Hermione and Harry experience yet another brush with death when a plan to get rid of Umbridge falls apart and then escalates completely. This makes both of them realize that there will never be a perfect time to act on the intense feelings they hold for each other...

Or: Someone collects on an old bet when Harry and Hermione finally make out in the Hogwarts Library.


"Stop talking, you two! You're in enough trouble as it is!" Umbridge's pitched voice betrayed her fraying nerves.

Harry stopped whispering to Hermione and looked over his shoulder.

The pink menace had actual crazy eyes right now.

Malfoy and his goons were just smirking, thankfully.

Ron's latest prank – featuring a new batch of inventions from Fred and George – had done a number on Umbridge. Her composure was largely absent now, and her voice even shriller than before.

Well, being trapped in your own office for two days straight with never-ending fireworks and dozens of virtually indestructible pixie illusions singing the Hogwarts song at full volume would be irritating for everyone.

It had been telling though that even Snape had just shrugged and said he couldn't open the door due to unexpectedly strong locking charms, Harry randomly thought.

But he forced himself back to the here and now when Hermione stumbled slightly over a stone on the path and his hand automatically reached out to steady her.

"That will be another 20 points from Gryffindor for an inappropriate display of affection in public", Malfoy snarled. Harry rolled his eyes but then had to grit his teeth when a nonverbal stinging hex hit him straight in the back.

"You didn't have to hit him like that!" Hermione yelled.

"Very good, Mister Malfoy." Umbridge nodded. "Sometimes, disciplinary actions are unavoidable when the subjects are as recalcitrant as these two. But know that your sacrifice serves the greater good."

"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you."

Hermione bristled with renewed anger, but Harry shook his head when she looked at him. It was too early, and they didn't have their wands. Making a scene right now would only endanger them – Umbridge appeared to be close to her breaking point. The time for blood quills was over.

It wasn't that he didn't want to punch the toad in the face himself right now, but there were others he had to think about.

Without further protest, he allowed them to herd Hermione and him toward the far end of the Black Lake, where Dumbledore's supposed 'weapon' was hidden.

Neville, Ron, and the others were already lying in wait.

He didn't have a plan, and neither had Hermione – which was worrying. But they were running out of time. And with Louisa still lying in the Hospital Wing after a gruesome series of detentions that had left her unable to use her left hand or arm at all, Ron wouldn't wait for an elaborate plan any longer.

So it was either this half-baked idea or… Harry wasn't willing or able to conceive of an alternative.

"Stop daydreaming, Potter! You'll get your comeuppance shortly." Another hex hit Harry, this time from Goyle. It took all his strength to keep his composure and not fling himself at the Slytherin thug.

Hermione's eyes were furious but also filled with worry.

Harry saw that she was preparing herself to say something, to appeal to Umbridge and point out the lawlessness of this entire undertaking. But just as he was about to try and stop her from making herself even more of a target…

… the centaurs happened.

Out of the shadows of the Forbidden Forest, a group of creatures came racing toward them. They were holding spears and bows and Harry felt like he was about to experience what a medieval battlefield looked like.

"What is this?" screeched Umbridge. "I command you to stop! Subhuman creatures won't be tolerated on the school premises!"

The centaurs were yet too far away to hear her, but they also didn't appear to stop.

"Ma'am?" Malfoy was sweating, his eyes darting from Harry to his goons, the centaurs, and back to the castle. "Maybe we should retreat and gather our forces… ?"

Hermione snorted. She appeared unfazed by the incoming herd. "The only force you command, Malfoy, is that sticky hair gel of yours."

"Shut up, Mudblood!" As the blonde Slytherin whirled around to cast something at his best friend, Harry reacted.

He stepped toward Draco and kneed him in his stomach just as his hated rival was aiming with his wand. A curse fired blindly, but when his right fist connected with Draco's nose, the so-called Inquisitor finally went down with a whimper.

Harry caught the hawthorn wand and stepped back. "Accio Harry's and Hermione's wands!" he cast at Umbridge, who hadn't even noticed what happened behind her back as she yelled at the incoming centaurs about legal threats.

Their wands flew out of the toad's robes and over the head of Draco, who was still lying on the ground in a fetal position. Hermione caught both of them with an ease born out of too many life-threatening adventures on the Hogwarts premises.

Crabbe and Goyle appeared to be overwhelmed, yet they didn't run away.

"I suggest we stand still and see what this is all about", Harry mumbled as he watched the centaurs coming closer.

"Do you think Hagrid sent them?" Hermione stepped closer to him. "They certainly seem agitated."

Umbridge looked at them, her wand raised with shaking hands. "This… is an attack on the Headmistress. You... all of you… will be punished!" Her head swiveled back and forth. "This calls for… extreme measures! The ultimate punishment!"

"Stop this madness!" Harry raised his wand. "It's over. Stop it."

"Never! Wizardkind will prevail." Umbridge had a manic glee about her all of a sudden. Then, faster than Harry could react, she turned toward the centaurs. "Avada Kedavra! Mister Malfoy, get up! There are subhuman creatures to be detained or disposed of. Avada Kedavra!"

Two of the centaurs were hit by the Unforgivable and went down like puppets whose strings had been cut. The others stopped, yelled, and fired arrows.

Crabbe cried out and threw himself to the side to avoid an arrow, just as Malfoy came up out of nowhere to punch Harry in the stomach. "That's mine you traitor", he sneered as he took hold of his wand.

Hermione was busy trying to knock out Umbridge but that woman unleashed a torrent of spellfire in all directions as she spouted nonsensical threats. As much as he wanted to, Harry couldn't help her since he was now locked in a standoff with Goyle and Malfoy while they all tried to dodge centaur missile weapons.

The herd was however in full retreat now, leaving several corpses on the ground near the lake.

So much death, and what for?

The problem was, with the 'subhuman' threat at bay, the toad now turned her entire focus on Hermione and him. "If you won't lay down your wand willingly, Miss Granger, I'll be forced to take it from you. Seeing that your muggle heritage makes you too irrational to follow simple orders."

"You're no Headmistress of mine. Look at you!" Hermione snarled at Umbridge. "You've killed innocent creatures! No real Hogwarts Professor would ever use an Unforgivable like that!"

Umbridge smiled evilly. "Not that you would understand, Miss Granger, but war necessitates a strong hand. Yes, this is war – Dumbledore's war. But it'll be a short-lived war since I am going to end it."

"Hermione." Harry almost stage-whispered as he tried to keep an eye on the other three. "I don't think…. "

"Harry!"

Umbridge used her chance. "Crucio!"

"Aaaaahhhhh!"

"Hermione, no!" He whirled to see her scream in agony, her legs giving out under her as her muscles spasmed under the curse.

His hold world turned white as anger took over. "Expelliarmus! Reducto! Diffindo! Petrificus Totalus! Reducto!" His wand turned from Umbridge all the way to Crabbe as he forced them to duck for cover.

Then, another voice joined the battle. "Confringo!" Ron cried – at the exact same time as Goyle. Both their spells hit each other in the air, right between Umbridge, Harry, and Hermione. The resulting explosion, many times as powerful as a singular casting of the blasting curse, knocked both him and the pretend-Headmistress off their feet.

Harry shielded his head with his arms as the blast rolled over him.

Then, with a groan, he crawled toward Hermione as soon as he was able to move again. His glasses were gone and his ears rang. "Hermione…"

She didn't answer but reached out to him with a shaking hand. He grabbed her and pulled her close, feeling her muscles still twitch from the Cruciatus. Her chest heaved as she breathed into his neck.

"I've got you, I've got you", he croaked.

"Harry." Her fingers grabbed his sweater, and his hair. "I'm sorry, I…"

"Shhh. There's nothing…" Harry coughed. "Nothing to be sorry about, you silly girl."

Another face came into his field of view.

Ron.

"Guys, are you okay?"

Harry grimaced. "I… I think so. For now at least." He looked around. "Are we… safe?"

Ron nodded. "We knocked out the Slytherin arseholes, but you guys completely owned the toad. She's pretty banged up, also unconscious." He handed Harry his glasses. "What sort of blast was that even?"

"Accidental. I'll tell you later." As he got up, trying to keep Hermione close to himself, Harry observed the battlefield.

The entire area around him looked as if a small meteor had made impact.

Some of the Merpeople were watching from out of the lake as Luna, Ginny, and some of the others came over from the castle with McGonagall and several Professors in tow.
Neville collected the wands lying on the ground.

"Fuck." Harry felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he realized how close they'd come to total catastrophe. He glanced at the neared dead centaur. Hermione, still holding on to him, mumbled something like "language" into his side.

"Ron, did you guys call… them?"

His friend shook his head. "No, mate. I thought that was your idea. Or Hermione's? I was so scared when Umbitch began casting Avadas. Speaking of which, Hermione, are you okay? You look… pale."

She raised her head to smile at Ron weakly. "It's okay, I… I will be fine. I'm just feeling sore."

Harry tried to interject. "But you were under a…."

"Shh, it's okay." She removed her finger from his lips. "Nothing I haven't dealt with before. Let's just… get this all over with, yes?"

Ron shook his head but wisely didn't comment any further.

"'ermione!" Amélie came running over, her usually smooth hair in a frizz. "I saw you going down! What 'appened!"

The friends embraces as Harry let go of Hermione's hand, but he saw her wince in the French girl's arms.

"I'm… fine, Amélie. It's going to be alright, I wasn't hit that hard by the blast."

"We need to get rid of 'er." The Beauxbaton's voice became icy. "Once and for all. For Louisa."

Ron grunted. "Hear, hear."

"I'm sure this… mess will change things. Dumbledore has to return eventually." Harry sighed and looked up at the gray skies. "Why does it always have to Helloween?"

Hermione's hand found his again and he gave her a worried look. Whatever the reasons, she didn't seem to want to mention the Cruciatus. So he would remain silent, for now, at least for as long as she was able to walk.

They would talk, though, later.

They always did.

Together, they awaited the Hogwarts staff to sort out this whole mess.

The one good thing coming out of this, Harry reflected as he held Hermione's hand, was that the toad wouldn't return for a few days. Time to prepare the next steps. Maybe even see Malfoy andc the Slythergoons being punished. And if Umbridge were to come back and threaten them with expulsion again, he'd see to it that certain memories would find their way to the Wizengamot. Dumbledore had asked him to lay low and let things play out, but he would neither ignore nor forget Hermione's torture – not in this life.

Sirius would probably gladly help, right after going on a rampagne.


Harry stayed close to Hermione as they finally entered the castle again.

Madame Pomfrey had given all of them a once-over at the lake, missing any Cruciatus signs on Hermione. Still, they'd all been given a potion, then another, and lots of strong words from McGonagall on top of all that.

But today, all combatants were to go to the Hospital Wing for further observation.

Tomorrow, there would be a reckoning.

Hermione had pointed out the string of owls leaving Hogwarts during their walk back. Messages were already being sent to the Wizarding World. The question was, who would be able to react first, Purebloods or the Order?

Hermione didn't let go of his hand as they walked up the stairs. The others were chatting in low voices, exchanging hopes and worries about what would come next. Harry didn't feel like talking right now, though.

That brush with death had been way too close for his comfort.

And, unlike his early years, he had things to lose – people he loved, the promise of an actual life.

On the first floor, Hermione did stop, though. "I'll just need a minute", she said and hurried toward the nearby girl's bathroom.

Harry looked at McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey. "I'll wait for her and make sure she gets to the Hospital Wing."

"See that you do." His Head of House appeared to be her usual stern self, but her eyes betrayed her worry. "She is almost as bad at letting Poppy take care of her as you are, Mister Potter."

He shrugged while Ron and Amélie snickered.

Malfoy, who'd been walking further in the back, opened his mouth for some inane comment, but Snape stopped him with a timely grasp on the shoulder. "That's enough for today, Draco. Not another word."

Harry waited for them to pass, then looked at Ron. "Come on, mate, go to Lou. We'll be right behind you."

The redhead wrung his hands. "Are you sure? Hermione still looks like she's been assaulted by a Dementor if you ask me."

"I'll force her to get checked out again, promise."

"Alright. See you later." They quickly hugged each other, then Ron hurried after the others, leaving only Amélie standing beside Harry. The French girl had an uncanny ability to blend into the background and be overlooked by their teachers if she wanted to.

"Are you finally regretting coming back here for another year?" he asked.

Amélie shook her head. "No. I can't say I care much for the weather in Scotland, but I've learned more 'ere than I would've back in France."

"Are you sure?" Harry watched the girl's bathroom door open again as Hermione came back.

"Hm." The Beauxbaton put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Please talk to 'er. Something's wrong, I… I just know it."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good boy." She smiled and softly patted his cheek before turning to Hermione. "If I don't see you enter the 'ospital Wing within the next five minutes, I'll send Peeves after you."

Then she walked up the stairs without another word.

"She's worse than my mother," Hermione grumbled, looking after her friend.

"But not wrong." He eyed her critically. "I'm not going to ask you if you're alright, because you'll Just feed me the same line I've been using since my first year."

She frowned. "Thank you."

"How bad is the pain?"

Hermione shrugged, then winced. "I'll… manage."

"Please." He stepped close to her and carefully put his hands on her shoulders. "That curse is no joke. Don't act like it is, I've experienced what it does to you. Let Madame Pomfrey help you."

Hermione nodded and put her right hand onto his, staring him in the eyes. "I… I know. It's just… I think I need to check something real quick."

It took him all of a second to guess her meaning. "The library? Now? Are you serious?"

Another nod. "Absolutely. Please, trust me?"

Harry drew a deep breath. "Always."

"Good."

He followed her toward the place in Hogwarts she treasured above all others. Madame Pince looked up from her desk with a slight frown, but she'd long been used to them coming in here at odd hours – usually both with a good reason and a Professor's backing.

Hermione nodded respectfully and proceeded toward the Restricted Section.

"Hey, wait, what are we looking for?" Harry winced as his whisper echoed in the deserted room around them. Had it ever been this quiet in here?

"I'll explain when I have it. Just wait here, it'll only take a minute." Hermione gave him a weak smile before she turned a corner and vanished from sight.

He stared at the spot where she'd been standing.

Amélie had been right.

Something was… off.

He knew her, knew her like he didn't even know himself or anyone else. Hermione going to the library in times like these wasn't unusual, and it had saved their lives more than once. But he knew the difference between a preoccupied dismissal from her and whatever… this was.

Looking back to Madame Pince to ensure she wasn't staring daggers at him, Harry quietly walked into the Restricted Section.

It didn't take him long to find her.

She was sitting on one of the tiny readings desks, quietly sobbing as she held a random book.

Harry watched her for a moment, feeling anguish at seeing her so low. The fight at the lake and the Cruciatus seemed to have shaken her to the core. He fought his impulse to run up to her, though, without really knowing why.

He approached her carefully, and only when he was three steps away did he notice that she must've cast a Quieting Charm because he couldn't hear her sobs at all.

Somehow, this hurt him more than anything else. They shared… well, everything? Why would she hide like this?

He stepped in front of her and gently touched her arm.

To his surprise, she didn't flinch as she looked up with tear-stained eyes. A flicking gesture from her dismissed the charm, and he could hear her breathe again.

"I had a feeling you might come after me," she whispered.

"Hermione… what can I do?" He fought the impulse to hug her – he wanted to know the issue at hand more than anything else.

Her eyes roamed his face. "You… you're a good man, you know that?" She sniffed and wiped her face.

"Err… come again?"

"I can see you worrying."

Harry threw his hands up in the air. "So? That's hardly news at this point, right? I think I learned that from you, Hermione. That we worry about each other because… we've been through so many things, together. We're close."

There was that sad smile again on her face, and it made him think he was missing something.

He swallowed.

Desperate times, desperate measures.

"Zvezda, please tell me why you're crying."

Hermione stared at him. "That's not fair."

"I really don't care." Harry put a hand under her chin and leaned closer. "This is about you, and I'll use anything at my disposal to make sure that you're alright. Zvezda."

She shivered slightly under his touch and closed her eyes for a moment. "Harry…"

"Yes?"

"I… can't."

"Why?"

"It's… private."

He flinched. "Oh, sorry. In that case, we really should go to the Hospital Wing…"

"Oh, you." She grabbed his sweater to cry and laugh at the same time into his chest. "It's not that, you muppet."

Harry, not knowing what else to do, put his arms around her to soothe her. They both still were a bit dirty and disheveled from the fight, but he didn't care and suspected Hermione didn't either. They'd hugged in much worse conditions.

Finally, she raised her head again.

They stared at each other, breathing in sync.

"You're not letting this go, are you?"

He shook his head.

Her face twitched ever so slightly as she tried to suppress another sob, but Hermione seemed to have found her calm again. "Okay."

Harry waited for her to elaborate. They were still hugging each other, and he knew that, to outsiders, this closeness appeared strange. Everyone assumed they were dating when in fact, they were just…

Harry and Hermione.

Not that he hadn't fantasized about her, but knowing she would always be with him like this was worth more than anything.

Anything.

Or so he told himself.

"Harry." She drew a quick breath and put her hands on his chest. "I… this whole day has put some things into perspective. Well, the fight did. Seeing Umbridge throw Unforgivables around and how you almost were hit. And then that blast…"

"All I could think was that if you hadn't fallen to the Cruciatus, you would've…" He couldn't finish that sentence, but she understood his meaning.

"It's okay, Harry. In this case, it was the better outcome."

"You were tortured!"

Her gaze grew soft. "So were you, last year. And for much longer, I might add. I'll never forget seeing you lie beside that grave like that."

Harry shrugged, feeling uncomfortable at her reminder of their failed attempt to sabotage Voldemort's resurrection. Well, mostly failed.

"Harry, stop that."

He winced. "Sorry, it's just…"

"That you're a boy and I'm not, and therefore I shan't ever be put into harm's way?"

"Come one, that's not it." He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry. I don't think you're unable to hold your own. You would've probably lasted even longer against Tom than I did."

"Which brings me back to my… issue."

He remained silent, hoping she would find the words to express herself. Her fingers were working the fabric of his sweater.

"I'm so afraid, Harry." Her voice was very quiet. "All the time. And today brought it all back, in the most painful way. When Umbridge tortured me, all I could think of was… you."

Harry, not believing the implications of her words, held her closer. "What are you afraid of?"

She swallowed. "To… lose you. To lose you and never even…" She didn't finish.

He leaned back to look at her. There were fresh tears in her eyes, and her hair was messy, but she'd never been more beautiful than now. The look she gave him was full of pain, but also trust, warmth, and… something else.

Longing.

Harry understood.

His mind conjured memories of many moments like this when they'd held each other close, almost ready to… do what, really? Take the next step? Confess something? It'd always felt like that.

He was tired of waiting for another cycle to see where it would go.

They were here, and alive, and she was so very lovely in all the right ways.

Something ancient and powerful awoke within him and, in a way, took over. His hands didn't tremble as he put them to the side of Hermione's face.

"I'm tired of being afraid, and I'm tired of waiting any longer."

Her eyes grew larger.

"I… I love you, Hermione. Always have, always will." Saying it felt like a dam had burst and a warm feeling spread within Harry's chest. He smiled, then laughed. "I'll never know why it took me so long to say it, but it's the truth."

She still stared at him, another tear rolling down her cheeks. "I…"

But Harry didn't wait because he leaned into her and kissed her with so much familiarity as if they'd done it many times already.

When their lips met, Hermione reacted immediately and threw her arms around his neck to hold him tight.

First softly, then with more urgency they finally kissed.

Harry wasn't surprised that she tasted as good as her scent had always promised. He could drown in her, lose himself and never come back from that all-encompassing feeling of belonging and yearning. He wanted more, he wanted all of her.

It seemed that they were in agreement because Hermione groaned into his mouth when their tongues met for the first time. It was a bit awkward at first because he didn't know where to move it, but she went right ahead and licked his mouth from the inside so hard he was seeing stars.

Part of him wished for this moment to never end, to be forever kissing Hermione Granger in the bloody Hogwarts Library, because of course that would end up being the place.

Emboldened by her lust, his hands roamed her back and neck. He'd massaged her often enough after long study hours to know that she had two sensitive spots up there, and he fully intended to utilize them.

Hermione groaned again as she shuddered in his arms.

He grinned into her as they both broke the kiss to get some air.

One of her hands held his face, a thumb softly caressing his swollen lips. "I've dreamed about this"; she confessed. "So very often."

"Then why…?"

Her glassy eyes focused again, on him. "I didn't see you take any sort of initiative."

Harry blinked. "I… I thought this is what we are… that this is where both of us were comfortable with."

"Liar." Her hand still caressed him.

He flinched because she was right. "You're right, I am lying." He thought that after confessing his love, everything else would fall into place, but it appeared a snogging session didn't automatically grant perfect emotional self-control. "I've loved you for so long, Hermione. I wanted you. You are… the only one."

She kissed him, softly. "You have no idea how much I wanted you to say that."

"I'll gladly repeat myself."

"Shh." Her thumb pressed his lips close. "That's unnecessary. What is, though, is me saying it back to you." She looked into his eyes. "Harry, I love you. I love you and I don't want to waste another second being close but not close to you. If this day has shown me anything it's that life is unpredictable and we don't know what tomorrow brings."

He nodded because he'd felt the same thing earlier, in the aftermath of the fight.

"So let's not pretend any longer. I love you, you love me, we both know it."

"I do." He returned her soft kiss, trailing a whole line of them across her face. "I want you."

She didn't answer but pressed his lips to hers. Their tongues met again, and Harry felt himself grow hard. She didn't seem to mind, though, since her legs and arms were holding him close.

Feeling all of her like that was… heaven.

What an idiot he'd been.

But what was the past.

Harry would focus his entire being on her now.


"Amélie, there you are!" Ginny ran up to the Beauxbaton student, ignoring the scalding looks of Madame Pince. "Did you find them?"

"I did, but they're… busy."

"What do you mean? Harry needs to get himself checked by Madame Pomfrey, they both do."

Ginny tried to pass her by, but Amélie stepped in front of her. "Don't. They need time for themselves."

"What… " But the redhead finally got Amélie's meaning and her face darkened. "So that's how it is."

The French girl nodded. "Seems like it. Finally, I'd say."

Ginny threw her a withering look. "That's not funny. It was supposed to be different."

"'ow so? When I arrived 'ere the first time during the Tournament, I knew within an 'our that those two were meant for each other."

"Pah!"

"Silence!" Madame Pince's voice cut through the library. "If you're not here to study, get out. This is a place of silent reflection, not to gossip."

"Yes, Madame." Amélie nodded apologetically to the librarian and motioned Ginny toward the exit. "We should leave."

The youngest Weasley looked toward the bookshelves at the far end of the room. "This won't stand. I'll make sure of it."

Amélie rolled her eyes as she watched Ginny storm away. Another Weasley episode was about to unfold in the Common Room, it seemed. Even a long year of terror from Umbridge and the inquisitorial squads hadn't been able to squash the teenage drama in Hogwarts.

Thinking about that, and about Hermione and Harry, made Amélie smirk as she walked up to the freshly returned Headmaster and Professor McGonagall near the stairs. "Sorry, 'eadmaster, but they are… busy."

"Is that so?" The old man glanced at the library's entrance curiously, then began to smile. "Oh, I see. Well, in that case, there is little to be done, other than wait for them to return from their 'studies'. Seeing that my office is buried in fresh paperwork, and with all the tedious legal proceedings that'll unfold now, it's probably for the best."

"But Albus." McGonagall looked scandalized. "They need to get checked out by Poppy, and answer some urgent questions! We can't just let them sit in the library when we finally have a chance to put that… vile woman where she belongs – in a cell!"

Dumbledore chuckled. "My dear Minerva, I don't think an hour or two will make much of a difference now. Let them be."

"What in Merlin's name could possibly necessitate a studying session right now?"

Amélie watched the repartee between the professors with interest. They also were two people very familiar with each other, if very different so compared to Harry and Hermione.

The Headmaster became earnest for a moment. "Ah, there are things between heaven and earth that we'll barely ever scratch the surface of, yet they shape our entire existence more profoundly than anything else."

"Love", mumbled Amélie, unable to help herself.

Both Professors stared at her, seemingly remembering her presence just now.

"Very good, Miss Fontaine." Dumbledore nodded. "A force more terrible and wonderful than death itself."

A moment of silence came and went.

"Why are you still here, Miss Fontaine?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "You should return to Gryffindor Tower if you don't mind."

"Ah, I'll wager there is another pressing matter on Miss Fontaine's mind." The Headmaster began rummaging in his robes while Amélie blushed and looked to the floor.

"Albus?"

"It seems I miscalculated something, and therefore owe our very attentive exchange student here a nontrivial amount of money."

McGonagall blinked in irritation. "Come again?"

"We had a bet, you see, at the end of the Triwizard Tournament. I made it half in jest to calm my nerves, but I did give my word." Dumbledore finally found what he was looking for and removed ten Galleons from a small purse, which he handed Amélie.

"Thank you, 'eadmaster."

"You're welcome. A most splendid outcome in any way, I must say. Maybe I've grown overly pessimistic during my years here."

McGonagall looked at both of them, then back to the library. "What… ah. Well, of course." With a rare smile, she addressed Dumbledore. "In that case, you owe me as well, Albus."

"It appears that I do." He chuckled. "Tea?"

"Oh, if you insist."

Before they left, the Headmaster turned back to Amélie. "When you tell your friends, please inform Mister Weasley that I would like to see him later today as well. The whole trio, if that should be at all possible. Thank you very much, Miss Fontaine."


When Hermione removed her lips from his, Harry felt dazed.

They'd kissed for what felt like an eternity.

A well spend eternity, that.

"Are you alright?" he whispered, noticing the lower part of his face felt strange. Apparently, snogging would do that.

She nodded, holding him close. "I'm better than I've been in quite some time."

"Good. I'm still going to haul your butt into the Hospital Wing, just so you know."

Hermione sighed. "And I will only put up a token protest."

They smiled at each other.

"What now? Do you just waltz out of here and act like nothing happened? Do we make an official announcement?"

"Please." Hermione combed his messy hair with her fingers. "The rest of the castle already knows about us."

"Why?" He turned around but they were still alone. "How?"

"I saw Amélie a while back, behind that shelf over there. She was looking for us, but didn't approach."

"Ah." As much as he had grown to love the two exchange students, they were taking way too many gossiping lessons from Parvati and Lavender for Harry's taste. It was literally impossible to do anything these days without Hogwarts learning about it within ten or so minutes.

"I don't care, Harry." Hermione sighed. "Let them gossip, let them point fingers, let them do whatever it is they need to do. As long as I have you, I don't really care."

He nodded. "I feel the same. But there's one more thing."

"Oh?"

"Hermione." He tried to appear as serious as he felt right now. "Would you… would you do me the honors and be my girlfriend? Officially?"

She didn't answer.

"I'm just asking because it feels strange to have kissed you like this and then just go on without…"

Hermione began laughing.

Loudly.

"I think it has been firmly established that I've been your girlfriend for years now, Harry"; she wheezed. "If anything, kissing was the last formality to be done."

He wasn't entirely convinced. "Right…"

They both turned around when someone came up from behind the large shelf the small desk was built in – Madame Pince.

She was ranting.

"I've said that this is a place of learning, not one to gossip! What is the matter with… oh, it's you." Her eyes narrowed.

Harry gulped, and Hermione hastily readjusted her slightly torn dress.

There was an intense moment where they stared at each other.

"See to it that you study quietly from now on, Miss Granger." Her eyes found Harry. "Mister Potter… as you were."

With slightly billowing robes, she turned and vanished.

Harry was flabbergasted. "What…"

"You heard her." Hermione's hand turned his face around to her. "We need to… study some more."

"Best Halloween ever."

She smiled as their lips met again.