Disclaimer: Sorry to disappoint, but I am not Joanne Rowling, so these characters don't belong to me and unfortunately I can't make money off of them. A shame, really.

AN: This story was written because I needed a break from my other fic. I'm actually a bit peeved (haha... puns) that this story was easier to write than the other, but maybe I can just claim it's because I'm a better writer now. Anyway, enjoy... or don't. Really that's up to you.

Harry's feet swung back and forth at the ruined edge of the astronomy tower. The rebuilding after the final battle had taken longer than expected, but now only the tower itself showed any signs of damage.

It was fitting, Harry thought. He had petitioned to have the tower left as a memorial, now that Dumbledore's tomb had been vandalized. He wanted it to remain in ruins, as a testament to the lives lost. Harry would not let them be forgotten. He had died for them, and they for him, but he was here, and they were not. It was his duty to honor them.

It was nearing midnight, so Harry was surprised to hear the soft patter of footfalls behind him. He stood and turned to meet the new arrival, his wand already in hand. In the months following Voldemort's defeat, no less than ten attempts had been made on his life, and he wasn't taking chances. Dying didn't hurt, really, but that didn't mean he was eager for a repeat performance.

His surprise only increased when he recognized who it was approaching him. His former astronomy professor, Aurora Sinistra. Harry had dropped the subject after his fifth year, and had had very little interaction with the woman who now stood before him. She was slender, but athletic, and Harry couldn't help but admire the way she looked in the starlight.

The fact that he had been focused almost entirely on Cho Chang from the moment he reached puberty until he eventually moved on to Ginny left him with no doubt how he had missed the obvious attraction of his elegant professor. A mistake to be sure.

"Nice to see you again, Professor," Harry said in greeting.

He received a smile in response. "There's no need for that, Harry. I haven't been your professor in more than two years. I expect being the hero of the wizarding world gives you the right to call me Aurora." Her tone was teasing, since it was evident to most that Harry's fame was unwanted. Harry nodded in agreement anyway.

"Then it's nice to see you again, Aurora. What brings you here at this hour?"

"The stars. You can't see them during the day, you know."

This time the lilt in her voice was more pronounced and Harry found himself grinning in response. It had been some time since he had any conversation not centered around recent events. It was refreshing. That such a conversation was happening with a beautiful witch in the middle of the night was certainly a bonus.

Harry had spent much of his time coming to terms with all that had happened, and found himself unwilling to reenter a relationship with Ginny. He had loved her, and likely always would, but he was far too changed to be happy with her. It was with that in mind that Harry allowed himself to flirt with the woman still smiling at him.

"Im sure the stars look lovely, but I've found something better to look at tonight."

Aurora felt the heat rise to her cheeks and was thankful to the lack of light for hiding her blush. In truth she was attracted to Harry, but professionalism had stopped her from acting on her feelings before the war. The whole world knew that Harry was available, and she couldn't help herself as she took a step toward him.

"It's a new moon, Harry. I sincerely doubt you can see clearly."

"You're right. I can't. I guess it helps that I already know how pretty you are, then." He got a nervous laugh in reply.

"You're awfully bold tonight, Harry." She paused. "I think I rather like that," she finished softly.

Harry wasn't as oblivious as he had been in the past, so he was well aware of the direction this conversation was headed. He offered his hand to Aurora, and she took it shyly, allowing Harry to guide her to where he had been sitting before she arrived.

"This is the reason I came up here," she whispered, gesturing to their view of the grounds. She used her free hand, as the other was still held in Harry's, something she had no intention of changing.

"It's why I came here too, aside from the obvious."

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze for comfort, but didn't say a word. She knew what this tower meant to him. Even before the battle, this place had been changed forever by the death of Dumbledore.

Any who saw the pair of them would be shocked to see their stoic hero drawing comfort from the young woman beside him, but that was exactly why Harry was pleased. This was something he didn't know he had needed, and Aurora was giving it to him. Not as the Man-Who-Conquered, as they were calling him now, but as Harry. Just Harry.

He raised Aurora's hand to his lips, and kissed it softly.

"Thank you," he sighed.

Aurora's breath had caught in her throat at the contact, and it took her a moment to clear her head.

"What for?"

He squeezed her hand as she had done. "For this."

Aurora shuffled closer to Harry, and before she could second guess herself, she leaned her head on his shoulder. He didn't seem to mind, so she let out a contented sigh. "You're welcome."

He softly kissed her head, and she hummed contentedly. She had only spoken to Harry a few times outside of class, and what she had learned about him in those moments had cemented her affections. Even so, she never would have believed she'd be snuggled into his side on a warm night in July. Oh...

"Happy Birthday, Harry."

Harry smiled. Of course everyone seemed to know his birthday, but there was something sweet about the way she had said it, and as the clock tower rested at a minute before midnight, he reflected on his day.

"It is now," he said, and pulled her closer to his chest.

Harry was surprised at his own actions. Aurora was just so easy to be with. A year on the run followed by pitched battle had worn him down so much that some days he could do nothing to stop the memories from overwhelming him. He had lost so much, and there were times he very nearly gave up. He had visited the Veil in the Department of Mysteries and heard the whispers of his loved ones. He had almost stepped through. But here, in the highest tower, with a woman he barely knew, he felt all of that fade for the first time.

He removed his hand from Aurora's and he could almost sense her disappointment. That disappointment turned to shock as Harry lifted her chin and kissed her softly on the lips. The clock struck midnight as the seventh month died beneath a moonless sky.

AN: So this was actually meant to be a smutty one-shot, but I sort of fell in love with the pairing and somehow the beginnings of a fluffy plot got written instead. I blame the fact that I was listening to romantic piano music. This could probably be left as is, but I may return to it at some point as I focus on my other story, Harry Potter and the Call of Magic. Let me know what you think of it and whether or not I should turn this into a full story.

Cheers,

DamWaters