Author note – I finished my A Levels today! Exams are over! Enjoy the chapter and please review!

Chapter 50

"I really cannot thank you enough for this Hermione." Said Ariana. The second visit into the Hogwarts term had come as Christmas dawned and since the last one the two girls had been in constant correspondence. It was natural as Hermione was the only person Ariana was truly able to confide in such a manner.

"It's ok," said Hermione. In truth she was rather enjoying it. Ariana had a way of making everything seem most romantic and she was so sure that the two of them were in love. They were so... old fashioned.

Or they had been.

"Are you sure that going to the Room of Requirement is the right place though. I mean for the whole night. I just think it's risky." Said Hermione.

"I know but I cannot do it under Aberforth's roof it is too disrespectful," Ariana sighed. She was not going to do this to her brother. He was going to be so sad when he found out what she had done. To him she knew she was still a baby. But she felt like a woman. "And I think it somehow worth the risk."

The plan was for her to go up to Hogwarts for the night, just before term came to a close. Hermione would get Harry to the Room of Requirement somehow. It could be on Defence business or something. Then she would be waiting...

But how to doge her brothers?

More lies and deception? It was the only way. She couldn't very well tell them the truth.

Tell Al nothing so he thought it was just another night. Tell Aba she was with Al for the night. It was the only way.

Later that evening she lay awake watching Harry sleep. He was truly the best thing that had ever happened to her.

-

Weeks passed and even though life seemed to bring little relief to Harry, she knew that he was going to make it through what ever came. The difference between the two of them was he had strength to continue through anything. She had not been tested yet and she didn't know if she would face it as well as he did.

But they were going to be closer than they ever had been before – that very night. Time had passed slowly as the day loomed and then on the day itself it seemed to fly by.

Before she knew it, it was six o'clock. She had told Aberforth the night before she was going to spend the night with Albus. She knew there was a risk that they would talk and then she was going to be discovered, but her and Harry were worth the risk.

Packing her bag, she put in the new night gown her and Hermione had picked out together. It was not what Harry was used to seeing her in she thought to herself.

How different tonight was going to be to all the others.

Once she had out her toothbrush in her bag she looked about her room. She had a fresh dress and fresh underwear for tomorrow. Yes she was ready to go to him.

Stroking Poppy gently, she left her in the flat and headed down stairs. The strangest feeling came over her.

It was as if she was seeing everything for the final time.

Aberforth smiled at her as she came into sight. "I know your game!"

"W – what? What game?" she said her heart rose in her chest.

"Trying to go off to Al's without saying goodbye were you?"

"Course not." She said with a shrug.

"Alright sis I was only kidding with you." he said as he wondered over and gave her a paternal kiss on the forehead. "Have a good night. What time do you think you'll be back in the morning?" she asked.

"Some time after breakfast I expect. I might go and see Harry for a while."

"I thought you might. You two have handled you being here really well, you know that don't you kid?"

She nodded, eager to get out.

"Right then sweetie, have a good night."

"I will do." She said as she headed to the door. Just as she opened it, she turned back to him. "I love you Aba."

"Some one has too." He nodded in reply.

-

Hermione was there for her when she arrived at the gates already. Thank god she had the clock with her. "Get under this," she muttered quickly and threw it over her. No one who didn't have to could know she was here.

The two walked through the busy castle, Hermione leading and Ariana keeping pace with her. A good Christmas spirit had come over the snow covered castle. The last day of classes was always a day of celebration. It made Ariana feel nostalgic as she remembered her own last days of term and the sense of pride she had in them when she knew she had survived another whole term and she had progressed further.

The two walked up to the Room of Requirement, and after several mishaps with changing stair cases (which only added to Ariana's nerves) they made it.

Turning to her friend she gave her an uneasy grin. "I don't know how to thank you – for everything Hermione, that you have done for me over the last few weeks," Ariana begun.

"There's no need Ariana. It's been a pleasure. And I know how happy you make Harry – and how happy he makes you," she said. "You're two halves of whole. Anyone can see it."

"You think so?"

"I know so." She said as the two friends gave one another a meaningful look. "Now, how long do you need to prepare yourself?" she asked.

"Twenty minutes."

"I suppose you don't want me to come in."

"No thanks. I think I can take it from here."

-

Ariana looked about the room. This was how she wanted it, how she had been imagining it for weeks.

The four poster king sized bed was in the middle of the room. Roses crept up round the posts and the scene of the flowers filled the air. There was no duvet on the bed, just a thin white sheet, which was more appropriate for summer than this time of year and yet it felt unseasonably warm. Candles lit the room gentle, which apart from them was left unlit.

The girl who stared back at her from her reflection in the mirror was unknowable. She had a gown on, not that kept her warm, but she hoped would encourage Harry. It was the lowest cut garment she had ever won, and though it covered up her whole body, the silk material meant it had a very different feel to the cotton she was used to. Though it was light, it had the effect of making her stand tall and it was undeniably a woman who looked back at her. She wasn't a little girl any more.

It was then that the door crept open.

"Ron?" asked Harry.

"Not quite." Came the reply.

Harry looked at Ariana speechlessly. It was obvious he had no idea what she had been up to for the past few weeks.

"Merry Christmas baby." She said as she wondered over to him. Powerless to do anything else, he allowed his hands to settle on her hips. She was so ...

He didn't have much time to think, even though the first kiss she planted upon his lips came tentatively.

Drawing back for a split second, he took another chance to drink her in and ask the only question going through his mind. "You're sure?"

"Yes. I want you."

He needed to be told no more and the fantasy's which for weeks, months had been going about in his head became a wonderful reality. She felt better than he had thought she would, she tasted fresher. Harry kissed her lips, her nose, forehead, cheeks, ears, neck. Working her way down her body, he barely registered as she pulled his shirt off and through it to the floor.

Pushing her back on to the bed, he pulled down the fragile gown and allowed it to fall so that the top rested on her hips. She was utterly revealed to him for the first time. He stopped for a moment to take her in.

"This is it," he whispered in her ear. "We'll never be here again. Never get this night again," he told her seriously as he kissed her forehead. "You have to be sure." He muttered.

Looking into her face he saw she had become utterly flushed, but her cheeks were wet with happy, joyful tears. She was radiated, excited, and passionate. "Do it." She pleaded with him. She had been ready for this for what felt an age. "I am sure."

-

Harry awoke to find his arm still draped over Ariana's body. They hadn't got under the sheet, and the two lay on the top of the bed utterly naked. She sleep as the sun rose on her face, but it didn't seem too disturbed her he noted. They had had a peaceful night when they had fallen to sleep. No bad dreams.

Even though he felt cruel waking her, he wanted her to open her beautiful eyes and greet him. He wanted all of her all over again. It was crazy, but he felt different to the Harry Potter who had walked into the Room of Requirement the night before. He felt different all over.

Kissing her shoulder, he pulled her into him and she stirred. Her eyes fluttered open, and though she was obviously confused as to where she was at first, he was glad he was looking over her to see the recognition of the previous night's events on her face.

"Oh wow," she muttered as she run her hand over her face and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Oh boy. We actually did that didn't we?"

"I rather think we did Miss Dumbledore." He said as she curled into him.

"Mhmm." She said as she rested her head on her chest. "Hi." She said in a playful tone, and though it made no sense in the conversation at that time, it seemed to make sense to him.

"Good morning Ari." He muttered as he kissed her forehead. He didn't care about time, space or the universe any more. Let them find someone else to kill Voldemort and destroy evil. He was pretty sure the only thing that mattered was the girl who lay in his arms. She was so warm and alive.

"Two halves of a whole." She muttered into him. She understood what Hermione had meant now. The peace that over took the pair of them was indescribable. It was as if they had – she didn't know, she couldn't put it in to words. It wasn't love any more – it was stronger.

He didn't ask what she had said. He simply silently agreed. They were two halves of a whole, and they were always going to be.

But the world wasn't going to wait for them he thought as time and space came back to haunt him. And if he knew one other thing in the world apart from the fact she had come to him the night before, it was that whatever she had told her ultra protective big brother, it was not that she was off to lose her virginity.

"How long do we have?"

"Till eleven or so and then Aberforth is going to send out a search party no doubt," she muttered but she didn't want to talk about that. She did not want to break the mood.

"We don't have to get up yet," he said. Checking his watch he saw it was nine. Early yet.

His hands remained on her lower back as they talked her head on his chest and her hand on his shoulder. The Quidditch had paid off.

"You remember we said we were going to go away together one day? Just us?" she asked.

"Yup."

"Tell me how it's going to be..."

He paused for a minute, trying to act as if he hadn't thought time and time again about the day they were going to go off into the sun set together. But the fact was that he had thought about it time and time again.

"We are going to go off to another country. Maybe France or Italy. Or maybe just go over to Ireland. And we're going to find a cottage and it is going to have a thatched roof, like in the old fashioned books and films, and a little garden. And I'll take you to the beach, and into the woods. And we can read, and play, and spend time together. We'll cook meals together and then lit a fire. And at night – like this baby. It's going to be just like this. What do you say to that?"

"That I think I want you to take me away right now."

-

Looking back I wished I had – that I had taken her and run far, till my legs wouldn't carry us any further. Or that I hadn't let her leave the room. She had been so utterly perfect. Our time together that night was idyllic. I had been right, we were never going to get that night back, and we were never going to be so close again.

I loved her, and I still love her. Everything she ever gave me enriched my life. But our dream died that day.

-

"I have to go," Ariana laughed. Having redressed by ten thirty, she turned to Harry. He was everything. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Of course," Harry nodded as he cupped her cheek and kissed her deeply.

-

One last kiss to sustain me. I would not see her that night.

-

Ariana felt she was in a dream. Her plan had come together. Walking through the corridors she knew she was not ready to return to face Aberforth. No she would go to Albus and see him. She would say she had come from the pub. Her bag she was going to explain away. She didn't how – but neither did she care.

Going up the stairs she looked into her brother's office.

She did not see him but on his desk there was – a stone bowl, was the best way she could describe it. It had mystic runes over it. What was inside was a substance that she saw as she edge neither could neither accurately be described as a liquid or a gas.

"What is it?" she asked one of the portraits.

"Memories my girl," one responded.

"Memories..." she murmured, and before she knew it she had been sucked into them.