"I'm okay with that."
                              
"Harry! Would you be fine if he was completely dependent on you? That every second you are called away he goes to pieces?" Hermione said.
                              
"No," Harry murmured.
                              
"Then why is it okay for you to be hurting? You need to find some balance, some help. Yes, he's important, but his absence can't break you like it is right now," she said, softly.
                              
"I don't exactly know how to fix it."
                              
"Talking about what is wrong will help."
                              
Harry shook his head.
                              
"Can you talk to Draco about it?" she tried.
                              
"I tell him my dreams," Harry said, quietly.
                              
"That's not enough! You have to tell him how you feel... how much you need him."
                              
"He's busy... as you said, dealing with his own problems. He doesn't need mine."
                              
"Wrong. You have to share your burdens, if you really want to be a couple."
                              
"Who said we are a couple?" Harry said, giving her a knowing look.
                              
Hermione snorted and poked his neck. "You should be really happy that it's me coming down and not anyone else. Your glamour came off."
                              
Harry felt the spot she had poked. Neck marks. "Sorry."
                              
"Why are you apologizing?" she said, smiling happily. "You guys are together. I imagine kissing is going on... maybe more."
                              
"Hermione!" Harry gasped, blushing a deep red. Blaise was one thing, but Hermione was practically his sister.
                              
"You really are embarrassed, aren't you?" Hermione sighed and pulled her beaded bag out. "I got something for you."
                              
"For embarrassment?" Harry muttered, covering his face with his hands. He hated that it bugged him so much.
                              
"Technically... but I think it's necessary," she said and pulled one of his hands off his face to drop a book in it.
                              
Harry sat up and Hermione sat next to him as he read the cover. Magical Meddling by Professor Duplicitous Querk and the cover had several revolving photos of couples snogging. Not just boys and girls. There were even some girls kissing girls and boys kissing boys, too.
                              
"You got me a..." Harry said, going redder. This was not happening.
                              
"Self-help book?" Hermione offered.
                              
"A sex manual?" he sputtered, afraid to even look at it. He expected Ron or Blaise to pull this crap. But a book to have sex? Magically? From Hermione? He didn't want to hold it anymore and loosened his grip.
                              
"Harry, you told me yourself that you had no idea what you are doing. You can't just... muddle your way through it. You need to know how," she said, glaring at him enough that he didn't try to hand it back.
                              
"I can't have a book like this around! What if Ron or Neville finds it?" Harry said with desperation. 
                              
"You need to understand how to do it and what precautions you have to take. Now, you either read the book, or we'll have an even more unpleasant conversation," she growled.
                              
Harry took her at her word. "Okay! Okay! I'll read it... just never...."
                              
"Yes, I know. Guys can't talk about it... I understood the guy code. And you all think girls are mental."
                              
Harry gave her a light smile and said, "Thanks... for the book. I... don't know... I never have...."
                              
"Me either, Harry. Stop being so embarrassed. And you're welcome."