Chapter 23
It's late. I know where he is, or rather who he is with. That's why I am worried. This was all Fred and George's idea. They wanted to take Harry out for the male congratulatory, 'Way to go, stud!' celebration. I should have expected it; they did the same thing to Ron, both times. And of course since Harry had double the impact, he is most likely going to be twice as drunk.
I've been home now for a couple hours. I got to spend some time with Arthur and Candace, just the three of us, or rather now, the five of us. They are both excited to be having two baby brothers. Candace even offered a couple of names, Linus and Leopold, after two of her stuffed dragons. I'm not sure how they got those names, but I won't question her.
Arthur's reaction to the twins was a complete shock. He wanted to help so much. He kept running to get me a glass of water or to help put my feet up. The boy is so sweet. He even offered to stay up with me until Harry got home. I gave him credit for the try, but still sent them both to bed a little over a half hour ago.
I'm now sitting curled up on the sofa in front of the fire, reading. This takes me back. I haven't been able to just sit and read in quite a while. I know it's hard to believe, Hermione Granger, bookworm extraordinaire, has not had the time to just sit and read in peace. It's true. I revel in the silence and let myself be absorbed into the book in my lap.
My attention is brought away from the words on the page, to the sound of words being thrown outside the front door.
"Shhh. Herm-eye-o-knee is gonna kell me if you two don't shut your moufs." I hear Harry slur as he fumbled for his keys. Obviously he was too drunk to apparate, and using the Floo is really a bad idea after drinking. So now, he stands outside arguing with someone, most likely Fred and George, while trying to get the key in the lock.
"Oh, c'mon, 'arry. My-knee won't even know we're 'ere." All right, I was wrong, it's not Fred and George. That was Ron's voice. I know his drunken ramblings anywhere.
"Hurryup Harry I need to use the loo." Charlie? Was that Charlie's voice?
I focus back on my book as Harry finally manages to get the door open. They obviously don't see me, because Harry is still insistently shushing the other two. Charlie stumbles up the stairs to the loo. I laugh to myself as he misses at least four steps and stumbles up the last few.
I sink down lower into the couch when Ron starts offering advice to Harry. I can't help but shake my head at the irony of it all.
"C'mon, Harry. Don't be scared. You know she'll say 'yes.'" Who'll say yes to what?
"Ron, be quiet!" Harry hisses. "I just can't get the nerve up to do it. I've been carrying the damned thing around in my pocket for almost two months. What if she says no?"
Someone just leaned over on the piano keys, creating the most ungodly sound. The two of them suddenly shush the piano. Like it can control itself. Ron starts laughing. I'm not exactly sure if it was over the piano incident or something else.
"What?" Harry snaps. Harry is a very turbulent drunk. He can be very boisterous one minute, but then depressed and angry the next.
"I just think its funny that you are asking her ex-husband for advice. I fucked it all up and you ask me for help. How stupid are you man?" It is rather hilarious when you look at it.
Harry laughs too. I love that sound, even with the alcohol haze behind it. "It is rather funny, isn't it?" The two of them are laughing almost uncontrollably when Charlie returns from upstairs.
Damn, Charlie saw me. I should have figured. He is walking a bit straighter now. He probably sobered himself up with a spell in the bathroom. He raises an eyebrow at me. I shake my head furiously at him, and then immediately lie down and pretend I'm asleep. Charlie seems to take the hint and guides Ron toward the door.
As the two of them walk through the door, Charlie turns back. "Oi, Harry, you might want to take Sleeping Beauty upstairs with you." Damn him!
As the door closes, I open my eyes a crack and see Harry looking at me. He's smiling. It's a drunk smile, but I don't care. He still thinks I'm asleep. He comes and kneels down beside the couch, his fingers running through my hair. He doesn't know what that does to me. I love the way he caresses my hair and skin. He is always so soft and gentle.
His lips brush my forehead and I hear a whisper, "I love you, Mione." I can smell the alcohol on his breath. Firewhiskey. I know that smell anywhere. He disappears for a moment and I watch through my eyelashes as he goes into the kitchen. He's probably getting some sobering potion from the cabinet. There's no way he can carry me up the stairs while he's drunk.
After what seems like an eternity he comes back to my side. I wait for him to pick me up to take me to bed, but he just sits there; watching me 'sleep.' His breath is a bit fresher as it caresses my face in his whispers. His voice is so soft that I have to strain to hear what he's saying. My heart swells at his words.
"I love you so much, Hermione. You have made me the happiest man on the face of this earth. You have given me a family. I hope that I can be the husband and father that you want me to be." Husband? Did he just say husband?
He continues as if he read my mind. "That's right. I want to be your husband. I want you to be Mrs. Hermione Potter. That sounds good doesn't it?" Gods, that does sound good. I'm half tempted to just stretch and 'wake up' just to snog him senseless. "Why can't I do this when you're awake? I have practiced this so many times while you're asleep. I know it all by heart. Why can't I just let it out when you're awake? I even got Arthur's permission to ask you, I just can't…"
He got Arthur's permission to ask me? He asked Arthur if he could propose? I strain to pull back the tears that threaten to escape my closed eyes. I can't believe Harry did that. He will never cease to amaze me.
"I seem to lose all the words when I look in your eyes. You take my breath away and my brain loses all function with just a look. It's so much easier when you're asleep. Your eyes aren't boring into mine, making me lose all concentration. I won't see the possible rejection in your eyes. I love you so much, Mione, but you deserve so much better. I want to marry you, if you will have me. I can give you everything I can, which doesn't even come close to what you're worth."
I can't stop a small tear from escaping one of my eyes. He sees it and brushes his thumb lightly over my cheek to wipe it away. I let my eyes slowly open and I am staring straight into his emerald ones. I understand what he meant about losing all concentration. I lose all of my inner battles to control the tears flowing from my eyes.
"Hi," I whisper breathlessly.
"Hi."
My mind clears momentarily. I need to play this off. I didn't hear a word. I didn't hear you say you wanted to marry me. I didn't hear the self-doubt behind your voice. I have to say these things over and over in my head, just to make sure that my mouth doesn't decide to protest and blurt it all at once. I close my eyes as Harry runs the back of his knuckles across my cheek. I can't help but lean into his touch. Its what I live for. Every day I wake up just to see the sparkling in his eyes, to hear his voice, to feel the touch of his skin against mine. I love this man more than I ever imagined I could love someone.
Harry's lips find mine in a chaste, yet passionate kiss. I open my eyes when he pulls away. "Harry…" My words stop when he places a finger gently against my lips.
"Hermione, how long have you been awake?" I can't lie to him. He knows I heard him. I sigh and close my eyes. I can't face him. His hand starts to shake as he pulls my chin to look at him. I don't have to answer. He can read it in my eyes. "You heard everything didn't you?"
I close my eyes again and nod. He pulls away from me. I've hurt him. I know I have. I knew I should have just opened my eyes, but no, I wanted to hear more, I wanted to hear everything. I sit up when I feel him bring himself to standing. I hear his footsteps pace back and forth. I open my eyes to look at him, but he won't look at me. I struggle to get my voice to cooperate. I messed up. Gods, I never meant to hurt him. "Harry, I'm sorry."
He turns to me and immediately comes over and wraps his arms around me. "Oh, no, Hermione. I'm not mad. I'm actually a bit relieved." I pull back to look at him. His hands cradle my face and he gently wipes my tears away with his thumbs. "It actually makes this a bit easier."
Harry pulls away from me again. I struggle to keep him in my arms. I need him next to me. I need to hold on to him. He fumbles in his pocket and pulls out a small black box. I stop struggling and sit back a bit. My heart is thumping out of my chest. Is that? I know I heard him say he wanted to, but… Oh gods. He opens the box to reveal a beautiful ruby and diamond ring. I have never seen anything more exquisite in my life.
"It was my mum's," he whispers. I can tell he is fighting for the strength to go through with this. His voice is soft and shaky. It makes me love him all that much more. "Hermione, I know you heard what I said before, but I have to say it again. I love you. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. You take my breath away." He pauses to take a deep breath. "Hermione, I want to spend the rest of my life with you and our childen, including Candi and Arthur. We are a family. My family. No, our family. I want to stand with you and watch them grow. I want to be able to sit on the back porch and watch or children and grandchildren play. I - Gods why is this so hard?"
I reach for his hand that keeps running nervously over his jeans. He looks back up at me and our eyes lock. Tears threaten to obscure my vision again as I see Harry struggling to fight back his own tears. I smile at him trying to reassure him. He is so nervous. Does he really think that I will reject him?
"Mione, love, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. W- Will you do me the honor of making me the happiest man alive? I love you and I want to marry you. I want to be your husband. Will you marry me?"
The tears I had been fighting, won their battle and are now streaming down my cheeks. I nod at him, I can't seem to find my voice. I have dreamed of this moment since I was in sixth year, and now it comes and I can't speak. I pull his face to me and cover his lips with mine. If I can't say it in words, I can say it like this. Our kisses become frantic and hungry.
I let him pull me from the couch, never breaking our heated kiss. It feels so good to be in his arms. But I want to be closer. I want to be with him. He bends down a bit to lift me into his arms. I'm cradled against his chest. I feel like a princess and he is my Prince Charming. I am reminded of something Charlie had said as he was leaving. He called me 'Sleeping Beauty.' That's right, Sleeping Beauty, awakened by her true love.
Instead of carrying me up the stairs to our room, Harry walks over to the piano, and sets me on the lid. I admit I have had fantasies of he and I sprawled out on top of the baby grand, but I never actually expected it to happen. Harry pulls on the tie of my dressing gown, opening it and letting it fall across the black wood. My nightdress is pushed up to my hips, and he lets out a groan when it registers that I am not wearing any knickers.
I find the zipper to his trousers and slowly start to unzip it. Harry's hand catches mine to speed up the process. Our lips have not lost their connection. Our kisses are soul searing, passionate and burning. I pull away only at the shock of him entering me. We've never made love like this; still dressed and frantic on top of the closest piece of furniture. Gods, it feels good. As we rock against each other, our breathing increases and our climaxes seem to come out of nowhere, catching us both off guard.
I lean my head on his shoulder. My body is trembling from our frenzied coupling. He catches his breath and whispers in my ear, "I'm sorry. I just could wait to get you upstairs; it was too far." I pull back and smile at him before I kiss him sweetly. If this is what 'happily ever after' feels like, I have no problem being Harry's princess.
*
A/N - no this is not the end. Just to let you know, I have this planned until after the twins' birth. So there are quite a few more chapters. :)