"Harry!"
He would never get tired of the way her sing-song voice carried up the stairs when she arrived home. Standing up from the small grey padded bench that sat neatly at the end of their king size bed he glanced around. It would always amaze him how completely practical she was. Everything had a specific place and it was all decorated in matching shades of light grey. From their comforter to their curtains everything matched, everything except for the pop of color coming from her favorite teal wing backed reading chair that sat facing the small fireplace. She kept all her books in the library down the hall but there was always at least one or two large tomes sitting on the table next to her chair just waiting to be picked up again. He couldn't help but think of how lucky he was to be engaged to such a wonderful, hard-working, beautiful woman.
"In the bedroom dear!"
He called in reply. The noise of her bustling around downstairs brought a small smile to his face as he wandered over to their shared walk-in closet to fetch his black three-piece muggle suit and her dress bag that was charmed to only open for her to keep him from snooping. He could not wait to see what she would be wearing this evening to the annual Christmas ball at the Ministry. While the decor didn't change much from year to year, the dress she wore always was drastically different than the one she wore the year prior. Last year she wore that delicious body-hugging sapphire blue dress that was covered in sparkles. The plunging neckline had rested just below her breastbone, on anyone else it would have been too much but for her it was perfect. They had danced the night away before stumbling through the entryway of their flat desperately trying to rid the other of their dress clothes before finding their way to the bedroom, ending their wonderful night with the kind of slow lovemaking only those who are completely in tuned with each other's bodies can accomplish.
Thinking back he couldn't believe it had been four years since Ginny left. They had tried to make it work after the war and had given it a good four years of their lives but Ginny just could not get used to the idea of a quiet life with a few babies and careers. They spent the first year of their relationship relishing in the freedom while Ginny finished her final year at Hogwarts and three years after trying to find some middle ground but Ginny wanted excitement and parties and Harry wanted a career and a family, they could never agree. When the Holly Head Harpies owled asking Ginny to be their new starting seeker she had jumped at the opportunity and never looked back. A quicked scribbled note telling Harry that she was leaving and didn't expect him to wait for her was all he found on her cold pillow the next morning. Her belongings were gone and so was she. It was a little ironic how alike the two youngest Weasleys were. Ron had told Hermione after the war that their desperate shared kiss had meant nothing and had promptly left to travel the world, living off his war money to keep a never-ending string of woman and booze the only constant in his life.
Sure it had hurt at first. Losing his best friend only to fall into a toxic relationship with the woman who was supposed to be his forever had actually hurt like hell. He would never understand how Hermione had just taken it in stride and concentrated on her career in the Ministry's department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures slowly moving up the ranks until she became the head of the department. It was all she could do to get him to get out of bed and shower before making sure he made it to his job as an Auror on time in the first few months after Ginny left. She was the only thing that had kept him from retreating inside himself, quitting his job and sitting in the ever dark Grimmauld Place. It had been her idea, after all, to pack up his belongings and buy what was now their flat in the Muggle community.
Honestly looking back he can't believe it took him so long to work up the courage to kiss her. She had looked so beautiful sitting cross-legged on his new navy blue couch in that silly oversized jumper of hers that always hung off one shoulder exposing her perfect creamy skin and kissable collarbone. She had on those silly reindeer leggings again that she swore were the only thing to wear when decorating his front room with a tree and tinsel. It was his first Christmas in his new flat and she made sure that the cream and navy decor was smothered in twinkling lights, two stockings hung from the fireplace and a Christmas film was playing on the telly. They had retreated to the couch, cups of cocoa in hand to watch the film together after she had declared the living room was 'perfect'.
The movie was beginning to wind down, everything always magically fell together in these ridiculous romantic films and he caught himself secretly wishing it was really that easy. He heard her sigh and watched her from the corner of his eye as she stretched her petite frame before leaning over to lay her head on his shoulder. He could still smell her shampoo, of course, she still uses that exact same one scented with jasmine but that's because he had confessed to her that night three years ago that it was his new favorite scent.
Still to this day he had no idea what came over him that evening when he wrapped his arm snugly around her pulling her closer. The end credits were starting to roll when he heard her whisper, "I wish it could be that simple." It was in that instance that he knew. It could be that easy. So on the couch snuggled up with the fire crackling in the background he tilted her chin up, surprised cinnamon eyes stared up at him and he whispered, "It can be Hermione, but only if you truly believe."
The kiss they shared that night had started out hesitant but soon it deepened into something that awakened something dormant in both of them. A passion and fire neither had ever experienced bubbled to life that day and had never left.
"Harry dear why are you not dressed yet? The ball starts in two hours." Her hands wrapped around his waist and he felt her cheek between his shoulder blades shaking him back to the present. Twisting in her embrace he bent and pressed a kiss to her forehead. His nose was used to the tickling sensation that came from the handful of fly-aways that had managed to break free from her long side plait.
"I was just thinking about how lucky I am to be so hopelessly in love with you."
Her nose wrinkled and her eyes lit up as she beamed up at him. A quick peck on the lips and she moved away to gather her dress bag and a box of shoes from under the bed.
"I am going to shower and get ready in the guest room so you don't ruin the surprise." She said with a mischievous smirk.
He patiently watched her march silently out of the room, arms full with that elusive mystery dress that he couldn't wait to see. Walking over to the bed he gathered his suit and underthings before heading to their en-suite bathroom to shower and make himself presentable. Everything was a neat in this room as it was in their bedroom. A large white marble tub dominated one corner of the room, an equally large matching stall shower took its place in another corner leaving room for their long double vanity on the right side. Laying his clothes on the counter he rid himself of his clothes and stepped into the shower to freshen up and give himself a better chance of taming his wild hair. Although he doubted anyone would be too interested in his disheveled hair when he was standing next to his gorgeous fiance.
Down the hall, she waited to hear the shower turn on before releasing the charm on the dress bag and unzipping it. Hanging it up on the closet door she smiled smugly. She had chosen wisely. It was a beautiful deep burgundy strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline. There was silver embroidery twinkling here and there over the bust that slowly got closer and closer together before ending in a cascade of silver at the bottom of the tulle skirt. It hugged her in all the right places and even gave the illusion of full hips which was hard to do since she had none. Turning away from her dress she headed to the en-suite to get ready for the evening.
Stepping out of the large marble shower with pink glowing skin freshly shaved and exfoliated always such a liberating feeling. Stepping up to the mirror she carefully took the time to apply her make-up by hand setting it with a quick spell to make sure it lasted through the night. She went for a subtle look with a nude eyeshadow, soft pink blush, mascara coating her long thick eyelashes and a little gloss to make her lips shimmer. waving her wand her hair dried and cascaded down her back in smooth curls ending just below her ribs.
Checking the clock she was happy to see she was running right on schedule. Going to the bed she pulled on her black lace underwear, the matching strapless bra and attached thigh high stockings to her matching garter belt. A secret surprise for Harry to unwrap at the end of the night. Stepping into her three-inch silver pumps she cast a cushioning and stability charm that made her feel as if she was wearing flats. Lastly, she took her gown down off the hook, slipping it on she felt its corset back magically tighten itself before vanishing her laces and the back of her bra to expose an expanse of skin to tease Harry with.
Waiting at the bottom of the stairs at precisely Eight p.m. Harry couldn't help himself from shifting back and forth, trying his best to not give in to the temptation of going to retrieve her. His breath caught in his throat at the site of her. She was magnificent. He held his breath as she seemed to float down the stairs, her gown the perfect length, her shoes never showing beneath the impressive silver bottom yet she never once faltered. Her smile was astonishing.
"Do you like it?"
She asked timidly, doing a small twirl as she stepped down to meet him in the tile entryway. She could tell by the fire in his eyes that he approved. Offering her his arm he beamed down at her.
"You look magnificent Hermione. Now let's get off to the Ministry before I whisk you away upstairs and deprive everyone at the ball of gawking at the site of you."
Her answering smile was all he needed before he apparated them away for a night of drinking and dancing.