Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot of this story, the rest of the characters and ideas are all JKR's.

Okay First of all, I'd like to apologise for the way too long wait. I'm really ashamed of myself. I could look for all kinds of excuses, but I won't. I had a hard time writing this chapter, and had to rewrite it at least 3 times and to tell you the truth, I'm not too happy with the outcome, (except for the last part, which wasn't in my plans, but it's still there) but I just couldn't rewrite it once more, so this is the final version, even though while re-reading it, I did find a few gaps, but I'm just way too lazy to rewrite it again.

Even though I think this chapter is only a miserable excuse for a chapter, I hope you'll enjoy it at least a little bit.

Thanks to everyone, who read and/or reviewed the last chapter, and special thanks to my beta, x-Xanti-x, who tried to help me with this chapter and did a great job in betaing this. Please leave a review after finishing this chapter, and have a good time while reading it!

A not too merry Christmas

The next weeks, and with them the Quidditch match, had come and gone by and as Christmas came closer and closer the whole castle started to buzz with excitement. The last Hogsmeade weekend of the year was scheduled on that Saturday.

Just like the last time Harry accompanied Hermione and Ron to the entrance of the castle and waved them goodbye, not expecting the surprise that the Weasley twins had in store for him or the one that he later would find out later in the little wizarding village…

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It was heavily snowing outside on Christmas day and even though the time travellers were very well aware of the feast going on downstairs in the Great Hall they decided to celebrate the holiday on their own way.

Christmas was the only holiday they silently agreed to leave only for each other, at least until the end of the war. That was the only day when they decided to leave everything else outside and be themselves without the weight of the war on their shoulders. They always spent Christmas Eve silently sitting before the fireplace cuddling and the next day, after opening the presents, they always visited the grave of Hermione's parents. They were killed on the 25th of December the year Harry went missing.

The only thing he regretted about that year was that he couldn't be with Hermione when and after the tragedy had happened. Later on he learned from Ron that she was very withdrawn after his disappearance and even more so after the death of her parents. She refused to eat for days and wouldn't talk to anyone for weeks.

When Harry found out about these things he swore that he would never leave Hermione alone on that day, no matter what. And so far he was successful in keeping his promise.

But this year was different, as they couldn't visit a grave that didn't even exist yet.

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The winter sun shone through the windows of Hogwarts, shimmering on the surface of the lake, waking one of the most powerful occupants of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

As Harry woke up, he pleasantly noticed the warmth of his wife next to his body and he smiled unconsciously, until he remembered what day it was.

Even though Hermione tried to hide the fact from everyone that she was still sad because of her parents' death, as she felt that there were more important things on people's mind than her sorrow, she couldn't hide the fact that she was still devastated from Harry.

Harry silently cast a simple spell on his wife, so she would stay asleep until he returned, then he apparated out of the room right into the kitchens, to prepare the breakfast that became traditional through the years on this day. As he arrived back to his bedroom, he casted the counter-spell on Hermione while, as silently as he could, he put down the tray of food that he was carrying and slid next to Hermione kissing her bare shoulder. He got up again when Hermione woke up and while she sat up he placed the tray onto her lap and they ate silently, changing occasional kisses.

"You should go down, you know." said Hermione after an hour of comfortable silence which they spent remembering Hermione's parents and all the other victims of the war that was still raging in their time.

"But…"started to protest, but his wife cut him off.

"No. I know that you want to be with me and believe me, I really appreciate it, but you don't have to. I'm fine. Really." assured Hermione her husband. "But you can do one thing for me, if you want to…" continued the woman.

"Which is…?" he asked, motioning her to continue.

"I'm sure you know what day it is. But do you remember what happened on this day exactly 11 years ago?" asked Hermione and Harry nodded.

"Of course. I got my Firebolt from Sirius and wanted to try it, but couldn't because…"

"Yes, McGonagall took it away because I had told her about it. After that, you and Ron wouldn't speak to me for a while, and then there was the whole Scrabbers ordeal. I guess I've never told this to neither of you, but I spent that day crying because I felt really bad for doing what I did, even though I did it 'cause I didn't want you to get hurt. And no, don't say anything," said Hermione, as Harry was about to open his mouth to apologise, "I can understand. Just go, and talk with her. For me. And for yourself, too. You need someone who you can talk to. You know, I'm glad we messed that potion up. We really needed this break from everything, and you may not even notice it, but you started to act like your normal self. I'm glad you did."

"I don't want to leave you alone." He said, but he knew that he was fighting for a lost cause. When his wife made her mind up there was no turning back.

"I'm a big girl! I can take care of myself for a few hours. But she, she needs you. You know, I'm not sure I've told you this before, but I loved you even back then. Please, do it for me." Her pleading eyes did it. With a sigh Harry dressed up and left the room with his wife in it in favour of the Gryffindor Tower.

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He turned into the corridor leading to the portrait of the Fat Lady just in time to see Hermione and Professor McGonagall go in.

As he told the password to the portrait and stepped into the common room, he saw himself, reluctantly giving the Firebolt to the transfiguration professor.

"There's no need for that." He said, startling every people in the room, meaning the trio and the professor.

"Please, Mr. Potter, excuse me if I don't believe you. You claim to be the older self of young Mr. Potter here, but you have no proof, and I frankly don't think you're telling the truth. Or the whole truth at least." The strict woman said.

"I'm saddened to hear that, Professor, but I can't say I don't understand your reasons. I guess it would be pointless in this case to say 'Believe me when I say that that broom is not cursed and I wouldn't want to kill myself', right?"

"Right. Now, if you all excuse me, I have a broom to take to our respected charms professor. Merry Christmas." And with that she left the room.

"See, Hermione!? I told you the broom wasn't cursed and most defiantly not sent by Sirius Black! I can't believe you told McGonagall! Shouted Ron, not noticing either the older or the younger Harry's flinch and disagreeing face. "You are only an insufferable know-it-all who sticks her nose into other people's business. Come on, Harry. Let's go." with that, he turned to the 13-year-old, expecting him to agree with him.

The older Harry knew that right then his younger self was contemplating whether to go with Ron or tell him that he wasn't right. He knew that his younger self understood why Hermione did what she did, even though he was a little angry with her, too. But Hermione didn't wait to hear Harry's answer, with a heart breaking sob she ran out of the room, leaving the two boys and the man alone.

"Ron, I didn't expect anything better from you. You did this the first time, and now you're doing it again, but you, Harry…" started the 24-year-old angrily, even though he knew that this will be the outcome even before the others" I expected more of you. You know that she only wanted to help you because she cares for you. Please, accept an advice. The next time try to hear her out, too. Don't go blindly with that git over there. He is a nice person, but his temper is insufferable, not Hermione. You'll learn it sooner or later. Believe me." And with that he left the room, too and decided to go to the library, the most likely place where Hermione could have gone.

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He turned out to be right, as he found Hermione somewhere in the back of the library, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably, while she sat with her back turned to Harry, only her sobbing breaking the silence of the whole place.

She jumped slightly when she felt Harry's hand on her shoulder, but after she turned around and saw Harry, she launched herself at him, clinging on him like her life depended on it, crying on his shoulders, as Harry slowly sank down onto the floor next to her, stroking her back as he whispered soothing words into her ears, patiently waiting for her to calm down a little bit.

When that happened he slowly, as not to hurt her feelings, separated her from himself.

"They will come around eventually." He said after minutes of silence.

"I do-don't care." She sobbed lightly." I don't care anymore."

"Don't say things that you know aren't true. You care. That's why the whole thing could happen in the first place. You are the best person and friend I have ever known. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. They both know, or at least I know Harry knows, that you only did it to help."

"Then why are they doing this to me!? The only thing they ever did since the first time we met was to hurt me or use me like a personal encyclopaedia. Never thanking me, never asking how I felt or anything like that. They always just hurt me." She said angrily.

"That's not true. They both value your friendship and help. Yes, this wasn't the first time they have hurt you, and this won't be the last either. But believe me when I say that I, for one, regretted every single time I hurt you. I'll admit that for a long time neither Ron nor me ever apologised for hurting you for no reason, really. Around that time, it always seems more than it is later."

"I just…I sometimes feel so useless and so…unlovable, I guess. Tell me, am I such a bad person that I can't be loved. Am I so bad that I can't have friends who love me for me and not because I help them with their homework? Am I so useless?" she sounded so desperate and sad, that Harry's heart broke into small pieces at seeing her so vulnerable.

Of course, and unfortunately, he had seen her like this too many times for his liking. He knew that she was the only one that could do this to him. The only one who could affect him this much. The only one. So he reached out and held her head under her chin, lifting it with one hand, and brushing the tears away from her face with the other and looked right into her eyes.

"You're not useless. Never were, never will. You're the most caring, the nicest and most lovable woman I have ever met and I doubt there will be anyone better than you. Hermione, you mustn't think like that about yourself. You're the reason I'm still alive, you were the one that helped me through Hogwarts, or you'll be, in this case. If it wasn't for you I would have died a long time ago. What would you say to spending the day with me and Hermione?" he asked.

"Gladly." She said and finally smiled and brushed her tears away with the sleeve of her jumper. With that said, Harry stood up and offered his hand to help Hermione up.

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The portrait shut closed behind them and Harry offered Hermione a seat and was about to go to the bedroom to tell Hermione to go back to her own bedroom, and come back through the portrait, when the bedroom door opened and the older Hermione walked outside with only one of Harry's old shirts on, currently unbuttoned, which showed her creamy white skin and her lacy black kicker and her bra, or in this case the lack of it, shocking the 13-year-old Hermione.

"Harry, have you seen my…?" but she froze halfway through her question, when she noticed her open-mouthed, gaping younger self on the couch and her husband looking at her with half desire filled, half angry eyes.

So, this was it. I know it's not much and not good either, but still, please review!

I've already finished the next chapter and started the 11th, too, so hopefully you won't have to wait so much for those.

The first 5 chapters are finally betad, too, thanks to my awsome beta, x-Xanti-x.

Thanks for reading!