Of All The Times...

Tears poured down Hermione's face as she watched the casket being lowered into the ground. A grey marble cross was planted at the head of the gravesite, and the air smelled of freshly dug soil.

Hundreds of wizards, dressed in black robes for the somber, solemn occasion, watched as the most famous wizard of their times, besides Voldemort, was lowered into the ground. He was no longer the Boy-Who-Lived. Lived to defeat Voldemort 5 times. But who would save them now?

Dirt was being shoveled onto the grave. The wizards were apparating to Hogsmeade, where a gathering was planned to mourn the Wizarding world's biggest loss. But Hermione couldn't bring herself to leave.

She stood rigid, trying to hold back the sobs that desperately tried to escape. She wanted to fling herself onto the ground, and cry until the pain she felt wore down, or killed her.

But instead, she placed a single red rose upon the headstone of the only person she'd ever loved. But when she turned around, Harry was standing behind her, looking at her with a strange look in his eyes.

"Hermione..."he whispered, hypnotizing her with his scarlet eyes...

A look of puzzlement crossed her features. Scarlet eyes? She gave a small gasp of horror. This wasn't Harry. This thing was Wizarding kinds worst enemy.

As she began to back away, straight into the headstone, an evil grin crossed Harry's face.

"What's the matter, 'Mione? Scared of me?"

On the last word, he began changing: his hair began to melt, covering his whole body in a black, cloth-looking substance. And within moments, a tall man in a black cloak was standing before her. The cloak was hooded, so his face was masked. Pale hands with long fingers looked like spiders rested upon his cloak, and a wand stuck out of his pocket.

He took out his wand and aimed it at Hermione.

"Find your friend in hell, Mudblood," he spat at her, his voice unusually high and cold.

As she screamed, she didn't notice the words he spoke, or the jet of green light coming from his wand....

Hermione woke with a start on the cold, uncomfortable hospital chair beside Harry's bed. She was breathing heavily, and sweat poured down her back. She glanced worriedly at Harry's bed, and saw that he was sleeping, his breathes steady.

"He's alive..." she whispered, silently thanking whomever was in charge of his fate.

She looked around, trying to get her breathes to slow again. The dream had been so real, so vivid... like it was a premonition.

Hermione shook her head forcefully. She didn't believe in that kind of thing. Fortune-telling? Seeing the future? Yeah, right. She had always been skeptical, but Trelawney's lessons had been the icing on the bittersweet cake.

The door to the wing opened, and Hermione looked up to see Ginny and Ron walk in. Ron had powdered sugar all over his face, and was carrying what looked like a pure white teacup in his hand. Ginny followed, a look of disgust on her face. But when she met Hermione's eyes, that look changed.

"What's wrong, 'Mione?" she asked. "Why are you crying?"

Hermione gave her a puzzled look, then felt her face. It was wet with tears.

"Oh, um... Just a bad dream."

Ginny nodded, and then looked at Ron.

"Ron, please go wipe off your mouth. You look like a snowman."

Ron glared at her. "I do not."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes, you do. Give Hermione her tea, and then go get cleaned up."

"Yes, mummy," he said sarcastically as he handed Hermione the sugar-coated cup and stalked out of the care ward.

Hermione looked at Ginny.

"What was he eating?"

"Three powdered donuts and a piece of fried dough, topped with powdered sugar."

"Oh."

They sat in silence for awhile, Hermione sipping her tea, Ginny staring into space, seemingly getting drowsy. Hermione looked at Harry as she drank, trying to sort her thoughts out.

I love him. It hurts to see him like this. He has to pull through. If he doesn't... I don't know what I'd do. It's amazing how much one disaster can change my feelings for him so much.

But these feelings have always been there, Hermione. Under the surface, lurking, hiding. Hiding behind Krum, behind Ron.. Everyone.

She looked over at Ginny; she had fallen asleep.

Her eyes focused onto Harry, and what she saw made her fall out of her chair, the tea cup falling on the floor, the tea spilling all over the tile.

Harry's eyes were open slightly, seemingly looking at her, trying to focus. His mouth suddenly broke into a small smile, and he opened his eyes fully, exposing there brilliant green

Hermione stood up, and walked shakily over to his bed.

"Harry?" she whispered, her heart suddenly pounding somewhere in her throat.

"Hermione..." he croaked, his voice hoarse and scratchy, but still the sound make a shiver run down her back.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she gently took his hand.

"I-I thought that you were...."

He look at her, a puzzled look on his face. "Thought that I was what?"

"That you weren't going to make it. Dumbledore said yesterday that I had to come, because it might be my last time I would be able to see you."

Harry looked at her, a sorrowful look on his face.

"What?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"You know why I did it then? Why I slashed my wrists with Dudley's old pocket knife and tried to drown myself in a claw footed tub?"

Hermione looked at him, confused. He sounded so sad, and so bitter. Like he regretted having told her. That's when it dawned on her. The look of pure regret and pain in his emerald eyes told her everything. He was afraid that she didn't love him back.

"Yes, Harry, I do."

She spoke softly, and moved nearer to his pillow.

"I know why. And there is only one way for me to describe how much I know. You don't know how scared I was when Dumbledore sent me here by Portkey. I was afraid that you might die, and I was afraid of my feelings. Because I had never felt as scared as I did when Ron was hurt. I only felt sick to my stomach, and completely panicky and close to tears when you were in danger. It scared me, because I didn't realize how much I really care for you until now. And when I read your goodbye letter, I felt torn in half. I couldn't believe that you would kill yourself to save me."

Harry looked at her. "Hermione, how could you not? Every time I spoke to you, I was a different person. I don't think I have ever raised my voice to you before this past June, and that was me yelling at EVERYONE there. We've only had one fight, and that was over a stupid broom. Can't you see what I do? Do you even feel what I feel?"

Hermione gaped at him. He was laying his heart on the line. It was then she realized how bloody stupid she had sounded. She had just implied that she didn't feel like he did. That she didn't realize his pain, that she didn't understand.

He was looking at his hands now, staring at them, but not really seeing them. He looked so weak and frail and just plain miserable and sad that Hermione almost started crying. Her eyes teared up, and she grimaced. How can I make him understand?

"Harry, I do feel what you do. It just took me longer to realize it. Those times I clutched onto your arm? When we met Grawp, in the Shrieking Shack..... I didn't realize why I wanted to be so close to you. But now I do. I feel safe around you. You never pick on me, and your always there for me. I really do love you, Harry. Believe me."

He looked at her, and what she saw made her gasp. His eyes were bright and full of tears, and he looked like he was being tortured. He was as pale as he could get. His scar had turned bright red, as if it would start bleeding. He took a deep breath, and looked directly into her eyes. There was so much pain there, so much sorrow, misery...Every horrible emotion in one place. But the worst one was revealed when he spoke.

"Somehow, Hermione, I can't believe you. Just now your feelings are realized. While I am dying trying to save you. That sounds like pity to me. And you couldn't understand why you did those things? You are the smartest witch of our generation. Add that on top of all that advice you gave me on girls last year, and I would say that you are full of bullshit. You don't want to reject me. You're afraid you'll hurt me. Well, I've faced so much pain all ready, this shouldn't hurt me much more."

Hermione opened her mouth, and then closed it again. Is he right?