Hermione woke to feel a warm breath on the side of her neck. She thought at first it might be her cat, Crookshanks, but when she rolled over onto her other side, she was met with a shock. Harry! She couldn't quite remember what had happened, but then it all came back to her. She had moved into his bed! What must he think? Hermione thought to herself. Harry stirred next to her, and for a moment she thought of moving back to her bed and then pretending Harry had dreamed the whole thing. Too late! Harry's eyes were opening.

"Morning," Harry said sleepily, pulling her closer to him. Hermione forgot any thought of moving; with the feel of Harry's body next to her she was lost in her love for him; yes, she was in love with him.

"Harry." Hermione began, but Harry cut her off.

"I love you too," he replied smiling.

"How did you know I was thinking that?" Hermione asked amazed.

"I know you," was all Harry said before smothering her with his body. She was pinned beneath him as he began to stroke her hair, her face, her neck.

"Harry, wait," Hermione managed to say between kisses. Harry stopped abruptly and rolled off her to one side.

"I'm sorry," he replied quickly, "I'm really sorry, I don't know what got into me," he knew he shouldn't have taken advantage of the situation; Hermione trusted him and he loved her too much to betray that trust.

"It's just." Hermione couldn't think of the right words.

"It's ok," Harry soothed, "It's my fault, I'm sorry." He pulled her close to him again, but kept his arms around her shoulders as she snuggled closer to him. Neither of them was sure how long they lay there, listening to each other's breathing rhythm, but they were shaken to their senses by a persistent knocking on the door.

"Harry? Hermione? Are you two in there?" it was Ron's voice from the other side of the door, he sound urgent and panicky.

"We're supposed to be back at school in half an hour! If you're in there you better get yourselves up!" They heard his footsteps walking away down the corridor.

"I guess we better get up then," Hermione whispered to Harry.

Back at Hogwarts, and Ron was trying to get information out of Harry. Hermione had gone to catch on some 'light reading', leaving Harry to spend some time with Ron.

"So." Ron was saying.

"So nothing, "Harry replied mater-of-factually.

"Oh come on!" Ron cried in exasperation. "Are you trying to tell me that you spent the night together in the same room and the same bed, but nothing happened?"

"We weren't in the same bed!" Harry replied for what seemed like the hundredth time. They'd decided not to tell anyone that they had in fact slept in the same bed; it was their business and neither he nor Hermione wanted people knowing the intimacies of their relationship. Seamus and the Weasley twins entered the common room to hear this latest announcement of Harry's.

"So that's the story you're telling people then," George said, winking at Fred and Seamus.

"Uh! Think what you like," Harry said in a bored voice as he made his way downstairs to meet Hermione. He could hear the others discussing him and Hermione as he climbed through the portrait. He just wished everyone would leave them alone; their relationship is their business, no one else's. He didn't plague Ron with questions about Lavender; maybe he should so Ron would know what it feels like; then again, Ron often liked to divulge details about his intimacies!

Hermione had been sat at her books for the past hour, and hadn't read a single page; she just couldn't get Harry off her mind. A thrill went through her as she remembered the feel of Harry's body on top of her, she wondered what might have happened if she hadn't asked Harry to stop.

"Guess who?" a voice said behind her, covering her eyes. A pair of warm hands were placed over her eyes and as she reached up to touch them Harry moved in front of her and kissed her lightly on the lips as he uncovered her eyes.

"Hi Harry," Hermione said, her voice a little sad.

"What's up?" asked Harry frowning with concern.

"Well I guess because you're so cheerful you haven't had people coming up to you all day pestering about us."

"Guess again," Harry said sitting down, "I haven't been able to get away from them till now."

"Why is everyone so interested," she said sounding frustrated. Harry couldn't bear to see Hermione upset like this. He knew she got stressed over things easily, and he knew she could do without it right now, and with Christmas fast approaching, he wanted to see her happy and carefree again.

"Don't worry," he replied stroking her hair and rubbing her shoulders, "It'll die down soon Hermione looked at Harry with tired eyes. She was thrilled to bits to be with Harry, but the hassles that come with relationships are unbearable sometimes.

Harry left Hermione resting on her bed for a while, as he headed in the direction of Hagrid's cabin. He hadn't been to see Hagrid for a while and he knew his oversized friend would appreciate some company.

"Hi Hagrid!" Harry called over the fence to where Hagrid was bent over his garden.

"Harry! Come on over," Hagrid replied, his voice full of excitement. As their teacher for Care of Magical Creatures, Hagrid always had some new fascinating, often dangerous, creatures lurking about his cottage.

"Wait till you see these beauties," Hagrid said looking up from a patch of soil which, to Harry's horror was wriggling.

"What have you bought now Hagrid?" Harry asked, a little nervous as what he might find under the moving earth.

"Ahh, you'll have to wait till your next lesson for these," Hagrid replied, winking and nodding towards to the disturbed patch of earth. "What's up Harry? Somethin' on your mind?" Hagrid asked, spying Harry's forlorn expression. Harry hoisted himself up onto the fence to talk to Hagrid face to face.

"It's all this stuff with Hermione," Harry began.

"What? You two havin' problems?" Hagrid asked, surprised.

"No, no, nothing like that, we're fine, it's everyone else that keeps butting in!" Harry said, kicking at the fence beneath him.

"Oh, I see," Hagrid replied, eyeing Harry, "People are wantin' to know stuff 'bout you two are they?"

"Yeah," Harry sighed, "and it's really getting to us both." Harry stared at the ground, then up at Hagrid who was leaning on the fence next to him. He wanted Hagrid to scare them all into submission, but he knew Hagrid was a big softie at heart; remembered the incidences with Norbart and Buckbeak.

"You'll just have to wait it out," Hagrid advised Harry, "Eventually they'll get bored of the same thing."

"That's what I thought, but it's just so frustrating!" Harry replied, getting more worked up. Just at the moment they both turned as they heard voices approaching the cabin. The voices belonged to none other than Draco Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. Normally Draco wouldn't be seen dead at Hagrid's cabin outside of lessons, but today he had business with Harry; oh he was going to enjoy this!

"Potter!" Draco snapped at him, "Just thought I'd let you know your secret's out."

"What are you talking about Malfoy?" Harry asked, not really interested in what Malfoy had to say.

"Oh just the little fact that everyone now knows what happened with your mudblood girlfriend," he sneered, "I guess some people just don't have it in them."

"Watch your language!" Hagrid growled appearing from behind the fence. Draco recoiled at the sight of a teacher; he knew he'd get into trouble if he said anymore, so he just gave Harry one last sneer as he turned to walk back towards the school.

"What was all that about Harry?" Hagrid asked, confused.

"I don't know Hagrid, I don't know," Harry replied, shaking his head.

Back in the Gryffindor common room, Harry sneaked up the girl's dormitory to check on Hermione. As he passed Lavender and her giggling friends, he detected they looking at him strangely, almost with pity.

Hermione sat up from he bed; she'd slept for the best part of an hour, and it had done her good. She felt a little better about things, although she knew she'd have to face everyone again. She heard a quiet knock on the door.

"Hermione, it's me? Can I come in?" Harry asked from outside. Hermione got up and crossed the room to let Harry in.

"You shouldn't be up here!" she whispered excitedly, pulling Harry through the door and closing it. Harry forgot all about Malfoy's words as he spent the nest few minutes concentrating on Hermione's needs! Eventually they pulled apart and headed back down to the common room. The room was immediately silent as they entered the room, whispers and looks were evident on all the faces. Harry glanced at Hermione to check her reaction; she was just as confused as he was. Then Ron appeared from the middle of a group of 5th years, and pulled Harry and Hermione away through the portrait and out into the corridor.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed as she was pulled along the hallway, "What's going on?" she demanded. Ron pulled then into an empty classroom, and after checking the corridor outside, closed the door quickly. He looked from Harry to Hermione and shook his head. What was going on?

"You know I'm your best friend right?" Ron started.

Ron, just tell us what the hell is going on!" Harry exploded. Ron looked away, guilt written all over his face.

"I've done something really, really, stupid." Ron stopped and looked at their faces. How on earth was he going to tell them what he'd done? They'd never forgive him once they knew it was his entire fault.



AHHH! So what do you think? Sorry about the cliffhanger, it had to done! Please please please read and review- there WILL be more.