Haunting Dreams and Sleepless Nights

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It's been over a year since I wrote a fanfiction because the ideas have gone dry so if I'm rusty sorry.

Hedwig began to fidget in her cage; she hadn't been out all week. Her stirring woke Harry from a sleep he'd like to forget. Dreams still haunted him of every meeting he'd ever had with Voldemort and sometimes the outcomes were different. Sometimes he didn't survive. Harry rubbed his eyes and reached for his glasses. They were on the bedside table where he had left them before dropping into a lingering dream-filled sleep.

"I'm coming," he told the bird. He opened the cage and let her out. Harry's flat was not far from Diagon Alley, which had been its first attraction. After graduating from school Harry had found work as an Auror with the Ministry easily. After his defeat of Voldemort he was hailed the Official Golden Boy of the Wizarding World. Even worse, the loss of his best friend had caused Harry to fall into a depression deeper than any well.

Ron had always been so jealous of Harry's fame. And all Harry wanted was to be normal, which was hard enough in the wizarding world and even harder out of it. But when the time came for Ron to contribute to the fight against Voldemort he did it in the only way he knew how...he sacrificed himself. At the time it hadn't seemed final to Harry or to Hermione who had fought alongside Harry as well. The realism hadn't hit them. They were both numb and when it did finally hit them at Ron's funeral service they broke down into convulsing sobs and held each other. It was the only time that Harry could remember seeing Hermione like that; fragile and completely vulnerable. It broke his heart that she had to go through this, though; secretly he was glad he didn't have to go through it by himself. Immediately after Ron's death Harry had begun dreaming about his days at Hogwarts. He dreamed simple things, like the trio going to lunch together and silly things like that. He thought about their friendship and what each contributed. He was brave, Hermione was smart, and Ron was...Suddenly, at that moment Harry had understood Ron's feelings. He understood that Ron had felt out of place amongst Harry and Hermione who were both seen as the best at something. Harry felt guilty that he had never shown Ron just how much he meant to him.

A loud pop sounded and Harry looked around the darkened room.

A familiar voice spoke, "I couldn't sleep either."

The person slipped into the bed and under the covers where Harry had returned after letting Hedwig go.

"Harry, do you still dream about him?"

"Every night," he said honestly.

Hermione nodded silently. Harry could hear her begin to cry but he didn't move to comfort her. She usually didn't like when he did that, it made her feel weak and she didn't like that. "Me too," she snuggled further under the blanket.

"I hate him for leaving us," Hermione said, sounding like a child.

Harry grabbed her hand, "You don't mean that. I know you don't."

She sniffled and wiped her face with her other hand.

She was always like this nowadays. In public Hermione was the strong Mediwitch that everyone expected her to be. She was the Hermione Granger that would've been if Ron were still with them and she hadn't suffered the blow that she had. But in private, when with Harry, she became herself. These days she loved reading, watching Muggle movies, and cooking. But even when she was laughing and having fun her eyes showed pain.

She scooted closer to Harry. "What day is it?"

"Friday morning," he answered.

"What time?" she asked.

Harry glanced at the clock before answering, "About one o'clock."

She nodded again.

After a while they fell asleep and woke again at about eight o'clock. Hermione woke first and shook Harry awake.

"Harry, we both have to get to work."

He grumbled, "Why can't we take off?"

"Because we took off last week," she reminded him. She got out of bed and threw off the traveling cloak she had slept in, revealing her night clothes. She opened the top drawer of Harry's bureau drawer where she kept her extra clothing for work. She changed quickly in the bathroom and Harry did the same in the bedroom.

They met in the living room before Disapperating, "Meet me for lunch?" he asked before kissing her cheek.

"Antonio's?" She asked.

"Takes too long. Meet me at The Pub."

"Harry we ate there last time." She was whining but she was smiling. It was one of the rare moments where she was having fun.

"Where then?"

"Leaky Cauldron?" he asked.

"Always a favorite, see you at lunch," and then they both disappeared.

Harry worked until noon when he got off for lunch. He made his way to the Leaky Cauldron where Hermione, decked out in her hospital attire, was already waiting.

She had ordered for the both of them and sat waiting patiently for her friend.

As he sat down she said, "Guess what?"

Harry took a bite of his sandwich and shrugged.

"I won a vacation!" She was smiling again and Harry was confused.

He swallowed, "What?"

"At the hospital we all entered this thing where you win a two week vacation for two people in this Bed and Breakfast in London! I won! And you're coming with me! We leave tomorrow."

A/N Review please! I totally did not intend for the story to turn out this way. Not at all, this is weird. But anyway, just wait. I'm still rusty as I said so give me time.