A/N: I know, I know. I ended the last one with a cliffy. So, here we are with the answers! A little late—again—but better late than never, right? This was a bit difficult to write but I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Ta!

Harry's heart rate went up a few notches after Hermione spoke. He never demanded or pestered her to tell him about her past. In all honesty, he didn't really care about her past as it didn't have any bearing on what he had been feeling for her. She was here with him, along with Ethan, and that was what was important to him. But he couldn't deny that he had been curious about the life of a younger Hermione Granger, and how she came to the point of bearing a child as a teenager.

Mentions of the past also served to remind him of his own dark past. He was grateful for Hermione because she never asked him about what had happened in the war. And maybe that's why he felt the desire to come clean to her, even though he hated the idea that knowing about his past would change how she felt about him.. But this moment was about Hermione, and he would give her all the time and attention she needed and deserved. He knew it was never easy to talk about one's past, especially if it wasn't a pleasant one.

"As you know," Hermione began. "I was born in England but my parents moved to Paris for a job opportunity."

Harry nodded. She mentioned this to him when they had first met months ago.

"My parents… were not the most affectionate people. I'm sure they loved me in their own way. They gave me the best education that money could buy. I never lacked food, toys, or books, and had everything a child could ever want." She continued to stare at the fire as she spoke, giving Harry the opportunity to admire her profile as he listened to her.

"But what I wanted was my parents' affections. I would see how my classmates' parents were and wondered why my parents weren't like that with me.. Somehow, I only ever saw their warmth whenever I achieved anything, whether academically or in other extracurricular activities.

"So I strived to be the best student I could be. I devoured every book I could get my hands on. Despite being bullied and friendless in school because I was considered a bookworm and a teacher's pet, I kept at it even when I went to Beauxbatons." Harry wiped the tears that had fallen down her face. It hurt him to see her in pain but he knew there was nothing for him to do at that moment but to let her tell her tale.

Hermione took a deep breath before continuing. "My first four years in Beauxbatons were similar to my days in prep school. I still worked hard to achieve the best grades, the only difference was I had Marga and she made school better. I was ready to endure and tolerate the same treatment in school before I even started. Then there was this feisty eleven-year-old blonde girl introducing herself and basically ordering me to accept we were going to be best friends for the rest of our lives." She laughed then reached for one of the cups of tea that Harry had set down on the table in front of them. Harry mirrored her actions and drank his tea as well. Hermione took her time drinking her tea, savoring the warmth of the cup in her hands.

"In the summer before sixth year, my parents decided to sit me down and speak to me about my future. They had wanted me to follow in their footsteps after I finished Beauxbatons. They said that they only humoured my curiosity about magic and the magical world but it was time to come back to reality. They told me that after I graduated from Beauxbatons, I was to snap my wand and throw away everything I owned that came from the magical world." He was horrified by the ultimatum her parents had given to her. To be a part of a world filled with wonder, a world that was a part of her because of her magic, then to leave it was akin to leaving a part of who she was as a person. Her tears had been streaming down her beautiful face and Harry didn't stop himself from wiping them away with his hands. He wished he could take away more than her tears.

"Coming back to Beauxbatons for my sixth year, I rebelled. I felt like whatever I did, whether I excelled in my studies and achieved top marks, it would not have mattered because when I'm done with school, I would have to leave it all behind."

Harry admired her for her courage in baring herself to him like this, looking back on her hesitancy in sharing even the most basic information about herself when they had first met.

"What did you do?" He asked when the silence lasted a bit too long. Hermione glanced at him, embarrassment and shame filled her face as she sighed.

"I did shitty things. I let my grades slide, I skipped classes. Then I sort of got mixed up with the wrong crowd. They encouraged my… rebellion. We would drink smuggled liquor at random times during the day, did 'party' drugs and potions, I even tried smoking. Margarethe was trying to stop me but I just ignored her. For the first time in my life, I had let go of all my inhibitions and control, and at the time, it felt so freeing."

Harry felt his heart break for the young Hermione. He knew what it felt like when people tried to control your life, and to finally be freed of that control was intoxicating. But sometimes, there was a steep price if you let it take you over. He gave a nod so she could continue her story.

"That was when I met Damien Barreau. He was one of the students I was spending so much time with. He was… charming and handsome with his sandy blond hair, strong jaw, and bright blue eyes. It wasn't long before he and I started sleeping together."

She grimaced. "Having thought about it, an empty classroom wasn't the best place to lose your virginity while you're drunk and high as a bloody kite. But all of that made me forget that in less than two years, I was going to give up my magic. I did everything I could to help me forget that soon, I was going to give up a part of me and be someone I knew I didn't want to be, just because I wanted to please my parents. To gain their approval. But I was tired of being the perfect daughter, the perfect student. My professors and other friends had shown their concern about what I was doing, but I didn't care and rebuffed their worries, and continued my downward spiral.

"Before Christmas break came, I had been feeling ill for a few days and had been throwing up practically every morning. I went to the hospital wing, thinking it was just all the alcohol I had consumed while barely eating anything or maybe a stomach flu."

"Since when did you start feeling like this?" The Beauxbatons resident healer had asked her.

"About a week, I think?" She answered, avoiding the healer's gaze.

"And you've only thought about coming to me now?! I know what you have been doing, Ms. Granger, and a lot of people are worried about you," the healer said.

"I don't want people's concern. Just tell me what's wrong with me so I can go." She knew she was being a bitch to the woman, who was only concerned for her wellbeing, but she couldn't help it. She was irritated because of how she had been feeling for the past week and she just wanted it to go away.

The healer sighed and waved her wand around Hermione then pointed it to a clipboard that was floating beside her. She took a few moments to read the diagnostics and her expression betrayed nothing of what she was reading.

"Well?" Hermione inquired, growing impatient due to the lack of reaction or explanation by the healer.

"Well, looks like you're going to need to stop your… extracurricular activities very soon." She waved her wand over Hermione then back to the clipboard again.

"What do you mean by that?"

The healer read whatever was on the clipboard for a few seconds more before looking at Hermione, worry and sympathy clear in her expression. "What I'm trying to say is that you're pregnant."

"You can imagine my surprise when the school healer informed me that I was already a month pregnant. I was devastated because I knew I was too young to be a mother. I didn't know what to do! I don't know the first thing about raising a child!

"It was also the day my parents demanded that I go home for the holidays. They already knew what I had been doing in school because the headmistress wrote to them about my 'activities'. When I came home, I had already planned to tell them about the pregnancy. The moment we stepped foot in the house, they started screaming at me for bringing them shame because of my actions. I-" Hermione let out a sobs and Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders, trying to convey comfort to her.

"I would guess that you said some things that were not all that pleasant," he said.

Hermione nodded as she tried to wipe her tears. "Things a daughter should never say to their parents, even if they weren't the best parents in the world.

"After I'd said my piece, I ran out of the house, wanting to be far away from them. So I spent hours outside, just wandering around because I didn't want to go back home yet. When it started to get a bit late, I decided to go back home, thinking that maybe we've all had enough time to cool our heads off and hopefully we can talk about everything better." This time, she faltered. She drank her cold tea as Harry rubbed her arm in comfort. He could see how this part of the story clearly distressed Hermione more than what she had shared previously.

"When I got home, there were two muggle police cars parked in front of our house. I hurriedly ran to the house, scared and worried that something had happened."

Hermione ran towards the officers that stood outside their front door, one of which was ringing their doorbell.

"Officers, how can I help you?" She asked, breathlessly.

Both police officers turned to look at her in surprise that slowly turned to something like sympathy.

"Do you live in this house?" One of the officers asked.

"Yes, this is my home," she answered.

"Then you are related to Roger and Helen Granger?" The other one inquired.

Hermione frowned. "I'm their only daughter." Both officers turned to look at each other, which caused Hermione's heart beat to increase and anxiety rapidly built up inside her. "What's going on?"

"There had been an accident earlier this evening. A drunk driver swerved into their car as they were driving along the main road," one of the officers explained.

"But they're alright, right? What are their injuries? Were they brought to the hospital?" She threw her questions at them rapidly.

The officers shared another of those looks and she wished they would stop doing that because it was bloody annoying!

"Well?"

"They were brought to the Sainte-Perine Hospital, which was the closest to the place of the accident." There was another beat of silence before the officer spoke again.

"Unfortunately, they didn't make it."

It felt as though the whole world tilted and there wasn't enough oxygen for breathing. Hermione's knees gave out and she fell down, thankfully one of the officers caught her before she hit the ground.

"We're so sorry. Take deep breaths. Come on, breathe with me," he said, but his voice sounded as though he was speaking from a far distance. Her parents were dead. They had died and the last thing they said to each other were hurtful things. Hermione couldn't feel, hear, or see anything. She didn't even get to tell them about the life that was growing inside of her.

She realized the officer was still talking to her and he had dragged her to one of the chairs on the patio and handed her some bottled water. She didn't realize tears had fallen down her face and that she was rocking back and forth, arms wrapped around her stomach tightly. She had lost her parents, the only family she had.

"Ms. Granger?" She vaguely heard someone say her name. She looked towards the direction where the voice had come from.

"We're going to need you to come with us to identify them." Then everything went black.

Harry, at that point, hauled Hermione from her place on the couch and sat her on his lap. She had been sobbing and he hoped, as he wrapped himself around her, that he somehow helped in easing her pain. He kissed her temple and tried to say something, anything, to console the distraught woman in his arms.

After a few minutes, Hermione calmed down somewhat. Harry summoned a pitcher of water and glasses from the kitchen, filled and gave her one to help soothe her.

"I was scared and alone. I didn't think I could handle everything that was happening. I wanted to give up. I didn't know where else to go since I didn't have any other relatives left, and I had a baby growing inside me. I was desperate so I went to Margarethe's house. She is a godsend, that woman. Despite my shite during the months prior to the holidays, all she did was hug me when she saw me on their doorstep. I was a terrible friend to her and she still welcomed me into their home. I told her everything: my parents' ultimatum, my rebellion, the pregnancy, and the fight prior to the accident.

"She and her family helped me arrange my parents' funeral and settle all their affairs. I sold my parents' shares of the dental practice to their partners. I had originally planned to keep the house so I had a place to come home to when summer break came but Marga and her family insisted that I stayed with them, that I needed company especially during the later stages of the pregnancy. I was exceedingly lucky to have a friend like Marga. I probably would not be here if she rejected me when I appeared on their doorstep."

Harry hugged Hermione tighter. He could sympathize with her, having shite happening one after the other. He refused to think about what she would have done if no one had been there to help her. She was so strong, her strength had always been one of her traits that he admired most. And it pained him to know that at some point, she almost gave up. He never would have met her if she did and he shuddered at the thought of what his life would be like at that moment without her in it. She had given his life so much color and warmth he didn't know it lacked.

"What happened when you went back to Baeuxbatons?" He asked.

"Margarethe and I talked to Headmistress Maxime regarding my situation. As I was the top student in my year, part of my tuition was under a scholarship. All the money I acquired after selling my parents' shares, the house, and collecting my inheritance, were placed in Gringotts. I was going to use them to fund my education. I also told the headmistress about my pregnancy. I was afraid they would ask me to drop out because of it but she told me that while it was not a common occurrence, there had been previous circumstances where students continued their studies despite being pregnant. 'Education is important, you see. How are you supposed to support the life growing inside you if you do not have the skills and capacity to do so?' was what she told me."

"I've met Madame Maxime during the Triwizard Tournament. It happened during my fourth year. She used to date my friend, Hagrid. Were you not part of the student body that went to Hogwarts?" He asked as Hermione took a drink of water.

She shook her head. "I asked to stay behind so I could study. It wasn't required for every student to come to Hogwarts for the tournament so Margarethe and I stayed back in France."

"Pity. We could have met years earlier." He wagged his eyebrows comically at her.

"I doubt you would have noticed me with all the French girls walking about. And I'm sure there are a lot of pretty girls in Hogwarts, too. I heard most of the male population in Hogwarts went gaga over Fleur during their stay there," Hermione laughed.

"Well, I wasn't one of them. But my best mate Ron did." Hermione laughed even more. "He kept mooning over her during the year and attempted to ask her to the Yule Ball. Well, he asked her then ran away before she even answered him," Harry chuckled at the memory.

"And now she's married to Ron's brother," she pointed out.

"Yeah, she is. Ron's happy for them and we always get a laugh whenever we remind him about his terrible crush on Fleur."

"Fleur had always been the belle of Beauxbatons," Hermione remarked.

"So what happened after you spoke to your headmistress?" He prompted after they were silent for a few minutes.

Hermione took a deep breath, as if bracing for the next part of the story. "I ditched all the terrible habits I had and cleaned myself up. I went back to studying properly, trying to regain my grades. After a few weeks, Damien and his juvies came to me and asked me why I stopped hanging out with them. I took Damien aside and told him about the pregnancy," she paused.

"Something tells me he didn't take it too well," Harry commented.

"He didn't. In fact, he denied it being his."

"What?!"

Hermione nodded. "He basically accused me of getting knocked up by some other guy and passing it off as his to get something out of him. He was the only one I had been with at the time, we were likely too drunk or too high to cast the contraceptive charm at one point. He told me he couldn't have a child so young and that it would ruin him, as if all his activities in school wouldn't ruin him enough," Hermione rolled her eyes. "He's just lucky his daddy paid enough to cover up whatever shite he was up to. As if my having a child as a teenager wouldn't affect me," Hermione said venomously.

"Was Damien someone important?"

"He liked to think he was important." Hermione eyes narrowed. "He's the son of one of France's equivalent to the British Sacred 28. Damien Barreau was a pureblood and while France is more open when it came to blood status, the Barreaus are huge bigots. The only reason why Damien even slept with me was because of some idea of a thrill that it was 'forbidden' to be with a muggleborn in his family. They would not accept a child born from a muggleborn like me, and he knew that. I wasn't planning on being a part of their racist family, anyway."

"Why tell Damien about the pregnancy, then?"

"I just wanted to let him know. I told him the only thing I wanted from him was to sign off his parental rights when the baby was born. I don't want my child to have any connections to him or his xenophobic family," she answered.

"I think that was a smart move," he concluded.

"Thank you. So I studied hard even while I was pregnant. The Beauxbatons healer and Margarethe were a great help during the pregnancy. Other students would look at me and whisper about my condition but I ignored them mostly. At that point, all my priorities were centered around the baby and our future. I did all I could so I can give it a good life."

"And you did. You still do." Harry cupped her face and kissed Hermione's forehead, then her lips.

"You are an amazing mother to Ethan. Damien does not deserve the privilege of knowing the wonder that is his son. Do you want me to give Damien a visit so I can hex him to the next century?" He asked her, his expression serious.

Hermione laughed out loud, thinking he was joking, and shook his head. "Nope. I haven't seen nor heard from Damien since I graduated from Beauxbatons. He's not worth it, anyway."

"No, he's not," he agreed, but he was already planning ways to get to Damien Barreau so he could give him a piece of his mind.

"I'm sorry." It was spoken so softly that he almost didn't hear it. He looked down at Hermione, who was looking at her hands as she twisted them on her lap. He cupped her chin and raised her head so he could look at her eyes. She tried to resist him but eventually followed his gesture.

"What are you sorry about?" He questioned, he let his confusion show on his face.

"For burdening you with all of this. I just," she sighed. "I wanted you to know and I wanted everything to come from me." Fresh tears appeared in her eyes and he kissed both her eyelids then her nose.

"No, Hermione. If anything, I am glad that you trusted me enough to share your past with me. Now, I will be able to help carry whatever burden you feel you have. You don't have to bear it all alone. You have Ethan, and Margarethe. Now, you have me, as well," he told her. He swept her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ears.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Harry?" she asked him, the insecurity clear in her voice.

"Yes," was all he said before he kissed her with all the feelings he had. He wanted to show her that she deserved so much more. She had some bad experiences and had made the wrong decisions, but who hadn't? He was not one to judge her for her mistakes, because he had made mistakes that had cost more. But despite all that, she had grown into an amazing woman and he admired her greatly for it. Her past served only to make him fall for her more. And he knew that it was happening to him. He was steadily, surely, and inevitably falling for the woman in his arms.

Hermione knew it was going to be difficult telling Harry about her history but what she didn't expect was the feeling of a burden being lifted off her chest and shoulders. She could not help but think how perfect Harry was during the whole ordeal, and how open-minded he was. How such a man was still single and no woman had him tied down had always been a wonder to her.

She knew her experiences were nothing compared to his, based on the books written about him that she had read before. While she never asked for information about his past, Hermione was a curious creature by nature. Hopefully someday he would be comfortable enough to share some of his childhood with her. But until then, she would wait and share her story with him.

It was an incredibly freeing experience. And when Harry spoke of carrying her burden with her, it brought tears to her eyes. Yes, she had dated before, some lasting for a few months, but no one had spoken such words to her before. She was so used to doing things on her own, and occasionally with Marga, that it was something new for her to hear.

She had always been independent in nature, having to learn to take care of herself because of her parents' busy careers. Now here was a man who was not only every woman's hot fantasy but also every woman's dream come true. He took care of her like it was his business and cared for Ethan, not just because he was his girlfriend's son, but because he genuinely liked the boy.

Hermione moved from her perch on Harry's lap and straddled him without breaking their kiss, her thighs on either side of his hips. She ran her fingers through his perpetually dishevelled hair while upping the intensity of their snogging.

"Hermione…" Harry whispered.

"Yes?" She answered as she showered his face of kisses.

"I want you," saying back the words she spoke to him before the first time they made love. Instead of answering, Hermione stood up from her perch and began unbuttoning her top. Harry sat there in front of her, his eyes following the movement of her hands. He visibly swallowed as her hands slowly moved to open the rest of the buttons of her shirt. She could see his effort in keeping himself seated while she divested herself of her clothing. She threw her shirt on the carpet, which was followed by her denim trousers. Hermione was about to bend forward to remove her socks when Harry suddenly knelt in front of her.

He looked at her with unbidden lust and, dare she believe it, love as he lifted one foot and slowly took off her sock. Once he had removed it, he lightly placed a kiss on the inside of her leg. He did the same on the other leg and Hermione was already panting with desire. Harry stood up and kissed her hard, his tongue invading and plundering her mouth as she tried to reciprocate.

She didn't have enough patience to unbutton Harry's shirt so she just tore it open and threw the garment on the ground. Hermione grabbed his belt and hurriedly unbuckled it and opened the button and zipper of his trousers. She reached inside and grabbed his cock, causing Harry to separate from their kisses with a groan.

"Merlin, Hermione," he moaned, leaning his forehead to hers. His hands were not idle, though. One hand was busy kneading one of her breasts while the other was pushing her knickers down her hips. Hermione pushed his trousers and boxer briefs down, freeing his erection. Harry kicked off his clothes as she stepped out of her knickers and pushed him back towards the couch. She straddled him again as he fell on the cushions and wrapped his arms around her. He unhooked her bra and threw it away while Hermione was busy kissing and licking his neck and shoulders.

Hermione decided to be a little naughty and sucked a little harder on his throat, leaving a very noticeable mark. She moved back with a smirk on her lips as she stared at her handiwork.

"You realize people are going to see that, don't you?" He asked her, eyeing her mischievously as he realized what she did.

"Do you care?" She challenged him.

He shrugged before grabbing both of her breasts. "Not particularly. I do like you being all possessive of me, though." He kissed her hard before taking one of her hardened nipples in his mouth. The feeling of his hot and wet mouth around her sensitive bud aroused her even more. Hermione rocked her hips against his, rubbing her wet slit on his rock hard erection.

"Fuck me," Harry said, almost begging.

Hermione rose a little as Harry grabbed his cock and she dropped herself on him. Both groaned at their joining, and Hermione couldn't help but think that sex with Harry seemed to only get better every time they did it. She started riding him, moving her hips back and forth, and she threw her head back, her eyes closed as she moaned. Harry's arms were wrapped around her, his hips thrusting to meet hers in a practiced dance that was theirs alone. She poured all of her feelings for this man, who was quickly captivating her heart and soul, into their movements.

"You feel so good," she said as she looked down at him, her hips moving up and down his erection harder.

"I want to keep fucking you for the rest of my life," he returned. He moaned loudly after one particularly deep thrust and she loved hearing him moan, as it only aroused her more. She captured his lips in a searing kiss before Harry moved and laid her down on the sofa, changing their position. Hermione was so far gone in her lust-induced haze that she didn't mind the change at all.

Harry started pounding into her and she couldn't help it, her moans getting louder and louder. She screamed his name as she came and was quickly followed by a loud groan as Harry orgasmed. He rested his head on her chest while they both tried to regain their breath.

Hermione stared at the ceiling as she ran a hand through his sweat-covered hair. He was a little heavy for her small frame but she savoured his weight on her. She loved it whenever his warmth surrounded her and her heart swelled with love. She froze as the thought sprung in her mind out of nowhere. Love? I can't be… I can't. It's too early. As much as she denied it, the thought had already taken root in her mind and she couldn't get rid of it anymore.

He must have felt her freeze because he lifted his head from her bosom and looked at her with concern.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" He asked as he caressed one of her cheeks.

She shook her head and smiled at him, hoping it would convince him. "Nothing's wrong, Harry. Except you being too heavy."

He chuckled and adjusted their position on the furniture, with him lying on his side between Hermione and the back of the sofa. Hermione laid facing him, one arm around his waist and the other pillowing her head. He took hold of his wand and summoned a blanket and some pillows.

"So we're sleeping here tonight?" She asked him, amused as he arranged the pillows and blanket around them.

"I'm too tired to even walk the distance from the couch to the kitchen, I doubt I'll make it to the bedroom," he said before he yawned. "That party wore me out."

"You sure that's what wore you out?" Hermione giggled when he pinched her arse before settling his hand there.

"You cheeky minx. Go to sleep. You've had an eventful day," he murmured as he closed his eyes and pulled her closer to him.

"I think 'eventful' is the understatement of the year." Hermione wrapped her arm tightly around Harry's waist and rested her cheek on his naked chest. She let his steady heart beat lull her to sleep. And as she slowly succumbed to her tiredness, she kissed his chest and whispered. "Thank you, Harry."