Hermione comes to the rescue

Disclaimer:

I don't own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. This is a non profit fan fiction.

Author's note:

I hope you had a merry christmas and I wish you a happy new year! Here's the next chapter, hope you like it ;) Though I wouldn't hate you for not liking it, it was really hard to write. Took me a week, I think. Usually it just takes a day :) Just don't tell me that you hate it and I won't lie about hating you ;)

Chapter 4: Prophecy

When Harry woke up that night, it wasn't because of a bad dream. He woke up because he heard something. Someone moaning. Sounds coming from somewhere not far away at all. "Hermione", Harry thought fearing the worst. Deatheaters in the house, could it be? That would mean the aurors or even the order members protecting the house would be already dead. Harry grabbed his wand from under his pillow, took his glasses and put them on. He went to the door to his room, took in a deep breath and opened it.

Hermione's room really was were the sounds were coming from. Mentally preparing for the attack, "Stupefy" already on his lips for whoever he'd find in Hermione's room, he opened her door and jumped in, wand arm outstretched in front of him. It was dark and Harry saw no one but Hermione in the room, who was thrashing around in her bed. He scanned the room, but couldn't find any sign of an intruder. He let out a breath he didn't knew he was holding in and went over to Hermione.

He knelt down beside her on the bed and shook her arm. "Hermione, wake up", he said softly.

She moaned again, her brows wrinkled in something resembling fear. Then her expression relaxed and she opened her eyes. The moonlight was shining directly on her face. Harry stared at her, taking in her deep brown eyes that were staring back at him. Later, Harry would never admit that he thought she looked like an angel, not even to himself though deep down he knew that this was exactly what he had thought in that moment.

"Harry?", Hermione asked him in confusion, barely able to keep her eyes open.

Then Harry found himself in an embrace. Hermione started sobbing. Harry was taken aback. Slowly, he lay his arms around her and stroked over her back. "It's okay, Hermione. It was just a dream", he said, trying to sound comforting. She still held on to him for a whole minute, before releasing him from the embrace. Harry pulled his arms away from her awkwardly, by now not really knowing anymore were to put them as if they usually weren't a part of his body.

When his arms were nearly at his sides again, Hermione grasped one of his hands, startling him. "Don't!", she said loud. And then she added in a tiny whisper "please..". Harry put his other hand above Hermione's.

"Hermione, what.. What did you dream about?", Harry asked, still shocked from the whole thing.

She just shook her head. Harry then realized, that she was panting heavily. Her hair was sweaty and messy. Tears were running down her face. He didn't know why, but he found himself moving a hand up to her cheek, stroking away a few tears. She just kept staring at him with a gaze so intense that it sent little shocks through Harry's body. Harry heard her breathing return to normal levels and found himself in an embrace again and this time, his arms sneaked automatically around her back, as if it were exactly that what they were made for. It just felt natural.

"I need you", she said with a broken voice, still not letting go of him, her head resting on his shoulder. He felt her warm breath on his neck. "You are my best friend", she said. Harry gripped her tighter. "I don't want you to die", she said and by now Harry knew what she had dreamed about. He didn't say anything back to her. He didn't know what he could have said. He didn't want to die but the chance for him staying alive through all of this wasn't good at all.

Harry's hands stroked over Hermione's back in circles. Her shirt felt sticky from her sweating that much, but Harry wasn't disgusted about that like he thought he should have been. In fact, it felt very nice, he thought. He let go off Hermione and looked back into her eyes. Hermione's hands went from Harry's back down on his knees when he pulled back from her. She didn't pull her hands back, she needed to feel him. She needed to feel that he was here with her. "You.. You dreamt about me dying?", Harry asked.

Hermione nodded. "It's because", she staid stopping for a cough to make her voice steady and continued "It's because we looked at the photo album. When I saw him.. Sirius. I thought back on what happened at the ministry. I didn't understand what the prophecy said, when it shattered. But there were words I was able to hear. Not many, but.. You know, I was able to put enough together to know that..", she said but didn't continue.

Harry sighed. "I'm so sorry, Hermione", Harry said.

"You are sorry? About what, Harry? It's me who's sorry. Crying on you like that.. The prophecy is about you, not me. I should comfort you, not the other way around. But here I am, crying on your shoulder because I don't want you to.. to.. die", she said, sobbing before the last word went over her lips. "I wish we could have heard the whole prophecy, maybe it said something important. Something about how to kill Voldemort", she said.

Harry hold his breath. There it was. Now or never, he thought. "Hermione.. I know the prophecy. The whole prophecy. Dumbledore showed it to me in his pensieve. He was there, when the prophecy was made", Harry said, watching Hermione's face intently. "You wouldn't believe who made it. It was Trelawney. That's the reason why Dumbledore hired her. He had to protect her from Voldemort, so he wouldn't get the prophecy out of her. He knows that she doesn't know a thing about divination at all. You were right to stop going to her lessons", Harry said.

"I thought about that. Ron, too. We thought that Dumbledore may have told you more about the prophecy when you went into his office at the end of last year. So.. What does it say?", she asked.

"Do you really want to know it, Hermione?", Harry asked, fearing she'd say yes.

Hermione just nodded and grabbed one of Harry's hands, her other hand still resting on one of Harry's knees.

Harry braced himself and spoke. "I can't recite every word of it, I lack your brains for that, but there's one part that I will never forget. Either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives", Harry said.

"That's what I heard parts of. Oh, Harry", she said, flunging her arms around him again and pressing him against her.

"It also says, that I have the power to destroy him and that he doesn't know about this power. Dumbledore thinks that this power is love, though. Don't know how that could be of any help", Harry said.

Hermione let go off Harry abruptly. "But Harry, that means that you can really win against him. It wouldn't say that if it weren't true, would it? So whatever that power is and even if it really is love, than this will be your chance to kill him", Hermione said, rubbing the tears out off her eyes.

She stood up from the bed and walked around the room, thinking. Harry watched her in confusion. One moment she can't even stop crying and doesn't want to let go of him and the next moment she jumps up, walking around mumbling to herself about the prophecy.

"Did it say anything more?", Hermione asked.

Harry nodded. "It said he marked me as his equal. That's why I speak parsel. When his curse hit me as a baby, I got some of his powers.

"He marked you? Does that mean, he did this knowingly?", she asked.

"Yes and no", Harry said. "He didn't want to give me any of his powers, he didn't know that he would mark me as his equal. But it was he who chose me to be the one having to kill him. There is someone other than me. Voldemort could have chosen him, instead. But he did choose me and with that, my parents had to die protecting me", Harry said sadly.

"Now it all makes sense", Hermione said, still wandering around the room.

Hermione sat down back on the bed beneath Harry. She ran a hand over her face, wiping away some forgotten tears and sweat. "I'm sorry for all of this. I look awful, don't I?", she said sighing.

"Don't be sorry, Hermione. Remember yesterday? You helped me that night and now I'm helping you. And you don't look awful at all. A bit messy but hey, it's just me", he teased her.

She wrinkled her nose and poked him in the ribs. "Don't tease me, Harry. That's my job", she said. "Gosh I feel bad, I want a shower", she added and pulled her sticky shirt around which seemed to be glued to her in some places from sweating that much, making Harry gasp for air.

She looked at him suspiciously. "What?", she asked.

Harry tried not to let his eyes slip another time. "Never mind", he said. "We could go onto the terace for a bit, that should make you feel a bit better", he said, so she would stop twisting her shirt around.

She nodded and went with Harry through the glass door in her room onto the terace, feeling a cold breeze that made her feel better already. Harry looked up at the stars. Hermione watched him for a few seconds before she too, started looking at the stars.

"They are beautiful, aren't they?", Hermione said.

Harry snickered. "Yeah. Makes you feel small and unimportant. I like it", he said.

Hermione frowned. "Don't, Harry. You can't change who you are. But the things around you will change. You won't ever be able to live a 'normal' life but at least you can stop living in fear when Voldemort is no more. Just keep looking forward", she said.

He looked at her. "And what if I can't kill him? I am just sixteen years old, Hermione. And 11 years of my life were the hell on earth. And even after I came to Hogwarts, there was Voldemort trying to kill me again and again. I.. I just want to live, Hermione. I want to have fun."

Hermione took his hand and looked back at the sky. "Don't give up, Harry. I will be by your side for as long as you need me. You are not alone. I know, you want to be. You don't want me and Ron to get into harms way, but we will, regardless of what you think, because we love you. And it's just the right thing to do."

Harry sighed deeply. "Another reason to hate it, this love all people keep telling me about", Harry said.

Hermione looked back at him, eyes wide. "Harry! Don't say such a thing", she said.

"Why? What has love done for me? My parents got killed because they loved me. Sirius got killed, because he loved me. And now you and Ron want to die for me out of love, too", he said.

"We don't want to die! But we will, if you give up. It's not just about us, Harry. Someone needs to rid the world of Voldemort. He's killing people, maybe even right now as we speak. It has got to stop. I know, this is more than anyone can bear. But we will persevere. This is our chance to take back our world and we're not going to loose it. Do you know why? Because we can't. When we loose, it's over. You are not the only one living in fear, Harry. We all do. Do you want to know what I think? If no one stops Voldemort, we will all die. Muggles and Muggleborns first and then the rest, because Voldemort won't stop. He hates life itself, that's why he's so afraid of death. He couldn't bear it if death was as bad as life", Hermione said.

Harry looked down on his shoes. "I know, Hermione. I know. And I won't give up, you know that. It's just hard.. Really hard", Harry said.

She gripped his hand tighter. "Nothing worth having is easy to get", she said. "And isn't freedom the most precious thing one can think of?"

Harry nodded slowly. "You are far to intelligent, you know?", he said, looking up to her face again.

"Yeah, I get that a lot", she said smiling.

Then her smile faded. Harry's face was coming closer to hers. She stopped breathing completely. Her gaze was fixed on his eyes which got bigger and bigger with every inch his face came closer to hers. Her heart was beating faster and faster until she thought she couldn't bear it anymore and closed her eyes a mere second before impact. Harry's lips touched her cheek. Her heartbeat returned to normal levels and her eyes went open again, feeling dumbstruck. His lips left her cheek and he pulled back. "Oh my god, I thought he'd kiss me", she thought and maybe, if she looked deep down inside of her, she'd have noticed a tiny part of her that was sad that he didn't. It would have been her first kiss and wouldn't it be an even more precious memory if it was with her best friend?

"You are my best friend, Hermione. I can't tell you how happy I am to have you in my life. Without you, I'd have given up years ago. I think I'll go to bed now. Good night, Hermione", Harry said.

"Good night, Harry", she said, looking after him when he went through the glass door back inside. She sighed and looked back at the stars. Then she felt a chill and went back inside, too.

The next morning started again with a late breakfast made by Hermione. They also watched the news again, but were glad that they weren't reporting any more attacks. After lunch they were sitting together doing the rest of Harry's homework. It took them two hours and Harry was bored to death by then but he thought that without Hermione, he would have needed much more time for his homework and was glad that he had her to help him with it.

Because they hadn't anything left to do, Hermione turned on the TV again and saw that a movie she really liked was just about to begin. "Oh, I love this movie. Do you know it, Harry?", she asked.

Harry shook his head. "I don't know any movies, the Dursleys never let me watch TV with them. Last year I had to hide outside behind the window to listen to the news without the Dursleys knowing", he told her.

"Oh..", she said. "Do you want to see it? The movie? It's really good. It's about this woman who's fallen in love with this really famous guy, but she has trouble even getting him to notice her", she said.

"Yeah, why not", Harry said.

After an hour into the movie, Hermione turned her head to Harry and asked if she could lean back against him. "Sure", he said and stretched out an arm. Hermione smiled at him and leaned thankfully against Harry, pulling her legs up onto the sofa.

They spent the rest of the movie in this position and harry felt that somehow his relationship with Hermione changed over the past few days. It wasn't bad at all, he liked it. Sometimes he had Hermione leaning against his shoulder and then sometimes he had his head on her lap. She would even sometimes stroke through his hair, he really liked that. Even though it was just Harry who had to stay in the house all the time, Hermione never left his side. They were together every day and watched movies Hermione knew but Harry never even heard of before. Sometimes, Hermione even got Harry to do some extra school stuff, as he called it. Harry didn't feel like it would have helped him that much, but it killed the time until finally, the last day before they both would go back to Hogwarts dawned.

Hermione went shopping for School with her parents after lunch. It was saturday, so they didn't have to work. Harry had to stay alone at the house, it would have been too dangerous, since Mrs. Granger and Mr. Granger were Muggles and wouldn't be able to protect Harry from an attack. He kept looking at the watch and tried to kill time by looking around the large house and watching TV from time to time. After two hours, he took a nap on the couch.

When Harry woke up and opened his eyes, he saw someone sitting in the armchair, reading a book. He grabbed his glasses from the table and saw that it was Hermione. She heard him and lay her book down onto the table. "You're awake", she said.

Harry nodded. "What time is it? Did you have any trouble in Diagon Alley?", Harry asked.

"It's nearly eight o'clock. We haven't had any problems, your new school books are already in your room. My parents went out for dinner, so we're alone for the rest of the evening. Do you want something to eat? I can serve dinner if you want", she said.

Harry shook his head. "No, I'm not really hungry right now, but thanks."

"Good", she said. "I'm not really hungry either, we ate ice cream in Diagon Alley. So, you want to watch a movie?"

They did, Hermione leaning against Harry with his right arm around her. Harry didn't know when it happened, just sometime in the middle of the movie Hermione came closer and he not really noticed that he lay his arm around her. Over the last week it became quite natural for them to do this. Half an hour later, Harry heard soft noises coming out of Hermione's mouth. She had fallen asleep in his arm. "Bummer, should I wake her?", he thought. The scent of Hermione's hair went into Harry's nose and he didn't know why, but he shuddered for a moment. He realized, that he would miss that all very much when he was back at school tomorrow. They couldn't watch movies together there. He knew it was silly, but for the short period of time at the Grangers, he felt like he was part of the family. He lived in a house, there was no shouting, no cupboard and instead of Dudley, there was Hermione. Lying in his arm. He would miss her. The Hermione, he didn't knew before. Hermione like she was at home. Maybe he would never see her like this again, Dumbledore wouldn't let him stay with the Grangers next summer again, would he? Would the Grangers let him stay with them again, despite the danger that Harry brought to the people he was around? Would Hermione want him to spent the next summer with her? He just didn't know, but these questions nagged at him. He didn't notice that he had grabbed Hermione tighter with his arm. She did though and woke up.

Hermione yawned. "Oh, I must have fallen asleep. Sorry Harry", she said, leaving the comfort of his arm around her and turning to look at him. "You look worried, something happened?", she asked.

"No, nothing. It's all okay, Hermione", he said.

She lifted a brow and asked again. "Really?"

Harry sighed. "It's just.. I don't know. I don't want to talk about it."

Hermione shrugged and looked at her wristwatch. "We should go to sleep, we've got to get up pretty early in the morning and -", she began but Harry interrupted her by saying "I'll miss you".

Hermione looked at him questioningly. "But Harry, don't be silly, we'll be together the whole school year", she said and got up from the couch. She hold out her hand for Harry and he took it, following her and left her in the corridor to their rooms. She knew what Harry meant by saying that he'll miss her. She too, felt a bit sad. She had much fun with Harry over the summer and not only that. There was something more than fun. She felt comfortable with him. She loved it to lie back against him, watching a movie with him. But most importantly, he was there for her when she needed him the most. When she had the nightmare, he comforted her. He was so nice to her.

After a long nights sleep, all worries were gone. There was no time to worry, because they had to hurry. The Grangers and Harry arrived ten minutes early at the train station, Harry and Hermione parted from her parents, Harry told them again how nice it was of them to let him stay over the summer. He and Hermione looked around for the Weasleys. Harry spotted them first, he saw Ron's red hair and waved at him. A wide grin on his face, Harry ran to the Weasleys, followed by Hermione. Ron, too started running too them and Harry and Ron nearly embraced, before turning back a step, both with bride red faces and decided on just shaking hands. Hermione giggled. "Oh, come on you two, you missed each other", she said.

Hermione shook hands with Ron, she knew he'd feel uncomfortable otherwise. "Wow, you are even larger now, Ron", she said eying him.

He nodded. "Yeah, it's the same every summer isn't it", he said grinningly and looked at Hermione. His eyes rested a moment longer on some part of her body before saying "Gosh Hermione, you got bigger, too".

He knew he shouldn't have said that. He knew that she saw where he was looking just a moment before. Why then didn't he just shut his mouth? He winced when he saw Hermione's frightening look. "THANK YOU, RONALD", she said, before turning away from him and went over to meet with the rest of the Weasleys.

Ron looked at Harry in disbelief about himself. Harry tried to give him a comforting look. "Oh my god, Harry. Harry... What have I done!?", he said, running his fingers through his red hair.

Harry had to hold in a laugh. "I think you just stared at our best friends bosom, Ron", he said.

Ron shot him an angry look. "I know THAT, Harry. It's not funny. Not funny at all. Aww, she'll never talk to me again..", he said frustrated.

Harry let out his laugh and clapped Ron on the shoulder. "Come on, she'll forgive you. Maybe, in a few weeks. A Month.. A few years..", he said still laughing and went over to the Weasleys, followed by Ron who looked down on his shoes. Hermione didn't even seem to notice that Ron was here, but she smiled at Harry when she saw him and turned back to Ginny, chatting with her about the summer.

Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione took a seat in their usual compartment in the Hogwarts Express. Usually Ginny wasn't sitting with them in the train, Harry thought, but he didn't ask her why and no one else did, too. After 5 minutes, Hermione stood up. "I've got to go now, prefect duties. Later", she said and went out of the door when Ron said "Wait.. I'm coming, too.. you know? I'm prefect.. Awww".

"What's with them?", Ginny asked Harry.

Harry grinned.

Ron shot Harry a warning look. "Don't tell her, Harry. I don't want to, but I have to kill you if you do", he said.

"Oh, come on Ron", Harry said and turned his look back at Ginny. "Ron looked at Hermione's bosom a bit too interested for her taste", Harry said.

Ron shook his fist in Harry's direction. "Betrayal", he said.

"He also may have said to her that she got bigger over the summer while still staring", Harry added.

Ginny laughed and then she fixed her gaze on Ron. "So, my dear brother. You found interest in bosoms this year then?", she said in a mock voice. She crossed her arms in front of her upper body. "You won't stare at mine though, will you?", she asked, feigning a feared look on her face.

Ron went bright red. "Eeeeeew, Ginny. That's.. Horrible. Really", Ron said. "I'll go now. Prefect duties. You'll pay for that, Harry", Ron said and left the compartment.

Harry and Ginny still grinned. Then Ginny looked at Harry. "And what's with you, Harry?", she asked. "Can I take my arms back down or are you gonna ambush me then", she asked.

Harry coughed. Neville who sat beside Ginny went bride red.

"You are sixteen too, and Ron's best friend. Maybe you are exactly like him on this matter", Ginny said.

Luna's head appeared from behind her magazine. "I don't know what the problem is. Boys look at bosoms because they like them, don't they? If I was a boy, I would look at them all the time. It's just natural, Hermione shouldn't be cross with him, it's a compliment of some kind, isn't it?", she said, leaving the other's mouths hanging open. She shrugged and continued to read her magazine.

Ron came back to the compartment sitting down beside Harry. Hermione followed five minutes later. She stood in front of Harry. "Could you move a bit, Harry?", she asked.

Harry looked confused. He sat at the window and right from him was Ron, but at Ron's right side was an empty seat. Ron looked down again. She didn't want to sit with him. Ron stood up and sat down a seat to the right. Harry sighed and stood up, too, sitting down beside Ron. Hermione smiled at Harry and sat down beside him, at the window.

"Listen, Hermione", Ron said. "I'm really sorry. You know that, I didn't want to.. It just happened", Ron stuttered, but Hermione didn't listen. Ron sighed and gave up.

The rest of the train ride was a bit awkward, since Ron and Hermione wouldn't talk to each other. At some point, Harry felt Hermione's head on his shoulder. She had her eyes closed and seemed about to fall asleep. When she just did, the train stopped. They were at Hogwarts. Hermione tilted her head up and yawned.

They fetched their belongings and when Ron was about to leave the compartment with his trunk, Luna was in his way. Harry looked over at them. Luna seemed to be pushing her chest out as far as she could. "How was your summer, Ron?" she asked. "I hope you had fun."

Ron's face showed anger and he went past her, out of the compartment and onto the train station.

Luna looked at Ginny. "I don't think he likes mine", she said.

Ginny giggled. "I think he thought you'd be making fun of him", she told her.

"Oh", Luna said. "I didn't want that", she said and left the train with the others.

Hermione stayed a bit behind with Harry. "You told them what happened?", she asked.

"Sorry.. It was funny", Harry said, hoping she wouldn't stop talking to him for that, too.

"It was not", she said.

"Come on, Hermione. He just stared at you. He didn't mean to do anything bad. You look really good now. We all changed a bit. We're older now. It's just normal that people notice", Harry said.

"But I don't want him to! He's a git. He never saw me as a girl, you know that. And now that I'm... All grown up... Now he starts to notice", she said furious.

"No he's not, Hermione. You're really overreacting. Just don't be too hard on him, okay? He really didn't mean you any harm", Harry said.

"I know that Harry. But he's still a git. Let's just drop the topic, I don't want Malfoy to hear any of this", she said.

Harry was in thought for a moment. "Funny that he didn't show up in our compartment today. He usually does. What's up with him?", Harry asked.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I saw him on my rounds in the train, sitting in his compartment talking to a few Slytherins. He should have been on rounds, too. But he wasn't as far as I know", she said.

"Really unusual for him. He's planning something", Harry said.

"Maybe. But maybe he just didn't feel like it today, who knows. Come on Harry, or we'll be late for the feast.

A/N 2:

I know, I ommited quite a few days in this chapter, but that's because it would have been boring if I wouldn't have done that. I want certain things to happen at Hogwarts, so I needed Harry and Hermione back at school. I just mentioned what happened in the weeks at the Grangers, that Harry and Hermione became a bit closer, but only in a friendly way. There will be flashbacks in later chapters with detailed descriptions of what really happened, mixed into the story.