Safe

As Harry and Hermione started setting up the tent, it started to snow upon the cold ground. Harry couldn't help but continually glance at Hermione. She looked so beautiful with the snow falling all around her. Yet her mournful face hurt him deeply.

Last month, Ron and her broke up. Later that month, Ron ran away and was killed by a Death Eater. Hermione was in shambles, she cried for weeks on end.

It had been only recently that she had started to get over him. Although every time she had to cast the protective spells, she always got sad.

"Hermione, are you okay?"

She looked at him, wiping a tear from her eye. "Yeah, I'll be okay."

They went inside the tent to have supper. Their food stores had been getting low and they'd had to hunt for food, but they'd been unsuccessful.

"Here, Harry, it's not much but it's all we can spare right now." She handed him a small plate of rice, crackers, and a little slice of ham.

He took it, looking from the plate to Hermione. "How much is left?"

"Enough to eat like this for a week, at most," she said, giving him an unsure look.

He took the ham and two crackers then gave the rest to her. "Save it."

"But, Harry..."

"It's alright, a ham sandwich is all I need."

She smiled at his joke. He always has to be the one to make sacrifices, doesn't he? Hermione ate her full plate and then laid down for bed.

"Night, Hermione."

"Night, Harry."

Harry went over and stood watch at the entrance. Why do I have to love her? She is still getting over Ron. Don't do this to her, in fact, never tell her. If she lost you...

The next morning, Hermione woke up with a plate of food by her head. It contained the rest of Harry's dinner and her breakfast.

She sat up looking around and noticed that it was morning. "Harry?"

He walked inside. "Yes?"

"Why didn't you wake me so you could sleep?"

"It's okay, I don't mind. Eat up, I'm going out hunting."

"Be careful."

That evening, Harry returned with one squirrel. "I got lucky, I'll start a fire."

Before Hermione could say anything about Harry not eating lunch, he was outside. When he returned, the squirrel wasn't with him, only a small portion of meat. "There isn't enough for both of us, so you eat it."

"Harry, you didn't have lunch, you should eat it."

"No, I found about five berries out there and had them for lunch not too long ago, " he lied. "Please, take it."

She took the meat with reluctance. "But straight to bed, I will keep watch tonight."

He saw that he would not win the argument, so he conceded. "Wake me in four hours and I'll take over, you need your rest too."

"But-"

"Hermione, I'll be fine."

Harry went to bed and Hermione ate the meat. She went outside and sat down. I can't let him do this to himself. He's not eating and anything he kills, he cooks then gives it to me. He must be starving. In fact, Harry was starving; he'd lost twenty pounds in the last week. He just couldn't let anything happen to Hermione,

The days passed by and Hermione forced Harry to eat supper but Harry always went out hunting and made sure that he was up in the morning before Hermione was. Therefore, he could conserve his meals for Hermione.

A few days had passed and Harry was out hunting once again. His skin was paler and he was very weak. He hadn't let Hermione know that he was in bad shape so he wouldn't worry her. He had been hunting to no avail for the past few days. Part of the problem was that he wasn't thinking about hunting, just Hermione. That's all he thought about. How much he loved every bit of her personality and how beautiful she was. Also he would recall every time she looked sad and he would have to stop and cry because of the image of her saddened face.

On this particular hunt, he found a bear. He could not concentrate from the lack of energy he had. The bear threw itself onto him and he cried out in pain. Hermione heard him and came rushing to his aid. Before she could get there however, the bear had thrown him into a nearby pond that was on the verge of freezing. As the bear was about to strike the final blow, Hermione came.

"Petrificus Totalus."

The bear fell to the ground stiff as a board. Hermione quickly tried to get Harry out of the pond but he had already sunk too deep.

With his last ounce of strength, he weakly cast a spell. "Ascendeo." Harry shot out of the pond and dropped into the cold snow.

Hermione immediately took him back to the tent and fed him some rice and tried to warm him up. "Oh, your robes are wet and freezing."

She started to disrobe Harry. "Hermione, w-what a-are y-ou d-d-doing?" Surprise was in his tone.

As she finished disrobing Harry, she opened up the front of her robes and wrapped her arms around his body, bringing him close to her own. She rubbed his back in an attempt to warm him up. "I'm trying to prevent you from freezing to death. Madame Pomfrey instructed me on how to prevent someone from dying. Just try to get as close to me as possible."

"But, Hermione..."

"Harry, just do it."

Harry complied as his emotions raged inside of him. All he could think about was how Hermione was taking care of him and how they were pretty much hugging. He also noticed how a certain something was getting hard.

He tried to pull away as he felt his hard object touch Hermione. She forced him to stay close. "Harry, stay right here."

"But, Hermione, I'm, uh..."

"It doesn't matter," she said softly. "I understand why you're like this."

"I'm sorry, I didn't m-mean to get...aroused."

"I know, but I wasn't talking about that. I've seen how you look at me."

Harry's heart almost stopped. Oh no, she knows how could you do this to her?

Almost reading his mind, Hermione squeezed him tighter. "It's alright, Harry."

He exhaled shaking.

"Harry, I'm not opposed to the idea, I've been over Ron for a good amount of time. In fact..." She pulled away and put her hands on his face. She brought him in closer to her and kissed him gently. She pulled away from him and smiled. "I really need you," she said as she stroked his cheek. She leaned in a kissed him once again for a few minutes. This warmed up Harry's body very fast.

She pulled away and Harry sat there with a face of longing. "Hermione, I love you," he said in a chocked up voice. "I didn't want to cause you anymore pain." He let his head fall onto her shoulder and he cried as she stroked his head and rubbed his back...

She brought his head up once more and kissed long and soft as Harry moaned. She only stroked his face or his hair or hugged him harder while kissing him each time he moaned.

When she finally pulled away, she smiled and let her hand slid down his chest to his heart. "You're safe with me, Harry."