A few hours had passed since clashing with the Minister for Magic. After giving his full account of his kidnapping and near murder, he moved onto exposing his other enemies. In that time, Harry had told Scrimgeour everything about Umbridge's methods of silencing him. The satisfaction of testifying against her had long since worn off however. Once Scrimgeour had gathered his testimony, he had Harry escorted back to his cell for a break.

The Head Auror appeared to have taken Harry's remarks about his safety seriously. He wasn't alone in his cell. The dour Dawlish stood guard against his door, his wand resting on his forearm. Harry, incredibly embarrassed when he had to use the bathroom with an audience, didn't attempt to strike up a conversation with his bodyguard. The Auror kept watch on him at all times. He even tested his lunch for poison.

Eventually, a guard spared Harry further embarrassment and came to escort him back to the Interview room. His relief was short-lived when Dawlish ordered him to put his wrists together.

"Wh-why? It's not like I can do anything." Harry protested as the man unfeelingly gripped his arms and crossed them over at the wrists.

"Suspects have to be restrained in the presence of civilians. It's policy… nothing personal."

Civilians? Hope then bounced back to life in his chest. Is Hermione here?

"But-."

"This isn't a discussion." Dawlish said as he looped the rings of metal over his hands. The metal tightened at once, causing a miserable sound to escape from Harry. It was hard to control the panic, the initial terror of being rendered helpless. He felt it when he'd been first arrested. Having his hand tied behind his back had been a lot worse, but he still felt horribly vulnerable. The Inhibitors forced his arms into an uncomfortable position, making him hold them straight down with the twin bands fused together in a solid figure-of-8 shape. There was no slack at all and he couldn't twist his wrists to get them more comfortable.

He jumped when the guard came to take him by the arm. The contact triggered an involuntary response. The guard gave him an apologetic look.

"Is a bit harsh though," the guard said under his breath as he guided Harry out of the room. Dawlish took the rear.

"Foyle," Dawlish warned. The guard sighed. "You know we can't give special treatment."

Harry scowled at that. Being treated with some decency wasn't special treatment. He kept his mouth shut. If he really was being taken to meet with Hermione, he couldn't sabotage his chance to see her. He needed proof that she was okay, that he hadn't put her in danger. He glanced down at himself, grimacing at the restraints. If she was the civilian in question, she was going to flip out at him being handcuffed. No one got riled up at unjust mistreatment like Hermione Granger did. She was trying to single-handedly advocate for the liberation of an entire race of House Elves. If she saw how he was being treated, it would be her that the guards should worry about.

Arriving at Processing, Harry's mouth immediately dropped open. There were security guards everywhere. Five were posted at the entrance that led to the reception. Two at the door that led to the Administration offices. Guards flanked the entrance he'd just passed through. He immediately spotted Kingsley standing by the Interview rooms. He was in deep discussion with Amelia Bones. Harry was brought over to them and they both looked up as he approached.

"She is here, Mr Potter. I have her in protective custody in Interview Room 1." Amelia said to him before he could ask about Hermione or anything. "We are currently in the process of evacuating all personnel from this floor and will lock it down. I assure you, the Minister will not be able to burst in like he did earlier this morning. Not now you have testified against his staff and I have secured a witness to support your claims."

Harry reeled with the news. He stared at the door behind him. Hermione was there. She was safe. Getting her out from Umbridge's clutches had been a success.

"I have my Aurors in Hogwarts as we speak." Amelia continued to inform him of the situation. "I cannot risk you falling victim to any form of retaliation. You have already been subjected to great harm in their attempts to silence you." She then looked to Kingsley. He understood her wordless order and moved to unlock the door to the Interview room. "I apologise for the need to restrain you, but I cannot be seen moving outside procedure when it comes to you, especially when I am due to accuse the Minister of doing just that."

Kingsley pushed open the door and Harry's guard guided him over.

Once Harry moved into view of the room, Amelia's witness let out a squeal at the sight of him. His guard let go of his arm and Harry rushed in, his feet taking him on autopilot. Hermione reached him in a second, her body crashing against his. The impact nearly sent them both flying. The force of the hug winded him and his vision was immediately obscured by a lot of brown curls. Kingsley chuckled behind him.

"Harry!"

His arms squirmed as he wanted desperately to return the hug but they just jerked in his restraints. Hermione's arms squeezed him tightly, her head burrowing into his shoulder. He soon relaxed, breathing deeply as he closed his eyes and rested his head on hers.

"As far as anyone is concerned, you're both in here to be questioned - but in truth this is the safest place for you at present. Kingsley is on guard. I will speak with you both later." Amelia informed them from the door. Hermione didn't let go of him. She clung to him like Devil's Snare as if scared they were going to take him away. He heard a sniffling sob. He raised his head, looking over to the mirror. He nodded at Amelia in the reflection and she turned away, leaving Kingsley to shut the door.

He could see Hermione properly in the reflection, seeing her wild mane of curls cascading over her shoulders. She was in her school robes and the sight of the normality eased the tension out of him. The sound of the door shutting and locking behind him appeared to bring Hermione to her senses. Her grip on him relaxed.

"Blimey, Hermione. I've only been gone for three days." He said weakly. He couldn't keep the emotion from his voice. Her overwhelming reaction to his presence had moved him. It was like the hug she gave him when he showed up at Grimmauld Place after the Order's rescue. Only this time he hadn't reeled in shock and then blistered with rage. This time he felt comforted.

She drew back from him slowly, her head bowing down as she sniffed again. But then her hands dropped from and went instead to his wrists. He jumped at the touch of her fingers, unable to suppress his response. Her head then flashed up to him, her expression aghast. She looked over his shoulder to the door, then inspected his cuffs, her expression growing more and more horrified.

"They can't treat you like this." She gasped, trying to pry them off. They of course didn't budge. Harry smiled at her protectiveness.

"It's okay." He assured her. "Uncomfortable as hell, but suspects have to be restrained around civilians apparently."

"Oh Harry." Her arms went around him again. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

What?

"Huh? How d'you figure that?"

She huffed out a sob into his chest as she burrowed her face into him again. Harry's heart leapt as she held him close again. His hands might be squashed, but it was still nice to be hugged.

"The DA… it was my idea and I pressured you into it. If anyone should be wearing those… those things, it's me." She said miserably into his chest. "I got so wrapped up in the idea of fighting back, I didn't think how much I was risking. I should have known how it would look if we were exposed. What was I thinking, agreeing to naming us ' Dumbledore's Army' ?"

Harry sighed and rested his head on hers again, unable to console her with his hands.

"I had the chance to refuse, Hermione, and I wouldn't change it for a second. I have no regrets." He then squirmed his arms against her, lifting his weighted wrists to bring his hands up to her. He got a hand under her chin and gently tilted her face upwards.

"Look at me." He said when her eyes remained downcast. Her watery brown eyes lifted and a feeling of great fondness swirled at the sight of them. "We had every reason to form the DA. Umbridge's control of the school was risking lives… is risking lives. Of all the subjects at Hogwarts, Defence is the most important right now and it's not being taught. Because of your idea, all of the DA now can successfully disarm, shield and defend themselves from most attacks. That's something we achieved together."

He found himself wanting to wipe the tears from her face as she listened to him. She was looking at him with enrapt interest, taking in everything he said. He smiled, enjoying the attention for once. Hermione stepped back from him, making him drop his arms back down. The Inhibitors were annoyingly heavy as well as cumbersome. He walked himself to the table, looking up at the mirror for a moment. He wondered who was watching them. Hermione joined him. He watched her cautious look around the room, her anxiety plain to see. Her hands took his and turned him around to face her. She threaded her fingers through his and sighed. Harry hummed a content sound. Contact was nice.

"I've given them proof about what happened after the Third Task… and proof about the blood quill." He told her.

Hermione then surprised him. She brought her hand up to his face in a tender gesture she'd never shown him before. Her hand cupped his cheek and she gazed into his eyes.

"I know. Kingsley told me what you did. You're so brave." She looked intently into his eyes. Harry held his breath. Hermione was a physical person. She was the first person to properly hug him and to take his hand in hers in a way that wasn't to make him move. It took some getting used to at first when he was younger, but he soon found himself appreciating every soft gesture handed to him.

She had never shown him such tenderness before. The touch on his face was important, more so than a hug. She was staring into his eyes, looking into him, seeing him in a way no one else really could. Everyone else could only see his scar and never looked beyond. She could see the person he was underneath it all. He stared back at her. His heart ached with an unfamiliar feeling. A feeling that he couldn't describe. A lump was rising in his throat.

He closed his eyes, savouring the touch.

"What is it?" Her voice was still soft and caring. He'd rarely heard her talk to him with such gentleness and affection. Usually when she was trying to pick him up, she treated him no differently than she did Ron. She was exasperated with him when he did something stupid, praised him when he did something sensible for once and encouraged him when he needed support. This was different. It was beyond the level of support a friend would show another. She definitely wouldn't act this way to Ron…

Her hand dropped from his cheek and he immediately missed the contact.

"I read your letter," he said, not sure why he brought it up. Hermione frowned, a little puzzled for a moment, but then she gave a small squeak of shock. He laughed, opening his eyes to see her reaction. "It was pretty strongly worded. Remus read it too. Did he manage to get a message to you, by the way?"

Hermione's mouth closed from where it had fallen open in surprise. She nodded.

"Thank you for doing that for me... writing that letter. You gave me hope that they'll take me seriously."

She stepped closer to him, making his heart jump. He'd never felt so aware of her before. He gazed into her eyes, drinking in every shift of her expression. He reached for her hands and her fingers threaded through his again at once. She knew what he wanted in a heartbeat.

"You're the one that inspired me to take a stand. You never let Umbridge have the satisfaction of silencing you." She sighed. "You took the punishment and never cracked. I called you stubborn when really you were in a battle of wills. I should have supported you instead of criticising you."

He then fiddled with her fingers, tentatively taking care to not touch the back of her left hand.

"Did you get in trouble for the letter?" He asked cautiously.

"Detention. She didn't read it but knew I sent something to the Ministry. I was more relieved that she didn't intercept it." Hermione said with a slight shrug. "The detention didn't last long. The Governors interrupted."

Harry blinked. "The Governors?"

Hermione then smiled, her eyes lighting up. She gasped. "You don't know? The Board of Governors have stepped in. The Minister tried to make Umbridge Headmistress and it backfired spectacularly. The position has to be approved by Governor decree and the Ministry can't overrule it. He nearly made the school lock itself down in self-defence."

Disbelief rocked Harry back on his heels.

"It's working." He said breathlessly. "I testified too about the conditions at Hogwarts. Amelia must have gone to the Governors. Wow… I bet Umbridge was livid."

Hermione laughed. "You have no idea! I overheard Neville's gran having a word with her in her office."

"You did what?" Harry looked at her, flummoxed.

"I thought I would hear something that could help you." She said, then smiled, her eyes gleeful. "Madame Longbottom is pretty formidable. She gave Umbridge a thorough dressing down and told her to be present for a meeting with the Board. I overheard her little temper tantrum after she got the news."

Harry grinned, elated. "That's fantastic! Ha! I wonder if that's why Fudge is in such a terrible mood. He's losing grasp of power."

"That's not all." Hermione continued. Harry listened in. "The Governors overruled her decrees. She doesn't have the power to expel students anymore. Expulsion only follows after a Disciplinary Hearing… like yours."

A laugh bubbled out of him. "Wait, so she can't expel anyone for being in the DA?"

"Punishment for being in an unauthorised club is for the Head of House to decide, not her."

Harry laughed again. "Oh WOW! She must be pissed. "

"Not for long," Hermione said, grinning broadly back at him. "The Aurors are in Hogwarts right now, investigating you and Dumbledore… of course. But they're also there to investigate her. Abusing a minor is a really serious crime. More serious than supposed plots and conspiracies. She's going to be facing a lot of angry parents very soon."

Harry looked down at his restrained arms and sighed. "Well whatever evidence they find, I hope they find it fast. Fudge has put forward his case for prosecution before the Wizengamot this morning. I think he's getting desperate to bury me. I'm not a co-conspirator anymore. I'm a dangerous nutjob now."

Hermione looked at him, alarmed. "He's questioning your sanity again?"

"Yeah. I expected it though. He did the same thing in the Hospital Wing, remember?" She nodded. "Rita Skeeter did a damn good job with that article. Anything I say has lost its credibility and, well, there's not much evidence to prove that I'm in my right mind."

He turned, resting his hands on the table top to take some strain off his shoulders.

"The conspiracy and fraud charges are dropped," he said, looking over his shoulder to where Hermione was watching him. "If I'm insane, I'd believe what I'm saying is the truth even if it's not. Can't really accuse a mad man of lying if he can't tell the difference between fact and fiction."

Hermione brought her hands to her mouth. "I can't… I can't believe he'd resort to this. It's… inhumane. And even if he believed that you aren't in your right mind, dragging your name through the dirt and arresting you is undeniably callous and cruel. Mental illness isn't a crime."

Harry nodded. "I know. I told him that."

She looked at him in surprise. "You told him? You've spoken to him?"

"Yeah. He burst in on my interrogation earlier when he didn't like what I was saying. Either way this plays out, he will lose support."

Harry turned around and then perched on the table, resting his arms on his legs.

"Let's just say, playing devil's advocate here, that Voldemort's curse did scramble my brains when I was a baby." Harry said, causing Hermione to scowl as his indelicate choice of vocabulary. "What would be the more humane way to deal with it? Giving me specialist treatment with a psychiatrist or whatever the magical version is - or condemning me in the national news and making me a laughing stock."

Hermione let out a gasp. Harry looked up at her, seeing that she was impressed. He felt a burst of heat light up his cheeks at the sight of her appraisal.

"He's dug his own grave." Hermione said.

"Yup." Harry shifted back on the table. "I don't know if he was aware of how Umbridge was trying to get me to shut up, but that together with what he's been letting The Daily Prophet get away with isn't going to win him any sympathy. I expect he'll make her take the fall and try to salvage what he can of his reputation. I might end up having to spend more time with Healers than I want to, asking questions about my so-called delusions, but it beats Azkaban."

Hermione slapped her hands on the metal table angrily.

"You don't deserve this. Any of this!" She forced out furiously. Harry felt a thrill at seeing her righteous rage burning on his behalf.

"To be honest with you, Hermione, I know I'm not doing too well up here." He pointed a finger up at his head. "Who would be if they've gone through what I have? Seen what I've seen?" She slowly looked at him, her eyes wide. "I saw every single injury I've ever had on my medical scan results and I couldn't face reading them all. How can anyone go through so much as a child and not be messed up?"

He then dropped his head down, his eyes starting to sting again.

"There's so much I've been through that I've never even told you and Ron and… and it was right there."

She was there in a blink. Her arms were wrapped around him, pulling him to her as she leaned over him, standing in front of him. His muffled 'oomph' was lost in her robes as she hugged him tightly.

"I'm so sorry."

He dropped his head forwards to rest on her shoulder. "I had it redacted. I… I couldn't have that used against me. Being a punching bag for ten years of my life…"

"It's okay. You don't need to talk about it." She then rubbed at his back. He went still as she touched him, actively trying to comfort him. It was the first time she'd held him specifically to console him and soothe him. She usually carried herself with restraint, respecting his space. But this time he desperately needed support.

"You've suffered so much and no one's been held accountable." She said softly. "You don't deserve this." She held him closer, bringing her head next to his. Harry leaned in, breathing in the warmth of her closeness.

"You're not alone." She continued, her hands rubbing circles into his back. "Okay?" He hummed in response. "You're not mad or delusional. You've been through a lot of trauma and it's left its mark - but that's not your fault. Anyone would be. I… I'm sorry I've not been more supportive."

He brought his hands up, limited to touching her front with his hands bound. He gripped her jumper.

"You're the most supportive person in my life." He said earnestly. "You've always had my best interests at heart unlike anyone else. You worry about me more than anyone. No one else makes sure I eat enough, sleep enough," he met her gaze, "study enough."

She lifted her head from his chest, looking directly at him.

"That's what friends do, Harry. I'll never stop helping you because, frankly, if I don't, you'll end up getting yourself killed." He gave a small wry chuckle at that. "Maybe that makes me selfish." Hermione said thoughtfully, her gaze deepening.

"I think that's pretty much the opposite of selfishness." Harry remarked.

"I worry about you all the time because I don't think I could live in a world without you in it."

Hermione's face immediately flushed as she realised what she had just said. Her hands went up to her mouth and she looked away. Harry stared at her in complete disbelief.

It all dropped into place. Hints that had been right in front of him but he'd been so wrapped up in his own head, he hadn't been paying attention to what was right in front of him. He let himself get distracted with Cho's pretty smile and long, glossy black hair, thought that attraction was enough to form a relationship and learnt the hard way to think with his head and not his second brain. Who was always there for him when he was at his lowest? Who stood up for him against the greatest diversity? Who made him feel valued as a person and not as a celebrity?

Hermione turned her pink face back to him, her eyes shining with tears. His breath hitched at the sight of them. She looked deeply embarrassed.

"H-Hermione?" He softly said her name. Her eyes travelled back to his, the pain leaving their brown depths as she regarded him cautiously. They move back and forth between his eyes, focusing on each in turn.

"I can't do this without you," he whispered. He shifted himself towards her, moving to sit at the edge of the table.

He knew what he had to do. His bound hands travelled up, opening up like wings. When the tips of his fingers touched her face, it was as if his touch alone told her what he intended. He waited a heartbeat, giving her time to pull away. She didn't. Her face relaxed and she leaned into his palms. His hands claimed her cheeks. She let him caress her face, holding her breath as he touched her in the most intimate way he ever had.

He took in every detail. She was supporting herself on her hands as she leaned over him, arms on either side of him, hands flat on the table. Her eyes fluttered shut as she breathed in deeply. He ran a finger over a cheek bone, her skin velvety soft. He cradled the warm, softness in his hands, taking in her long eyelashes and then her lips.

"Thank you." He breathed out the two words.

As it always did, the pain came suddenly and without any warning. The lurching burn of caustic rage blitzed through him, so alien compared to his current emotional state. He clenched his teeth together, moving back from Hermione.

His eyes screwed shut as the pain burst into life. Hermione's voice was immediately drowned out as he found himself tipping away from her and the Interview room. His senses was split between his consciousness and anothers.

His scar felt like it was being rebranded into his skin and a pained cry made it past his lips. He couldn't hear it. His ears were ringing with a loud, furious scream of complete rage. It diminished into silence and a voice made it through the pain.

"Harry, you need to close your mind. Focus on me."

The air around him was charged with magic… and fear. He could feel the wand in his hand, slippery with sweat from the exertion of letting loose his carnal rage. Behind him, the powerful body of a large serpent scraped over the marble.

" You have failed me for the last time, Lucius! " His voice hissed out of him, low and dangerous compared to the intensity of his rage. " You assured me none in the Ministry would be a threat but they have mobilised against your puppets. Sever their strings. They have spent their use."

" Y-yes, my lord. "

" The boy is a lot more resourceful than I could have anticipated. I have underestimated him once more, it seems. Bring me Rookwood. We need to move forward our plans. I must have it before confronting the boy… I will not suffer another failure… "

As the rage dwindled, so did the grasp of the vision. Harry found his hold on his own mind and he pulled out. Becoming aware of where he was, who he was, Harry tentatively opened his eyes. He was wrapped up in Hermione's arms.

"I… I'm alright." He whispered to her. "He's gone."

She let out a breathy sob and nodded against his chest. He realised then that he was sat on the table. Hermione's body was shielding him. She then looked up at him, fear plain on her face.

"I couldn't let them see you like that." She said quietly.

"I know. Thank you." He shakily dropped his head on her shoulder. His scar was still hurting, but it was nothing compared to earlier. "It was quick at least?"

"Only a few seconds." She confirmed. "You managed to stop yourself from doing anything… out of your control."

Fear trickled through him as it dawned on him properly what happened and why it had happened. He moaned against her chest, feeling very vulnerable. The restrictive bands around his wrists felt tighter and he struggled against them. His breathing shortened.

"Breathe… calm down. He can't hurt you."

"He's angry, Hermione… and I heard him talking about… plans." He tugged firmly against his cuffs. He looked around wildly. "The weapon… he must have been talking about it. He said he needs it before confronting me."

Hermione held onto him, pulling him closer to her. "They're taking your security seriously, Harry. He would have to launch a direct assault on the Ministry to reach you and if he did, Kingsley will take you somewhere safe."

He understood what she was implying. They would take him to Grimmauld Place. Of course, the Order would if Voldemort attacked. There had to be a contingency.

"I'm sorry." He said, feeling a little ashamed for panicking. Hermione let out a worried hum and her arms shifted around him. Her embrace helped him feel safer. "I knew that fighting back would get his attention. It… just feels more real now. More… dangerous."

The door then clicked and they both looked over, alarmed. Hermione's arms dropped from around him and she stepped in front of Harry at once, protecting him.

Kingsley entered, his red robes vibrant in the stark blandness of the room. He shut the door behind him at once and swept inside. Harry's eyes were drawn to his hand at once, seeing his wand. He approached them at once, not hesitating, purposeful and composed.

"Your heart rate spiked, Harry." He said firmly, then glanced over their shoulders to the mirror. Harry understood at once. His episode had attracted his attention. "Is everything alright?"

"Y-yeah. Just… feeling claustrophobic." He swallowed, the pain in his scar starting to fade completely. He had to hold it together especially if they were watching him so closely. Kingsley nodded and approached, causing Hermione to let go of him. Harry could see the fear on her face, fear for him. He tried to give her a reassuring smile but it twitched uselessly at his lips before disappearing completely.

"Here, there's no need to keep these on." Kingsley said, gesturing to the Inhibitors. "Not if the only person watching is me. I'll let Rufus know I made the call that you're no risk."

He tapped the metal bands and they widened at once. Harry's body sagged with relief as he tugged them loose over his hands. He rubbed at his wrists at once, wincing at the red welts. Hermione sucked in a breath when she saw that they had been digging into his skin. Her fear had gone, replaced with outrage.

"Harry?" Kingsley's voice was low with concern. "I assure you nothing will happen to you while you are under my guard. I heard the concerns you raised with Rufus. Like you, I can throw off the Imperius Curse. As can Amelia. No one is getting through that door without either of our permission. Do you understand?"

His calm, steady voice helped Harry to get his breathing back under control.

"Yeah. I understand."

"I know a lot of people have failed to protect you. Their mistakes were unforgivable… and yes, I count Albus among them. He should have kept you in his confidence and not isolate you as a way to shield you. I'm not alone with that opinion." His voice dropped in volume. Harry caught the meaningful look the Auror gave him. "We have your back, alright?"

He let out a long breath and nodded.

"Thank you."

"Hang in there, okay?" Kingsley patted him on the shoulder. "Just… look forward to when I can give you the news that we've made an arrest at Hogwarts." He tipped him a wink and then drew back, holding the inhibitors. "And… maybe finish where you left off?" He glanced over to Hermione and then grinned.

Finish where I left off? Harry puzzled at his meaning, watching Kingsley's departure. He rubbed at his wrists, looking over to Hermione when the door shut once again. He slid off the table, moving towards Hermione. His hands now freed, he went to bring her back to him. His hands rested on her shoulders, making her look at him.

"I really mean it, Hermione." He said, staring into her eyes. "I really can't do this without you. I bring so much danger into your life and you've never, not once, complained. You've stayed with me since the very start. And I'm so… so grateful that you're with me here. As much as knowing that I have an army of Aurors protecting me… having you here makes me feel much safer."

Her face softened and tilted to the side.

"Oh, Harry…"

He brought his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace. She sighed and relaxed in his arms at once. Harry closed his eyes. Holding her in his arms felt like the greatest victory.

"Hermione?" After a moment of just holding each other, both lost in their own thoughts, he pulled himself out of his own head and moved his arms down. He stepped back, looking up at her.

"Yes, Harry?"

"If they do have enough to arrest Umbridge for child abuse, we will have to testify in Court against her." He said, voicing his thoughts out loud. "She's not just looking at losing her job. She could go to Azkaban."

Hermione stared at him, frowning, clearly puzzled that he'd only just worked that out.

"Yes…?"

"I… it's just wild that something might actually go in our favour for once," he said, slowly pacing over to the chairs. His legs felt suddenly wobbly. The emotional hour was draining him. Hermione, noticing that he wanted to sit down, moved to the chair at the side of his. "I'm just… not used to this feeling."

He put his hand over his heart as he sat down. Hermione joined him and looked at him with great concern.

"What feeling?"

He wasn't really sure how to explain it. He leaned back in his chair, looking at the mirror.

"I suppose they really did a number on me. Making me feel so…" He searched for the word and his gaze went down to his wrists, grimacing when he saw a dark mark on his right wrist. A bruise. "Helpless."

Hermione's hand took his. He looked up at her.

"I know what you mean." She said softly. "It doesn't feel real."

"No… it doesn't." He sighed. "I half expect I'm about to wake up in my cell and find out that I'm due for trial and have no defence. I've just had this feeling of doom hovering over me for so long." He blinked as his eyes started to sting. "I'm scared of hoping that this will work out."

"You have to hope, Harry." Hermione whispered. "I know it's been… been really hard, but the worst is over now. When Umbridge goes down, Fudge will follow and he won't be able to get away with discrediting you any longer. Not when it comes out that his own Undersecretary was torturing you into silence."

He sighed, looking at their joined hands.

"Hang in there," she urged him. He looked up and found her warm, beautiful eyes encouraging him to keep strong. He gripped her hand then like it was a life line.

"You're going to make it through this, Harry. I promise you." She then whispered. She laid her hand on top of his and stared at him. "I'm right here and when I have to leave you… when they take you away from me again." Her eyes started to sparkle with tears. "I'll still be here. Right here. " She leaned forwards and tapped his chest, over his heart.

"You're in the hearts and minds of so many people - not just me. There are those who know you and love you, but then there are those who honour you as the Boy Who Lived. Think of how many people are alive because of you and think about how many wizards and witches lost family members to Voldemort and his followers in the last war. I know you don't like your legend, but for once, you need to use it - because there is only one Harry Potter."

Harry winced at her using his name like a title.

His shoulders slumped. "None of that matters when he's questioning my mental state."

"And? Harry, you told him yourself that he's damned both ways. He can call your mental state into question, but he still has to answer why he allowed you to be mistreated and vilified. You have him blocked off in every direction he can take." She smiled at him, her eyes lighting up with pride. "There's just no way he can move against you without condemning himself."

As she became more and more impassioned, Harry found himself drifting into a swell of warmth that had him drawing closer to her. When the silence hung between them, he suddenly knew with complete clarity what Kingsley had meant when he told him that he had something to finish off.

The words fell out of him before his mind caught up and went to stop him.

"I want to kiss you."

She stared at him for a moment, but then she realised what he just said. Her eyes blew wide, her mouth dropping open in surprise.

"I… you…" Her voice was breathless as she was rendered speechless after her fierce tirade. His statement had completely thrown her off.

"Y-you want to kiss me?" She then managed to get her voice back.

"I… I do, yeah."

He suddenly felt a twang of regret. Had he misread the signals?

"I want to kiss you too." Hermione then whispered.

He didn't need any more encouragement. He pulled towards her, his knees butting against hers. His hands moved up instinctively to either side of his face, opening up like wings once again. He leaned forwards to her and she moved closer to him. He searched her face, taking in every detail, marvelling in the wonder that was Hermione Granger.

When he brought his lips to rest over hers, her response sent shivers through him. A soft moan expelled past her lips and they moulded against his. Soft and warm, they thrummed with life. She deepened the kiss, moving towards him. Her hands then came up to his face, the warm pressure of her palms cupping his cheeks as she tilted his head upwards to get a better angle.

Of course, Hermione would be a perfectionist in all things - including kissing.

Her lips moved in tandem, filling him with joy. It was thrilling him how amazing it felt to kiss her. Kissing Cho had been a weird, uncomfortable experience that left him confused and embarrassed. Kissing Hermione was a completely different experience. It was like the breathless joy of waking up on Christmas day, the excitement frazzling through his veins.

When the kiss ended, Hermione then let out a long sigh and she pressed her forehead against his. She closed her eyes and he then did the same. He could feel it then, her heartbeat. He focused on the rhythm, the sound soothing him. He felt overwhelmed, his own heart fluttering as he saturated his very sense with the essence of Hermione Granger. The vanilla sweetness of the shampoo she used, the faint smell of ink and the warm smell of a human body that had no defining scent. If warmth had a smell, then that was it. He then brushed his cheek against hers, taking care to not stab the frame of his glasses into her face.

"So that was what Kingsley wanted you to finish?" Hermione asked him. "Are suspects allowed to kiss civilians?"

He breathed out a laugh. "I don't know. Maybe I'm afforded some allowances."

She sighed and then surprised him by bringing her lips back over to rest on top of his. Harry met her eyes as she kissed him again. It was a short kiss, a soft, gentle peck. She smiled contentedly and then moved back. She left one hand on his cheek, staring into his eyes.

"I was right."

Harry's brow furrowed.

"I'd take the bait and ask 'about what?'. But you're always right."

"Not always," she said, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "But in this I was absolutely right. You… Harry Potter," she edged over to him, leaving her chair to be close to him again. "You're not bad at kissing… not at all."