Nightmares

Summary: In the middle of the night she wakes, the nightmare was just too much to bear. When the real nightmare has just begun, all it takes is the comfort of another. R/HR Post-HBP.

Note: This is very different to what I've done before. I've tried a different writing technique that I saw used with a different story/ship. I like how this turned out, personally, tell me what you think!

Nightmares

Flashes. Images invaded her dreams. Horror. Pain. Death. Dumbledore. Screams. Sobs. Time itself seemed jaded. Colours erupted from nothing. Green. Red. Flash. More screams. Bill. Slashed. Dumbledore. Dead. They all came through. Unwanted, unneeded.

Flash.

Green light splashed through. Someone yelling. Screaming. Crying. More light. It seemed unnatural. Images of lockets and trophies flashed through, leading straight to a cave. Flash. Dumbledore. Flash. Snape. Yelling. Screaming. He couldn't. He wouldn't…

Avada Kedavra.

Hermione bolted up right in her bed, gasping for breath, sweat beads running down the side of her face. Outside the wind howled as rain pounded on the windowpanes, leaving the image of outside distorted. Breathing deeply, Hermione wiped her forehead, attempting to gain control of her thoughts.

It was always the same. Strange images of that night, some she hadn't even witnessed. The screaming. The crying. The pain. It was almost too much to bear; Too much for an eighteen year old to handle.

Hermione's eyes prickled with tears and she let out a shaky sigh, still sitting upright.

She didn't understand why these dreams visited her every night. Nor did she understand why she could see images of places she had never seen.

A particularly loud crack erupted from outside, as the bedroom lit up from the thunderstorm. Branches from the outside tree hit the window, making loud scraping noises that were made louder by the rain. Hermione's breathing was still ragged as she stared out the window, her heart hammering against her chest.

The door to the dank bedroom creaked open slightly, and Hermione's head snapped towards its direction. Ron's head was visible from the crack and Hermione let out a sigh of relief. He walked into the room and shut the door quietly behind him, before turning around and walking over to the bed.

'Are you ok?' Ron asked, sitting on the edge of the bed as Hermione ran a hand over her eyes. 'I heard you thrashing about in the next room.'

'Hmm. I'm ok.' Hermione replied softly, her hand still over her eyes.

Ron took her other hand in his and squeezed it. 'Did you have another nightmare?'

Hermione nodded, taking her free hand away from her face and looking at him. 'It was identical to the others. They are so choppy that I can't even…' She drifted off, her voice breaking slightly.

Ron shifted so that he was sitting right next to her. He brushed a lock of Hermione's hair away from her face and looked at her. 'They are not real.' He said softly.

'But they are. This is real, Ron. Dumbledore did die. And Snape killed him. Now here we are in Godric's Hollow attempting to find pieces of Voldemort's soul without him. The dreams are so…charged with death. It's already present enough in reality, but I have to live through it in my sleep? I…I don't know if…' Hermione broke off, the tears she had been holding in for the last few weeks finally getting a release.

Ron put an arm around her shoulder and Hermione leant on his chest, her head buried in the crook of his neck as she sobbed. Ron placed his other hand on her leg and Hermione seemed to lean on him more, while he slowly rubbed her shoulder.

'It's ok. Shhh.' Ron whispered calmly, attempting to console her shaking form.

Hermione broke off several minutes later, brushing the wet tears off her face and smirking slightly. 'I'm sorry.' She said softly, looking at their still intertwined hands.

'What are you sorry for?' Ron asked her, a bemused expression on his face.

Hermione looked down. 'For being so…emotional. It's been hard. I've tried to stay solid. But I just needed…'

Ron cut her off. 'You have nothing to be sorry for. You really have no idea how amazing you are, do you? Hermione, if it weren't for you, Harry and I would have no idea what we were doing. You hold us together. So it's understandable that you need a release. Besides, that's what I'm here for, right?'

Hermione smirked. 'You are here for so much for than that.' She replied, giving his hand a squeeze.

Ron raised his eyebrows suggestively. 'Oh yeah? What's that?' He asked, a smile forming on his face.

'To be with me, for one.' Hermione replied, leaning up slightly and kissing him gently on the lips. She broke off and smiled at him.

Ron nodded. 'That's a good reason.'

Hermione leaned against his chest and sighed, pulling his arm around her. 'I love you.' She said softly, her voice becoming sleepy.

Ron smiled and leant back on her bed, Hermione still leaning on him. He pulled the blankets up over them both and Hermione snuggled into his side.

'I love you too.' Ron replied softly, looking down at Hermione and seeing that she had already fallen asleep. He smiled to himself and kissed the top of her head, before allowing himself to fall asleep as well.

The real nightmare was just beginning, and no one could guarantee safety. Yet in each other's arms, they both felt it was all the security they needed to get through.

FIN

Please review…it would be very appreciated!