A/N: I caught the flu, so I decided to sit down and do some writing instead of being miserable in bed :p I also wanted to thank for all the continuous support and lovely words that come my way every time someone new joins and when I update. It really motivates me to write more and I hope that I can be more consistent with these updates…

In this chapter, I'm just trying to kill time until September starts… Once Harry and Hermione go back to Hogwarts, it's going to get really interesting ; )


Chapter 28: Remembering and Forgetting

19th June, 1998

It was a quiet and eventless evening, the type that Hermione loved the most. She was cuddled up on the sofa next to Harry, reading a book while he played with her hair. This seemed to have become one his favourite things to do in spare time, and she couldn't really argue either.

She was trying to focus on the small words printed in front of her eyes, but random thoughts always managed to find a way inside her head. Eventually, she settled on a certain question which has been dawning on her for quite a while now.

"Harry…" she began, closing her book.

"Mmm?" he answered.

"When exactly did you fall in love with me?" She asked, slightly regretting her relentless approach to the question.

Harry marvelled at her in confusion for a split second before smiling, "In fourth year… I already told you before, didn't I?"

"Yes, between the first and second task, but when exactly? Like… when did you realise what you were feeling?"

Harry's eyes dropped from hers, "Well, to be completely honest, I only realised that it was love last month… at the beach.

"You know… after I left the cabin for some fresh air? I took a long walk and I thought hard about what exactly it was that I've always felt towards you. I mean… it isn't anything compared to what I feel to someone like Luna… or Cho… or Parvati… or even Ginny."

Hermione's heartbeat picked up with his words. "Could you tell me? What you felt?"

Harry smiled, "I've done that already… and I don't know if I could form it any better this time."

Hermione smiled and brushed her lips against his, "No… I meant the fourth year. Do you feel different now than you did back then… or is it the same?"

"Where are you getting all these questions from?" Harry asked, his smile slightly fading, "Did I do something wrong?"

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise as she jumped up, "No no no! Of course, not! I was just… wondering, that's all Harry."

His smile returned, "Well… I think I started to feel different about you during our private dance lessons… and all the defence lessons we did together when we prepared for the first task. We were spending a lot of time together and I just… started to marvel at things. Back then I just thought it was because of how strong our friendship was.

I mean… you're one of the only people who believed me when I said that I didn't put my name in the goblet… and I think in that moment… I had more respect for you than anyone else in my life."

Her heart started skipping beats again as she stared into his emerald green eyes.

"All that… determination and positive energy… the countless advice and supportive smiles you gave me… all the hours we spent together in classrooms revising dragons and spells. I just started seeing you differently." He finished.

Hermione gave a weak smile "If only I knew… I wonder what would have happened if we… if we got together back then."

Harry's face became slightly pale "I'm actually quite happy that we didn't."

"Why is that?" she asked.

"I don't think I'd be able to do the same to you as I did to Ginny. Letting her go was really tough and it really broke me up inside… seeing her so miserable and knowing that it's because of me. But doing that to you… I don't think I'd be able to survive that. Plus, you would've come with me anyway so that would've made it a hundred times harder." Harry explained.

"Do you think that things would've gone differently for us?"

Harry shook his head, "No… I think it would be more of the same… I mean… maybe some things would have been different. I just think that it's better being with you now than it would have been back then. Because now, I can be with you all the time. And I don't need to worry about your safety."

"And I don't have to worry about your saving-people-thing" Hermione laughed.

Harry laughed with her, then poked her in the arm, "Okay, your turn"

"For what?" she asked.

"When did you fall in love with me? I'm actually really curious."

Hermione tried to fight the blush which formed on her cheeks, "Well… it came in this streak of events, actually."

"Really? So you didn't love me straight away?" He smiled.

"Well… It did all happen in one night." She added.

"Let me guess… was it the night we saved Buckpeak and Sirius?"

Hermione nodded, flushing more by the second.

"Was it when I produced my spectacular Patronus?" Harry chuckled.

"You wish." She laughed. "Harry, you know that I love you for who you are as a person… not who you are as a wizard. None of that matters to me… it never did."

"So what did I do that made you realise?" He asked, curious now.

"When you shielded me from Professor Lupin." She confessed, not looking at him. "We ran from him all the way to the forest… and then he caught us. At that point… I was almost sure that it was the end for me. And then you had your arms around me, trying to cover me with your body like a human shield. It was… the bravest thing I've ever seen. That was the second time when you risked your life to save mine." She explained.

"Well, I think you owe my 'saving-people-thing' an apology." Harry smiled at her.

Hermione laughed, "And then we flew on Buckbeak together with Sirius… and I remember putting my arms around your waist and just feeling this pressure in my stomach… It was bizarre. I remember hiding my face in your shoulder… ever since then… I knew. I loved Harry Potter."

"Woah… that's way better than my story, isn't it?" Harry asked.

Hermione gave a weak smile, "At least you love me because you realised it… not because I saved you."

Harry's smile faded, "Hermione… you did save me. You're the reason why I'm here. You're the reason why I never gave up."

That was all she could bear to hear when her lips landed on his, forcing him to stop talking. "You need to watch yourself, Harry Potter. You always seem to forget what those words can do to me."

Harry smiled, "I never forget."


20th June, 1998

Harry was unlacing his shoes, as Hermione brushed past him into the living room.

"I swear, Teddy has grown so much and it's only been a week." Harry laughed.

They had just returned from a visit to Andromeda who was simply delighted to welcome them again.

"I didn't know Andi was such a good cook." Hermione chuckled.

"Better than me?" Harry asked, smiling as he sat down next to her on the sofa.

Hermione laughed, "Of course not, no one is better than you, love."

"That's what I thought." Harry laughed as he kissed her neck.

Hermione sighed, "I really don't want to go back home tomorrow… Every time I come for the weekend, I always dread leaving you again. We need to stop this soon. I don't want to be away from you."

Harry smiled, "You know that I miss you too. But you should really stay with your parents until we're done with Hogwarts. That was your idea and we're sticking to it."

"Yeah… well, it wasn't a smart one."

"Hermione, think about how your dad would feel if you just left and came to live with me… It would make both of them sad. At least stay with them until you're done with education."

"What if I want to go University?" Hermione asked.

Harry smiled, "I'm sure you'd be able to live with me by then anyway. I really hope I can wait that long. Being here by myself all week can become quite lonely."

"Well, if you just let me move here now—"

"Nope," Harry answered, fighting a grin. "Speaking of moving, we really need to go back to Grimmauld Place next week. We still need to check out that library and I should empty out my bedroom." Harry added.

"Right… I completely forgot about that library. We should take a look next week." Hermione added.

"You. Hermione Granger. Forgot to visit a library?" Harry asked.

"hahaha, you're so funny, Potter." She groaned, "It's not my fault when you're always here trying to distract me."

"You think I'm distracting you now? I'd hate to imagine what it's going to be like at Hogwarts. How will you do all your essays?" Harry laughed.

"I guess we'll have to break up then," Hermione answered.

Harry's smile faded as he stared at her.

Hermione burst out laughing.

"haha, that's so funny," Harry muttered under his nose.

"You should have seen your face!" Hermione croaked, trying to breathe.

Harry pounced on top of her and buried his face in her neck, "You think I'll let you get away with that?" He demanded.

"I was hoping you wouldn't" she laughed as he took her in his hands."


26th June, 1998

Harry was manoeuvring around his room, panic starting to rush over him. How could I have been so careless! His mind screamed.

Hermione appeared in the doorway at some point, "Harry, you need to come see this library! There is this amazing book you need to check out…" Her eyes landed on Harry as he hurried from corner to corner. "Harry, is everything okay? What are you looking for?" she asked.

"The Elder Wand… it's gone!" Harry gasped, as he plundered through every single drawer in the room.

Hermione's jaw dropped, "But… I thought you took it with you to the manor three weeks ago!"

"I was going to, but then I completely forgot about it after my second visit to Gringotts." He explained, "Kreacher!"

The house elf appeared right next to Hermione, "Master Harry called Kreacher."

"Did anyone come to this house during my absence?" Harry asked.

The elf shook his head, "Not that Kreacher knows of, no."

"Damn it!" Harry cursed.

"Kreacher, did you by any chance see a wand somewhere around here?" Hermione asked.

Kreacher nodded at her words, "Kreacher found a wand on Master Harry's desk, and so Kreacher decided to store it inside the library so that it is safe."

"Bring it please, Kreacher." Hermione requested.

The elf bowed and disappeared with a pop only to return a split second later with the Elder Wand in his hand. He raised the wand to Hermione who took it.

"Kreacher… why didn't you tell me?" Harry asked.

"Don't you go and blame him!" Hermione cut in, "At least we know that he's smarter than you. How could you have left the most powerful wand in the world lying around on your desk?"

Harry was silent for a while… then he smiled, mostly in relief, "You're right. Sorry, Kreacher… you did a great job. Just please, let me know next time you move things around so that I know."

"Yes, master." Kreacher nodded and disappeared.

Hermione was resting a hand on her hip as she continued to stare at Harry. "I'm still trying to understand… what were you thinking?"

Harry couldn't help but fight his smile, "I'm sorry, Hermione. It won't happen again. Maybe you should keep it instead?"

Hermione shook her head, "I'm quite sure it will do just fine at Potter Manor under the eye of Beemey until September." She answered then marvelled at him, "What's so funny, by the way?"

"You look really sexy when you get angry," Harry muttered under his breath, smiling like crazy now.

Hermione could feel the heat rising on her cheeks, "I think you deserve a little punishment for your careless behaviour. Maybe we should see how good this wand is in disintegrating clothes?"

"Will I receive a detention too?" He asked, grinning.

"And a long one, at that." Hermione nodded, revealing her smile. "You'll be begging for me to let you go once I'm through with you."

"You know that won't happen." He answered.

"We'll see about that, Mister Potter." She laughed.