Since he left

by Mountainchild7

Ron left Harry and Hermione in their search for the Horcruxes, but the pain he left behind, brought her to him. One shot.

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-Rcognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling-

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Warning: Mature for sexual scenes.

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It ended up so much longer than I had anticipated, and this is after deleting a hefty amount. This one has a ton of story behind it, I think a total of 3 sex scenese.

Harry/Hermione

Set during the horcrux hunt, when Ron leaves Harry and Hermione.

Enjoy!

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Ron had left her, broken and confused. In the time they needed most, he had bailed.

The rain pounded against the hard canvas of their tent, seeming to reflect how they both felt. It was dark, the only light being the small lit lantern resting near the tents entrance.

Watching Hermione had filled him with a despair, as her sad eyes focused on a single spot on the tent floor, tears streaming down her already too wet cheeks as she wiped them against her knees that she had curled into herself.

Finally, he'd had enough of it. He couldn't bear to see her that way.

Slowly, he stood and approached her. When he neared her, she glanced up at him, her brows knit together in confusion.

As a response, the soft music filled the room as he reached a hand out to her.

"Harry I.." she began, and he cut her off.

"Please?"

She stood, unable to refuse him when he looked at her like that. Harry walked backwards, taking her with him, until they were ine center of the room. Hermione closed the distance between them, allowing him to place one hand against the small of her back, the other still wrapped tightly around hers.

They moved together wordlessly, and Hermione slowly began to feel herself relax with him. He was warm and comforting, and the slight movenents of his hand against her created chills that ran up and down her spine.

It didn't take long for Hermione to once again feel too overcome by her emotions, and she stepped away from him, giving Harry an apologetic smile. He understood, as she knew he would.

Rather than return to her own bed that night, Hermione sat on the edge of his, her feet dangling just above the ground.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"No." she replied quickly, shaking her head. "But I will be."

"I'm going to change for bed." he said to her, standing from his position beside her. She nodded, and he carried himself to the other end of the tent, behind the changing curtain.

When he returned, he was surprised to find her undressed to her shirt and underwear, tucked beneath his covers. He climbed in beside her, keeping to his end of the bed.

"Harry?" she breathed, her back turned to him.

"Yes?"

"Would you mind… holding me…tonight?"

Noting the nervous tone of her voice, he thought it best not to respond with words. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her side, not moving any closer to her body. He felt rather than heard, the exhale of breath that he wasn't aware she had been holding.

He kept his position for a few moments more, not sure what to make of the situation. She was his closest friend apart from Ron, and surely she only needed comfort after he had left them both there to face the dangers ahead, alone.

When he woke, he noticed that Hermione had moved closer into him during her slumber, her back flush with his bare chest, and the rest of her body had followed suit.

His second observation was the smell of her. Earthy and a little floral, he breathed it in. It comforted him, having her there with him. He was glad she hadn't left, he knew he would have been lost without her. He ran a hand through her loose tendrils, appreciating the feel of them before she was awake to notice. Her hair was soft and untangled, and made her scent even more prominent.

Laying there with her, he recalled the first moment that he had seen her as more than a friend. It was the evening she was attacked by the serpent that once resided in the dungeons of Hogwarts. Feeling helpless, he was forced to see her still and unmoving figure, like a statue.

It killed him to think that it could have all been avoided if he had only killed the damn thing sooner. Although he was too young at the time to truly consider dating, let alone love, he nevertheless found a draw to her that had confused him for a long period afterward.

Even now, he found himself confused. Not in his feelings for her, but more of her feelings for him. Hermione was not a girl that would lay in bed with just any man, let alone ask to be held too. Though they had always shared certain physical closeness over the years of their friendship, it was never on this level.

Forcing himself away from her, he slid out of bed slowly, careful not to wake her. He got dressed, then turned back to her, making sure that she was undisturbed. He left the tent and appreciated the good weather that awaited him.

He thought he could find some berries to prepare for breakfast when Hermione woke. Deciding to take the trail due South, he took off with a bucket in hand. Walking through the deep green grass and passing thick oak trees adorning the forest, he finally came across some bushes with ample berries, and began to collect them.

"Shit" he muttered.

He had scraped his arm on some branches in the Bush. That would need mending when he returned to the camp.

"Harry!?"

It was Hermione, yelling from the campsite. His heart raced, and he lurched upward from his crouched position, grabbed the collected berries, and ran back to her. She sounded alarmed, scared. He didn't like her tone. Once back in her sight, he saw her relax.

"Harry…I was so worried something happened… I woke up and you weren't there and I thought…"

"Shhh….I'm fine. Everything is fine. I went for some food, I'm sorry I worried you." Placing the bucket down, he moved closer to her and she wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest.

She stayed there a second longer than was typical for her, and Harry noticed it immediately. "Come. Let's eat before we move the camp." He looked down at her, still nuzzled into his chest. In that moment, she felt so fragile. She looked back up at him, meeting his gaze.

"Yes…let's eat." She replied, a small quiver in her voice.

He returned to the bucket and they walked to a nearby stream together. Rolling his sleeves up to rinse the berries, the rough material sliding against his skin reminded him that he was cut. In the same moment, Hermione noticed the blood.

"Harry! You're hurt!"

"Its nothing, just a scrape."

"Well, we can at least clean it. Come here." She said. Sitting beside him, she turned to face him and stretched out her arm over her lap. Obeying, he gave her his arm. She took a small cloth from her bag, dipped it in the cool water, and lightly dabbed at the now drying blood on his forearm.

From the corner of his eye, he saw her watching him. Looking up to meet her eyes, he told her, "It's okay, it doesn't hurt. Much." Her mood quickly lifted, and she smiled at him.

Unexpectedly, his heart started to beat just a little bit faster. Surely, he couldn't be seeing a change in her…but there was definitely something different between them the last few weeks, something charged and electric.

As if she could sense it, she dropped her gaze. "There. That should be decent enough for now." Leaving his wandering thoughts, his attention returned to his arm. He was shocked to find it wrapped in a white fabric. When had she done that? He hadn't noticed her wrapping it.

"Right…well, let's head back then."

After moving the camp to a site farther up the mountain, they set a fire for warmth as the sun started to set. They sat facing each other on opposing sides of the fire, the radio playing softly in the background. Harry sat there, thinking about last night. As if she could read his mind, Hermione spoke through the silence for the first time in the past ten minutes.

"About last night…" she began, unsure where exactly she was heading with this.

" Thank you, for being there. If it wasn't for you, I know I wouldn't have slept last night, after…well, after everything that happened." She looked across the fire at him then, awaiting his response. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts, as the fire illuminated her eyes and highlighted her thick brown hair. The image of her in that instant, completely took his breath away.

"I...I…" he stuttered for a moment. " I'm glad you let me help. I'm always here for you." he finished.

She smiled at that. "I know."

He stood, watching her keep her eyes locked on his as he walked around the fire and seated himself next to her. Taking her hand in his, they both sat together in silence. After a moment, she laid her head on his shoulder, finding comfort in any touch she could share with him. She never felt as close to him, or anyone else for that matter, as she did in that moment. She traced small circles on the inside of his palm, noting the goosebumps that raised along his arm as she did. She felt his breath quicken for a moment before he regained his composure.

"Harry?"

"Mm?"

"How are you feeling, about all of this?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, moving his shoulder so that they faced each other.

"About Ron leaving, of course. Surely you can't be taking it well…"

"Oh. That. Honestly? I think he's crazy for leaving you. I never would have left you, let alone the way he did it. I'm quite pissed, actually." He noticed something in her eyes then, but he wasn't sure exactly what it was.

"He left you, too, you know?" was all she said. He was quiet then, not thinking it in that way before that moment. Her head had laid back on his shoulder, and he placed a kiss to the top of her head as his only reply.

"What did you think I was talking about?" she asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"Before you answered- you said, 'oh. That.'… what else did you think I was talking about?"

Shit. She had noticed. He wasn't entirely sure how to answer, he was terrified of scaring her away.

"Oh, nothing."

"Tell me…" she said, her head now lifted again and she met his eyes.

"Well, just that… we've sort of… grown closer these past few weeks. I don't know."

She was quiet and unresponsive.

"We should uh…head in. It's getting late." Harry told her, taking her still clasped hand, and bringing her to her feet. She lost her balance for a moment and her hand pressed into his chest for support. The simple contact had him stiffen.

"Sorry." She said, pink with embarrassment. He slid his arm around her waist and guided her into the tent.

"You're welcome to sleep with me again tonight if you need to…" He started, unsure how she would respond.

"I'd like that." She replied, her face bent downward, unable to meet his eyes.

"Okay…great…" he said awkwardly, as he turned his back to her to undress for bed, not bothering to go behind the curtain.

Harry was completely unknowing as Hermione watched him. First, his shirt was pulled off, exposing the thick muscles in his back and the dip right above his pant line. She blushed and turned around, deciding that he would judge her if he knew how she felt, especially with Ron leaving only a few days prior. However, she couldn't help but wonder what he had really meant about his comment, the two of them becoming closer. It was true that they had, she wasn't blind.

Her back to him, she heard the zipper of his jeans followed by the sound of them sliding off of his body and being discarded. She waited, hearing him settle into the bed that they would share that evening….and many more evenings to come…at least, she had hoped. After all, he was her one escape from the pain. When he was with her, it was all so much easier to handle.

She began to undress, slipping her shirt off over her head, and discarding her pants with his. Still facing away from him, she removed her bra and slipped into her cotton t-shirt she used for sleep. She jumped slightly, hearing an intake of breath behind her. She realized that he had been watching her. For how long, she wondered. The thought itself didn't make her uncomfortable, actually, it pleased her. Not that she wanted it to, but it did.

Turning around, she walked to the bed and settled into her place. Instead of turning her back to him, however, she faced him. When they hugged, she found comfort being buried into his chest, and decided that's how she wanted to fall asleep. At first, she caught a confused expression adorn his face, then settle into a soft smile as she lowered herself in the bed to be even with his chest. Wrapping an arm around his side, she pulled herself closer into him. He stiffened slightly and she wondered if she had made him uncomfortable in some way.

"Is this okay?" she asked.

"Yeah…yeah, it's fine." And then she felt him exhale. The arm that she used to bring herself closer to him, now rested between them, leaving her hand against his toned chest and her elbow right below his pant line.

Trying to gain sleep, she lightly touched his chest, tracing the muscles that rested below her fingertips. Now dark, she couldn't see a thing, but she could feel his growing erection against her lower abdomen. The feel of him against her made her warm inside and she got a reaction from him that she never expected. She didn't know that she had ever affected Ron the same way, not that they'd ever been this close. She felt him breathe in deeply, then heard him sigh.

"Same question." He suddenly asked, hoping to distract himself in efforts to lower his erection, and to distract her from noticing if she hadn't already.

"W-what?"

"Same question." He said again. "How are you doing? With Ron leaving?"

She shut her eyes, hard. She didn't want to think about it.

"I'm…okay. Better now than I was."

"Good." He said, softly brushing her hair with his fingers. The feel of him touching her soothed her, and he was beginning to see that now. She brought her face upward, then nuzzled into his neck. She felt a low vibration in his throat before hearing his soft, low moan that escaped his lips.

"Are you uncomfortable?" she asked.

"Not at all."

She smiled at that, knowing that he was fully comfortable with her physical closeness to him and it hadn't bothered him like she thought it might. As they lay there together, feeling each breath from their counter, they both fell into a deep, comfortable, sleep.

Waking before he did, she found him spooning her, tightly. His legs were bent into hers, making her own legs hug his. His left arm was draped around her tightly, his hand resting just under her chest. For a moment, she traced the veins along his hand, trailing down his arm.

She enjoyed the feel of him as she began to notice more of him. His pelvis was pressed into her, and she felt every inch of him. She gasped, not expecting this response from him so early, especially with him still appearing to be sound asleep.

She turned slowly, careful not to wake him. His lips were parted slightly, his eyes closed, his breathing still even. He was definitely still asleep, she decided, and brought her finger tips to his mouth. She traced his lips with her fingers, wondering how he would respond if she kissed him. Not now, though, she thought, deciding that he would be awake if she ever tried it.

Removing her hands from his lips, she started as his hand reached out to hers and brought her hand back to his lips. He kissed her knuckles softly before holding her hand in his at the base of his throat, still asleep. She decided then that she would not get up until he did.

When Harry woke an hour later, he found Hermione's hand in his, and she was curled into him, leaving hot breath against his throat. He internally groaned at the feel of her breath on him.

"Good morning" he said softly, not wanting to startle her.

"Good morning" she replied, her head lifting to meet his eyes, a small smile on her lips.

"Sleep well?"

"I did."

He kissed her forehead softly, then forced himself out of bed to start the day.

"How about we do something fun today?" she asked.

"Fun?" he said, confusion in his voice.

"Sure…I mean, everything has been so hectic lately. Why don't we go for a swim in the lake through the clearing?"

"Okay…sure. Couldn't hurt" he said, smiling at her. He watched her as her eyes traveled down his body. It was then that he remembered what he was wearing. He was in only his boxer briefs, standing there before her. Fuck, he thought. He had a hard on too. Surely she'd seen that from the way she was looking at him. He blushed.

"Sorry…uh…I'll go get dressed now…" he said, quickly turning away from her and grabbing his clothing.

After they were both dressed, they headed out to the clearing. It was still early, and the sun left a low light that filtered through the trees, illuminating the lake before them. It was beautiful.

She had been right to suggest a swim, it would give them a moment of peace. He turned then, finding Hermione undressed to her bra and underwear, both black in color and could easily be seen as a bathing suit if it weren't for the lace traveling up her lower abdomen.

She looked up at him, bent from removing her pants.

"Well? Are you going to get undressed and jump in?" she asked, smiling at him. She knew he had noticed her. She seemed to have upset his thoughts considering he jumped slightly and began to stammer.

"Y-Yes." He replied, removing his shoes, pants, and t-shirt. She was still smiling at him, before turning her back to him to head into the water.

The water was luke warm, surprising in their current altitude. He swam to her, finding her not far from shore. She was facing away from him, admiring the view of the heavily wooded forest and large plants scattered within it. She heard the movement of water behind her, and knew that he was approaching her. She turned herself around to face him, finding him only about a foot away.

"Nice, isn't it?" she asked him.

"Definitely. I'm glad we came out here." He replied, noting her wide smile and curious eyes, distracted as she looked at the scene around them.

When she looked back at him, he saw the sun reflecting off the water, leaving a white shimmer of light across her face. The light cast on to her had made her eyes appear even more incredible to him.

"I never noticed the rim of gold before…" he said, with a nervous chuckle.

"What do you mean? Where?"

"In your eyes. I've never noticed it before."

Her eyes widened.

"Oh- " she began, her voice a tone higher than what could be considered normal.

"I can't say that I've noticed it myself…I guess that's just what happens, with us spending so much more time together."

"I suppose that's true.." he said, laughing again. "Can I… ask you something? It's sort of personal." he asked, his voice deeper and more cautious.

She locked her eyes on his, now entirely focused on him. Curious, she said,

"You can ask me anything, Harry."

His eyes seemed to lighten with that, and she saw that the corner of his mouth had lifted slightly.

"Why did you choose to sleep with me when Ron left, and every night since? I didn't know you were that comfortable with me."

Damn, she thought. She really didn't want to have to talk about this. Being with him was natural for her, but talking about it was something entirely different. What if she made him uncomfortable, and back away from her? The feeling that gave her was painful.

"Can you promise me that…well, that nothing will change between us, no matter what I say?..." she asked, and the one question alone even made her pale. She could not imagine how she would feel after telling him.

Harry kept his posture, and he kept his expression the same. He wanted no part in making her uncomfortable.

"Hermione, of course. No matter what, I will always love you." Although Harry hadn't felt any different in saying it, Hermione couldn't help but feel the warmth rise in her belly again. He loved her? Surely he always had as a friend, he had just never said it. The words on his lips made her feel so much more at ease with him in that moment, and she pushed herself forward.

"Please…don't judge me for this. I know that Ron just left we're both hurt. I enjoy sleeping with you because, to be honest, I enjoy having you near me. You make me comfortable. You make me feel safe. You always have." She said, shrugging.

"There must be more… things have been…different. You know that."

She sighed.

"I've…had feelings for you ever since the day in the hall. When I came out of the hospital? It was minor then, and I think over time I had convinced myself that you wouldn't risk any of our friendships, Ron's included."

"And now?" he asked, immediately realizing that she was specific in the past tense. "How do you feel about me…now?"

He waded closer to her, his fingertips brushing across her lace covered hip. Her eyes closed briefly, before she began speaking again.

"Can I answer that later? It's…hard to focus right now." She said, not indicating exactly what she was distracted by.

After a few hours, they dried by a fire they had set and redressed, finding the tent's cover just a few minutes before the rain began. It came in like a wave, the drops drumming down onto the canvas of their roof . They both enjoyed the weather, and for a moment, they just sat at the table together enjoying the sound.

"So, about the question I asked…" he began, his voice only slightly louder than the rain.

"Right…well…do you remember coming to check on me the night of the dance, after Ron and I fought about Viktor?"

This surprised him.

"Well, sure. What about it?"

She sighed then, and stood from the table. Harry sat there, confused, watching her pace the length of the tent with what little light they had. Suddenly, she stopped. Slowly turning to face him, she walked over to him, and stood directly in front of him.

"This, " she said, bringing her hands up to cup his face, "is how I feel about you now." And cautiously, her lips found his. He tasted musky and warm, and she noticed that his response to her was immediate. He had kissed her back, then parted his lips to give her more access. Her tongue found his and their movements together were relaxed and easy.

She pulled away from him, heavily blushed. Looking down at him, she asked, " Does that explain more?" she asked. He nodded. Continuing, she said, " The night of the dance…is when I began falling for you. " She bit her lip and met his eyes, searching for something that would put her at ease.

Harry stood and looked down at her. Grasping her waist and pulling her into him, he bent down to her ear and whispered, " I've fallen in love with you, Hermione Granger. I did that a long time ago." He tilted her head with his free hand, and brought her lips back to his. Her arms wrapped lightly around the back of his neck, and kissed him back feverishly. After a few short moments, they parted, their foreheads touching. They both gave a small smile and laughed.

"I think it's my turn." She said.

"For what exactly?" he responded with a small laugh.

"To ask a question." she beamed and turned outright giddy.

"Okay, ask away."

She pondered her question, trying to decide exactly how to word it. Blunt would have to be the only option, she thought to herself. As curious as she was, her desire for him still scared her.

"Can I….touch you?" she asked, bringing her hands to his chest as an example. His eyes darkened and he gave a stiff nod. Slowly unbuttoning his shirt, she heard his breath hitch when her fingertips touched his skin, and she smiled.

Having reached the last button, she pulled his shirt off and disposed of it near the bed. Snaking one hand behind his neck, she pulled him down to her and she kissed him. As they kissed, she ran her free hand across his chest, then his lower abdomen, and trailed to his hip bone. Being this close to him, she could feel him pulsating where her stomach was pressed between his legs and he groaned.

"Sorry…" he said ruefully, noticing her pause.

In reply, she pressed further into him, letting him know that she wasn't bothered in the slightest. The contact made him groan again, but this time, he was entirely unapologetic.

Grabbing her hips, he pushed her backward until the backs of her legs hit the edge of the bed, forcing her to fall into it. She let out a quick yelp of surprise, then laughed at herself, covering her mouth with one hand.

The wind had blown out the last of their light, and neither of them minded. They both found that it made it easier for them to focus on touch alone, and the idea of not knowing precisely where the other person was, enticed them.

Still standing, Harry unbuttoned her pants and pulled them off of her, discarding them wherever Hermione had put his shirt. He felt her tense and relax several times before he had even touched her, and the thought made him smile.

With one hand, he propped himself above her and kissed her lips, her neck, and back again. With the other, he slowly slid up her inner thigh, resting just below her sex. Grabbing her leg there, Hermione's body began to move with him, encouraging him to truly touch her.

"Can I-"

"Yes!" she said immediately, keeping him from finishing his question. With that, he found his way beneath her underwear and found the core of her. He could feel the heat coming from her. He had to feel her, to taste her. He wanted all of her.

Circling her clit with his thumb, he moved lower against her, bringing his mouth to the hem of her shirt. He nudged the fabric with his nose, and placed his lips against the bare skin above her panty line, trailing kisses across the low of her abdomen.

Wanting more, he pulled her underwear past her ankles and discarded them on the floor. The lack of lighting left him able to feel and smell her more. Her skin was soft, almost like silk, and she smelled sweet to him.

He brought his mouth to her, his tongue enveloping her. She squirmed and brought one hand down, feeling it's way through his hair, then grabbing at the back. He groaned loudly, forcing vibrations from his mouth against her.

"Please, Harry. I need you…" she moaned, and that was it.

Harry brought himself up and kissed her lips once more. Guiding his length to her sex, he found her entrance and eased into her. She gasped as she took him in, and she felt herself opening up to him.

When he was finally fully inside of her, she winced from the pain, but it quickly subsided, leaving behind nothing but pleasure. Realizing that she was fully comfortable again, he increased his rhythm within her, her tightness and her moans making it nearly impossible to stay within her. It was only a few moments more before she pushed him off and turned him so that his back was against the bed.

"Hermione, what--" he began, but her mouth on him was a quick enough response that he didn't need to finish asking what she was doing. She had taken the tip of him into her mouth, the heat of her breath making him pulse even harder within her. Sucking the tip, she found herself enjoying the taste of herself on him, combined with the saltiness of his precum.

Gaining more confidence from his responses to her, she brought him in fully, until his tip rested against the back of her throat. He moaned loudly as she flicked her tongue against his length. Placing her hand against his base, she picked up her rhythm, sucking him harder than she had initially.

"Hermione, I can't—too much more and I'll--" and then she was on top of him, bringing him to her opening once more. He immediately grabbed her hips and moved her against him until her responses had told him that he was in the exact spot he needed. He lifted his hips from the bed, plunging deeper into her. His eyes were more adjusted to the darkness of the tent and he could see her head falling back, and her hands went to his shoulders, gripping him for support.

"Oh, god, you feel good…" she moaned. She bit her lip and could focus on nothing but the feel of him inside of her. The heat within her rose, and she could feel herself coming close to climax.

"Harry, I'm going to--" and with one last thrust, she came.

He pulled out of her immediately, and began stroking himself.

"No, Harry. I want to taste you."

She brought her head down, and brought his tip into her mouth once more. With her hand, she stroked the length of him, and within no time, he had filled her entirely.

The following morning, Harry woke as the light from the sun shone through the canvas. He felt dazed, and felt around for Hermione, as he was still only half awake.

Surprised, his body fully erected into a sitting position and found Hermione not in bed beside him. He quickly realized that she wasn't in the tent at all, and quickly dressed before heading outside of the tent. To his immense relief, he found her only a few yards away, visible from the opening of the tent, her back to him.

She was distracted by her thoughts from last night. Looking out through the woods, her arms were crossed over her chest to help keep her warm in the cool morning air. There was no regret for her, she was glad that they had that time together. She was mainly curious as to where his thoughts were after everything that happened between them. Did he regret it? He had said that his feelings for her went further back than she had thought, but surely he could still change his mind.

Surprising her slightly, she felt his strong, thick arms wrap around her from behind. His mouth nuzzled into her neck, he whispered "Good morning".

She smiled. "Good morning" she replied softly, turning around to face him.

Immediately noticing the confusion in her eyes, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Her eyes lifted to meet his, her mouth opening slightly to reply, but no words came. She wouldn't meet his eyes and left her gaze downcast. Concerned, he pulled in more tightly, her face becoming flush with his chest.

"Talk to me" he pleaded.

Her face still pressed against him, he felt her breathe in deeply.

"I was just…thinking…" she began hesitantly. "How…how are you feeling…after last night?"

This confused him, and he pulled away from her. Keeping his arms wrapped around her back and his eyes now meeting hers, he found that she was in tears.

"Hermione, I don't understand…" he began, but she cut him off.

"I really enjoyed last night, Harry. A lot. I think I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed. I love you, I have for a long time. I guess I'm just worried about how you're feeling, that maybe you changed your mind about me after--" but she was cut short when he leaned in and kissed her, hard.

Releasing his lips from hers, he drew back to look at her again. Her skin, flushed from the cold, brightened some as she looked back at him.

"Hermione, I love you now even more than I did before last night. If I could stay that close to you forever, I would." He watched her as her lips parted again, but instead of a verbal response, she let out air he didn't know she had held.

Not knowing how to respond, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Do you mean that?"

He smiled. "I could just show you…" he said, bringing his lips to the side of her throat, trailing kisses behind her ear and down to her collar bone. He heard a small moan escape her lips and felt her arms tighten around him. To his dismay, she pulled away.

"Harry… we have to get back to finding the horcruxes. You know as well as I do that we can't stay like this forever." He frowned, then sighed.

"You're right. But can you promise me something?"

She cocked her head to the side, curious.

"Stay with me. Really, stay. We may be going through a lot right now but that doesn't mean that we have to abandon each other and what we feel."

Placing a hand over his heart, she felt the drumming beat there, far faster than normal. This really meant a lot to him and she could feel it. She smiled broadly and said, "I promise." He grinned at that, taking her hand and leading her back to the tent.

---

After collecting their items and storing them in her charmed bag, they collapsed the tent with a spell and transported themselves to their next location- to visit Professor Dumbledore's brother.

Finding themselves at the door of a small shabby cottage, they knocked. After a few moments, a man eerily resembling the professor, answered the door.

"Harry Potter… I wondered when you would come by." He said, his voice deep and gruff. As if to explain, he continued, motioning them inside.

Stepping into the door way, they found themselves face to face with a massive portrait of a woman above the fire.

"As soon as I saw you in the mirror, I knew that my blasted brother had indeed continued the journey that I had so hoped he would abandon…"

Cutting him short, Harry said, "Wait.. it was you? In the mirror?" Mr. Dumbledore nodded. Harry continued. "Then, did you also send your patronus to us?" Mr. Dumbledore stiffened.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Harry was disappointed, but not entirely convinced that he was telling the truth.

The man motioned for the two to sit, and they settled into the musky smelling, stiff couch adorned in the middle of the room.

Breaking the silence, Hermione spoke.

"Sir? Do you happen to know…anything about the Deathly Hallows?"

He let out a snort.

"What, the myth!?" he boomed in anger. "My brother had no sense, choosing that corrupted path over his own family."

Harry and Hermione watched as he stared up into the portrait above the fire, his face lit and cast eerie shadows from the light.

Harry spoke next. "Sir… would you mind, enlightening us on the…er…story?"

Mr. Dumbledore looked to him then, his eyes bore into him.

"Fine." He said simply, then dove into the story, settling himself into his arm chair across from them.

After, he stood, and placed himself before the portrait once more.

"You know what to do." He told her.

"Where is she going?" Harry asked, rising from the couch and staring at the now empty portrait. He noticed that she hadn't left the portrait like all the others he had seen, where they had left by going into the side of the painting. Instead, the woman had walked straight back and completely disappeared in the distance.

"You'll soon see." Was his short reply.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other with concern, curious but still on edge. They had to be prepared for anything. Before much time had passed, Harry gasped as the woman returned to her frame. She had someone with her.

"What--" he began, then stopped. It was…

"Neville!" Hermione gasped. As he came closer, she soon realized that his clothing was all but shredded and his face was a bloodied mess.

"Oh, I've been worse. You should see the other guy" he said, smirking. Reaching a hand out, Hermione took it first. Neville pulled her into the painting, then Harry. Taking a lantern, Neville led them into a tunnel at the far back of the painting.

"Uh, Neville…what is this? I thought all of the tunnels leading to the school had been closed off?" Harry asked, confused.

"This one didn't exist when they closed it all off. We made this for your return."

Harry smiled—his old friends had known him so well, even if they couldn't know every detail.

"Wait…we?" Hermione asked, her brows raised. Neville laughed.

"You didn't think you were alone, did ya?" Neville asked. As if to accentuate his words, they had reached the end of the tunnel and Neville opened a small door. Hearing low whispers and gasps, Harry stuck his head out into the opening and saw every single student that ever supported him at Hogwarts and he smiled broadly.

Hopping down from the cliff that this new painting resided on, he and Hermione both found themselves enveloped by their friends. Through the cheers of his old classmates, Neville spoke.

"So you're back Harry!? You're coming back to Hogwarts to fix things, aren't you?" he asked, and the room fell silent awaiting his response. Harry's heart dropped, not wanting to disappoint them all.

"Well, no…" Harry began, instantly hearing gasps and rebuttals through out the room. Standing erect and raising his voice above the others, he commanded the room. "Look. We came here in search of something, something that will help us defeat Voldemort."

Neville spoke first. "Great! We can help! What are you looking for?"

"We don't exactly know…" Harry began, noting the confusing looks that covered the entirety of the students before him. "All we can tell you, is that is something of Ravenclaw's, something that would be well hidden and…and…" he didn't know how to continue. How could he explain that the horcrux's gave off a movement and a sound as though a heart resided within it.

Hermione finished for him. "it's not an ordinary item. It must be something that held significance to the house a long time ago."

Luna perked up, centered within the students. As she spoke, the crowd around her parted so that she and Harry could speak face to face. "Do you mean the lost diadem of Ravenclaw?" she asked.

Harry's mood lifted. Finally, a lead. Cho, standing next to Luna, rested a comforting hand to Luna's shoulder.

"Luna…" Cho began, " it's a lost diadem. No one alive has ever seen it." She finished, a remorseful look crossing her face as she turned to face Harry.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching. Covering themselves with the cloak, Harry and Hermione followed the other students up the side stairs and made their way back to their dorms and were soon informed to meet in the dining hall to be presented with a speech from the new head master.

Following closely, still covered by the cloak, they made their way into the large hall, now undecorated and significantly darker than Harry and Hermione had last seen it. Snape and Mcgonagall stood at the end, and the students silently lined up before them.

As Severus made his speech, Hermione felt Harry tense beside her and she wrapped her arm around him to bring him some comfort. When he looked at her, she instantly shook her head, knowing what he was about to do.

Keeping her cloaked, he removed himself from it's cover, bringing gasps of shock from the rest of the students that were unaware of his return. Snape sneered at him, his wand instantly drawn.

Harry drew his wand from his pocket and faced him, the crowd parting out of their way. Silently they stared at each other waiting for the other to attack. When none came, and Snape drew his shoulders back, Harry lunged forward, driven by the image of his killing the professor, of ruining the only home he had ever had.

Cutting him short, the room boomed with a voice with an unknown source. The students looked around, trying to find where the voice was coming from. Where his voice was coming from. Once his voice, instructing Harry to be brought to him, had ceased, there was silence.

Breaking the silence, a Slytherin girl yelled, "Well what are you all doing?! He's right there, grab him!" Harry stared at the girl as Hermione unveiled and stood before him, her arms out stretched behind her protectively. The other students from his arrival began to surround him.

Professor Mcgonagall shielded Harry from a spell coming from Snape's wand, and began dueling him, anything to keep Harry safe. Eventually, Snape fled through the window, unable to continue.

"Filch, would you please escort the Slytherins out of the hall?" she asked.

"And where would you like me to take them, mam?" Filch sneered.

"Oh, the dungeons would be fine, thank you."

Cheers erupted from the other houses, delighted to continue the fight without them.

"Harry. What can we do for you, what do you need?" Mcgonagall asked.

"I just need some time, professor"

"Well, I'll give you all the time I can manage."

"Thank you."

He took off, grabbing Hermione as he went.

Luna chased after them amidst the crazed crowd. Finding them both at the main stairs heading to Raven Claw, Luna called out.

"Harry!"

"Not now, Luna. Kind of busy at the moment!" he yelled back.

"Harry, stop! You're going the wrong way!"

Turning, he faced her.

"What do you mean?"

"The lost diadem! Didn't you hear what Cho said? No one alive has ever seen it. It's quite obvious really."

"For the sake of time, Luna, could you please get to the point!?" he asked, frustrated now. Time was something he couldn't lose right now.

"The ghost of Ravenclaw, you need to speak to the Gray Lady."

Harry could have kissed her he was so pleased.

"Oh, you're brilliant Luna!" he exclaimed, taking off in the opposite direction, Hermione close at his heels.

"This way!" Hermione urged, pulling Harry into the right direction. Finally finding the right hall, he and Hermione ran down, finding the Gray Lady hovering in a dark corner.

"You've come for my mothers diadem" she said suddenly.

"Y-yes. I need it to destroy Voldemort."

After convincing the ghost to provide him with it's location, they ran to the Room of Requirement. Entering the room, they found themselves overwhelmed with the amount of items they would have to sort through.

"You don't think I'm finished with you yet, do you?" he asked mockingly.

Where they were currently positioned, they saw that the small amount of light from the sky was illuminating part of the room. To Hermione's surprise, she saw a light reflecting off of some sort of jewelry near the far back wall.

Taking Harry with her, she headed toward the item.

"That's it!" Harry announced, his eyes widening.

Together, they retrieved the item easily and placed it into Hermione's bag.

Harry grabbed Hermione by the wrist and took her from the room. They raced through the Great Hall, dodging spells and curses as they did.

As they returned to the main hall, Harry caught sight of the sorting hat in a corner of the room. Seeing a Basilisk fang peaking out from its rim, Harry grabbed it and led Hermione into a vacant room back inside the school.

Removing the locket and diadem, he handed one of the teeth from the bag to Hermione. She looked surprised, and said,

"No! Harry, I can't—"

"Yes you can, it should be you. You're the one that found the diadem. You can do this." He replied, and placed the tooth in her hand. Stepping back, he watched as she froze momentarily, then dug the tooth into both items, each reaking a black smoke.

Harry was ambushed with excruciating, blinding pain. He screamed out, unable to control himself.

"Harry!!" Hermione screamed, running to his collapsed form on the ground in front of her.

"I'm…I'm okay." He said faintly.

"Harry we can't--"

"We need to keep going. It isn't over yet."

Rising from the ground, Harry embraced her, tightly. He didn't know how much time they had, and unfortunately, they had to spend it in the middle of a war zone. What he didn't tell her, was that while he was collapsed on the ground from the pain of the horcrux's being destroyed, he also had a vision and knew exactly what he needed to do.

"Neville!" Harry yelled, barely heard above the roar of action in the courtyard. Neville turned to him, the Death Eater from before now lying dead at his feet. "I need you to do something for me."

"What's up?" Neville asked, his face scrunched in concern.

"The snake that Voldemort always has with him. When the time comes, you need to kill it."

"How would I--"

"You'll just know. Trust me."

With that, Harry turned and faced Hermione, close behind him. She looked up at him, clearly worried.

"Stay here and fight, do anything you can to help the others." He told her.

"And where will you be?" she asked, her brows furrowing.He sighed, completely at a loss for words. What could he say to make this better for her? He couldn't think of anything and decided that he would have to tell her the truth.

"Hermione…I have to go, " he began, and noticed tears beginning to prick her eyes. "You know I do. It's the last piece of the puzzle, " he continued, cupping her face in one hand and lightly brushing her hair with the other.

She watched him intensely, ignoring all of the background noises and flashes of light, not wanting to lose this memory of him.

He couldn't look back. He couldn't face the pain he knew was surely on her face from his words. He never wanted to hurt her, but this was something that he knew had to be done, and he was terrified.

At the entrance of the forest, he finally turned back, his one last look of the school and its grounds. Though it was entirely covered in darkness, and black smoke filled the air, illuminated by the spells cast by witches and wizards beneath it, he still recalled the first night he came here.

Led by wooden boats lit by lanterns, he recalled what he felt, taking in the size of the school and the magic that seemed to radiate from it. He remembered Dumbledore, Hagrid, and his two closest friends. Although he felt himself beginning to tear, he forced himself to smile, refusing to go out anything but content in his life.

Remembering the small golden ball in his pocket, he took it, admired it for a moment, and allowed the memories of Quidditch to fill his mind. Closing his eyes, he pressed his lips to the snitch one last time. To his amazement, the ball opened at it's center, revealing a small stone, the stone of resurrection.

"I open at the close…" he said to himself. Ofcourse, he thought. This was the end, and likewise, it had revealed itself to him. Taking the stone in his palm, he looked up, and gasped. They were there, before him. All of them! His parents, his godfather, and Lupin.

He turned to his godfather first.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

"What? Dying?" he replied, then smiled.

"Faster than going to sleep." He finished.

Turning to Lupin next, Harry said, keeping back tears, "I didn't want you to die. Any of you," Taking in the rest of his loved ones within the small circle surrounding him, he thought of the life that could have been. He could have married the love his life, he could have been there to watch their child grow up. He could have been a godfather. "Your son--"

"Will know what we died for, some day." Harry smiled and gave a curt nod.

Turning to his parents, he asked, "Can anyone see you?"

"We are here," Sirius said, placing his ghostly hand above his heart. "only you can see us". Harry nodded again. Looking into his mother's eyes, he felt every emotion within them, and he wished he could have spent his life knowing her.

"Stay with me?" he asked. His mother nodded.

"Until the very end" his father added. With that, he stepped into the entrance of the forest. A few feet into the heavily wooded area, he heard men talking in the distance not far from him, and he moved toward it, his heart racing.

"He has not come, my lord. The boy… he did not come" he heard someone say.

"I was so sure that he would…" it was Voldemort, he knew.

To Harry's surprise, his voice found him.

"I am here" Harry said, bringing the focus of each Death Eater, and Hagrid, to him.

"Harry, no…" Hagrid drew out. He was tied between two large posts. Harry didn't want Hagrid to watch him die, but there was just no other option. His eyes locked on his friend's, he had tried to tell Hagrid everything in just a look.

He wanted him to know how much his friendship had meant to him. He wanted to tell him how much he had enjoyed his company. As if in understanding, Hagrid gave a small nod, a single tear falling down his rough, bearded cheek.

---

Upon his conscious return, he first heard light murmurs.

"SILENCE!" Voldemort boomed.

"Is he dead?" he asked Narcissa. Then, footsteps moving toward him. Feeling a hand lightly placed on his shoulder, the woman leaned over him slightly. She had felt the slight movement from his breathing.

"Is he alive? My boy, is he alive? Is he in the castle?" came her concerned voice, in the lowest of whispers. He nodded, just enough for only her to notice.

Harry nodded slightly, only enough for her to notice. She stood then to face her master.

"The boy is dead." she said, in a flat, toneless voice.

Suddenly, Harry was being lifted by Hagrid, an order by Voldemort to show exactly how much power he truly had.

"Harry Potter... is DEAD!" Voldemort boomed as they entered the schools courtyard.

"No!!" Hermione shrieked, running to him as Hagrid lowered his body to the ground.

Neville woke up in the great hall, blinking away the blurred vision. As he sat up, he saw the sorting hat, with the Griffindor sword.

He lifted it, testing its weight in his hands. Neville made his way back to the courtyard where the bulk of the activity had been held before he was knocked out.

He saw the snake beside Voldemort then, her charms no longer held over her, as she lacked the iridescent wave around her.

Neville picked a stone and threw at the snake, hoping to catch her attention and no one elses. When it didn't work the first time, he caught sight of Harry, lying lifeless on the ground between the two groups. His heart clenched and he knew this was the moment Harry was talking about.

Picking up another stone, Neville found more strength within him, determined to follow through with Harry's last request of him. This time, he was successful, and the snake began moving toward him.

Voldemort's back was turned during his taunting of the other students and hadn't noticed his beloved snake leaving.

Running towards the main stair case, the snake was right on his heels. He slipped and fell onto the landing, the sword still gripped tightly in his hand. The snake hovered over him, mouth open, ready to strike. With one swift movement, Neville slashed the sword directly across the neck, separating its head from its body. What Neville had expected was for the body to fall slack, for the head to land loudly beside him on to the stone flooring. Instead, the snake had disappeared entirely, leaving behind a black smoke that some how managed to resemble death.

He was exhausted. Laying back on the stairs, he heard running footsteps. He hurled himself upright once more, prepared to fight still. Instead, he found Luna racing toward him. His heart skipped a beat.

"Luna!"

"Neville! Are you alright?" came her high pitched, but mellow voice.

"Oh! I'm- I'm fine." He replied, blushing. Luna still didn't know how he felt about her, but he would need to tell her. He was almost certain that they wouldn't make it out of this alive.

"Luna?" he asked, turning to face her as she sat down beside him. "I need to tell you something. I--" and then her lips were on his, her hand lightly taking one of his.

Surprised, he pulled away and looked at her. She was entirely confident and had shown no remorse for her actions. He was glad for that.

"I know. I've known for a while…" she said, finishing her train of thought. His eyes went wide for a moment, surprised that she had known. He was certain that no one else had picked up on it, as he hadn't ever mentioned it before.

With Voldemort's back still turned and the death eaters distracted by fighting off those that still retaliated, Harry slowly rose to his feet. Hearing the gasps of surprise and light laughter, Voldemort turned sharply. Before him, was something he had never planned for, never expected. Surely, it wasn't possible. But still, there he was—Harry Potter was standing before him, clearly alive as he withdrew his wand, and pointed it directly at him.

Letting out an angry, gritted yell, he lunged forward, his wand outstretched in return. Between the two, they battled. Harry had decided that no one else could help—he had to be the one to kill him. Though it took years to fully understand his life-long battle with this evil, he had always known it would come back to this.

He had just watched what was very minimally considered a man, turn into ash. He stood silently, staring at the pile of what was left of him. After all these years, and the recent amount of work he had to put in to defeating him, it had finally paid off, though he could never get back the lives that were lost in his honor.

Hermione flung herself toward him, breaking his focus. He instantly wrapped his arms around her, holding her head into his shoulder tightly. He could feel every spasm in her body, telling him that she was sobbing into him, and hard.

Pulling her face from his, he bent to her, forcing her eyes onto his. She looked overwhelmed, probably in shock. There were too many things going on to be able to understand all at once. She was the most intelligent woman he had ever known, but emotions had a way of getting the best of you.

"It's alright, Hermione. Everything is alright." He said, and placed a kiss between her eyes. Her skin was rough and tasted like dirt, but he had hardly noticed. Their faces never losing contact, he slid his lips down until they met hers. Their light brush of a kiss was salty and wet from her shed tears, but neither of them had minded. They were alive, and they were together.

Retreating back to the others, Harry was welcomed with cheers. He smiled broadly, and took in the survivors there with him. Catching the eye of Molly and Arthur, he internally shrunk. They had been the closest thing he had ever had to a family—well, and the group from the order of the Phoenix. He had become close with their youngest son, to turn around and go after the one person Ron really cared about. It made him feel sick, even though the looks coming from them were that of love and pride.

Molly turned to Arthur then, and in a whisper she told her husband, "Go talk with him. He's our son too and he should know that." Arthur nodded and released his arm that was previously wrapped around his wife. Placing himself in front of Harry moments later, he placed a hand on his shoulder. Despite the recent events, Arthur found Harry to be stable still, and unshaken.

"Harry, we are so proud of you son." Arthur told him. Harry's eyes teared slightly and his mouth slackened some. Watching his eyes brighten a little, Arthur continued.

"We know about you and Hermione. We all do. Yes, Ginny and Ron too, " he added as he saw the question in Harry's dark eyes. "and it's alright son. You've had enough misery in your life, you could do with some happiness I'd say." He finished, and pulled Harry in to a hug.

Harry didn't know how to respond, but he was entirely relieved. Of course he would lose relationships if he had to in order to keep Hermione, but he was so glad that he didn't have to.

Harry pulled back from Arthur.

"Thank you sir…that means a lot. For both of us." He said, his hand reaching behind him to find hers, then bringing her to his side. Arthur beamed and pulled them both into a tight hug. Releasing them, he turned and headed back to where Molly stood, giving them one last smile as he did.

Harry's breath caught for a moment, caught off guard by their full acceptance of him, and of him being with Hermione. Surely Ron wasn't happy about it, but they would get to that.

Looking over to Hermione now, nothing else really mattered. Harry took in her dark eyes, the rough shape her hair was in, and the tattered clothing that covered her—and he had never been more mesmerized by her beauty.

Taking his hand in hers, Hermione led him away from the crowd. Harry followed close behind her, taking in the scenery as they passed. The entire area was covered in rubble from rebounded curses, and each remaining survivor was getting treated for their wounds by the well enough professors.

As he took in each professor in view, he remembered his time with Professor Snape. It was true that he didn't have any particularly "good" memories of him, but knowing that he had sacrificed his entire life for his mother, and in turn for him, made Harry picture their moments together in a different light. His hand crossing over his face, he found another tear had slipped from his eyes in memory of him.

Taking his eyes from what was now behind him, his focus was once again on her. The sky had cleared and the new light had shone, illuminating her hair that flowed easily half way down her back. Even after a war, she was breath taking. He stared at her in awe, genuinely obsessed with her in that moment.

Climbing up a destroyed rubble covered path, they found themselves on the bridge that led to the schools entrance. Hermione stood on the edge and looked out over the water. His eyes still on her, she turned to him, expressionless.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you…still stay? Now that the war is over?"

Harry heard her draw out the end of her question, clearly still worried that he would leave her at any moment. He hated the fact that she felt that way, but after everything that had happened to them, she was right to have trust issues. Maybe not so much to have trust issues in him, per se, but that couldn't very well be controlled. That would only take time. Walking over to where she stood, his eyes locked on hers seriously.

"I'm not going anywhere, ever."

She sighed and her lips lifted into a smile. Her eyes shone more then, before she looked away, back at the water.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her.

"Where do we go from here?" she asked in return. "I mean…where do we live, what do we do about the school? Nothing could ever be the same again…" she continued, lost in thought. He moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"We will figure that all out soon enough."

She smiled, knowing that he was right. They would sort this all out once their heads cleared. Enlightened, she turned to him, her eyes bright. His brows rose, seeing her new demeanor.

"What?" he said, laughing. He couldn't help it. The amount of happiness spread across her face made him feel amazing.

"The Elder wand…" she began, speaking softly. He almost hadn't heard her at all. He had planned to destroy the wand with the idea that no single person should ever possess so much power. "We could build a home. We could have everything we need…" she finished, drawing out the last part as she watched his mood shift.

His eyes shifted downward, no longer meeting hers. His body had slouched some, and she was certain that she knew exactly what he was about to say.

"Hermione…I had planned to destroy it. I think you understand why."

"Couldn't we just use it for a few things, then you could--"

"You know…I think you're right." He interrupted, smiling. "It would be nice to be able to at least start our lives off the right way."

She beamed at him, and it was a smile that made his heart damn near beat right out of his chest. Her arms looped around the back of his neck, and leaning in, she kissed him softly, entirely convinced that they would lead a long, happy life together.

A full three days later, the two had finally found the perfect location for their new home. They had fallen in love with the location of the tent, the very night that Ron had left. Conjuring spells to place ownership over the land, which included the lake in the clearing and the stream by which their home would sit, they set off to build their home.

The foundation was built first and Hermione had insisted on having a view of the stream—the result led to an entire back wall of the house being purely glass so that she could see out in that direction from any location within the home.

She had smiled wide when it was finished, completely convinced that she had won. In all actuality, however, Harry hadn't minded the idea one bit. He knew it would be a spectacular way to start and end their days together—he simply enjoyed getting a rise from her, so he had "argued" the idea until he "gave in". Surely he could make a good husband to her if he had mastered that one detail.

With that idea in mind, he could have flung himself over a cliff for forgetting. Two days prior, they had stopped in Diagon Alley where he had found a jewelry shop as Hermione and Ginny went to visit old friends from before the war, before that entire alley had become deserted. Setting his eyes on one ring in particular, he had set off back to find who he had hoped would soon become his wife.

Stepping into the foundation of the home to inspect the interior, Hermione smiled. It was all coming together, their house. Their home. The idea made her down right giddy. She pictured where they would have long nights together on the sofa, where they would spend meals. She even went as far as to imagine what colors they would have in a nursery, because if she wasn't pregnant now, maybe they would be in the future, and hopefully not by accident. Hearing footsteps on the hard wood floor behind her, she turned.

"Harry…" she whispered as her eyes locked on his, below her, on one knee.

"Hermione?" he asked, roughly. He cleared his throat.

"Yes?" she asked in return, a mere whisper on her lips. Her voice had come out a tad higher than what was normal for her, and her eyes widened slightly.

"Will you marry me?"

Her hand flew to her mouth, and despite it, giggles erupted from her lips.

"Yes, of course!" and as he stood, she flung herself into his arms. He lifted her from the ground momentarily, drawing her in for a deep, long kiss. It was then that she noticed that he was holding a small box. She pulled away from him to see what it was—and she gasped.

The ring within the black velvet encasing was stunning but petite. The center had a rather sizable emerald, and down two sides had laid 3 small diamonds. The band itself was silver in color. She thought it was absolutely perfect for her, it just felt right.

His face bright, eyes alight, he beamed down at her. He didn't know if he would ever get over how stunning she always was when she was happy. Her eyes were bright, her lips in a constant smile, and that one single adorable hair that fell into her face. He was thoroughly enjoying every single inch of her.

"I engraved it." He said, turning it over. Within the underside of the silver band, Hermione read it silently. She read it two more times, her eyes tracing left to right, her smile widening with each turn. Finally, she read it aloud, looking up at him.

"Then, now, and forever." She said, her voice a coo.

"It sounds so much better when you say it."

Her eyes crinkled now from how broadly she was smiling, and her cheeks were flushed a bright pink.

Brushing the single strand from her face, her eyes searched his. She saw so much love within them, that it made her seriously question how she had never noticed his liking her in their previous years.

"Let's finish our home." She said, pulling him outside. They were both eager to see the finished result, and eager to live out their lives within it.

Drawing their wands, they completed the outer door, windows, and siding--deciding on a dark wood with a light stone base, black framed door and windows, and a matching roof with a skylight.

He turned to her, watching the light radiate from her and how good she felt in that moment. Her hair was pulled into a loose bun and she was wearing a new navy blue cotton dress that hung two inches above her mid-thigh. She was radiant.

Sensing his gaze on her, she tore herself from the beauty of their home and turned to look at him.

Smiling at her, he asked, "Is it to your liking then?" in a surprisingly impressive impression of her. That made her quirk a sarcastic smile in his direction, as she let out a small "hmph" noise. "Alright, alright. On to the next project." He said laughing. He saw a single brow lift, and he followed with, "the inside". She smiled, open mouthed.

"Ooh!! The fun stuff!" she exclaimed, and he rolled his eyes. The outside wasn't enough for her as it was? He questioned internally. This should be fun, he thought. Watching her dance across the entry way, he smiled to himself, and followed her inside.

"How could you have already started!?" He asked, as he took in the interior of their home. She had only been inside mere seconds before he was, and somehow she had managed to set up the entire living room and was rushing in to the kitchen.

"Okay, no. No way. I get dibs on the kitchen. " he said in a mock fury, crossing his arms over his chest. She laughed lightly and continued. Damn, he thought. He would have to redo that later.

"You know, I never had you pinned for cabin style." He yelled to her, as now a half wall separated them. She had set out a large dark brown microfiber sectional with 2 matching arm chairs on each side and a drift wood styled coffee table with a fully clear glass top. She chose white knit blankets to accessorize and they matched the walls of the room perfectly.

Adding a large white rug below the furniture, a large fireplace encased in a wooden plank accent wall, and some tall green floor plants in the corners of the room, Hermione finally returned.

"If it took you two seconds to put this room together, I can't imagine what you've done to the kitchen in ten." He said, turning to her. He smirked at her and she returned the gesture, closing the distance between them.

"Oh, I don't think you'll be too upset with me. Go take a look." She said, her arm outstretched leading his way to the kitchen. Stepping into the room, Harry took in the rather large area.

The walls were a bright, clean white that matched the living room, and was in low contrast to the flooring. Unlike the deep hard wood in the living area, the kitchen had a very light and weathered wood. The counters matched the flooring perfectly, and the counter tops were—was that white stone? He asked himself, his jaw dropping. It literally matched the stone on the base of their home and it worked beautifully with the wood she chose for that room.

Moving to the other side of the island to see more of the room, he found that she had also chosen a very light brass colored faucet and sink and he realized then that they coincided with the hardware in the cabinetry. He was extremely impressed that she had done all of this. Though he didn't have much knowledge on this sort of thing -or any for that matter- but the room was visually appealing to him in every way.

Day dreaming about their future meals in that room together, he found himself turning to see the kitchen table. His eyes widened and he was momentarily speechless. No one had ever shown so much thought in a single item for him before.

"Hermione?" It was lower than intended, his throat beginning to close as tears stung his eyes. Still though, she heard him, being only a few feet from him during his exploration of her work.

"It's the same one… I thought you'd like something from his home." She replied softly, secretly hoping that she hadn't overstepped an unspoken boundary. It was his godfathers kitchen table before he passed, and she knew how important he was to Harry. She wanted to provide him with a daily reminder of him and Harry's time in his home.

"It's… it's perfect… I can't tell you what it means to have this here." He replied, running his hands along the rough wood of the old table, determined.

Finally, he found the corner where he had once carved his initials in to it, a request of his godfathers at the time, as the other members of his family had all done the same.

The tears that had pricked his eyes now fell freely down the side of his face. It was silent cry, and his body did not shake. It was a happy sort of sad—he was overjoyed with her love for him and her thought to allow him this, and he reveled in his memories of Sirius as he looked at the table. Those memories made him sad that he had lost someone he felt so connected with.

Hermione came to his side then, resting a hand on the low of his back. Her touch was soft and warm, soothing him. As though in a mute conversation between the two, they stood at the table in silence, the presence of the other keeping them both at ease. The room was not filled with sadness, but rather extreme happiness and contentment, and they both knew it would soon infect the entire home, allowing them to live daily in an entire aura of complete and utter joy.

After several minutes had passed, Harry finally lifted his head. His eyes now dry of tears and shining brightly from their previous essence, he looked around the room once more. Deciding he would later put in a larger refrigerator and stove, he began a slow walk toward the bedrooms. Hermione followed him through a hall in the front of the house and found him at the door on the end, the door to what would be their master bedroom.

"Can we do this room now?" he asked, all previous worries lifted. He was playful again, and nudged her as such, causing her to laugh, loudly. Giving in, she gestured for him to proceed and as she did so, he eagerly turned the brass knob.

Harry took in the space, accounting for every inch and visualizing what he wanted and where, of course still with the sight of what Hermione would want. Taking in his excitement, Hermione let out a low chuckle. Hearing her, Harry turned, his brows together.

"What?" he asked seriously.

"Would you like a moment to play? I was going to see about space for a small library anyway." She asked. She wanted to give him a space that he felt comfortable in, a space that they would certainly spend most of their time together considering that sleep alone took usually no less than 8 hours from a full day. Watching him slip a small smile at her, she turned and headed for the other side of the house, in search of the best place for her books.

Raising his wand, he began to dress the room. The walls remained bright, a theme he enjoyed about the home. Choosing a wood flooring complimentary of the kitchen, he chose a long black rug that the bed would sit upon. Next, he sat a long dark wood chest with a cushioned top along the full window, giving Hermione a space to read in their bedroom.

---

When it was time to address the bed, he chose a four poster king with a black painted wood base. To cover, he placed sheets of white silk, an oversized comforter that was dark blue in color and four long sleep pillows for them each. Standing at what was now the foot of the bed, Harry's thoughts and visions of them together in this home rose once more.

He pictured waking to her each morning, and serving her breakfast in bed when she got sick. He imagined the long nights wrapped in each others arms and the feel of her breath on him as she fell asleep… he couldn't think about that. As many things as he could picture with her in this bed, he wanted to stay calm right now, to give them some time to relax again after so much had happened to them both—and the though of her breath on him did not make that easy.

Adjusting his already slightly grown erection so that Hermione wouldn't notice, he left the room. He walked back down the hall, keeping an ear out for Hermione. When he couldn't hear where she was, he called out to her.

"Hermione?"

"In here!" she called back.

He turned to his left, following the sound of her voice and soon found her in a newly added small study--so new that it had not been part of the foundation that they had originally laid. He took in the area, about as wide as the so-called bedroom he once had beneath the stairs at his aunt and uncles, and reached to the ceiling.

There was just enough room to walk around the two arm chairs Hermione had placed in the center of the room, along with a small coffee table between them.

"I'm impressed… this looks amazing." He said honestly. It really was quite impressive, what she had done with the room. She had clearly brought in many more books than what she owned, as each spot on the shelves had a resident, and there had to have been over a few hundred presently. Her cheeks warmed and she smiled up at him from her seated position in the chair, her hands already turning a page of a book.

"Yes, I like it. You may have to drag me out some nights." She teased.

"Some nights!?" he replied, laughing. "it'll be damn near all I would think. I never could pull you from a book." As he said this, he immediately pondered the idea. Had he ever pulled her from a book? He had been joking but now he really couldn't think of a time that he had.

"That sounds brilliant." He said, eager to have these ordinary moments with her. The amount of which he enjoyed their life in the past few days made him realize just how much they really had to deal with. For him, it began when he was born—life was at it's best when he had a run in with a troll…and that was something to be said.

Hermione had the last six years and Harry hated himself for it, considering he was the sole cause of everything bad that happened at Hogwarts.

Shaking that aspect from his mind, he brought his focus back to Hermione, who had taken his hand and began leading him outside by the stream. Her fingers were intertwined with his and he played with the ring within them.

With a final half skip, she arrived at the spot she had silently deemed 'perfect' for star gazing. He only just then noticed that she had brought her charmed bag with her, as she drew out two large blankets. Hermione set one blanket down, and motioned for him to sit beside her. He did so, moving as closely into her as he could find comfortable, then pulled the second blanket to cover them both.

"This is amazing…" Hermione cooed, in awe of their surroundings. Day or night, the area was breathtaking and filled with an energy that simply made you want to be there. Her fascination came from everything around her—the smell that the water carried from the mountains that drafted pine and lake water, the cool air around her, the view of the never ending stars above them. Then there was him, beside her, casually touching her in so many areas, the smell of his woodsy soap… it made her head spin.

"Can you see the bear? In the stars? Just there. " Harry asked, pointing so that she could follow his line of sight, and nudging her playfully. She giggled at his child-like game, enjoying the fact that he found joy in the small things. She removed her gaze from his lips, a fact she was unaware of having done in the first place, and turned her head to follow where he was pointing to.

"Oh, yes! Yes, I see it. I've never noticed that before, but now it seems so obviously there." She remarked, with an appreciation to the irony. He looked down on to her face then, taking in her bright, wide eyes, curious and exploring. She caught his gaze from the corner of her eye and she looked to him, instantly knowing what was about to happen.

His gaze on her had turned dark, and his eyes became hooded. All he could think about at that exact moment wasn't the beauty of the night, or how calming the night air had been.

Instead his thoughts were entirely on her. To be more specific, her body. She had gained several pounds in the last few days considering that they had gone from eating morsels for months, and had replenished themselves significantly when the food became available after the search for the horcrux's.

The added pounds had complimented her figure well, giving a further curve to her hips and her face had become fuller. It was the first time he had truly taken her in, seeing as they had a lot going on during the last few months… no, that wasn't accurate. They had a lot going on during the last few years.

Following the length of the dress she was still wearing, his eyes rested on her legs, a creamy white. He had always admired her legs, even before his mental images of them had included them being wrapped around the low of his hips. His eyes followed back up her body, and he noted that her breasts were perfectly rounded once again, the weight gain helping that fact.

She laughed softly, and the noise had caused him to look up at her face. The low light available in their current position, had caused her hair to look as though it were a dark brown rather than the Auburn curls he was so accustomed to. Admiring her hair, he reached a hand out and curled a single strand around his finger. He smiled wistfully, appreciating the feel of even that from her.

Slowly, his hand released the tendril and made it's way down the side of her face, taking in the chill of her skin. It hadn't been so cold as to make either of them require a jacket or cause them discomfort, but still her skin had absorbed the outside temperature. To his surprise, she clasped her hand over his, guiding him down her slender neck and coming to the dip of the front of her dress.

Meeting her eyes, he silently questioned her. In return, she gave a small nod, and unconsciously bit her lip. Damn…she knew what that did to him, and he was certain it was entirely intentional.

Following her lead, he slid his hand beneath the light fabric, finding each of her breasts easily. His touch was light, almost teasing, though he was merely enjoying the feel of her bare skin, and had not yet reached the peaks pressing against the hard material of her bra.

She laid back into him, her head resting against his chest. This gave him more access—and more of a view. Gazing down at her, he found her eyes lightly closed, clearly relaxed in his arms. His gaze traveled past her face and rested at the cleavage he could now see due to her position against him. She was perfectly shaped to him, he thought, appreciating how full his hand was when he gripped one of her breasts.

Though his grip on her was soft, she still let out a low hum of a moan, enjoying the feel of him touching her. Tilting her head back further into him, his hands found quicker access to her, her bra now creating a larger space for his hands. He gripped her more firmly and rolled her now hardened nipples between two of his fingers. Her body squirmed slightly against him, clearly aroused.

He removed his hands from her then, slipping out of the top of her dress. Placing his hands over the fabric, he moved down the length of her torso, finding the bottom hem. Taking the material in both of his hands, he pulled it upward, resting the fabric just below her bellybutton.

She let out a soft gasp then, readying herself for his pleasure. Feeling his finger slip beneath the sheer fabric of her underwear, her heart quickened. At first, he simply felt around the skin of her there, running his fingers along the smooth surface. She was becoming impatient, wanting more from him.

He felt her body begin to release an intense heat and his hand soon traced down to her sex, needing to feel her. Entering her slick folds, he found her opening easily. He slipped a finger inside of her, and felt just how wet she already was from his touch, and he reveled in it.

She was soft beneath him, and he could feel her short breaths of air as he held her. She was entirely his, and he planned to show her just how true that was. Sitting straighter, his body forced hers to cave in as she was propped against his torso, and the movement made his finger deepen within her. Letting out a soft moan, he brought his free hand to her face, now inches to the side of his, slightly below him.

With a single pull of her chin, his lips were on hers with a hunger he had not yet allowed himself to show to her. Her eyes opened, widening, and she pulled away. Searching his eyes, she relented and fell back into him, her tongue feverishly finding his and enveloping him entirely.

He grunted and purred against her mouth, desiring her more with each passing second. Unbeknownst to him, his movements within her had quickened and he became aware of it when her shoulders slumped against him and her abdomen clenched. Letting out a low growl, he turned her to him, causing her to lay flush against him, his hand still inside of her.

She propped herself on her knees, allowing him more space to continue his motions, and she slipped from his grasp only to find his erection with one of her hands. Gingerly, she moved her hand against him through the fabric of the sweat pants he had chosen to wear that day—and she was glad for that. The sweatpants made him more easily accessible to her, perhaps he had done so on purpose, she pondered.

Her face lifted to watch him, and immediately found his gaze on her, a look of pure pleasure and hunger across his features. Watching his head fall back, he let out a single word.

"More…" he whispered, and his free hand flew to the band of his pants, shifting them down to give her full access. Obeying his words, her hand came up to grasp him and she began a slow rhythm. Clearly pleased, she heard a murmured moan of her name against his lips.

Hearing her name from him lit something within her as it always had, and her mouth eagerly came down to bring him in. An excited gasp fell from him, and she smiled against him, using her hand to twist up and down, her tongue teasing the end.

Finally, she brought him fully within her, savoring the exotic taste of him.

Unable to handle it any longer, Harry grasped her shoulders and pulled her face to his, taking in her tongue as he plunged into her.

Not expecting it so quickly, she fell forward, her hands plastered against the blanket beside his head. Appreciating the new angle, he pressed his face into her, his tongue quickly enveloping her peaks through the fabric. Her excitement building, she moved of her own accord against him, and he allowed her to take the lead.

Hands clutched now at his shoulders, she used the support to ride him more quickly, noticing how the rhythm brought her closer to climax. She brought herself to her brink, and just before she orgasmed, she pulled herself from him and returned her mouth between his legs.

"Mmm…. " He moaned, taking in the warmth of her mouth on him. His head was spinning from the pleasure she gave him, and he found no strength to gain any advantage over her. Instead, he laid back and watched her as she moved up and down against him, making his heart race with anticipation of his own orgasm.

Only now noticing that she had been pleasuring herself as her mouth was on him, he groaned in agony, unable to contain himself much longer. Finally, with each cry echoing their own, he came undone against her tongue, as she released her own pleasures.

"Mm…it is nice out here, isn't it?" she asked, coming up to lay beside him. He quirked a brow at her, amused that those words were coming from her in that moment.

"Nice out here, or nice to do that, out here?" he responded, smiling.

"Both." She said simply, her voice sounding drunk and uneven.

Silently, he tucked an arm beneath her head and together they laid there beside the stream, and watched the stars. Hours later, he stood and took Hermione's hand. Not wanting to leave, she reluctantly took his hand as he led her back inside.

Before they were able to make it to the bedroom, a silver light had formed in the center of their living room, Molly's face appearing within it. Harry and Hermione watched as the face opened its mouth, and began to speak.

"Hello, Harry dear," the familiar voice crooned. "Arthur and myself would like to come visit you and Hermione tomorrow evening. Ginny and Ron are coming too, it's been too long since you've all truly spent time together. Please respond and let us know if you're available. We love you both dearly."

When Molly finished speaking, the silver light dissipated and Hermione turned to Harry, a worried expression adorned her face. Harry met her eyes, and he found himself unable to put her mind at ease. He couldn't imagine Ron in their home, what issues that would cause.

Deciding that they would eventually have to see him, Harry lifted his wand and recorded a response.

"We will see you tomorrow evening and look forward to seeing everyone." Short but sweet, Harry nodded and sent the message out. He turned to Hermione then, her expression slightly less concerned.

"Well… we'd have to face him eventually, right? Might as well be in our own home." Hermione said, resuming their walk to their room.

Waking for the first time in their bedroom, Hermione found Harry spread out beside her, the soft light cast through the window lighting his curved, uncovered back. Running her hand across his thick muscles briefly, she placed a soft kiss to his shoulder and rose from the bed.

She slipped on her silk robe, the smooth white fabric covering her bare skin. She tied the sash around her waist and walked barefoot in to the kitchen.

Opening the newer, larger fridge that Harry had insisted on, she quickly found fresh orange juice and poured herself a glass. Next, she chose two blueberry muffins and plated them before setting herself in a large bean bag chair that sat on their back porch.

Taking a sip of the orange juice, she set her eyes on the woods beyond the stream. She pondered for a moment, wondering if Harry was likely to go hike with her that day. The morning air was too cold for a long walk, but surely the heat would come in the early afternoon at the latest. Mentally picturing the trails she had memorized within the woods, she chose a path that they would take, had he agreed to go with her.

Hearing the sliding glass door behind her, she lifted her head, and found Harry standing in the door way. His eyes bright from sleep, she smiled and stood, walking over to him. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the way she felt in the silk fabric.

"Good morning" he said softly, placing a kiss to her forehead.

"Good morning" she replied. "Can I make you some breakfast?"

"No, I'll fix something. Go sit and enjoy your breakfast, I'll be right out." He said, motioning for her to resume her seated position. She did, and watched him as he closed the door behind him, appreciating the lack of clothing he had decided to wear when he got out of bed. Dressed in only his boxer briefs, his toned muscles were easily visible and she smiled at the thought of what they did the night before.

Releasing her from her thoughts, Harry was back outside and took a position beside her. She took a bite of her muffin and looked to him, noting that he was taking in the stunning scene before them just as she had minutes before.

"I was thinking we could go for a hike a little later, when the sun has risen more."

"Sure, that sounds wonderful." He replied, taking in her beaming smile as he did.

Turning to his breakfast, he took a sip of his dark coffee, appreciating the taste of it. He couldn't believe how long they had each gone without real sustenance. It amazed him that they were both still alive, and hadn't expired from the starvation alone.

The warmth of the drink suited well with the morning weather and made it easier to sit in the cool air so under dressed. He had no desire to dawn on more clothing, he saw no need for it considering they had no neighbors and it was just the two of them. Well, for now at least.

"Shit." He muttered under his breath. She had heard him and her head turned to him quickly.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Hmm? Oh, I just remembered that we will have company later today."

She sat a little straighter then, and her eyes cast downward. She had forgotten all about that, well, almost. She had been so tired last night that she had fallen asleep only moments after covering herself in the bed. She didn't give herself time to think about what would happen later this evening, but now she was forced to consider all of the possibilities.

Her mind now focused on what could potentially occur later in the evening, her gaze fell from the imagery before her. Instead, her mind filled with the image of Ron, and his horror stricken face as he would learn of her and Harry's relationship. Would he yell at them? Would he attempt to fight Harry? She just didn't know.

Noticing her concern, Harry took her hand in his, causing her too wide eyes, lost in thought, to snap back to the present. She turned to him and gave a sheepish smile, fully aware that he knew what was on her mind, he always seemed to know. Giving her hand a light squeeze, he smiled back at her.

"It'll be perfectly fine. Remember what Molly and Arthur said?" he asked, searching her eyes for recognition. When none came, he said, "They told us that Ron already knew, the day of the battle. Surely he's already mulled it over and will be calmer than he would have been if he had only just found out." She gave a small nod then, still not entirely convinced.

He placed his mug down on to the table beside him, deciding to change the mood of the conversation. Taking her hand in his, he led her in to the bedroom. Feeling his way along the far left wall with his free hand, he found the panel. Pulling it, he turned to watch as Hermione's eyes widened in shock—the closet was something she hadn't yet seen and he had been eager to show her, knowing how happy it would make her.

The wall opened before them, and bright white lights were illuminated within the room. Yes, she thought, it was an entire room of a closet with rows of clothing stretched out on each side, one for each of them. Down the center was a long shoe shelf, in it had at least six pairs for each of them for all occasions.

She walked in to the area, her hand instantly moving up to feel along the clothing on her side. She gasped as she found several expensive dresses of a sheer material, clearly something a man had picked as she noticed the low plunging necklines on nearly all of them.

She turned then and smiled back at him, finding him watching her.

She turned back, choosing one of the simpler dresses. Pulling it from its place, she held it in front of her, admiring the dark silver material. She turned to find matching shoes that laced up her calf, and set them aside for their dinner later in the evening. Hearing hangers clash behind her, she turned.

Harry was on his side of the closet, also choosing what he would wear for the same occasion. She watched as he took out a tight fitting back t-shirt and dark blue jeans, deciding on back boots and a dark silver dress coat. Her lips curled, excited to see how he would look in the outfit.

"We should get dressed for the hike while we're here." Harry said, his hands finding yet another panel within the room, leading to a hallway of active gear including hiking backpacks and tents.

"You've thought of everything. " she said, admiringly. She was truly amazed that he had gone to such lengths for their home.

He chuckled lightly.

"I try." Was his only response.

Stepping in to the newly exposed hall, she found her clothing. She knew that he was watching her like he had before, and she turned her back to him to slowly slip out of her silk robe. She smiled contentedly as she heard him release a low breath of air. She hoped that she would still have this effect on him in twenty years, in thirty. She smiled more broadly, thinking about their future together.

Deciding on something slightly warm for the hike, she dawned a loose fitting white sweater, green waterproof pants, and her dark brown hiking boots. She picked up an empty hiking bag and filled it with an extra pair of wool socks, and a light rain jacket, just in case. She turned, finding him dressed in a deep green sweater much like her own, black pants, and black hiking boots.

"Should we take one, or two bags?" she asked.

"One should be fine, we won't be gone too terribly long."

With that, she headed in to the kitchen, finding protein bars in the pantry and water bottles in the fridge. Placing the items in her bag, she double checked that they had everything and closed it.

"Ready?" he asked, now behind her.

"Ready." She said, smiling up at him. She was eager to explore the woods around their home, and they had never really hiked together—at least, not for the enjoyment of it. All of their explorations together had been centered around the war, and now that it was finally over, they could enjoy themselves without the fear of anything bad crossing their path.

They stepped out of the sliding back door, following the path from their patio to the entrance of the woods. The air smelled clean, and wet. She could feel a storm coming, but she didn't expect it to come until after they were in for the evening. The new weather would provide them with cool air and a light breeze, making it the perfect opportunity for a hike. She watched him as his eyes lifted to the tops of the trees, a smile on his face.

"What is it?" she asked, curious as to what held his attention.

"It's beautiful out here…"

"It is…but we've been out here before, just last night and yesterday morning."

"Sure, but I still find myself amazed at everything here. Just to think, we were in those woods just last week, searching for firewood and food. It's kind of ironic that we are back here, enjoying it now with the comfort of our own home."

She smiled, understanding the notion. She too, found herself in awe of the world around them, like nothing and no one could interrupt the peace they felt. They both knew that the location they chose their home to be placed, was perfect for both of them as they each enjoyed the outdoors and the location itself had significant meaning for them.

Stepping forward once more, they continued on to the dirt path set out in front of them. The stream came through the woods as well, carrying the scent of pine and the sound of running water. The atmosphere soothed them both and soon, the thoughts of the Weasley's visiting was washed from their minds.

Hand in hand, they came across a meadow. Within it held two does, which ran from the clearing upon sighting them. Choosing it as their location to stop and rest after a two hour trek, they settled down into the bright green grass and withdrew Hermione's bag to retrieve the protein bars and bottles of water.

Harry looked over at her then, now realizing that she had a few pine needles that had fallen into her hair. Reaching forward, he lightly brushed his fingers across her tied back hair, releasing the needles.

"Oh, thank you." She said, looking up at him. "Oh, what's so funny?" she asked, noting the smirk on his face. The tiny smile immediately flattened, in a jokingly manner.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said, trying to hold back a laugh and failing to do so. He couldn't help it, the mock insulted face she wore was hilarious. She smiled widely, and took a bite from her bar.

"Mm. These are really good." She said, surprised. Most to-go bars she had tried weren't very tasteful. The one she was eating had chocolate chips and oatmeal and it tasted like dessert to her.

"They are." He returned, taking a bite of his own blueberry and strawberry filled bar. "We will have to get more for days like this. I'm sure there will be plenty."

She smiled again at that, thankful that they had both enjoyed similar things like that. Allowing her thoughts to picture more activities they would enjoy together, she imagined them cliff diving at a spot not far off of their area, something new and thrilling they could experience.

His movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention and brought her from her reveries. Standing, he began placing their trash back into the bag and dawning it on his own back to give her rest.

Watching him, she found that his posture was more stiff, his gaze distracted. He was worried about that evening, she knew. The sky was growing darker, their company would soon arrive, and she couldn't help but worry too.

She shook it off, knowing that he needed her right now, she didn't have time to worry about herself. Rising, she walked the few paces to where he stood and took his hand. His attention finally came back to the present and he gave her a small, sad smile.

"I'm sorry," he said, his head bowing. "I just can't imagine this going as smoothly as we would like for it to. This hike was a wonderful distraction, but now we have to face it." He gave a deep shrug, slouching when he released. Her heart dropped—she hated seeing him like this, though she understood entirely.

"It could never go back to the three of us being as close as we were… too much has happened, even without us being together. I'm sure it isn't easy for him, or for his family, but we owe him at least this." She said, hoping she wasn't making it worse for him. He straightened, and pulled her into him, her scent and feel alone beginning to calm him. After their hike she had smelled of sweat, dirt, and pine…and she was perfect to him.

Her head was pressed into his chest, her ear right above his heart and she could hear the beat slowing. Closing her eyes, she let out the breath she had held while trying to figure him out. After several moments of his embrace, she heard his heart finally beat normally again. She felt his cheat expand far deeper than normal, and she knew he was okay again.

"We've got this." He whispered into her hair.

"Of course we do." She pulled away from, and placed a soft kiss to his lips, than to his nose, making him smile. "Now, are you ready to head back?" he nodded. Taking his hand again, she led him back down the path, toward their home.

They dressed for their company, and Hermione found herself gaping at Harry. He had looked even better than she thought he would when he first picked the clothing. He noticed her attention and cocked a dark grin, walking to her.

"You look…" she cut off, unable to continue.

"So do you." He responded, meeting her eye and winking.

The knock came. They both stiffened. Another knock.

Harry took her hand, and squeezed. She nodded in return and watched as he turned her back to her, walking to the front door. When the door was opened, he first saw Molly and Arthur, each smiling broadly at them.

"Harry!" Molly cried, her arms instantly outstretched and pulling him down to her in tight hug. Harry gasped, the shock of how quick her hug was, and how tight, had made him lose his breath for a moment. Arthur was at her side and pat Harry on the back, a firm three times. The amount of love from them was as it had always been—and he was so glad for that.

Finally, Molly released him. His vision cleared and he had caught his breath, only to lose it again. Behind Molly, was Ron.

His beard and hair had grown since the last they had seen him, but it suited him well. Expecting dark rimmed, angry eyes from Ron, he nearly physically took a step back when he got the absolute opposite. Instead, Ron's eyes were gleaming at him, almost the same way they had when they were in school together.

Harry's eyes had widened slightly and it was noticed by the others standing with them. Molly and Arthur stepped aside then and began walking toward Hermione, her arms already outstretched to them. Once it was just the two of them alone in the open doorway, it became real. They were back together, in at least a small way. All three of them, even for an evening, even for a single dinner regardless of the mood. He was at least there and suddenly, that meant a lot to him.

"It's good to see you." Harry said, keeping his tone and his mouth flat so that Ron couldn't see how happy he actually was, and not knowing how Ron was really feeling.

"It's good to see you. " Ron beamed at him, and Harry found it odd, considering how he and Hermione had left things, then to find out that his best friend had picked her up. Ron moved forward, his arms out stretched for a hug, and Harry obliged easily. There were still many things left unsaid, but it still felt good to have him back, even if it's short lived. Separating, Harry saw that Ron's attention had caught. He turned, to find that his attention was caught on Hermione, which he had guessed as much. Ron's eyes shifted back to him, gave a weak smile, and stepped into the house.

Harry closed the door behind them and began making his way back to the group, where Molly and Arthur had been admiring Hermione's attire and Ron had made some basic greetings to her. As Harry watched, he understood that he was in Ron's good graces, and perhaps Hermione was too, but he knew that Ron still had feelings for her. He was hurt, as he should been and Harry and Hermione both understood that.

"Let's eat, shall we? It's nice out tonight, so I though we could sit on the porch." Hermione said, once everyone had made their greetings before conversations became awkward. Hermione led the way as Harry and the others followed, a light cool air coming in from the door as Hermione opened it.

Beneath a large square of fairy lights that draped above them, stood a long black opal topped dining table and chairs. On the table were five deep blue placemats, clear glassware. Raising her wand, Hermione laid out a row of food, reminiscent of the meals they would have at Hogwarts, on a minor scale. Delighted to see the turkey, chicken, ham with varieties of vegetables and sides, they all sat and began to fill their plates.

"This place is just wonderful!" Molly exclaimed, her eyes wandering around the visuals around her. Her eyes crinkled from her wide smile. Harry and Hermione smiled at each other, sitting side by side at one end of the table.

"Yeah, it's great. I think it suits you both." Said Ron, with a kind honesty in his voice. He looked to Harry first, then Hermione, and back again, his smile becoming more broad as he did. Harry and Hermione gave their thanks to him and to Molly.

"So, Harry. What are you doing about Hogwarts? Have you decided?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, Hermione and I will run the school together. She will be a great asset in the learning, where I can assist in defense and understanding the muggle world…" he looked to Hermione and smiled. "it'll be just what the school needs right now. And quite frankly, the school is exactly what we need. Its home, and always will be." He finished, giving her hand a tight squeeze. He looked back at Arthur then, to find him smiling.

"Oh, that's a wonderful idea!" Molly broke in, before Arthur could say anything.

"Yes, precisely. I think that'll do really well for the ministry as well, it'll bring good change." Arthur said.

Harry was excited by this, by their support. They continued light conversation over the course of their meal, the most of it going quite smoothly with minimal pauses aside from eating. Feeling more encouraged, Ron caught Harry's eye and stood before walking back inside. Harry took his cue and followed, excusing himself from the table. The others each understood and made no complaints of their departure.

Harry found Ron with his back to him, leaning over the island in their kitchen. Walking toward him, he watched as Ron straightened some, hearing his footsteps. Ron turned to him then, his features still calm and easy. Harry breathed a silent sigh of relief at that.

"I want you to know, I'm seriously not upset with either of you. I wasn't great for her even before the locket. But after? I don't blame her for not wanting to be with me. And as much I hate to admit it, you are better for her. And I want her to have that. For you both to have it." He said calmly, but in a fashion that told Harry that he needed to get it all out at once.

"We appreciate that Ron." Harry said, patting a hand on his shoulder. "We miss you."

"I miss you both. I know it won't be the same, just like it wasn't the same when I dated her, but I hope we can roughly go back to how things were? Granted, we'll all be busier, but," he said in a rush, then Harry cut in.

"Ron! It's all good. I understand what you mean and we definitely want the same thing. "

Ron breathed out to calm himself. He was relieved that Harry and Hermione weren't too upset with him for how he acted. Sure, at first he was mad about the two getting together especially so soon after he had left, but he had left, hadn't he? The two hugged briefly, then Harry released him.

"So, why didn't you come back? In all that time, I didn't even see you during the war." Harry asked, genuinely curious but still a little bothered by the fact. Ron blushed deeply, his gaze dropped, and his head bowed slightly.

"I'm still kicking myself for not coming back. I should have, the moment my head cleared. Honestly though? I think I already knew." Seeing Harry's eyes widen he added, "it's not hard to see how good you two are for each other. How you've both looked at each other. Trusted each other more than anyone else. And I'm glad you both have that now. I'm over the initial shock of it, really." "I was there during the fight, we just never crossed paths. I was with George when..."

Harry nodded, letting Ron know that he understood, and he didn't need to continue his statement. He didn't know how else to respond to him, he seriously was not expecting any of that. he searched Ron's eyes and features for any note of anger or dishonesty—but found none. Ron's eyes showed just how honest he was being, despite his pain of no longer being with Hermione.

"I'm happy to know that Ron, and I'm sure Hermione would be too. You're a good friend."

"So are you. This relationship you two are in doesn't change that for me. We have too many years together to just throw it away."

Harry smiled, in agreement with him. Understanding that the conversation was over, Harry led the way back to the table outside, Ron close behind. When they returned to the table however, the dinner plates had been removed and dessert was laid out before them, an array of puddings and pastries.

Sliding his chair out to sit, he caught Hermione's eye and nodded slightly, letting her know that everything was fine. He saw her entire posture slacken, clearly relieved of all previous concerns.

"Well boys, you just missed an extraordinary conversation about the use of floor mats!" Arthur exclaimed excitedly.

"I'm glad we missed that one…" Ron muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Molly asked, her eyes narrowing at him.

"Nothing, mum."

"I know I heard you say something." She said, her words drawing out at the end. Thankfully, Hermione was able to distract her.

"Oh, Molly. How is the rebuild going?" She asked, curious as to how the house was coming along after a Death Eater attack had almost completely demolished it in fire. Molly's eyes saddened and pricked with tears, the whole ordeal was terribly stressful, even with magic.

"Oh, it's going…" she said, her unshed tears fighting to fall. "what I can't get past is the amount of items we lost, things we all really cared about." Her tears trickled down her face now, unable to be with held. The back of her hand quickly came to her face, wiping away the wetness.

Hermione looked to Harry then, and he immediately understood. With the elder wand in his suit jacket pocket, he withdrew it without notice and cast a silent spell in which their home would be entirely complete, allowing it to be as it was before the damage. Then, he took care of their lost belongings, each being placed where they were once before. It would be a wonderful surprise for the family, and Harry was glad to finally give back to them after all they had done for him.

He nodded at Hermione then, so that she knew it was done. She let out an audible sigh, but no one else at the table had seemed to notice. Her eyes had returned to their company, and he took the time to admire her. Her long hair was straightened and fell well past her shoulders, drawing further attention to the deep v of her dress. The deep red color of her tendrils had illuminated her white skin which was complimented perfectly with the color dress she chose. She really was a vision, and he knew in that moment that he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life loving only her.

Harry recalled the day he had asked Hermione to marry him. He and Arthur had set off to Diagon Alley in search of a jewelry shop while Molly and Hermione spent time in some other shops and visited the homes of those they knew before they left during the war. Arthur was overjoyed when he learned of Harry's plans, and was more than happy to accompany him to find the perfect ring.

They stepped through a wooden frame, which held a large door still broken from the fights that reached the streets. The empty frame led into a small shop, and Harry was relieved to find that the stock at least had been replenished. Walking over to one of the counters, they found a shop assistant who immediately recognized Harry and smiled broadly at him.

"Mr. Potter, oh, how wonderful it is to see you." The older gentleman said, his hand stroking his long gray beard. The man was stocky and short, his height only reaching half way up Harry's torso. His skin was leather like—tough and slightly tanned.

"What can I do for you today?" he asked, his hands coming to the tops of the counter.

"I'm looking for an engagement ring, preferably with an emerald stone." Harry replied, knowing that emerald was her favorite color and would compliment her well.

"Ooh, a wonderful choice sir, " he said, pulling a few selections from the cabinet. "how about this one?" he continued, pulling a small ring from the velvet casing.

"It's perfect." He replied, his eyes glistening. Arthur pat him on the back in approval, as he too was admiring the ring.

"She'll love it, son."

It really was perfect, it was as though the entirety of the ring was specifically made for her, existed only because she did. The ring, or rather, the meaning of all that the ring stood for, resonated within him. It was a low vibration that seemed to literally and physically affect him. He knew without a doubt that the ring was meant for her, and that she was meant for him. With that, they left the small shop, the ring safely in Harry's pocket and walked down the cobblestone path, soon finding themselves wrapped in easy conversation.

They quickly found themselves in front of a large clothing store, in the same building that Fred and George once had their shop of tricks and toys, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Fred had decided to sell the shop, unable to continue the dream he shared with his brother.

After a few hours of shopping, the group parted and returned to their respectable homes. Once the couple returned to their property, they decided to enjoy a stroll after noticing how nice the evening was. They were hand in hand, silent, enjoying the sounds surrounding them. Still silent, Harry led her to the stream as his heart began to quicken, eager but more nervous than he could ever recall being.

Surely, she wouldn't deny him, he was fully aware of how much love they shared between them. The nerves didn't come from what she would say, but more so from whether or not the moment would be perfect for her. He wanted so desperately to give her the life she wanted, to let her know how much he adored her, in every moment of every day for the rest of their lives together.

Hermione had noticed his unease, seeing that his grip on her hand had tightened unconsciously, and that his gaze seemed to be on anything, anywhere, but her. She felt the warmth of her body drain despite the heat in the air around her, worried as to what was causing him such anxiety. Harry was always the bravest, the calmest. She genuinely could not think of anything that would cause him to act that way.

In what seemed like days for Harry, they had finally reached the stream. As planned, the entire area was covered in suspended lights which looked very similarly to still lightening bugs as there were no wires stringing the lights together. The light reflected off of the calm waters as though it was a mirror rather than what was normally a fast running current, and the only sounds emanating from it were that of the small waves lapping to the edges of the recessed ground.

He looked to her and found himself unable to determine whether or not she suspected what he was going to do. Her eyes were round and wide, curiously taking in the entire scene before them. She brought her hand to her covered chest and took in a breath of air and Harry pondered what she could possibly be thinking and found himself at a loss to find anything he wouldn't give to be able to read her thoughts.

Finally mustering the courage, he thought most of that was due to her back being to him as she stood before him, he lowered himself to one knee and withdrew the boxed ring from his pocket, silently withdrawing its lid so that the ring could be seen clearly. He continued to watch her, knowing that just her presence was calming to him, and he fought to focus on that alone. Slowly, her face still turned upward, she turned to him. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that he was below her rather than standing where he once was. Her eyes drew downward to meet his, and she gasped.

Her hand covering her mouth, her eyes wide in shock, she was still unable to remove her gaze from his. She took in every emotion that laid within his eyes, the nervousness, the excitement…oh, how excited he looked in that moment made her heart swell and brought back to her the warmth she had recently before lost.

"Hermione… my life never held much meaning, or want. I was miserable. And then I met you… despite the fact that the last several years have been that of an upcoming war, having you by my side through all of it has made that time more than bearable. I can't imagine a life without you, you're my best friend and everything that I need." He said, previously unsure if he could get it all out. As he watched her, he caught a glimpse of the single tear running down her cheek, which was raised in the widest smile he'd ever seen on her face. It was then, that he had asked her to marry him.

Returning his thoughts to the present, he found that Ron and Hermione had begun a friendly conversation. Harry looked between the two of them, trying to contemplate how they were both doing emotionally as the conversation took place. Hermione seemed almost entirely normal to him, though he did sense some guilt coming from her. Obviously understanding that aspect, he was proud of her for how well she had been handling everything.

He turned his head to watch Ron, finding his smile and laughter to be light, easy, like it used to be. Harry smiled at that, knowing that the dark days from the war were behind them, and that Ron had fully recovered from the affects of the locket, and of his heartache with Hermione.

All conversation eventually died and everyone said their goodbyes. Harry closed the door behind the last member of their company and turned to Hermione, who was standing only a foot behind him. He let out a deep sigh, and relaxed , knowing that the night was far more than either of them could have expected.

Her body seemed to arch towards him, needing his comfort in that moment. She felt so overwhelmed in the joy she felt over the evening. The Weasley's had also become like family to her, even before she and Ron began seeing each other, and keeping them in her life meant more to her than she had thought.

Understanding her body language, Harry allowed her to fall into him, and he just held her. Many moments of their embrace had passed and Hermione reluctantly pulled away. She took his hand and began walking toward the bedroom, turning off lights as she went so they could settle into sleep for the night. They undressed silently before taking their places under the covers in their bed, its sheets cool to the skin.

"How are you feeling about tonight?" she asked softly, turning on to her side to face him. She caught a small smile begin to form, and then she smiled too.

"I couldn't have asked for everything to go better than it did tonight", he replied, his voice tired and low. "it almost felt like nothing had changed… I think they're all genuinely happy for us." She nodded slightly, and he felt the movement against his bare chest and released a low hum from the comfort.

"I'd like go into town tomorrow." She said abruptly.

"For?"

"Just some herbs, I still haven't had a cycle and the herbs will allow me to determine if I'm pregnant." Her voice was low in her exhaustion, but held a note of eagerness and excitement. He understood the feeling all too well as his heart beat faster, the warmth in his chest spilling, soon devouring his entire body.

"Would you like company?"

"No, that's alright. I'd much rather go alone and be left to my thoughts."

His brows furrowed, worried that she was not as eager as he had hoped, in the idea of having a child…or perhaps, having a child, with him. The notion caused a stir within him and he wasn't particularly pleased with how it made him feel. He had half the mind to ask her about what she had meant, but thought better of it and his mouth remained closed, unsure if he would he able to keep a sane tone while he inquired about the matter. Instead, his arm tightened around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him. They said no more for the remainder of their time awake and soon found themselves giving in to their exhaustion from the day.

The following morning, Harry woke to find Hermione already out of bed, his hands finding nothing beside him. He opened his eyes and dawned his glasses, clearing his vision. As he took in the entirety of the room, the small amount of light coming from the covered window of their bedroom had shown that Hermione was not in the room at all. Finding his deep gray robe adorned over a sitting chair within their room, he slid it on and tied the sash around his waist. He set out to the main area of the home, calling her name as he went. There was no response.

Finally deciding that she was either outside or had already left, he found his way to the kitchen. There laid a single sheet of white writing paper on the kitchen island, and Harry went to it immediately.

I woke early, and couldn't go back to sleep. I've gone in to town and should be back before lunch. I love you.

Hermione was in a slow walk along the shops in town, enjoying the sun and the heat radiating from it. She had finished collecting the herbs needed for the potion she had to make, and thankfully, it was one that she could have ready by the end of the day. She was nervous, shopping for the herbs, as surely any witch that sold them to her would know what they were for, and seeing as everyone knew of her and Harry's relationship by now, she was concerned for their privacy. After all, if she wasn't pregnant, what would that say about her?

Shortly after leaving the shop, she found a mother and a child shopping for needs for the child's first year at Hogwarts. She had smiled warmly at them and received an eager wave from the little girl, her eyes bright with excitement. Hermione waved back to her, decidedly not wanting to disappoint her.

The child's kind smile made Hermione's mind wander as she strode down the cobblestone paths leading out of the town and back to her home. She wondered what their own child would look like, who they would grow to be. Even if she wasn't pregnant now, she and Harry would eventually have children together, probably sooner rather than later anyway.

Her own mother had made an extraordinary example of motherhood, always doting on her needs and always willing to expand her education. In fact, each time she asked her mother for a new book or trinket to figure out, her mother had always done her best to give her what she needed. Hermione had never really been the sort of person to want things for the pure sake of wanting them, and her parents knew that.

The example her mother had shown was exactly why Hermione was nervous about potentially being a mother—it made her wonder if she could amount to the same for her own children. Harry would be an impeccable father, she knew, despite his own father never being alive to see him throughout his life. The idea calmed her some, knowing that he would always be by her side, to straighten her path if she ever strayed.

Her home came into view, and her pulse quickened at the thought of making the brew, to find out if she truly was with child as she suspected. She had never missed a cycle before, but it was funny to her how it hit when the cycle stopped, causing her thoughts to wander so aimlessly, as though reaching for something she needed, but wasn't entirely sure if she wanted.

After all, she was still unmarried and she and Harry still had a lot of life to experience together. She wondered how much a baby would effect their quality of life, and she immediately scrunched her face in disgust at her own selfishness. A child would grow their love, not hinder it.

Hearing the front door close, Harry stood and made his way to the living area. He found her walking toward the kitchen, and followed. She had set her purchases down on the table and had begun rummaging through them, pulling out each item individually. Finally turning to him, he found that her eyes showed signs of thoughtfulness, but in such a way that Harry's earlier concerns were washed away. She looked happy--excited even, and the thought made him smile.

"Hey honey," he began, moving closer to her. "how was your trip in town?"

"It was wonderful, it felt nice to get out on my own…not that I mind being here with you at all." She added, recognizing the look of concern wash over his face once more. "I just meant that it was good to be alone with my thoughts for a moment."

"And, how are they? Your thoughts." He asked, hoping to learn where her head was at.

"Quite well, actually. I know this morning must have concerned you, and I'm sorry for that. My thoughts simply woke me earlier than expected…" she drew out her last sentence, her eyes looking dazed.

"Did you have a bad dream?"

"No, quite the opposite actually." Seeing Harry's eyes still cast on her inquisitively, she added, "I dreamt that we had a little girl…she had the most beautiful golden hair and she had your eyes." She smiled sheepishly up at him, her bright eyes cast through her long dark eyelashes.

After several hours, the potion was ready. The couple had been wrapped in a blanket together, enjoying a movie. When they caught sight of the purple plume of smoke that signaled it's completion, they stood. They had taken the time to discuss their concerns and excitement during the hours that the potion took to brew, and they both found themselves more at ease with any result it would show. They were prepared. They would bring a child into a better life than they thought possible. Everything would be okay.

Hermione took a glass from the kitchen, and ladled some of the twilight purple drink into it. Bringing her nose to the rim, she was pleased to find that it didn't smell bad. Actually, it smelled quite good, with hints of strawberry and lime. Opening her eyes and meeting his, she took the full glass, and waited.

"Well?"

"I'm pregnant!"

Her voice carried a high note of excitement, her smile wide. She ran to him and barreled herself into his chest, her excitement overcoming her. Perhaps she had relieved any emotions of shock before hand, because she had shown no resistance in that moment.

Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him tightly, nustling his head into her neck. He was glad for the comfortably silent embrace, as he was experiencing a lack of words to express how he felt. Excitement, shock, it was all present within them both despite their preparation for the answer.

The moment itself held its own power, as though no amount of preparation could assist you for just how much you would feel. He felt insanely still, but could feel his heart beating fast regardless. A warmth filled his face and he couldn't help but just smile. Feeling an overwhelming amount of love for her in that moment, he bent to grab the backs of her legs, and he pulled her upward, her legs wrapping around his waist as he cradled her against him.

The warmth that had filled his heart and had heated his cheeks, traveled. Anytime he felt an overwhelming amount of emotion with her, it drove him toward her like his life depended on being with her in every possible way. Clutching her more closely to him, he walked with her, carrying her to their bed.

When her back hit the bed softly, her head rolled back and she opened her eyes. Standing above her, Harry was placed between her thighs and already had his thumbs grazing her stomach just above her underwear. He was glad that she had chosen to change for the movie, it left her as bare as he had been all day.

He couldn't stop staring at her stomach. She had the smoothest skin with faint contours around her muscles that ended in two beginnings of a 'V'. Against his will, a low growl escaped his lips and it made her squirm immediately. She knew exactly what was coming, and she was damned pleased about it.

Silently, Harry met Hermione's gaze and slowly moved down her body, pulling her slightly off the bed with him as he did. He was positioned on his knees on the floor with his face even between her legs, the backs of her knees hugging the bed, and Harry reveled in it. The fabric still covered her and he slid a thumb over the center of her. He smiled, she was already wet. He hadn't even kissed her yet. The thought aroused him further and the low pleads escaping her were not helping.

Pressing deeper into her over the fabric, Hermione let out a low whimper before bucking her hips slowly, clearly wanting more. She knew him, and she knew he would stretch this out. Their more recent nights together had consisted of border line torture from one or the other, sometimes both. It honestly depended on the night. Tonight however? Tonight, he was in control.

Several agonizing minutes had passed of the slow, deep rhythm of him only pressing into her and the heat radiating within him had shown for it. Removing his hand from her, she had immediately moved to have him touch her again, to no avail. He chuckled low, entertained by the thought of her irritation.

She quickly calmed when she realized that all he was doing was removing the confining fabric. Once she felt his fingers slipping beneath the fabric on each side of her hips, she found grip in the bed frame below the mattress to raise her hips off the bed, and allowed their disposal.

The aroma of her filled him instantly and filled the heat within him, her excitement driving him. Hungrily, he brought his mouth to her, his tongue quickly finding the spot that pleased her most. She was writhing within seconds and he had to place his hands at the tops of her thighs to keep her still enough for him to continue in his torment.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, surprised. She was taking in three of his fingers immediately without warning and the shock of it forced her head back, her back arching her into his hand. Harry was so much stronger than her, she couldn't understand how he was able to wait so long, she had known what pleasing her did to himself.

She reached for him then, her slender fingers finding their way through his hair. Standing abruptly, he grabbed her wrists and pulled himself directly into her. The sudden amount that she had to take in pushed her over her limit and she dug her nails into his wrists as she came into him.

Her cries were powdered with his name, her lips repeating it over and over until her climax had stilled. Attempting to hold back a smile as she realized that he wasn't stopping—or slowing down, he slowly worked his way closer to her, forcing her hips up slightly further with each movement. Each time he shifted forward, he felt the angle within her change and her body responded to it instantly.

Her walls had clenched around him feverishly, as though they were pulling him further and further into her. Damn, he had never had her this hungry before, and he planned to enjoy as much as he could of it. Releasing one wrist, he brought his hand to her, encircling her clit with his thumb once more.

It could have been anything that pushed her too far, because suddenly, she had lifted her body from the bed, effectively making Harry stand near the bed again. She sat at the edge, her mouth only inches away from him. When she looked up at him, he found such a hunger in her eyes that it almost scared him. Despite all of their evenings together, he honestly wasn't sure what she was going to do from that point forward—and it excited him.

His head was thrown back immediately as she roughly devoured him, soon finding the back of her throat. She had cupped his balls in one hand and had been lightly moving them as she wrecked havoc on his length. She was rough on him, but it wasn't painful and he felt rather shocked by how much she wanted him.

Finding it difficult to withstand her movements on him for long, he withdrew himself from her and pushed her back against the bed, her hair flowing out around her like fire. Looking down at her, his breath hitched, as her shirt had been pressed up against her shoulders and her breasts were fully out for his viewing.

Eagerly, he bent down to envelop her with his mouth, his tongue encasing her peaks easily. She moaned and ground her hips against his, a feat itself considering he was still quite separated from her. He pressed her hips down firmly, effectively keeping her from her movements against him.

She groaned, needing to feel him against her, but her movements were too much for him. He needed a moment if he was ever going to make it far enough to be inside of her, his pulsing erection was too close to coming undone.

After several minutes, he finally calmed enough and abruptly lowered himself to her. Her response was immediate and she moved her hips into him, as his hands had released her to support himself above her. Almost instantly, he had found her opening and plunged into her.

It surprised Harry how much they enjoyed each other, even after several sessions between the two of them. The feel of her, her scent, every ounce of who she was enticed him, and fed his hunger. As he entered her, he let out a loud moan, his edged pleasure finally being satisfied once more.

Bringing his lips to hers, he let out a vibrating groan against her as he felt her nails digging into his back. The breaths from her came out short and rugged, unable to fully release her moans of pleasure. He had her, he knew, and he began driving into her harder. The increase of power from him made her pleasure rise and peak, allowing her to come undone against him. When she did, she let out a strangled cry of a moan, her head lifting to press her mouth harder against his.

Her hunger for him left his mind and body silently pleading for her. She felt the change within him, his hunger becoming more unrefined as his movements had. Taking advantage, she pressed against him and twisted, effectively switching positions so that she was on top of him. His eyes shot open and found hers pleadingly.

"Hermione…" he moaned.

"Mm?" she asked, as she sat straight up against him and pulled him out of her.

"No!" he yelled, and she nearly jumped from his tone. As if to provide more to her questioning gaze on him, he held her hips and thrust back into her, hard. The movement caused him to hit the back wall of her, and his depth within her damn near made her cum again.

Gritting his teeth, he rocked her hips against his, staying deep within her. A low growl escaped him as her hands pressed into his chest for support. Seeing as she was already pregnant, he knew he could release inside of her and that thought alone sent him spiraling.

The following morning, Hermione woke to Harry being firmly wrapped around her, his hand unconsciously pressed against her belly. She smiled softly, knowing that at some point during his slumber, he had thought of their child.