Ron and Lavender decided to go to bed after making sure they didn't see any sign of the giant snake. Hermione stayed with Harry whose scar kept burning every once in a while. Hermione sat on the couch with Harry's head in her lap. She brushed through his hair as he looked at the ceiling of the common room, trying to figure out what to do. "Harry?"
"Hmm?" his eyes still on the ceiling.
"That can't be what we thought it was."
"What else could it be, Herm? A giant worm?"
"But Harry . . . a basilisk around Hogwarts only means one thing."
"I know . . . but I can't ignore what we saw, or my pain," he took his focus off the ceiling and into her eyes. She had fear written all over her face. He gave her a weak smile, and stroked her face with his fingertips. "Don't worry, Herm. What ever happens we'll go through it together." She gave him a smile and kissed him on the forehead. "Your scar feeling better?"
"Much," he looked at her and noticed her eyes were starting to droop. "You want to go to bed? I'm feeling much better now." She shook her head, "No, I want to stay out here with you for a while." She took his head off her lap and cuddled up next to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist as they both started to get comfortable. She burrowed her face into his shoulder as they both started to drift asleep.
***
Christmas came and went with no sign of the giant reptilian, but that didn't stop Harry's scar from burning. Right after the group saw the snake they went straight to Dumbledore, who had no doubt that they had all seen something. They also told him about the nightmare that Harry and Hermione keep having. It seemed to give him a quite alarmed look on his face, but they all brushed it off. He assured them that he will take care of the snake and warned them to stay away from the forbidden forest. They agreed and went back to their classes.
After charms class Harry and Hermione left hand-in-hand forgetting the others around them. "Potter!" Harry rolled his eyes, 'Malfoy.' Malfoy walked up to the two as they turned around trying to keep down their temper, especially Harry. "You're actually holding hands with that mud-blood?" Hermione put her hand on Harry's shoulder, "Forget it Harry. He's not worth it. Let's go." Harry started to turn around to walk away.
"What did you say, you pathetic waste of magical talent?" Harry couldn't take it anymore. "Look Malfoy!" Harry loomed over Draco. Even though Harry has been built up by Quidditch, Draco never tried as Harry had, therefore never built up the same muscles. "Hermione is twice the witch then you'll ever be as a wizard! Don't you ever insult her like that." Even though Malfoy was pretty uptight, there was no way he was going to show that to Harry. "So, I've hit a soft spot, Potter. . ." he looked at Hermione then back at Harry, "I never thought that I'd see the day a pure-blood, and famous wizard like yourself, would sink so low to be with a mud-blood." Harry had his hand on his wand, ready to . . .
"What's going on!?!" Professor McGonagall came down the hall. "Nothing-" Malfoy started, but was interrupted by the professor. "Draco, I saw everything. I don't think it's any of your business about Mr. Potter's and Miss Granger's affairs. Now report to your next class immediately." Malfoy glared at Harry them continued down the hall. "Potter . . . Granger," she turned to the two, "Come with me please."
***
They both followed her down the hall and into an empty classroom. "Sit," she motioned them toward two seats in front of her; they took them with out any debate. Harry reached under the desk to grab Hermione's hand and gave it a squeeze. She gave him a smile out of the corner of her mouth. McGonagall looked up at the two, "Albus has told me about your dream," Hermione's spine tingled at the thought of it, "Frankly, I'm worried about you two. It has happened before." They looked at one another, and then back at her. She had started to pace the room, trying to regain her past memories, "When I was about your age . . . maybe a little older, a boy and I were quite an item. We were inseparable, we went everywhere together. Where ever one was, the other wasn't that far behind. We knew just about everything that we could possibly know about a person. And at one point we even started to share dreams."
She looked at the two, who had their mouths open, and she continued, "The dreams soon turned to nightmares and just as we had feared . . . one came true," McGonagall stopped pacing at a nearby window, "and I lost him forever."
Hermione gasped, "You don't think that will happen to us, do you Professor?"
"We're not sure, Miss Granger," Hermione looked behind her and Dumbledore closed the door behind him. "Of course there are different circumstances in your case then Professor McGonagall's, but Harry's scar had been burning lately, and that is always a sign of danger."
"It's not just a sign of any danger, Professor. It could only be a warning that he is coming," Harry stated as the Professor made his way to the front of the room. "That is exactly why we wanted to talk with you two. In the magical world, and even in the real world, there is a thing called dream sharing. It's when two different people have the same reoccurring dream. These dreams usually forewarn of danger, and most of the time the dreams come true."
"How are we going to try to prevent this?" Hermione stared at the two professors in front of her. "Well, Miss Granger . . . if it is meant to happen it will, but we can teach you some spells that may be useful, if the situation ever comes up where you need them, of course." Harry and Hermione looked at one another, "But we have to be sure that you two are ready."
"Nothing could hold me back! He has been out there way too long," Harry stood up.
"We're not sure if you really are, Potter. Sit back down," McGonagall looked at him as he did as he was told, "Are you two ready to face everything together? As one?" Neither of them had to think about it, Hermione leaned over the top of the desk. "There's no other way for us." Harry looked at Hermione with surprise, he wasn't thinking that Hermione would answer like that; she nodded her head toward the professors, to tell Harry to give an answer. "She's right. As long as we're together, Herm and I could do anything."
McGonagall and Dumbledore smiled, "Right then, let's get started."