Chapter II

How Much She Means to Me

"We are asleep until we fall in Love!"

― Leo Tolstoy

As Harry roused himself from his deep slumber, he idly noted that while one of arms was asleep because he slept on it, the other had its hand clasped in something rather warm. Looking up blearily, the young boy jumped awake when he say Hermione's position on the bed.

Rather than frozen in time as she were when she was attacked, she looked as if she had fallen asleep in the bed. What was even more startling was the fact he could see her chest slowly rise and fall, signaling she was breathing.

"How?" Harry gasped. He placed the back of his free hand to her forehead and felt the warmth. His eyes swam when he realized that his desire to see Hermione perfectly fine had come to fruition. "Can you hear me Hermione?"

"Alas my dear boy," an ancient and soft voice spoke, "I am afraid that she still slumbers." Harry whirled around to see the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore standing there in his (horrendous) purple robes spanned with stars.

"Professor Dumbledore, when did you get here?" Harry exclaimed.

"I have been here a good hour my boy, waiting for you to awake." His eyes twinkled merrily. "It is already eleven in the afternoon."

The young Gryffindor colored at the fact he had slept in so late. But upon turning back to gaze upon Hermione, he felt it was worth it.

"So what happened? Did you heal Hermione in some way?" he asked as he turned back to gaze at the elder man.

"Alas, that was not me. Few things in the world can fully recover someone of petrification. I believe a golden needle was once thought to cure petrification," Dumbledore mused humorously. "I believe it had more to do with you my boy."

"Me? What did I do?"

"Ah, that is the question." He stood and slowly trotted over to where the two were and conjured a seat for himself. "Quite simple really; you intermingled your magic with someone else. A rare and near impossible feat if I do say so myself."

If Harry had not vowed to become stronger to protect his loved ones, then he would have panicked horribly at the fact of binding Hermione to him. Instead he blinked owlishly before sighing and muttering, "Hermione will have my arse for this."

"I'm quite sure she won't have your arse for this, my boy," Dumbledore laughed. At Harry's perplexed look, he explained, "Magic intermingling is a curious thing. It is impossible to do unless both peoples' hearts, minds and souls are in perfect harmony. Some say it is a way of telling you this person is dearest to you."

"So, it's something people in love can do?" the boy asked curiously.

"Many thought the same, but alas it was not to be. Magic mingling in the observed cases only occurred when both parties were of strong magic."

"So what does that mean?"

"It means that Miss Granger is not technically a muggleborn but rather a descendant of a squib, a magical person who cannot attain any magical feat. If that is the case, then either she does not know it, or the squib is removed by several generations."

"Will she wake then?" Harry asked as his mind processed all of the information. "Will I be able to see her up and about?"

"Alas, that is the problem. Due to mingling your magic with hers, she has ended up in a self-induced magical coma." He then placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and cast a mild calming spell. "Calm yourself Mr. Potter, she will awake in due time."

"How long then?" he murmured.

"One month. Her body must become accustomed to the magic that now courses through it."

"One month," Harry repeated in a hushed tone.

"She means a great deal to you," the Headmaster pointed out more than asked.

"I'd say I would die for her, but then she'd probably scold me when we meet up again," Harry chuckled. "So instead, I'll live to fight for a future where she can be free and happy. Because I love her even more when she smiles." He then pictured in his mind's eye his bushy haired friend smiling brilliantly at him.

Dumbledore looked down upon the boy in awe at the fact that such clear and powerful devotion could exist within one boy. But then again, when was exposed to darkness, one either fell prey to it, or they pushed all of that darkness aside and turned toward the light.

As he looked down upon Miss Granger, he realized that the only thing, only person really, that could remove the darkness that would one day manifest within Harry was her. And Merlin willing, he knew the boy would not let anything unbecoming happen to her. And if people tried, he shuddered having remembered the growing power Harry displayed, then there would be hell to pay.

The Headmaster then had to shield his eyes when a golden glow surrounded Harry and Hermione. When it died down, his eyes nearly bugged out when he saw Miss Granger begin to stir. "Impossible," he breathed.

"I'm Harry Potter aren't I sir?" Harry asked cheekily, staring at the Headmaster. "I don't think impossible exists around me."

"Harry James Potter," a quiet voice spoke up, "I don't know whether to smack you or kiss you, you lovable fool." The boy's eyes whirled around and locked upon Hermione's own deep brown.

"I think in this situation, both?" the Potter heir laughed. Dumbledore then excused himself to find Madam Pomfrey. He then imagined the same situation, but with James and Lily, when he heard a resounding smack and chuckled to himself.

"That was for doing something without my consent," Hermione scolded with a scowl on her brow.

"But you did consent!" he returned with a grin.

"You could have at least waited until I was unpetrified," the girl muttered.

"Then I would not have been able to tell you I love you," Harry said with a grin, before planting a kiss on her cheek. Hermione just sighed, whether in exasperation or in bliss was the question.

Using her free hand, she pulled herself up and the leaned into Harry. She surprised both of them when she placed a quick, chaste kiss upon his lips which left both of them blushing up a storm.

"And that was for?" Harry asked in content voice.

"That was for loving someone like me."

"You're not just somebody to me, Hermione. You are Hermione, the one and only person I would ever want in this whole world selfishly."

"That's a dangerous thing to say Harry," the girl quietly pointed out. She shrugged however and said, "But the feeling is mutual."

"I'd be surprised if it wasn't," he cheekily pointed out.

"Oh, you!" Hermione shouted, playfully shoving her friend. When they stopped giggling, she smiled and said, "You forgot to ask me something first."

"Right." Harry then cleared his throat and said, bending on one knee, "Will you marry me?"

"I think your jumping the gun Harry!" Hermione laughed.

"It's not like I won't ask you again in the future," Harry pointed out as he stood.

"Aren't we missing the dating part first?" she giggled.

"Oh fine. Will you go out with me and–" he could not finish his question when Hermione suddenly threw herself into his arms and shouted "Yes!" so many times.

"So are you my fiancée or my girlfriend now?" Harry asked with a straight face.

"Harry!" Hermione laughed. The boy just laughed before locking lips once more with the girl he loved.

Neither noticed that the scar upon his forehead seemed to have lost some of its angry red coloring.

Review please. Any trolls will be fired at with Reducto curses, so be warned.