Happy New Year! Have the holidays been as stressful on you as they have been for me? Any way, the Holidays are over and I have taken on a strange bout of drowsiness

Disclaimer:I don't own the rights to Harry Potter.

Chapter 15: Discoveries

By: tojot

"Sorry." He said, quickly stowing the book back into his robes. He spotted the familiar brown bushy hair and realized he had found the very person he was looking for in just minutes of realizing he needed her.

"It's okay Harry, why did you need to speak with Professor Gryphon for?" She asked as Harry helped her up.

"A couple of things." Harry said and then grabbed a handful of Hermione's cloak saying " Come on." And he dragged her outside for a snowy walk around the frozen lake.

"What's this all about?" Said an alarmed Hermione who was breathing on her hands to keep them warm. Finally giving up, she drew her wand and cast a heating charm on both Harry and herself.

"Have you read the Sunday Prophet, yet?" Harry asked. He had a hunch.

"No, it is still too early for the post owls to arrive." Hermione said.

"Keep your eyes out for it then." Harry said mysteriously.

"What is this all about?"

"You'll see." Harry answered. "There is something I need you to do for me."

"Are you going to tell me what it is?" Hermione said in an annoyed tone.

"I want you to promise me that you will not tell anyone about it, not even Ron." Harry said.

"That is what you said when I found out the prophecy." Hermione huffed. "Harry, Ron is your best friend, and yet you can't trust him with your deepest darkest secrets. Why?"

"Ron wouldn't take it as seriously as you would, Hermione." Harry said.

"True, but think of how he would feel as soon as he found out that we both were keeping a secret as big as your destiny from him." Hermione said strongly. "I'll keep your secret, but you must start thinking that Ron really does care about you. After the incident in the Department of Mysteries, I really wanted to talk about Sirius with you, But he didn't think it was a good idea being as your godfather's death was so recent and so sudden."

"Thank you Hermione. But just so you know, I don't feel like I am ready to tell Ron this." Harry replied.

"Have you dreamed anymore about the Prophacy?" Hermione asked.

"Not that I know of, and no one has informed me of muttering it in my sleep since after you found out." Harry stated.

" I see. So, what is it that you want me to do for you?" Hermione inquired softly.

"As you very well know, I can't read ancient runes." Harry stated.

"Yes." Hermione said in an anxious tone. Harry pulled the large red tome from his robes.

"I want you to read this for me." Harry said.

"Where did you get this?" Said Hermione in awe as she gently took the book from him like it was made of fragile glass. "Professor Gryphon wouldn't let me anywhere near this."

"Gryphon promised me a meeting about the events that happened on Halloween. That is why I was in her office. She told me that because she is an Unspeakable she can't tell me directly about the theory she is working on. She indirectly said that I could still find out for myself and she indicated this book." Harry said.

"Unspeakable you say. So she told you to steal it, with her knowledge of it." Hermione said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes." Harry Replied.

"How ironic." Hermione said as she looked at he book. "The cover on this book says The Theory of the Phoenix Blaze." She skimmed through the book looking like Ron did in Honeydukes.

"Is Ron awake yet?" Harry asked as they continued to walk around the lake.

"I am not sure. He stayed up longer than the rest of us last night." Hermione said. "I have been awake since dawn and haven't been in the common room since I saw you leaving and I followed." She rubbed at her shoulder. An owl fluttered down in front of them. Harry recognized the Prophet attached to its leg for Hermione. She bent down detached the paper from the owl's leg and placed a couple of Knuts in the pouch before it flew off.

Hermione's eyes widened at the headline on the first page and her eyes seemed to blur when she read through the article. Her eyes then flickered to him. The brown eye color that the Lioness had looked at him. It was what Harry was waiting for. Hermione's reaction to the article told him what he wanted to know. Hermione was a Night Roamer too. The very Night Roamer that had saved his life. Harry chuckled and walked up to her.

"So you were the Lioness." Harry whispered in her ear. She shivered. Harry saw that her eyes were wide in surprise, then they narrowed in suspicion.

"You know more about what happened last night." She said.

"Gryphon actually started out our meeting with that fact. You see Snape called an Order meeting earlier this morning, that is how she knew about it." Harry explained. "She told me what we are and exactly what happens."

"So what are we then?" Hermione said as she folded up the Sunday Prophet for later reading.

"Night Roamers." Harry said simply. "She said that the soul gets restless and separates from the body and takes on a familiar form like an Animagus and such…" Harry trailed off when he saw something in the snow that seemed to set into concrete what he had been getting across to Hermione. Two large sets of paw prints trailing into the Forbidden Forest. He pointed them out to her. Her eyes grew wide again and she rubbed at her shoulder once more

"Is your shoulder okay?" Harry asked.

"It just hurts from knocking you off Dantes." Hermione said. "How did you wake up this morning?"

"Er…" Harry stalled. Blood wasn't a very good answer, but he couldn't help it. He hoped Hermione understood. "I woke with blood all over my face and hands."

"I guess I shouldn't have expected any different since you did attack him. But my question for you is, even after you loathe Snape so much why did you save him?" Hermione asked.

"I would never wish any of the Unforgivable curses on anyone." Harry answered. Hermione smiled and hugged him. Harry could feel the warmth of her embrace and soon he found himself returning the hug.

"Even though you don't like to show it you have a very good heart, Harry. That's what makes you so likable." Hermione said and Harry could feel his face grow hot. "Don't you dare lose it." She whispered warningly to him in his ear. Hermione then pulled back suddenly and Harry found himself missing the warmth Hermione provided.

"Oh my…" Hermione trailed off, her eyes wide as she pointed toward the forest. "Harry what are those?"

He turned his head to look into the dark and looming forest and saw couple of pairs of white eyes staring at him. They were Thestrals. Something registered in Harry's mind.

"Thestrals. Hermione, you can see them now?" Hermione just nodded her head as she continued to stare at the eyes.

"Who did you see die?" Harry asked.

"Your mother." She said sadly.

"Oh.' Harry said uncomfortably, remembering that they both had seen the events unfold that night he got his scar.

"Come on, Let's get to breakfast and then we can go over this in a secluded spot," Hermione said while holding up Gryphon's red book. She seemed to not want to dwell on the painful memories or the thestrals "Provided we can get away from Ron with a reasonable lie. I am sure Gryphon does not want anymore than the two of us to read this."

"Why don't we send Luna after him?" Harry mentioned with amusement and Hermione burst out laughing.

"Not a half bad idea." She chuckled.

When they got to the Great Hall, they saw no Ron. When they asked where he was, Neville answered that he was still in bed.

"He'll miss breakfast if he stays any longer." Harry replied.

"Maybe we should let him." Hermione said innocently, followed with a not-so-innocent chuckle.

"I thought I would never see the day when Hermione Granger said to let Ron sleep in." Harry said teasingly.

"You never thought Hermione would join the Quidditch team either." Hermione countered as she referred to herself in the third person.

"Touché." Harry said in defeat and they both laughed as they sat down to breakfast. Hermione couldn't help herself as she scanned the red tome that she had placed in front of her. Harry felt as though he was being watched from the Teacher's table. He turned his head just in time to catch Professor Gryphon watching him intently for only a second. Her gaze was curious. She turned her head to speak with the headmaster that she sat next to.

"Hermione I have complete confidence that you will not damage that book in any way." Harry commented. " But I don't think Gryphon would feel that same way."

"I'll be careful, this book is too important to be careless with." Hermione replied without taking her eyes from the page. "Gryphon is very detailed with what she has written in this, it is highly intense."

"What is it that you're reading, Hermione?" Neville asked curiously.

"It's nothing to worry about Neville." Harry mentioned as Hermione snapped the book closed and quickly stowed it in her robes.

"Wait! That was the book I've seen Professor Gryphon writing in!" Neville exclaimed. "How come you've got it?"

"Professor Gryphon wanted me to do some extra research with it." Harry lied. "But it is Hermione who is the only one who can read it since it is written in ancient runes, so I have needed her help."

"Oh, I am sure it is a fascinating book then, Since Hermione said it was intense." Neville commented as he went back to his breakfast.

By this time Harry felt like he was missing something that he had to do that morning. He suddenly felt a sharp pain in his leg. He now remembered what it was. Harry winced at the pain. Hermione noticed.

"Harry what is the matter?" She asked.

"Hermione you do remember that we have to go see Madam Pomfrey sometime this morning?"

"Oh yeah, thank you for reminding me Harry." Hermione said.

"Can we go now, I think I am starting to feel some of the effects of the broken leg I got yesterday?" Harry pleaded. Hermione rubbed at her shoulder again.

"Okay lets go then." Hermione said as she stood up. Harry gratefully followed her.

This time Madam Pomfrey told them that they were to stay in the Infirmary over night since they couldn't be trusted not to overexert themselves.

"I guess we didn't need to come up with a lie." Harry said. The infirmary was graciously empty except for them and the nurse who was in her office at the time. Hermione pulled out her wand and muttered "Muffliato!" at the office door.

Harry looked at her curiously.

"That will keep her from overhearing us." Hermione said as she pulled out the book. "Now, listen carefully Harry…

"The Phoenix Blaze is a very advanced form of magic that is still considered false in existence. It is never been dark magic since it has never been misused to corrupt or destroy the innocent. It is a very ancient magic that has probably existed since the dawn of conscious and intelligence in man and creature alike. It is very complicated due to the fact that it is difficult to bring forth and not everyone can summon it. It is a magic that is summoned by powerful emotions. But it is unknown what this very emotion is that can summon it.

"It's very peculiar that this magic is the only magic that muggles have been known to summon, but it comes at a price to them since they cannot control it. The muggles have termed it as 'Spontaneous Combustion.' But since their bodies were not made to hold that powerful of magic they quickly burn out within a couple seconds to a minute and lose their lives.

"It is different with those who contain a bit of magic within since they have to control their own magic. But the length of the burn of the flame depends on how powerful the wizard is. But one must be warned. The Phoenix Blaze has been known to take the life of the wizard who summons it. There is a 5 chance on weather one will survive. For a complete list of those who been known to have summon the Phoenix Blaze and either lived on or died can be found below with their profiles."

"That sounds pretty grim. Who's on the list?" Harry asked.

"Merlin, Godric Gryffindor, Marieh Tanham most of whom died by using the Phoenix Blaze… There is a Weasley on this list!" Hermione said in surprise.

"What! Who?" Harry exclaimed.

"It says his name was Rowden Weasley. He was the reason why they are known for their red hair. He was a bit of a prankster. He defeated the Dark Wizard, Ellinarus and died in the process. It's said that he liked the color red so much that when he died, the Phoenix blaze granted him to change the color of his family members' hair to that color as his last joke."

"That sounds a little like Fred and George." Harry commented with a chuckle.

There was a knock on the door and Hermione stowed the book under her pillow, grabbed her wand and lifted the spell she had placed on the door the Nurse's office.

There was another knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey came out of her office and promptly opened the door for the knocker. It was Ron.

"Only five minutes." Pomfrey told him and then went back into her office.

"Neville told me that you two came here." Ron said as he pulled up a chair. "So how did you two overexert yourselves?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. " Well Ron we are not exactly sure how we did it but we both have a pretty good idea." Hermione answered as she took her Prophet from the bedside table and handed it to Ron. "Main article, front page." She directed when he just looked blankly at her. He read the article.

"I always had a bad feeling around that guy." Ron said as he read through the article. " But what does it have to do with you? Wait… Green Fire?" Ron said and looked straight at Harry's eyes. "Y-you think he's talking about your eyes?"

"He must have, because I had a vision of fighting him last night. " Harry said.

"Was it You-Know-Who?" Ron asked.

"No." Hermione said. "Because I saw it happen too. I was there."

"How did you fight a Deatheater last night when you didn't even leave your bed, Harry? And how did you see it too, Hermione?"

"My aren't we full of questions. " Hermione said wryly. " Harry would you care to explain or should I?"

"I think you ought to explain it Hermione, you had a better view of everything." Harry insisted.

And so Hermione recounted the vision, but didn't tell him why they had the forms they had.

"So you both are Night Roamers?" Ron said in awe. Harry and Hermione nodded. "Weird. But it may come in handy at one point won't it? I mean in the fight against You-Know-Who."

Harry could feel Hermione's eyes boring into him. He knew she wanted him to tell Ron about the Prophecy. Harry didn't feel quite ready to tell him, but he knew he had to do it soon. Knowing that their meeting time was going to be cut short soon by the nurse.

"Ron, when I get out of here tomorrow, just remember that I have something important to tell you." Harry said.

Ron got a curious look on his face and then nodded just as the nurse came in.

"Out Mr. Weasley, out! You have had fifteen minutes!"

For the rest of the night, Madam Pomfrey stood like a hawk over them. Malfoy came in around 10 PM, with a nasty looking gash in his left arm. Both Harry and Hermione were feigning sleep to find out more. When Madam Pomfrey went into her office to grab some potion for Malfoy's arm, Since his eyes were closed, Harry heard footsteps come closer. Then a hand grabbed his ear and yanked. Harry gasped out and opened his eyes, knowing that he could no longer feign sleep. Not with this pain.

"Don't think I have forgotten what happened on Halloween." Malfoy hissed in Harry's ear. Harry could feel Malfoy's nails digging into the skin in his ear. Harry then felt something warm and sticky. "I will get you and your Mudblood back for it." Anger surged in Harry's chest. Malfoy had no right in including Hermione in on Harry's attack. He could feel a force surge from him in huge amounts. In next moment, Malfoy was forced from him and sent harrowing across the Hospital wing. Malfoy hit the wall with a sickening crunch and slid down, but the force that came from Harry failed to knock him unconscious. Madam Pomfrey and Hermione had seen on the whole scene from the just before the time Malfoy was blasted back. The Nurse was furious and thankfully not with Harry.

"Why can't you leave Potter alone!" She yelled as picked Malfoy up of the floor and lifted the sleeve of his robes to examine his right arm before he could stop her. And there it was in plain view of everyone to see. The Dark Mark. Malfoy pulled out his wand and pointed it at the Nurse. Hermione, thinking quickly, pulled out her wand and stunned him before he could do any damage. The nurse took over from there. A trickle of something warm fell from Harry's ear and onto his neck.

"Harry, your ear is bleeding." Hermione whispered. Harry swore. Hermione got up to examine it.

"What is this?" The nurse said as she held up Malfoy's gloved hand. On the index finger was a claw like mechanism that had a well attached to it. It was full of Harry's blood. Hermione's eyes went wide in understanding.

"Oh no! Madam Pomfrey, confiscate it immediately!" She shouted.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked as the Nurse promptly did as Hermione said.

"What's wrong? Harry that is enough blood to put into a potion that would make Voldemort immune to the new protections we have recently put up!" Upon hearing this the nurse vanished the blood in the mechanism. She quickly fixed the gash and the broken arm that Malfoy received from being thrown, she also stunned him again once he started stirring.

"Miss Granger, I trust you can tend to Mr. Potter until I can get back from the headmasters office?" Madam Pomfrey asked Hermione. Hermione nodded in response. " Good." With a sweep of her wand, the nurse levitated Malfoy out of the Hospital Wing.

"Tergeo." Hermione said while pointing her wand at the bleeding ear. Harry could feel the blood being siphoned off. He reasoned that Hermione did it to get a better look at the wound. Her fingers were warm and gentle. The feelings in his chest returned. The confusing feelings the he had refused to completely dwell on until now. Though confusing, they were peaceful. Just like the song Hermione hummed when he came to at Grimmauld Place. He hummed the song and Hermione's hands stilled.

"Fur Elise?" Hermione said to Harry. "How do you know it?"

"I heard it from you. It was the song you where humming when I woke at Grimmauld Place. I haven't been able to get that song out of my head. Not that I really want to since it helped me get through difficult times." Harry replied.

"It's my favorite melody. It calms me whenever I am upset. The remarkable thing about it is it was composed by a deaf muggle man." Hermione added as she placed her wand at the top of the gash, muttering an incantation as she ran it along the wound.

"A deaf man? How can someone who can't hear, create something that sounds so beautiful?" Harry asked. " It would drive me mad!"

"Beethoven composed many symphonies, he did go mad near the end of his life." Hermione said. "In many ways I pity him."

"Wait! I've heard of Beethoven." Harry said. "One of my grammar school teachers loved classical music and would play it while we were doing class assignments. But she never played Fur.. Fur…"

"Fur Elise." Hermione aided him

"Yeah."

"All done." She announced as she put her wand away. "I would have loved to have been in that class." She commented as she moved to sit on his bed so she could face him.

"That class was the one class I enjoyed all through Grammar School. My classmates were a little more friendly in it than my other years." Harry told her. "Another plus was that Dudley wasn't in that class that year. Uncle Vernon had bribed the school to put him in certain class, while I was left with what I got."

"Forgive me but I must ask." Hermione apologized. "How was your grades in comparison to his?"

"The irony is, even though Uncle Vernon said that Dudley's teacher was the best of the best, I got better grades. Unfortunately, my aunt and uncle thought I cheated, as if I could. Mrs. Templar seemed to have eyes on the back of her head! She caught a boy cheating around the beginning of that year. She made him clean the desks of graffiti that evening as his punishment."

Hermione chuckled. "Serves him right for trying to cheat." Harry then felt a warm something cover his hand. He glanced down at his hand a saw that Hermione had covered it with her own. The white marks from the protection charm were visible. He looked back up and saw a lot of brown. Hermione had come so close to him that he could see himself in her eyes. All coherent thought of the subject that they where talking about was wiped from his mind. When he tried to pull himself away, he found he couldn't. Those deep pools of chocolate brown had enticed him so well that he was drowning in them with no rescue in sight. His heart was beating so fast, but not fast enough for the blood to get to his brain, for he felt light-headed. His breathing had become difficult and choppy. Another reason he felt light-headed. The small gap between them was slowly getting smaller. An incredible feeling was filling Harry's chest. A feeling he didn't know if he liked it or hated it. They where now mere millimeters apart. Harry could feel Hermione's warm breath on his face. Why were they behaving like this and why did this seem so familiar? Harry vaguely wondered. But before any contact was made the doors to the infirmary flew open. The two teens jumped apart. In an instant Hermione was on her own bed. Madam Pomfrey had come back. A woman with a mass of wavy golden hair was with her. It was seconds after Harry thought this that he realized it was Professor Gryphon. The braid that she had sported for the weekend had been taken out. Her tail was not wrapped around her waist tonight since it flicked and swayed irritably behind her. The white fur on it was noticeably sticking up on end.

"Why is she here? I would have thought that McGonagall would have come." Hermione whispered very quietly to Harry. Harry saw Gryphon's ear twitch but she did not turn to face them. The Nurse was rambling on about something incoherent.

"Poppy, try to calm thyself and sit down. Minerva is trying her hardest to contact Albus about Mr. Malfoy. Tis a pity that the Ministry had need of him this evening." Gryphon tried to comfort the nurse but there was a obvious tone of bitterness in her voice when she spoke of the Ministry. She turned toward them and walked in between their beds, "Have thee no worries," She whispered soothingly, "If Mr. Malfoy had succeeded in retrieving thy blood for Voldemort, the charm would have just turned his plans into poison. I would advise that the both of thee get back to bed. Things are being handled now. We'll call upon thee in the morning to get details of what happened." Gryphon told Harry and Hermione. They both nodded. Harry lay back down upon his pillow. Malfoy's attack wasn't what was going through his head. It was Hermione and how they were acting before the nurse and the professor came in.

'What was going on?' Harry thought to himself.

'It is because you like her, don't you!' A voice that sounded oddly like Ron's said nastily in his head. Harry felt guilt.

'But I can't like Hermione, she and I are just friends. Nothing more.' Harry thought in panic.

'Liar!' The voice said. 'You can't ignore all that has happened between you and her. The private conversations, the little walks, small imitate gestures when you don't think anyone is looking. Ask yourself, do you do the same for Ron?'

Harry was silenced for a moment while trying to put his brain back together. 'No.' he finally answered the voice.

The voice wasn't so nasty this time. 'Have you ever wondered what those feelings in your chest were? Why you do the things you do for her?'

'Yeah, I have.' Harry thought grudgingly. The voice was right and at least he knew it wasn't Ron invading his mind.

'It is because you are in love with her.' Another voice said. This calm voice came from his heart this time. A warm feeling came from his chest. He finally recognized it for what it was. Love. The very emotion Voldemort couldn't understand as Dumbledore said. Harry turned his head to look at the figure in the bed next to him. She was asleep. She slept on her side facing towards him. Moonlight was cascading down upon her. It was very beautiful sight. Her mane of bushy brown hair framed her face. Her face looked calm, peaceful, and innocent. It did not have its usual look of concentration Harry associated with Hermione. Her breathing was slow and rhythmic. She looked rather angelic. It was this that he realized the voices were right. He was truly and madly in love with his best friend Hermione.

"The relationship that ye hold with one is not the same as the relationship ye hold with the other." Gryphon's words from that morning in referring the relationship he held with both Ron and Hermione came flooding back to him. How right she was.

But there was a big problem. Ron. Who was also apparently smitten with their bookish friend. The last thing Harry wanted was Ron feeling like Harry had betrayed him. Ron had fancied Hermione for a lot longer than he had. And to add hurt to heartache, Harry had no clue if Hermione actually liked him. Harry deduced that his mind was playing tricks on him in concerns of Hermione's proximity. Harry decided that he was going to stay away from Hermione. Even if it meant his own heartbreak, he would not take Hermione away from Ron. Or force himself on Hermione for that matter. All throughout his sleepless night he never took Hermione's thoughts and feelings into consideration.

Authors Note:

I figured that this chapter was the best time for Harry to realize what the funny feelings he got around Hermione were. As I am sure a lot of you noticed I used a couple of spells that were introduced in the Sixth book.

As for reviewing, Please do; unless you are a random flamer who never read anything and tells me to read yours because it's better. Sorry, I didn't mean to start ranting. It's just that those kinds of flames are not fun or funny for the recipient.