Harry slipped out of the house with one final worried glance at Mrs. Weasley. Her knitting had paused, the work drooping to the floor as she sighed.
The house was quiet for now. Ron and Hermione locked away in his room. Ginny sat at her brother's side, silently comforting. Where once there had been two was now only one. The war was over, Voldemort safely dead, but there had been a high price to pay for victory.
He escaped outside, tension knotted thru him. He thought he should feel better now. The final battle had been weeks ago. Even his scar had faded away. It really truly was over. Yet he had lived with it all so long he didn't know any other way to be.
Ron and Hermione had been alternating fighting and making up. He knew eventually they would work it out. She was stubborn and he was clueless. Loving them both, he would not take sides. He had his own relationship to sort out. Ginny kept crawling into his bed at night, causing another layer of tension in him.
She wasn't ready, he knew. Despite her recent attempts to seduce him. She was only a year younger but still sweet and pure. They had kept as much of it from touching her as they could. He loved her too much to take away the last of her innocence.
He sighed as he plopped down on the grass. The burrow was now a tiny speck in the distance. He closed his eyes, letting the sun and fresh air wash over him, clearing his mind.
"You have a perfectly good bed to nap in you know." He opened his eyes to see Hermione standing over him.
"I was thinking." He replied defensively.
'Well I can see why you needed to rest then." She replied haughtily, making him laugh as she sat next to him.
He saw her eyes were red rimmed and she looked miserable. He rubbed her back comfortingly.
"Another fight?" he asked. She nodded "He's so stupid sometimes!"
"Well he is a boy .We're all a bit daft sometimes aren't we?" he suggested "It's not our fault you turned into a girl when we weren't looking."
She laughed half sniffling. He sat up and gave her a quick hug. She leaned against him tiredly, her eyes drifting closed. He brushed a lock of hair out of her face. "I'm so tired. "she sighed.
"It will be alright "he reassured her. "It's going to take a while for things to settle down." He turned her face towards him. "You know he loves you. He's just not used to it is all. He'll come around."
"I hope so you guys are all I have left you know. "She had erased every trace of her existence in the muggle world. Even to her parent's memory of her. She'd done it to protect them. Having never existed, it was permanent and irreversible. She disappeared into the world of magic.
Slow tears began to slip down her cheeks.
"Please don't cry! "he protested. "You'll make me cry!" He hugged her tight against as she laughed again thru her tears.
"Life used to be so simple didn't it? "she sniffed.
"It didn't seem like it at the time." He observed smiling at her.
"I love you too you know." he told her, carefully wiping away her tears.
"I know .I love you too Harry."
Impulsively she leaned forward and kissed him. She had meant it to be a friendly kiss pulling away quickly. She looked up into his eyes and there was something there, dark and stormy, defiant. He pulled her closer .His mouth meeting hers hungrily.
"There's still this terrible tension." She cried out, clinging to him desperately." It just won't stop!"
"I know" he whispered kissing her again. Desire flowed thru her like electricity as he lowered her back onto the grass. He moved against her urgently, needing to feel her underneath him.
"Oh please Harry.' she begged as he flexed against her. He kissed her over and over again as he undressed her. He pulled of his glasses impatiently as they slid off his nose. She tugged at his shirt pulling it over his head. Then he lay against her bare skin.
"I love you. "He began to whisper as he explored her body, hands gliding over her pale skin. Her nipples hardened as he brushed over them. He moved his lips over the warm skin of her chest. Her fingers tugging at his hair as he sucked at her taut nipples. She cried out as he kissed her belly letting his hand move over the soft wetness between her legs. He had never touched a girl, a woman, this way before.
She pushed her hips forward and he let his fingertips push into her body, the flesh inside hot and shimmering as he slid his fingers in and out of her.
"Harry please. "she gasped again. He moved away from her, finished undressing, before lowering himself to her waiting embrace.
"I love you.' She moaned, opening up to him. She cried out as he pierced her virgin sex.
"You ok?' he asked.
"Yes." she moaned "Don't stop!"
He shifted rising up over her as he began to thrust inside her. He rocked against her whispering over and over. "Love you. Love you."
"Yes!" she responded as he moved against her. "Don't stop please."
His motions became more and more frantic. Her fingers dug into his back, her cries rising with the rhythm of his body.
"Oh." He panted "Hermione I think I'm "He felt himself exploding, his mind blanking blissfully as he came. He collapsed against her breathless.
She held him tight against her chest. Slowly he sat up, letting her hands slip away from him. He found his glasses in the pile of clothes. He needed to see her, see her face. She came into focus and she was staring at him, a smile faint on her face.
He leaned down and kissed her, the kiss soft and gentle.
"Are we still friends?" he asked carefully, uncertainly. He was shocked with himself. He had pushed his feelings for her so far he had forgotten they existed. It had been the combination of grief and tension that had brought it out of him so suddenly and forcefully.
"Of course you don't regret it do you?" she asked. She couldn't bear the thought if her first lover had doubts. Especially him.
"No .I should but..." he shrugged; he felt only the most curioussense of relief. "We'll have to face them eventually." His face was creased with concern.
"I love Ron." Hermione sighed "I don't think I could live without him. He just makes me so furious!" she scowled then laughed, perfectly illustrating her jumbled feelings.
He smiled touching her cheek lightly. He suddenly felt shy again, conscious of her nudity. She shivered suddenly and he draped his shirt over her shoulders.
"I love Ginny .It's just she's still so young. I know I'm not much older but I feel ancient in comparison.
She sighed giving him a final tender kiss. "I'll go back first, just give me a little time. ''
He nodded helping her find her clothes. She dressed quickly and he helped her brush the bits of grass out of her hair. He resisted kissing her again. Then she was disappearing into the distance leaving him vulnerable. As he dressed himself he noticed her scent was on him mingled with the smell of sunshine and grasses.
It had been overwhelming and glorious, surreal. She'd seemed a goddess welcoming him, her hair a tangled halo surrounding her face. He would never forget it. He felt a stab of guilt for Ron and Ginny.
Except he could not bring himself to feel but so bad .It had certainly not been his intention to make love to his best friends girl ,and she was his friend too.
"You were with him?" Ron probed. Her eyes widened with guilt. She did not reply at first for once unsure what to say. She could feel the tears threatening. He pulled her close to him.
"I always seem to make you cry." He exclaimed his voice think with his own unshed tears. "It's no wonder you went to him."
"I'm so sorry Ron. I .I mean we didn't plan for this to happen it just sort of did " She couldn't explain the feeling that had come over her as their eyes had been almost spell –like .suddenly they were making love in the field.
"Do you hate him?" she asked.
He sighed. He really wasn't surprised. Somehow his friend was always first. "A little."
"Do you hate me?" she asked her expression fearful.
"No. I don't think I could ever hate you. I love you."
She hugged him tight till she felt him relax against her. "They'll still be plenty of firsts for us you know."
"Well I will still be a first for me. "he replied ruefully.
She flushed wondering if he had known. She didn't think he had.
She backed away from him her hands still resting on his hips. "Well you're going to have to wait. It's going to be proper from now on .You're going to have to marry me Ron Weasley. Then we're going to have at least two red headed babies and live happily ever after.
He laughed. She was finally herself again. "Do I have a choice?"
"Not really." She answered him.
"You have to come inside eventually."
Harry looked up at the shadow that loomed over him. "Am I allowed in?"
Ron nodded." I ought to knock you on your arse. "he groused." I would too if I thought you were the girl stealing kind of bloke."
"I'm not .I didn't mean to." He giggled at how silly that sounded. 'I mean I didn't plan it."
"I know." he said then he grinned "She wants to get married and have babies. I never thought I would think that was a good idea."
"More Weasleys? I'm not sure I like the sound of that."
"Well with any luck they'll take after her." He felt gloriously content. He could allow his friend this minor victory. Harry might have been her first but he'd be her last. He'd make damn sure of it.
Harry felt his own smile answering his friends. "You know I think I loved her first but you love her best."
Ron punched him in the arm. "Come inside. If you catch pneumonia she'll blame me. An stop looking so smug or I'll sick Ginny on you."
Harry froze "Is she okay? "he asked.
"She's still in George's room.' He took in his friend's worried expression. "She's stronger than you think you know .She'll be alright."
Harry nodded then slowly followed him into the house.
Harry slept easily that night. All the tension he had recently carried had been purged out there in the field. He only carried a trace of guilt. What did this mean for him and Ginny?
He did love her. He could see the future spread out before him, hope for a real life that included her in it. She had said nothing to him, silently passing him in the hall as he took his turn watching over her brother.
He woke in the middle of the night to Ginny slipping quietly into the bed.
"I'm not going to try anything." she whispered before he could protest.
He kissed the top of her head, "It's ok I'm feeling a bit lonely.' he admitted.
"It's quiet next door.' She commented. "I think they've made up."
"I'm glad." He mumbled sleepily.
"Do you love her?" she asked tentatively. She was afraid of his answer .His light shone on her so brightly. Hermione was the shadow between him.
He opened his eyes and hugged her tightly. "It's a different kind of love than what I feel for you. She's my friend. I'm in love with you Ginny Weasley." He kissed her just a little.
"I just wish I had been your first. ' she said sadly.
He sighed .He should have known she'd find out. She was the smartest Weasley. "I'm sorry. I would have waited for just didn't happen that way."
"Maybe it's better this way .Now you won't always wonder what it would have been like.
"Maybe" he smiled at her. It had been so natural and organic .As if it had been meant to be.
"If you go and open the door you can stay I don't want your mum mad at us."
"Okay "she answered happily. He closed his eyes as she climbed in next to him. It would be the same for them. He knew it. Just not yet. He drifted into sleep content with her by his side.
Mrs. Weasley smiled at the sight of her daughter curled up next to her future son in law. She sighed ,He really was a good boy , despite his recent temporary dalliance with Hermione.
She was a good girl too. She herself had been young once .She knew the perils and pitfalls of love and youth. It all seemed to be settling down now.
This story was inspired by a dream I had about Hermione .In it she was crying because she thought Ron didn't love her .She didn't think she was pretty and someone tries to comfort her. It's hilarious that I now write this stuff in my sleep! There will be a second chapter up soon.