Sleepless Night

Sleepless Night

Harry Potter was flying through the air on his new broomstick. He felt the wind through his already messy hair, the air beneath his feet and a feeling of complete freedom.

Over the last month, it was only when soaring through the clouds that he could forget the events of the last full moon. The events that turned his life upside down, for more reasons than one.

The majority of Harry's time these last few weeks was spent thinking about That Night. The moment Professor Lupin helped the murderer Sirius Black off the floor of the Shrieking Shack and embraced him like a brother. The instant Harry produced his first corporeal Patronus. When Sirius asked Harry if he wanted to live with him. The moment Pettigrew escaped. The last conversation Harry had with his godfather.

Harry would often sit by the fireplace in the common room, lost in thought. His two best friends didn't need to ask what he was thinking - they knew all too well the effect That Night had on their friend.

Harry confessed once to Ron and Hermione that That Night was for him the best and worst time he had experienced in his life. He had never felt such anger and hatred then the moment he first saw Sirius. The man who was responsible for his parents deaths. The man who was going to kill him and probably his best friends too. And then, just a short while later, he had never felt happier. He was going to live with Sirius. His parents best friend. His godfather. And he would never have to see the Dursleys again. He would never have to live with them again - he was going to live with his real family.

Ron and Hermione smiled sadly when Harry confessed his thoughts. They knew how hard it had been for him and that there was nothing they could really say to make him feel better.

Harry went inside after his flight around the Hogwarts grounds. It was after dark - he had been flying around the Quidditch pitch with only his wand for light. He didn't know what time it was but he knew it was late. All the corridors were empty and the castle was quiet.

He gave the fat lady the password and entered the common room to find that all the Gryffindors, except for Ron and Hermione, had deserted it. They were sitting on the couch; Hermione with a book on her lap while Ron was leaning over the arm of the couch and roasting a marshmallow in the fireplace. His friends looked up at his arrival.

"It's really late Harry. You missed dinner. Where have you been all this time?" Hermione asked.

Harry looked at his broomstick in answer. "Well, I wasn't using this to clean the castle, Hermione," he smiled. "I just needed some time to clear my head."

He sat down between Ron and Hermione on the couch. Ron pointed to a plate on the table. "We brought you some dinner back."

Harry looked at the plate. He had totally forgotten about dinner and now that he thought about it, he was starting to feel hungry. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Ron replied, standing up. "Well, I think I'll head off to bed. Night guys."

Harry and Hermione both said goodnight as Ron walked up to the boys dormitories. Hermione went back to her book while Harry ate some food. When he finished, Hermione closed her book and turned to him.

"You okay?" she asked, concern clear in her eyes.

"Well, you know..." Harry trailed off.

"Yeah," Hermione smiled softly at him. "Yeah, I know."

They sat together in silence for a few more moments.

"Well, I think I'm going to go to bed too. Goodnight Harry," Hermione said, squeezing Harry's knee gently before she stood up.

"Goodnight Hermione," he replied, watching her walk across the common room and up to the girls dorms.

Well, Harry thought to himself, might as well go to bed too.

Harry closed the hangings around his bed and climbed under the covers. While his daytime thoughts wandered to That Night, his nighttime thoughts did too. However, at night, he always recalled different aspects of That Night that had nothing to do with Sirius, Lupin, Snape, Dumbledore or even Ron. They were of Hermione.

Before Harry went to sleep at night, every night, visions and memories assaulted his senses. He remembered the feel of her body moulded against his as they cowered before the werewolf Lupin. The way she shielded him from Sirius and told him he would have to go through her to get to Harry, her voice shaking.

Harry stared at the ceiling as the memories surrounded him. He didn't want to spend his nights thinking about Hermione. He didn't know why his mind went to those memories each and every night. But they did and as hard as he tried, he couldn't get rid of them.

Harry eventually surrendered to the memories and let them envelope him. It was then that he was finally able to drift off to sleep.

Harry awoke with a start. He couldn't remember what he had been dreaming, but the thin layer of sweat on his forehead and the pounding in his chest told him it hadn't been pleasant. He tried to go back to sleep but it was in vain.

He climbed out of bed, grabbed a book from his bedside table and a blanket from the end of his bed, and headed down to the common room. If I can't sleep, might as well catch up on some reading, he thought.

When he reached the steps down to the common room he was surprised to find Hermione, sitting on the end of the couch closest to the recently lit fire. In fact he was so surprised he stopped and closed his eyes. He had to see whether he was dreaming or not. He reopened his eyes and found her still sitting there - he wasn't dreaming.

He continued down the stairs and it was then that Hermione noticed his presence.

"Hey," she whispered softly, a slight smile on her face. "What are you doing up?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," he replied, descending the last few steps into the common room.

"Couldn't sleep," she told him and she watched her friend cross the room to stand at a nearby window.

Harry smiled. "Me neither," he said, keeping his back to her and gazing out into the Hogwarts grounds.

A comfortable silence settled between them. It was broken a few minutes later by a heavy sigh from Harry.

Hermione studied his form for a moment. Although she could only see the back of him, she knew him well enough to know something was troubling him. She debated whether to ask him about it or whether she should wait and hope he would confide in her.

"It's a full moon tonight," Harry spoke softly, turning to face Hermione.

"I know."

"Do you think they're okay? Sirius and Lupin?" he asked, walking over to her. He dropped the book and blanket on the floor beside the couch, not really having a need for either anymore.

"I'm sure they're fine," she reassured him as he sat down next to her. "Buckbeak too," she added with a grin.

He returned her smile, then leaned back onto the couch, absentmindedly running his hand through his hair.

"So why can't you sleep?" she asked. Harry turned and saw the look of concern on her face. It reminded him of when she knelt before him in the snow, just after he found out Sirius was his godfather.

"I don't know. Have a lot on my mind I guess," he answered honestly. He just didn't elaborate to the fact she was one of the things on his mind. "What about you?"

Hermione shrugged. "Same as you I guess. I haven't been sleeping very well lately," she added, almost as an afterthought.

She lifted her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Harry's own hand tingled as he was assaulted by the memory of having her hand in his as they ran through the Forbidden Forest. He remembered feeling a similar sensation at the time but thought it was merely the adrenalin from the night's events. Now he knew it wasn't. It was Hermione.

Harry shook his head, hoping to shake these thoughts away. Hermione was his best friend. So why did he get shivers when she looked at him, like the way she was looking at him now? Harry was pretty sure platonic friendship was supposed to be a shiverless territory.

Hermione leaned back onto the couch, shifting to get comfortable. Harry noticed her hand resting on the couch between them. He was suddenly struck by the desire to hold it and never let go. He shifted under the pretence of getting comfortable and nonchalantly placed his hand next to hers. Their fingers were barely touching yet Harry could feel the tingles coming again. He wanted so much to reach out and hold her hand again, this time without their lives being in mortal danger so he could savour the feeling of having her hand in his.

He stole a glimpse at Hermione. She had a far away look in her eyes and a slight smile on her face. To him, seeing her sitting there in her pyjamas with that expression on her face, she had never looked more beautiful.

Harry inhaled sharply. He could feel Hermione slowly moving her pinkie finger against his own. It was a subtle yet unmistakable gesture.

Harry gathered up all of his Gryffindor bravery and shifted his hand to place it over hers. To his immense relief, she did not pull away. In fact, she turned her hand over so their fingers could interlace properly.

They sat together in silence. Hermione shifted and rested her head on Harry's shoulder. Harry felt like he couldn't breathe.

"I'm sleepy," Hermione drawled, stifling a yawn.

Harry rested his head gently on hers. He never wanted to move again. He wanted to stay this close to Hermione forever.

Ron descended the steps down from the dorms into the common room at this ungodly hour of the morning. He didn't expect to see anyone in the common room. And he certainly didn't expect to see his two best friends asleep together on the couch. Ron crept closer to the two figures on the couch, just to check. Yes, Harry and Hermione were holding hands and snuggled together on the common room couch.

Ron smiled. He was sure his friends wouldn't want the rest of their house to find them like this. He was going to wake them, but looking at how calm and peaceful they looked; he didn't have the heart to. He saw a blanket on the floor next to the couch and so picked it up and draped it over his friends' laps. At least that way, no one else would see them holding hands.

Ron watched his friends for a moment before turning and walking out of the common room, whistling as he went.