Ch. 4: Don't Panic

She had said, "I want to…" but as quickly as she had said it she stopped. Harry fell to his knees before her, his eyes pleading for her to tell him what she wanted. What is it? Does she finally want to talk about it? Go to the park? Snog… Snog? Now he was thinking like Ron, why would he ever think of something like that while she was in so much pain? She smiled softly as if she knew what he was thinking, and there was that tingling feeling in his stomach again.

When he touched her knee with his hand she briskly looked away, he had only meant to reassure her but now she was more distant than before. Her eyes looked longingly out the window, and then there was the tapping. When he looked to the window he saw the small tawny owl fluttering outside, why did he close the window last night? He straightened his head, gazing at Hermione once more before getting up and walking to the window.

He opened the letter that his friend's owl carried, and quickly read over it. Then he handed it to Hermione so that she could look over it, though she probably wouldn't say anything.

Dear H n H,

I'm sorry how I acted at the other house, I just well you know how I feel Harry and well I was just upset mate. Don't worry though, I'm over it all. I got a letter from some of the DA members wondering how you were and if they should send their regards to… the both of you.

A couple asked if you wanted to get together over the summer, I said we probably couldn't but I sent a letter to Dumbledore and mum said she'd be fine having a few friends over if it would cheer you two up.

Well, I'm off to see Luna apparently she wanted to give you two a gift for taking her with you to the… ministry but I told her I'd have to see it first, you know precautions and all.

Your best mate,

Ron

Ginny probably helped him write it, so he did know how to be a bit subtle, Harry thought. He turned to see her eying the end of the letter carefully, "so how about that? Ron and Luna?" She looked up when he said it, he couldn't make out if it was really a grin or just shock but she quickly turned to the side folding up the note.

He looked at her keenly, what had she wanted to say before this all? She picked up her book and then it occurred to him. He quickly looked around for his paper and parchment and wrote some words onto it, he handed the paper to her and she looked at him quizzically. "We don't have to talk, we have other ways of communicating," he said looking down at the paper.

She smiled at the effort he was putting forth just to talk to her, and she reached for the quill he was offering her. She scribbled a few words and sat with her back against the wall on the bed, she patted the spot next to her and he followed suit. She scribbled a little more and then gave him the note.

Have you thought about Sirius much? He looked at her curiously but returned to the note, I have. I have thought about you every moment since I found out about my parents. I feel ashamed that I didn't think about them more, but I worry about how you are. You are more like family than anything. He was drawn back by this comment, family? He was family to her?

He looked again into her eyes, the cinnamon orbs studying his face which had just made a sick face. He glanced at her lips and her neck and then there was that tingling feeling again. He began writing, this time when he handed the note back to her and she had read over it; she just stared at him but he was looking away. She began furiously writing again on the parchment but after a few lines she looked up at him, his eyes were intently staring at her face trying to pick out all the emotions she was feeling.

"Harry," she forced the words from her mouth as if it pained her, "that's not what I meant. I wanted to think about them, but with I couldn't. All that came to mind was how much pain you had been through and how you must have felt like this when Sirius died." A pang of pain resounded in his heart; it still hurt to hear other people say that he was dead. She touched his cheek when his face fell, and he looked back up into her eyes, "It is not your fault Harry."

"I thought I was supposed to be comforting you," he said as he pushed a lock of hair out of her face. She was not amused, "I have thought about him a lot, but I've thought about you a lot more. I know its hard for you to understand, but had I listened to you it would have never happened, none of it. Not to Sirius, not to your parents, not to anyone. He would still be in hiding, all because I had to go and screw things up."

"If you hadn't he would still be in hiding yes, but the ministry would also still be ignoring the situation. At least now Voldemort is forced to slow his recruiting and his manipulations for fear of discovery." Hermione reassured him, now her hand was placed on his knee and she smiled looking into his emerald eyes. His hand covered hers as he looked down at the paper, but she quickly stuffed it away into her pocket. "I have my voice, thanks to you. We have no need of this," she paused, "note."

Of course she was right, she always was; if they hadn't gone to the department of mysteries then Voldemort would still be doing what ever he wanted to, and he might have been able to get his hands on the prophecy. He groaned at the thought of it, he had spent most of the summer without thinking about his inevitable destiny. Then he felt her squeeze his hand, he looked up while his stomach tingled again.

"Hermione, there is something I have to tell you." He said sadly looking away from her before continuing, "Dumbledore told me what…"

"Told you what the prophecy was." She had guessed what it was and he nodded, "I was hoping that you would be able to tell me what happened."

"It's scary," he looked into her eyes, unable to look away as he spoke, "I don't want you to panic. I want you to support me and I hope that you will be there for me."

"Of course I will, Ron and I will always be here for you Harry. I will always care very deeply for you," she smiled and squeezed his hand again.

He studied her for another couple moments, not wanting her to revert to her previous state but knowing she wouldn't let him off now without telling her. He sighed as he started telling her about how the prophecy had come about, and when he arrived at what it was he said simply, "I've got to kill him, lest he kill me."

He shivered as he said it, and then she jumped him. Her arms wrapped around him and they were pushed to lying down on the bed by the force of the movement; he had not been expecting this but gently placed his arms around her as she gently began crying into his neck again. 'Damn it, why did I have to tell her? Now how do I tell her that I love her?'

She had stopped crying, she pulled away from him and stared into his eyes, "You love me?"

A/N: I don't know why I stick to this idea that they should hook up, I mean the books hint that it will be R/H, and the movies even more so. I guess I don't hate the idea as much as I used to, I just wish that I knew really what was going to happen. I don't think that Harry should have anyone unless it's Hermione. I just felt like posting this feel free to comment about how you think I'm stupid haha, but I really think it won't work out for my favorite characters.

I think I may change the name of this story and kill it. I don't like how its turning out anymore, and it seems to form too much like other stories I read on here. I hope that you all don't think I'm just copying someone else, because its not on purpose things just seem to slip into your mind when you're writing. We'll see how the next chapter goes before I decide anything. Thanks for reading.