Disclaimer: JKR owns everything HP, I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit of fun.

In Dreams He Comes

Ron Weasley unconsciously twitched his nose in attempt to hold back the tears that were now so close to falling. He sighed dejectedly as a few hot tears rolled down his cheeks. He glanced at the blank expression on Hermione's face and quickly jerked his head away. After the death of Harry, Hermione had never been the same. They had been engaged and were to be married as soon as the war was over. In the final battle Voldemort had been defeated, but so had Harry and thus left Hermione in room 193 on the fourth floor of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

She refused to talk to anyone. The doctors repeatedly explained to Ron that it could possibly be shock, or the fact that she just wasn't ready to talk about her traumatic experience yet. Ron faithfully visited her in hopes that she'd soon talk to him. His attempts thus far had failed miserably, but he refused to stop coming to her side.

“Hermione, it's me Ron. Hope you've been doing well, Mum sends her regards. She asked me to bring you these,” he held up a few truffles. He sighed as he threw the truffles from the last visit out and replaced them with the fresh ones. “Bill's marrying Fleur in a month; we're all hoping you can make it. Ginny wanted me to tell you that she and Neville are doing great, and she'll be in to see you soon.” He stopped talking to search for a sign of coherence, but to his avail, none.

Hermione continued to stare at the white wall laid out in front of her. Her eyes held no emotion and sat unblinkingly. Ron sighed heavily.

“'Mione, please come back to us! We need you!” The tears finally won the war. “You left us so soon. I know Harry's gone, and I know you loved him, but there are so many people here who love you and want you to be happy again…including me. Please Hermione, come back to us!” Ron pleading grasped her hand in his, but she merely blinked.

“It's not right you know! The prophecy said that neither could live while the other survived, but it never said anything about both dying. I don't understand…I don't understand why you're here!”

Ron soon realized that he'd spent over an hour ranting to what he thought to be an emotionless Hermione. “Well, I should be getting back to work now. I'll be back in a couple of days to see how you're doing, `Mione.”

He grudgingly released her hand from his and kissed her forehead. “Sleep well, love.” He smiled sadly.

……………………………………..

“Hermione,” Harry whispered lovingly into her ear as he softly pushed back strands of hair from her face. “'Mione, it's me…Harry. Look at me sweetie.”

Hermione gasped as she turned to see her only love smiling down at her. She sat bolt upright and gaped at him. “Harry? You—you're—“

“Shh…it's alright,” he placed a single finger across her lips. Once he'd removed his finger she touched her lips disbelievingly. This couldn't possibly have been Harry! He'd died over a month ago!

“I think this has been too much of a shock for you, I'll come back tomorrow night to see you, love. Just know that I love you.” He smiled sadly and kissed her lips.

When Hermione opened her eyes Harry was gone. She sighed. One of the first signs of communication since his death.

There's no possible way that was Harry…he's dead and he'll never be back for me! Why? Why you Harry? Why were you ripped from my arms?

Hot tears streamed down Hermione's pale cheeks as she remembered the words he'd said to her. Were they real? In her heart she felt that they were and indeed Harry had been here, but her logical mind told her that she'd only been dreaming.

Was she dreaming?

…………………………………

“Has she shown any sign of communication?” Ginny asked one of the many doctors on duty.

“No, there's been no change since she first arrived. Now if you'll excuse me, I have many other patients to attend to.”

“Thanks,” Ginny rolled her eyes.

She knocked quietly on the door, as if it would alert Hermione to her presence. She never noticed when any of them came to visit her, so what was the use really?

“Hey Hermione!” Ginny squealed. “How are you today? Well, that's good, I'm glad to see you're improving. Ron said he'd be in to see you tomorrow. He's caught up helping Fred and George with the shop at the moment. Gosh, `Mione…I hope you can make it to the wedding! It's not for a while now, but I really need you to be there for me. I'm so nervous, and I know Neville is too…he's always nervous about stuff like that.” She paused to laugh. “You should have seen him when he first tried to kiss me! We both blundered that one up!”

Ginny sat and continued to talk to Hermione. It made her feel better even though she received no answer. She never stayed as long as Ron did, it made her a bit uncomfortable, but she always stayed at least half an hour. When forty-five minutes had passed Ginny excused herself from Hermione's side.

“Now don't worry, I'll take care of Ron and the twins. I've had to take up your stead lately in that department. Where would they be without us girls, eh? Well, sleep tight `Mione…I'll see you later.” Ginny gently squeezed Hermione's limp hand and left the room with one last sad glance at her best friend.

……………………….

“Hermione, look at me sweetie…wake up,” Harry gently shook her shoulders.

“Harry, stop…just five more minutes, please,” Hermione sighed and rolled over.

“No, `Mione…wake up…I want to talk to you baby,” he smiled and even laughed a little.

Hermione sat up in her bed and groggily rubbed her eyes. She yawned before opening them again.

“Harry?” She asked stunned. Sure she'd seen him last night, but that'd been a dream. And yet, here he was with her again.

“It's about time you wake up!” He teased.

“Harry, this isn't funny! I'm having a hard enough time as it is without you visiting me in my dreams…this better not be a joke!” She exclaimed and crossed her arms across her chest.

“Hermione, this is no joke. I can't reveal all to you just yet, but I have made it to where I can come be with you every night. I just hope that this will be enough for us right now,” he explained.

“What do you mean by you can't reveal all to me just yet?” She asked confused.

“Just that `Mione…just that.”

“Oh,” she nodded, still not quite understanding what he meant by it.

“Come with me sweetie,” he took her hand.

“Where are we going?”

“You'll see,” he smiled mischievously.

“Baby you know I hate surprises!” Hermione moaned.

She closed her eyes and felt the familiar pull of a portkey. When she opened them she was standing alongside Harry in a beautiful, warm cottage. She walked to the window. It was snowing outside…it'd been so long since she'd seen it snow.

Harry stood on a white polar bear skin rug directly in front of a huge antique fireplace. The roaring fire gave off an orange glow to the cottage and illuminated Harry's eyes.

“Harry, tell me something,” she hugged him closely.

“Anything, love,” he kissed the top of her head.

“Why am I a normal person again when you're around me, but I'm not when Ron and the others come to see me at St. Mungo's?”

“I can't explain that now either love. I'm sorry.”

Hermione sighed. “Well, at least I'm with you now. Even if you are dead, I'll be happy to see you in my dreams every night.”

“Hermione, I'm not really dead and this is not exactly a dream. That's all I can say,” Harry explained.