A Time to Live, A Time to Love
Summary: Hermione gets a powder blown on her; will it help her dream to come true?
AN: You just never know where inspiration will pop up! This was therapy after a major sweep to put everything in totes that mice would be interested in! UGH! I miss our cats. We have one left of the initial litter but he doesn't hunt…at all! Anyway, my mind needed an escape and this is what came of it! LOL Love Harry/Hermione and thought we could all use a short escape! Enjoy!
I am totally taking advantage to post a few stories now that we have a generator that can run on propane! Loving life at the moment, hope you all are too! Love you all, my wonderful readers!
Disclaimer: I make no monies from this.
The war was over, rebuilding finished, burials and funerals done, in other words, the wizarding world was finally able to breathe freely and heal. The new Minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt, was up to his neck with cleaning out the Ministry of all the corruption. He had created an oath that all Ministry workers had to take in order to keep their jobs. Any new hires were expected to do the same. Kingsley's reasoning was that the oath ensured loyalty to the laws instead of an ideal. After the initial purging, many had no problems taking an oath of office like the muggles did with the difference being they could lose their magic if they went against their vow; helping to keep everyone on the up and up.
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Harry, Ron and Hermione, along with the others their age had chosen to sit their N.E.W.T.s at the Ministry. It wasn't that they didn't appreciate Headmistress McGonagall's offer to return to Hogwarts or the many changes she was implementing; they did. However, too much had happened for the former and current seventh years to be students again.
Because of this, Hermione found herself in very unfamiliar territory. As much and as often she had stressed over her O.W.L.s and future N.E.W.T.s before the Final Battle, she now found herself relieved to be done with school. Now though, she had no clue what to do. For the first time in her life Hermione wasn't obsessed with learning, that wasn't to say she stopped reading whatever she could get her hands on but the drive to further her education just wasn't there. Before Voldemort's last stand she had seen herself getting multiple masteries but now none of that seemed as important.
For the moment, she just wanted a break from everything and everyone. She wanted time for her body, mind and soul to heal from too many years of stress, trauma, drama and loss. Harry, not surprisingly, was one of the few who understood and supported her decision for a break. He had done the same. Despite multiple offers to both of them, they had chosen to decline, at least for the time being. As Harry and Hermione spent their time cleaning up Grimmauld Place to make it more of a home, many had chosen their careers.
Neville had started his apprenticeship with Professor Sprout; Luna had restarted publishing the Quibbler; Dean and Seamus had opened a new club in Hogsmeade; Draco Malfoy had dove head first into Malfoy Industries to start the cleanup of his family business and name; then there were the Weasleys. Arthur, Bill and Charlie had gone back to their jobs; Fred and George got their business back up and going; Ron had gone into Auror training, flying through the basic training and was already accompanying senior Aurors in the field. Harry and Hermione were proud of their best friend and happy that he had found his own niche. Ginny had gone to play for the Holyhead Harpies and was excelling in her position. Molly went back to tending the newly rebuilt Burrow and fussing over her family that included extended members.
It had taken Harry and Hermione a solid month to clean Grimmauld Place and when they were done, it didn't look like the same house. They had scoured, cleansed, repaired, painted and wallpapered every room. What amazed them was the portrait of Walburga Black; she had welcomed both Harry and Hermione and had praised their cleaning. Harry had finally got the nerve to ask the former matriarch why she was being so pleasant to them and had been told that there had been a geas on her that was broken when the Dark Lord had been killed. After the cleaning, Harry had suggested that Hermione stay; all her stuff was there anyway so no need to go anywhere else. After a few moments of consideration, Hermione took him up on his offer, happy to live with her best friend.
The following week found both witch and wizard lazing about. It was during this time that they decided Grimmauld Place needed to go back under the Fidelis charm. The amount of mail received (good, bad and everything in-between) was really grating on their nerves. It was beyond stupid, not to mention they were both tired of always having to scan every single piece of mail, if not incinerate it. Each had lost count.
"Seriously, Harry, this is absolutely ridiculous!" Hermione exclaimed as she destroyed another envelope that smelled strongly of...something.
"I know, 'Mione, but who would we pick to be the Secret Keeper?" Harry lamented as he destroyed yet another Howler.
"Well, I think Fred and George would be a good choice." Hermione told him.
"True, but any of the Weasleys would work." Harry returned.
"Actually, no." Hermione stated and quickly continued before Harry could argue."Hear me out, Harry. They are all trustworthy, I'm not saying they aren't but Bill and Charlie don't live in England, Percy is thinking of moving away as well. Ginny travels more than she's home and Ron, well, Ron has enough to keep secret. Arthur would also work but not Molly." She held her hands up to stop whatever comment Harry was about to make. "I love her dearly, she's been a second mum to me but that witch has no clue how to keep her mouth shut, especially when she's excited in any way." Hermione finished, giving Harry a pointed look when she spoke of their adopted mum.
Harry listened to her reasoning and couldn't help but crack a smile about Molly. The witch was the mum he never had but, Merlin, did the woman like to gossip. "Alright, we'll ask Fred and George." he conceded, making Hermione beam and hug Harry before she headed to the library. Harry shook his head and sent a missive to the twins asking them to come by, there was a matter to discuss. The return owl said they would drop by the next night as they were brewing unless it was an emergency. Harry replied the next night would be fine.
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The next night, after the shop closed, Fred and George floo'd over to Harry's; joining him and Hermione for tea and cake. When Hermione had explained the decision they had come to, the pranking duo were floored but quickly agreed.
"Not that"
"we're not"
"honored"
"but why"
"choose us?" they asked.
Hermione went on to tell the twins what her decision making process had been and the reason why they wanted Grimmauld Place hidden to all but a select few.
"Blimey, Harry!" Fred and George said at the same time when the tenth owl flew in just during their visit. There was a sigh of relief after the spell had been cast from both residents, making the twins chuckle. The small group then chatted for the next couple of hours before calling it a night.
For the first time since the end of the Second Wizarding War, Harry and Hermione were finally able to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet. No longer having to deal with unwanted mail, they were able to spend their days enjoying each other's company and healing. They had started off in separate bedrooms but had given up the pretense of sleeping when not with the other. They both had horrible nightmares when in their own beds and after two weeks of meeting and curling up on the couch, Harry suggested they just share a bed and stop torturing their poor bodies. Hermione had agreed. What neither realized was that the other fancied them, or that they slept so soundly curled up together was due to the strong love between them.
Everything was going well, both enjoyed the lack of mail and the peacefulness of several months of sleeping well. It was after those several months that their world would get turned upside down. They had decided to meet a few friends at the Three Broomsticks and after having a lovely meal and a few after dinner drinks that the incident occurred as Harry and Hermione were leaving.
Hermione had just stepped through the door, with Harry right behind her, that a robed figure stepped into her path, held their hand up and blew a powder into her face causing Hermione to yell out and cough. Harry promptly pulled her behind him as he sent a stunner at the attacker before anyone could realize what was going on, especially her attacker. It appeared they had forgotten Harry's war-hardened reflexes were as quick as ever. The unknown person fell with a thud as multiple sounds of apparation sounded alerting every one of the arrival of Aurors. As soon as the assailant was in custody, Harry turned to pull Hermione to his chest with quiet questions of her wellbeing. When she pulled away to look at Harry her vision became blurred and she swayed on her feet.
After an Auror collected all the powder, they told Harry to take Hermione home and they would contact him later with the results. Harry gave a nod, wrapped his arm around the disoriented witch and spun on his heel to disappear with a POP. Once home, Harry led Hermione to their bedroom, scourgified her person, transfigured her clothes to pajamas then tucked her in. He sat on the edge of the bed to await any news while he kept an eye on her condition.
Harry's blood boiled when an owl showed up and he read the parchment. As it turned out, the powder was from a love and a lust potion combined. They had learned that if Hermione had looked at or touched her attacker, she would have become linked to them, craving them until the effects wore off which would have been roughly a week or so. When Harry's thoughts had turned to what all the bastard could have done to Hermione during that time, his anger went through the roof before he shuddered at what her wrath would be once he told her.
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The next morning, Harry explained what had been told to him to Hermione. Her attacker had been identified as Andrew Collins, a Ravenclaw a year behind them, who had wanted the war heroine for his own. That day and night neither one noticed anything odd since their anger had been most prominent but the day after, Hermione started to realize that a link had been made to Harry since he had been the only person she saw and felt after the powder soaked into her skin. She had tried ignoring Harry but when she felt his hurt and confusion, she changed her mind. However, her head swam when she felt his love for her but what was even more disconcerting was the underlying feelings of desire. Anytime they would touch or just brush against each other, she could feel Harry's reaction on top of her own. By the time bedtime came around, Hermione had never felt so hyper-aware of anyone in her life. When Harry spooned her, their normal pose, the spike in awareness almost took her breath away. It took everything she had not to roll over and snog Harry senseless.
When morning rolled around, Hermione stirred only to jolt awake at feeling Harry's harden length pressed against her. Giving in to her desire, Hermione wriggled her bum and enjoyed Harry's moan. She did it a few more times before a sleepy, highly aroused voice murmured...
"Keep that up and I'll have to follow through."
Smiling wickedly, Hermione wriggled her bum again only to find herself pinned to the bed. After a glorious few minutes of feeling Harry rub his erection against her heated core, Hermione had to blink a few times before realizing Harry had moved impossibly quickly to the other side of the bed and had his head in his hands.
"Merlin, I'm so sorry, 'Mione!" Harry apologized to her.
"Why?" Hermione asked, totally confused. Hadn't he felt her instigating it all? Hadn't he heard her whimper when he had pinned her?
"You're under the influence of that powder and I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. You can't help it but I can." Harry explained before he rose and headed to the bathroom.
Hermione laid there for a minute digesting his words before a smile curved her lips.
He hadn't said he didn't want her just that she was under the influence of the powder. Hermione stretched thoroughly before going to her "room" and grabbing a book. She walked back into Harry's room and stuck it to the door with a magical note telling him to read it or at least the last twenty entries or so. Then she went down to start breakfast.
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When Harry returned to dress after showering, he saw the note before focusing on the book. As his fingers grazed the cover, the book fell into his hands. Walking to the bed, he sat as he opened the book to a random page and realized it was Hermione's journal. The entry he was reading was dated three months ago while they were relaxing after finishing their cleaning. He had seen her write in it almost every day. Had he been curious? Of course. Did he ever think he would have permission to read it? Not in a million years! So now he found himself completely immersed and totally shocked by what he was reading. He had no clue how long he had been absorbed in her elegant script describing her hopes, dreams, desires and irritations but he had eaten the food Hermione had sent to him without realizing it. When Harry got to the end, he shut the book and set it on the bed before he got up to find his witch. As he expected, she was in the library engrossed in a book.
Harry watched her for a time, appreciating how beautiful she was to him. He had never told her, but the main reason he hadn't joined her in the library here or at school very often was because he always thought her beautiful when she got caught up in reading. He loved watching her face; it always gave away her thoughts and feelings.
He slowly made his way to the couch. Once there, he pulled her book away as he placed a knee between her feet and leaned forward until their lips were only a breath away.
"Did you mean it?" He quietly asked.
"Every word." she replied breathlessly.
That was all Harry needed as he connected their lips in a passion filled snog while he lowered his body to cover hers.
~FIN~