Authors note: .these are still j.k. rowlings characters and such...
Also, please review and tell me what you think. :) xox Annie

Ch. 2: Nero

Sun shined brightly in through the windows. The birds were singing. It looked like the perfect day, and all Ron could do was curse at himself for leaving the curtains open around his bed. Harry heard Ron's grunts and decided that it was finally time to stop "sleeping" and go for a walk. Or he at least wanted to do anything besides laying around, twiddling his thumbs, and trying not to think of a certain girl. He didn't feel much like waking Ron for the company. He knew that the bags under his tired looking eyes would give away the restless night he spent. Harry was not up to the badgering. A few seconds later he heard Ron hastily shut his curtains and commence in his snoring.

Harry crept out of bed, put on his trainers, and slinked very quietly down to the common room. He entered into the room to see a familiar bush of brown hair sticking out around the corners of one of the armchairs. The girl who had given him his restless night was lying in the most comfy armchair in the room. She's probably reading a book, and not being bothered by thoughts of me. Why should she think about me anyway? (Let alone while she is in bed. A little questionable.) Thought Harry jokingly. A small smile crept across his face at his little pun.

He approached Hermione, who was curled up in the armchair, and sat down on the floor in front of expecting a cheerful hello. She did not stir.

Her eyes stared off into oblivion; it was obvious that she was there physically, but definitely not mentally. Harry looked into her deep cinnamon eyes illuminated by firelight and noticed that they were a little bloodshot. She's been crying. His heart wrenched a little after acknowledging this. Her eyes darted away from the logs and slowly dying embers to stare directly into Harry's green pools. What seemed like decades, was only seconds in reality. Hermione shook her head, to remove the fog that surrounded her senses. She gave him a weak smile that finally acknowledged to Harry that she knew that he was there. He took her hand in his.

"Hermione," said Harry quietly, "are you okay?"

Hermione felt as if she had just cracked in two. Why did he have to say that exact same question in the exact same way from the dream? Holding my hand is also not helping at all. Hermione was having more than a bit of inner turmoil about this, but just smiled at him as if this sufficed as an answer. She bit her lower lip and concentrated hard on not letting any emotion drip down her cheeks. She had to make her smile seem convincing. It worked. Harry just gave Hermione an awkward pat on the shoulder. He looked like he had wanted to hug her, but held back. This was all well and fine for Hermione because all she could think about was kissing him and the blood that was going to smear the front of her blouse. She seemed to be in a surreal state. Harry noticed the far off look in her eyes. He was just about to hold her other hand when Ron came down the stairs yawning loudly. They both came back to reality in the wake of Ron's noisy entrance.

"G'morning!" Ron yelled happily. He rushed over to Hermione and gave her quick kisses covering her face. Harry could swear that he saw Hermione look over at him. The expression on her face showed a sincere apology to him. He even thought that he saw a hint of something else. Harry thought that Hermione's eyes were asking him to save her. It's just like Ron not to
notice that something is definitely wrong.
Harry thought as his heart burned watching this display of affection between them, even if it was one sided. Harry was just about to say something to distract Ron from Hermione when Ginny came running down from the girl's dormitory. She squealed at the sight of Harry and jumped into his lap grinning with a huge cheshire smile. "Hi sweetums!" Ginny said as she wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and leaned in close to try to snog him into oblivion. Harry "coincidentally" had turned his face to look out the window at the sun streaming in; this earned him a peck on the cheek. Ginny was not put off by this at all though. She proceeded to whisper in Harry's ear how cute she thought it was that he wanted to take it slow. It wasn't whispered quietly enough. Ron gave a smirk, but a small nod of approval at what Ginny had said.

Hermione just rolled her eyes.

--

After Ron and Ginny had left because of their characteristic "Weasley hunger" Harry and Hermione remained sitting and stared off in opposite directions as if not looking at the other erased their existence. Neither of them wished to be the one to say the first word. Hermione knew that Harry wasn't as oblivious as Ron, and was bound to notice that something was wrong with her. How do I tell Harry? Hermione thought, Wait, Why should I? It was only a dream Hermione. He wouldn't care. Hermione decided to talk first, "Oh, I have so much homework to do! Dear me, I better go and do that right now!" Hermione got up to walk away, but a hand on her wrist stopped her. "Hermione," he said. Tears were starting to well in her eyes. She didn't want to twist
around and face him. He stopped holding onto her wrist, expecting her to turn around and come and talk about whatever was bothering her. Instead, Hermione decided to keep up her ruse. "Yeah lots to do, lots to do," Hermione barely choked out, "I'll see you later, Harry."
Harry sat in the common room dumbfounded. Harry asked sincerely, "But Hermione, what's wrong?" "Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies," Hermione said and ran up the stairs to her dormitory.

At least that's what Harry thought Hermione said. For all he knew she could have been talking about umbrellas and sewers. Her sentence was a bit incoherent and stifled by the sobs she was trying to hold back. I need to help her. Thought Harry before he went down to breakfast. He was not sure how to aid her right now, but he thought that with some food in his stomach maybe he could think more clearly.

--

Harry sat down at breakfast staring and occasionally nodding at Ron, who kept talking about Merlin knows what. Harry's mind was a little too preoccupied at the moment with thoughts of Hermione. What was wrong? I wish that I could hold Hermione until her eyes twinkled like they normally did; And until she smiled that beautiful smile. An image of a happy Hermione played in Harry's brain. Then that happy Hermione turned to Harry to snog him senseless. Harry's face turned pink and his embarrassment was flushing down his cheeks. How could I even think that! Ron stopped talking and cocked his head to the side with a very confused look on, "Alright there mate?" Harry just nodded expeditiously. Everything
is fine, Ron. I'm just thinking of snogging your girlfriend!
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just realized…that um, I forgot something back in the common room," Harry said shakily. Ginny grabbed his hand. She had a very concerned look on her face, but he felt guilty even looking at her after what he had just thought. Harry ran out of the Great Hall, before any questions could be asked; leaving a pair of confused Weasley's in his wake.

--

Hermione! This is ridiculous! It was only a dream! She kept saying these words to herself repeatedly, hoping that they would sink in. It was her mantra. Her heart still felt like it was cracking. She couldn't get the image of Harry dying in her arms out of her brain. Why is this
affecting me so much?
Hermione felt as if she had gone mental. Ron would definitely rub it in her face if she had. If she could tell him that is. Okay Hermione. Think about this logically. You aren't the top of your class because you can't problem solve.

"It was just a dream," Hermione said out loud to show the reality of her statement. "Why do I even care so much, it's not like I love Harry as more than my best friend or something," She ended saying this with a nervous giggle.

If the dream showed her anything, it was that subconsciously she definitely felt something for Harry. She could not admit this to herself, but with time maybe it would surface.

Besides, it's not like Harry would see past this obnoxious bushy brown hair. He likes the more athletic, stunningly beautiful, quidditch types. A.K.A. The 'perfect' type. Hermione thought despondently. Why am I even thinking about this? I have Ron. He is devoted, um, he likes to -- eat, and I l-l-lov..I'm in extreme like with him. Who could ask for anything more?

Hermione tried to smile as if the frown that was about to appear would be giving her secret away. But she was the only one here. She was not a good enough actor to fool herself.

--

Ron Weasley was having the best year ever. "I am so happy, Ginny," said Ron to his sister still sitting dumbfounded across the table from him. Everything is so perfect, Ron thought, I have good friends, a great girlfriend, and everyone is happy. Nothing could possibly ruin this. -- Ron looks too happy, thought Ginny. Though she didn't have the heart to tell him.

Ginny knew that look in Harry's eyes; It was the look he kept having all the time before they started going out. That look was full of love and it wasn't for her. Ginny was seething.

This is just like something Ron would do, thought Ginny, happily play his violin like Nero did whilst everything he loves comes crashing down around him.

--

please review. Even if you think it's bad. I just need some feedback. Thank you :)

And by the way, for those of you who don't know, Nero was a Roman emperor and while Rome was burning in a nine day fire, he just sat there and "fiddled." So that's what the allusion was to, incase anyone was confused. lol learn something new everyday. So yeah now review kiddies, even if you think the fic is crappy. heh.

I'm writing the next chapter right now and reviews will spur me on to make it come faster...wink wink hehe

A/N/ Edit 5/8/06 : Also, I have been informed by "someone" on hpff (it's a pen name) that the violin wasn't created until about the 16th century. I just want to specify that I'm talking about an "old school" instrument called a lyre. I'm sorry though, I did make assumptions about the word "fiddled" and just took it as a violin when it;s kind of more like harp..actually.. Just imagine that my information is correct. I don't know, I like how it makes the end of this chapter sound. I now call in my rights as an author to err change..the truth. heh. :) sorry for the confusion...if there was any. oo we all learned more today. ;P