Drarry One-Shots

True Love Touch - Part 2

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Hermione had her head buried in a book, five more scattered around her. Her fingers were stained with ink and her hair was messier than usual. A frown was on her face, but she resolutely didn't look up; not when a few second years started playing Exploding Snap, not when Seamus started telling a story in a loud tone, not when a few fourth years started giggling as they gossiped on the couch.

Ron was next to her, head resting on an open book and some drool starting to pool at the corner of his mouth. He didn't look like he would be waking up anytime soon.

The three of them had been sitting at the table since Ron and Hermione had come up from dinner, reading books and parchments, taking notes and coming up with theories. Now, it was dark outside and most people had already climbed the stairs to the dorms.

They weren't any closer to finding anything.

"Maybe we should get some sleep," Harry said, thumbing over the words 'old curse' on the book he had been trying to pay attention to.

"No, we should keep going for a little longer. We haven't found anything concrete yet."

"Hermione, we're all tired. We won't find anything in this state."

She sighed tiredly. Her elbows came up to rest on the table and she buried her face in her hands.

"We'll find something soon enough," he tried to reassure her as much as he tried to reassure himself.

"We will." Her voice wasn't quite sure and there was doubt in her eyes, but, tonight, her words were enough for Harry.

She reached out, hand outstretched to pat his, and the two of them froze. Her hand stopped midair and he retreated his own slowly from the table, placing it on his lap.

"I'm sorry," she started.

"Don't worry about it. I forget too."

She smiled at him, a small smile that was more concerned than reassuring. Then, she closed her book, golden letters spelling 'Love Spells' shinning in the dim light of the common room.

"Let's go to sleep. We'll pick this up again tomorrow."

Harry watched as she woke up Ron. She put a hand on his hair and run it through it slowly, her thumb catching on his forehead sometimes. She leaned down to whisper in his ear when he groaned sleepily and patted his back softly before stretching up again.

"Goodnight, Harry," she said, putting all her books and parchments in a neat pile at the end of the table.

Harry nodded at her and sent a smile her way, meaning to reassure her that he was alright and would be alright.

Ron was rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hands, yawning as he pushed the book he had been sleeping on to the centre of the table.

"I can't even look at words anymore," he mumbled.

Harry laughed and almost reached out to clap him over the shoulder, the reality of his situation hit him before he could.

"I'm going to bed." Ron got up from his seat. "You coming?"

"In a bit."

Ron grinned at him and didn't bother with closing the book before climbing the stairs to the dorm.

Harry still had his book in front of him, he pretended to scan the pages and take notes while he waited for the common room to empty. When there were only three fifth-years standing there, he closed the book and discarded the parchment full of the useless doodles he had made to pass time and went upstairs.