A/N.- Hullo there! Here I am again, with a new chap for you, hope you like it.
Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing from the HP world, all of it belongs to JKR, all I own here is the delusional plot and the computer where I write it. (sigh I guess even that isn't mine, since my dad bought it, not me).
Chapter 14.- Now or Never.
Harry and Hermione headed for their tower, meeting Ron and Ginny on their way.
"Mr. and Ms. Weasley" Harry called in an authoritarian tone, making both redheads freeze on their tracks in shock.
They both turned around, and when they did, Harry and Hermione started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Ron asked still a bit pale.
"Yo-your fa-fa-face" Harry said trying to control himself.
"You nearly killed us, Potter. Don't ever do that again" Ginny said
"S-sorry Gin" He said. A few minutes passed until Harry and Hermione controlled themselves, then they gave each other a look, and then Hermione nodded.
"Hey guys, y'know, you're back into the group, so we really wouldn't mind a little extra company tomorrow" Harry started.
"Company? Where are you going?" Ron asked
"To Diagon Alley, would you care to join us?" Hermione invited.
About that time Malfoy was walking around, and came across them, but when he saw Harry and Hermione he turned around, making to leave, but Harry called him.
"Oi, where you going?"
Ron and Ginny turned around to see who Harry was calling and were shocked to see none other than Malfoy coming their way.
"Hey, they're bothering you?" He said, drawing his wand.
"Put that away Draco, they're on our side now." Hermione said.
"Ginny, are we in a dream?" Ron said disbelievingly, and Ginny pinched him in the arm. "OW! Guess we're not, OK, what the hell's going on here?" He asked Harry and Hermione.
"Remember us saving Malfoy's life in October Ron?" Harry asked.
"Yeah"
"Well, he's been helping us out since then, and uh well, he's our pal now" He finished, leaving the Weasleys even more dumbstruck than ever.
"You don't like it, get over it" Malfoy added.
"No, it's not that I don't like it…well I indeed don't but, it is the most unusual thing around here"
"You wanna come to Diagon Alley tomorrow Draco?" Hermione invited.
"Are you crazy Hermione? I'm not leaving this castle" He said considering the danger, but in fact, many people here didn't attack him because of Harry and Hermione. "Y'know, I guess I will"
"Are you, or are you not coming? Speak straight" Harry told him
"I'll go, chill out Potter"
"OK, we leave at 11 am, meet you at the front doors"
"See you then"
They waited until Malfoy was out of earshot and then Ron said "Harry, I knew you were crazy, but that?"
"Hey, he has more useful information than half the order"
"I'm aware, we coerced Dad into giving us regular reports, and every one of them said things like 'Harry got some new information, his source seems to be very reliable, even if we don't know who he is' or 'Harry's information source is more useful than our own' y'know, crap like that…anyway, we had thought of hundreds of people, but we never actually imagined it would be Malfoy"
"Well, you better believe it, anyway, I have to go, mind joining me 'Mione?"
"What are we, wall paintings?" Ginny asked sarcastically
"No Gin, but you aren't Head Girl as far as I am aware"
"And what's with that?"
"A lot actually, I need to go to the Head tower, and only we can go there"
"No wonder why you didn't go public before" She said, comprehension drawing in her face
"Excuse me?" Hermione asked a bit puzzled.
"If I'm not mistaken, you've been dating since Malfoy attacked you, right?"
"How d'you know?"
"Well, I know you usually are, or were, close, but yet, occasionally holding hands in the hallways, or sitting rather close to each other in the Great Hall, you couldn't fool me, even if you fooled the rest of the school" She said knowingly.
"You sometimes freak me out Ginny" Ron said.
"And you claim to have known me for the last 16 years of your life" She replied.
"Well, see you around guys" Harry said, making to leave, and Hermione joined him.
They started walking, Harry's arm around Hermione's waist, towards their tower, in comfortable silence, which was broken by Hermione.
"You know Harry, Ginny's right. We were a bit too obvious"
"Yeah, maybe, but I really feel much more comfortable around you in the open now"
"Really? And why's that?" She asked curiosity getting the best of her.
"Because now I can do this without worrying about anyone seeing us" He said, placing himself in front of her and kissing her.
"Well…maybe you're right about that one" Hermione said, kissing him again and resuming their walk. "But why do you want to go to the tower?"
"Actually anywhere would do just fine; I just wanted to be with you…alone"
"Yeah, well, you'll have to catch me first Potter" Hermione said, starting to run.
Harry started chasing her, until he really got tired, and came up with a funnier way to catch her. He outstretched his wand arm and thought Levicorpus, Hermione was automatically lifted in the air, as if hung by an invisible force by the ankle. He then just walked up the short distance to her, placed himself in front of her and simply said
"Gotcha"
"No fair, you cheated"
"No I didn't, the only rule was that I had to catch you"
"OK, maybe you're right, but could you PLEASE let me down, being hung by your ankle is not really comfortable"
"Why would I?" Harry said smirking
"Because you love me?" Hermione said, making a puppy dog face.
"Not working…" He started, but looking at her he just had to give in "OK, alright, I will, hold on."
He thought the counterjinx, and Hermione landed on his stretched arms. "Now I did catch you" He said, putting her down.
When he did, she playfully punched him in the chest and said "Cheater" and then kissed him.
Then they walked all the way to their tower, entered and then they noticed the last unopened present from that morning.
"Oops, we forgot about that one" Hermione said guiltily.
"Yeah" Harry said, eyeing the wrapped box "Here it says it's for me, but it doesn't say who sent it.
Hermione actually blushed. "I did"
"Really? Let's open it then" He did so as he spoke, but he noticed the box contained only a note that released a familiar scent.
Harry,
I didn't really manage to get you nothing you deserved, but you'll get something if you recognize the scent coming from this note.
Hermione
He actually chuckled at the note; of course he recognized that scent. "Now, now, 'Mione, this is something not to be seen everyday. YOU running out of ideas?" He asked.
"Well, what is it?" She asked, referring to the scent.
"Had that been an N.E.W.T question, I'd surely get an O. You thought I wouldn't recognize that sweet scent?"
"What is it?"
He merely approached her and gave her a quick peck on her lips. "I just touched it"
"I knew you would guess at once" She said smiling.
"But what does that mean?" He asked puzzled.
"That I'm yours, Harry" She said, approaching him.
"You aren't an object to be given away Hermione, but I'll gladly take your present." He said, and pressed his lips to hers, placing his hands on her hips.
She corresponded by placing her arms around his neck, and letting out a soft moan. She really wanted to be his, and even if she didn't fully know, he wanted her to be his as well.
He touched her lip with his tongue; she granted entry as soon as she felt his movement. His tongue found hers, and they started dueling, tasting each other fully. With whatever little conscience Harry had inside of him right now, he saw where they were heading, and thought that the middle of their common wasn't the proper place to do so. He regretfully pulled away from her, besides he had to, his air was screaming for oxygen. They both pulled away, and Harry took advantage of the moment, lifting her in his arms, and leading her to his room. He put her down when they were beside his bed, and started kissing her again.
Hermione let herself fall on the bed, and Harry followed, landing on top of her, their kisses became more passionate every passing moment, until Harry suddenly pulled away from her lips, and kissed her jaw line all the way to her neck, making her moan a bit more, then he returned to her lips, and started playing with the hem of her shirt.
She didn't hesitate a bit, and slid her hand under his shirt, savoring every second that passed. She then felt Harry's hand slide under her shirt, and gently cupping her breast, then it traveled down again, and made to remove her shirt, which she let him do. When done, she pulled off his…
(A/N.- Your turn to imagine what happened there, since I'm not writing it –evil grin-)
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Hermione and Harry were still under the bed's blankets, looking at the other's eyes, and saying nothing. For that moment, there was no Voldemort, no Horcruxes, no war, no Ron, Ginny or anyone, just the two of them. That was until Harry broke the silence…he absolutely didn't want to, but it was now or never.
"Umm…baby?" Harry asked tentatively
"Yeah?" She responded, not moving her head, which at the time was resting on Harry's chest.
"There's something I really have to ask you"
"Oh dear, this is it, I hope. No, wait, don't jump to conclusions" Hermione's mind was racing, and her heartbeat seemed to have joined the race. She instantly turned to look at him. "What is it?"
He used the muggle illusion pulling it out of her ear, but actually summoning it from his robes' pocket. Hermione frowned when she saw Harry use the muggle trick, but her expression changed when she saw what now was being held by his index and thumb: a golden ring with a princess-cut diamond on it.
"Hermione Jane Granger, would you marry me?"
Hermione was at a loss for words, she knew he would ask her some time, what with the medallion and all, but even if she knew, the moment still left her speechless. After a while she managed to recover her voice.
"Of course I will Harry James Potter" she said, kissing him.
When they broke apart, tears of joy were trailing in Hermione's cheeks, which Harry wiped with his thumb, before sliding the ring in her left ring finger.
He kissed Hermione once again before getting out of the bed and into the shower. He took about fifteen minutes before he came out wrapped in a towel. Hermione got in to take a bath herself. When she came out, Harry was already dressed up, in black jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt, and made to leave the room, when Hermione asked
"Where are you going?"
"Downstairs, to write a letter to Griphook to tell him about our visit tomorrow." He replied.
"What time are you telling him?"
"I was thinking of 12 sharp, so we have enough time to make it to Hogsmeade walking, then Apparate from there, and if we're lucky enough, we may even have time to pay the twins a visit."
"Sounds good, don't leave without me"
"I won't, don't worry." He replied, approaching her and kissing her slightly wet lips, then headed down to the working table.
To Griphook, Potter Financial Advisor
Gringotts Bank.
I'm writing to make an appointment for tomorrow at midday (12 o'clock), to discuss the issues mentioned in your last letter.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter
He read it and reread it, until Hermione crept behind him and…
"BOO!" She screamed, startling her fiancé.
"Her-Hermione, you scared me!" He turned around to see her laughing.
"That…that was the p-point" She managed to say between laughs.
"Jeez, don't do that again" He said, trying to control his heartbeat.
"S-sorry love, b-but I…but I couldn't r-resist" She said trying to control herself. When she finally managed it, she asked "Can I see it?" She said, referring to the letter.
"Oh, sure" He replied handing it.
She read it in half a second, and said teasingly "It's OK, but you forgot to add Mrs. Potter, and escort."
"Cut it off, he won't mind, I'm sure"
They then left for the owlery, and when they arrived, Hedwig hooted happily and headed for them, landing neatly in Harry's extended arm.
"Hi girl" Harry told his familiar "Here you are"
The snowy owl took the letter on her beak, hooted again and left through the glass-less window. Harry placed an arm around Hermione's waist as they watched Hedwig until she was out of sight.
A/N.- OK, that's all for now (again), please review on your way out. No flames accepted. Thanks for visiting, come again, and uh...please check my other stories as well will ya? Arigato. Ibris Out.