An Here is something I have been working on the past few weeks. I decided to write a couple of chapters ahead, so I can focus on The Codex which I hope to update soon. But I have a lot of AP work that has been neglected and I need to get that done before anything. But enjoy, Beta'd by my friend Silver.

The walk from Professor Lupin's office towards the grounds was less than grand. The sun may have been shining over Hogwarts but that did not seem to be the case to Harry James Potter. A cloud seemed to cover his mind as he walked. He did not seem to notice the sun that was shining. Harry felt cold and disconnected from the world, it was a way he had not felt since he was a kid locked in a cupboard. Usually he hated the feeling, but right now he couldn't even feel enough to care. He felt like a robot that was functioning but not even alive.

It was a feeling he could not shake ever since his run in with the dementors at the lake. It was a feeling that was further strengthened when he realized that he could not live with Sirius. He felt trapped and had no clue on how to escape. For now, he was just trying to make the most out of the rest of his time he had at Hogwarts. So, he decided he would check up on his first friend Hagrid. He knew he would be sad that Buckbeak was gone but also relived that he had left in one piece. He was about to go through the front door when something grabbed his arm.

His eyes shot over to his left where he was instantly calmed by the presence of his best friend. Her bushy brown hair was parted, and her chocolate eyes gazed into his emerald orbs. Harry nearly smiled at her, but his mood prevented him from letting it show. She frowned when she didn't get the reaction she had expected but she tried to not let it get her down. It was expected after all of the things that had happened that getting her best friend to smile wouldn't be so easy, but she did feel good seeing his face soften some.

She didn't bother to ask where they were going. She didn't come to go somewhere, she only came to be with him. She knew he was going through a lot, she knew that he had barley spoken since they had gotten back. She knew what kind of pain that he was going through and the opportunity that was pulled from under him. While she may not have known the pain first hand, she fully understood her best friend's turmoil. Not that it made her happy or that she wouldn't try to alleviate his pain.

It was a warm morning, the sun shone more than it did usually. By now Hermione knew where they were going. The door to Hagrid's hut was always open to them so they didn't bother to knock. With a small push the door opened to the hut that looked to be cleaner than they could ever remember which they attributed to the end of the year.

The one thing that was missing from the hut was its occupant.

"He must be out looking for Buckbeak, we should go Harry." Hermione said with a light pull.

"Hermione… what has happened to me? I can't feel anything. Not even anger anymore, I can't feel. I can't smile, I can't appreciate the beauty that I used to see in life, I can't see the light that was once there. What if I'm turning bad? What if something has broken?" Harry said out of the blue, he looked like a shell of himself. No tears came through, only the same void look that seemed to be plastered to his face.

"Harry, Harry please look at me." She said with a hand on his chin which made him look into her eyes.

"Harry look at me, you may feel like that now but there is nothing that can't be fixed. You are just numb Harry, you are just numb and not broken. There is nobody who has been through as much as you have Harry. And through it all you have come out a better person You have not let any of it destroy you. Most people that have lived through what you have are. Harry… Harry it's your heart that has won us all over, including me. And there is nothing you could do to lose my love." She said to him, tears near her eyes as she finished.

Harry looked like she had gotten through to him but on the other hand he didn't looked as moved as she would have liked.

"Hermione, I just want to feel." Harry said desperately to his best friend.

"Do you feel this Harry?" Hermione said as she moved her hand to his cheek and lightly rubbed his face with her thumb. He closed his eyes and shook his head, tears starting to fall. Hermione then used her free hand to caress his other cheek and slowly she leaned in as her eyes fluttered closed and their lips met. He was responsive and kissed her back, both of them experiencing their first kiss. The kiss began to deepen, and Harry's hands found her waist and hers found his hair. Things began to heat up when Hermione's hands began to tug at Harry's shirt and he adhered to her request and it was discarded to the floor. She lightly pushed him into the wall and pinned him there

Harry countered by tugging at her shirt and without a word she pulled it over her head and threw it to the ground. Shirtless they indulged in the passion that they had both lacked for so long. Neither of them could think of anything other than the than the body before them, hands racing across skin, trying to feel every inch.

Hermione's hands found Harry's zipper and began to fiddle with it eventually getting it open as he kicked his pants away while beginning to take hers off as well. Soon they stood in only their undergarments and they made their way over to the bed. Hermione straddled him, and they continued to kiss while Harry's hands explored every curve and edge of her body. She moaned at his touch which only made him want to venture further. Which he did, and she did nothing to object when his hands explored lower.

Things continued to heat up to the point of boiling when undergarments began to be discarded and they were on each other butt naked. They looked into one another's eyes for a silent permission for them to take the final step. Hermione could see the light that had returned to his eyes, the light she had fallen in love with. And that was all it took for them to make the leap.

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Fifteen minutes later two people who were smiling as wide as can be were walking back towards Hogwarts. Harry and Hermione felt good, well good would have been an understatement. They both felt like they were on top of the world at that moment. The cloud that had hovered over him was now gone and was replaced by the sun.

"So, um… Hermione, I don't really know how to ask this but. Can we or are we a couple?" Harry managed to get out. Hermione smiled at his nerves.

"That sounds perfect Harry." Hermione said with a wide smile while her eyes shined, it had been her dream come true. She had liked Harry since second year but never would have imagined that this would happen or that they even had a shot. But here she was, her arm around his. She was his and he was her and that was a feeling that she had never imagined she would feel. Much less with Harry James Potter. But she wasn't going to spend the rest of her life questioning it, she was going to spend the time enjoying the feeling of love that they had for each other.

The two of them made their way back to Gryffindor tower to get their things packed. For Harry that meant throwing all of his things in to his trunk and cramming it shut. So, per usual he finished ages before she did. With his spare time, he decided he had a few things he needed to do. With that he made his way towards the Headmaster's office. He knew a talk between the two was far overdo and it could only be pushed back for so long before things got out of hand. Maybe it was the confidence from um… you know. But he didn't care where it came from, he only cared that he had it.

The gargoyle seemed to feel it too when it stepped aside at his presence. Harry went up the stairs and in to the somewhat familiar office. Little did Harry know he was only one of the few students to see it and the only one to have seen it more than once. Albus Dumbledore stood with his eyes on the grounds outside his window.

"A pleasant surprise Harry, what is it you need my boy?" The headmaster asked with joy in his voice.

"Well sir there are a few things. To start I will say that I respect you and look up to you more than you know. You have been one of the few father figures in my life and that is one of the reasons I have never pushed you on issues regarding myself. I have trusted that you care for me enough that you would do what is best for me and the things I know you have withheld have been for good reason. Well now, Hermione and I have begun dating and I want to be able to see her this summer a reasonable amount of time. And I also want you to tell me why Voldemort has been after me. But I will let you decide when I need to know." Harry managed to get out to his mentor and father figure. Dumbledore looked to be of mixed emotion. On one hand he looked deeply sad and on the other happy in a way.

"I am happy you and Miss Granger have found one another. And you are right Harry, I have come to care for you as I would family. As for your request I shall make it happen. And raise you one. Next school year I will have Professor Snape begin teaching you the art of occlumency to protect your mind. After you have completely mastered it I will tell you all I know. I am sorry for keeping you in the dark. And from now on I will try to be better. It has just been so long that I have been the one everyone has looked too for guidance. And it has taken its toll. I will do my best to live up to your trust." Dumbledore said in a tone that was much different from his usual elusive one.

"Maybe we could get together for tea a few times this summer professor. Thank you for this summer. I should go see Ron in the hospital wing now." Harry said, asking permission to be dismissed.

"Of course, Harry, have a good summer." Dumbledore said his goodbye to his favorite student.

The meeting had been unexpected to Dumbledore. He did not expect Harry to confront him like that, but he was happy that it had happened, he was happy that Harry was growing. And it was that, that had changed his mind and made him speed up his plans to train Harry. He could see that Harry was maturing and that was enough for him.

He would make sure that Harry had a good summer that was filled with love it was the last thing he did.

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In the infirmary Harry was visiting his read headed friend. Ron had fractured his leg and he in Harry's opinion was being a bit dramatic, considering that Harry had lost all of the bones in his body. But Harry did feel bad for his friend who had been bitten by the dog who was his godfather. One thing Harry was unsure of was if he should tell Ron about Hermione and him. In the end he decided that not telling him would probably end up being a regret. So, he decided that he would tell his friend now which would give him time to adjust over the summer.

"Ron, there is something I have to tell you. Even though I'm not sure you'll want to hear it." Harry started as Ron's face began to shift to confusion, so Harry pressed on.

"Recently, as in today, Hermione and I have decided to become a couple." Harry finished nervously. Ron looked almost confused for a moment before he almost started to laugh.

"Mate, I'm not really mad or anything. It's not like I liked her or anything, she can be a bit insufferable for me, personally, no offense mate. Just, keep all of the mushy stuff to a minimum when I'm around if you guys can." Ron said with a laugh.

Harry was surprised that he had taken it so well. Considering he suspected that Ron had some sort of feelings for her. But as it turned out Ron was hard to read. He should have known considering their constant fighting and bickering. But his nerves were now at ease. Harry let go of a breath that he didn't know he had been holding and the two started talking about less relevant things. All things considered this year had been one of the better ones. There had been no Voldemort this year, that being said was enough to guarantee it was better than his first and second year. Not that the dementors had been a bad substitute for him. But at least it had been something different. He could only imagine what next year had in store for him.

Soon Ron was discharged and the two of them made their way to their dorm to pack. Well Harry would just keep Ron company while he packed. That only took him not ten minutes considering that he packed in much the same way that Harry had. After that they went to the common room and started to play chess together while they waited for Hermione to finish her packing.

Soon she was coming down the stairs and Harry was gob smacked at her appearance and in the new light he had seen her in. She had matured over the year as they all had, and in Harry's opinion she was one of the most beautiful girls at Hogwarts. Without a second thought Harry took her trunk in his other hand which had to have been more than twice as heavy as his. Ron just gave him a funny look and they made their way to the carriages that would take them back to the station.

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The ride was going well. Malfoy had decided that he would leave them alone for the day and the three were just talking like they always did. Although Harry and Hermione held each other's hand and they would give each other lingering looks. All in all, Ron was taking it well and Harry was actually impressed.

"Harry, you do realize you will be meeting my parents properly today." Hermione said with a smile. Harry gulped at the prospect and soon was getting more and more nervous. When they reached King's Cross station Harry was sweating. He said goodbye to Ron and the two made their way to find her parents. The station was packed as it had been before the previous years. As always, he received a few stares that accompanied being famous. But he couldn't even get mad at that moment because he was going to meet Hermione's parents. Hand in hand Hermione gave a squeeze which helped him calm down.

Soon he stood in front of the Grangers. Her father stood tall, a few inches over six foot tall. And like Harry he was very lean. He had brown hair that was cut smart and short. He dressed nicely in a sweater with brown loafers. Her mother stood next to him wearing the same smile that Harry had only seen at the station, and it had never been meant for him. It was a smile that said how happy they were to be seeing their child again. Otherwise Hermione's mother was a beautiful woman in her late thirties who had hair that put Hermione's bushiness to shame.

"Hermione oh honey I am so happy to see you." Her mother said with motherly love as she hugged her only daughter. While Dan just stared curious at Harry before also hugging his daughter.

"So, honey, is this a friend from school?" Her father asked with curiosity. Hermione looked nerve racked now when her father spoke before sucking in a breath and explaining herself.

"Well um dad… not exactly but yes. Just recently as in today, Harry and I have become a couple…" Hermione managed to get out before she started to blush madly. Harry for his part just looked to Mr. Granger and tried to smile and look the least amount as nervous as he could.

"Well as you have begun dating today it does not look like I can be mad about not having some notice. My name is Daniel Granger and as you know I am Hermione's father." Her father introduced himself by offering a hand.

"Pleased to meet you sir, I am Harry Potter." Harry said while taking his hand. Her father looked gob smacked when he mentioned his name to the point where Harry wondered if he was secretly a wizard.

"I can't believe I'm meeting you… only, some of the things Hermione has told us about you sound unbelievable. Like slaying that snake that put our little girl in the hospital when you were twelve. It is very good to finally have met you. Hermione only has told us everything young man." Daniel said with awe.

"Harry dear, I am Emma Granger. Hermione's mother of course. It is very good to meet you, especially after hearing so much." She introduced herself with a small hug which didn't surprise Harry considering that Hermione was so passionate and affectionate.

"So young man I find that we should invite you to dinner so that we can properly have a conversation. What about Friday after you have settled in?" Daniel suggested, Hermione smiled at her father for trying to be nice to the boy she was seeing. Being as it was more than she expected from her usually stern father.

"Thank you, sir, I will be there." Harry said with a smile. By then Harry knew it was time for him to find his relatives so he said his goodbyes to Hermione and her parents. Harry started to make his way around the station and look for his relatives, usually they were easy to spot. Considering that they dressed like Muggles and were quite large, well in his aunt's case tall. And in his uncle's… round. But this time he couldn't find them in the hordes of people.

At first, he thought nothing of it, but after searching for nearly ten minutes he came to the conclusion that they had not even come for him. Harry wasn't exactly surprised that they hadn't shown up, he was more surprised that this had been the first time that they hadn't shown up. So, Harry decided that he would do what he had too and walk home. He knew the walk to Surrey from London was going to be brutal, he reckoned it would take him around ten hours or so pending on how bad he fared. He didn't know exactly how he had to get back but figured that there would be signs to guide him.