AN Here is chapter 8 and I believe this is the last chapter that I wrote months ago and we will be moving on to the chapters I have written in the last month. Which is cool because I don't really remember so clearly what happened in these ones. I just finished chapter 15 which is cool and boy this story is getting long. It seems my schedule is to post on Tuesdays but that is a half coincidence and half that's when I have free time to write. If you enjoy this chapter let me know with a review and I will very much appreciate it.

Time flew by for the seventh-year Hogwarts students. Within that time the Gryffindor quidditch team was unsurprisingly dominating the school quidditch standings. Days had turned into weeks while winter settled over the school.

Harry and Hermione had been busy working on their spell. Things had come to a standstill though and progress slowed despite Harry working on it most of the day. Things just got complicated and inwardly Hermione worried if they had bitten off more than they could chew. She wouldn't dare mention it to Harry though. They had been working on it for more than two months and if they changed direction now it was likely they wouldn't have anything by the deadline which would be more than embarrassing.

Why did happiness have to be so difficult? How had nobody figured out how it worked and how it could be worked into a spell? The cheering charm had been a dead-end, it was a fake happiness. Nothing more than an illusion.

But with the holidays coming up it seemed like all of those things were on the back burner. They would be leaving Hogwarts soon to spend time with their families for Christmas.

Things were busier than they seemed though. She had made plans for Harry to come to her home for Christmas Eve and she was already regretting it. What would he think of their home? It wasn't small by any means but she had been to his house and it was closer to a mansion than a house! What of her parents? They were muggles, of course, she knew Harry didn't have any problems with muggles it was just so different from what he was used to. What would her parents think about him? Of course, she had gotten permission to invite him but she had never had someone from school over!

She knew she should just relax. At least she had given Harry time to prepare unlike him over Halloween. The Potters in turn had invited them to a party they held for New Year but unfortunately, they had to attend the family New Year's event at her aunts.

Her bags were packed and tomorrow she was free to apparate over. Tonight would be their last research night before the holidays although she was willing to bet Harry would spend more than enough time in his library at home trying to put the pieces together himself. She was starting to worry for her friend. It still didn't feel right to say that word so freely. But they were friends, right? They had known each other for half the year and they spent hours together? They would be seeing each other for the holidays? She would have to stop overthinking things! Yes, they were friends! And since she had no friends before he was already her de facto best friend!

They had spent nights together just talking about whatever was on their mind. Although Harry usually asked the questions and she spent most of her time answering them. He was free and open with her though. He would answer whatever she asked and they had learned a lot about each other. She felt like besides her parents, Harry was probably the person who knew her best. She liked how it felt to be wanted and listened to… in fact she loved it. It was just a shame it would have to end in six months. But she would enjoy it until then.

She also started to understand him better. He was close to the headmaster; he almost considered the man the grandfather he never had. She knew he had been taking lessons with Dumbledore since he was eight years old and she had to figure that's where most of his incredible spell work came from. He did have the raw power though; wandless magic was very little technique and very much pure waves of power. Beyond that she wasn't sure, there were very few wizards throughout history capable of it it and even fewer of them could do more than simple things.

"Whenever you're ready."

"We better get going then before it gets too late."

"Oh, I'm head boy we don't have a curfew." Harry laughed as he rose to his feet and offered a hand up. She took it and got to her feet.

"I'll see you guys in the common room," Harry said to his friends on the way out. Ron nodded while Neville said goodbye.

"I think Ron's a bit cross with me," Harry said when they were out of earshot.

"Oh, how come?" She asked.

"We usually spend a lot more time together as a group. But this year you know, we've been busy with the project and we haven't hung out as much." Harry explained.

"That's not really fair. He hangs out with Lavender all the time." Hermione said before her cheeks-tinged pink. She hadn't meant to say that. Ron and Lavender were boyfriend and girlfriend while they were only friends.

"Yeah, I know. But he's always been the unreasonable one out of us. He'll get over it though. Term will be over soon enough." Harry remarked.

They made their way to the room and entered it easily. They were already in their signature spots within moments while Hermione opened a book from the night before and Harry took out a notepad.

Happiness, happiness was hard to describe but so easy at the same time. Right now, she was happy, she was with her friend in a cozy room and knew she would not lack good company. They were researching which she liked and found relaxing most of the time and if they could pull it off they would easily win and maybe be praised even higher. She found it hard to imagine anyone else was being so ambitious. Hermione Granger was happy, happier than she had been for a long time. Then why was it so hard to put that happiness into a formula?

Maybe it didn't need to be. Maybe you only needed to feel happy. But that was the Patronus as it was right? Whatever they needed to do escaped her.

"Harry?"

"Hmm."

"Doesn't it seem like what we are trying to create is an overloaded, stronger Patronus charm?"

"I mean yeah. That's exactly what we're trying to do. But instead of shielding ourselves with happiness, we want to force-feed them happiness to the point they can't stand it."

"I think it might mean we already have half the equation. We already know that using the Patronus charm you shield yourself with happiness. Even that spell doesn't know what happiness is. We just need to… weaponize it instead of making a shield."

Hermione Granger was brilliant. They had spent the last few months trying to find out what happiness looked like and how it could be created. But maybe you couldn't define happiness? Maybe you could only experience and feel it. It would explain how they had gotten nowhere as well as how nobody else had even come all that close. They were looking at the spell all wrong.

"I think you're right," Harry said.

"I know I am." Hermione laughed.

The two laughed together for a moment before closing their books.

"We already have the formula for the Patronus charm. We can repurpose half of it into our spell." Harry said.

"Isn't that like stealing it though? Since we didn't come up with it."

"Nah. Spells borrow from each other all the time. They are improved." Harry explained.

"Okay."

There was a moment of silence between them. They ought to get new books and start putting the pieces of the puzzle together but instead, they only found themselves staring into each other's eyes. Her brown eyes seemed simple on the outside but he had learned to see mountains in them. They were soft and… loving in a way. Over the months he had grown to love and appreciate her eyes.

"Do you wanna go for a walk or something? I don't feel like researching tonight." Harry asked softly.

It was getting cold out, but it was nothing a warming charm couldn't solve. Although it was probably dark. But they were magical after all. The real surprise was him asking in the first place. He never wanted to skip research! That didn't mean they didn't get off topic and end up hanging out sometimes but they always got some work done. She was a little tired of it too, while it was nice hanging out with him, she sometimes wished they did other things together.

"Yeah, that sounds nice." She replied.

Harry smiled at her. She hated to admit how great of a smile he had. She wasn't the only one who thought that though. She had seen his smile on the cover of Witch Weekly before in a photo that looked to be taken without his permission. Then again that magazine would write anything about anyone to sell copies and it just so happened Harry was mentioned on nearly every issue. She could feel herself blush, she had to calm down.

Harry got up from his spot and helped her to her feet as he always did. She didn't need it of course; she was in fine shape but she appreciated the gesture. They left the room and took to the halls of Hogwarts. They cut through the school easily and out of the front door. Normally she would never think of leaving the castle this late. There was curfew after all but she had learned that being with Harry Potter the rules rarely applied. He was also Head Boy and she was sure others in his position had done the same thing.

The night's air was crispy but not overly so. Before she could pull her wand out to cast a warming charm, she felt the heat wash over her. She looked to Harry who only smiled. When she looked to see his wand, it was nowhere in sight. Sometimes he was truly incredible.

"I practiced that for three days." Harry laughed.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

He offered an arm to her. It took her a moment to realize what he was doing but after a moment of hesitation, she wrapped her arm in his as they descended the stairs of Hogwarts.

It felt nice. Her arm in his as they walked down the stone paths of Hogwarts. The moon was out and full and it looked beautiful reflecting off of the black lake. They were like a couple from one of her mum's romance novels which made her smile. They were only friends, but it was nice to dream.

"When I first came to school one of the first places, I went was the lake. I had heard so many stories and seen so many photographs I just had to see it. Dumbledore thought it was hilarious when he brought me here for my ninth birthday and the first place I went in a whole castle was the lake." Harry said with a smile.

"I'd have to say it was up there. The first place is the library of course. But I remember seeing the lake too. One of the things I enjoyed each year was sitting by the lake when I had a free minute." Hermione said as they stopped and looked out over the water.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"I never see you with anyone else. Do you have any other friends? Would be rude of me not to meet them after so long." Harry asked gently.

How much does she tell him? How much would he believe? They had been honest with each other since the start of their friendship. It wouldn't be a good time to disregard the foundation of their friendship.

"You can proudly say you're my first friend." She said with a small laugh.

"That can't be right. We've been here for the better part of our lives. You have to have someone else?"

"No. You're my first." She replied honestly.

"How?" He asked.

"Well in first year Ron kind of made it hard having friends. In second year too. A lot of people thought if they became my friend, they'd be made fun of too. At least that's what I think. After that I kind of just… it wasn't all his fault I didn't try. I just became so invested in my school work that I didn't bother." She replied. It wasn't hard, she has spent the better part of many nights thinking about his very question. But it was for her, and now he was asking because… well she supposed he cared enough to. He could be arrogant and oblivious but sometimes he was sweet.

"Well, I'm honored then. They've all missed out. I can't say that I've found someone so easy to talk to in all my years here. Of course, my friends, I've known them for a long time so it's kind of like, I don't know. Expected. But since I got here it's been weird a lot of the time. Not with you though." Harry said with a large smile. His smile almost made her blush, she wasn't used to the compliments he sometimes gave her.

"I think you can count Neville as a friend too." He added on.

He was right though. They got along well even if they didn't have the same sort of… chemistry as Harry and her. He was a nice guy and seemed to have a big heart.

"Excited to see your parents?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I am. They're like my best friends. I got used to the separation but I still miss them. This year has been better though. It's weird, I could go months without talking other than to professors or in class and it wasn't bad. Now it feels like I'm talking all the time. It feels nice, too kind of feel like everyone else." Hermione replied.

Harry didn't say anything in return but he could feel her tighten his grip on her arm slightly. It wasn't unpleasant but it was surprising. She could feel the warmth of his body spreading to her and she liked it. Perhaps it was just the warming charm?

They walked silently around the lake and back towards the school.