****Enjoy! R&R xx****

We returned to the common room and sat in front of the flickering flames, holding each other. Hermione's head was resting on my shoulder and I could hear her breathing, softly. Her arms were stretched around my torso and she was sitting on my lap.

I tightened my grip around her waist and whispered, to make sure she was awake, "Hermione?"

"Mm?" She said, sleepily.

"You know that I would give everything for you, right?"

"I know," she looked up at me, "but you already have me. My heart, my soul, it's yours. No need for sacrifice."

I leant forward and touched my lips to hers, drawing in the wonderful scent that was her.

She kissed me back, with fervour, our tongues each exploring the other. Her hands crept up my neck and gripped my hair, pulling it tautly. I revelled in the sensation, never wanting her to let go. I put my arms beneath Hermione's back and legs, and lifted her from the ground, not breaking contact with her lips. One of her delicate hands tugging insistently at the collar of my shirt, the other at my hair, Hermione deepened our kiss, biting gently on my lip.

I walked up the stairs to my dormitory, climbing them blindly, too absorbed in Hermione to bother watching my feet. I placed her gently on the bed and pulled my shirt up and over my head. She gazed at my bare chest and then looked into my eyes, her own showing both fear and desire.

Sitting down on the bed, I lifted a hand to her face, "Hermione, are you sure you want to-"

She cut me off before I could finish, determination joining the fear and desire present in those great brown orbs, "Yes. I've never been so sure in my life."

I breathed in the scent of Hermione, her hair, her skin, her everything. I had smelt many beautiful things in my life before, freshly mown grass, lilies, that indescribable smell that is rain on pavement, even amortentia, but nothing compared to this aroma that Hermione was emitting now. I closed my eyes and inhaled, basking in her.

I gently twirled a strand of shiny brown hair around my finger and snaked my arm around her waist, drawing her closer to me. The sunlight seeping in through the curtains was playing on Hermione's face and I saw her eyes flutter.

She released a soft moan before snuggling further into me.

"Good morning, beautiful."

"Mmm," she replied.

"You can go back to sleep, if you wish."

"No, I want to be with you," she mumbled sleepily.

"Splendid."

I kissed the back of her head and heard her sigh contentedly.

"Guess what," she murmured.

"What?" I asked.

"I love you."

I laughed, "Guess what."

"What?"

"I love you more."

"Impossible."

"Possible."

"I don't believe it." She turned to face me, mirth dancing in her warm eyes.

I leant forward and touched my lips to hers, barely making contact. I felt her warm breath quicken, our lips no more than a centimetre apart.

"How about now?" I asked, as seductively as I could.

"Maybe a little," she whispered.

And then we were kissing and I felt little particles of my brain pop as her hands found my hair.

Sometime later, after we had showered and dressed, Hermione and I walked to our first lesson, deciding to skip breakfast. It was charms, and we knew Flitwick would be there early.

"Good morning Mr Malfoy and Ms Granger. How nice to see you here this early. Would you care to help me prepare the classroom for today's lesson? We will be teaching tables to run today."

Hermione and I spent the morning helping Professor Flitwick to move all of the chairs to the side of the room, leaving the tables free. About twenty minutes later, the rest of the eighth years arrived.

While the charm was not altogether that complex, the lesson was chaotic. Tables were not only prancing the length of the room, but occasionally colliding, great crashes and bangs ensuing.

"Well done everybody!" Professor Flitwick cried above the racket, "A very successful lesson. Could you all please direct your tables back to their original places and- Mr Finnigan!" Seamus's desk had exploded right in front of Professor Flitwick. A soot covered Seamus was staring in utter shock and bewilderment at the place where his desk had been, mere moments before.

"I- I don't know what happened Professor. It just… pow," he made an explosive gesture.

"Yes, I saw that, Mr Finnigan," Flitwick siphoned the ash from his clothes and from the floor. "Class, you may leave. Mr Finnigan, five points from Gryffindor. Good day to everyone."

Chuckling, Hermione and I left the room, hand in hand.

Life is bliss.