I've been trying to get this up since sunday morning...like 1 am...but my pc was being stubborn as hell, so I hope 2 days didn't kill you!(u no who u r;)) ...btw...i dont own this...rolls eyes obviously...

Chapter Five



Hermione stepped out of the shower and grabbed two towels out off the vanity tabletop, handing one to Harry while securing the other around herself.

"I've definitely missed that part of you," Harry grinned at her in the mirror.

"Mmm, I know what you mean," Hermione sighed, leaning into him. "Can't we just stay like this forever?"

"Someday, once Voldemort's gone," Harry whispered into her soaked hair.

"Promise me you won't ever leave me," Hermione turned, looking into his eyes.

"I promise," Harry leaned down, kissing her softly on the lips. "I'll always be with you. I love you."

"I love you too," Hermione smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist, just feeling content to be holding him again.

"Hermione! Harry! Dinner!" Liz yelled from the base of the staircase. They scrambled through Hermione's room, throwing on clothes while Harry cast a drying charm on both of them.

"After dinner?" Hermione asked nervously.

"Yeah, just swear your dad won't kill me," Harry replied, gulping hard.

"I, uh...um...well, we need to get going," Hermione stuttered, rushing out of the room.

"Oh, great," Harry muttered, following her down into the dining room. "Smells great, what are we having?" He asked as he sat down at the table.

"Spaghetti," Liz replied as David set a steaming serving dish full of pasta in the center of the table.

"I love spaghetti," Harry and Hermione replied in unison, followed by nervous laughter.

"Dad was raised in Italy, did I tell you that, Harry?" Hermione asked, as Harry put spaghetti on her plate and then his own.

"Um, I don't think you did, but I think one of my parents had to have been Italian. I could eat pasta everyday!" He grinned.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Hermione snorted, having watched Harry eat daily for seven years.

"Hey! I resent that!" He laughed, though trying to keep a straight face.

"So, Harry, how's your room?" Liz asked, smiling at the both of them.

"Uh, great!" Harry replied, even though he hadn't so much as set foot inside his room yet.

"Well, I glad. You two could go swimming or something tomorrow, it's supposed to be warmer than usual," David put in.

"Yes, Hermione, you could invite some friends over if you want," Liz told her daughter, beaming.

"That would be great! You can meet all the people I do things with over the summer when I'm not at the burrow or headquarters," Hermione exclaimed, grinning like a maniac. "It'll be so much fun!"

"I'm sure it will Mione, just relax though," Harry laughed.

"Mione? You let him call you Mione?" Liz asked her daughter.

"Uh, yes," Hermione replied, somewhat confused.

"It's just you always hated it when people called you that. She must really like you, Harry," Liz grinned at Harry while Hermione blushed lightly.

"Yeah, well, why don't we go out on the deck, you know, and have a little chat?" Hermione suggested, looking pointedly at Harry.

"That sounds like a good idea," David replied, getting ready to clean up the dishes.

"Allow me," Harry smiled at him, and with a wave of his hand, all the dishes were clean and back in their proper places.

"That was amazing!" David exclaimed, looking at Harry with disbelief.

"Well, it's the least I could do," Harry replied as they headed out to the deck.

"So, you wanted to talk?" Liz asked as they sat down in deck chairs.

"Um, yeah. Harry and I have something we need to tell you," Hermione replied, fidgeting in her chair.

"Okay, what is it?" David asked, his face etched in worry.

"Well, um, you see, we're, uh," Hermione stuttered, looking at her hands.

"We're going out," Harry finished for her. Liz and David looked at them silently for a minute when Liz spoke.

"Oh, that's absolutely wonderful!" She exclaimed, eyes welling up with tears.

"How long?" David asked, looking between them.

"Since just after Sirius' funeral," Hermione whispered, looking shamefully at her feet.

"So for nearly a year, and you haven't told us?" He asked, his voice louder.

"It's not her fault," Harry spoke up. "I didn't want anyone to know because of Voldemort."

"What difference would it make?" David asked, his anger now projected towards Harry.

"Because, he wants me dead, so if he stole the one person I loved, he could lure me after her and possibly destroy the world as we know it. I didn't want you to know so that way he wouldn't have a reason to attack the both of you," Harry replied, looking at Hermione's parents evenly.

"You won't let anything happen to her will you?" Liz asked.

"I would die for her," Harry replied, holding Hermione's hand firmly in his.

"You love her?" David questioned, his tone softening.

"With all my heart," Harry whispered, squeezing her hand lightly.

"Okay then," David replied smiling.

"Harry, what are you doing out here?" Hermione asked, sitting down next to Harry, who was on his back, gazing at the stars.

"I miss him," he sighed, rolling over to face her, tears glistening in his eyes. "So much."

"Oh, Harry. I miss him too," Hermione sighed, feeling her own tears welling up.

"It's just that talking about how we got together reminded me of the funeral," Harry sighed, sitting up. "I remember it like yesterday.

Flashback

Harry sat in the front pew of the small church, staring into space as tears ran down his cheeks. It had been two months. Two long, frustrating months. Fudge had pardoned Sirius shortly after the Department of Mysteries incident, and Harry had begun recieving sympathy letters shortly after.

The tiny church was crammed, people who had turned their backs on him coming to pay their last respects. Hermione was sitting on his right, and Ron to his left, both were crying as well.

"He gave his life for a young man he considered his own, because he loved him and wanted him to live," Remus' said, though Harry was only hearing bits and pieces of his speech.

"No," Harry whispered, barely loud enough for himself to hear.

Hermione's arms went around him and whispered, "It's not your fault, Harry. It's not your fault." She kissed him on the forehead as he held onto her for dear life.

"I love you, Mione," Harry whispered into her shoulder.

"I-I love you too, Harry. More than you'll ever know," she whispered, resting her head on the top of his, letting her tears fall freely as the sevice came to an end.

"Hermione, we need to talk," Harry told Hermione as he approached her after the service. She merely nodded before following him into a back room. "Mione, about what I said back there, I-I understand if you don't feel –" Hermione put a finger to his lips to silence him.

"I do, Harry. I love you, and I think I always have," she whispered, stepping closer to him.

"Y-You do?" Harry asked nervously.

"Yeah," Hermione replied, pressing her lips to his in a gentle kiss.

End Flashback

"We'll always miss him," Hermione whispered, wrapping her arms around Harry.

"I don't want you to die too; just because you love me," Harry told her, kissing the top of her head.

"You won't. You're stuck with me forever, Potter," Hermione smiled, kissing him.

"That works for me," Harry grinned, deepening the kiss. "He'd be proud, you know," he added.

"Who?" Hermione asked, looking at him questioningly.

"Sirius," Harry smiled.

"Just shut up and kiss me," Hermione laughed, pulling him on top of her.

"It'd be my pleasure," Harry grinned, claiming her lips once again.

A/N: wow! Another chapter already! You guys should be very happy, I'm just writing this off the top of my head, none of it's pre-written...I'm nuts aren't I....ugh...it's not quite as long as normal...but that's okay...it's here so just be happy! Lol...to ANDTORR, yes, I will hopefully be putting up more history of the previous year...I just gave ya'll one flashback!:D...and I'm waiting to see if portkey.org will accept my application over there...:S...hopefully! Pray for me!...lol...I really hope I get on over there though...I love portkey.org!....sighs...so thank you everyone who reviewed...it means sooo much to me! I love you all!...and i pry wont get another chapter out till after memorial day...guess wht then? NO SCHOOL ALL DAY...JUST FANFICS! yay!

Sarah May