Disclaimer: The same as the previous chapters.

Chapter 2

Hugging her tight, fighting his tears, he had confessed," I can't pretend anymore, Hermione. I can't, Now it hurts. It hurts more than having Voldemort speaking in my head. My heart, it is my heart…" still shuddering she had cried along with him, "Oh, Harry!"

He had pushed her away a bit, just to make sure she was really there, alive. He didn't care if they both were standing hip-deep water of a freezing lake. All that mattered to him was, she was alive. Brushing away her wet strands, he implored," What do you think, you were doing in there? Could you not just think? Hermione just because Ron dumps you and Ginny gets all crazy, you decide to run away and what?" Giving her a good shake he hugged her back.

As for the girl currently nestling in his arms, the once formidable Hermione Granger was now reduced to a thoroughly soaked kitten. Not giving her time to explain her, he had picked her up and had purposefully walked back to the tent. They were in the Forest of Dean and Hermione had come along with just one item on her person two days ago, leaving just a note at her Ministry desk," This world is better without me."

And that note had hit him the hardest. Ever since he had been hunting for her like a madman. He knew what was it like to be an outsider. They were in so many ways similar. And if Hermione was pushed to calling it quits, it was her way of screaming out at him for help. She had mumbled the password that made the tent visible allowing both of them to pass through. As soon as he was inside the tent, he made a beeline for the small fireplace.

Looking back at her, he just waited for a sign. But when she neither opposed nor agreed to him taking the lead, he decided to take matters in hand. Pulling off her sweater, shirt, he threw over the blanket on the cot next to them around her. Next, as his fingers halted inches about the belt buckle of her wet jeans, Hermione had curtly nodded back. Helping her wriggle out of them in no time. He had picked her up and placed her gently over the cot.

She found it endearing as he should next to her undecided, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. Pulling the blanket up to her cheek, she had just whispered," I am cold." Frantically pulling over his shirt and sweater together over his head, hopping a bit to free himself of his soggy boots and trousers, Harry had joined her below the blankets in no time. Spooning against her, he placed his head right behind her ear, crossing his arms over her chest and bringing his legs over her.

Both of them were cold, but it did cut over a warm image. Both of them took turns to rub each others' skin, trying to warm up the freezing layers. He had helped her turn and face him. Leaving no room for asking permission, he had pressed his palms over her back and started rubbing her skin. Up and down they when, mimicking the hands of a father trying to put a baby to sleep. Up and down they went, trying to arouse her senses, trying to breathe in a new lease of life right into her broken heart and battered soul.

She was the first person to break the silence, hanging heavily over the two of them. "Why?" Smiling back at her, he nudged at her nose playfully," What, why?" Shifting closer, till she was flush against his bare skin, she asked again, this time sounding a bit more confident," Why are you here?" Gathering her in his arms, sighing deeply into her wet hair, for once he was rather thankful, he was doing this slowly. Magic at times ruined the pleasure of enjoying the journey. He murmured at last," Where else would I be?"

Sniffing and rubbing her head at his collar bone, she dared to mention," What about Gin..?" Bringing his hand up, placing it firmly over her trembling lips, he pleaded, " Hermione can we agree on something right now?" When she said nothing, he spoke firmly," We will not speak of those who could not make a room for themselves in our hearts. I am not holding it against anyone, I can't, but we got essentially choose whom we will fall for do we?"

Her words had touched his finger first before tumbling down in cascades of tiny whispers," So you are saying…since when?"

Allowing his lips to curl, he confessed," Can't say when or how. But this much I can say, I never liked watching you cry. I liked how to took the shit Malfoy spewed and flung it back on him. I liked how you stood your ground. I liked you for a long time, Hermione. But I think, when I saw you under the great lake during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, I just couldn't carry on convincing myself I cared for you like a brother. I am sorry, I acted like a moron. But then what else could I do? My life was never without thousand complications hissing back at me, was it?"

"Oh, Harry!" she had snaked her hands around him and pulled him further close, leaving no room for space between themselves. The blanket aided in trapping the warmth radiating from the two being cocooned below it. He wanted to give this moment a name. She thought, she should at least acknowledge his previous confessions. When it came to Harry, this man within her arms would fight his way through everything for the ones he cared and loved. It was an honour to be loved, to be the person he loved more than anything in his universe. Testing new waters, she had placed a soft kiss right at the base of his neck. He had jerked, daring not to read too much into her sweet gesture, he had stared, trying to ask "the question". She knew he was not to good at expressing himself. The fact that he had confessed so much meant he was quite drained out for the day. Offering his a slight nod and putting up a sly smile, Hermione Granger did just the thing that would shift the gear in this new relationship they both were pondering to embark on.

"Will it be too much, if I asked you to kiss me?"

Leaning forward till his lips were just half an inch away from her parted one, he spoke huskily, staring at her from under his hooded eyes," All you needed to do was ask, Miss Granger." Then he had latched upon those soft petals that kept him awake for nights together, relishing their taste, drowning his existence in them, dropping all his guise, his reasons to attach himself to the world around. Within her arms, tangled in her limbs, assured that she was still here, right next to him, Harry James Potter realized for this unique moment in life, he was content.