Zacharias Smith

Once Hermione had finally managed to escape Tom Riddle's time, she returned to the present. Her presence had not disrupted the time space continuum. Voldemort was still defeated, she still had Rowena…and Harry was still dead.

Hermione took to her duties again at DMLE, explaining her time travel incident to curious friends by making up a story about staying with a distant relative to take a break from work. Still, her job was hard. She found solace in an old friend and fellow DA member from Hogwarts, Zacahrias Smith. He worked in Diagon Alley and offered to help care for Rowena until Hermione came home from work. He turned out to be her lifesaver and Hermione quickly got used to having him around.

One evening, Hermione called Zach to say that she would be held up late. Zach quickly rolled with it and said he could take Rowena out to eat and gave her the restaurant address. "Just meet us there when you can," he told her.

Hermione later arrived and joined her friend and daughter. Just then, who should also show up but Viktor Krum. He had aged since Hermione had last seen him, when she had kissed him after fourth year. But, he had also become much ruder. He barged in and made himself at home at their table, and did not try to hide the fact that he was clearly hitting on Hermione. He was also peeved that Zach was there, or Rowena for that matter, and referred to the former as Hermione's "husband." Hermione quickly refuted this, embarrassed and Zach oddly took a sudden interest in the carpet. Viktor even insulted Zach on several occasions, trying to draw out that there was something between Zach and Hermione. From there, the dinner turned into an awkward mess. Hermione had known Viktor had had a messy divorce a few years back (it had been all over the news), but this was ridiculous! It took all of her manners not to storm off from the table in anger.

Finally, the trio rid themselves of Viktor and headed back to Hermione's house. Once they were safely inside and Rowena had been put to bed, Hermione tried to comfort Zach. Zach wouldn't hear any of it though.

"Just forget it," he told her. "It doesn't matter."

"It does Zacharias," she said. "I don't like seeing you like this. You've been my life saver."

"I just don't like Rowena being around him. Or you. Isn't it awkward enough for you, knowing that he snogged you when you were young and then nothing ever came of it? Like all you were to him was some fling?"

Hermione could tell he wanted to say more, but he didn't add anything to what he was saying. She then remembered what Viktor had said earlier, that maybe Zacharias liked her.

Zacharias chose this moment to turn to look at her, and he looked hard into her eyes. She could see tears forming in them, and saw a drowning man who couldn't have what he wanted just as Viktor had described. What took her so long to notice his feelings?

"Zach…if you want to tell me something…" she began, a little bit hesitant. "If you want to tell me something tell me now before you regret it."

He looked at her, trying to look curious when she could tell he knew exactly what she was talking about. Hermione decided at this point that if he told her that he was in love with her, she would give herself over to him. She would try to love him back and eventually marry him, live happily with a nice guy who she knew would treat both her and her daughter well, because that way she wouldn't need to have the troublesome Viktor Krum pestering her for the rest of her life.

"I…"

Hermione could feel herself straining to hear him tell her those three words. Her fists clenched nervously as she watched him watching her watching him in such a manner. She could see that he did want to tell her something, but wasn't sure if he should, that it might ruin their close friendship that they had, the bond that grew over the past few years.

When nothing more came out of Zacharias, Hermione decided to let the matter drop for now. She got up and began to cross the room to go check on Rowena. She felt his presence beside her suddenly.

"Hermione."

"What?" she asked, turning to him. And then he was kissing her desperately, his arms having seized her by the waist and pulled her flush against him. Hermione moaned in relief and found her eyes closing almost instantaneously. Zach picked her up as both arms now embraced her, so that Hermione's feet were barely brushing the ground. Hermione reciprocated with her one arm, still eliciting muffled sighs as they kissed. They snogged open-mouthed now, Zach breaking away for the briefest instant for air, before an arm encircled Hermione's neck and his lips immersed themselves into hers once more. Their tongues battled for dominance, and Hermione could feel how warm Zach's mouth was, and it felt wonderful.

Zach slowly began to dip her back, holding her at the neck and his lips never leaving hers. Hermione's hand adjusted to his shoulder as she fought to steady herself. The couple awkwardly sank to the floor in a kneeling position, still kissing and their hands slowly moving up and down each other's backs.

"Mmm…mmmm…mmaahhh…." Hermione moaned and then gasped as she briefly disengaged from Zacharias's lips to breathe. She captured his lips yet again, nibbling eagerly on his upper lip. They shifted again as Zach pulled her closer, and Hermione thought they might tip over if they kept this up. But, she did not care and held Zacharias and closed her eyes as he ravaged her lips, just enjoying it. At long last, they tenderly broke apart, and stood. Hermione melted into his arms, and Zach held her, a look of joy and pride on his face. Nothing else needed to be said. Their future together was official. For now, just being together was enough.