he managed to form words… that's a good start isn't it?
"Just fine, you know, you are way better than a cuddly toy." She said with a happy smile on her face.
He smiled and said, "Thanks", after a pause he said, "Hermione we need to talk".
After he said that he noticed that the smile on her face fell but the content look she had didn't. After a few moments she said "Yeah, I know".
As he looked at her, he couldn't form any words again and felt really conscious that he was naked underneath the sheets and so was she so he started to blush a little, but managed to control it in a few seconds.
"Harry I know this", she said gesturing to the both of them with a finger, "was a little fast but I just want you to know that you mean a lot to me", she, by now, had taken one of his hands in both of hers, "and that no matter what I'll always be there for you as a friend… and if you want as a lover".
"I've been keeping my feelings since fourth year you know… and after last night I don't think I can keep doing it, I can't tell you how much it meant to me when you kissed me or when you made love to me because I can't explain it, the only thing I can tell you is that I love you, I am in love with you, and I don't ever want to be without you"
Throughout her speech he started feeling so good and so happy… it was an amazing thing hearing from the woman you love that she loves you back just as much if not more. But it wasn't enough, because the other part of his brain, the part that reminded him of all the bad things that happened over the years because someone loved him… his parents, Sirius… the people who he was close with… Cedric… it all brought sadness over him… a sadness that told him he wasn't good enough for her, how can a man with a destiny to kill or be killed could deserve someone as perfect and pure as she is.
So, he decided to do the easy thing and lie to her, as soon as he made his decision an idea came into his mind.
"Hermione, we can't do this, I mean what about Ron and what about Ginny, you know how they both feel about us, I don't think they are going to be happy if they find out something is going on between us".
Upon hearing those words and seeing the look on his face she knew he was trying to make her believe that there wasn't a possibility of them becoming a couple, at least she hoped he was doing that, there was still hope in her heart that he may be in loved with her, so she decided to attack his argument.
"Harry, I am not in love with Ron, I am in love with you, and I know he likes me but can't you see that he will, eventually, stop liking me? And that if he can't have don't you think that the best person apart from him to deserve me is you, his best friend? Don't you think that he will get used to the idea of us because we are happy? Don't you think he'll want us, me to be happy?"
"As for Ginny… I know she is my best female friend and I care for her a lot but she just fancies you Harry, she's not in love with you, I mean she claims to have loved you since before you even met her, that's not love, that's just a crush, she doesn't sees you as Harry, they all see you as the Boy-Who-Lived, I want you Harry, I want only you, I'm in love with the boy who saved me from a troll, the kind and loving person that you are, don't put walls between us Harry, it is useless, and you know why? Because I am already head over heels for you and as I said before… I don't want to be without you, ever."
She said it with such conviction that he found himself believing her and despite the little voice in his head that told him it still wasn't safe for her… he wanted to believe her and love her just as she loves him.
"Hermione, Voldemort will not hesitate in using you in order to get to me, you know what happens to the people close to me, I don't want anything to happen to you, it would kill me to know that you had gotten hurt because of me… you have no idea how I felt when you got hit last year, I just couldn't function until I knew you were still alive, I love you too Hermione… with all my heart, but I'm scared".
By now she had tears in her eyes but she didn't care, he just said he loved her… plain, bookworm, normal Hermione. So she did the only thing she could think of, she hugged him, she embraced him with such force that he found it difficult to breathe, and then she laughed a little out of relief and said.
"Harry, look at me", what she saw brought tears again to her eyes, because he reminded she of a lost little boy, after getting control of her tears she said, "Harry I know you are scared that you are putting me in danger… but I'm already in danger Harry, I'm a muggleborn, one of the main targets of Voldemort are muggleborns Harry. And for the other thing, Sirius death was not your fault Harry, anyone, and that includes me, is willing to die for you, the one that we all have to blame for the horrible things that are happening right now is Voldemort, Harry he is the one that is to blame, and he will fall, we will win this war, I just know it. I am not leaving you Harry, not now, not ever. I love you with all my heart and I never plan to let you go".
After those final words every doubt he had came crushing down, with a smile, a happy heart and a lonely tear rolling down his cheek he kissed hear, just a chaste quick kiss, but it was an action that held a promise, a promise to love her. Deep down he knew that the war was not over and that she still didn't know about the prophesy, but right now he was happy and while he lay on his back with his Hermione laying half on top of him he decided to get some rest and start taking one day at a time.
