Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot. J.K Rowling owns the rest.

A/N Well, here comes the second chapter, I wonder what will happen? No more deaths thank god.

Shrieking Shack

Harry and Hermione left the burrow and flooed to Hogwarts. They walked up to the head of Gryffindor's office and knocked gently. A calm voice from inside beckoned them in. Harry and Hermione entered and sat across the table from Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, when we were looking for horcruxes" Harry gulped and looked at Hermione who had a tear in her eye,

"We were ambushed. Voldemort and some of his death eaters apparated into Godrics Hollow. I battled Snape, while Hermione battle Bellatrix and Ron was fighting the other death eaters. Ron was hit with a killing curse from Voldemort. Snape and Bellatrix both died. Hermione and I cast the killing curse. Malfoy got knocked out cold but other than that no other injuries. Mam, Ron died," Harry had finished speaking and looked down at the carpet and clutched Hermione's damp hand as she had been wiping away her tears. Professor McGonagall looked shocked than sympathetic and worried.

"What did you know who say?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"He started a long talk about how my mothers love is gone and how he was standing right in front of me and how he would kill me and things like that" Harry said in a calm and even tone which made Hermione smile as not many people would be able to say it like that.

McGonagall beckoned the pair to leave the room and replied

"You two will want to rest, I will get a house elf to prepare an adjoining room in Gryffindor Tower. I will get Dobby to show you when you arrive there." With that the door in front of them had closed and Professor McGonagall had informed the house elves of their jobs.

Harry and Hermione clambered up the sets of stairs heading to the portrait of the Fat Lady. Giving the lady the required password McGonagall had told them they climbed through the opening and were greeted by Dobby the house elf Harry had freed in second year from his horrible master Lucius Malfoy.

"Hello Harry and Hermione. Follow me to your rooms." The followed Dobby to a portrait of a black stallion rearing and snorting who was in a painting of a sunny meadow.

"I will leave you to set you password. The rooms are adjoining and these will be where you stay during the school year too. Hermione on the left and Harry on the right. Have a good rest, Dobby will see you later at dinner." Harry and Hermione waved goodbye as the little house elf vanished out of site. Harry and Hermione decided on 'Golden Snitch' being the password and went off to view their rooms.

Hermione entered her room and was amazed. It was a crimson red and gold and was decorated with lions and a phoenix. It had a massive queen sized bed and gigantic windows with amazing views out on to the great lake. Hermione was staring out the window when a she heard a faint knock on her door. Harry called out asking to come in and she opened the door. Harry walked in and saw similarities to his room but she had a better view and her room was slightly smaller but more decorative. He joined her on the couch and put his arm around her. She nuzzled into his chest and fell asleep. After an hour, Harry gently carried the tired body to her room and placed her softly in the bed. She tucked her in and lay down beside her noticing how beautiful she looked when she was sleeping. He smiled and walked off to his own bed. He fell to sleep as soon as he hopped in the bed.

In the morning, Harry woke up late in the morning. He was quite startled as another being was in the bed. Hermione had clambered into his bed. She must have had a nightmare. He put his arm around her and nodded back off to sleep. At lunchtime he woke up again and found Hermione had left and got up and had a shower and got dressed. When he got down to their adjoining lounge he found she was reading a book. Her head turned as he stepped onto the wooden floor,

"Hey, do you want to go to lunch?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, sure." And at that they both left and headed for the Great Hall for a gigantic lunch of Roast Chicken and every other food they could possibly dream of.

When they arrived, several of their professors were already there and eating the food on their plates quickly so they could continue on setting the class schedules. Harry and Hermione ate their meals and returned to their rooms so Hermione could prepare for her upcoming classes while Harry gathered his broom and went for a bit of flying practice at the Quidditch grounds.

When Harry returned, a stunning, well-groomed, black owl, was perched on top of Harry's duchess waiting for him to return. He untied the letter from the impatient owl's leg and opened the window for him to fly out. Harry was about to open it then went to find Hermione. They sat down with Hermione perched on his lap and he slit open the envelope to reveal a dark piece of parchment with silver writing. It was from Draco Malfoy, it read;

Dear Hermione and Harry,

I do not want to discuss issues over owls in a case of an intercept but I would like to meet with you. How about 7:00 pm at the S shack tomorrow night.

Yours Apologetically,

Draco

Hermione and Harry looked at each other looking shocked and then laughed with no surprise about each others faces and then Harry broke the silence by commenting,

"So, should I write back and say…."

"We will be there" Hermione finished for him. She was quite keen to see what Draco was willing to say. Harry was hesitant but scrawled on a piece of paper and walked off to find Hedwig.

Late that morning, the two headed off to breakfast with out saying a word. Being almost alone except for Dumbledore who looked as though he had woken up late but still had a smile on his face, the two sat down to eat and began to munch on blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and cream and a hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows.

Once they had left breakfast, they headed back to Hermione's room and rested on her luxurious couch. It had a velvet touch and very comfortable to lie on. Harry had sprawled along it all stretched out with a half-awake Hermione lying over top. Harry was concentrating while looking at her. Man she's beautiful. Hermione was thinking similar things. Boy he's hot. I can feel his muscles rippling underneath me. Gorgeous, What, how can I feel this way about my friend. Oh well, get over it Hermione. Breathe. When the thought had ended she rested her head back down on to his chest and drifted off to sleep. Harry however stayed awake for an extra twenty minutes thinking about nothing then followed Hermione and fell asleep on the velvet couch.

When lunchtime came the two woke up starving and headed to the Great Hall for a meal of chicken nibbles, pizza and roasts of every kind with a goblet of pumpkin juice to down it all. Once they had finished they left and headed back to their rooms to grab Harry's broom and walked to the Quidditch pitch as Harry was determined to get a certain someone e.g. Hermione to learn how to fly. Hermione reluctantly agreed.

Within twenty minutes, Harry had Hermione hovering over the pitch confidently soaring around the goalposts. Harry got out the Quidditch gear and Harry was chucking the quaffle round for Hermione to catch. Harry thought to himself maybe she should tryout for a chaser this year, she's pretty good. She flew over to Harry jumped off claiming how much fun flying was and how she couldn't believe she was every scared of heights. They returned to their rooms to get dressed as they had spent four hours mucking about on the pitch and headed back to get changed and have dinner while time passed for them to arrive in the shrieking shack to find a certain someone with explaining to do.

They arrived in the shrieking shack ten minutes early to put pre-cautionary wards to let only one person with the Dark Mark and that was Malfoy.

Draco arrived 5 minutes later and greeted the two people with a solemn look on his face. He sat down on a dusty chair and Harry and Hermione joined him.

"So, Draco" Hermione began, Harry was scowling at Draco but was waiting for Draco's excuse.

" Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't want to be a death eater. My parents forced me or I would be dishonoured. I'm sorry that Ron died. I guess I'm lucky I was knocked out, otherwise the Dark Lord may not have been so kind. I don't like being a death eater, I don't want to be one. I hate it. Luckily, I don't have to go to the meetings during school as the master says it would be 'suspicious'. You have to understand. Is there anything else you want to know?" Draco finished.

"Do you know if Voldemort has any plans?" Harry asked him. Draco replied

"No, he is keeping quiet. I think he is keeping a low profile for the meantime until an opportunity arrives."

"Oh ok"

With that they exchanged goodbyes and Hermione and Harry left removing the wards and heading back to Hogwarts.

Hermione and Harry walked into their common room and sat down on the couch. Harry was wanting to talk to Hermione. He had started to like her more then a friend but instead the sat down and watched a movie with muggle popcorn. Harry had his arm around her shoulder much to his delight. Hermione like it too. She felt safe. She felt secure. She like him. This was how they fell asleep.

Rita Skeeter was walking up the corridors to find Harry and Hermione for an interview about Ron Weasley dying and the meeting against Voldemort. Boy she loved getting into other peoples business and twisting the story. Thank god for her quick quill.

She followed the directions which Dumbledore had given her and the portrait let her in with her note from the Headmaster and she walked in with out knocking to find some juicy photos for her gossip column. Her camera was out as she began to take photos of Hermione Granger and the famous Harry Potter curled up together on the velvet couch. With the two being fast asleep they couldn't hear a thing while the frantic woman took shots at every view possible. After that she clapped her hands to startle the two younger people. Harry scowled,

"What are you doing here? I don't believe we let you in or gave you permission. How did you get in here?"

Harry asked looking extremely angry.

"Don't get you knickers in a knot, Mr Harry Potter. I am here to take an interview. Professor Dumbledore showed me where to go and gave me a note to show the portrait to let me in. I have every right to be in her."

She finished smartly but Harry snapped back,

"Except for our permission!"

Hermione was amazed how quick he was to find a comeback and slowly removed herself from under his arm in case Rita wanted to cause any trouble. But Rita noticed.

"So, hows the romance going." she asked as she got out her quick quill.

No one talked.

Come on, don't hide it, it's pretty obvious. Plus, when I came in, you were all cuddled up together." Rita said with a sneaky voice.

Hermione and Harry both blushed. They hadn't even said anything about their feelings and other people were making presumptions.

"Also, I have photos" she added after a while talking slyly.

This made Harry angry and he raised his wand and cast a spell.

"Accio camera" Harry shouted.

Once he had the camera in his grip.

"This will teach you for meddling with people's lives."

And with that he chucked the camera at the wall and watched it break into many pieces. He then cast a spell to make no spell able to repair it.

With that he harshly pushed Rita Skeeter out of the room.

He grabbed Hermione's hand and lead her into his room.

"Listen Hermione, I really like you. I have never told you before because I was still trying to figure my feelings out. Obviously other people or just Rita Skeeter can tell. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want Voldemort to use you to get to me. I really like you Hermione. I didn't want you to find out from anyone but me. So….."

Harry couldn't find any words to hide his blushing cheeks. Hermione looked shocked then she too began to talk and blush,

"Harry, well, I like you too. I guess I thought you were too unreachable because there are so many girls much prettier than me, who would pay galleons to be with you. I was too scared to admit my feelings." And with that she ran up to him and hugged him so tight she could feel his heart beat against hers. He hugged back and he whispered into her neck,

"I can't believe I had never told you before. You really are beautiful Hermione." At that moment Hermione pulled back. She looked into his big green eyes and closed the distance between his lips and hers. It lasted for ages and when it stopped the two were gasping for air. They then walked back to their separate rooms to mull over today.

A/N Well here you go. Second chapter completed. Read and review. Any comments appreciated. Thanks, will start chapter three soon. Sorry for such a short chapter