AN: Thanks to the peopl who have reviewed this story; they never get as many as the Harry/Ginny ones but at least someone reads them! i have other stories to publish but this one is almost over (just this chap and an epilogue to go) Please review at the end! Thanks!

Chapter 26

Rose turned around and peered into the darkened bedroom, she could smell Salamander's musky aftershave and she inhaled it deeply as she remembered how much she had missed the scent. When her eyes had adjusted to the low light conditions she saw his form curled up on the bed facing the opposite wall, she could tell by his regular breathing that he was sleeping and as she walked around and looked at his peaceful face she was loathe to wake him. He had been through so much in the last few months and she could see that he was tired, not just physically but emotionally as well. In his slumber he had no worries, no sadness but she knew that they had to talk and she hoped that their discussion might end with him reclaiming some of the happiness he had shared with her.

Kneeling down on the floor beside his bed Rose looked at his soft face, his blonde hair had fallen over his eyes and she tenderly swept it back so she could see his handsome face. It was so relaxed and after a moment she focused in on his soft, supple lips and remembered how they felt against her own and against her skin. Leaning her head down she could not resist kissing them slowly and gently, tugging on the bottom one with her own until she felt Salamander stirring. "Hmmm," he moaned as she pulled her head back a little and placed a hand against his cheek lovingly, his eyes fluttered open while his hand came up to cover hers and when he saw her he pushed his head back into the pillow in shock. "Rose," he croaked, "what...what are you doing here?" he asked pulling himself up a bit and letting go of her hand, she didn't move hers from his face though, instead she started to stroke his cheek with her thumb and smiled at him.

"Sal, why didn't you tell me?" she whispered softly. He began to shake his head but didn't answer immediately so Rose took his other hand in hers and laced their fingers together gently, he looked down and stared at the touch as if it was alien to him.

"I...I didn't...I...I don't...don't want you to feel..."

"Obligated?" she asked quietly and he nodded his head. "Why not?" she asked and he looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Because I want you to be happy...with," he couldn't bare to acknowledge that there was someone else she was sharing herself with.

"Sal, we're not together," she returned moving to sit on the bed beside him as he sat up against the headboard and let her hand fall from his face.

"But I saw you..." he continued looking away as he remembered the awful but inevitable moment when he had seen her with him.

"And you stopped me," she went on, "you stopped me from making a mistake, from doing something that I didn't want to do."

"What?" he asked, "I stopped you? Rose I shouldn't have done that, I left you, I had to go and I told you to get on with your life without waiting for me, you should have done what you..." he swallowed still unable to utter those words.

"I know, but I didn't want to Sal and I shouldn't have tried. When I saw you I knew that it was wrong, I knew I didn't want it because no matter what you said to me when you left I had to wait. I had to hold on until I knew for sure whether there was any future for us or not. Your life was in limbo Sal and no matter what you wanted or what you said I had to put mine in limbo too, I don't feel obligated to you, I feel obligated to myself, to find out if we could be...together."

"So you didn't...you didn't sleep with him?" he asked.

"No," she replied shaking her head, "no, because he wasn't you."

"Rose, you shouldn't have done that, you shouldn't have waited."

"But I did," she went on lifting her hand up to his cheek again and stroking it softly, "I had to and now I need to know if there is any future for us?"

"After everything I've done? You still want that?"

"I want you Salamander, I love you," she replied leaning her head forwards and placing her lips against his once more to stop any more protest that he might have. Her hands lifted up to his head and pulled it close to hers so he could not argue with her again and she felt him kiss her back with longing and passion as his hands slid up to her face and rested against her cheeks. Eventually they broke apart, both breathless, and looked into each others' eyes, "Are you smiling yet?" she asked and he looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"What?" he whispered in confusion.

"James wanted me to make you smile again," she giggled climbing into the bed.

"You can make me smile just by being in the same room Rose," he returned breathlessly, "but-"

"No buts," she interrupted putting her finger against his lips softly, "no more buts, not more explanations, no more apologies, it's over, it's all in the past all I want to know is do we have a future?" she asked leaning back and looking into his dark eyes for an answer.

"I...I hope so," Sal replied shyly looking back at her with the biggest smile on his face. When he had walked into the Leaky Cauldron and seen Rose with the man he had caught her naked with his heart had sunk even deeper. Even after the ordeal with Gloria he hadn't even thought about any future with Rose, he had told her to move on and he thought she had finally done that weeks ago. However seeing her in the bar had hammered it home and he had felt too guilty to tell her the truth about the baby fearing that she would either go to him for his sake and not hers or feel guilty about being happy with someone else. He had come back to the flat and run for his bed wanting to disappear into a peaceful sleep and not have to think about what he had lost, but now here she was telling him that she still wanted him and asking him if he felt the same, "I love you Rose," he added as she beamed brightly, her eyes shining with tears.

She moved her head forwards to find his mouth and as they started to kiss she leaned her body against him resting one hand on his chest as he held her in one arm and then she pushed her weight against him until he slid back down on the bed. Slowly and tentatively she slid her hand beneath the thin t shirt he wore and touched his bare skin, running her fingers through the tufts of hair in the middle of his chest and then gently tugging on them. He continued to kiss her as she did this but moaned softly at the tenderness of her touch. After a few minutes she began to tug the t shirt up and broke away from the kiss long enough to pull it over his head and shoulders and discard it on the floor. Looking deep into his dark eyes she moved her body to sit across his middle knelt up on her knees looking down at his strong chest and muscular arms which she stroked with her hands and smiled.

He seemed hesitant but she thought it was just part of his guilt over what he felt he had put her through, and desperately wanting to reassure him without words she sat back and lifted the top she wore over her own head watching as his eyes grew wide at the sight of the body he had dreamt about for months but been unable to touch. For a few long minutes he just stared at her as she removed her lace bra to free the pert breasts which had been contained inside it, her hair fell around her face and down her body covering the ends of her nipples and Salamander just continued to stare. His hands were resting at the top of her thighs and she could tell he was cautious about reaching out to her naked body, "Salamander," she whispered softly leaning over him and wrapping her arms around his neck so that his head was pushed against her skin, "kiss me," she finished releasing him slightly so he could stare up at her again.

"I...I," he stuttered.

"I've missed this so much," she whispered, "please touch me," and she felt his hands finally slide up from her thighs along the sides of her waist and to her breasts which he cupped in each hand as he groaned and she felt something stirring between her thighs. Throwing her head back in pleasure at his touch Rose started to echo his moans and deepened them as he sat up and tentatively began to lick the end of one of her nipples making her feel deeply aroused. His hands slid up and down her back as he moved back and forth between her breasts licking, probing and sucking on them tenderly and listening to her groans.

When she was more excited than she thought possible she jumped up and while watching him with a playful smile she removed the rest of the clothes she wore until she was completely naked and he gasped again. "I'd forgotten how beautiful you are Rose," he whispered still not moving out to touch her or force her, she could tell he still felt guilty and was desperate to alleviate it. Laying down on the bed beside him she unbuttoned his trousers and pulled them down removing the rest of his clothes until he was naked and ashamedly hiding what he wanted to do.

"Sal why are you so hesitant?" she asked softly laying herself out beside him, "You don't need to feel like that."

"I can't help it," he replied gently stroking her waist and turning onto his side to face her. "I feel so ashamed of what I did to you I don't want to force you into anything."

"Why do you feel ashamed?" she asked quietly.

"Because I hurt you, I left you the way other men did…when I knew that you wanted to be loved and cared for and-"

"And you had no choice," she said lifting her hand up to his cheek again, "you didn't know what was going on, you did the honourable thing even though it wasn't what you wanted, you were thinking about the life of someone else and what you could do for them."

"But I should have been thinking of what I could do for you."

"No," she said vehemently, "you were thinking about something more important for a while. Salamander you did a good thing for someone and yes it hurt me but I knew why you were doing it, you did it to help Gloria and to help what might have been your child."

"But I came back to you, once when I should have left you alone, you might have moved on and been happy."

"No," she replied shaking her head and sitting up, "I wouldn't have been happy, not without knowing. I had to wait and I would have done it whether you had come to me or not. So please stop feeling guilty," she went on, "and hold me," she finished leaning into his shoulder and snuggling down to lay with him, stroking his bare chest and waiting until he was comfortable. They lay clinging to one another for a long time, breathing in each other and marvelling that they were actually together, not for a stolen moment this time and hopefully not to be disturbed by her father either. He pulled her close and they turned into each other starting to kiss again before building up each others' arousal through gentle touching and stroking. Rose rolled Salamander until he was positioned above her between her legs and she could feel him against her leg, she was desperate to feel him again, to be one with him but he was still holding himself back. "Sal," she whispered again, "stop waiting and make love to me," she pleaded scraping her nails down his back and pushing herself up to him.

He slowly and carefully took her, listening to her groan softly as he penetrated her deeply and looked into her eyes, realising how amazing this girl was. She had waited for him even though he told her not to and she had come back to him now, she still wanted him after everything he had done and she was willing him to make love to her, which he did. He made love as if he had never done it before and never would again and he lost himself, he lost his anger, his despair and his sadness in the beautiful red head moaning beneath him and stroking his body with her fingers. She rolled him over and started to rise and fall above him reminding him of the sensuous ways that she made love and eventually he exploded within her so she dropped her body onto his, breathing rapidly and relaxing.

They kissed tenderly and touched one another waiting for their heartbeats to slow down, luxuriating in the knowledge that they were together again in spite of all the odds. Rose rolled over and he spooned his body around hers holding her close and gently kissing the back of her neck and shoulders as she breathed deeply and stroked the arm holding her against his chest.

"You should get some more sleep," she whispered stroking his arm, "I shouldn't have disturbed you but I needed…this. I can let you rest if-"

"I don't need sleep," he breathed quietly in her ear, "I need you, don't leave me."

"I won't," she whispered, "I'll stay in the flat but let you rest."

"No," he answered gripping her a little tighter, "I want you here, right here, sleep can wait."

"Okay." They laid together like that for a long time not moving, not speaking, just being together.

Salamander was still overwhelmed by her love and wished that they never had to move or face the rest of the world, "What will your parents say?" he whispered eventually blowing on her neck and making her moan softly.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"When they see us back together, won't they hate me after..."

"No Sal, of course they won't. They understood why you did what you had to do and they think you are an honourable person for not leaving Gloria in the lurch, it was all an accident and before we were even together, well so we thought. They know you didn't set out to hurt me, you were doing the right thing and it will show them that you are prepared to do anything. They won't hate you, none of this was your fault Sal, please remember that."

"I don't think I've ever met anyone as understanding as you Rose," he whispered nuzzling her neck gently.

"Well I've never met anyone as honourable as you Sal, it took a lot of courage to go back to Gloria when you didn't want to and I'm sure no-one would have blamed you if you hadn't even if the child was yours." She turned over in his arms and beamed up at him as she stroked his face with one finger, "Did...did you see him?" she asked quietly looking at his face to gauge his reaction to her mentioning the baby.

"No," he replied shaking his head and propping himself up on his elbow, she didn't see a flicker on his face at all and she wasn't sure what emotion he was feeling. "Mum asked me if I wanted to but...but I didn't, I didn't need to. I went in to see Gloria afterwards...to say goodbye, she wanted me to see him too but I wouldn't, he isn't mine."

"Did...did you say anything to her?"

"I told her that I forgave her," he uttered quietly.

"You did?" Rose replied looking at him in awe.

"I had to, if I didn't forgive her then I wouldn't be able to forget and it would eat away at me forever. What she did was wrong but a part of me understands why she did it, Gloria was scared and alone and knew her parents would be mad. She saw a way out and unfortunately that was me," he went on stroking her arm and staring at the wall.

"How did she expect to get away with it after everything you said about having the paternity test?"

"She was hoping I would fall in love with her before the baby was born and wouldn't need to have the test, she thought we could be a happy family."

"But you didn't?" she asked knowing the answer but needing to ask it anyway.

"No," he replied pulling Rose into him as reassurance, "Of course not, I couldn't love her, I'm sure now that I never really did. I cared for her and respected her, once, but I don't think I ever really loved her. When she tired to get me to fall for her again I couldn't feel anything, I was mad at her for a while because of what she had done to my life but the biggest thing was that she wasn't you," he continued rolling her back to look into her eyes. "And I knew the only person I wanted to love was you, even if I couldn't have you," he finished gazing at her face and seeing a beautiful smile light it up.

"What did she try and do?" Rose asked.

"All the things she never did when we were together! At first she just kept trying to coax me into bed with lacy underwear and stuff, something I told you she'd never done but it just repulsed me, I didn't want to know. And she didn't look as good as you do!" he added chuckling at her and pulling her close, "But I couldn't have gone near her anyway, we never even slept in the same bed once."

"I threw all that stuff away," Rose admitted deciding to be honest with Salamander.

"What stuff?"

"The lacy underwear and boots and stuff, I burned it all."

"Why?" Salamander asked caringly, not because he would miss it but because he knew it had been a part of her once.

"Because...because it wasn't me, well not anymore. When we split up I became withdrawn and never left the house except to go to work but eventually the girls forced me to go out, that was when we saw you in the Cauldron with Gloria," she replied. "They dragged me out to the Three Broomsticks that night and I got talking to someone," she looked away from him at this point and he sensed immediately that 'someone' was male but he hugged her close as if to say it was alright. He had had no claim over her then and though he would have been jealous there was nothing he could say about it. "H…he," she stared to stutter, "he bought me drinks, lots of them and firewhiskey too and...and we...we ended up back at the house," she went on determined to tell him the truth before their relationship started up again.

"Hmm," he breathed trying to encourage her to relax he was not going to be angry for something she had done when they were apart.

"Well I was drunk and I saw all the old stuff in the bathroom and I...I used it. But...but it was awful, it was rough and harsh and-"

"The bruises," Salamander gasped sitting up a little and she pulled herself into a sitting position looking ashamedly away, "the day after I saw you in the Cauldron was the day I came to you and you told me that you'd fallen and...oh Rose," he whispered putting his hands on her waist and pulling her back towards him but she pulled out of his touch and turned herself on the bed to look at his face.

Crossing her legs in front of herself she continued, "Yes," she admitted looking away again but allowing him to take her hands in his, "they were from... But afterwards he just left and I felt used and dirty and like it was all...all wrong, I wasn't that Rose anymore and I didn't want to be her, I wanted to be the one you had made me into. I knew then that I had to make a change, I had to get rid of all the stuff and put that chapter of my life behind me, I didn't need it to find a man but I also knew then that I didn't want to find one either. I knew I had to get back to my life but I also unconsciously decided that I needed to wait for you until we knew for sure. When you came to me that next day and made love to me gently and passionately I knew even more that that was the real me, the one I really wanted to be. That's why I told you that I would be there for you whenever you wanted me because I wanted to be that Rose, I wanted to be your Rose," she concluded looking up imploringly at him, "I'm...I'm sorry for doing it but-"

"No," he interrupted leaning forwards and gripping her hands which he had held gently through the last part of her tale, "you don't have to be sorry, you were single and able to do anything you wanted without repercussions or...or... I can't say anything, I'm just sorry that I...I drove you to that."

"You didn't, really, I was just revisiting the old me and...and I didn't like it, I like the one you made me into."

"Rose you were always that girl," Salamander said softly tugging her towards him by the hands, she slid her legs round to the side and he reached out to touch her waist and pull her to him laying her gently back against the pillow with one arm beneath her. "You've always been sweet and tender and understanding, you made the other Rose because you thought you had to, I just brought the old one back!" He leaned over to kiss her again and dropped his body over hers, she began to stroke his back as they continued to kiss. For a moment they broke apart and she pulled her back to stare up into his deep soulful eyes, she could see his love shining through them and the pain and sorrow he had carried around for the last few months was receding from them. He smiled down at her shyly and then opened his lips to speak knowing exactly what he wanted to say, "Rose..." he uttered softly, "will...will you marry me?"

"What?" she asked in surprise looking up at his smiling but suddenly nervous looking face.

"I...I don't ever want anything to come between us again, I love you so much and...and it doesn't have to be soon, I know we weren't seeing each other for long before...Gloria, but I can't lose you again, I can't ever let you go. I want us to be together – forever," he added searching her eyes for an answer. She looked gobsmacked and he was very afraid that it could make her run for the hills, "Marry me," he whispered again leaning down to kiss her lips.