Warmth From the Heart

Author's Note

I have taken some exact excerpts from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in order to portray the situation of the story and certain scenes. However, the remaining content of the story is not straight from the book.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Characters, settings, ect. all belong to J.K. Rowling.

It was cold. Rain plastered outside the window that was feet away from Harry's four-post bed. His shadows were cast on the wall. Long and dreary. Such darkness reflected the fifteen-year-old's wild black hair, his thin developing figure. In annoyance, he quickly pulled away his bed curtains, slipped his bare feet into his slippers, and made his way clandestinely out the boy's chamber and down the narrow spiral of stairs, into the common room landing. It was late— but nonetheless small embers seethed in the fireplace of the cozy scope, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. His surroundings were quite obscure, and Harry strained his eyes forcefully in order to make out the only figure that was in the common room besides him. He noticed the armchair nearest the hearth was occupied with the only Gryffindor who was still stirring besides him.

A candle the being was holding flickered slightly, giving him a sudden analysis of the figure: she was frail; hunched over wearily in a bathrobe, light in hand. A thick book sat in her lap, opened to a page atop her legs.

This was all unarguably familiar. Harry smiled faintly. "Hey, Hermione."

"Huh? Oh!" Hermione adjusted her light in alarm. Once she recognized Harry standing there she snapped her book shut and pulled the weight off her. "Hi Harry, you're not in bed?"

Harry shook his head, distractedly. He hadn't anticipated Hermione's being here, or had he? Why did he drag himself down to the common room in the middle of the night?

"What about you? You're not sleeping either." He said quickly.

"Oh, well…" Hermione curled up in her seat, and tapped the bindings of the books next to her. "You know me…I'm always up until late, it doesn't affect me so much. I'm just doing some light reading. Especially quiet these hours…it's nothing you could get at the library."

Without thinking Harry sat in the other armchair facing her.

"But, I'm worried about you Harry. I really am. This hasn't been the first time you've had trouble sleeping, and you know it. I've heard you come down here alone for many nights. What's wrong?"

"Ron's snoring."

Hermione defied smiling. "Harry…it's not the breakup with Cho, is it?" She said softly.

Harry looked away, deep in to the fire. Its flames blared brightly. "No," he took a deep breath, considering whether he should continue or not. Hermione had pinned him to the subject he wished to dodge most. "Well, not anymore."

"I'm sorry about Cho. I really am. And," Hermione paused shortly. "I really didn't mean to be so harsh on you. That day, I mean. I wasn't trying to act smart either. I shouldn't have mentioned going to the Three Broomsticks before you two went out. I was being selfish, thinking about how your article in the Quibbler could really improve things. If I had known things would turn out like this…."

"Hermione lay off. It's not your fault." Harry found himself saying rather impatiently. "Either way, Cho would have brought the subject of Cedric up, either way…it just wouldn't have worked out." He stopped, waiting to hear Hermione put herself to blame again, waiting for her to say anything.

"You sure you're okay?" She asked in a small voice.

"Yeah," Harry lied. He felt bad, but he didn't want Hermione to worry about him. He just needed to sort his thoughts.

"Harry…" Hermione pleaded.

"I'm fine, alright?" Harry snapped back irritably. Why did Hermione have to bug in all the time? Couldn't she see he was taking this fine? He looked up, only to see a pair of deep brown eyes blinking back tears. He hadn't meant to make her cry.

"I'm okay, really," He sighed. "Trust me, okay? I'll be all right."

Hermione bit her lip and smiled weakly. Harry did too, or at least tried to smile. It took all he had from his heart.

"Armadius!" Suddenly the small fire grew twice its original size, spreading warmth and light throughout the common room. It made Harry feel better, as he was freezing in his bed garments.

"So," Hermione looked pleased after issuing her charm. "How's Ron doing in Quidditch?"

"He said it was nightmare. Says Angelina can't shut her mouth at the team." He rolled his eyes.

"It can't be that bad—"

"Yeah, well, you know…chaos." Quidditch was the last thing on Harry's mind, especially since he had been put off the team for good.

Hermione whispered another spell and immediately the stack of books next to her arranged themselves in a custom order.Harry stared. "You really going to read all those tonight?"

"Not all of them, no. Of course not—put I'd be fairly happy if I could get a good bit of reading done. I want to finish Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms. Professor Marsh isn't distributing them until next week but I want to get a head start—"

Harry smiled again, to himself. Hermione being herself tended to put him at ease.

She had opened up the book to her exact page when she looked up. "You leaving, Harry?"

Harry had slipped towards the staircase to the boys' dorms. "Yeah."

"Good night, then,"

"G'night." Harry replied. When he arrived at the foot of the first set of spiral steps, he swiveled down, and leaned against the railing, looking down towards Hermione by the fire.

"Er, Hermione?"

Hermione turned her head in surprise.

"Thanks…erm, a lot, for talking to me and everything. I've been acting pretty dumb around you and Ron lately, and I just want to say that I'm, er, sorry."

She waved her hand. "We're friends, Harry. It's the least I could do."

Friends. "G'night."

"Good night." Harry said and ran up to the boy's dorm. He say Ron in his bed, his hand dangling aside from his bed limply, and bed sheets tossed to aside. He was snoring audibly. Harry grinned to himself and quickly closed his curtains before going to sleep.

This time, he fell into slumber immediately.

A/N: If you have gotten this far...why not review and tell me what you think? Reviewing will help me get to know my readers, as well as read others' writings as well. I welcome comments and accept constructive criticism...please...if possible...no profanity of any kind, as it would be disturbing or offending. Thank you.