DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, AND I AM NOT MAKING ANY MONEY.
Chapter 13
After Harry and Hermione's rather unromantic love-making in the shower, they found themselves once again laying on the large bed in their new dorm. The sun had risen a few hours ago, sending rays of light into the room, and they figured that they should probably find their friends. Otherwise they would get caught up in the happiness of having defeated Voldemort, before succumbing to the temptation and forgetting the world existed again.
'Let's go,' said Hermione, getting up off the bed and letting the towel wrapped around her body fall away. Harry found himself propped up by his elbow, his own towel still firmly around his waist. He stared at his girlfriend as her body was revealed and she started to dress.
'But Mione...' whined Harry.
She turned her head and glared at him. 'You've had me enough times today. And we can't stay up here forever anyway,' she said, turning back to the dresser and pulling her t-shirt over her head. Harry grumbled and got out of bed. He walked over to choose his clothes and stood next to Hermione. Somewhat purposefully, at least that's what Hermione thought, he let his towel fall away from his body as seductively as one can make a towel fall. She tried not to stare as his body was now revealed and averted her eyes, looking into the mirror to try and do something with her hair.
Harry noticed that Hermione didn't seem to take any notice of his little show and quickly dressed himself in jeans and a Gryffindor t-shirt. Hermione smirked at him as he dressed, knowing she had done well to resist him. She sat on the end of the bed, waiting for him to pull his socks on and tie his shoelaces. When he was finally ready, Hermione jumped and took his hand.
'Finally,' she said, slightly exasperated after the long wait. Harry rolled his eyes at her comment and they left their room, descending the stairs into the small common room they would inhabit in the coming school year. The couple crossed it and went through the door. As they walked through the corridors they found it to be a completely different sight to what it had been before they went to sleep.
There was no more rubble strewn across the hall, or holes in the walls.
The bodies were all gone and the bloodstains had been cleaned off the cold brick.
Harry and Hermione kept walking, moving closer towards Gryffindor Tower where they hoped their friends were waiting. The Fat Lady was still situated in her portrait, completely undamaged. Harry assumed that the Death Eaters hadn't reached this part of Hogwarts. The couple reached the portrait and they were forced to stop as neither of them knew the password. However, the Fat Lady decided to inform those within the Tower and when she returned, allowed them to enter.
Walking into the common room, Harry and Hermione glanced around and started towards Ron, Ginny, Neville. They were situated around the fireplace, Ginny on the plush rug between Neville's knees with her back against the sofa. Dean and Seamus were on the other side of the common room near the window with some other Gryffindors. Hermione nodded at the three as she squeezed between Neville and Ron.
'Hi,' she said, looking at her friends. 'How are you all?'
Harry sat on the rug, his back to the fire. Ron had turned his head to face Hermione, looking annoyed.
'Come on Hermione, can't you sit somewhere else?' he said, trying to nudge her off the sofa.
Everyone looked at them with anticipation, waiting for Hermione's reaction. Hermione looked at Ron, saying, 'If I must,' and she got up and sat next to Harry.
Hermione leant into him, holding onto his arm. Harry raised his eyebrows at Ron as the red-head looked wore a slight smirk.
'Now, how is everybody?' asked Harry, looking around. Neville adjusted his position on the sofa, leaning forward.
With a pained expression that didn't mimic the mood Harry had perceived the room held, Neville started talking.
'Well, we lost a lot of people. Remus and Tonks, Lavender, a few students that were younger than all of us, F-' Neville shot a sideways glance at Ron, then at the back of Ginny's head, and continued, 'Fred... and a few others I think. I don't think we lost any professors either...'
Neville trailed off and the Gryffindor common room was silent whilst Harry and Hermione took in the new information. Harry heard Hermione sniff and press her face into his arm, moving closer. After a few minutes everyone had regained their composure and Ginny stood up.
'Harry, can I have a word please?' she said slightly stiffly, and walked up the stairs to the dormitories. Harry gave Hermione a light peck on her lips before standing and following after Ginny. He walked up the stairs and saw the door to his old dormitory closing. Harry pushed it back open and found Ginny sat on the bed Harry remembered had been Neville's. He sat opposite her, waiting for her to speak first. She twisted her hands and looked up at him.
'So...' she said nervously.
'So.' said Harry, looking at his ex-girlfriend. Ginny took a deep breath.
'Okay. Neville and I are together now, and I don't want you two to get into a fight-'
'Why would we get into a fight Ginny?' interrupted Harry.
'Because... Um. Because we used to go out and you're good friends with each other too.'
'But Ginny, we used to go out. And if you haven't noticed, I'm with Hermione now as well. So we both have new partners, and that shouldn't mean we should all have a fight because people might get jealous, or because you feel I replaced you or something like that,' said Harry, smiling supportively at Ginny.
He hoped that she wouldn't be that angry that he was seeing Hermione, and he desperately hoped she didn't realise that their relationship had become sexual as well. Harry's mind wandered, and he found himself wondering if Neville and Ginny had moved their relationship to this stage too, and rapidly stopped that train of thought.
'I suppose you're right Harry. No need to argue when everyone's happy. I mean, as happy as a person can be when they've lost their brother.'
Harry saw tears forming in Ginny's eyes and as he moved to comfort her the door opened and Neville walked in. He nodded at Harry and sat next to Ginny, who started quietly crying into his chest as Neville hugged her.
Harry quietly slipped out of the dormitory and back down the stairs. He found Hermione and Ron discussing what they would all be doing after the summer. Harry joined the them, lying down on the rug so his head was in Hermione's lap. Her hand immediately went to his hair and started ruffling it up then smoothing it back down.
' – get my parents from Australia,' said Hermione. Harry looked up at her, surprised she hadn't told him about this before.
'Sounds a bit... sudden,' said Ron uncomfortably, 'will you be staying for a holiday once you've found them?'
'I'm not sure. They might be really angry with me and want to get back home as soon as possible, but if they don't mind, a holiday would be nice. Wouldn't it Harry?'
Harry hadn't really been listening, and raised his eyebrows.
'What was that?'
Hermione looked down at him, 'Staying in Australia for a holiday after we find Mum and Dad.'
'Oh.' Harry thought for a moment. 'That would be quite nice.' He smiled at her, and she lowered her head, her brown hair falling around his face and shielding the passionate kiss they shared from Ron.
'What am I going to do without you two around then?' said Ron, raising his arms and letting them fall onto the sofa with a thump. Hermione looked up.
'What do you mean, "what're you going to do?"' she said, her eyebrow raised.
'If you two are both in Australia, then what am I going to do all summer? I've spent most of the summers with both of you.'
'You have a girlfriend now Ron.' Harry said bluntly, slightly annoyed that Ron had interrupted their kiss.
'Oh yeah,' said the red-head, and his eyes glazing over as if he was imagining her.
As Hermione looked at Harry, his head still in her lap, and her eyes started to tear up. He assumed it was because she was getting overly upset about not knowing how her parents would react. Harry immediately sat up and pulled her on top of his crossed legs and held her close, trying to let her know that everything was going to be okay with her parents. He stroked her hair gently and eventually her breathing returned to normal.
'You feeling better now?' said Harry, drawing back a little so he could look Hermione in the face. She gave a small nod. 'Do you want to be alone? Should we go back to our Tower?' Hermione nodded again.
Harry stood and helped her up to, and said, 'We're going now.' Ron just nodded as he could see Hermione was getting upset. Harry and Hermione just left the common room, walking out of the portrait hole. They made their way slowly back to their Tower, Hermione's arm wrapped around Harry's waist, his head leaning against hers. It wasn't the easiest position to walk in but they managed. They said the password when they reached the Tower and walked in. Harry knew that he had to remain strong for Hermione, he didn't want her to think she couldn't look to him for support because he wasn't strong enough himself.
Hermione pulled away from Harry and took his hand, pulling him over to the sofa and sitting down. Once Harry had sat down she drew her knees to her chest and curled up next to him, her head resting on his chest. They sat there for a while, and Harry's arm wrapped around Hermione's shoulders. There were no words of comfort, only the silence between them as Harry waited for Hermione to calm down a little.
'Would you really come to Australia, Harry?' Hermione asked quietly after a long while. Harry squeezed her shoulders.
'Of course I would Mione. Why wouldn't I want to?'
Hermione shrugged, and said, 'And you don't think Mum and Dad will be angry with me?' Harry shook his head and kissed Hermione's forehead.
'Not at all Hermione. And even if they were, I'm sure they'd let you explain your reasons behind your actions and they'd accept it almost instantly.'
Hermione nodded into Harry's chest then looked up and kissed his lips delicately.
'We'll need to get tickets then. I'm not sure how much they'll cost though...'
Hermione drew back and sat up a little straighter, looking into the fire as her mind calculated all the things they'd need to prepare. The money, the accommodation, clothes...
'I have enough money, Hermione,' said Harry, stretching his arms over the back of the sofa. Hermione turned her head to face him, her brown eyes meeting his green.
'I don't want to use your money, Harry,' she said, but Harry only shook his head.
'It's our money, Hermione. We can share that vault. I'll even have another key made just for you.'
'Harry, I couldn't-'
Hermione, you don't have a choice,' said Harry. He leaned forward, taking her hands in his and kissed her. 'When would you like to leave?'
Hermione considered.
'As soon as possible, I think,' she said.
Harry nodded.
'Okay then. Shall we go upstairs and get our things, and then go down to London to get our money?' asked Harry.
'Yes, but there's not much to get. Only a few clothes and my bag,' said Hermione, pausing. 'We'll have to get to Australia using Muggle transport though, so staying in the Leakey Cauldron would be a good idea. We'll also need Muggle passports and visas.'
Hermione stood up and Harry smiled as he followed her, knowing that it was good for her to have something else to think about. They went up to their room and Hermione drew her wand, waving it around the room as their possessions flew into a neat pile on the bed. Hermione then packed them all into her beaded bag and turned to Harry.
'I think that's everything then,' she said.
'Are we leaving now then?' asked Harry, frowning. When Hermione nodded he continued, 'What about the others?'
'We'll pop back to see them now, and then we'll leave.'
As she spoke Hermione nodded her head, and she and Harry left the Tower. They made their way back to Gryffindor Tower considerably quicker than it had taken to get back to their own Tower and entered.
Ginny and Neville had come back to the common room at some point after they had left, and they were sitting with Ron almost exactly where they had before.
'We've decided to go to Australia,' said Hermione, clutching the beaded bag to her chest. 'And we might not be back for a little while so we'll probably miss any funerals they happen, but we will most definitely be back for the start of the school term.'
Ron looked like he wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, and Harry wondered if that was even possible. Neville and Ginny nodded, accepting Hermione's words.
'Has she got you coming back too, mate?' Ron said to Harry.
Harry glared at him.
'Yes, Hermione has got me coming back to school, but she wouldn't mind if I didn't. Would you?' Harry looked at Hermione and she shook her head. Harry looked back to Ron and smirked before Hermione began speaking again.
'I hope you all have a wonderful summer, and that you stay safe,' she said, and then rushed forward and pulled Ginny into a hug. Harry moved forward and shook Neville's hand, and then Ron's. He and Hermione swapped people and Harry hugged Ginny whilst Hermione did the same with Ron and Neville.
Whilst they hugged Ginny whispered into Hermione's ear, 'Don't worry about little Teddy, Mum told Andromeda that she'd take care of him until Harry's a little older, okay?' Hermione smiled at Ginny, and nodded.
'I'll tell him later then.'
Once all the goodbyes had been said, Harry and Hermione left. They walked through Hogwarts and into the grounds, past Hagrid's Hut and through the massive gates. When they reached Hogsmeade they apparated away with a pop.
A/N: So I'm really sorry this has taken around 4 months to produce, and it's not even that good. The thing is, I've sort of lost my inspiration to write this story. Therefore there may not be another chapter after this one for a long time, so you are entitled to treat this as the 'end' of the story. It's the end of Part 1 anyway.
What did you think then? Not worth the wait really haha...
EDIT 28 JANUARY 2012: So I've thought about this, and this will be the end of this story. I'll click it as complete, and leave it. I -may-, and that's a really big may, write more to this story. If I do, it'll be called Love Runs Deep, Part 2. And if I write that, I'll start at the end of June, into July and through August until Uni in September. Obviously, there is no guarantee I will write it, but if you're interested, that's some information. Also, I've just had this thought, if you think you could continue you this story, email me jamesthorne31 (at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk and put Request to continue in the subject. I'll wait until February 28th 2012 to make a final descision, but if you email me I'll reply with some questions. Thanks!