Chapter 2

Harry wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but in what seemed like mere seconds, Hermione's hands went limp and her breathing steadied. Taking extra care not to stir her, Harry extricated himself from her loose embrace, laid her arms down by her sides and threw the blanket over her huddled shape.

"Nox," he whispered, pulling off his shirt and flopping onto his own mattress. Yes, he felt relieved, but he also felt more tired than ever. The road before him seemed long and windy and full of obstacles that seemed insurmountable, one of them being Ron's absence. But Hermione wasn't going to leave him. He felt a little less lonely than he had during the previous days, but he also felt worried about Hermione's safety. Things were going to get even more dangerous, and now he'd have to look after one more…

He had to do his best to make sure she wasn't hurt, or worse, killed.

Just as Harry felt his lids begin to droop of their own accord, he heard Hermione mumbling in her sleep.

"Ron…Ron…no, no, NO…come back…Harry…"

Harry went rigid, hardly daring to breathe.

"Harry…," Hermione mumbled again, "Stay…stay with me…please, don't go!...NO!" Now she was thrashing around, her head flying back and forth on the pillow, her hair falling out of its bun and fanning out over her arms. "Don't'…don't! Don't hurt him! …NO!"

Harry couldn't stand it anymore. He shoved his wand in his pants' pocket and crossed the room once more, absently wondering why he and Hermione hadn't set up a watch schedule for that night. Maybe they were just too tired. Or maybe they didn't even care anymore.

Fighting the impulse to go sit in front of the tent and keep look out in order to protect Hermione, he pulled back her blanket and smoothed the hair away from her face. She seemed to sense his presence even in her slumber and immediately fell still. Harry then eased himself down on the on the cot next to her, placed one arm over her sleeping figure and closed his eyes.

Yes, it was cramped.

Yes, Harry thought he would fall right off the cot twice.

And yes, Harry fell into a dreamless sleep for the first time in ages.

"Harry? Harry!"

Harry's head was aching and his eyes felt like they were glued shut. He forced them open wide enough to squint up at the person standing over him.

"Hermione?" He pushed himself into a sitting position only to have a book fall on his head.

"Oh! Sorry," Hermione moaned, picking up 'A History of Magic' from Harry's lap and shoving it roughly into her beaded bag. "I was practicing this new levitation thing and then I forgot it when the kettle started to whistle…oh, never-mind that, is your head okay?"

Harry rubbed the throbbing lump on his temple and forced his eyes the rest of the way open. The sunlight outside had penetrated the tent, leaving the interior warm and bright.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He suddenly felt disoriented. Why was the table on that side of his bed? Had Hermione moved it? Wait…why was his bed over there?

"Hermione-" he began, puzzled, but she cut in.

"Yes, Harry. You're in my bed."

Harry felt his eyes widen involuntarily. "Oh! I'm – I'm sorry, really sorry, uh…" Feeling unbelievably awkward, Harry got shakily to his feet only to realize he was shirtless.

Hermione covered her mouth, her eyes crinkled up. "Oh, Harry…" Then she laughed.

Shaking his head in embarrassment, Harry picked up yesterday's shirt from the floor and pulled it over his head. "Uh…should I go find breakfast? Or make it or something?" He was studiously trying to avoid eye contact with Hermione as he stood, fidgety, by the kitchen sink.

Hermione was still smiling, Harry noticed when he risked a look at her out of his peripheral vision. "Actually, we have some potatoes left from last night. I can probably fry them." She strode towards him, and Harry quickly darted out of her way.

"Uh, okay. Sure. Yeah. I'll go, uh, watch outside for-"

"Oh Harry, please don't." Hermione was looking at him very hard now, and Harry sat nervously down on his bunk. What had he done, sleeping in her bed without her permission? It had been a stupid thing to do. He never had been good with girls.

"I'm not upset," she said decisively.

Harry kinked his neck in his rush to look up at her. "You aren't? I mean, I shouldn't have presumed…" He trailed off yet again at a loss for words.

Hermione pushed herself away from the counter and strode towards Harry's bunk. "You presumed right."

Harry opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.

Hermione went on. "You're my best friend, Harry. I don't mind. I couldn't. It was a really sweet gesture."

Harry nodded mutely.

"If you don't mind my asking, what made you do it?"

"You were talking in you sleep," Harry mumbled to his feet. "You seemed scared, you kept saying…"

"Saying what?" Hermione prompted gently.

"My name," Harry answered. "Well Ron's, then mine."

Hermione nodded, understanding dawning on her face. "I was having a nightmare. I don't remember exactly what was happening, I woke up only briefly after you had, you know. It was Snape. He had you, he was going to kill you, Ron was already d-dead." Tears began to pour down her cheeks but no sob escaped her lips.

"You woke me up when you got in," she went on a moment later after steadying herself. "I can't even tell you how relieved I felt, to have you so close."

"Well I suppose that's good," said Harry lamely.

Hermione laughed, slicing through the tension and chopping it to bits. "Can I ask you something, Harry? I understand if you don't want to, though."

"Anything," Harry replied immediately.

"Do it again."

"Do what?" Harry looked at Hermione's determined face and followed the tear tracks down her cheeks and on to her sweater…

"Sleep with – I mean, in the same bed as - me again. Tonight." Now it was Hermione's turn to look awkward and unsettled; she began to study the drawstrings of her sweater with much interest.

Harry didn't expect warmth to flood through him at Hermione's request, and he certainly didn't expect his sudden need to be close to her. But he did know exactly how to answer her.

"Of course."

A/N: Thank you everyone for the alerts, favorites and reviews! And if you haven't reviewed yet, please do! Sorry that this chapter is a little shorter; the coming chapters will be longer :)