Chapter 4: Understandings and Mystery Meetings

This was the third time she had cried this week! This was far too much; she couldn't take it any longer. Life was supposed to be full of bliss and love, not anger and sorrow. She wasn't supposed to be crying on a daily freaking basis. She muffled her sobs with her pillow as she heard a knock at the door.

"GO AWAY!!!" She screamed. She didn't care who it was. She just wanted to be left alone right now but she also wanted to be with Harry; he would help make her fell better. The person at the door was to think to comprehend the simple task of going away, for they pushed the door open slightly, making a creak. Hermione wiped her face and made to sit up, "I said go awa-" She stopped out cold as she saw Harry standing in her doorway. He stood in front of her awkwardly, not quite sure what to say. He walked over to her and sat at the edge of her bed.

Hermione burst into tears and fell into his arms. She sobbed into his shirt as he was stoking her hair. He wrapped his arms around her protectively as tried to think of something to say, "Don't let him get to you. He had no right to be angry. Ron has a very bad temper."

"It's not that, Harry. It's just… he said I was using you…" Harry pulled her chin up so that she was looking at him. Her legs were thrown over his lap and he was cradling her. He leaned down and kissed her. He poured all his passion and love into one kiss. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip and she didn't think twice to open her mouth and meet his tongue with hers. They shared the most passion any lovers had in one kiss. They held more passion than Romeo and Juliet, more passion than Tristan Isolde, more passion than Jack and Rose.

"I love you…" Harry said unexpectedly as he pulled away. Hermione beamed at his declaration of love for her and kiss him again.

"I love you too, Harry!" Hermione didn't care about Ron or anything else, just Harry. She threw her arms around him and cried. But not the tears of sorrow that had already soaked his shirt, no, tears of pure joy.

Hermione and Harry were hand in hand on their way to their spot by the lake when they noticed Ron waiting for them. He stood from his spot on the grass and gave them both an apologetic look.

"Hey guys…" He seemed very nervous like he was admitting to something he done wrong. "I've been thinking a bit, and… I realize that I may have come on a bit strong when I confronted you the other day…and I'm really sorry. I guess I was over reacting a little and I just want to go back to being friends." He gave a shy smile and Hermione softly smile back.

"Of course, Ron." She walked up to him and gave him what seemed to be a hug but was more like an arm around the shoulder. She stepped back to her spot by Harry and took his hand again. Harry put an arm on Ron's shoulder; Hermione assumed this was guy's way of saying 'you're forgiven'. They spent the afternoon sitting and talking by the lake. Hermione sat in between Harry's legs and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Ron stood, skipping rocks, and complaining about Snape's mountains of homework he had assigned. Hermione had drifted into a nice nap in Harry's arms and he had carried her back to the castle. He didn't mind carrying her, she was light, and he didn't want to disturb the sure to be pleasant dreams she was having.

Hermione woke up late at night in her bed. She didn't know how she had gotten there. Harry must have carried her there. She didn't remember much but she sure did remember her dream. She dreamed of her and Harry marrying. They weren't in a chapel or anything. They married at the Burrow. There was a small white alter that looked like a picket fence, covered in white lilies and green vines. Harry was dressed in a gray suit with a mahogany tie. His hair was a little long and messy, the way she liked it, and his emerald eyes glowed as she made her way down the aisle. Her dress train traveled for miles and her off-white dress covered her arms in decorative lace. Her radiant smile provided all the light they needed that night. She saw nothing but those beautiful green eyes and the priest pronounced them husband and wife and they shared the most passionate, and romantic kiss of their lives. Hermione was overjoyed with giddy feelings from her dream but felt some feeling of… grief when it was over.

It was too late to go out so Hermione curled up with a good book and fell into a dreamless sleep with a faint smile playing at her lips.

Harry woke up that night with a jolt. He let out a wail, waking up Ron.

"Hey mate, what's wrong? You look all spooked and you're sweating." He said as he made his way out of bed and to Harry's side. Harry had woken up screaming before, during 5th year after Cedric's death. Ron was under the impression that Harry had gotten past Cedric's death so something else must be wrong.

"Nothing, Ron, I just had another nightmare about Voldemort. Nothing unusual, sorry I woke you up." Ron nodded dismissively; he knew that if Harry didn't want to talk about it, Harry didn't want to talk about it. He made his way back to his bed and seconds later fell back into a deep slumber as if he had never woken up. Harry chuckled at how his friend could fall asleep in two seconds flat.

Harry decided that morning to skip breakfast. He wasn't hungry and he wanted to spend a few hours to himself to get used to the idea of dating the girl of his dreams. He smiled at every thought of Hermione. He was the first to wake up to he crashed on the couch and just relaxed. As students started filing out into the common room a couple people stopped to congratulate Harry on winning Hermione's heart. Harry just smiled at them and nodded. He didn't particularly like it when people said he had won Hermione. It made it sound like she was a prize, a trophy, instead of a girl, his girl. He and Hermione were in love, no competition, no prizes, just love.

Hermione eventually came down the stairs in her black jeans and gray and red striped polo shirt. Her eyes found his and he melted in pools of warm chocolate. She smiled and walked over to him. She sat beside him as he pulled her into his lap and said good morning.

"Good morning, what are you doing here? Aren't you going to breakfast?" She looked at him with that confused look she gave very few subjects in class.

"No, I'm not." He gave her a look that said that was all there was to it but he didn't fool her. "Why not? Honestly, you can't starve yourself, Harry, you're skinny enough. And breakfast is the most important meal of the day…" Harry just looked at her beautiful face as she lecture him on his health and gave him the famous 'milk give you strong bones' mom speech. He wasn't paying that much attention but he silenced her with a kiss. Hermione was taken aback by this sudden display of affection for they had only been together for a couple days, if that.

As the kiss ended Hermione opened her eyes with her lips still puckered up like a fish, "Wow" she whispered. Harry chuckled, "Glad to know that I impress you. And I'm just not hungry today. You go on ahead and eat and I'll see you in class." Hermione gave him a slightly disappointed pout but reluctantly got up, "Okay, don't be late Harry or else…" She let that threat hang in the air with her eyes narrowed in a failed attempt to look intimidating.

Harry laughed softly as he stood up to walk her out, "Ok mom. Have a good breakfast, I love you." He kissed her cheek as to say goodbye but she didn't move. She looked up at him with shock, thrill, and bliss on her face. She bit her bottom lip nervously as moments passed, "You do?" She bit a little harder in anticipation. She wanted to here him say it again, just to make sure she heard him correctly.

Harry smiled at her bewilderment. He loved to get those reactions from her, "Yes, Hermione, I really, truly, and honestly love you. Now go to breakfast you silly girl." He took her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her hand like knights did with princesses. She gave him a flirtatious smile and gave him a peck on the lips and left the dorm.

Harry was waiting for Hermione at their spot by the lake with Ron and Luna. He and Hermione had been dating for two months now. As he spotted Hermione approach them he stood and walked over to greet her. He kissed her cheek, "Hey love… how was your tutor session?" It was Friday night and they made plans to go to Hogsmede tomorrow with Ron, Luna, Ginny, Dean, and Neville.

Hermione gave him an exhausted look and sighed, "UGH… Seamus doesn't pay any attention in potions. He's like a seven-year-old in college Physics class." Harry laughed at how adorable she looked when she was irritated. She was one of those girls who looked even cuter when she got mad.

"You are so hot when you're annoyed" Harry whispered in her ear from behind her and he wrapped his arms around her waist, linking his right hand around his left wrist so that she was trapped in his hold.

Hermione smiled and leaned her head back into his chest and looked up behind her at his face. She traced her arms over his, "So… what do we have planned for our anniversary? Quididge(spelling?) and butter beers?" She chuckled at her own joke and looked up at him.

Harry smiled at her but narrowed his eyes in mock disapproval, "Very funny, but sadly no, I can't tell you what we're doing tomorrow. We'll have lunch with our friends then I'm going to steal you away and we're going to have the most romantic day ever." He nibbled at her neck in a very suggestive manner.

"Harry…." She giggled as he made his way from her earlobe down her neck in hot wet kisses, "Harry stop, our friends are starring." Harry looked up reluctantly to Ron and Luna who were in fits of laughter at their friends PDA. Harry let go of Hermione's waist and pulled her hand to their perch by the rock. Harry sat down and Hermione took her place in-between his legs and their bodies fit together like two long-lost puzzle pieces that finally found each other. Hermione felt full-filled with him, like she was finally complete.

"I don't really care what others see. I love you and I'll take you in front of the world." Hermione blushed a deep crimson and looked towards the lake. She looked at Ron and Luna to see that they were still smiling very widely.

"I am so happy for you two. You guys are like soul mates." Luna announced. Hermione giggled. She did that a lot lately, giggled, she giggled like a little girl with her first crush. Harry just blushed and tightened his hold on Hermione.

"It's true guys. You two have been inseparable for months." Ron mumbled through a sandwich he was inhaling. "You two should just get married already." Harry's eyes widened and he looked at Ron like he was going to blow some big secret. He picked up a pebble on the ground and tossed it at Ron's gut to shut him up.

Ron backed out of the pebble's flight path and laughed at Harry's discomfort as Hermione and Luna had. Harry blushed deeper and leaned back against the majestic tree once more.

"We're not even out of Hogwarts yet, Ronald, it can wait." Harry's face fell a little but part of him agreed. It was too soon. They hadn't graduated or anything and he still had to defeat Voldemort.

Suddenly before them was an owl with a large black piece of parchment in its claws. It dropped the parchment in Harry's lap and he curiously opened it. He read the note on the paper and his face twisted in confusion.

"What does it say, mate?" Ron said through the food still in his mouth.

"The Order wants to speak with me tomorrow afternoon. They say there are things to discuss about my methods of defeating Voldemort." Harry passed the note to Ron as if to prove what he had said.

Hermione moaned and pouted when he said 'tomorrow afternoon'. That was their date. Why did it have to be tomorrow? Couldn't it wait until Sunday or this evening even, anything but tomorrow afternoon? "It says they want to see you at 5, but isn't that your guys' date?"

"Yes, it is. Can't it wait? Dumbledore always has the worst timing." Hermione finally voiced her complaints. Harry looked down at her for she had sat up and turned to face him with a pleading look on her face that he was powerless against. He never wanted to see her unhappy. He hated to see and threat of tears in her eyes or any sign of a pout on her lips. "It's been almost 17 years; it can wait a day or two."

"I know, but they say he's ready to kill me any day now. There's no time to waste. It'll be a few minutes and then I'll whisk you away to the finest café you've ever been at. I promise. You know I can't very well ignore this and ditch the Order of the Phoenix." Harry was just as torn up as she was but it wouldn't take that much time, would it?

"I really wish you wouldn't go. I don't want you to be caught of guard but this is our day and they have no right to take that from us." Hermione sighed.

"I know it's not fair. But you have to understand that I, we, could be attacked at any moment. I need to prepare to protect you, Hermione." Hermione looked into his eyes. She had always found comfort there but not now. They were not warm like usual. They were cold, dark, upset. She saw her reflection in the solid green and sighed.

"Fine. But if you're one second late at the café tomorrow I'll have you head Harry Potter. I don't like this but I'll try to be understanding." She took a breath and looked for his eyes to light up again, they didn't.

But a smile did form under his nose. "I love you." He hugged her into his body tightly and she rested her head on his shoulder. He rested his head on top of hers as if to hold it there and took a breath. "I love you too."

The next morning Hermione didn't even see harry. She just saw the million rose peddles on her bead and smiled brightly. Her room mates "oohed" and "awwwed" and gushed about how Harry was the best boyfriend anyone could have.

"Have you slept together yet?" Hermione was taken aback by Lavender's aggressive question. "N-no. It's been only two months. It is a bit early for that, isn't it?"

Lavender giggled, "I did after two weeks. Have you ever thought about it at least?" Ginny, Luna, and Lavender looked at her, craving a question like a starving lion craved meat. Hermione's eyes widened and she suddenly lost the giddy feeling from the rose peddles she had earlier.

"Well, maybe once, but it's too early and I haven't- well I'm not really experienced." Hermione's confession provoked gasps from her friends. They looked at her in disbelief. Their mouths dropped to the floor and their eyes looked as if they'd fall out of there sockets like slime balls.

"You can't be serious! Never!?" Ginny practically screamed. Hermione thought if she was any louder maybe China could have heard her. Their faces were stone like plaster in their form throughout the entire conversation of Hermione's lack of experience.

Hermione though quite embarrassed was sitting in her reserved table at the café she was to meet Harry for their anniversary. Harry was late.

Well here's the next chapter. Thanks to those who comment, you guys are the reason I keep updating so keep reviewing. I'll update as soon as I can.