Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything J.K Rowling thought up, all I own is the plot.

Chapter thirteen: Night Time Walks and Kisses

"So…have you two been getting closer yet?"

Harry closed his eyes and grinned. "Ron…if you'd just let it rest. Give us some space."

"But you've had three weeks! And all you seem to have accomplished is hand-holding."

Ron sat back in his chair. He couldn't believe how slow all this was going. During the summer it hadn't taken them this long.

"We need to rebuild the trust we had. And that takes a lot of time. Besides, I like hand-holding. I don't feel the need to speed it up. We're happy, that's the main thing, isn't it?"

Ron nodded vaguely. "Yeah…but I mean, come on. If you two went any slower you'd qualify to compete in a snail race."

He glanced at the door of the girls' dormitory at the top of the stairs. He'd sent Ginny up to talk to Hermione about this, and Lavender said she had showered Hermione with advice last night. So he expected her to come down the stairs any minute to kiss Harry.

"And believe me." He added. "Snails aren't fast in anything. Least of all relationships."

"Ron, snails don't have relationships. They don't need them. They're hermaphrodites."

Ron looked up. "Hermy-whats?"

"Hermaphrodites. Both male and female."

Harry watched fascinated as Ron's face contracted in utter disgust.

"…That, actually, was unwanted information Harry. Merlin, that's disgusting."

He glanced back at the door. Still nothing. He looked up when the portrait hole swung open. Dean came in.

"Hey guys. What's up."

He sat down next to Harry and looked at the chessboard in front of them. "You should move that knight to H 3. Ron's queen is about to take your king, so if you put your knight there, you'll block her attack and then you'll be able to take her down with your tower."

Harry looked up. "When did you get so good at chess?"

Dean shrugged. "I date Ginny. You'd be surprised how much you learn about chess, dating a Weasley."

Ron opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't work out if he had just been insulted or complimented.

"By the way, Harry." Dean said. "We had this idea for a triple date."

"That is to say, Ginny and Lavender had an idea." Ron added.

He didn't really look forward to a date including his sister, but it was for the greater good; Harry and Hermione.

"What do you think?"

Harry was saved answering, because the door of the girls' dormitory opened and closed again. Ron jerked his head back to see who came down. A broad smile washed over his face.

"Say, Dean…how about you and I go over there and…err…play chess." He said, nodding his head to the far end of the common room.

Dean grinned, swished the chessboard from the table and followed Ron. Hermione gave them a curious look, but Ron just grinned and shook his head.

Hermione sat down next to Harry. She had been drowned in talks about boys in general, boys in particular and how to handle boy-situations. She was fed up with it. She knew her friends meant well, but it was enough to make any girl go crazy.

She leaned her head against Harry's shoulder and he took this as a sign he could put his arm around her shoulders. She smiled contently as she felt his arms slip around her shoulders. It felt so secure.

She turned her neck and met his eyes. They sparkled. She loved that sparkle so much. She bit her lip for a moment and then she threw all caution to the wind. She leaned in and kissed him.

He was surprised, but happily returned the kiss. When she pulled back he grinned mischievously.

"…Are we…are you sure…what are we now?"

She bit her lip again. "…I don't know. Are we…?"

"Only if you want us to be."

Before she knew what she was doing, she nodded. Her head was telling her no, it told her to get far away from Harry as quick as possible. But when she looked into his eyes again, she could only see that sparkle.

She closed her eyes and waited to feel his lips on hers again. But they didn't come. She opened her eyes and looked at him, questioningly. He just smiled warmly. He lifted his head and softly kissed her forehead.

She sighed as she leaned her head against his chest. Her hand slowly entangled with his as she listened to his heartbeat.

A snort of laughter broke their perfect moment. She looked up and saw Dean and Ron desperately trying to suppress their laughter. Ron leaned flat on the table and Dean was desperately pressing his hand over his mouth.

Harry sighed. "Come, let's go for a walk."

She was already halfway up form he couch while her head still shouted no. Suddenly the portrait hole opened again. She only noticed how she was standing when she saw who had come in. She was up in something that looked more than a friendly embrace with Harry.

She averted her eyes from Neville's.

"Evening, everyone." He said.

He was greeted by the boys.

"I was wondering if you cold look at my essay, Hermione." He said, giving her a piercing glance.

"Sorry, Neville. Hermione and I were just on our way to have a nice walk."

"Actually Harry…" she said hesitantly. "I'm not feeling too well."

Her head had suddenly gone light and she was holding on to his arm for support. "I- I'd best go…up to bed."

Harry nodded and lead her to the stairs. "I'm not allowed up there…can you do it without falling?"

She nodded. "Yes."

She looked at him again and gave him a warm smile. How could anyone hate that sparkle in his eyes, how could anyone?

She leaned in and kissed him. She wasn't sure if it was the kiss or her head that made her feel dizzy, but she was sure of it that the best thing she could do now was go up those stairs. She turned and walked up two steps.

Then she stopped and turned back again. Harry was still at the bottom of the stairs, watching her so he could catch her if she fainted.

"…I'd love to go on that walk tomorrow, though." She heard herself say.

He smiled broadly. "Tomorrow it is, then. Sleep tight."

She turned away, feeling more than one pair of eyes burning in her back.

"Tonight."

"Tonight? Very well. I shall inform them."

"And bring the package."

There was a moment of silence. Ginny jumped back and ran to hide behind the corner. She took a few deep breaths as she heard the door open and close.

The footsteps came her way and she shuffled back. She wasn't surprised to see Draco Malfoy come around the corner. He only halted briefly when he saw her. But his famous smirk soon found its way back to his face.

"Well, well…the Weasley girl. What are you doing here?"

Ginny was surprised by this question. "What gives you the right to ask me that question? I might as well ask you the same, but frankly, I'm not interested. Now if you'll excuse me, I was on my way to lunch."

She brushed past him with a vague smirk of her own on her face. It wasn't often she was able to silence Draco Malfoy in a 'conversation' like this. But sometimes she knew just what to say to make him unable to talk back.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder and looked back. She smirked again. That creep of a Malfoy was staring at her. She turned back and shook her head, letting her ginger hair ripple gently. He was so obvious. She'd have to look up a nice curse in the library to use on him. If there was one thing she didn't want, it was Malfoy following her around with his tongue dangling out his mouth.

And she was pretty certain Dean wouldn't appreciate that either.

'I wonder who he was talking to.'

Probably one of his lackeys. They were up to something, another one of their tricks as usual. Only last week had she caught them trying to drown mrs. Norris in a vat of Butterbeer in the kitchen. The poor House Elves had hidden somewhere behind the counters, hoping they wouldn't be next.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump. She snapped around and had already jabbed her wand at whoever had had the nerve to scare her like that.

"Neville! I thought you were Malfoy."

He looked from her wand to her face and back again. "Why would you think that?"

"Because I just ran in to him a second ago. Sorry about the wand."

She pocketed it and continued her walk. "I'm going to lunch. Are you coming?"

"So…ready for it then?" Ron said, failing miserably to hide the huge grin on his face.

"Ron, it's just a walk!" Harry said with a sigh, stressing the last word.

But Ron just grinned. "Sure it is. That's why you keep running to the mirror to make sure there's nothing weird on your face."

"I do not!" Harry said indignantly.

Then he shot to the mirror hastily. "There isn't anything weird on my face, is there?"

Ron chuckled. "Oh-kay…time for you to go, lover boy."

Harry nodded and checked the mirror one last time.

"Don't wait up." He said with a wink.

He nearly skipped down the stairs and found Hermione sitting in a chair, talking to Lavender. He watched as Lavender gave Hermione a gentle nudge out of her chair.

Hermione stood up and edged her way towards him. He stepped forwards eagerly and took her hand.

"Well, shall we go?" he asked with a cheerful voice.

She nodded and let herself be escorted out the portrait hole. He let go of her hand as they reached the entrance doors of the castle and put his arm around her shoulders. She sighed contently.

It wasn't cold outside, not as cold as he had expected. But winter had already died and spring was almost over too, so it didn't surprise him.

They didn't talk, they didn't need to. Both of them felt that this silence said more than words could at this moment.

She looked ahead, slowly watching the forest and the lake draw closer. A cold hand closed around her heart, giving it a tight squeeze. She shivered.

She could still go back. She could.

Harry noticed her hesitation and looked at her curiously. "Are you…do you want to go back? Because if you're not sure about you and me…"

She shook her head. "It's not that I'm not sure about us. Being back here with you means everything to me. More than you can comprehend. I-"

"Good." He said with a warm smile.

He pulled her into a tight hug, burying his nose in her hair. His breath tickled her neck and she giggled softly. He drew his head back and looked into her eyes. Then he leaned forward and kissed her softly on her lips. She put her hands in his neck and deepened the kiss.

When she pulled out of it suddenly, he was taken by surprise. She seemed to be crying again.

"Hermione…"

She shook her head and ran towards the forest, getting away from his as quick as she could.

'I can't do this.' She thought.

Behind her she could hear Harry's footsteps following her. He reached out and grabbed her arm. She let out a short cry of pain. Immediately he let go again.

"Oh…I- I didn't mean to hurt you…I'm sorry."

She shook her head and looked at the ground. Her hand was clutching her arm where the Dark Mark was burning in her skin. She stifled a sob and looked up with teary eyes. She had lead him to the forest.

"Go back…go…" she whispered.

She knew she couldn't go back anymore. She flew into his arms, sobbing heavily.

"Go back! Run, please…Go back!" she cried hysterically.

Her arms were around his neck, pulling him into the embrace. Her tears surprised Harry and he tried to return the hug. He tried to comfort her, but she shook her head.

"Don't…"

"Hermione, I don't understand…if there's something wrong, then tell me."

She pulled away for a second to look into his eyes.

"I can't…" she sniffed weakly. "I can't tell you…"

She hugged him again and listened to his heartbeat. It used to be so comforting, but it wasn't, not anymore.

"Please…forgive me…" she whispered.

Harry pushed her away slightly. "What do you mean?"

He watched the tears roll down her face as she stepped away.

A swish of cloaks made him look up.

"Please run…"

"Hermione, look out!"

He ran towards her, but a masked man blocked his was.

"There's no need to protect her." A cold voice said. "We won't harm her."

Emma Barrows: Did this surprise you? I hope I portrayed Hermione's feelings right. She's really confused. She's afraid that the DE's will hurt Paul and yet she doesn't want to harm Harry. She feels really helpless right now. I hope I was able to show that to the reader. Anyway, I'm a bit busy with my test week right now so I won't have time to read Maelstrom just yet. But I will as soon as I can, I promise :)

Dark Angel's Blue Fire: Harry really hasn't got a clue about what's going on. The poor thing. And poor Hermione too. She really didn't want to do this. But her feelings for Harry really did come back even though she knew she had to make them go away. And then there's her cute cousin Paul. I think you still want to hit something after this chapter…You were right about the fact that Hermione had to lead Harry into an ambush, but not quite right about who'd be waiting for him there. Anyway, I'm sure I'll hear from you again :)

Anynomous reader: Hermione's not at all sure about what or who she is now. All she ever wanted was to be happily in love with Harry without all this trouble. But now that this has happened…she doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to be a DE but she's hardly got a choice now, has she…well, you'll see what happens in the next chapter.

An: I promised to keep you updated on how the actingschool thingy went. I got a letter a week ago, I think, and it said that they didn't think I was suitable for their school. Oh well, too bad. Now I'll go study Law instead. That'll be fun too. I hope to see all of you at the next chapter. Think happy thoughts!
-Raven55