Author's Note: Many DH spoilers. POST DEATHLY HALLOWS!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything goes to JK Rowling.
One - September 1st, 2017
Harry let his arm fall to his side, recalling his first trip to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Now, two of his children were on their way, but he was thankful his beautiful daughter would have two more years to wait. Harry wasn't ready to see his daughter off, letting her out into the world of magic. Her brothers wouldn't look after her; they were too busy chasing after girls, bless their teenage hearts. Harry, however, had to make sure that his oldest, James, did not go running after a certain sixth year.
James had a particular interest in older females. Harry took note of this when his son was only eight years old, when he had begged Victoire Weasley to marry him. She was nearly thirteen. Of course she turned him down; she had been "seeing" a fourth year. But Harry was certainly concerned for his son's well-being. He absolutely would not allow James to become attached to Adara Winggenrogh. She looked exactly like her mother: long, brown curls, with vibrant brown eyes to match. Her face was sprinkled with few freckles. Harry smiled to himself.
"So how about we all go out for lunch, now that the majority of the children are on their way to school. Lily, you're welcome to come with us!" Ron had interrupted Harry's thoughts with his proposal to, of course, go and eat.
"I'd love to come with you. Daddy's promised me another story about when he was in school," Lily said, grinning. Her fire-red hear was tied back into a pony-tail, her bright green eyes shining with anticipation.
"Ah, but I said bedtime, young lady. Not lunch time!" Harry reached down and scooped her up into his arms, tickling her belly jokingly. She squealed and attempted to wiggle herself out of her father's arms.
"Alright, Daddy! Please let me down now." Harry gently placed her feet back on the ground. "Hugo, do you want to come with us?"
The little boy turned scarlet, looking very bashful. "I'd like to go." The adults laughed.
Harry proposed the Leaky Cauldron, seeing as they could all make a trip to Diagon Alley afterwards. Everyone agreed.
--
"So, it's going to be pretty quiet in the house with only Lily, isn't it, Ginny? I mean, now that your two boys have gone to school, there will be less commotion, correct?" Hermione raised a mug of hot tea to her lips.
"Yes, I suppose it will be quite quiet. Lily's always very happy when James isn't teasing her all the time." Ginny looked over at her daughter, who was slurping chicken soup from a very large spoon.
"Ron, do you mind if I steal your wife for a moment. We have some special business to discuss." Harry stood up from his chair.
"'Courshe. Gin and I have shtuff to talk 'bout anywaysh." Ron was busy taking monstrous bites of a lettuce, cheese and tomato sandwich. Hermione neatly folded her napkin and placed in beside her plate before standing up. She and Harry walked upstairs to a private room. As soon as the door was shut behind them, Hermione let out an exasperated sigh.
"Did you see her, Hermione?"
Hermione walked over to a poorly-cushioned chair placed next to the small window overlooking the street. "Yes, Harry, I did."
Harry strode over to her, concerned, and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hermione, I know this is hard. She's my daughter too, you know. But at least we can watch her grow up. She seems exactly like you. Luckily, she turned out just like her mother, hm?"
Hermione's eyes swelled up with tears. "Harry, there's so much that's wrong in this! Adara doesn't know that the Winggenrogh's aren't her real parents, and we made sure, Harry, that they would have told her by the time she started at Hogwarts. How old is she Harry? Sixteen, nearly seventeen, years old. Does she know that her father is the well-known Harry Potter? No! Does she know that her real mother is a book-crazed woman with two children? No!" She let the tears fall now. "Can I ask you one thing?"
Harry nodded, draping an arm over his best friend's shoulder. "Anything for you."
She inhaled, then said, "Do you love Ginny?" She said it in a whisper.
This time, Harry sighed. Hermione already knew his answer. Or, at least, she thought she knew. Hermione shook her head, feeling stupid for asking such a horrendous question. Of course he loved her! Harry and Ginny had three beautiful children. He wouldn't have stayed with her for this long if he didn't feel any attachment.
"No, Hermione. Not anymore. She is, well, she's a wonderful woman, but I feel as though she is only my past. I love her as a person, Hermione, but she and I.. We've been putting on a show. Any gala, or another special occasion, we've been wearing masks. Even to you and Ron! Hermione, ever since you and I, well, since Adara was born, I have lost any physical attraction towards Ginny."
Hermione was surprised with his answer. Before she could say anything, however, Harry continued.
"You see, after James was born, Ginny felt that I was not giving her all the attention she deserved. I was there with her at St. Mungo's, for every second of her painful labour. And then for Albus, and finally Lily. Hermione, when you were pregnant, tell me, was I that bad? I am not that horrible person, am I?"
Hermione looked up into Harry's eyes. "Harry, I don't know where Ginny got that idea, because, Harry, you are a wonderful person."
Harry gave her a very appreciative look, knowing she was being completely honest with him. He sighed again. "We'd better get back, Hermione. They may suspect something. I don't want to give Ginny another reason to be irritated with me. Do you want to catch up later?"
Hermione smiled, stood up, and said, "How about dinner, tomorrow night, at the Hog's Head. How's that sound?" She examined her appearance in the dusty mirror, scrunching her hair a little bit. Harry nodded in her direction. "Oh, and Harry?"
"Yes, Hermione?" Harry asked, going to stand behind her. He rested his chin on Hermione's shoulder, and placed his hands tenderly on her hips.
"Do you think, if.. Oh, never mind. It's a stupid question. What was I thinking?" Hermione shook the thoughts out of her mind. Harry closed his eyes and inhaled Hermione's scent. She smelled of vanilla sugar. Harry let into temptation and planted a gentle kiss on the nape of her neck. Hermione let out a soft "Oh." She turned around to face Harry, a faint smile visible on her face. Hermione did as her impulses told her. She stood up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. It had been four long years since they had had any sexual contact.
Harry took the opportunity to wrap his arms beneath Hermione's bottom, pulling her up onto him. He carried her over to the very rickety bed, and laid her down gently. Their kiss broke, and Harry searched Hermione's eyes for an okay to continue. Her smile lead him forward, and their lips met again. Harry took the liberty to unbutton the top three buttons of her blouse. It was a soft purple. After the third button was undone, a solid black bra had started to peek out. Harry kissed the soft skin at her collarbone.
Unfortunately, reality had come back to them. "Daddy? Aunt Hermione?"
Harry and Hermione froze, their eyes wide, looking at each other. Harry sprung up, grabbed Hermione's hands to pull her to her feet, and tried to straighten out. Hermione fumbled with the buttons on her shirt, but managed to get them done just as Harry opened the door.
"Dad! What were you doing?"
"Nothing, darling. Have you finished your lunch?" Harry quickly looked over his shoulder to make sure that Hermione was decent. He, then, knelt down to his daughter's height.
"Yeah. It was kind of goopy, though. Aunt Hermione, what's wrong?" Lily had noticed Hermione's rosied cheeks, and her slight panting.
"I'm okay. Nothing's wrong at all. What do you say I take you to Flourish and Blotts? Go get Hugo, and I'll take you both, okay?" Hermione was beaming down at her neice. The girl grinned and ran downstairs. Harry stood up and looked at Hermione. "Well, that was close," Hermione said, still smiling.
"Tell me about it. Let's finish this tomorrow evening, all right? How's that sound?" Harry placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.
"Lovely." Hermione glided past Harry and walked out the door, deliberately swaying her hips a little more than usual, just to tease him. Harry closed his eyes, thinking of what surprises tomorrow might bring.
Harry had waited so long to be intimate with Hermione. They had been through so much. He knew how much she was hurting. Her first daughter was put up for adoption, her husband offered her no help in raising their two children, and she was in love with her best friend of twenty-six years.
He shook the thoughts of Hermione's problems from his head. He, too, then walked downstairs to finish his lunch, and joined the others.