Ethereal

"No, you are not!" Harry protests immediately. "Mione let it go. It was my fault anyway for being careless."

Hermione paces the room, agitated. It's four in the morning and Harry cannot fathom how his best friend still has this much energy.

"Damn it Harry. You idiot, you could've died," the words stung in Harry's ears, but not as much as they hurt Hermione to say.

"I was handling it," Harry responds offhandedly, hoping to calm her down.

"You stumbling onto the street in front of my house bleeding half to death is handling it?"

Harry stays silent and Hermione grabs a chair. She sits directly facing Harry, knees bumping together. Hermione sighs heavily and looks up to meet the other's eyes.

"I'm sorry," Hermione admits in barely a whisper. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. If I had just told you, you wouldn't have left and then none of this would've happened."

"Who says that's why I left?" Harry asked, infuriatingly cocking his head to the side. His smirk was challenging and it made Hermione want to slap it away. This immature idiot.

"Oh, so you just do low ranking delivery missions for fun now?" Hermione retorted.

Harry breaks eye contact and hesitates to answer. "I had no right to be upset. It's your decision who you tell and when you tell them."

Hermione smiles.

"You know... you know I have and always will trust you... even with my life."

The confession tugs at Harry's heart. The bitter voice in his head spits, you still chose someone else to give your heart to. He keeps his mouth shut though. Wants to enjoy this moment before they get back to a reality where the girl in front of him is not his.

But Harry Potter is his own worst enemy, so he asks.

"So you're seeing someone?"

"Umm yeah, kind of," and Hermione wonders why she feels the need to undermine his relationship with Alex. "It's new."

"Right okay," he nods, "is it anybody I know?"

Please say no. Please say no. Please say no.

"No. No it's isn't," she replied, carefully as if she heard his thoughts. "We met at the education board committee meeting. He came by after a week and asked if I wanted him to run me through the proposal. I didn't realise it was a date, turns out it was."

Hermione hurried through the story, releasing a breath of relief when she realised that she didn't have to lie to Harry about any of this.

"That sounds... fun. You know interesting."

Yes, that is how he replied to the love of his life recounting her story of meeting her new boyfriend. Wait. Is he her boyfriend? Are they official?

"You need to sleep," Hermione says and Harry gladly lets the questing storming in his mind rest.

"Look who's talking? Don't you have work in three hours?"

"Yeah, I'll just head in early. No point going to sleep now."

"That sounds healthy," Harry retorts sarcastically.

"Come on, I'll help you get to bed," Hermione says standing up from her seat and extending a hand.

"I can walk by myself," he takes her hand nevertheless.

She releases his waist and arm when they reach the bedroom, slowly letting the man down on the bed. She ensures that he's comfortable. She fluffs the pillow, adjusts the blanket and all through the process Harry stares at her fondly.

She doesn't dare to look back at him. Wondering just what watching Harry, in her bed looking at her with that much affection, might do to her.

"Sleep, message me when you are awake. I'm sure there are some leftovers in the fridge. I'll swing by a restaurant and pick up food on the way back."

Harry says nothing, just nods.

Hermione takes one final look before turning around and leaving.

_____________________

She looks around her living room, cottons of blood and crimson splatters decorated the floor. Hermione got to work with a dampened cleaning cloth.

The scenery broke her apart.

Harry had bled so much, and so badly. The wound was really deep, she felt it while healing that reckless fool.

How can he let himself get that hurt?

Doesn't he know how many hollowed hearts he would leave behind if he doesn't fix his rash and impulsive behaviour?

A part of her blames herself. She could have told him the truth. Or, that night she could have made a little more effort to get him to stay.

But it's futile now.

_____________________

Another night of sleep skipped, and Hermione finds her legs aching each time she tried to move. Shouldn't her body adapt for the exhaustion by now?

After that horribly taxing day at work, the only highlight being the personally delivered lunch by Alex, Hermione makes her way back home.

The brunette has an unforgiving migraine.

She stumbles home, and Harry from his place in the kitchen yells, "before you ask I feel much better. So, I thought to thank you for your hospitality I will prepare you a meal. A home cooked meal. I'm sorry if you already got food-"

Harry turns around, and sees Hermione on the counter near the door, trying to hold herself up.

He rushes to her, as fast as he can in his injured form. A realisation dawns upon him.

"Mione, when was the last time you slept?"

She doesn't reply and he supports her till she is in her bedroom.

"You need to stop spending all those extra hours," he says removing her shoes, trying to get her comfortable.

"I need to Harry. There are so many people to protect, so many sectors to supervise. I can't -"

"You're the ministress of magic Mine!"

"Yes, I have to protect everyone. It's my job to look out for them." Hermione's headache intensifies and she knows she is speaking harshly.

Harry just looms above her, near her head. His gaze is too heavy for her when he asks, "and who protects you?"

That's the last thing before the last of the energy in her body burns out, her weariness takes over and she passes out.