A/N: A couple of things. I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, I wouldn't be in debt from paying for college. Secondly, this chapter is short. I know. Please don't complain? I wanted to write another sweet filler, kind of bringing Harry and Hermione back to happy land. Soon you'll find out the big secret Remus has [feel free to REVIEW with your speculations]! Also, I'm changing their age to 16, because I just realized---DUH, 11 years old plus 5=16. Wow, way to go. Aaaaaaaaaaaand finally, Please review! I'd love some opinions, some critiques, and some advice! I love all of my faithful readers so much! You guys are faaaaaaan (ha, get it, fan) tastic!. Ok, enough cheesy….R&R!
Hermione slowly peeked her eyes open to see that her bedroom was flooded with light. Not only that, but she was snuggled tightly against a bare chest. A bare chest which she could see.
She jolted upright in bed and saw that the door had been closed.
"It's okay, I locked it with a spell…no one will come in before I can disillusion myself." Harry shrugged, "Or at the very least, I can hide."
"But the door isn't allowed to be closed—"
"At night."
"Because Dumbledore didn't want…things…happening—"
"At night."
"And you have to stay disillusioned—"
"At night."
"So that no one can see you."
"Hermione. He said that we had to do those things at night. Not when I'm in your bed until noon."
Her jaw dropped.
"You did say that we could spend today together…and I know how tired you've been…everyone else was headed to Hogsmeade for the weekend, so…I decided we should just relax. Here. You need it." Harry ran a hand through his hair, suddenly looking uncertain.
"Why didn't I know about the Hogsmeade trip?"
"I…I didn't tell you it was posted?"
"Harry, honestly, I'm a prefect. I should have known before you!"
"Oh."
Hermione paused and then slowly shrugged her shoulders, "Oh well…"
She tugged at her t-shirt—it was actually Harry's Quidditch jersey she had stolen—and then snuggled back up against him. He was propped up against some of her pillows, and the moment she laid back down he began to run his fingers through her hair.
"Is it really past noon?"
"Yeah, it is, love."
"Oh."
"I had Dobby bring us some food."
Hermione grinned and squeezed her eyes shut, "Thanks, Harry."
"Anything for you." Harry smiled and leaned his head back so that it was resting against the headboard of the bed.
"Harry…"
"Yeah?"
"Dumbledore…" Hermione paused and bit her lip, "he said a lot of things to me."
Harry was silent, and waited for her to continue.
"He said…he said that you have a long road ahead of you. And that I have to decide if I'm in this for the entire time or not."
"You told me that already, Mione."
"But I—" She took a deep breath and then spoke quickly, "I don't know, Harry, if I'm going to marry you, or if I'm going to have a family with you—I honestly can't promise you any of that. But I swear I'll stand by you while you fight V-V-Voldemort."
She was suddenly sitting up in bed, looking him in the eye.
"I'm not just going to bail, and even if things don't work out between us," she motioned back and forth with her hand, "romantically, I mean, I'm always going to be here for you." She took his hand in hers, "I will always be your best friend, Harry. Well, until you find your future wife, I suppose. Then I'll share you. If I have to."
Her last words made Harry laugh, but his eyes were full of concern.
"Is this what's been bothering you lately?"
"Nothing has been bothering me." She straightened her posture.
"Hermione, I've practically lived with you for the past four years straight. Don't think that I don't know when something is bothering you."
"Oh."
"So is this what has been bothering you?"
Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, "Yes?"
Harry laughed, a low soothing chuckle. Hermione peeked one eye open, just as Harry pulled her into his arms.
"Hermione Granger, I never doubted that you wouldn't stand by my side." Hermione started to say something, but Harry put a hand over her mouth, "Look, the last four years would have been hell for me if it hadn't been for you and Ron. Do you really think that I doubted your friendship? Even for one moment? Not a chance in the world," He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and continued, "I know you'll be there right next to me. But it's time for me to make a promise to you. I'll always be there for you, too. Even when things start getting really hard for me—which we both know they will—I'll be here for you. Friendship can't just be one-sided."
Hermione's eyes were beginning to water. "Oh, Harry," she whispered.
"I'm not done!" Harry laughed as her eyes widened a bit, and then continued, "and…and I'll always love you, Mione. You know that? If you need the love you'd find in a friend, I'll have that for you. If you need the love you'd find in a brother, I'll have that for you. And…" Harry paused, watching her face carefully, "if you…if you need the love you'd find from a boyfriend…or a husband…well, believe me, it will be waiting for you to ask."
"Really, Harry?"
"Of course. But I'll never force how I feel on you…I'm going to wait for you to let me know when you're ready. Cuz, I know we're only 16, but I think I've always been ready for you, Hermione."
Hermione's face paled and her eyes widened. They'd been together for, what, a week? And here he was, saying that he loved her? That he wanted to be with her always?
"Harry, if you love me, just fucking say it."
Harry's jaw dropped as hers clenched. His eyes grew large as her eyes grew tight. He was almost shaking, but, he found the Gryffindor courage to speak.
"I love you, Hermione Jean Granger."
Suddenly she was in his arms, her hair enveloping his face, and she sounded like she was crying. He instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist, and began to stroke her hair.
"I—" Harry began to speak, and then stopped, knowing that whatever he would say would just sound stupid. Instead, he waited.
Hermione cried for a long time. When she finally pulled away, she was sniffling, and her eyes were puffy and red.
"Harry…oh Harry…" she smiled at him, "I don't know if I'm ready to say that back yet, but…but…please don't ever go a day without saying it to me."
Harry's jaw dropped—again. It hadn't been the response he'd expected. He'd been waiting for the slap in the face. The screams to get out. The argument of how they were too young to understand what love meant.
"Harry, you of all people know how special love is. You haven't had nearly enough love that someone our age should have had in his or her life. So I completely trust you when you say you love me. But me…I've had too much love. I'm scared I'll just throw the word around, and I don't want to do that. But some day…some day I will say it back, I promise."
Harry knew there were no words to be said, so instead, he pulled her into his arms, and they nestled into the bed together. He reached toward the nightstand and picked up the book she'd been reading the night before. The cover said, Jane Eyre. He noticed that it was worn, and it looked old. He cracked the book open to the first page.
"Is it your favorite?"
She nodded against his chest.
"How far into it were you last night?"
"I'd just started when you walked in."
Harry smiled, and began to read, quietly, "There was no possibility of taking a walk that day. We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning; but since dinner (Mrs. Reed, when there was no company, dined early) the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so somber, and a rain so penetrating, that further out-door exercise was now out of the question."
Hermione put a hand over the page and stared up at him accusingly, "You've read this before!"
Harry chuckled, "Yeah, I have. It's a good read, no doubt…but Anna Karenina is much better."
"You like Russian Literature?" Harry nodded in response, and she gaped, "Harry Potter, you are full of surprises! When did you read Jane Eyre the first time?"
"The first time Dudley chased me into the Public Library. The librarian said he was too noisy and made him leave, and then she settled me down at a table. I must have been nine or so…she gave me a book, and I read and read…read straight through until the library closed. I was in a heap of trouble when I got back to the Dursley's, but I didn't really care. I read a lot those summers, when I could sneak away."
Hermione smiled up at him.
He kissed the top of her forehead.
She reached up and pulled his chin down toward her own, so she could catch his lips in a passionate kiss.
Soon Jane Eyre slid to the floor.