Haunting Dreams and Sleepless Nights
Chapter 2
Hermione was sitting on Harry's bed with her duffle bag beside her, she was watching Harry pack.
Harry held up a Muggle shirt in front of him.
"You're not serious are you?" Hermione asked him.
"I like this shirt! I wear it all the time!" Harry cried defensively.
"I know," Hermione murmured.
Harry shook his head and put the shirt back in his bureau.
"How about this one?" he asked, holding up a green cotton shirt.
"Perfect."
Harry looked down at the shirt, "It's just a green shirt Hermione."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "It's simple."
"Fine," Harry said packing the shirt.
After Hermione went through Harry's things and made sure they were all acceptable they started on their way.
They arrived slightly before lunch and checked into their hotel room. As they put their stuff away Harry asked Hermione a question.
"You said you won this room right?"
Hermione nodded and folded a pair of jeans.
"Yeah, at the hospital. I signed up to win and then they drew my name."
"Did you know it was a Bed and Breakfast when you signed up?" Harry asked her.
"Yeah. Why?"
"I don't know. I mean usually a Bed and Breakfast is the place people go with their boyfriend or husband. You don't have either so...Why did you sign up?"
Hermione sat on the bed beside Harry and wrinkled her nose.
Harry looked her expectantly and then Hermione linked her arm in his.
"Because we never get away," she said finally.
"Away from what?" Harry asked, confused.
She lay back on the bed and pulled Harry down beside her.
"From the world."
He suddenly understood what she meant. While he had been doing his best to get away from the Wizarding World Hermione had been doing the same. Everyone expected so much of Harry and now he realized that Hermione was under the same pressure.
"The world," Harry sighed.
Harry turned toward Hermione and stared directly at her soft face.
"I'm sorry."
Now she looked at him. Her chocolate brown eyes were unreadable but her quivering lip was not. Her hand found his and she squeezed.
"It's not your fault."
But Harry wouldn't believe that. If Ron and Hermione had become his friends then Ron would still be alive. He told Hermione so.
She gave a tiny laugh. "Harry, I wouldn't change being friends with you for the world."
Harry was very surprised at this information and suddenly sat up.
"But Ron...And all the heartache and pain that you've suffered...You could've had a different life."
Hermione sat up too. "Harry what kind of a life would I have had? I would've been a bookworm with no friends. I would've been miserable and I would probably still would be miserable."
Harry studied Hermione carefully.
"But Ron could've lived if he hadn't been friends with me," he said softly.
Hermione stared at him hard in the eyes, "What are friends for?" she asked him.
"We all have to sacrifice things for our friends. Ron just had to sacrifice more for his."
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"You really wouldn't change being friends with me if you could?" he asked.
"Never in a million years."
"You swear?"
"On my heart, hope to die."
A/N I'm pretty happy with it. I hope you guys like it. I'd like to give a little shout out to my friends. Blake...Karlee...I love you! Rock on. You guys are awesome friends because even when my stories suck you tell me they're great. R/R
