Author's Note: I would just like to thank everyone for their support for this story...it's been overwhelming (my email account has certainly been overwhelmed by the notifications of reviews, favorites and follows). I'm glad you seem to be looking forward to the rest of this story - I am too! This is a shorter, filler chapter but the last chapter was way too long and I didn't want to end it as this one ends. Anyway, thanks again for all your continued support and happy reading and reviewing!
DAENERYSTARGARY3N
"Well, I suppose we'd better go back to the Burrow." Harry offered, unaccustomed to awkward silences between him and Hermione, even as they rested in post-coital bliss.
"Just wait a few more minutes. I'm happy here."
Her words brought reality back to the both of them as they remained snuggled together in their cocoon. They each had a boyfriend and girlfriend waiting - however annoyed they were - back at the Burrow and the obligation to return and carry on caring for the family with whom they were lodging.
"I'm glad I told Mrs Weasley not to wait for us for dinner," Hermione said, glancing at the carriage clock, "it's already eight o'clock."
"What are we going to do when we get back there?"
Hermione sighed against Harry's bare chest and groaned her reply, "We're going to carry on. We're going to follow through with our plans, move on with our lives and go back to Ron and Ginny. We knew that this would be a one-time thing. We're not in love and we're not together."
"You don't regret being with me, do you?" Harry interrupted brusquely, affronted at the perceived insult.
Hermione placed a chaste kiss to the side of his neck and shook her head, "No, not at all. I'm honoured you wanted to share your first time with me and I'll never forget that you were mine too. It felt right, in fact, it's been the one thing that's gone right in a long time, it feels like, but we have cheated on Ron and Ginny, Harry. That I do regret. We betrayed their trust and the love they have for us. We're not their family but we do owe them our fidelity."
"You're right," Harry agreed, "as always. I suppose I have a day of house hunting tomorrow then. What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to go to Hogwarts and accept Professor McGonagall's offer and then help with the repairs. She thinks the timing will be tight. It will be close to the start of the new school year when the castle repairs are completed and they need all the help they can get."
"It's going to take two months?! Even with magic?" Harry asked, stunned that the building had sustained so much damage that with the aid of magic, the repair effort would take so long.
"Yes. Mostly, it's building the wards back up once the building work is done that is the worry. They are ancient, dating back to the Founders' time. We need to do so much research to find out exactly what spells and guards were used so the castle is safe for students again."
"And staff, 'Mione. You need to be safe at the castle too." Harry insisted, struggling to think about her being placed in peril again for any amount of time.
The witch snuggled closer into him, understanding his words and their subtle meaning clearly, as she always did and taking comfort from his constant, deep care for her.
"Let's head back to the Burrow if we're going to go. Sounds like we've both got a ton to do tomorrow and you know Ron and Ginny aren't going to make any of it easy."
Hermione grunted and grimaced, "But we love them anyway. Don't we?"
"Apparently, we do." Harry admitted, feeling the same doubt of the depth and truth of his feelings for Ginny as Hermione was experiencing with hers for Ron.
They clothed themselves swiftly and hooked arms as they walked back down the path to the front gate of the property in order to apparate away. As they watched the house vanish under Hermione's carefully placed wards, both were sure after the secret intimacy they shared in Hermione's homely, ordered and stylish house that the Burrow, the home that was the symbol of childishness, coddling and chaos, would not be their home for more than a few days.