AN: This is the end of this story but there is more James/Holly on the way sometime soon. Thanks for my reviewers who contributed throughout the story, hope the ending is good enough!

Chapter 19

"Sorry love," said a voice behind her and she turned to see a hospital worker dressed in white robes which usually indicated those who weren't healers, "if you're looking for Mr Potter he checked himself out about an hour ago."

"Oh, thank you," she replied as her stomach came back to rest in its usual place. "Salamander he's checked himself out," she told him when he caught up with her coming back out of the room, "do you think he'll be at the flat?"

"Not likely," interrupted a voice and Holly turned her head back to the worker in the room, "he asked me if there were any parks around the hospital; said he wanted a walk in the rain; bit crazy if you ask me at this time of year but he was insistent that he didn't want to go home yet."

"Did you tell him about one?" Holly asked and the man nodded his head before proceeding to direct them to the nearest parkland which was a ten minute walk from the hospital. It was a hidden wizarding one which neither Holly nor Salamander had ever heard of but after thanking the porter they both ran back out of the severe spell damage ward and used the main entrance of the hospital to get out into the streets of London.

Walking into the lashing rain they were soaked to the skin within seconds as they set off through the cold and dark in the direction they had been given. Ten minutes later they walked slowly down a tree lined street where half way down a dark iron gate came into view which had the words Magorian's Wizarding Park wrought above it on an arch. Holly pushed it open slowly and it creaked eerily in the silent street; lighting her wand and holding it aloft in front of them she led the way down a winding path which weaved its way through the grass and trees. The place was deserted and Holly was glad of Salamander's company as they scoured the place for any sign of James. The two soaking figures were about to give up when suddenly another greenish glow came into sight and Holly gasped as she saw the huddled and soaking body of James sat on a bench alone. "James," she called softly and his head lifted slowly at the sound of her voice.

"Holly?" he whispered back hoarsely standing up but making no move towards her as he dropped his chin to his chest and looked back down.

"I'll...I'll leave you alone," Salamander said from behind her and she turned to say thank you watching him apparate from sight before turning back to see a bedraggled looking James just staring at her; still not moving.

"James," she whispered again as she took tentative and slow steps towards him. His dark wet hair was clinging to the sides of his face as rivulets of water ran out of it and down his cheeks; his robes were soaked completely through and he looked as if he had been sat in a pool of water for hours. Stopping in front of him she lifted his face with her hands holding his chin up with one finger so she could see into his deep brown eyes which showed a wealth of unhappiness and pain. James looked through them into her bright blue eyes and saw something he had never expected to see again, understanding; and as she dropped her hands to hold his and pulled him close he saw love in them too. Leaning up on her toes she held his hands tightly and pressed her lips carefully against his breathing deeply through her nose and sighing as she felt his hands loosen from hers and wrap around her back pulling her close against him as the rain continued to fall. The kiss was soft and desperate and as it deepened Holly wound her own arms around his back and up his neck holding him near and losing herself in his kiss

After a few minutes they broke apart and she looked up into his eyes still with her hands at his neck and whispered, "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" he croaked looking curiously at her still with a mingled look of relief and shock on his face.

"I should have talked to you; I should have let you explain I-"

"No, Holly you didn't know and I understand," James interrupted; she was still in his arms and as the rain continued to pound on them both he went on, "but you're leaving; why are you here? I...I wasn't trying to change anything; I thought you would hate me when you saw what I had to do." She gasped in shock at his words, "I just needed you to know that I hadn't ever meant to hurt you."

"I know," she murmured while running her fingers through his wet hair, "but I was only leaving because I couldn't forgive you; now I know the truth; it wasn't you; it was her. And I would never hate you for it; what she did to you James what she made you do it...it was awful but I know it was what you had to do and I...I'm just so sorry."

"It doesn't matter," he whispered leaning his head against hers, "none of it matters as long as...as long as you believe me."

"I believe you," she replied leaning up and kissing him again more furiously this time and his body began to tremble. Pulling away from him briefly she whispered, "do you trust me?" and James nodded his head. Wrapping her arms tightly around him she twisted on the spot and apparated away from the cold wet night into James' quiet and empty flat which had been uninhabited now for weeks. He stumbled as they landed and Holly could see that he was shivering almost uncontrollably, "James what did you do?" she cried guiding him to the sofa where he sat down, "You shouldn't have been out there in the rain; you're still not well enough."

"I just needed to feel something," he replied looking up at her his face pale and his body shuddering.

"Take your clothes off," she instructed as she ran to the fire and ignited it with her wand.

"Already?" he giggled with a harsh cough and she looked at him wryly as if he had gained judgement for the comment.

"You're wet James and you're still not fit; take them off," she repeated as she lit a few candles and then ran back to the sofa where she lifted the sopping wet clothes from his body. As he removed his soaking trousers Holly threw her wet cloak to the floor and pulled the damp jumper she wore over her head before summoning a blanket from a chair in the corner with her wand. Sitting down beside the still shivering James she wrapped her arms around him and the blanket around them both pushing her almost naked torso against his bare chest.

"What are you doing?" he whispered feeling his heart beat wildly at her nearness to him; he had wanted her this close to him for so long but now that she was there he was too scared to touch her.

"Sharing my body heat with you," she murmured back gently kissing the side of his face and holding him tight for a moment; then she moved back a little and pointed her wand at his hair using a heat spell to dry it off quickly. "Put your arms around me," she went on and he tentatively reached out to touch her bare, soft skin.

"Holly?"

"Hmm?" she breathed still concentrating on drying his hairl he was still shaking and she was scared he would catch something from being out in the cold and wet for so long.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

"It wasn't your fault James; none of it was," she replied running her fingers through his now dry hair and turning her attention back to his body which she pulled close again.

"I don't just mean for that; I mean for everything. I should never have hidden you, hidden us, from everyone. I feel as if I was ashamed and I wasn't, ever; I...I should have known that I could trust you; I did know I could trust you but..."

"James, it doesn't matter," she whispered back, "none of it matters; I was happy the way things were, I was just happy to be with you."

"Until I ruined everything," he said mournfully.

"No you didn't; it wasn't your fault James, none of it; I understand now; I understand everything."

"Even what I did to...to her and the..."

"You did what you had to do," she interrupted before he had to say what he had done, "you had no choice; it was what you had to do to save our world. I will never judge you for that; I just want to be here for you."

"But I thought you were leaving."

"Only because I needed to be away from you," she looked away guiltily at her admission, "I couldn't do anything without thinking about you and I thought I wouldn't be able to forgive you; that I would always be scared that you would do it again and..."

"I won't, ever. I promise you Holly; I want you; I love you and I just want to be with you and no one else," he leaned forwards then and kissed her softly on the lips; it was the first kiss he had initiated so far and she responded to it leaning in to return it with the same feeling and emotion while pulling his body close to hers again. Both their hearts were beating madly against their ribs and when they broke apart they were breathing raggedly, "I've missed you so much," he panted gazing into her eyes.

"I know," she replied leaning back and kissing him again knowing just how much she had missed him too. "You've stopped shaking," she commented and he smiled.

"You warmed me through!" he joked stroking her shoulder and dropping the blanket from around them; the room had a toasty warmness to it from the heat of the fire and a soft glow from the few candles littered around the room.

When the blanket fell from his body Holly gasped as she noticed the dark red scars in three long gashes across his chest; she had not noticed them before as she had been concentrating on making him warm and in the hospital the healers had always ushered her out when they needed to change his dressings. This was the first time she had seen them since the day he had come to Grimmauld place covered in his own blood. "James," she muttered reaching out with her hand to touch them but stopping inches from his chest.

"You can touch them," he whispered softly looking into her face and very tentatively she placed one cool finger against them and ran it along the scars; James gasped a little but then moaned at her gentle touch as she fingered them all.

"I thought you were never coming back," she murmured, "when you wouldn't wake up I thought you'd gone forever; I couldn't bear it."

"Dad said you were there all the time."

She nodded her head still looking in wonder at the red welts, "I had to be; I needed to know that you were alright; even though I thought I couldn't be with you." Without looking up at his face she leaned forwards then and placed her lips onto one of his scars; he groaned at the feel of it and raised his hand to twist his fingers with hers as she rained kisses along them all slowly and sensually. She gently pushed him backwards until he was laid on his back still caressing his wounds and twining his fingers with hers then she lifted her head and placed her lips on his again before moving their entwined hands up the curve of her body where she let go so he would touch her as intimately as she was touching him. "I want to be with you James," she sighed pulling her head from his for a moment, "now, I need to be with you," and nodding his understanding he cupped her breast as she reached around to unfasten the bra she wore before standing up and slowly removing the rest of her clothes and settling her body on top of his again.

The kissed furiously as he ran his fingers along her body resting them on her bottom and pulling her close so she could feel his desire like a rock between them both. James rolled her body over with his and used a hover charm to slowly lower them to the ground beside the sofa on top of the soft shagpile carpet all the while continuously kissing her with vigour and passion. When they landed on the floor James removed the rest of his own clothes and took her slowly, carefully hearing her soft moan and echoing it with his own; he had thought this moment would never come again and he wanted it to last forever. He paused and looked down at her beautiful smiling face, a face filled with love and understanding and he felt in awe of the girl he had hidden for so long; she was so perfect for him and he had known it all along without ever seeing it for real. "What's the matter?" she whispered looking back at him with a curious expression.

"Nothing," he replied grinning back, "absolutely nothing anymore," and then he continued to push himself into her sensuously never too hard and without ever taking his eyes from her own which sparkled back at him. Eventually he lost himself and dropped to his elbows as his buttocks stopped moving and a look of supreme satisfaction crossed his face; she closed her hands over each side of it at that moment and pulled him down for a deep gentle kiss which seemed to last an eternity. When they broke apart he rolled his body from above hers and she rolled onto her side so he could curl up behind her then he summoned the blanket to cover them on the floor where they lay. Propped up on one elbow he gently nibbled her neck and breathed on her as they listened to their ragged breaths and beating hearts. "I'm so sorry Holly," he whispered again.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you when I saw you with..."

"What else could you believe?" he replied, "I couldn't explain it; but with my track record there was no other explanation, not one that we knew made sense. I hate that I did itl but mostly because of how it hurt you."

"It...it hurt you too," she breathed softly, "I...I saw it in your face, in the memory; the choice you had to make was hard I could tell." She turned onto her back and looked into his eyes then seeing some of his sorrow at what he had had to do, "It can't have been an easy decision to make; a life is a life however young and it was a life made by you." He looked away from her but she turned his head back with her hand, "And one day you will make a life again; a real one made from love with no other ulterior motive; and that life will be one worth living with you as its father James." He smiled in thanks and leaned down to kiss her gently again; she still dare not imagine it being with her one day; that was way in the future and she still knew a future with him was shaky but she was starting to see more of one than she ever had done before. "Thank you for trusting me with your memory James," she whispered, "I just wish I had had enough trust in you to let you explain before."

"You would have had no reason to believe me," he replied, "I wanted you to see it to give yourself peace of mind and that was all, no ulterior motive, though I'm not complaining about all this!" he chuckled putting his hand on her slender waist and kissing her again. He wanted to keep doing it; he wanted to just lay there and kiss her over and over again because he felt happier than he ever had in his life before and he knew it was all because of her. Holly Weston had shown him real love and he was determined never to lose that love again if he could help it.

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Epilogue

Three days later James and Holly flooed into the Ministry together from his flat where they had been for almost the entire time and James went to his office while Holly tried to sweet talk Terence Beerney into giving her her old job back. She knew it had not been filled and was hoping for a quick yes but he dragged her over the coals before agreeing saying they were in fact short staffed anyway and as she had been through a traumatic experience at the ministry he would accept her apology too. After quarter of an hour she emerged from his office with a letter of reinstatement to commence the following Monday and headed towards James' office where they had agreed to meet. On her way along the deserted corridor she passed a deep doorway which had a heavy, open oak door in its frame and as she stepped by it a hand reached out and pulled her inside. Letting out a short squeal she turned to see her attacker and smiled as the roguish face of James Sirius Potter stared back at her his eyes glinting and his mouth curling, "So," he said pushing her against the door and using the force to close it, "are we..." he continued dropping his head to her neck and kissing it gently, "colleagues...again?" he finished lifting her hands up on either side of her head and holding them against the door.

"Yes," she replied with a short giggle, "he gave me a stern talking to and then agreed to me starting on Monday!"

"Oh...good," he went on trailing his lips along her shoulder sensually.

"So I have a job and a boyfriend now," she chuckled, "all I need is somewhere to live again; the tenancy on the flat has gone so I'm home with the folks for the time being."

"Live with me," he said matter of factly while still kissing her hungrily and running his hands along her body

"What?" she said loudly and he pulled his head back to look at her, "Seriously?"

"Yes," he answered as if he had simply asked her to share an ice cream. "The place is so cold and lonely when you're not there; why waste money living somewhere else? Live with me," he looked down at her then realising that what had seemed so natural to him was really a big deal coming from him. "I'm serious Holly," he went on pulling her hands down and holding them together in his own between the two of them while gazing sincerely at her, "I want you to live with me; I want you to be with me, always. So will you?" he asked hesitantly suddenly understanding that he might be moving too fast for her given what had happened to them recently.

She looked at him in shock and amazement and read the sudden fear in his face that she would turn him down; grinning cheekily and nodding her head she jumped up into his arms swinging her legs around his waist and whispered in his ear, "You are so going to get lucky James Potter!" And, with an equally cheeky grin, he pushed her back up against the door of the cupboard and bore down on her with his lips kissing her furiously and initiating another quick but satisfying encounter at work where a quick flick of his wand locked the door and ensured muffliato so they could not be heard pleasing each other in the ultimate way. Holly Weston, the girl he had never looked twice at before, and James Sirius Potter, the man who was ready to make a public commitment to another girl, one he knew that he loved above all others.