A/N: Finally the last chapter. I know I took a bit longer than usual but I re read the whole story. I was unsure of how I ended it, but it felt right, and I hope you guys do too! This is a long chapter and I cut some scenes out to not make it so long and I thought that they were unnecessary. Plus, I wanted more time between certain characters. I cannot believe I made it this far. Thankyou for the encouragement to continue on. I am considering an epilogue.

THE PERCEPTION OF TIME

Harry POV

The Ministry of Magic

Tuesday 18th February 2014

The building shook briefly like a small earthquake struck. I jumped up and out from behind my desk and ran to the doorway. I looked out to where all the cubicles where and everyone else looked stunned. Nothing like this has ever happened before. The building shook again, and I nearly pitched forward by the sudden jerk. My mind drifted to the report about the tablet as that is the only thing my brain throws up in regard to earthquakes. Earthquakes...Iraq... the tablet... Hermione...Christian! My spine stiffens and I crane my neck looking for Ron. I need to find Hermione. I can see a tuft of bright red hair poking up from behind one of the many white partitions. I bee line straight for him, dodging and weaving through the concerned and panicked employees.

"Harry!"

"Ron come on I'm going to find Hermione", I grab a hold the front of his robes and yank him along behind me not waiting for an answer. At this stage I'm not going to let on that I am a little worried...OK a lot worried. Yes, about both of them because generally where Christian is Hermione is not far behind. God if either of them dies... I take a deep breath I'm not going to go down that line of thinking just yet.

Deep in the pit of my stomach I am very aware of the fact that this is happening because something is happening in the Dark Archives. I just hope that I am not too late.

I pull Ron into the stair well and drag him down the flight of stairs not caring that he is tripping and stumbling until we get to Hermione's level.

"Harry slow down mate", I ignore Ron's please and keep ploughing on. In the distance I can see her office and the door is wide open, she is not in there…damn it I was hoping she was.

"No time Ron we are going down the Dark Archives I have a feeling Hermione is there", with one final yank forward I release the grip that I had on Ron's robes and just hoped he kept up because I wasn't slowing down.

I stayed silent the entire way until we reached the entry way to the Dark Archives, Ron however chatted nonstop about how we were going to capture the Dark Lord and stop the spell he had placed Hermione under. I simply ignored him, rolled my eyes and kept walking. I didn't have time for his anti-dark-lord-rhetoric right now.

I paused at the threshold...it felt different...less overwhelming? Less like you were walking in mud. The magic wasn't as thick as I had anticipated coming down here. I felt unease wash through me, my gut instincts were screaming at me that something was very very wrong.

I tentatively stepped forward almost expecting something to leap out at me from the shadows. Mind you it was incredibly creepy down here.

"Come on Harry what are ya waitin' for?", I raised my hand in the air in a 'stop and wait' gesture, hoping he would stop talking. I just wanted to listen, as an Auror I hated going into places blind so to speak. I caught an odd muffled cry and a bang, that sounded a distance away. It could be nothing as there are a lot of dangerous cursed objects that made weird sounds.

Feeling it was safe to move I took off running towards where I knew the vault was towards the back, or what we thought was the back.

"Hey Harry wait!", Ron called after me, he wasn't prepared for me suddenly bolting- that's why he wasn't the best at his job he was too laid back.

I could hear Ron panting behind me trying to catch up to the breakneck pace I set and our footfalls thundering through the cavernous archives. I thought with amusement that it felt like I was in a scene from one of those B rate horror movies. I ran down aisle after aisle, pausing every so often to make sure we ran down a 'safe' passage not wanting to get caught in anything nefarious. Because that would just be embarrassing and dangerous.

I could see the archway that lead to the corridor where the vault was situated, I pushed my body hard to make those final few metres in an outright sprint. I didn't want to miss anything because I was too slow getting here. I did however stop to catch my breath. Ron pulled up beside me a minute or so later. I wasn't really counting the seconds, too busy trying to slow my heart rate to a more acceptable beat.

"Godric's tits Harry did you have to bolt like that? I think that's the most runnin' I have done in a while", Ron stated in between wheezing and sucking in air like he has been deprived of oxygen after holding his breath for too long.

"It's important Ron, that we got down here as quickly as possible. I would be another 10 minutes easily if we had to walk from the entrance to here." I pushed myself off the wall I was casually leaning against and rounded the corner. My step faulted and Ron ran right up the back of me, as I stopped abruptly. I could see Hermione curled up against the vault door and it looked like she was sobbing quietly into her hands, judging by the shaky movements of her body. She was at least 50 metres down the hallway, so that was all I could guess from this distance. Moving towards her my dread dropped hard and heavy into the pit of my stomach, much like dropping a boulder into a small pool. Remarkably Ron didn't comment on the situation, honestly if he had I probably would have decked him one. Now was not the time to bring up the identity of Christian.

When we are a mere couple of metres away from Hermione I crouch down, knees bent and one hand touching the grimy floor to stop myself from toppling over sideways. I take a moment to assess her and the situation now that I can see her better.

"Hermione?", I call out gently not wanting to startle her too much. The silent sobbing recedes so I know that she has heard me but doesn't respond immediately. A few sniffles and wiping of her nose tells me she is trying to pull herself together before she looks at me. I wait patiently for her to be ready.

"Hey Mione", Ron says impatiently, plonking himself down beside me, but miscalculates the gap and ends up jostling me and I thrust out my other hand to stop myself from ending up face first into the floor. I shoot him a glare which he ignores.

I turn my head back to Hermione and look at the vault door, it's a dark steel grey. I was so focused on the pitiful sight of Hermione that now I take notice of the state of the door. I can almost feel the icicles forming in my blood. My eyes dart back to Hermione, then back to the door, then back to Hermione again. She moves a handout from under her curled body and moves her a few loose strands of hair and I notice her fingers. She must have been clawing at the door. Her fingers are covered in dried blood, I'm sure she has lost a few fingernails in the process. I cringe, that must have hurt. The vault door didn't fare much better, with streaks blood smearing over the surface that resembles fingerprints.

This confirmed my theory that something very bad has occurred. She finally raises her head looks up at me. She blinks owlishly, recognition breaks through the fog of her aggrieved mental state. Her eyes are red rimmed and shimmering with tears. Her cheeks are ruddy and under her eyes are blotches of dried blood where she has attempted to wipe the tears away. It's a heart wrenching sight to see. I hold my hand out to for her to take if she wants some comfort, instead she moves quicker than I had anticipated and throws herself onto my lap. My butt hits the floor with a thud, and I throw an arm out to stop myself from falling backwards too far.

"What Happened Hermione?" I ask softly near her ear.

"Oh Harry!", she starts sobbing again, the underlying emotion from her wail is extreme anguish. It's unsettling and it breaks my heart to see her like this…in fact I have never seen her like this. Upset and angry yes, but…this is soul crushing. I rub her back reassuringly and just wait.

"Mione we'll get this Christian bastard if he has hurt you", Ron touched her shoulder in what I assumed to be a comforting manner. However, his words were anything but. I felt her go still and I sighed, I knew that was the wrong thing to say. Ron has bad habit of foot in mouth syndrome.

Hermione pulls back and I see a fire spark in her eyes.

"He hasn't hurt me Ron, he saved me!", she voice was husky most probably from screaming. I could imagine her yelling at the vault door. I'm starting to get an idea as to what has happened.

"Saved you? That prick is Voldemort the Dark Lord! What has he done to you?" Ron was wildly gesticulating, trying to stress his point without raising his voice like he is known to do. Even he can see that Hermione is completely devastated by something.

"He has done nothing to me. I know who he is, I have known for a while now and don't care!" She hisses venomously while, valiantly fighting off more tears. Of course, she would have known who he is just as I thought, she's too smart not to have figured it out. Looking at her now in my arms crying over the former Dark Lord proves what I have known for a while now. She loves him. Seeing it reality doesn't bother me as perhaps it should.

"It's ok Hermione we will figure it out"

"Harry how can you-" and he is cut off by another rumble and muffled explosion behind the door, we scramble out of the way just in time as the door buckles outward. We stay silent, waiting for... something to happen. I am not sure exactly how long we wait for it seems to drag on forever just listening to ourselves breathing. Really it is most likely 5 minutes, it's funny how the perception of time changes according to the situation.

Hermione slowly and wobbly makes her way over to the edge of the door where it has protruded into the corridor. I follow her curiously to see if we can somewhat see into the vault room.

She sticks her head a small way into a gap and gasps. She pulls back and starts screaming at me to help her move the door.

"He's in there we can't leave him here. Help me Harry!", she was like a wild woman clawing and grasping at the metal. The wounds on her hands were opening up again leaving streaks of blood an indication of her prominent desperation.

I grab her a little roughly by the forearms and twist her to face me. While she is desperate and I understand completely, she is not thinking clearly. If we are to get him out in whatever state, he is in we need to think clearly.

"Hermione love, calm down. We will get him out but first take a deep breath. Let's plan this quickly, we don't want to accidently hurt him more by rash hasty actions. Ok?" Hermione is usually a logical thinker but can often get swept away by intense emotions. She nods rapidly in understanding, while taking in deep unstable breaths.

"Do you want me to have a look first?", she nods again and I push her gently off to the side, I take a deep breath myself and steel myself for what I am about to see.

I raise my wand and mutter a few spells in the hope this door will budge a little so I can get a better unobstructed view inside. I manage to make the hole wide enough that I can crawl fairly easily into. Not knowing how close Christian was to the door I didn't want to disturb it too much.

The view inside was dark and dusty, with only the light from behind me illuminating a small patch of floor inside. I could make out an outline of a figure on the dirty floor.

I stuck my wand out and cast a lumos maxima to light up the room. I squinted a bit until my eyes adjusted to the brightness. My eyes widened at the state Christian was in and I scrambled through as fast as I could even slipping on my robe in my haste. He was in a bad way. Bleeding from his nose and ears, cuts and scrapes all over his face. Gashes along his torso and arms, the blast must have hit him in the central part of his body. I checked for a pulse and there was an erratic one, I sighed a little in relief that he was still alive albeit just. I pointed my wand again at the door and made the hole wide enough I could levitate him out without having him bump into anything.

"Harry mate everything alright in there?" Ron called out.

"Christian is alive, but his pulse is weak. I'm coming out with him", I heard Hermione squeal and then burst into tears again.

"What why?", I heard a thump and followed by a groan, I assume Hermione hit him.

I levitated and moved him as gently as I could, the blood dripped slowly onto the floor as I moved him along. I will have to try to stop some of the bleeding before taking him to the hospital.

"Hermione, we need to stem some of the blood flow before I can portkey him to St Mungo's. Can you start tearing strips off my robe", I disrobed and pulled out the emergency portkey lanyard for St Mungo's for Aurors injured in the field, out of my pocket before chucking her my robe. I came through the hole first and gently eased Christian out. I could already hear rapid tearing of the robe into strips.

I kept him hovering and grabbed a strip off the ground and started tying off some of the gashes that were bleeding more heavily than others. He looked incredibly pale.

"We should just let him die", my fingers stilled at the comment as I was tying off another wound.

"Ro-" I started to say, but Hermione was up in an instant and the resounding slap of hand to cheek echoed around us.

"How dare you", her voice was low and cold, I looked up and she had her eyes narrowed and jaw clenched. I figured she has moved into the angry stage, trying to keep herself from falling apart again, now that there is some hope.

"Harry she can't be serious?", he looked at me pleading for me to understand and I did. But Christian wasn't the Dark Lord...he was just Christian looking for a second chance.

"Ron we are taking him to Mungo's I'm not just going to stand here and watch a man die. He's not Voldemort", I semi glared at Ron I seriously didn't have time for this.

"B-but we have proof the goblin paper!", he looked gleefully triumphant at that fact little did he know that I had burnt it to a crisp.

Hermione took a step back now, most likely thinking I was going to turn on her as well.

"No Ron I burnt the evidence. It doesn't exist." Ron looked incredulous and Hermione looked stunned with wide eyes. But relief shone prominently.

"Wha-how-fuck Harry!", shock coloured his tone.

"I don't have time for this now I'm going to St Mungo's I'll meet you there", I directed that last part to Hermione. She just nodded looking exhausted.

I pulled out the lanyard and activated it while having a firm grip on Christian and let both of us be sucked into the portkey.

Hermione POV

I was so relieved he was alive and so angry at myself for just giving up like that. It wasn't me, but I was so consumed by despair that I couldn't wade through it rationally.

I brush my pants off as best I could, thinking about whether I was going to go straight to the hospital or go home and freshen myself up. I knew that the state Christian was in I wouldn't be able to see him for a while. I just hoped he didn't die in the meantime. I'd have to be quick.

I shoved past Ron, incredibly angry with him, I was beyond words.

"Hermione you can't do this! He's evil, he killed Harry's parents. So, what now you're sleeping with enemy? You're going to choose him over us?", he sounded exasperated and to a degree I was as well. He sounded like a broken record and it was getting on my nerves.

I turned and stared blankly at him trying to think of what to say. It occurred to me that really there was nothing I could say. No matter the words that came out of my mouth, they were never going to change his thinking. He was stuck in the past and I didn't begrudge that because the war was and still is a large part of what has shaped us today. But Christian isn't the same man who we fought out on that battlefield. If he was then we certainly would be having an entirely different conversation.

I didn't bother saying anything just turned on my heel and left. Ignoring his protestations.

A few hours later

St Mungo's Hospital

After returning home and cleaning myself up and yes healing my battered and bloodied fingertips I packed and bag of both mine and Christian's things. I didn't want to leave his bedside and I had hoped that he would wake up.

I sat next to Harry waiting for the Healer to come out and tells us what the hell was going on. I was getting agitated sitting out here waiting and not knowing what was going on. I really just wanted to know if he would survive the rest, we can work out later. I hadn't said anything to Harry since I came and sat down, I wasn't sure how to bring it up now that he knows the truth. Will he hate me? Was he only saving Christian's life because he felt obligated too? He must have sensed my apprehension and broke the silence.

"Hermione it will be ok. I doubt he will go down without a fight, if there is anyone who will cheat death for a fourth time it will be Christian", I smiled at Harry's attempt at humour. However, while it was a joke there was some thread of truth there.

"How long have you known?" I tentatively asked. I picked at the edge of my jacket trying to keep my hands busy and not show how bloody nervous I actually was about having this conversation with Harry. I had never contemplated having the discussion of Christian's 'identity' so soon or ever.

He placed one of his hands over mine stopping my nervous fidgeting. "I have had my suspicions for a while now, I could never place certain things, or I thought I was being slightly paranoid. But I found I didn't really care if it was, because he never acted like him. Things and situations were too different. So, when Ron appeared with the Goblin paper he stole from your house I wasn't the least bit surprised. Shocked my theory was somewhat correct but the overall result I wasn't. So, I burnt the paper after he left. I didn't just do this for you or him, I did it for everyone. I don't want to fight another war and I don't think he does either. Ron was going cause an upheaval…" he ran his hand through his unruly hair gathering his thoughts, "and I just didn't want there to be the smallest chance someone would believe him. I didn't want Wizarding Britain to be divided again in such a destructive manner. But the reason I trust this ", he made a circling motion with his index finger I'm assuming he means the relationship between Christian and I, " Is because of the way he looks at you".

I look up at him and meet his gaze and he has a cheeky smile on his face, one that doesn't come out so often anymore.

"In what way?" I ask quietly. I was curious to know what Harry thought of Christian now that things had settled down and he was a little more relaxed in Christian's presence.

"Like you hung the moon. He doesn't often show it, but every now and then he would be looking at you with such adoration on his face. I knew then he would never hurt you and he couldn't be Voldemort. His actions over the last few months from what I have seen and been told, shows he would burn civilisation to the ground if you asked him too. Like the Galactic Empire level burning", I snort at his Star Wars reference and he whacks me playfully on the arm.

"But seriously… he loves you and you deserve that kind of love and devotion. He won't hold you back but prop you up. Ron could never give you that as hard as that is for him to accept. It's been an experience being around him day to day. I…trust him…hell if I accidently killed someone, he would be the first call I would make", I looked at Harry to see if he was being serious.

"Really… you're at that level of friendship to start calling in body hiding favours?"

"I'm serious. If I was in a tight bind, he would be who I would call. You can't deny he has experience to do some highly illegal things", I gaped at him. I was shocked but oddly a little proud.

"Plausible deniability", was all I said. He barked out a laugh that made the nursing staff and the station turn and look with glaring eyes.

"I know Hermione. Things aren't as black and white as I once thought through school and the justice system is far from perfect and I think… not every situation can be treated as the same, if you follow my meaning. Certain cases are far too complex for the system to handle and I wish I could do more even if it is considered illegal", I didn't blame Harry or judge him, he has seen many things as an Auror and that was partly why I didn't want to be one. I didn't want the emotional turmoil and daily stressors weighing my conscious down. And guilt. A shit load of guilt.

"It's ok Harry" I bumped shoulders with him in solidarity and comradery.

"We're going to have to obliviate Ron", I sighed. "I know".

Neither of us spoke for a while lost in our own thoughts.

Merlin knows how long after a Healer finally comes out of the room that Christian was apparently in. I look up hopeful of good news. Their face doesn't give much away so I try not to panic.

"Mr Harry Potter and Ms Granger, I am Healer Hargrove and I gather you would like to know the prognosis of your friend that you brought in?"

"Yes, very much so" I cut in before Harry can even get in edge wise.

"Mr O'Toole was in particularly bad shape when he came in, with further treatments he will mostly make a full recovery. It will be slow going, however. He will need multiple treatments; how many I am not sure. We had managed to make a patch when applied to the skin that will draw out the impurities of this rancid magic and aid in repairing the damaged cells. He was lucky for not having a longer exposure. Quite frankly I am surprised he is still alive. He will have magical scarring that we cannot fix but with some good glamour charms people won't know the difference. He is in a coma, due the trauma his body sustained. We just have to wait until he wakes up on his own. One of the nurses tending to him now will approach you when you can go in. They are applying the rest of the patches to his body. Good day", and we watched the Healer walk away.

"Ok…well that was short and abrupt. He needs to work on his bedside manner" I glared after the Healer.

"At least we know he will be ok. I'm sure it was touch and go for a while there. I'm not surprised he is in a coma; he did suffer a lot of damaged to his body"

"I just hope those patches work. I've seen the damage that tablet has done to people first hand and I don't wish that on anyone. He wasn't in the room for very long, so I hope there won't be any lasting damage except for the scarring"

"I'm sure there won't be Hermione. Depending on how long he is in the coma for I don't want you sitting here all day every day, and before you object he wouldn't want you doing that either. Pop in on your lunch break and after work but still live your life. Ok?", I rolled my eyes because there was nothing to say, he knew me too well.

"Ugh fine and plus I'd get bored pretty quickly from not doing anything. At least at the end of the day I would have something to tell him", I smiled. Hope bloomed in my chest even in this bad situation things were looking up.

A nurse exited the room and walked over to where we were and smiled brightly. That was enough to put me at ease.

"You can go in now for a short period of time, even while he is in a coma, he still needs his rest. I'm come and get you when the time is up"

"Thankyou" I grabbed the bags that I had sitting next to me on the one of the chairs and we made our way slowly to the room. I was nervous. I had seen him when Harry brought him out of the vault, but I was in shock and upset I don't remember taking much in. This was real. The reality of finally destroying that infernal tablet. The spell to destroy it must have offered him some protection, from the effects of whatever magic it emitted when it wanted too. That thing was almost sentient which was weird and creepy. But we can put that behind us now and move on. It would have sucked if he had died in that room, because it would have been a tragic ending to our short relationship. Damn Romeo and Juliet. Doomed lovers. We have been through a lot and I didn't want it to end like that, just when we were finding our footing in our relationship. I mean he said I love you. I hope he meant that, and it wasn't just in the heat of the moment because he thought he wasn't going to make it out alive. I'm not going to think about that now.

He was lying in the bed on his back, covered in bandages and I mean covered. He looked like a replica of an Egyptian Mummy. I was speechless I wasn't sure what to say about the situation, so I just started crying again. I'm surprised I still have tears to cry. I rushed towards him stopping right next the bed wanting desperately to touch him but not knowing whether I should or even could without hurting him.

"Don't worry Hermione, just put your things down over here out of the way and talk to him normally like you would and pretend he answers you. I know the muggle doctors say that some coma patients can here you when you talk to them. If you're ok for me to leave I will and give you some privacy. Just give me a call after you leave so I know that you are ok", Harry gave my shoulder a squeeze and left quietly. I sat there for a little while just watching the slight rise and fall of his chest reassuring me that he was alive and breathing.

I reached out and gently covered some of his exposed fingers with mine, careful not to press down in case they were sore. I cleared my throat, there were so many things I wanted to say to him but found I couldn't get a single word past my lips. So, I just found comfort in the companionable silence listening to him breathe.

Tom POV

March 27th 2014

St Mungo's Hospital

I had been struggling for a few days now to try to stay awake, but found I too easily slipped back into the dark depths of unconsciousness. I wanted to reassure Hermione that I was ok, that everything was fine. I also wanted to know how long I have been asleep for. While I'm a little hazy on the details my brain cells are still functioning nicely.

I remembered everything, the stupid tablet exploding as I completed the ritual. The blast throwing me against the vault door and then blackness. I had hoped I wouldn't die but was prepared for it if it was going to happen. The strings of fate and all that crap. I had evaded death multiple times, but this was the only time I had had something to live for. Something to look forward too. Someone to come home too.

I blinked slowly, my body still sluggish with pain potions and various other things. I let my head fall to the side so I could look towards the door, well what I sensed where the door was. Hermione was there asleep next the bed, head lolling in an awkward manner that will sure give her a crick in her neck when she wakes up. I'm not sure I can speak, so I settle for unabashed staring like a stalker.

Eventually she must have sensed someone looking at her and lifts her head cringing at the stiffness of her neck. She brings a hand up and rubs roughly. She does a double take when her eyes notice I'm awake and staring.

"Christian!", she leaps of up from the chair the pain forgotten in her neck. She is careful not to touch my chest and just has her elbows on either side of my head and touches our foreheads together.

"I thought you would never wake up", she says the relief so heavy in her words I wonder how long she has been waiting for me.

"I have missed you so much. I'll go get the nurse. I won't be long" and she places a chaste kiss against my chapped lips. I feel disgusting and want a shower, but my body is still covered head to toe in bandages. I give my toes and fingers an experimental wiggle to make sure I still have function. I sigh in relief as I can move and feel all my limbs.

The door is pushed open to the nurse chatting to Hermione who is looking radiant as ever.

"Mr O'Toole you are awake finally. We have been waiting a month now for you too wake from the coma. Now I'm just going to check your vitals and ask you some questions, ok?", I nod, and the nurse moves around checking my vitals and testing my arms and legs. She checks some of the bandages as well. I pray to all the deities, that I can get them taken off so I can shower and clean up.

"Alright, can you tell me your first name?", she looks at me patiently. Waiting. I swallow and try to say my name.

"Christian", it comes out soft and raspy, from lack of use.

"That's alright Christian you are doing well they just need a bit of warming up. Do you remember what year it is?"

"2014"

"Who is the Minister of Magic?"

"Kingsley Shacklebolt", my voice is rough, and my throat is dry. I use a hand gesture to ask for a drink, it's like that muggle party game charades.

A few moments later she hands me a glass, but then remembers I am lying down. Hermione assists her in adjusting the bed for me, so I am more in a seated position while drinking my water without choking.

"I'll check these bandages again a little later after speaking with the Healer. I can see you're getting tired again, so If you need to sleep then sleep don't try to resist it", she gently pats my shoulder and walks out. Hermione smiles brightly and fixes my pillow behind me and kisses my lips again but lingers a little. My eyes droop closed, and I am asleep again.

4th of April 2014

Still St Mungos Hospital

12:35pm

Tom POV

The last couple of days I have been able to stay awake for longer periods of time and my voice is less raspy and a little gravellier, but it is slowly getting my vocal cords back up to their normal use. I have finally had those damn bandages removed and I look relatively intact apart from scarring, but most people won't see them anyway. I have also been having some physical therapy to get my muscles working again. I am exceeding expectations- naturally.

I have been contemplating bringing the I Love You declaration up. We have been skirting the issue, not wanting to break this easiness between us up. I know she thinks I said it in the heat of the moment, and yes that is true because I did think that I was most likely going to die. But I said it because I wanted her to know that I do. I do love her. She is currently reading to me a paper from the Dark Arts journal, but I haven't been listening for the last few minutes, slowly working up the courage to say something. This tension is starting to annoy me, and I just want to clear the air.

"Hermione, I love you", I say it quietly but clearly and wait for her to register I said it.

"Current thoughts on the development of the curse-", she stops mid-sentence and looks at me with surprise. Did she not think…?

"You mean it?", she looks scared of my answer. I wouldn't say it to be mean and cruel. I frown.

"Yes. I wouldn't say it Hermione If I didn't mean it. I thought that was perhaps the last time I was going to see you…so I wanted you to know just in case. But don't expect me to say it often, but just know that I do". I grumbled and looked away, letting her know that that was a dismissal on the matter.

She suddenly smacked me kind of hard on the arm.

"ouch, what was that for?", I glared at her furious expression.

"That was for being an arse! How dare you make unilateral decisions for our relationship without consulting me! Did you think about how that was going to affect me? I know you were trying to save me and you most likely did, but that was unfair and hurtful", I pulled her into a hug and she squeezed me hard around the ribs, clutching at my plain grey T-shirt like it was a life line.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to hurt. I just… I needed that in the moment. This whole thing has grown into something very real and terrifying for me. You've become an important part of my life that I never thought I would ever have or let someone close enough to have. You've burrowed so deeply within me that almost can't remember not feeling this way and feeling this alive. It's unexpected and I can't control it. I find I don't want too." I cup her face with both my hands, so we are looking directly into each other's eyes. She goes to say something, but I shush her, because I haven't finished, and I know that if I don't get this out right now then I probably never will. I feel hollowed out and scraped raw.

"I couldn't let you go in there with me with the very real possibility of not walking back out. You are a force of nature Hermione, such a bright future ahead of you. The world would be such a bleak place without you in it. You have a smile that brightens up any room you walk into and an adoring laugh that relaxes the people around you. You give second chances to people who maybe don't deserve it, but you have a way of believing the best in people. Just look at us? I doubt we would be here in this moment if you didn't think I deserved another chance. You're brilliant, so kind, daring and beautiful. You make me want to be better, such a cliché but it's true. I dim your light a little, but you brighten mine. You are so inherently good. I don't know how to stop thinking about you or missing you so much when we are apart. It drives me insane with how much I want and need you. I'm so fucked up because of you, you have wrecked and ruined my life. But I wouldn't…I couldn't give this up for anything. I can't imagine not having you in my life and being with anyone else. You're it Hermione. Mine". She brushes her lips against mine an insistent push. I let her deepen the kiss, it's sweet and tender. A reflection of this moment blossoming between us.

She pulls back with a watery smile and I use my thumbs to brush the tears away that have fallen.

"I love you", she says it so quietly it's almost inaudible despite our closeness. The air in my lungs evaporates and my breath snags and hitches. This is the first time she has said it, of course I knew she loved me, but she had never said it. She says it with such honesty and conviction…I almost can't process this moment. My brain function stutters. She laughs at my startled expression and claims my lips again, nipping gently at my bottom lip as she pulls back.

"Of course, I love you, you dork", I release a breathy laugh, not that I was worried about it. I've just never had anybody say it too me ...like that.

"I know love. So, tell me did Harry decide what do about Ron since he found out about my former identity?" I asked wanting to know what was happening. Hermione had kept the details vague I think because she thought that I'd fly off the handle at Ron for breaking into her apartment again. She is partly right I am pissed. If he doesn't be careful, I'll drive a rusty spike through his skull and dump his body somewhere no one will ever find it. Best friend of Harry and Hermione be damned.

"Yeah, we ended up obliviating him, there wasn't much else we could do and implanted a couple of false memories. We tried not the erase too much just him finding that piece of paper. I'm rather mortified at him finding the picture you had taken of me in your draw", I smirked, yes I remember that rather sexy photograph.

"I can't wait to go home and have my way with you. I miss being inside you, it feels like forever", she trails a finger down my neck and over my chest.

"Yes, I can't wait for you to take me back to bed and have your wicked way with me while you talk absolute filth in my ear", I groan and flop back on the bed. Fucking tease.

"It's ok hopefully you will get released today, you have been doing really well and it seems that you won't have to have any more 'patch' therapy", she lightly pats my head and I roll my eyes. Staying in this bed is driving me up the wall.

"How's Maria doing?", I ask, I haven't heard too much from my surrogate mother as I know she hates hospital and they bring back awful memories from when Ernst was ill.

The nurse knocks and walks into the room without waiting for an answer. She is holding a clipboard close to her chest and is smiling happily.

"Well Mr O'Toole, it seems like you can go home today you're all in the clear. Although on your way out please book a follow up appointment so we can check how everything is going in about four weeks' time. I just need you to sign this paperwork and you are good to go!", wow she is rather perky this afternoon. I acquiesce and sign the forms, honestly, I just want to get the fuck out.

After she has left and I have packed everything I turn back to Hermione, "Well I wouldn't be too excited to go and see Maria. She is rather pissed at you for trying to sacrifice yourself, she said, and I quote 'I will give you a good clip round the ears when you are well enough. You have lawn mowing duty for the next six months young man and if you ever do anything like that again I will raise you from the dead and kill you myself!' end quote.", I cringe she must really be angry. I groan at the lawn mowing; she makes me do it the muggle way.

"Well I know what I have to look forward to for the next six months" Hermione laughs and it is like music to my ears and it makes me smile.

"Come on…I'll even make it worth your while", she winks and sways her hips suggestively as she walks out of the hospital room. Damn women and their feminine wiles. And to think I have this woman for the rest of my life I hope, and it all started with a heist.

THE END