Dreams and Nightmares Come to Life

AN~ For those of you who didn't see the AN before this, Ginny getting Harry wasn't the end of the story. On the last chapter I will literally write "THE END". Okay? I meant I was going to have a break before writing the next chapter. (Just a hint, I don't like unhappy endings like that). So more angst confusion and kickass Hermione to go. Someone said they didn't want lemon, but some people do, so I'll try and be tasteful if there is any such scene like that, or if I mention the foresaid subject. Sorry again if I was misleading with what I said before. It was half one in the morning when I finished, I wasn't concentrating 100%.

Oh, and most of this was HORRID to write. I felt sick.

Harry could not remember the last time he felt this good. He was lying in a soft bed, with eyes closed, and absolutely nothing hurt. He looked over to the bedside clock. It was early evening now, it'd been a only an hour or so since he had lost consciousness. He supposed it was a side affect from the concussion.

"Harry?" A small voice, that filled him with love, whispered from the doorway. He looked to the door, and saw the beautiful witch who he would spend the rest of his life with, standing in the doorway. He smiled and held out her hand for her to come in. She danced in and Harry pulled his fiancée into his arms. She giggled lightly and the sound was like heaven for Harry. She smelt of fresh roses as he gently kissed her alabaster neck. His hands gripped around her waist, pulling her closer.

"I love you Harry. We'll always be together, won't we?" She asked, her brown eyes looking deep into his. The fluttering of a memory stirred in his mind, but he pushed it down, concentrating on the beautiful girl in his arms.

"Always Ginny. For now and forever."

Later, Harry found himself topless, making some snacks for them to eat. He felt a little sad that soon he would have to return to Grimmald Place, even though he wished to stay here. He'd have to though, all his homework was there. Being with Ginny seemed more important than work right now though. Maybe he should join the Quidditch course instead. They had a few more weeks training before it would finish. Just as he was thinking which team he would like to play for, Ginny walked in, completely distracting him. She was in a very short white towel, revealing most of her long, pale legs. Her wet, vibrant hair cascaded down her shoulders. Harry's mouth went dry at the sight.

"Ready for another round?" She asked roguishly. Harry found his voice.

"That sounds great, but we have to eat some time. You can go get dressed while I finish up here." He turned his eyes away and quickly plated up small dishes of food he'd found in her fridge and cupboard. He was just sitting down himself when Ginny reappeared, clothed not much differently from before. Her hair was now silky and dry, reflecting the candle light. She was covered with a short silk nighty, with lace trimmings. She looked good enough to eat. Harry gulped.

"Shall we eat?"

It didn't last long, but before Harry had even cleared the plates, Ginny had backed him up against a counter, attacking his neck with her mouth. As his hands went to her petite waist, he felt the same attack of déjà vu. Something his brain was telling him he'd forgotten. He started to feel a little sick even. He pushed Ginny away from him, gasping slightly. She looked hurt.

"What's wrong? I thought you wanted this?" Ginny asked, pouting.

"Yeah, I do, it's just…" Harry spluttered.

"What?" She asked insistently.

"I just still feel sick is all. It's nothing to do with you. Maybe I'm having an allergic reaction to the soap in your bathroom or something…" Her face turned sympathetic at once, but Harry didn't miss the look anger that briefly flared in her eyes. He didn't mention it though.

"Let's get you to bed, hmm? A nice, relaxing massage should do you wonders." Harry let himself be lead back to the bedroom, but not before setting the plates to wash themselves with a flick of his wand.

"Here, you lie down on your front sweetling." Harry tried not to gag on the petname, but squashed it with the thought She's just being loving is all.

Soon her hands were caressing his back, working out the knots and strains. It was just as relaxing as she had promised and Harry could feel himself beginning to doze off.

"Harry, I'm so glad I'm yours. I wouldn't want to belong to any other man as glorious as you." Her simpering tone made Harry a little uncomfortable but as he was getting a massage, he let her continue.

"We can spend the rest of our lives together, just as it always should have been. No one can ever pull us apart again." Harry said nothing feigning sleep. He knew he loved her, and she loved him, she always had done, but this was just a little weird. Her hands soon stopped their movements and he felt her lips kiss their way up his spine. Then by his ear, she whispered,

"Sweet dreams, Man-Who-Triumphed." The light went out, and Harry felt Ginny climb into bed beside him and curl up close. The last thing he saw in his mind's eye before he fell into an uneasy sleep, was Hermione's disapproving face.

Hermione had run out of the lesson that afternoon, grabbed her bag and without even changing, apparated into her parents back garden. It was lucky they lived out in a detached house as her usually stealthy arrival was this time punctuated with a loud bang. She heard her father shriek from inside and the sound of breaking china before she opened the back door.

"Hermione-"

He didn't get the chance to finish as Hermione raced up the stairs and into her room, before throwing herself onto her bed. She breathed hard and fast, trying to keep the angry tears at bay. Not only had it hurt to see Harry, but his innocent behaviour, thinking that he had done nothing wrong, had infuriated her. How could he be so ignorant of his callous behaviour?!

She rolled over onto her back to try and collect her thoughts. With a flick of her wand, the scent of honeysuckle and jasmine filled the room, scents Hermione hoped would help her relax. It worked slightly but Hermione now felt a tensing in her gut. Thinking it just to be anxiety, she ignored it, and brought out her secret stash of cookie dough ice cream, enchanted to keep cold wherever it was. She was just digging in when her dad came into the room.

"I guess seeing Harry today wasn't so good." He said sympathetically, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"How'd you guess?" She asked sarcastically.

"Hermione, you just burst in like a harpy from hell. Not to mention you're eating the emergency ice cream." He said with a chuckle.

"Did you try to talk to him or something?" He asked softly.

"No, I think I broke his nose and gave him a concussion." Hermione said dolefully.

"Hermione! You were meant to talk to him calmly, not attack the fellow. He's probably even more confused now."

"It was in the defence class, I had to hit him. They brought the wards down a little, otherwise he would have been fine." She said with a bitter tone. Part of her regretted causing him harm, but after what he had said, she felt she had every right hitting him at least once.

"He doesn't even realise how much he hurt me."

"Hermione, the boy's not a mindreader. Besides, you said you left just as Sirius said that god awful thing, how do you know how Harry reacted? He might of defended your honour."

"I suppose you're right, as usual." She said with a reluctant smile.

"Why don't you head over to Grimmal-"

"I'm no caving in that easily, he can come to me!"

"Hermione, sweetie, if he takes that approach too, you're going to end up nowhere. He may feel he's done nothing wrong, and that you should apologise for ignoring him. Are you going to let your stubbornness get in the way of your friendship?" Hermione bit her lip.

"No, I guess not. I'll go over later, when he'll be home. Maybe I'll go to Ron's first, see if he has any suggestions."

"See, there's always a way. So why don't you put away the ice cream and save it for a real emergency?"

"Thanks Dad." She kissed his cheek and took his advice, stashing the ice cream back in the cupboard.

Once her dad had left, she took a nice long shower, which eased the tension out of her muscles and washed away the sweat and grime from the auror classes that day. Then after dressing, and shouting goodbye to her dad, she apparated from the garden to the Burrow.

On arrival, Hermione felt the familiar contradiction of emotions that were tied to the Burrow. She had always enjoyed the homely feeling, but the overbearing Molly Weasley had always made it feel a little claustrophobic. Not to mention how she wanted one big happy family, with Hermione with Ron and Harry with Ginny. At least she had (or so she had seemed) to resign herself to have Luna as a one day daughter in law and Harry and Hermione as friends of the family.

With a deep breath she strode towards the Weasley home. She knocked on the brass knocker and heard its stifled announcement of Hermione Granger is at the door. She had barely waited a few seconds when Ron pulled open the door, still in his Quidditch clothes and a large sandwich in one hand.

"Hermione!" He gave her a tight one armed hug and pulled her into the house.

"It's nice to see you too Ron." She said smiling.

"Come to the kitchen, I've just made a pile of food."

"You made it yourself?" She asked in mock astonishment.

"Always the tone of surprise." He said with grin, making her laugh.

Soon they were sat down in the homely kitchen around the large oaken table, digging into sandwiches.

"So where is everyone? It seems unusually quiet." Hermione asked as she finished her chicken mayonnaise sandwich.

"Well," He said, swallowing a mouthful, "Mum's just popped over to visit Ginny about something, Dad is still at work, and Luna is helping her dad with the Quibbler this afternoon." It seemed strange, that now there were very few people living in the Burrow; George lived in the flat above his jokeshop, Percy was in a house in London with Penelope, Bill with Fleur at Shell Cottage, and Charlie still abroad. Ginny didn't really count as living away from home as her mother was constantly visiting her 'precious princess'.

"So what brings you here?" Ron asked when he'd polished off the last morsel.

"Well…it's kind of about me and Harry." She said, shifting uncomfortably on her seat.

"Oh? Have you had an argument or something? " He asked in concern.

"Well, it's just I overheard him talking about me in a way that I didn't exactly feel comfortable with, and then I sort of beat the crap out of him today. In defence class mind you." She quickly added.

"You sure you heard him right? Harry's not the kind of guy to be rude about someone, especially someone like you."

"Yes I'm sure. I can't see what else he could have been talking about."

"What was he talking about?"

"I'd rather not say. Look, I just came over for some advice. I'd like to talk to him, but I'm not sure how. I don't really fancy going back to Grimmald Place."

"Weren't you there before?" He asked in confusion.

"No, I er, I've moved back in my parents for the moment." Ron was quiet.

"Well-" He didn't finish his sentence as Mrs Weasley had just come in.

"Oh, hello Hermione dear, I didn't expect to see you here!" She exclaimed, as she pulled off her coat and hung it up. She came over and embraced Hermione, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi Mum, nice to see you too." Ron said grinning. She just rubbed his shoulder.

"Well, Hermione can I get you anything?"

"No, its fine Molly, Ron's been a very good host." Hermione said with a smile.

"Good boy." She said, kissing his head, before whipping out her wand to begin on dinner.

"How's Ginny?" Ron asked. Hermione wished they could go somewhere to talk in private, but she patiently waited.

"Oh, she's fine, just popped over to check on her cupboards and such. Said she was expecting company tonight but she didn't say who. Quite mysterious she was, I think it might be a love interest from that Quidditch course."

"Good on her for getting over Harry, took her bloody long enough." Ron said, leaning back on his chair.

"Language Ronald. It was quite sweet when she was younger, but lately it's been a bit disconcerting." Molly said with a frown.

"Um, Ron, can we go outside?" Hermione asked in the lull of conversation.

"Huh? Oh right, yeah." He followed Hermione out into the cold garden, away from Molly's prying ears.

"So you were saying?" Hermione asked rubbing her arms. Maybe the garden hadn't been such a good idea.

"Well, I think you should go and talk to him, as soon as possible really. He probably confused as hell why you've ignored him. Tell you what, why don't you owl him first?"

"That'd be great, I'll have to go to Diagon Alley to use the postal service-"

"Or you could use Evelyn, Luna's owl. She's hear at the minute actually, and she'll be a lot faster than Pig."

"Are you sure Luna wouldn't mind?" Hermione asked, now stamping her feet to keep warm.

"Nah, she'd understand."

So, soon enough, back inside, Evelyn had a small note addressed to Harry and was soaring off into the gloom to find him. Hermione and Ron chatted about how their courses were going, what'd they'd been up to, and before long, Evelyn had returned, the same note still attached.

"That's strange, she can normally find anyone." Ron said in confusion.

"Where do you think he'd be?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"Well, he can't be in any of the regular places, otherwise she'd have found him."

"So he's in a place we wouldn't expect him to be?"

"Maybe, unless, he's not himself, or there's charms to stop us finding him. Don't know why it'd be either of those."

A sudden thought crossed Hermione's mind, reminding her of Molly's earlier news.

"Ron, you don't think he could be…" He saw the look on her face and immediately cottoned on.

"Nah, he wouldn't go there!...Would he?" Even Ron seemed unsure.

"We could always ask…" Hermione asked tentatively.

"Yeah, she may have seen him as he left the Ministry today." They went to the living room and over to the fireplace where Ron proceeded to throw some green dust shout "Flat 3B, Yew Road!" Instead of turning the typical green, the fire turned dark red and announced, "I am sorry, but the fireplace you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please try again later."

"What? I'm her brother, she can't lock me out." Ron said indignantly.

"Ron, I don't like the feel of this. I'm going over." And before he could stop her, she had left the house and apparated out of the garden.

She reappeared in a dark street, night having now fallen. Hermione raced across the quiet road and up the steps of the Victorian terrace. Buzzing Ginny's flat number, Hermione hoped Ginny would have gotten over her bitterness to talk to her. To her surprise there was no voice demanding who she was, the door simply opened with a another buzz. Hermione pushed open the large door and found herself in a hallway, with no lift, but several flights of stairs.

Hermione was glad of the running she'd been doing recently, as it helped propel her up the stairs with little effort and arrive and Ginny's door only a little out of breath.

She went to knock, but the door opened to reveal Ginny, clad only in a men's shirt.

"Oh, hello Hermione." She said sweetly.

"Er, hi Ginny. Sorry, I'm not intruding, am I?" Hermione asked gesturing down at her attire.

"Oh, no of course not! Come on in."

"No, its fi-" Ginny ignored her stammering protests and pulled her in.

"So, would you like a drink or something?" Ginny asked, heading for the kitchen.

"No thank you, I just came to ask if you'd seen Harry."

"Harry?" She asked and turned in surprise.

"Yes, Harry," Hermione felt the tension return to her stomach tenfold.

"Why, I have actually."

"Oh. Where is he then?" Hermione wasn't sure she actually wanted to know the answer.

"I'm right here." Hermione spun round to see a topless Harry with ruffled hair, standing in the bedroom doorway. He skin looked sallow and tight and his eyes looked wide and feverishly bright. She was lost for words for a moment, before Ginny stepped into her eye line and straight into Harry's arms. It was Hermione's nightmare all over again, only this time, she wasn't asleep. Her heart nearly broke when Harry smiled lovingly at Ginny and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. He looked back to her.

"Did you need something Hermione? Or can my fiancée and I get back to bed?" He asked.

"Your…fiancée?" Hermione stammered.

"Yes, Hermione, we're in love. We always have been, we were destined to be together. Me the girl who waited and Harry, the Man-Who-Triumphed. We thought, why wait?" Ginny said coyly. Hermione barely registered the sound of rain begin to thunder on the windows.

"H-Harry?" Hermione asked, her lips trembling.

"What's wrong?" He seemed genuinely confused. "Ginny and I belong together. We will have the perfect life. I love her." The words seemed automatic, but Hermione could hear his belief behind them.

"N-no, you can't…" She could barely speak now, her throat seemed to of closed up.

"Maybe you should go Hermione," Ginny said softly. "No one likes a sore loser."

With that, Hermione tore out of the flat. Her legs shook so hard she had to grip onto the banister for support. She ripped open the door and disappeared into the rain.

Yes, more Hermione angst, but I really like writing it. I don't want Hermione to be like, 'Oh, it's the end of the world, he doesn't like me' but it's the reaffirmation of her childhood fears of no one wanting her, thinking she was just about being smart, like in the books. Hermione thought that Harry wanted her and nearly loved her, something she has never had before, and so to have it torn away like that by GINNY is going to hurt her a lot.

If there's anyone confused, the two different POV's happen at the same time pretty much. Hermione get's to Ginny's flat a while after Harry's massage.

xGSGx

PS, Yes there is another chapter after this one, and I think another one after that.