Harry sat there in the common room that night, Hermione tucked against his side with his arm around her, reading a book on Ancient Runes. He knew what had happened. He wasn't sure how he knew, but down deep inside, he was certain that his fears were correct. He had no clue how to go about making sure or telling his girlfriend his suspicions, but he knew with every fiber of his being that he was correct. He wasn't sure what the future held now, but the world had just become a hundred times more dangerous in his eyes. Everything seemed like a threat, every shadow seemed like an enemy, and he wasn't sure how to go on knowing what he knew.

He did know that at some point he would have to tell Hermione what he had figured out, he just hoped that she would come to the realization on her own before he was required to say anything.

He absently rubbed his hand up and down his girlfriend's arm, taking a small amount of comfort in the fact that at least for now, she was safely by his side. Right at this moment, he could protect her. He had no clue as to what tomorrow would bring and that terrified him.

Harry thought back over all of the years he had spent at Hogwarts, all of the adventures he had had, all of the danger he had been in all of the close calls he had had. He saw every near-death experience he'd had and every single death he had seen playing across his vision like a movie reel of horror. This pattern could not continue. He had already been determined to do all to protect Hermione, but now… now the thought of anything happening to her was physically painful. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would not survive anything happening to her now.

As he sat there, holding the woman he loved and staring into the roaring flames in the Gryffindor tower fireplace, he could feel himself changing, evolving. He could feel a new kind of darkness seeping into his very soul as he realized just what all he would do to protect his little family now. Realizing the depths he would sink to in order to assure their survival was an eye-opening thing.

He knew that the deaths they had seen thus far were just the beginning. He knew that blood would be shed in the coming war and he would be damned if any of it was Hermione's. He could feel himself falling into a murderous, almost psychotic mindset. He was no longer participating in a war for the "greater good". He was now fighting for survival.

Dumbledore, he saw now, only wanted him to win a war so that the Light could continue in the direction the old man thought best.

Voldemort, he had always known was crazed; fighting for the purity of blood and segregation from Muggles.

Harry was willing to wage a war all his own to protect the girl in his arms. Maybe it was time the Neutral faction actually had a leader. Harry would be that leader. He was not going to be Dumbledore's so-called Golden Boy any longer. He would not be a scapegoat. He would not be a lamb to the slaughter so that the Light could defeat a madman. He had more to live for. He had a life worth living now and he planned on living it to the fullest.

Dipping his head down, he pressed a kiss to the top of Hermione's head, breathing deeply of her scent; the sweet smell of her shampoo relaxing him like nothing else on earth was capable of. He knew what he would have to do. He knew that he would have to become more, stronger, more powerful.

Being self-aware as he was now that he was in a relationship with Hermione, he realized that this was how Voldemort started on his path to madness. However, unlike him, Harry had someone to ground him. He didn't want the strength or power for the sake of his ego, he wanted it so that he could protect the family he had found, the new little family he had made for himself after a lifetime of loneliness. He didn't need recognition or faceless masses bowing to him in reverence, he simply wanted to keep Hermione safe. She had become his world, his everything, and if he had to split his soul to protect her, he would. He would bathe the world in blood if something should happen to this brilliant witch in his arms.

A part of him knew that he should be scared of this new resolve to sink to such evil levels, but he felt no fear, no reservations; all he felt was a grim determination to do what he felt was necessary.

A small voice in his head wondered what his parents would think if they were alive for him to confide these thoughts and feelings in. He wondered if they would hate him for being willing to go to such lengths. He wondered if they would understand his need to keep his family safe.

He knew that Sirius hated all things Dark; so much that he had run from his own family and been disowned to escape the cycle of service to the Dark Lord. He knew that Sirius would not be understanding and would insist that there was a better way to go about things. While he had definitely been a prankster, he was not capable of true depravity. He would have loved for Sirius to have been there to maybe give opinions on alternatives, to try to find other ways and support him without fail.

He wished so many things could be different but he couldn't bring himself to worry about the hate or understanding of the dead. They were gone and there was no changing that. Hermione was here and he COULD keep her alive. That was all that mattered.

Shaking his head he pulled himself from his inner musings, looking down at the sweet girl that he had fallen in love with. "How are you feeling?" He asked gently, inconspicuously sliding a hand over her stomach, referencing the morning's illness.

"I'm fine Harry." She said, her voice laced with a hint of exasperation. The over-protective boy had asked her the same question every hour, almost on the hour, all day. While she loved him deeply and loved that he was so concerned, it was beginning to wear on her nerves. After all, there were only so many times a person could answer the same question again and again without becoming irritated. "I promise, if that changes, you shall be the first to know." She said, lovingly, patting his hand on her stomach.

"I know, 'Mione." He said, sighing softly. "I'm sorry I've been a little…."

"Obsessive…?" She offered innocently when he seemed to attempt to find the right word.

"Yes, that." He said with a laugh. "I just love you so much…" He said, his heart blazing in his emerald eyes.

"I love you too, Harry." She replied gently. "With all of my heart." Smiling, the brunette kissed her boyfriend's lips lovingly.

"There you two are." Came a voice they both knew well.

Looking up at the person that had spoken, they came face to face with the other third of the so-called 'Golden Trio' that had been absent lately, and he looked anything but pleased.

"Hey Ron." said Harry, watching him warily. The look on Ron's face made him anxious.

The redhead stood there looking back and forth between the two people who had been his best friends for years, not sure how to say what he was feeling He was decidedly not happy with how things had been between them lately.

"Oh, so you can see me now?" he finally said, his tone laced heavily with sarcasm.

"Yes…" Hermione said, raising an eyebrow at the way the other boy had spoken. "Why wouldn't we?"

"Oh, I don't know." Ron said, scowling at the pair still sitting cuddled up together on the couch. "You haven't seemed to see me at all the last few months. You've been too wrapped up in whatever the hell this is." He said motioning to the pair of them.

"What are you talking about Ron?" Harry asked, tilting his head, affecting a look of confusion while inside he was steeling himself for a fight. He knew Ron, he knew what that look on his face meant; that stiff set to his shoulders and the balled fists. Ron was spoiling for a fight.

"Ron, we've been busy studying. I've been helping Harry get caught up in his classes and doing extra work to bring his grades up." She said in a tone one would use on a very slow child.

"I know, you're always in the library. What if I wanted help too? Are you willing to help me with my grades the same as you help him?" Ron said brusquely.

"If you asked, yes." The brunette said, looking at Ron as though he had lost a few marbles. "And you've been busy with Lavender…" She said as diplomatically as possibly.

"Yeah well…" The youngest Weasley male blustered. "You don't drop your friends, or friend," he emphasized, "just because you start dating someone."

"There again, you're the one who dropped us." Harry said sardonically. "You've been attached at the mouth and… other places… with Lav-Lav and hadn't spared us a single thought until now." He finished, raising an eyebrow as if daring Ron to say different.

The redhead blushed, sending Harry a glare. "Oh, and you two haven't been busy on your own?" He said peevishly. Turning his attention back to Hermione, he pulled a face before opening his mouth once more. "So that means if I ask, you'll help me the way you help him?" He said, putting emphasis on the word 'help' in such a way as to imply that there would be less clothing involved.

A loud, slightly wet crack resonated throughout the common room, which had gone silent. The whole of Gryffindor house was watching with bated breath as the blundering redhead got himself into more trouble than he could handle.

Before Ron knew what had even happened he was on the ground, Harry straddling his stomach with one hand around his throat and the other pointing a wand at his face.

One look at the murderous look on Harry's face held everyone in place. No one had ever seen Harry react so violently to anything, let alone have that violence directed at one of the precious Golden Trio. They knew that Harry was a force to be reckoned with, but this… this was new.

Ron lay there, staring up at the boy who had been his best friend, shaking in fear at the dangerous glint in his eye. As blood pooled in his mouth and ran down from his nose he was almost gagging on his own blood.

He knew had gone too far with the disparaging remarks to Hermione, had known as they came out of his mouth, but for some reason, he had been unable to stop himself. He had watched them for weeks, watched how they had been together. Both were flourishing in this new relationship, becoming better and happier people. All of this had been done without him and he had felt excluded and unwanted. While it was true he had been dating Lavender Brown, in the back of his mind he had always fancied Hermione. So much so that he thought they would end up together. Harry had never seemed interested in her and had Ron had seen the way he had looked at Ginny. He had never in his wildest dreams thought that his two best friends would end up together. Hermione was supposed to be his… or so he had thought.

"I would suggest," Harry said quietly, his voice like ice and steel, "that you remove yourself from my sight and stay… the fuck… away… from Hermione." The raven-haired Gryffindor said, the calm in his voice more frightening than if he had been screaming. "Next time you disrespect her like that, you will see exactly why Voldemort fears me." He said, the flinch at the name giving Harry a sick sort of pleasure.

Almost as quickly as he had pinned the other boy, Harry rose fluidly and gracefully. Looking around at his housemates who were still frozen in shock at the scene they had just witnessed, he caught sight of Dean and Seamus. "Get him out of here." He said to them before turning to Hermione and taking her by the hand, leading her out of Gryffindor tower and through the castle, uncaring that it was well after curfew.

Hermione, while concerned, knew when to push Harry and when to let him go until he was ready to talk. She had seen the death in his eyes at Ron's stupid words and knew that now was not the time to push. While she had no worry that her boyfriend would harm her, she knew that he wasn't ready to speak.

Twenty minutes later found them inside the Room of Requirement. The minute the door had closed behind them, Harry had pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her, his head laying on her head. She knew what he needed; to feel her there, safe in his arms, unreachable and untouchable. And so she let him have it; letting him hold her close and reassure himself that she was alright. After a few moments, he pulled away and pulled her toward the bed in the center of the room that the castle had provided. Slowly he stripped her and took his time worshiping her body. Hours he spent just touching, kissing, and licking every inch of her body before he took her. Slowly he breached her, sliding all of himself deep into her, filling her with himself and all that he had to offer.

When he finally rolled over onto his back and pulled her close they both were exhausted and more than sated. She wanted to talk about the scene in the common room but now was not the time. She knew that they would discuss it in the morning and that was enough. Right now all she wanted was to surrender to Morpheus' call, held in the arms of her lover. And so she did. They both did.

The next morning Harry woke early, smiling as he saw the way Hermione was wrapped around him, clinging to him in her sleep. He loved this time of day; when it was just the two of them and the stress of the previous day was a distant memory and the coming day's events had yet to start. He felt a sense of peace in this time of day, here in this bed, with this woman. His woman.

And then, as that thought flitted through his head, the scene in the common room came back to him. Part of him couldn't believe that Ron had been so stupid as to say something like that. Part of him realized that Ron was an imbecile and would forever get himself into trouble by opening his mouth.

He knew that he would have to talk to Hermione when she woke, she would want to know why he had reacted so violently to the words of a moron; especially since that moron had been their best friend.

Sighing softly, secure in the knowledge that Hermione would rather face things head-on than avoid them, he kissed her head softly. "Time to wake up, beautiful." Harry whispered, running a hand up her bare back.

"Hmmm?" She murmured, nuzzling into his chest, causing him to laugh softly.

"It's morning." He said, coaxing the girl in his arms to wakefulness. "I thought that we could have a nice breakfast in here before classes."

"No eggs?" the brunette asked sleepily.

"No, no eggs, love." Harry said, fighting a laugh at how absolutely adorable she was.

"Mkay…" she said, pulling herself up into a sitting position. "And don't think you're off the hook after last night." She said as she stretched.

"I wouldn't dream of it." He replied, watching her body as she stretched, the arching of her back doing interesting things to his groin. "On second thought…" He said huskily, moving closer to her. "I might just eat you for breakfast." He said teasingly before taking one of her nipples into his mouth.

A soft moan escaped her lips as she slid her hands into his hair, biting her bottom lip softly. "Mmm and here I thought you had your fill of me last night." She whispered teasingly, her fingers working their way over his scalp.

"Mmm 'Mione." He said, releasing her nipple with a soft pop. "I'll never get enough of you." Taking her nipple back into his mouth he swirled his tongue around it teasingly. Looking up into her eyes as he sucked and licked at her sensitive flesh, he reached up, taking the other breast into his hand, teasing her nipple between his fingers.

Those words, said low and husky, almost growling with need sent a shiver up the girl's spine.

Harry smiled as he felt her shudder under his ministrations. Gently, he pushed her back, laying her down once more. With one last, hard suck he released her nipple and began to work up. With gentle kisses and teasing licks, he moved up over the swell of her breast, biting lightly at her collar bone before continuing up her neck. He stopped for just a moment to nip at her earlobe before kissing along her jaw. Finally, reaching his destination, he kissed her lips; gently at first, showing her all the care he had for her. Soon, though, he lost the battle of wills and their sweet kiss descended into a battle of lips and tongues, pouring all of the passion they both felt into that connection.

Harry shifted to lay between her legs, his need for her evident, his cock pressing against her wet slit, teasing both of them. Then Hermione shifted against him, rubbing herself up against him and his self-control snapped. Reaching down between them, he took hold of himself, teasingly rubbing the head of his length along her wet lower lips, brushing over her clit and drawing a moan from her lips.

"What do you want?" He asked teasingly, just barely pushing the tip into her before withdrawing and once again teasing her with the sliding against her lips.

"Please…. Please Harry?" She begged, body trembling with need.

"Please what?" He asked, dipping his head down to bite at her neck gently as his cock once again brushed against her clit.

"Please take me!" She begged, shifting her hips up against his, asking with body and words for what she so desperately needed. Tilting her head to the side, giving him better access, she whispered the words he needed to hear. "Please Harry, make love to me."

"Your wish is my command." He whispered as he slid into her, sheathing himself fully in her warm body.

A ragged moan fell from Hermione's lips, her head falling back in pleasure as she felt herself be filled with his member, her inner walls stretching deliciously to accommodate his large size.

He took his time, slowly working himself in and out of her. This was not a rough mating; not a fast, need-fueled fuck. This was a slow burning passion. He needed her, needed all of her; need to show her the depth of what he felt and the sincerity of how she affected him.

He took her as she asked. He made love to her, deeply, passionately, slowly savoring each touch and each thrust into her accepting body.

Soon he felt the telltale sign that she was nearing the end, he could feel her tightening around him, pulsing as he pushed himself into her again and again. That knowledge sent him closer to the edge himself. He needed this, needed to feel her fall apart around him.

Reaching down between them once more, he brushed his thumb over her clit, rubbing it in slow, lazy circles as he continued to move in and out of her.

This touch was almost too much for her. A scream tore from her throat as she climaxed, her inner walls clenching tight around his cock, squeezing and pulsing as they both rode out her orgasm.

Feeling her like this was too much for him to handle, his end following hers as he spilled himself deep inside her, filling her with his essence; marking her, once again, as his and only his.