Out of the blue

As silence fell over the castle on the night of Halloween Harry sat in the common room his scar burning. He had tried to stop it but once again his dreams had been invaded he knew it was something terrible, whether it was true or not that was the puzzling fact. Yet he couldn't stop the uneasy feeling in his stomach. He closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair.

"Couldn't sleep?" A voice from the shadows asked. He turned around and smiled at the figure behind him.

"You should be sleeping, Hermione" he patted the space beside him and turned on his side so he faced her.

" So should you." She stated simply.

"You know being head boy should mean I can have our own common room to myself, one of the perks, I mean it's not exactly rush hour is it?"

She smiled at him "Key word 'ours' Mr Potter" she yawned. "I can never sleep when your up you know, it's like a warning system my body has, bloody annoying mind."

"You don't have to worry, Mione." He looked away into the flickering fire.

"I'll always worry about you Harry" she stated, so simple yet it meant a thousand things. "What's wrong?"

"I had a dream." The silence lay between them like led, they remembered the last dream he had, it was when Sirius died. "It was like a warning, I have a bad feeling and I can't shake it, I really can't." She reached towards him, pushing his hair to the side of his face and watched it as it fell straight back again. He closed his eyes and caught her hand bringing it down into his lap.

"It'll all be okay Harry" she smiled at him "I promise it will all be okay."

"Will it? I don't know if I can play the hero again." He looked at her, his shoulders slumped, "It's always luck and one of these days my luck will finally run out."

"You'll always be a hero Harry, it's in your blood, you're the boy who lived, lived Harry not died, you will always live, it's your destiny."

"It may be my destiny to die, got a fifty-fifty chance here, how about it goes on a coin toss?" She chuckled "You forgot one thing?"

"Did I?" He asked and "what's that?"

"You'll always be my hero" she kissed his forehead she plumped up the cushions behind her and lay down opening her arms "time for bed."

He lay down next to her feeling her lock her arms around his middle. "Sleep tight Harry"

"Good night Mione." He kissed her forehead and as she fell asleep he asked to the darkness "How come we never made it Mione?"

Silently she answered him we did Harry, and we always will.

……………………………….................................................................................................................

The night was shattered with a crash. Harry bolted up sweating. "Hermione, Hermione get up get your wand now!" She looked at him.

He pulled her to her feet "NOW!" She bolted up the stairs Harry reached for his wand and waited for her to return. "Listen to me we need to get to the D.A members, activate the alarm, I'm going to find Dumbledore, find Ron he'll protect you, don't leave his side and for God sake look out for him too!"

He kissed her on the forehead. They raced through the door "Harry" She shouted he turned around "I love you". He nodded and replied "I love you too". Then he was gone. They both knew what they had just shared was far beyond friendship but it would never be talked of and love would be seen as that between a brother and a sister. God I need to get over her, Harry thought. He skidded to a halt outside Dumbledore's office and to his not at all complete surprise the headmaster was stood there fully dressed wand drawn "I know Harry" he nodded. "This however is not your time to face him, I am afraid this attack was thought too bold a move for Voldemort, I was wrong again Harry."

Harry looked at him " You're only Wizard" Harry said adapting the old muggle saying . Then Dumbledore smiled and laid his hand on Harry's shoulder, "It is not your fight yet Harry."

Harry looked at him "it's always been my fight."

Dumbledore nodded. "The D.A's ready sir, they have been activated, the death eaters will learn what Dumbledore's army is capable of." Dumbledore nodded.

"The others need evacuating" Harry nodded. "We'll do it." Harry turned away and started to run up the corridor, he stopped and turned "Sir be careful". Dumbledore smiled. "You too Harry, you too."

………………………………..........................................................................................................

Harry skidded into D.A headquarters. "Right listen I've spoken to Dumbledore, there is indeed going to be an attack, the teachers and order members are preparing the school we need to evacuate the other pupils, I need eight of you four sets of two to alert every prefect for each house unless of course you are one. Then go and wake up the others, tell them to dress warmly. I then want you to take them to the secret passage, Ron will show you where it is. Ron take Neville and make sure everyone gets into the passage including the prefects and eight people who have alerted them. Those eight people in the tunnel four at the front four in the rear and make all children have wands drawn at the ready."

Harry had long since become accustomed to talking to large groups of people and issuing orders this was not the first attack he had been in it would not be the last. As long as they were busy they couldn't fear. They could never fear they looked to him to be their hero and that's just what he always was. He pointed to eight people designating them a house each. Ron told them a meeting point where they would lead them to the passage.

Harry beckoned Ron over "Make sure they do a through sweep of the rooms no-one and I mean no-one must be left or attempting to rein act us no matter how stupid they are right?" Ron laughed and nodded. "Tell them to go to the safe house Dumbledore set up. They eight order members and prefects no where it is. After they are all through seal up the entrance so no one can get in to the castle that way." Ron nodded.

"Neville lets go" He looked at Harry "Take care mate!" He stuck out his hand and Harry took it pulling him into a hug "You too." Harry answered.

"Look after her" He nodded towards Hermione "Keep her safe."

Harry nodded "Of course" Hermione looked at him disbelievingly "Ron Weasley I've saved your backside more times than I can count, I can take perfectly good care …" She was cut off as Ron kissed her. He smiled and ran quickly out of the room, jutting his head around the corner for just a second "I know you can, love you!"

"Love you too." Hermione touched her hand to her lips. Then looked at Harry who was staring at her. She looked at him, eyes met eyes, I'm so sorry, I know what you must think Harry but I do love him, he's possible, he's reality, you're the dream, the impossible.

Harry nodded as if reading her mind. He turned back to the other D.A members. He split them into four groups and gave them the four corridors which lead to the common rooms to guard. He appointed Ginny and Paris, Hermione and himself, Luna and Persephone and two other older members to lead the groups. He looked at Persephone as she left the room, they shared a smile before she disappeared and Harry felt an odd feeling of fear rise in his chest when he thought of her safety.

………………………………..............................................................................................................

As they crouched in the corridors, he looked at Hermione and she nodded to him. This was always the worst part waiting, by now the other pupils would be safely protected with Molly and a few other order members who had volunteered for the position, he thought of Ron's mother and in many ways his own and felt reassured that she was protecting them.

He saw Ron and Neville emerge through the darkness. "Hey guys , it's sealed and they're all out we double checked all the rooms and again after we had sealed the passageway." Harry nodded.

"Good. Ron, Neville there's a group of us in the Ravenclaw quarter there's two people in charge there go and take over I'd feel better knowing the people personally who were leading them." Ron nodded. He smiled once more then turned away , both he and Neville disappeared into the darkness of the dimly lit corridor.

"If only he knew you have put two Slytherin's in charge of the other two groups he'd have a fit!" Hermione giggled.

" I trust them." He replied simply.

"Especially Persephone eh?" She smiled at him coyly.

"Yes, especially her." He replied unflinching.

"What's the deal with you two anyway?" She asked.

"Jealous?" He chided her.

"In your dreams Potter!" she giggled.

"Nothing I just like her, we're friends." He answered honestly.

"Must be her mystery, no last name and all!" She answered.

"Guess it must be." Suddenly he put a finger to his lips and gestured for Hermione to get behind him. Three voices were heard and when they rounded the corner Harry saw the masks of the death eaters , spineless gits can't even show their faces. Harry signalled for all the members to raise their wands, the three figures stopped dead.

"Look it's the kid's come to play." One sneered.

" I always thought death eaters must be stupid but I didn't think you would be that stupid!" Harry retorted and with a blinding flash of light all of the "kid's" shouted a different curse and all three fell to the ground. Harry signalled for three groups of three to go up to the unconscious bodies and out of their wands came rope and they bound them.

Harry looked at Hermione, "Stay here your in command now" He turned to the others "I need three volunteers," three people immediately steeped forward " Go to each group and tell them we have three death eaters and to be on their guards, come straight back here, we're getting quite thin on the ground." They went immediately.

Harry set off to the direction of the great hall, he presumed that's where the battle must be being held. He ran down one corridor twisting and weaving, then there in front of him he saw Draco Malfoy holding Persephone up against the wall, with his two goons on either side. Harry immediately lunged for Draco and overpowered him due to the surprise of the attack. Persephone dealt with Crabbe and Goyle swiftly regaining her wand that had been knocked out of her grasp. Her face was stinging where Draco had hit her forcefully with the back of his hand. Harry was now standing in front of her.

He took her face in his hands examining it gently. "What were you doing here?" he asked.

"Luna sent me, we needed an update on the orders progress and I came and was ambushed by that pratt, he took me by surprise I would of kicked his ass otherwise" she smiled at him.

"You okay?" She nodded. Suddenly unable to speak. She was all too aware of how close Harry was to her.

"Good good" He pushed back her hair. "I'm going to the Great Hall now, you coming?" She nodded and followed him keeping up with his pace until they reached the entrance and there Dumbledore met them. "All over Harry, they're not as strong as the old days" he chuckled. Harry marvelled at the fact he'd just been in a battle and could not seem to find anything to be serious about.

"Casualties professor?" Dumbledore smiled "no-one, a few scratches, see they're not as good as the old lot."

"We have three death eaters in the Gryfindor corridor, I am getting a report from the other three groups soon but we have Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle who attacked Persephone, sir." Dumbledore's face darkened. "Are you okay my dear?"

Persephone nodded "Yes professor."

"I'll deal with them Harry and the death eaters." Harry nodded . "Persephone and I shall go and bring the others back from the safe house now."

"Stay the night Harry but I am sure they will be eager to hear of our victory." Harry nodded. The two turned away and ran to each group and told them to report their prisoners if they had any to an order member then go to bed. He told Ron and Hermione he was going to the safe house and they immediately insisted they came with him. He nodded, it will be good for Molly Harry thought. The four of them had soon set out through the tunnel and had reached the safe house.

Upon arrival Harry, Ron and Hermione had been crushed in a hug my Mrs Weasley. After a brief chat they all went to bed.

Persephone pulled Harry aside. "Thank you for tonight" she smiled at him.

Harry nodded "No problem how's your face? Does it hurt much?"

Persephone shook her head, Harry leaned forward and kissed the red skin gently. "A muggle tradition, if you kiss an injury it is meant to make it better." He smiled and rubbed his thumb over the place where his lips had been.

"Feels better already" She smiled. "Good night Harry."

"Good night Persephone" he replied. Persephone lay in bed and her hand touched her cheek lightly, she smiled and closed her eyes dreaming of the kiss that was so out of the blue.