Chapter 7

Two weeks had passed since the message had appeared near the common room but still nobody had mentioned any knowledge to Harry and Hermione of their relationship which suited Harry and Hermione just fine. Neither of them even mentioned it to each other and Harry, out of respect for Hermione made sure that any sign of affection they expressed towards each other other than friendship was out of sight away from prying eyes. They were surprisingly able to find a lot of privacy together, whether in the library or late at night in the common room. They didn't have to worry while in Ron's company however because he had certainly seemed to have warmed to the idea that his two best friends were now an item, he didn't even wince or look away anymore when they kissed or held hands when they were all together.

They were all doing well with their schoolwork and Hermione had made sure that Harry knew that their relationship shouldn't intefere with this for either of them. Harry even seemed to get along with Snape in potions class, although they hardly ever spoke to each other or even made eye contact Harry had a new found respect for the man who had risked so much on his and Dumbledore's behalf. It had become public knowledge what Snape had done during the war against Voldemort, the plan that he and Dumbledore had hatched between them to give Harry every fighting chance. Harry sometimes even found himself feeling sorry for the man he had once hated with every fibre of his being when he thought him to be a cold blooded murderer. However Harry now knew that it was Snape's love for Lily Harry's mother that had been his sole motivation for agreeing to the plan, and he also knew that it was this very love that had tortured Snape's soul for so many years.

Harry was deep in these thoughts when all of a sudden there was a loud explosion on one side of the class and a large group of students who Harry had didn't recognise scattered as part of the ceiling of the potions dungeon collapsed and scattered debris and cauldrons everywhere. Snape acted immediately ordering everyone out of the classroom and instructing them to gather in the corridor in an orderly fashion. Snape immediately exited after the last student and began checking for any injuries and taking a head count. Harry looked around and instantly noticed that Hermione wasn't amongst the scared faces of all the other students, without waiting for Snape to finish Harry called out to him that Hermione hadn't come out of the classroom and before Snape had, had time to react to this information Harry had made a dash towards the abandoned classroom. Snape made a grab towards him and got a hard grip of Harry's arm in an attempt to pull him back.

"No Potter!" Shouted Snape.

"Let go of me!" Screamed Harry, "Hermione's in there I have to help her."

However Snape did not let go of Harry's arm if anything he gripped it even tighter, Harry tried desperately to pull it free but to no avail. He balled his other fist and swung it towards Snape's face, the blow connected with full force to Snape's jaw and Snape immediately lost his grip as he was sent sprawling to the floor. However before Snape had hit the floor Harry again dashed towards the classroom and he was immediately greeted by a foul odour upon entering, something that was a cross between old cheese and rotten eggs. He could see that there had been various effects on items in the room where various potions had mixed together. Several cauldrons had melted, several had changed colour and some had either transformed in to various strange looking items and creatures or were stuck halfway through their transformations. There were also strange coloured clouds of smoke rising up from several places on the floor of the classroom, some were emmitting sparks or strange noises. As Harry moved across the classroom towards the place where he knew Hermione had been working he took special care to avoid the clouds of smoke.

"HERMIONE!" He screamed frantically as he approached the area.

"Harry!" He heard a faint voice call out.

"Hermione where are you?" He called out in response.

Harry hurried towards the place where the voice had come from and as he got closer he could see that Hermione was on the floor of the classroom and that her face had been blackened and her mousy brown hair was singed by the explosion. He also saw that she was pinned flat on her back by a large beam that had fallen from the classroom ceiling as a result of the explosion. Harry immediately ripped his wand from inside his cloak stretched out his arm and pointed his wand at the beam. He took a deep breath which immediately filled his lungs with a seering pain as he inhaled fumes that were lingering as an after effect of the accident. Despite the pain he forced himself to scream the words,

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Light shot from the end of his wand and impacted on the beam, it slowly began to twitch and then after a few moments which seemed like an eternity to both of them it slowly began to lift. However it only rose a bout an inch from Hermione's prone body which obviously wasn't enough for Hermione to be freed.

During all Harry's efforts he had not noticed that Snape had now entered the room and he too had his wand trained on the beam.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Snape called out and another shaft of light impacted on the beam.

Harry turned to look at the Potions Master, a look of total surprise across his face and then he saw the bruise that had already began to form on Snape's chin which caused a slight feeling of regret to form inside Harry.

"Concentrate Potter," said Snape sternly this will take both of us. Harry's mind snapped straight back to the job in hand and the concentration from both himself and Snape was obvious as the beams from both of their wands widened and the effect on their target was noticable straight away. The beam lifted slowly but surely upwards and away from Hermione's prone figure and Harry and Snape floated over to the far side of the classroom, there was a large bang as it dropped on to the floor. Harry rushed to Hermione's side and placed his hand in hers and with his other hand he swept her singed hair out of her face. She immediately moved her eyes to meet his and a huge smile spread across her blackened face,

"I knew you'd come for me Harry." Hermione said as she tried but failed to fight back the tears.

"I'd always come for you no matter what Hermione." Replied Harry as the tears streamed down his own face.

"The best place for Miss Granger is the hospital wing Potter." Said snape in his usual matter of fact tone.

"He's right Harry," said Hermione as she raised her hand to wipe away a tear that was running down Harry's cheek.

"Don't worry Harry." Hermione said softly "I'll be alright, you know how good Madame Pomfrey is she'll have me up and about in no time."

Harry looked in to her eyes and he knew that behind her efforts to reassure him she was worried, "I know." He said as he took hold of her hand "I thought I was going to lose you."

"I know Harry but you didn't and you never will. I'm just sorry we took so long to admit our feelings for each other." The tears now leaving glistening trails down each side of her face cleaning away the soot in two lines as they went.

"This is hardly the time for this conversation Potter." Interrupted Snape

"He's right Harry." Said Hermione

"I know, I'll take you." Replied Harry

Harry placed one arm under her legs and the other under her shoulders and lifted her from the floor. Hermione instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and she snuggled her neck in to her shoulder and neither of them spoke as Harry carried her all the way to the hospital wing past all the staring faces and students trying to hide the fact they were whispering to each other. He ignored them as he continued on his journey cradling

hermione the woman he loved in his arms.

Upon reaching the Hospital wing Harry gently lowered Hermione on to the nearest available bed but before he had even had chance to turn around to look for Madame Pomfrey he heard footsteps hammering towards him. Harry turned his gaze towards the door to see Ron belting towards him, as Ron got closer Harry could see the redness and puffiness around his eyes and the tears that were forming there. Ron stooped next to Harry and immediately looked down at Hermione's soot stained face,

"I came as soon as I heard, what happened?" Asked Ron the tears now running down his cheeks.

"There was an explosion in the potions classroom" Stated Harry as more tears became visible in his own eyes. "Everyone was outside except for Hermione."

"Are you hurt Hermione?" Asked Ron the concern definitely evident in his voice.

"I don't think so," she replied trying to feign a smile "I was pinned under a beam that fell from the ceiling but I don't think there's anything seriously wrong."

"I'll fetch Madame Pomfrey right now!" Stated Ron as he was already scanning the room for her.

"Thanks Ron." Said Hermione, a smile now firmly on her face.

"Yeah thanks mate" Said Harry as his and Ron's eyes met for a brief moment. Ron tore off in search of Madame Pomfrey and Harry and Hermione were alone again Harry pulled up a chair next to the bed and before he sat down in it he lent over and kissed Hermione on the forehead. Once he was sat he took hold of Hermione's hand between his own, his tears had stopped but the streaks where they had dried on his cheeks still glistened in the light.

"Oh Harry what an idiot I've been, I mean look where I've ended up." Sighed Hermione.

"Don't talk like that," said Harry "Afterall it wasn't your fault what happened."

"Thats just it Harry, it was I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing and I put completely the wrong thing in to my potion." Said Hermione

"Well the important thing is that you're alright," said Harry "Besides anyone can make a mistake Hermione."

"Alright thanks to you Harry," she paused "And Snape."

"Yeah and Snape, he tried to stop me coming in to get you and well I er punched him." Said Harry very reluctantly.

"Oh Harry you didn't!" Hermione stated in disbelief.

"Yes I did." Said Harry defensively "Thinking about it I'm not proud of it but in the moment I could only think of getting to you."

The next moment they heard footprints footsteps coming towards them, they both looked in that direction and there was Ron returning with Madame Pomfrey by his side carrying some strange looking medical parafonalia.

"We'll talk about it later." Said Harry

When Madame Pomfrey approached the bedside she did so with her usual thoughtful expression spread across her face.

"I" started Hermione.

"No need to explain miss Granger, Mr Weasley explained everything. Hermione looked at Ron and smiled as Madame Pomfrey began to use the items she had brought with her to check Hermione over. Once she had checked Hermione over completely from head to toe, with Harry and Ron looking on concerned and sometimes puzzled as if completely unsure what Madame Pomfrey was checking for. Finally after what seemed like forever to Ron and Harry Madame Pomfrey was finished all three of them waited with baited breath to hear the news on Hermione's condition.

"Well Miss Granger in my professional opinion you are completely fine and my recommendation is bed rest for at least two days." She said.

"Are you sure?" Asked Harry desperately trying to compose himself.

"Please Mr Potter I am completely sure about my diagnosis now I suggest you leave Miss Granger to get her rest and recouperation she has had an almighty shock." Said Madame Pomfrey with an authoritive tone to her voice.

"She's right Harry I'm feeling ok you two go and give everyone the news. Said Hermione.

"Only if you're sure Hermione." Said Ron

"I'm sure." Replied Hermione.

"I'll be back to check on you soon." Said Harry and he leaned in and kissed Hermione full on the lips, to which Madame Pomfrey merely raised an eyebrow. Harry and Ron then left Hermione's bedside and headed towards the door and just before Harry left the room he turned and blew Hermione a kiss which brought a smile to her face.