Summer Love

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Only the plot belongs to me. If the rest did, I would be the happiest person on Earth, but, alas, I am not and I don't own anything you recognize.

He jumped several inches, reaching instinctively for his wand, and looked back at her. "Oh, it's only you," he smiled weakly, much relieved. "I didn't hear you come in." He swiped at the tears leaking from his eyes, but they just kept cascading down his cheeks in torrents.

"Harry, what is it?" Hermione repeated, concerned.

"It's just… I don't know… everything was just s-so simple back then. D-defeat the bad guy. No questions asked. No damn prophecies… and we d-didn't fight amongst ourselves. We were h-happy. I was happy for the first and, it seems, only t-time in my life," fresh tears bathed his cheeks. "We were so y-young and innocent… What happened?" He broke down into loud, uncontrollable sobs that shook his entire body.

"I don't know, Harry, I don't know," Hermione choked, a lone tear gliding down from her beautiful cinnamon eyes. She walked around the chair and sat on the foot stool, and gathered Harry into her arms. He cried on her shoulder, and she cried too for the things gone by when all was joyous and well in the world and they were oblivious to all the hidden dangers lurking in the shadows. She wept for the dark, suspicious times that were upon them, surrounding them, blocking out the light and good. And last she sobbed for Harry, her Harry, who had kept all of his fear and anger and sorrow bottled up for so long, not trusting even her with his emotions. They sat like this for a long time.

They eventually got up and went about some chores. They completed the summer essays for Professor McGonagall and Sprout on Transplanting Spells and Venomous Tentaculas.

The day passed quietly and each sought the other's company for comfort, not wanting to stray far from each other and feeling exposed after crying their hearts out and revealing their emotions.

They retired early, each to their own room, and abruptly fell asleep. Crying takes a lot of energy.

Hermione dreamt of Harry dancing with her at a school ball and then at Christmas in the Common Room as he kissed her under the mistletoe. Then she and Harry were taking off in the Quidditch field on his Firebolt and flying all around the moonlit sky, the wind making Hermione's chestnut hair float along behind them, tickling Harry's face as he held her tight. She was so afraid of heights, but in the dream she was fearless almost as if she had done this many times before. There were dreams from her past, too. Halloween in first year when Harry and Ron rescued her from the troll. In second year when she watched him go forward through the flames to meet Voldemort, knowing she could not go with him. Third year as Harry and Hermione went back in time and flew to Flitwick's office on Buckbeak to rescue Sirius. In fourth year when she stayed up late with him researching ways to stay alive underwater or to defeat a dragon or practicing Summoning Charms when she was his only ally. In fifth year, not so long ago, when they entered the Department of Mysteries, fear and excitement mixed together within Hermione's heart and she went on to protect him, to help him. One last scene played itself through her mind, Harry and Hermione down by the lake, which had always been their place, where Harry went down on his knees, taking a small box out of his pocket, opening it… but before she could see what was in it, the dream was swept away like a mist in a strong wind.

Hermione clung to the dream, wishing it to go on. It had been such a nice dream. Then, from next door, from Harry's room, she heard a whimper like a trapped animal and terror clutched at her heart. Her stomach turned in knots and the sound continued, making Hermione want only to snuggle down closer into her blankets and never come out. It could only be Harry and there was only one person who could instill such fear in him. She couldn't motivate herself to move, but she had to. It was time for her to be the hero. Like Harry had been saving her all these years, now she must save him.

"Come on, Hermione," she reprimanded herself in the quietest voice she could manage. "This is the man you love. Now are you going to sit here and let him die or are you going to go in there and help him?"

These words breathed life into her limbs and she forced herself to her feet, fetched her wand and headed toward the door. 'This is the only way,' she thought, 'that any of those wonderful things in the dream will ever come true. If ever they do, which is hardly likely.'

She stepped out of her room and, knees trembling, forced herself down the hall to his door, terrified of what she would find inside.

AN: Aren't you proud of me? Two chapters in one day. It is a record! Now be nice and review!