A/N: Important: I do not own Harry Potter!
A/N: Please R&R!
A/N: This chapter is fluffy, so beware! Not as fast-paced as my others, but oh well!
Chapter 7
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry shouted with the memory of himself and Hermione fresh in his mind. White light shot out of his wand, and spread to fill the dark room. The crouching Dementor looked over its shoulder with non-existent eyes to find a stag lower its antlers and ram it with the sharp spikes. The Dememtor and the stag hit the opposite wall with a dull thud. The Dememtor got itself up and flew toward Harry with its hands outstretched. Harry ducked and the Dementor sailed over-head. It flew down the corridor in search of its already gone companion.
Harry focused his eyes on the little curled-up figure in the corner. Hermione was unnaturally pale with her eyes closed. Harry ran to her as his stag was joined by the previously conjured patronus, and they just surveyed them with sad eyes. Harry could hear small, slow breathing, but other than that, no life presented itself from her. He knelt down cradled her face with his shaking hands; she was cold. Harry's heart beat faster and his breath started to come in ragged gasps; was she kissed? If she was…it was his fault.
"Hermione," Harry said loudly as he looked at her unmoving face; no answer. "Hermione, wake up!" Harry screamed as hot tears stung his eyes. Slowly, Hermione opened her eyes. She looked up at Harry with dazed, empty eyes; no sparkle, no life, just brown eyes. Harry felt cold, numbing fear creep through his bones as he looked back at her own. Hermione blinked, and her eyes became focused. She looked up at him as life filled her eyes, and they started to leak tears. Her breathing quickened, and she grabbed onto Harry as if something had terrible had happened to him. Harry held her tightly and tears of joy spilled down his face and were soaked in by her hair. He could hear her sobbing in his shoulder and could feel her shaking in his arms.
Harry could hear her speak of darkness, terrible memories, and his name into his wet shoulder. After hearing his name, he gently pulled her away and looked at her at arms-length.
"Hermione, what happened? Are you okay? I'm sorry that I wasn't here earlier, but there was a Dementor in my room too." Harry said at rapid speed, trying to cover up his quivering voice with speed.
"I am now," she said with a quivering, hushed voice and looking up at him with teary eyes. That look crushed Harry's heart. "Do you know if anyone else was attacked?"
Harry thought about it and said, "No, but the coldness is gone, so I guess there was only two."
"I had a dream of your Mum before I was…" she could not get the words out; the memories were too horrible. She took a deep breath before she started again.
"She said that I was wasting time on debating my feelings toward you…She said that I don't have--" she started, but Harry interrupted.
"Don't have all the time in the world," he stated.
"Yes…" she said looking up at him with glistening eyes.
"I love you," they said to each other.
Harry felt his heart become light as air when he heard the words. He saw her eyes light up again as she started to cry happy tears. He held her protectively as the two stags in the doorway looked at the couple with amused eyes. If Harry or Hermione were looking at their audience, they could have sworn that they had seen the two creatures give a little smile to the other.
Now Harry knew why his father had sent him and Hermione into the past: he had his mind there too often, instead of it being in the future.