Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc, etc. Anyone who thinks I do own Harry Potter is an idiot.

Steps Toward Something

Chapter Nine

Alone with Harry in their new sanctuary, Hermione had no idea what time it was, if they had been missed during the welcoming feast, if even now teachers and students alike roamed the halls looking for them. In here, with Harry, it didn't matter. She knew she should care, that eventually they would have to emerge from their little cave, and that if they had been missed, it would raise questions and cause undue attention. She certainly didn't want that, and yet the thought of leaving was the last thing she wanted to think about.

So she stayed, even as her eyes drooped and her head became heavy with sleep. They sat together on the rug, their picnic long forgotten, and talked. Or rather, Harry talked, and she listened, smiled, and nodded when appropriate. Occasionally she picked up her parchment and wrote a little something, but not for a long while now. She was content just listening to Harry tell her all about his summer. He spoke about living with Professor Snape, sneaking out to read, how he had missed her and thought about her all the time, and everything in between, from this particular jam Professor Snape had in his pantry to the way his new bedroom sheets smelt.

He must have been talking for hours now, late into the night, and Hermione was happy to keep listening, except for the fact that she was so tired. But of course, Harry noticed. He noticed everything, and as her eyes slowly shut for what felt like the hundredth time (but was more likely the fourth) he stopped mid speech and said, 'sorry, I'm babbling, and you're tired. Do you want to go to bed?'

Hermione snapped her eyes open and nodded, smiling apologetically.

'It's okay,' Harry said. 'You can sleep in there if you want?' He pointed towards the curtained off "room". 'It'll save you from having to walk back to Ravenclaw from here.'

Hermione, feeling like a drone, nodded her agreement, and started to get up. She misinterpreted how tired she was though, and felt her legs giving out on her as she tried to stand, sometime in the night having turned to jelly. Harry caught her and steadied her, and then helped her into the room. She leant against him welcomingly.

The bed felt like a cloud as Harry gently lowered her onto it. She curled up, her knees nearly touching her chest, and snuggled her face into the pillow. She heard Harry moving around the room, and then felt him sit on the other side of the bed. She felt suddenly more awake and opened her eyes to look up at him as he lay down on the other side of the bed, leaving a wide space between them.

'Is this okay?' he asked in a whisper.

Hermione felt her heart beating fast, blood rushing to her face to make what felt like the most intense blush she had ever experienced. She had thought it earlier, but then it had seemed like something that probably wouldn't happen, especially not so soon. And yet here she was, and Harry was there, so close, all she had to do was reach out and she could touch him. The strangest thing was, that she wanted to. She was embarrassed, but that didn't stop her from wanting it, to feel him there beside her. Harry was starting to look worried when she finally nodded. It's okay, her answer.

He smiled, relieved. She felt an echoing smile on her own face. Steadying her breathing, she reached out and took his hand. His smile only widened, and he shifted slightly closer.

'Hermione?' he spoke softly.

She looked into his eyes, waiting for him to continue.

'Do you realise… how much we've touched tonight?'

She hadn't, not consciously, but now that he mentioned it, her mind went back over the evening, how she had clung to him earlier, how they had held hands, how their fingers had brushed as he passed her food, how he had caught her earlier and how she had snuggled into him as he helped her to bed. And now, as she held his hand, they had practically been touching each other the whole night. The great thing was, she wasn't freaked out.

She was happy.

Hermione nodded her reply, and stroked her thumb along the back of his hand.

They slept the rest of the night away; until morning came and Harry gently nudged her awake. She rose groggily, looking around in momentary confusion, until she realised where she was, and whom she was with, and she smiled.

Hermione kept thinking about it as she stood up, put on her shoes, and followed Harry out of the secret corridor. All the way back to Ravenclaw Tower, she thought about how they had spent the entire night together. She wasn't certain how Harry thought about it, but when she did, she felt butterflies in her stomach, and couldn't help but smile.

Harry escorted her to Ravenclaw just in time for her to sneak in without alerting anyone. As she snuck in, she could hear the rest of the her house moving around upstairs, some slowly making their way down. Hermione quickly sat at a table, trying to act as if she had been up for some time. Given the fact that no one seemed surprised to see her, she assumed she hadn't been missed.

Trying to act natural, she waited a few minutes, and then climbed the steps up to her dormitory. Her eyes where so glued to her feet as she ascended each step, she failed to notice Luna Lovegood coming out of the first year dorm.

None of her roommates paid any mind to her as she opened her trunk and took out her school things. They all seemed caught up talking about their first classes of the year and getting ready themselves. Hermione pulled the curtain around her bed shut so that she could get changed into fresh clothes and pull on her school robes, all the while thinking about Harry, his face as he laid by her side, the feel of his hand in hers, warm and slightly clammy, but completely wonderful. She sat on her bed and took a deep breath, trying to will the stupid grin off her face.

Several deep breaths later, she steeled herself and went back downstairs, walking straight into a waiting Luna.

'Hi,' Luna said cheerfully.

Hermione froze, caught off guard.

'I'm going to the Great Hall for breakfast,' Luna said, as if Hermione had answered, 'do you want to come with me?'

Even if Hermione could talk, she was speechless in front of Luna.

'I understand, you can't talk, but you can nod right?' Luna prompted.

Hermione nodded, more an acknowledgement that yes, she could nod, rather than agreement to join Luna, but the other girl seemed to take it that way anyway.

'Great!' Luna beamed happily, and started talking non-stop as she walked out of Ravenclaw Tower, a confused looking Hermione trailing after her. Confused because this strange girl was so brazen and bizarre, but also because, if you had asked her yesterday, Hermione would have sworn the girl didn't even like her.

Mid topic, Luna seemed to switch tracks, and suddenly stopped to face Hermione. 'I think we can be good friends, don't you?'

Caught surprised again, Hermione nodded half in a daze, trying to wrap her mind around the enigma that was Luna Lovegood, her apparent new friend.