AN: So here it is, another chapter :) I hope you all enjoy reading the story so far. I know it's not the happiest one but oh well.
Please leave a review or send me a PM and let me know what you guys think of it!
OOOOOOOOOO
Harry and Hermione both stood up from the ground and stretched their legs for a few moments. They had spent the whole night up on the Astronomy tower, staring at the stars, thinking about everything that happened and most of all just enjoying each other's company.
"Hurry Harry, we have to get to the train," Hermione said. She took his hand and started to lead him down the tower.
"I hope we can have as somewhat private compartment," Harry mumbled as he and Hermione reached the front doors of the castle, where the carriages were waiting to take them to the train station.
Hermione gave Harry a knowing smile. Harry climbed in one of the carriages and offered his hand to Hermione, who slightly surprised accepted the help and climbed in as well.
'Oh god he is such a sweet guy,' Hermione thought to herself as the carriages started to move.
OOOOOOOOOO
After the carriages stopped, Harry and Hermione quickly entered the train, trying to avoid as much students as possible. They walked all the way to the end of the train where a few slightly older compartments were, usually unoccupied.
"Are you sure you want to sit here?" Harry asked as he and Hermione entered the compartment.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked back and gave him a confused look. "I mean yeah these are not the best compartments but I think we'll manage."
"It's not that," Harry said nervously playing with the sleeves of his shirt. "What I meant was, are you sure you want to sit here with me? I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to sit with Ron or Ginny or other people."
Hermione looked at Harry and felt tears in her eyes. He was so used to everybody leaving him behind that he thought that she was going to leave him as well? There was no way that was going to happen.
"I would much rather stay here with you Harry," Hermione said and sat down next to him. "You better get used to it, since you'll spend the summer at my place," she added teasingly.
Harry looked her in the eyes, unable to say something. There were no words for him to say to express how much Hermione meant to him lately.
As the train started to move Hermione curled up on the seat next to Harry and looked a moment at him before laying her head on his leg. Harry was a bit surprised but smiled when Hermione had her head on his leg and started reading.
Harry stared out of the window, his head resting on his right hand. It took him a long while before he realized that his cuts were clearly visible with his arm in this position. He quickly dropped his arm next to his body and looked at Hermione to see if she had noticed anything but luckily she hadn't.
He watched the young witch lying on the seat next to him. A smile appeared on his face, just from watching her.
'She is such a beautiful girl. And she has always been there for me, no matter what happened. I love her so much,' Harry thought to himself. He knew he would never risk his friendship with her so he pushed the thoughts of him liking her out of his head.
Harry absently started to play with Hermione's hair while she put her book back in her bag. She turned her head so she faced Harry and gave him a soft smile. She loved it when he was playing with her hair. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the fingers going through her hair.
OOOOOOOOOO
After a few hours the lunch lady of the train came by and Harry bought some candy and sandwiches for both him and Hermione. They both ate their lunch in silence, once again both lost in their own thoughts.
"Hermione, can I ask you something?" Harry asked after they finished eating and Hermione's head had found its way on to Harry's shoulder.
"Yeah sure," Hermione said softly, giving Harry's hand a little squeeze with her own.
"How do you know, your parents will allow me to stay at your place?" Harry asked while staring at his feet. "I mean they don't even know me."
Hermione took Harry's hands in her own again. "Well first of all my parents are always really kind when it comes to these things," she said, her head still on Harry's shoulder. "And I can be very persuasive even though I don't think that I'll need to be. And last of all they know quite a bit about you since I told and wrote them loads."
Harry turned his head so he could see her face and he got a smile on his face when he saw her blushing furiously. When she saw him looking she blushed even more and let out a small giggle when she realized that.
"Alright then, I trust you," Harry said and gave her a little smile. "Oh and by the way your giggle is adorable," he added teasing the still beet red witch.
Both Hermione and Harry started laughing after he had said that. It was the first real time they had laughed like this in a long while and it felt good. It took a long while before both teens finally calmed down again.
OOOOOOOOOO
It already started to get dark outside when the Hogwarts express finally slowed down. Inside the train, Harry and Hermione both pulled on a hoodie and got ready to leave. After the train had stopped they both quickly grabbed their stuff and walked as fast as possible to the portal that led them to King's Cross station.
Harry followed Hermione through the mass of people, carefully trying not to hit any of them with his trunk or Hedwig's cage. After a few minutes they reached a parking lot where several people were waiting. Two of the people Harry recognized as Hermione's parents. He suddenly felt very nervous.
"Eh.. I can wait here if you want, until you asked you parents about me staying with you," Harry said and slowed down. Hermione gave him a comforting smile and nodded before she walked to her parents.
Harry watched and saw Hermione discussing with her parents. It was not an angry discussion though, Hermione had her mother's hand in hers and was looking to her dad. Hermione's dad looked a bit surprised and was constantly looking over to Harry, who did his best not to blush too bad.
After a few minutes where Harry got very nervous, Hermione came back to Harry.
Before Harry could ask what her parents said she pulled him in for one of her bone-crushing hugs. "They said yes!" Hermione squeaked excited. Harry and Hermione walked to her parents so Harry could introduce himself.
"Finally we meet Harry Potter," John Granger said. "Hermione has told us so much about you," he added, causing Hermione's cheeks to turn bright red.
"She indeed has," Jean Granger said. "I think we heard that you saved Hermione from trouble quite a few times."
"Oh Mrs. Granger, Hermione has saved me numerous times as well to be honest," Harry relied and gave Hermione a small smirk.
All four of them got in the Granger's car and soon there were on the road to their house. When Hermione's parents had asked both teens if they wanted to go to a burger restaurant before going home, they both quickly agreed.
While the car raced over the highway, Harry was staring out of the window of it. Hermione's parents had accepted him so quickly, they had not even asked questions about what had happened. Harry felt safe and without him realizing it he had a broad smile on his face.
OOOOOOOOOO
After they arrived at the burger restaurant and they had all ordered, Hermione and her parents started to catch up with everything that had happened the past weeks.
As Harry listened he could hear in the voice of Hermione's parents how much they had missed her. He even saw her mother's eyes get watery a few times. As Harry continued to follow the conversation he noticed that Hermione had stopped talking when the conversation reached the third task.
Hermione gave Harry a look that asked him if he would be okay if she would tell them. Harry gave her a small smile and nodded that it was okay for her to tell. He knew he would rather not talk about it but it was so much easier if he would not have to tell them himself. He was glad however, that Hermione's hand had found his once again so he could draw comfort from that.
Hermione started to tell her parents about the third task. She constantly kept looking at Harry, ready to stop talking if it would become too much for him. After she told them how Harry had witnessed the killing of Cedric and how Voldemort had returned, she saw her parents faces turning pale. She ended with telling them about the fake Mad-Eye and how she and Harry had managed the last days at Hogwarts.
Harry notice while they were eating, that Hermione's parents were looking at him with concerned looks on their faces. Harry however tried to act as normal as possible since he did not want to bother them too much with his problems. His hand didn't leave Hermione's during the entire time, something that her parents noticed as well but didn't comment on.
After they had finished, John got up to pay but before he could fully stand up Harry had already taken the bill and was paying at the bar.
"You already let me stay at your home during this summer, the least I can do is pay for this lovely dinner," Harry said as they were leaving the restaurant and he saw the questioningly look on Hermione's dad his face.
'Oh my god he is such a sweet guy, he has my parents already wrapped around his finger,' Hermione said to herself causing herself to smile.
After another half an hour drive, the Granger's plus Harry arrived at the house. Harry felt his mouth fall open as soon as he saw the house. This house would even make the Dursley's blush, it was so big! Harry and Hermione took their luggage out of the car and followed Hermione's parents inside.
"Well Hermione, why don't you show Harry his room and give him a tour through the house?" Hermione's mom said. Hermione nodded her head in agreement and took Harry's hand.
Hermione led Harry upstairs and then up to the second floor.
"Well here is your room," Hermione said and pointed to a door on the right side. "Mine is on the left, next to your room is the bathroom and next to mine is the walk-in wardrobe," she added.
Harry just nodded, still with a overwhelmed expression on his face.
"Are you arlight Harry?" Hermione asked as she showed Harry his room.
Harry nodded his head. "I'm good Hermione, it's just that this house is absolutely awesome," he said after a few seconds of silence.
After she showed him his room, Hermione led Harry through all the rooms of the huge house. She showed him the kitchen, living room, movie room, a huge library ( of course) and the garden. After that she and Harry joined her parents in the living room.
The longer Harry was with the Granger's, the more comfortable he felt. Slowly he joined a discussion with Hermione and her father about magical creatures.
It was already around midnight when Harry and Hermione both yawned. Hermione's mother told them it was time to go to sleep and after saying their goodnights, both teens went upstairs.
OOOOOOOOOO
Hermione followed Harry to his room and sat down on his bed. She didn't say anything but Harry could see that something was bothering her. He sat down next to her and took his hand in his.
"Everything alright 'mione?" Harry asked after a short silence.
Hermione nodded. "I'm fine Harry, it's just that only now I realized that this is the first time that I have a friend stay here in the summer," she said with a small smile, staring at her lap.
Harry knew that Hermione did not have many friends before she got to Hogwarts, and even at Hogwarts she did not have many friends. But she was his friend and he loved her ( even more than a friend).
Harry gently cupped Hermione's chin with his hand and made her look at him. "It's the only place I want to be right now 'mione," he said and to his pleasure he saw her relax. "You mean the world to me right now."
After he had said that last sentence Hermione practically launched herself at Harry. She wrapped her arms around her and hugged him tightly. She felt a tear rolling down her cheek when she had her head on Harry's shoulder, but this time it was a happy tear.
Harry buried his face in Hermione's hair and closed his eyes. The feeling of Hermione around him and the nice smell of her hair made Harry forget all his problems for a moment.
OOOOOOOOOO
It was only when Harry and Hermione heard her parents go to bed a floor beneath them, that Hermione got up from Harry's bed. Before she left she gave him a kiss on the cheek, something that she had never done before. Not that Harry minded though, not at all.
Harry laid down in his bed and within a few minutes he was vast asleep while Hermione in her room fell asleep just as fast as he did.