Micca's Notes: You're probably wondering: What?! A new story?! Well, thankfully this one is nearly complete as it was what I was working on for most of the summer. This is written for the Harmony & Co.'s Prompt Bank Garage Sale.

Thank you to Howard J. for providing the prompt and for the wonderful people of the HMS Harmony Discord server for being my alphas and betas as well as helping with the title. Special shoutout to StruggleMuggle, ThePotterer, and ProphecyMarauder45. You guys rock.

The prompt: in the tent, Harry and Hermione agree to a backup marriage pact: if neither of them are engaged in ten years they'll get married. It's ten years later and they're both trying to figure out if the other still wants to go through with it without seeming desperate or implying that they don't.

Being cooped up in quarantine ran my muse right out the door, but more chapters of the WIPs coming up as I finally got my writing mojo back. Stay safe and healthy, everyone! xo Micca

Prologue

The crisp cold air seeped through the woods as the dark of the night deepened. The sounds of owls hooting and crickets chirping in the darkness reached her ears and sent a shiver down her spine. She grabbed the ends of the woollen blanket and wrapped it tightly around herself.

She was sitting against a wide tree trunk, the cushioning charm on the ground and on her back allowed her to maintain her post for longer than normal. A small book was placed on her lap and opened to a random page. However, she, the witch, wasn't reading it. Instead, her eyes were looking towards the lake which stretched out in front of the clearing where they set camp. The water's edge was still and the moon and the stars reflected from its surface as if it were a mirror.

She heard footsteps approaching behind her but didn't look back. She knew who it was. She could feel his presence long before she saw him. When he crouched next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, she instinctively turned her body towards his and welcomed his warmth.

"You should head to the tent, Hermione," Harry whispered quietly into her ear. "It's cold and it's my turn to watch."

"I'd like to stay here with you Harry, if you don't mind," she said softly. He cracked a smile and slumped on the ground next to her, resting his back against the tree trunk as well. Hermione immediately opened one side of the blanket to let Harry in. His arm wound around her waist and he drew her close to his side so that the blanket would cover them both fully. She snuggled in beside him and laid her head on his shoulder.

For a few moments, they sat there silently. No words were needed at that time as they were both consumed by their thoughts.

It had been days, or perhaps even weeks, since Ron left them. Harry honestly couldn't tell anymore since the days seemed to blend into each other. He relied on Hermione to let him know. All Harry knew was that it was the peak of autumn and his friend's absence made the weather just a little colder.

Hermione moved beside him and Harry smiled. At least he still had her around. It was she who broke the silence:

"What do you think will happen after this is all over?" she whispered.

It wasn't a thought that had crossed Harry's mind. So far, reaching their goals seemed so distant, maybe even unreachable. Every day was a struggle to survive and they only had a shred of hope that destroying the remaining horcruxes would grant them a chance to end Voldemort once and for all.

The future beyond that was completely uncertain. And right now, Harry felt that it was unattainable.

"I don't know," he replied. He didn't even know if he was going to survive this war, and he didn't want to give himself too much hope. "How about you? What do you think will happen after this is over?"

He felt her shoulders shrug. "We regroup. We rebuild. We reform. The government is going to be a right mess after this, you know," she said intelligently, which drew a smile on his face. "So many positions will have to be filled since, hopefully, all - if not, most - Death Eaters would either be dead or in Azkaban… And you know how the Ministry's full of Death Eaters."

He nodded along and hummed. Yes, he certainly knew that.

"I think I'd like to take part in that. It's about time the Ministry becomes more Muggle-forward," she commented.

His eyebrows rose and he turned slightly to look at her face still perched on his shoulder. "Really now? You? In the Ministry? I had never thought of that before but now that I'm considering it, I can see it happen. You'll make waves, Madam Granger. Or will it be Director Granger? Minister Granger?" he commented with a small tip of his head.

He felt an elbow to his side and he chuckled. Hermione's head lifted from his shoulder and she sent a playful glare in his direction.

"You tease, but it will happen," she whispered confidently.

Harry grinned. This was one of the things he cherished and admired most about her. Hermione was always so sure, so certain. She spoke with such a finality to her words that she actually made him believe.

So much so that he felt a deep longing in his heart. He tried not to think about the future, what with their current circumstances making the idea of Harry having a future so incredibly bleak. Dumbledore left them with nothing more than guesses and even more questions. They were racing against time to find bits and pieces of the soul of a madman as he wreaked havoc in their lives and the lives of others. The same madman had hundreds, if not thousands, of important and powerful followers while their side faced terrible losses. How could this all possibly end well?

Hermione's words, however, added fuel to the tiniest flame of hope inside of him. If she believed in him, and she believed that they could do this… well, who was Harry to question that? She had given him no reason to doubt her before, so why start now?

So Harry allowed himself to hope. He allowed himself to think of the future he was so scared to imagine. He allowed himself to believe, even for a brief moment, that he would come out on the other side. He allowed himself to dream.

"I think I'd like to pursue Quidditch," he mused after a minute of silence. "Before this, I thought I might have wanted to be an Auror but…" He trailed off.

Hermione nodded in understanding. No words were necessary for she understood completely. After this, he wouldn't want to fight anymore.

"I think you'll make a fantastic Quidditch player," She commented. Hermione raised her head from his shoulder yet again and beamed at Harry. From the darkness of the forest and through the shadows cast by the moon shining on the trees, he saw her eyes. They were bright and he thought they looked very much like the stars. "You're really good at it, Harry. You know, I'll even go watch your games. Willingly."

They both had a good laugh at that. He smiled at her teasing and turned his gaze back to the lake. "I think… I think I'd want a family, too," he added softly. Hermione didn't say anything so he continued: "I've always wanted a big family, you know?"

When she still remained silent, Harry turned to look at her. Hermione was looking towards the lake pensively, quietly. It seemed like she was considering something before she turned to face him again.

"Ginny-"

"No," Harry said immediately, shaking his head.

Hermione needed not to finish her question since he knew exactly what it was that she was going to ask. While the thought did cross his mind he knew that it was something he no longer wanted. Her eyes turned to him, questioningly, and Harry explained further:

"What Ginny and I had… it… it wasn't real enough, you know?" He said with a frown on his face. He wished that Hermione did know what it was that he was talking about, because even he couldn't understand it completely. "We just had Quidditch in common… and Ron… and it felt…"

He grew quiet, not knowing what to say.

"... shallow?" Hermione completed softly.

He nodded, thinking it was the perfect word to describe it.

His and Ginny's relationship was shallow.

He cared for the redhead, really and truly. She was a good friend and they had fun while dating. Soon, however, Harry realized that he and Ginny didn't have a lot in common. He'd quickly learned that Quidditch and Harry's friendship with Ron were too little to go by. He had enjoyed his time with her when they talked about their favourite Quidditch teams or planned their strategies for Hogwarts' Quidditch games. Ginny was also incredibly pretty and she knew how to snog really well, which Harry appreciated. But beyond that there was nothing else. Their silences always felt awkward to him.

"She only had a crush on me because I was the Boy Who Lived," Harry said with a wince. "I wish she would have gotten over that, but it didn't seem like she ever did," he continued in a whisper. "I heard her using … using that name before we left."

"I'm sorry, Harry," Hermione said softly, for there was really nothing else to be said. She knew how much her best friend hated the epithet for it was a constant reminder of what his parents sacrificed in order for him to live.

"S'alright," he said with a small shrug. "It's something I've learned to ignore. But my relationship with Ginny made me realize that I want someone who doesn't see me that way. I want someone who could love me for me... as just Harry."

Hermione was quiet as she listened to him. This was the most Harry had ever opened up to her about his thoughts and his feelings. He was always the type to stew over them in silence until they got too difficult to bear and he would explode. Rarely would he speak so openly about what was bothering him.

It was a nice change. It allowed Hermione a glimpse into her best friend.

"You'll find someone, Harry," she said as her hand looped around his arm and she squeezed him tight.

He gave a wry smile. There was her confidence again; her assurance.

"I hope so," he whispered.

"I… I think I want a family too. But," she let out a breath, "I'll have a much harder time fulfilling that dream, though."

Harry frowned and turned to look at her. "Why do you say that?"

"Books and cleverness," she mumbled. "I'm a know-it-all, Harry. I've been called insufferable and frigid so many times before. And you know what? I tend to agree. It's true what they say."

He scoffed. "They don't know anything. You're so much more than that. You're smart, and brave, and so very clever. I… I'd be dead without you. Year after year you save my arse." He swallowed hard and drew her close. He turned to her in the darkness and whispered, "I wouldn't know what I'd do without you."

He saw the moonlight dance across her face as she smiled softly. Her hand was warm underneath his palm. "Maybe we should just stay here," she mused. Her curls swayed as she looked upon the glittering lake. "Grow old together… right here."

How he wished they could. He wanted to run away from all talks of prophecies and destinies. He didn't want any more obligations. He wanted to remain right here, with her, with his best friend. The one person who never gave up on him and, ultimately, the one person who always understood him.

They could be happy here.

But he also knew that they couldn't stay.

His hold tightened on her hand. "I want that so much," he said softly. "But you know we can't."

Hermione smiled again and turned to face him. Her eyes were big, and brown, and bright. There was mirth in her eyes as she looked at him.

"Let's make a promise to each other," she said with a grin.

Her smile was contagious and Harry found his mouth curving up at the ends. Slowly, he nodded his head.

"What kind of promise?" he replied.

She pursed her lips for a bit as she pondered the correct words to say. "Let's promise that ten years from now, we'll meet right here," she said. She gestured at the clearing around them, to the tree whose trunk they were leaning onto for support, and to the wide lake stretching out in front of their eyes. "And," she continued with a blush. "... and if neither you or I are engaged or in a relationship at the time then we'll marry each other."

She surprised a laugh from inside him and Hermione grinned triumphantly.

"Alright," Harry said in between his chuckles.

She removed her hand from inside the blanket and stuck out her pinky finger. She wiggled it around and waited for him expectantly.

Harry blushed and linked his pinky with hers. Hermione beamed and touched their thumbs together.

"There," she said satisfied. With their fingers linked, she looked at him with piercing eyes. "I promise."

He had never made a pinky promise with anyone before. It felt different but… nice. It felt like they shared a secret. It felt strange, like… he belonged; like he was a part of something big.

He smiled at her so widely then that Hermione's breath caught in her throat. His green eyes twinkled as his fingers tightened around hers.

Softly, he returned her words:

"I promise."