Disclaimer: The song belongs to Taylor Swift; the characters to JKR.

You gave me roses, and I left them there to die
Wishign I'd realised what I had when you were mine
- Taylor Swift

It had been a while since she'd seen him last. Her fault too. They'd accidentally bumped into each other leaving the Ministry on this crisp October evening. They made small talk; everything from The Weasley, to Teddy, to work and the weather. He was unusually reserved, but it made sense. Again, it was her fault. The roses he left on her desk at work... that she didn't see that fateful day as she dashed off to the Leaky Cauldron to meet Seamus... died before she found them.. And with them died her relationship with Harry.

*HGHP*

Since running into Harry at work she couldn't sleep, her chocolate brown curls becoming more and more tangled as she tossed and turned, remembering the day she left him. She knew that she shouldn't have gone to meet Seamus, and she regretted it ever so much. She didn't call on his birthday. She couldn't face him. But she thinks about the summer a years back from now, how they spent all their time together visiting places in both the Wizarding and Muggle London. And how, by the time October of last year came, she knew she loved him. But then winter arrived, and Harry had to work late a lot. The doubts invaded her mind and she sought comfort in the arms of her former Gryffindor peer, Seamus Finnigan. Harry had given her everything. All she had given Harry was heartache.

*HGHP*

She missed him ever so much. They'd been friends since first year, since that September day, in their first term of Hogwarts, when he comforted her after Malfoy and his cronies had made fun of her, the first time he say her cry. He was always so good to her, sweet smiles across the room, making sure she was okay and always putting her first. She imagined going back, changing her mind, not going to meet Seamus... If she had her time over again, she'd swear she'd love him properly. But that would probably never happen... She hurt him too much.

*HGHP*

Now here she was finally knocking on his door. As he opened it she began talking before he could turn her away. "Harry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I doubted you. I'm sorry I went to Seamus. I'm sorry I never realised how much I truly love you. I know you probably don't want to see me right now, but I need to get this out. I love you. I always have, and Merlin knows I always will. I'm begging you to forgive me. I go back to that December night all the time in my mind and change my actions, but you know I can't actually do that, not without meddling too deeply with Time. It turns out that being free of my doubts, just means missing you more. I want to be with you. Please Harry, I'm so sorry."

She broke down crying, unable to hold it in any longer.

Looking at her standing in front of him, reduce to a broken shell, he had always loved her; her apology was all it really took for him to forgive her.

"Hermione," he whispered smiling lovingly down at her, "You know we can't continue where we left off." Her face adopted a pained expression and she looked down so that he wouldn't see the tears in her eyes. Gently he lifted her chin tenderly with his index finger, grazing her cheek with his thumb as he said, "the reason for that is that it wouldn't be enough for me. Hermione Jean Granger, I love with every last fibre of my being, and," he bent down on one knee, clasping her hand tightly, "I want to marry you. Please?" He waited nervously with baited breath for her to reply.

"Harry," she gasped unbelievingly "Only if you are sure."

He nodded.

"Of course I'll marry you," she smiled kissing him slowly, gently, tenderly, much like their first kiss all those years ago.

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