Chapter Four: Musiccio

Hermione sat on the couch beside Harry. Harry let her cry on his shoulder and he comforted her. He had dreams like this and he knew how scary they were. He tried his best to calm her down so they can talk about the dream. He was sure if he heard the details he would know what to do.

"Okay Hermione, calm down." he told her trying to calm her down.

"Ok." she took a deep breath.

"Can you tell me exactly what happened?" Harry asked her. "I need to know all of the details."

"Yes. Ok." she replied. "I was walking through the castle on my free time. I was looking for you because you were nowhere to be seen. I went down to Hagrid's hut and asked him if he recently saw you but he didn't. I went back to the castle and ran into Malfoy and 'company.' He called me some nasty names but I got past him. I went searching through the corridors and I found you when I went into an empty room. You were lying on the floor. You had a big gashes on your forehead and neck. Your glasses were smashed and your clothes were torn. I sat beside you and hugged you. I screamed for help until a shadowy figure walked through the door and..."

"And what?" he asked. He was shocked about how much detail she had given him.

"And I woke up." she said. "I ran into your dormitory and made sure you were there. You were and I started crying more thanking god that you were alright."

"Then why did you wake me up?" he asked.

"I didn't know what to do." she replied. "I knew I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep and, because of the dream, I wanted to be with you."

He moved closer to her and held her close. He felt sorry for Hermione because she had to have that dream. They sat in silence for almost an hour when Hermione fell asleep on his shoulder. It was only six o'clock. He figured he would let her sleep. He laid her on the couch and went upstairs to get his pillow and blankets for her. He sat on the armchair and watched her sleep. He didn't leave her just in case she woke up. She would have screamed if he wasn't there. She woke up at 7:30.

"What did you dream about?" asked Harry.

"You." replied Hermione.

"Anything bad?" he asked with a look of shock on his face.

"No." she said. Harry wanted to know more.

"Then what was it about?" Harry asked curiously.

"I'm not telling." she said with a smile.

He smiled at her. The new dream was obviously something that might embarrass Hermione. Harry wondered what it was about until he asked, "Should we tell Ron about the dream? He is going to ask why we are down here and fully awake when he comes down. He might think that we were up to something."

"No. I don't care what he thinks. Let him think that. Don't tell him if he asks."

As soon as she was finished talking, Ron came down the steps with a puzzled look on his face. He saw his best friends sitting on the couch that had Harry's pillow and blanket.

"What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

"Sitting here." Hermione told him.

"With Harry's bed things?"

"Yes." she replied. "We both woke up and came downstairs. I fell asleep on the couch so Harry got the pillow and blanket for me."

"Awwww." said Ron.

"Shut up." said Harry calmly.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron went down to breakfast. They were some of the first ones there because it was early. Harry and Hermione weren't hungry. Hermione was still scared because of the dream and Harry was worried about her. Harry also wondered what Hermione dreamed about him the second time. He had the feeling that whatever it was, it cheered her up a little bit.

After breakfast, the Gryffindors had Double Transfiguration. They made it to Professor McGonagall's room right before the bell rang.

"Attention, class. I am to tell you that Quidditch try-outs for Gryffindor are next Wednesday at six o'clock." McGonagall said. "Mr. Potter, please come here. Miss Johnson would like me to ask you if you could be an assistant captain. She thinks that you could help her out a little."

"Sure." he replied. He walked back to his seat. When class started, they only did a review of the important things that they did in previous years.

"This is so easy and so boring." Hermione whispered to Harry.

"Speak for yourself." he whispered back.

Hermione mumbled something that sounded like "Oh honestly." After class, they had a thirty minute morning break. They went up to the common room. Harry pulled Hermione aside.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Yes, I think." she said. "The shock of it is sort of wearing off."

"That's good." said Harry. He added curiously, "What did you dream about me the second time?"

"Nothing, Harry." she said with a smile. "Just about stuff."

Harry really wanted to know what was in the good dream about him. "Just drop it." Hermione said as he opened his mouth.

After break, they went to lunch. They talked about what they thought Lupin would be teaching them in Defense Against the Dark Arts while Hermione read a book.

"What are you reading now?" asked Ron.

"It's called A Guide to Simple Muggle Related Spells. I wanted to know how to make a CD play on campus." she told him.

"What's a CD?" Ron asked.

"It's a round, flat thing that plays music." said Harry.

Hermione pulled a CD out of her pocket and laid it on the table. She pointed her wand at it and whispered something. The disc rose two inches and started spinning. It softly started playing music.

'You don't remember me but I remember you.

I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you.

But who can decide what they dream

And dream I do...

I believe in you

I'll give up everything just to find you

I have to be with you to live to breathe

You're taking over me'

"That whole book is about how to play music?" Ron asked.

"No. It is basically how to make Muggle electronics work in Hogwarts and other schools like it.." she replied. "Now I can listen to my music whenever I want."

The bell rang and they had to go to Defense Against the Dark Arts. When they sat down, the class was excitedly whispering to each other. When Lupin walked in, he smiled at Harry. Harry was happy that Lupin was back and found a cure for being a werewolf. Harry remembered that in the third year, Snape would make potions for Lupin to make him safe but not like this. Lupin can stop transforming now.

"Welcome, class." said Lupin. "As you already know me, I do not need to introduce myself, so lets get started. We are going to start learning about werewolves since we never got to that in your third year. No Seamus, I am not going to transform."

The class chuckled. Lupin taught them about what the symptoms are after you've been bitten, how you know when you're transforming and so forth. He said that some things he will teach about these creatures will prepare you if you have to enter the forest.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron spent the afternoon break down at the lake. Ron was playing with the giant squid while Harry and Hermione sat and watched him.

"Are you okay now?" asked Harry.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just can't believe I had a dream about you that horrible." she replied. "I need to show you something. Ron! I have to talk to Harry in private. We are going up to the common room."

"Ok. Whatever." he replied without even looking at them. He was too worried about the squid trying to pull him under.

They went into the empty common room (It was a beautiful day; everyone was outside). Hermione went to her dormitory and came down with a small package.

"Call this an early Christmas present. I couldn't wait to give it to you." she told him handing over the package.

He took the wrapping off of it and found a small tan colored box. "What is it?"

"Open it."

He opened it to find an emerald, snitch necklace with a yellow lightning bolt on it. He turned it over and saw it had his name on the back. "I don't what to say!" Harry had always wanted one but never had the money for it.

"Say thanks." she said.

"Thanks." He smiled at her. They went down to dinner. After dinner they went back to the common room to get started on homework. They had to read a chapter on werewolves for Lupin, and a review worksheet for McGonagall. After Harry and Ron finished and had all the answers right (thanks to Hermione), they sat in front of the fire and listened to some of Hermione's CD's. Harry particularly like the Dropkick Murphys and Rancid songs. Hermione played her Dropkick Murphys- Blackout CD. Harry liked the song called Gonna Be a Blackout Tonight. He easily learned the words.

"Gonna nail a black curtain up good and tight. Gonna do what my air raid man says is right. I'm gonna pull in the shades and turn out the lights. There's gonna be a blackout tonight!" Harry sang along.

At half past ten, they went up to the Astronomy tower. They had class at eleven. Harry tried to concentrate on his star charts but he had music running through his mind.

'Another busted knuckle. Taken down by a kick in the balls. You've wasted time, wasted time as life's shadows grown so tall. Its another busted knuckle. It's a fight you'll never win. And now you bow your head in shame as a sin no one forgives...'

At midnight, they returned to the common room and waited for the room to empty. They talked about what all was going on.

"Where is Snape?" asked Harry. "Not like I miss him or anything."

"I have no idea. Maybe it has something to do with the Order?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to bed," said Ron standing up. "Behave you two."

"Shut up Ron," said Hermione. After he left the room, she added, "Do you want to know what that necklace does?"

"It does something?" he asked.

"Of course. You think I would give you something meaningless?"

"Umm...," he stuttered.

"That is what I thought," she interrupted. "Turn it over."

When he turned it over, he saw something he wasn't expecting. There was an inscription that said 'Tap where the heart lies.' He had no clue what that meant, but seeing as Hermione gave it to him, he knew it had to be amazing.

"It means," she said somehow reading his mind. "that with your wand, tap the center of the heart on the other side of it."

He didn't even know that there was a heart on the other side. When he tapped it, it glowed chartreuse green and it looked like nothing else happened. Seeing his bewildered face, Hermione said, "Turn it over you dingbat."

When he turned it over, he knew what he thought was right. It was amazing. He didn't even think something could be that cool. It was a miniature Marauder's map. It was so small, but somehow it seemed bigger. He could read it as easily as the larger version.

"Now I really don't know what to say!" he said. "Thank you couldn't possibly be good enough!"

"You're welcome," she said with a smile. "Well, I'm tired and I'm going to bed. I love you."

"I love you too."

When she left the room, he watched as she climbed up the stairs on his mini-map. He sat there thinking about why she gave it to him. She really didn't have a reason did she? He sighed and headed up the stairs to his own dormitory where his best friend was already snoring.

Over the next few weeks, it was hard to get everything done. Harry had Quidditch practices as Assistant Captain so he had to stay later and help clean up. He also had homework with Hermione. He was just happy when he could sit down for a little.

Harry and Hermione seemed to be falling apart for some reason and Harry didn't like it. When they were around each other, they were either doing homework or talking about homework.

One day Hermione told him that she needed to talk to him. "Harry, I'm sorry but I feel we're drifting apart. I don't want this to get any worse. I think we should just be friends right now." She looked at him with tears in her eyes. She didn't want to dump him, Harry thought. She had this look like this wasn't an easy thing to do.

"But, why?"

"I can't really explain right now. Something has changed with me and I don't want you to get hurt. I love you too much," she sniffed.

He went up to his dormitory and laid down on his bed. Ron came in and asked him what was wrong. Harry explained to him everything that Hermione said. "You should just be glad she didn't ask for your awesome necklace back!"

"Shut up Ron." Harry barked. "You're not helping. I really liked her a lot."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realized that it was really serious." Ron said looking concerned for once.

Harry went to bed early that night because Hermione hadn't made him study or something. 'At least we're still friends,' thought Harry. He was just drifting to sleep when Hedwig flew in. He took the note from her and laid it on his bedside table. He would deal with it in the morning. He really wasn't in the mood right now.

Chapter Notations- Songs (words) Evanescence- Taking Over Me

Dropkick Murphys- Gonna Be a Blackout Tonight

Dropkick Murphys- This is Your Life

CD's, and Bands- Dropkick Murphys- Blackout

Rancid- And Out Come the Wolves