Another week had passed by. Harry had resumed having nightmares. All of them involving Hermione in some matter. Voldemort making threats and talking about her. His words clinging to Harry's memory and making him think about them on a loop all day. He hadn't seen any terrible images until the last night. Voldemort was going on making his threats about Hermione, when suddenly there was a flash of Hermione in pain. She was jerking on the ground. She was being tortured. The sight made Harry cringe and he trembled in both fear and fury. The minute Harry awoke he threw on some clothes and ran to Dumbledore's office.

The week for Hermione was filled with misery. Harry was keeping distance from her. She attempted many times to speak to Harry, but it was like talking to a wall. He would respond much, and when he did it was a dry and dull response. Hermione cried about it many nights. She felt a gap growing between her and Harry ever since that kiss they shared by the lake. It was tearing her apart. She sought council with Ron, her one friend that would listen to her and talk to her. Which was not like Ron at all. It seemed that Ron and Harry had switched places. Instead of Harry being the one who would listen to her and comfort her, it was Ron who was doing so.

Hermione was walking down one of the many corridors of Hogwarts on a Saturday. It was suppose to be a day to relax, yet Hermione couldn't do so. Her head was spinning with all of the thoughts that were flooding her mind.

Harry had gotten out of Dumbledore's office leaving the headmaster to think to himself. Harry walked down the secret stairway to Dumbledore's office and saw Hermione walking along. Harry hung his head and tried to slip by her. It was awkward for him to be around her since these dreams began. Day by day he worried that if he got close to her that he could be risking her life.

Even though Harry did his best to not be spotted by Hermione she saw him none the less. Hermione looked to Harry and couldn't take it anymore. She walked up to Harry who had walked by her and she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

"I want you to tell me what is going on Harry! Why are you being so distant from me? What did I do to you? Harry we are best friends! Since when do you distance yourself from your best friend? Tell me right now!" Hermione broke down in front of Harry already feeling tears growing on her eyelids. She yelled at him both in anger and sadness.

Harry was startled by Hermione's display of anger. When he saw she was about to cry he felt his heart sink inside of him. "Hermione. You didn't do anything. It's just…"

"What is it Harry! Tell me! You used to tell me everything! And now! Now you don't tell me a damn thing!"

Harry's eyes grew in shock. It was the first time Harry heard Hermione curse. It was not like her to even lose her temper like this. Well at least not with him. "Hermione…" Harry knew what Dumbledore told him, but he could hold this from her anymore. "I've been having dreams. About you, and Voldemort. He has been saying things. Terrible things. And he says that he…Is going to hurt you, because he knows of my feelings for you. I can't put you in risk like that. I'm afraid I risk your safety every time I look at you even."

A tear escaped and streamed down Hermione's cheek. Her lower lip trembled as Harry told her about his dream. Hermione looked down to her feet and shook her head. She knew that he was doing it for her protection and so she didn't get hurt. But being away from Harry was hurting her.

"Harry…When you distance yourself from me…When you don't talk to me. When you try to avoid me at all costs! That hurts me Harry. Your intentions are honorable, but you can't see that when you distance yourself from me you hurt me. I have been hurting ever since that night of the kiss. Not because of Ron or my dreams. But because of you. Because I've felt this gap growing between us and I hate it!"

Hermione finally broke down. Tears fell down her face uncontrollably. She fell back on the back behind her and slid down to the bottom of it. She clasped her face in her hands as she let out small sobs. Her arms were shaking and her whole body was trembling.

Harry walked over and sat down next to her putting his arm around her and pulling her close to him. She rested her head on his chest as she cried.

"Come on Hermione. Follow me," Harry said standing up and helping Hermione up with him. He decided it would be better if they went somewhere more privet. Harry took her down to the lake and down to a little are Harry had found his fourth year when he needed to be away from it all and needed to relax during the Tri-Wizard cup. As far as he knew no one else knew of the place so they could be alone. Harry said down with Hermione again who was still sobbing. Harry held her close kissing the top of her head. "It is okay Hermione. I'm sorry. I'm here now."

Hermione continued to sob clenching Harry's shirt with one hand holding herself close to him. He was doing a good job at comforting her. Slowly she began to pull herself together and started to stop crying. As she regained control of herself she took a deep breath and leaned back from Harry. She rubbed her eyes and wiped away a few stray tears that just made their way out.

"I'm sorry Harry. I didn't mean to break down like this. It's just…Last week has been really hard without you," Hermione trembled still regaining control of herself.

"I'm sorry for putting your though pain Hermione. I won't distance myself from you anymore. I promise. It was so hard for me to be away from you," Harry muttered looking in to her eyes seeing that she was finally calming down.

Hermione hesitated before she asked Harry what she asked him next. "Harry…Can we still get together as a couple? Or…"

Harry looked down and shook his head. "I'm sorry Hermione. We can be friends, but…I'm afraid us being a couple will put you in to more danger. We can be friends and stay close to each other. But I don't want to risk it…"

Hermione slowly nodded then looking down to her feet. Her dream was shattered. They both loved each other, but couldn't do anything about. They were in a lovelock right now. She thought their chances of ever getting together as a couple was falling apart day by day. Hermione then looked up to Harry with a fake smile on her face.

Harry reached over and took Hermione's hand as she looked up. "I'm sorry Hermione. I know some day we will be able to be a couple. I know it…"

"I hope…" Hermione whispered looking down again.

Harry and Hermione then just thought to themselves silently. Both hoping, wishing, dreaming that one day they would be able to be a couple without the worries of Voldemort or the deatheaters. A dream that they both that would never come true.

Soon they went off to dinner after Harry realized they had missed lunch. When they both figured out they were starving they stood up and abandoned their space by the lake. Harry and Hermione walked in to the Great Hall together and took a seat next to Ron. Ron swung his head over to them and looked at them both puzzled.

"Where have you two been! I was looking for you all morning," Ron exclaimed. Harry and Hermione both exchanged a look before looking back to Ron.

"We were down by the lake," Harry said then looking to his plate and filling it with food.

"Where by the lake! I looked there too!"

"Well apparently you didn't look hard enough did you Ronald," Hermione snapped at him unintentionally. Ron arched his right eyebrow and she shook her head. "I'm sorry Ron. You didn't deserve that."

"It's all right Hermione," Ron said realizing she has been through a lot as of late. Ron then resumed stuffing his face full of food.

Harry soon finished his plate of food and thought to himself. He knew he hadn't written Sirius in a while and he decided he would run up to his dorm and do so. Harry said farewell to his friends and ran up to the boy's dormitory.

Harry pulled out his quill and a small parchment of paper. Harry looked up to Hedwig who was sleeping silently in her cage. Harry smiled to her. Along with Hermione and Ron she was always loyal to him. Then again, she was an owl. Harry laughed and looked down to his paper and began writing.

Dear Sirius,

A lot has been happening at Hogwarts. Not all of it has been good.

Hermione and I have been distant since a moment we shared on the lake.

I guess you should know that Hermione and I kissed. I know it sound weird.

Ron and I had a fight, but everything is okay now. But…I've been having nightmares again. They have been terrible ones. I've spoke with Dumbledore about them. He says he is unsure of what to do. They are about Hermione.

Voldemort has been threatening her saying he was going to kill her. I feel like it is my fault. I just don't want her to get hurt. So we are not a couple. How have you been? I haven't heard from you in a while now. Is everything okay? I see the Daily Prophet still is writing terrible stories about you. Well, everything in that newspaper is twisted or a lie in one way or another. Please reply soon.

Sincerely,

Harry

Harry folded the paper up and opened Hedwig's cage. She fluttered her wings and looked to Harry tilting her head slightly. Harry helped her out of the cage and opened the window next to his bed. He made sure she had the note and smiled to Hedwig.

"Go to Sirius. Come back soon," Harry said before Hedwig flew out the window on her journey to find Sirius. Harry was surprised to still not hear people in the common room. Harry decided he would go back down to the Great Hall and sit with his fellow classmates.

Harry made his journey down the stairwell and was on his way to the Great Hall. Along the way Harry saw Luna Lovegood who he had met earlier this year. She was standing looking out at the wilderness motionless. Harry was going to slip by her so not to disturb her, but she turned her head and saw Harry. She gave a light smiled to him and he smiled back.
"Hello Harry. Why are you not in the Great Hall?" Luna asked him then looking back outside.

Harry walked to Luna's side and looked out with her. "Well I went off to write a letter. I was just on my way back to the Great Hall. Why are you not in there?" Harry asked then looking over to Luna who still was gazing out at the horizon.

"Oh…I just needed to get away from it all. Not a lot of my fellow students like me. They think I am too weird. So I decided I would leave," Luna said not looking to Harry still.

Harry looked down to his feet knowing what the students called her. As far as Harry could tell although she was a little strange at times she was a good person. A nice friend to have. "Well I'm sorry to hear that Luna."

"Have you and Hermione been having problems?" Luna asked much off topic. It threw Harry off and he was a little shocked that she would notice such a thing.

"Well we were…How did you know?"

"Well you two usually are together talking. Yet the past couple days I haven't seen you two together. So I just kind of put things together and came up with the conclusion."

"Everything is fine now though Luna," Harry assured her.

"I think you two should be a couple," Luna stated again way of topic. One thing that was hard to do with Luna was knowing where she would go with a conversation. She would jump to one conversation to the next. It sometimes got very confusing.

"Well…. Uh…. Why?" Harry stammered not really sure what else to say.

"You two clearly like each other. What is it that is keeping you from being a couple Harry?" Luna asked finally looking over to Harry tilting her head a bit.

"Well…I don't want to danger her. With the death eaters and all…Is really that noticeable that we like each other?"

"I seem to be the only one that notices. When I ask other people they just laugh as if I made a joke."

Before Harry and Luna could get much farther in their conversation students began to flood out of the Great Hall. In the front of the pack surprisingly were Ron and Hermione. Luna and Harry looked to them smiling. Hermione locked eyes with Harry and smiled to him. Ron looked to Luna and looked down blushing. Harry noticed it and arched his eyebrow slightly then looking to Luna. Does Ron…No!

Harry said goodbye to Luna and joined Hermione and Ron upstairs to the common room. They talked for a bit in the common room. However, they soon all went to bed. Before Harry went up to the dormitory he looked back to Hermione. He was surprised to see that she was looking back. When they caught each other's eyes they looked down. Harry however then looked up to Hermione. He noticed she was smiling as she looked down. Soon she disappeared up in to her dormitory and Harry left to his.

Harry laid down in bed and flipped over so he was looking out the window. Harry so badly wanted to be with Hermione. He loved her and yet he couldn't be with her. He hoped that someday that would change.

A/N: Just wanted to let everyone know I know this chapter is shorter then usual, but they will become larger as time goes on. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! People are subscribing which I love, but I would love them to review as well. Thank you.