It didn't matter how many times he saw her dressed up for galas and ministry functions, she looked just as beautiful this time as she had at the last. When she flashed him a smile while looping her arm through his, he swore his heart stopped for a moment. They had a pact that they would always go to these silly functions with each other. Neither had dated anyone seriously and didn't want to add fuel to rumors printed in Witch Weekly about their personal lives.

"You look beautiful, 'Mione," Harry said quietly in her ear as they smiled for the cameras that surrounded them as they entered the Remembrance Ball that the Ministry held every year on the second of May. The golden strapless gown she had worn this year clung to her curves and Harry knew he wasn't the only one having a hard time not staring at her.

She looked at him and smiled brightly. "You've cleaned up nice yourself," Hermione told him, blushing slightly under the intensity of his gaze. "Let's go find our table."

The duo slipped to the side, heading for a table near the raised platform at the front of the room. Hermione dropped into her assigned chair after checking the place cards and sighed.

"Do you think we'll ever stop being mobbed by the press at these things?" she asked Harry as he sat down next to her.

"Honestly? No," he told her, laughing when she groaned.

"What are we talking about?" a loud voice asked. "Aren't you going to pull my chair out for me, Weasley?"

Harry looked up to see Pansy and Ron looking at their table, his best friend with an amused look on his face.

"You know you're a Weasley now too, right?" Ron asked, laughing as his new wife of just two months waved a hand at home.

"Technicalities. So, whining about the press again? I know how you two can fix that," Pansy told them, grabbing two glass of champagne from a passing waiter, handing one to Hermione before taking a sip.

"Bring someone other than each other to one of these things. Or, better yet, be seen out with someone else. If you don't want them to think you're dating, you need to actually date other people."

Hermione laughed and took a large drink of her champagne. "I'll take that into consideration. So, how was the honeymoon? You just got back yesterday. Was it amazing?"

Harry could tell she was trying to change the subject but he wasn't sure why. He tuned out Pansy as she started talking about her and Ron's honeymoon, not because he didn't care but because tonight was the night.

Tonight, Harry Potter was going to confess his feelings to his best friend.

—

As the night wore on, Harry's stomach began to clench in anticipation for the end of the evening. The meal that was placed in front of him had no taste and he couldn't have told you what was served. During the speeches, all Harry heard was a buzzing in his ears, the scenarios of how his confession would go running through his head.

When the band began to play, a small hand touched his arm, and he was pulled from the internal panic attack he was working himself too.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked. "You've seemed distracted all night."

Looking into her big brown eyes, concern etched all over her face, Harry almost told her his feelings right then.

"I'm just a bit distracted is all. Where did Ron and Pansy go?"

She gave him a funny look. "They went to go say hello to Molly and Arthur."

"Want to dance?" he blurted out.

"Sure," Hermione said, confusion still evident on her face.

Harry led her onto the dance floor and pulled her close. Not to close but he wrapped his arm around her a bit tighter than he normally would. The feel of her bare back had him reciting Quidditch stats in his head. Too soon for his liking, the music changed to a more up-beat tune and Hermione started to pull away. Unable to continue the evening this way, he grabbed her hand before she could walk back towards their table.

"Can we get out of here?" he asked her abruptly.

With a sigh, Hermione nodded her head. "Let me tell Ron and Pansy."

He watched as she weaved her way through the people dancing, walking past the tables, waving hello a few times, a polite smile plastered on her face that Harry could tell was fake. She had a quick conversation with Pansy, the new Mrs Weasley glancing in his direction before she pulled Hermione in for a tight hug.

When she finally made her way back to him, the smile she gave him was the one she reserved for meetings and colleagues she wasn't happy with. Harry knew all of her smiles and he had never been on the receiving end of this one.

"Ready then?" she asked curtly.

Leading her through the mass of people and the flashbulbs going off around them, knowing they would be front page news for leaving the gala early, Harry apparated them to her living room. The moment they steadied themself, she pulled away from him, kicking her shoes off as she went further into her flat.

"I had a lovely time, Harry. I'll see you later," she told him shortly, not bothering to turn to look at him.

"Hermione I wanted to talk to you about something."

She turned to look at him. Harry could see unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

"What is it? You've been acting strangely all evening, not listening to anything anyone was saying to you, looking anywhere but at me or our entire table. If you didn't want to go with me, all you had to do is say so. I'm not so undesirable that I couldn't scrounge up another date." Her voice hitched and she took a shuddering breath.

"I wanted to be there with you. Truly but there's something I need to tell you. I've been trying to decide the best way because it could ruin everything we have and I never want that."

Looking at him curiously, Hermione dropped her arms to the side, they had been crossed tightly against her chest since they got to her flat, as though she was holding herself together.

"Tell me then. I think I have some idea, based on the way you're acting."

A deep breath and then Harry grabbed her right hand.

"You've been my best friend since I was eleven and I've never been able to imagine my life without you. You've been the one true constant in my life."

He reached up with his left hand, cupping her cheek and brushing a tear from her cheek.

"I'm in love with you, Hermione Granger and I would very much like to snog you senseless if that's alright with you."

The first nod of her head and he swooped down, capturing her full lips with his. A moan left her lips when his tongue began to massage hers. She tasted like a hint Muggle cinnamon toothpaste and champagne from the gala. He wanted to kiss her the rest of his life and planned on trying to continue this as long as she would let him.

His hand curled around the back of her neck, gripping it firmly while her fingers gripped the lapels of his dress robes. He had never snogged someone like this before, pouring his feelings, his love, his need for her into this kiss. Never wanting her to doubt for one moment just how much he loved her.

Pulling back slightly, he rested his forehead against hers.

"I never let myself think you would love me back," Hermione whispered. "I've loved you for so long. I didn't think you thought of me that way."

Harry tilted her chin up so she was staring into his eyes.

"I'll spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you if you'll let me."

—

One Year Later

Walking into the Remembrance Ball with Hermione on his arm was the same as it had been last year but so much had changed.

They had eloped after just four months of dating. The papers had a field day when they finally found out the Saviour of the Wizarding World had married the Brightest Witch of the Age. Witch Weekly had run a full page spread, speculating about how long their 'secret romance' had been going on. As they had never consented to an interview, no one but their friends and family really knew the truth.

Sitting down at the same table as the year before, Ron and Pansy on a rare night away from their two month old were already seated. Champagne was passed around by a waiter.

Ron raised a glass. "A toast?"

Hermione looked at Harry and grinned when he nodded.

"Just water for me please."