Author's Note: Alright, so I've gotten a lot of private messages from readers, wondering where I've been and how I was, and I'd like to say thank you! I feel loved, you guys. But if you're sick and tired of my recently slow updates, then feel free to stop reading the story. I don't blame you at all. This chapter was really hard to write because while angsty stuff is kind of my forte, I felt the need to add some kind of cheerfulness. It's short because there's yet another kind of cliffy, but the chapter was also, as I said before, just hard to write...And to the 24 reviewers from last chapter -- thank you! I love you all. I really, really do :)

Also: I promise that I'll get chapter eleven out very soon :) I owe you guys more frequent updates and I'm very sorry.

Tears of a Mourning Bookworm

Chapter Ten: Worry of Danger

"What do we do now?"

Hermione's soft voice broke the thirty-minute-long silence. Harry absently stroked her hair and kissed her forehead, the wheels in his mind turning.

What do we do now? Internally, Harry's only response would be a shrug. How would their fellow classmates react? And the not-so-fellow classmates, like Malfoy...

Malfoy.

If Malfoy found out just how close Harry and Hermione had gotten, the Death Eaters were sure to find out. Harry gasped.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione lifted her head up from its previous resting place, the crook of his neck, and wore a sudden worried expression. "Harry?" She gently lifted her right hand to his cheek.

He didn't reply to her. Harry didn't want to scare her by revealing his sudden suspicion. She had enough to deal with.

If the Death Eaters found out about this, Hermione would be in even more danger...

"Harry, answer me!" Hermione said in an almost-yell. Her hand was away from his face and seemed to be prepared to slap him. "Don't have that kind of expression and not tell me what's wrong."

Although he was a bit startled by Hermione's sudden fierceness, Harry slowly pulled her hand down and held it in his own. Was it worth it?

"I'm sorry, Hermione..."

"What are you talking about? You have nothing to be sorry about -- "

"This is selfish." Harry looked down at their intertwined hands. "I'm just putting you in more danger."

He heard Hermione sigh. "I didn't think you'd begin wondering this already."

"You knew that this is selfish -- " Harry began, but she cut him off.

"I understand why you don't want to put me in danger. Of course I understand, Harry. You care about me so much..." she paused, taking a deep breath. "But sometimes...sometimes we've got to not care about everything else. Sometimes we just need that one person in our lives as more than just a friend."

"But it's dangerous -- "

"Shh," Hermione interupted again. She adjusted herself on his lap so that she was facing him head-on now. "I knew what the dangers were when I became your friend. Everyone's lives are in danger now. I don't think it could hurt for us to just...you know. Be more than just friends."

"Hermione..."

"Harry, don't bother. Everything else of me is broken. I don't want my heart to be broken as well," Hermione whispered, looking down now.

She held out her arms and pushed up her sleeves. Harry gasped inaudibly.

Harry had never seen any more of Hermione's body than what she revealed. And ever since the incident, it wasn't much.

There were cuts covering most of the skin on her arms, and Harry couldn't even imagine what they looked like before the healing process had begun. Something sharp felt like it was slamming against his heart and getting caught in his throat.

"Oh God, Hermione...I didn't...I didn't know it was that bad..."

In that moment, Harry understood. Hermione wasn't showing this so that Harry would feel bad for her. It was a symbol of her loyalty to everything she stood for...her parents, her life...him.

"I think I can stand a little more danger, Harry," Hermione said in a monotone as she pulled down her sleeves.

And then she leaned in towards his face...

--

"But -- " Hermione had begin to argue the following morning as they were on their way to the Great Hall. She still needed a wheelchair for the next three days, and although she could magically maneuver it, Harry preferred pushing the wheelchair for her instead

"No," Harry said firmly. "Public display of affection is a definite 'no' for now."

"Harry..."

He leaned down, over the back of the chair, to kiss her cheek. "Doesn't mean I'm attracted to you any less," he whispered at such a low volume that even the first year stumbling inches away from them couldn't hear.

Apparently the smooth technique worked, because Hermione ended up smiling and nodding. Harry made a mental note to thank Fred and George.

The moment they entered the Great Hall, Harry felt rather awkward, as if "I kissed Hermione Granger last night" was written in plain view on his school robes. Hermione almost seemed to be feeling just as awkward because she shifted uneasily in her chair a few times before they approached their normal seats at the Gryffindor table.

Hermione looked around the Hall nervously as Harry helped her into her seat.

"Well, good morning, sunshine," Ron muttered sarcastically to Hermione.

Harry was just about to lift his hand to begin eating, but he felt something warm surround it. He looked down to see Hermione's hand, then looked up immediately after to smile at her. They both pulled away before Ron could notice.

The rest of the day seemed less enjoyable than Harry had expected. He and Hermione were constantly around Ron, and although Ron was his best mate, Harry desperately wanted at least a few minutes alone with Hermione.

He got his lucky chance when Dean Thomas asked Ron about Fred and George's joke shop, leaving Harry and Hermione alone on their way to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Hermione, I -- "

"Miss Granger!" a deep, hollow voice echoed throughout the corridor.

Harry cursed under his breath and quickly reached for Hermione's hand.

Markovitch.

Author's Note: I want to mention that the problem, "Hermione's in more danger by being attracted to Harry this way, and by Harry being attracted to her this way, etc", is certainly not solved for good. I don't solve issues this easily, y'know. This problem will be brought up many times, so don't worry. Yay for a chance of more plot. And yay for this kind-of-cliffhanger. Oh, and thanks for reading. Please review. Reviews make me happy :D