Chapter Ten – Challenge and Acceptance
Hermione entered The Burrow's living room to the mutters and gazes of most of her fellow classmates. Many of them looked upon her with disappointment, some envy, others joy and pride. How could one kiss spur so many different emotions in so many people?
"Well done, Hermione!" Lavender Brown stepped up, as pompous and as bold as ever. "Thanks for hurting Ron like that!"
"I'm not even dating Ron!" Hermione snapped in anger, rounding on Padma Patel and Lavender's best friend Parvati, all of whom were Lavender's own clique and all glared at Hermione, surrounding her like vultures on a carcass.
"Ron's been a good friend to you, Hermione!" Parvati said, speaking in the truth she chose to believe. "He's had a crush on you for ages. How could you be so blind?"
"I'm not blind!" Hermione snapped, the girls ganging up on her but Hermione standing her ground with a true Gryffindor's courage. "I just don't fancy him! I don't want a guy like Ron."
"Why not?" Lavender snapped, sounding almost as if Hermione's words had offended her personally. "Ron's cute and funny, and he is great at Quidditch."
"He is good at Quidditch." Hermione corrected.
"Whatever. All I'm saying is any woman would be ecstatic to have Ron. I think you need to get your head out of those books and start living in the real world."
"Or maybe you need to read more and learn that there is more to love than just physical attraction. Ron's a good person, I know that. But he's just not for me. I love-"
"Harry?" the girls suddenly gasped, recoiling suddenly as Hermione blinked. How did they? However the girls weren't looking at her, they were looking past her, beyond her shoulders to someone standing behind her. Hermione wheeled, turning to see the man she loved framed in the conjoined archway of the Burrow's kitchen and living room. His face was livid, dark, and ominous, but it was what Hermione saw that made her gasp.
It hovered like a spectre, something indistinct, something her eyes could only vaguely see. However, Hermione knew it was there. A tall, twisted looking entity, a demon which made her body scared but her heart sore with longing. What was this? What the hell was going on?
"You... Okay… Hermione…?" Even his voice was changing, something even the girls could hear, however, she was sure they could not see the obsidian figure reaching sinisterly behind Harry, seeking to claim him. To…
The demon looked up.
Its colourless eyes saw Hermione, saw her not only as the girl who held the heart of its host, but the woman it took, loved and desired. Bálor's expression of darkness suddenly lightened with affection, looking almost kind as it smiled at Cethlenn, she of whom loomed behind Hermione. Indistinct to all but Harry, and sightless to all but the being she loved.
The destructor soothed in its desire for death, left its duty of destruction for another time, allowing these two mortals the time they needed together. Cethlenn smiled at the retreating form of her lover, the darkness that surrounded Harry slowly fading, allowing Harry's body, and his soul to relax.
His posture softened. His eyes lost their shading, and he smiled with the kindness he had always bore.
Hermione crossed towards the man she loved and embraced him with all the affection she possessed. It wasn't enough, all the love in the world would not be enough to show him how deeply she cared and Harry's arms wrapped around her, feeling the affection, the warmth, the love. But also the re-stirrings of desire.
"Let's get out of here." Harry breathed into Hermione's ear, teeth scraping along its brim causing Hermione's body to shudder with heated longing. Her little flower began to moisten, she quivered, ignoring the babble of the girls as she struggled to breathe.
"Okay…"
Harry released Hermione from his embrace, linked his hand with hers and together they wandered out of the Burrow, beyond the barn, beyond the orchard, out into nothing more than the wilderness of the Devonshire countryside.
Harry and Hermione came to rest at the crest of a large hill overlooking the valleys of Ottery St. Catchpool. It had been a while since Harry had wandered these hills, let alone at the sheer leisure of being with the woman he loved. Harry's thumb graciously traced the crown of her hand, lifting it gently to softly kiss her mitt in a chivalrous display of affection.
Hermione blushed crimson, felt her heart flutter deep within her, but it was not just a fluttering of her own, but also a stirring for the woman her destiny had bound her two. The couple sat, feeling the soft grass beneath their glutes, Harry looking down at himself as Hermione sensed his confusion and concern.
"I can't believe I'm an heir to Gryffindor…" Harry said gently, the sands of deceit twisting his words and shading his voice so that only Hermione could hear him. Hermione swallowed, feeling the slight part of her, the level that had resisted, protest within her. She tried to speak, to acknowledge, to fan the flames of lies Dumbledore had placed upon them. But the Queen would not allow it, so Hermione kept her silence.
"It's difficult…" Hermione said, speaking in a way only she knew made sense. She wanted to speak plainly, to be truthful to the man she loved. But she would not lie to him, would not play this game that deceitful old man was conducting. She had resisted for more than a millina, had helped her husband through so many trials. Cathleen would not be beaten in a world that was so close to their own.
"I know you can't just embrace what you are… You're scared of the power you possess. Of what lies within you. But I'm here… I'm here for you and I'll always help you."
"Cethleen…" Harry breathed, pulling, speaking her true name, the demon king now so suppressed that all he could do was plea. He embraced her, their lips met in a soft, gentle joining. Beyond the veil of the Gods the world showed two young lovers sharing a first true kiss of affection. Hermione shuddered at the passion which his kiss ignited in her, felt her breasts heave as she drew in gasps of desire. Her hand came to his hair, streamed through his soft black locks as Bálor pulled his queen forth and began to exert his passion, his desire, his lusts upon her.
"Harry… Harry no…" Hermione said gently, speaking to the man she loved, the demon king hearing his lady and growling in frustration. "Not yet. This… this is too soon."
It was not Harry that growled, but the feral being that existed within. Bálor did not like being denied, but for the sake of his lady and the two people they had been bore too, he allowed Cathleen to caress his frame and quench the desires within.
Harry exhaled a long, meaningful breath as Bálor released him from his hold, allowing the boy to return to himself and feeling his heart pounding at the power he possessed.
"This is crazy, Hermione!" Harry gasped with an insane chuckle. It was not the cackle of a broken madman, but the laughter of one who sees they are not entirely normal and feels joy and acceptance in that fact.
"I know, isn't it?" Hermione too offered her own chortle of acceptance, only hers was filled with more wisdom, more caution than the fiery boy before her. Hermione knew she was not as powerful as him, no matter what her wisdom might dictate. But she also knew they were one, a true couple, themselves the true embodiment of Harmony.
"I want to go talk to Ron."
Hermione swallowed at the determination in her lovers words. It was not so much she worried for him, but more what the result would be should Ron try something stupid.
"Are you sure?" She spoke gently, cautiously. Harry smiled and pecked her cheek in tenderness.
"Of course, he's my brother."
"Yeah, but… you know? He's not in a good place at the moment."
"I know that…" Harry said gently, beseeching Hermione to understand. "That's why I need to see him. He needs my help."
Hermione drew her bottom lip between her teeth, a gesture of nerves and unease. It did much to mask his affection for Ron, and stoke the still smouldering embers of desire deep within his soul.
"Don't do that!" Harry snapped in frustration, Hermione's brow knitting with confusion.
"Do what?"
"That… just… just don't!" Hermione ran the tip of her tongue across her lower lip and offered her lover a gleaming gaze.
"Okay… just not in public." Bálor growled from deep within his vessel, Cathleen heard his rumbling from deep within The Realm and giggled at her own jesting.
"You mock me?" Harry asked, his voice his whole manor suddenly changing, changing to such a degree that Hermione drew back in shock and surprise. She was not in touch with her alter at this time and the sight of Harry's demeanour, the sound of his voice was so different, it scared her.
"No… No… I?" Harry's very soul suddenly shuddered and his once dark expression softened so quickly Hermione began to doubt even her own recollections.
"I'm sorry…" Harry said gently, all darkness gone as he desperately took one of her hands in each of his and kissed them desperately with worshipful devotion. "I don't know what just happened. I didn't mean to scare you."
"No… no it's okay…" Hermione said gently herself not quite sure what was happening herself. She knew something… something about what was happening to the man she loved, but for some reason her mind was so clouded she could not recall the facts she needed.
"Let's go find, Ron. Okay…?" Harry asked gently, voice breathy with fear, fear of what he did not know. Why the hell was he so confused?
Hermione agreed, watched as Harry drew himself up before he offered forth his hand and assisted his lady to her feet.