Unofficial Portkey Archive

The Pages of Life by Muirnin
EPUB MOBI HTML Text

The Pages of Life

Muirnin

The Pages of Life

by Muirnin Cocan

All of life's pages are meant to be co-written… - jrd

After graduating with top honors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hermione Granger helped her best friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley defeat the Dark Lord Voldemort. With that deadly task behind them, the trio found an old dilapidated Victorian home in Hogsmeade that they had carefully renovated and called their own.

With that Trinity Towers was created... a home that had come to be recognized as the sum of each of them as individuals... not just the powerful triumvirate that had destroyed a deadly evil... but a home that they enjoyed together and hoped one day to have their own separate families enjoy as well... always together under one roof.

It had once been said about the trio of friends, that they were at their most powerful when they were together, then when they were divided... and in an unconscious act of solidarity, loyalty and love, they had taken that counsel to heart. They had made a pledge to each other when they graduated from Hogwarts that they would stay together, but still live their own separate lives...

This was their pact, their bond… their irrefutable and categorical commitment to one and other… it is what made their friendship stronger then anything else in the world…

There had been much speculation about their 'living arrangements', however Ron Weasley became the first to take the plunge into starting a family of his own, when he married his long time girlfriend Luna Lovegood shortly after she had graduated from Hogwarts.

The media seemed to ease off the trio considerably after that, and even though the Weasley's still had not begun to have children yet after 8 years of marriage, they were one of the happiest couples anyone had ever seen. They, despite Molly Weasley's imperativeness, were content to wait to have children.

Hermione like Harry had hated all the publicity that surrounded them with the downfall of the Dark Lord, as well as their unique living situation... but they learned to live with it like all the rest of the media attention they had received during their years at Hogwarts.

Ron on the other hand thrived with all the media attention and received a number of offers from several Quidditch teams to come play Starting Keeper for them... Ron and Luna had become the sweethearts of the media frenzy (fueled in part by her father owning the Quibbler) and made frequent appearances on behalf of the rest of the trio, as well as a host of endorsements from product companies throughout the Wizarding world.

When a job that was practically designed for her fell in her lap, Hermione jumped at the chance. Mystical Manuscripts was looking for someone to be writer and editor of the revised Millennium Edition - Hogwarts: A History.

Both Ron and Harry had told her she would be foolish to pass up an opportunity of a lifetime... Therefore, after working as a researcher for the Ministry of Magic for 6 years, Hermione changed careers and became a writer.

She had enjoyed part-time writing articles for many of her different causes, all stemming from her association with The Betterment of Wizarding Brethren… many of which were published frequently in many of the trades, so for her to take on writing full time was a dream she could not pass up. She would finally have a job that she could do from home, a place that she felt safe and secure.

Harry and Ron had taken it upon themselves to convert a section of the house, which had originally been a large library, into what was now her private office with access to information that was never before privy to anyone else in regards to Hogwarts and the Founders.

Over two years of research later she was still working hard on the book, her publishers were extremely pleased with the detail she was going in to for the mammoth project and could tell by what she would show them from time to time that they had a best seller on their hands.

Harry on the other hand was doing what he loved to do... he had become an Auror... well... now he was a former Auror as he had taken the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts three years prior after he had spent over 4 years as a full time Auror.

He loved his work, yet hated the attention he received and the politics that the Ministry played with him over his being an Auror... Even after Arthur Weasley had become the new Minister of Magic for the United Kingdom, Harry still could not help but feel trapped in his chosen profession.

However, when Albus Dumbledore approached him to come to Hogwarts to be a Professor, Harry surprised even himself and took it... The fact that their home was now in Hogsmeade, made it that much more pleasurable since he could live at home and still teach at the castle. They had even gone so far as to build a new tunnel to the castle that connected it to Trinity Towers… something that thrilled Hermione since now she had frequent access to her beloved Hogwarts Libraries as well.

At 28, life could not get much sweeter than this...

As Hermione stood at the counter in the kitchen, her hands wrapped around a mug of steaming hot cocoa, she sighed deeply as she let the richness meld with her senses. She was content...

She opened her eyes and nearly dropped her mug as she watched Ron and Luna walk into the kitchen. What greeted her was a sight of unmistakable dismay.

"Well we are off..." Ron said jubilantly.

Eyes wide in shock Hermione sputtered, "Yes I can see you are off... What the hell happened to your hair? Did you have a run in with the twins again or something?"

"Oh this!" Ron said grinning broadly running a hand thru what had once been the traditional Weasley red and now was a violent blue-bell color, "Nah, it's a promotional endorsement we are doing for Droobles Best Blowing Gum... It was Tonks idea!"

"And you're ok with this?" She asked looking at Luna, whose hair was still the long straight dishwater blonde it had been in school.

"Oh yes, I think Ronald looks wonderful no matter what color we dye his hair. He however did not want me to change my hair color." Luna said in her breathy voice, a slight disappointment in her wide blue protuberant eyes.

"My love, why toy with perfection... you are too beautiful to change." Ron said giving her a kiss on her cheek and a slight blush rose in Luna's complexion.

"You can't argue with a man in love Luna... " Hermione said watching them together. They truly were deeply in love and you could just tell by looking at them.

"We will be gone a fortnight, I have a number of games on the road..." Ron said. "Luna has a couple of contracts with some of the teams regarding her hats..."

Hermione noticed that Luna had a number of hats gathered together and shook her head at the memories. Luna's hats had become so popular at the different Quidditch games that she actually had started a side business with them. Now it seemed that everyone wanted either Wasps whizzing around their heads, or Leprechauns popping up and throwing gold... What had started out as a bizarre quirk about Luna, now was a successful business.

Giving them a kiss on the cheek each, Hermione watched as the couple took off for parts unknown. It was only after they were completely gone that Hermione broke down and began laughing hysterically over Ron's Drooble-colored blue-bell hair... She had been cachinnating so hard that she had not heard Harry when he walked in the kitchen after his morning run.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked noticing the tears streaming down Hermione's face.

"Ron!" she gasped, then seeing the stricken face Harry made she added... "Drooble… gum… blue… hair!"

Harry collapsed in the nearest chair, "Merlin's shit, Mione... you scared the bejesus out of me... I thought something happened to Ron." Suddenly as he began to realize what exactly she had said he looked at her incredulously and said, "Did you say Droobles gum blue hair? You mean as in Droobles Best Blowing Gum?"

She vigorously nodded her head, as she still could not put words together to speak yet. She poured a mug of hot cocoa and handed it over to Harry. It had taken a while, but Hermione had finally been able to tell Harry about what had happened this morning.

"Oh now I'm sorry I went out on my run this morning… I would have loved to see Ron with blue hair… Oh, if only we could have charmed his hair so that it would start blowing into everlasting blue-bell bubbles when anyone said Droobles!"

That was all it took, the visual image of Ron and his exploding blue-bell hair to send them both into fits of laughter once again. Neither could remember having had a laugh so much on their best friend's expense and Ron not there to share in the joke. They both knew that Luna would have been enjoying the most mirth at her husband.

"So what have you got planned now that school is out for the term?" Hermione finally asked, a grin still prominent upon her face.

"You know, I haven't got a clue..." he said then gave a devilish grin to her, "I thought maybe I could talk my favorite girl into going on holiday with me... since she hasn't taken one in over 2 1/2 years... What say Mione? We could take off and go to the states... or the Alps... or even down under... I hear the skiing is marvelous this time of year." His memory of her dislike towards skiing showed in his smirk.

"Favorite girl am I? What happened to Chloe or Kelly or what ever her name was..." Hermione asked carefully overlooking his comments to skiing… he always did love to get her on that private joke.

"Oh you know they don't even compare to you... besides... Chelsea" he said raising an eyebrow at Hermione "wasn't interested in me... she only liked the fame associated with dating Harry Potter... Hey maybe I should change my name... you know something simple like John Smith."

"Oh yeah... John Smith... with the lightning shaped scar on his forehead... sorry I don't think even changing your name is going to change who you are Harry... You know as well as I do that we can't run away from the past nor can we change who we are... but only make ourselves stronger by just being ourselves."

"Yeah I know... it's a thought though... Hell, even if we had moved somewhere else, they would STILL know who we are... "

"Correction, they would know who YOU are... I'm not all that..."

"Oh that's pure bullshit Mione and you know it... you are just as famous as I am... Thank God, we have Ron to make all the media go away... You keep talking about yourself as if you are only wallpaper... you are not... You are..." he started to say but then stopped... fearing he would say much more then he wanted.

"I'm what?" Hermione asked, but just as Harry was going to respond, a large tawny owl swooped in and dropped a letter off in Hermione's lap. Opening it up she sighed deeply... "Well so much for staying at home today... I have to go down to the publishing company. They want to talk to me about an 'urgent' matter that only I can help them with."

"Hermione why do you do this to yourself?"

"Do what?"

"Work yourself so hard... I was honest, you haven't taken a holiday in over 2 1/2 years... you need a break."

"With the money they are paying me for the Millennium Edition I won't have to work another day the rest of my life... you know that... Besides, I love writing..." Hermione said as she got up from the table. "Anyway, I'll be back later this afternoon... YOU stay out of trouble... go have fun... maybe go see Remus... he's over at the Marauders Mansion (formerly known as the Shrieking shack) and he would love a visit from you."

"That's an idea..." Harry said, "You going to be home for dinner tonight?"

"This meeting shouldn't be too long. I'll be in and out of London in no time..."

~ 3 hours later ~

Hermione apparated directly into the living room of the Trinity Towers and in an apparent fit of rage she threw her cloak, bag and shoes against the wall, hitting a vase and shattering it. As if that wasn't enough of a release of her rage she then clenched her fists trying desperately to hold in the anger and fury that was bottled within her and then gave a primal unearthly screech that seemed to go unending. Then began the stream of profanity that would have made a fishmongers wife blush.

"…BOLLOCKS! Those snook-cocking sons of bitches… how dare they… how the bloody fuck did I get ballsed-up... I can't believe it," she ranted on more to herself then to anyone in general figuring nobody was home. One of her biggest pet peeves was to allow anyone especially Harry see her lose control.

It was only shortly after noon and already her day was the worst she could ever remember. She stormed into the kitchen, pointing her wand at various items, she began baking... a habit that she had picked up on from Molly Weasley and had begun doing a few years before when she was extremely stressed out while working at the Ministry.

Her inner rage was causing the mix to swirl vigorously around the inside of the bowl; as soon as the mix finished, she put the mix into pans and then slid the cake into the oven to bake.

Rubbing her hands over her face and through her still bushy brown hair, contemplating what else to do, she wandered over to the liquor cabinet. Pulling out a full bottle of Ogden's Fire Whiskey, she tilted the bottle to her lips, feeling the liquid burn its way down her throat.

It's magical numbing effect helped aid her furiously raging mind. Still carrying the bottle, she waked back over to the living room, banishing her belongings to her room. Slowly, she followed them up the stairs, where she changed her clothes into something exceedingly comfortable.

Coming back into the kitchen, still swigging on the whiskey, she checked the cake. When done she pulled it out of the oven, then using her wand did a quick cooling spell on it and began to apply the thick fluffy chocolate frosting.

Her mum had always told her when in doubt... Eat Chocolate... she knew her mother was always right... since chocolate helped with Dementors... maybe it would help with demanding publishers as well... they could drain your soul just as fast if not faster then a Dementor any day... only problem... a Patronus doesn't work on publishers... She knows... she tried...

When Harry came into the house he knew something was different... he hadn't been gone too long and yet he had a feeling Hermione was back... Walking into the kitchen, he saw her sitting at the kitchen table slumped with a manuscript in front of her, a half empty bottle of Whiskey and a delectable looking chocolate cake...

"Hey what's up?" Harry asked.

"I made dinner," she said as she hugged the bottle... "This is mine... that's yours" pointing to the cake.

He reached over and gathered Hermione into his arms... "Mione... talk to me... what's going on?"

"It's those fucking publishers," she said swinging her arm absently at the wall, barely missing Harry's head. "Snook-cocking bastards… the lot of them… they snookered me… can't leave me alone with my book… they have to foist someone else's bodged up book on me to finish for them... don't know the first fucking thing about romance... bloody blodge job if you ask me… and I'm supposed to write this?" She rambled as she picked the stack of parchment with her hand not clutching the bottle and threw the sheets haphazardly into the air, causing some of them to land on the cake, the floor… anywhere but the tidy pile they had been.

"First off... lets get you sobered up... then we will look to see what is really the matter here." Harry said as he took out his wand and pointed it at Hermione... "Sobriutus"

"I wish you hadn't done that... I wanted to be drunk... just numb my brain, put me out of my misery... "

"Alright... now without tears... explain to me what happened." Harry said as he began picking up the sheets Hermione had thrown and began thumbing through the parchments.

"I went down to London as my publishers requested... They had a major crisis on their hands, one of their best selling romance novelists died suddenly and they have an unfinished manuscript... instead of shelving the entire book, they want ME to write the story... I am not a romance novelist... I don't know the first bloody thing about relationships... or love or anything..." she sighed deeply, "I'm pathetic... the closest I had to a long term romantic relationship was being pen pals with Viktor Krum!"

"Well from what I see here, you could do this... from the outline they have, I mean, it has got an adventure side to it... Lord knows we have been in enough adventures... there's not too much detail so you can craft it as your own..." Harry said, "I'm curious why they didn't shelve it."

"Apparently, this is like the fourth author to write these stories under this pen name... These books are the so called cornerstones," she muttered with contempt, "of Mystical Manuscripts romance division."

"Four writers have all written under this pen name, what they ALL died?"

"No. From what the publishers say, apparently in the case of the other three they got bored with writing about this character, said they couldn't connect with her." Hermione rubbed her hands over her face. "Who knows what those bloody gits say… they could have been lying to me about why nobody else could have finished this… Oh Harry, what am I going to do? They told me that if I don't do this project then my book won't see the light of day ANYWHERE..."

"That's blackmail."

"No fucking shit... I also found out who the main financial backer of Mystical Manuscripts actually is... Pansy Parkinson Malfoy, seems when Draco died... she ended up with EVERYTHING..."

"That bitch... she set you up!"

"Apparently so... if I don't do this, I have no chance of ever succeeding as a writer anywhere..."

"Well you know what you have to do then..."

"I have to write it... I know..." Hermione said glumly, "Harry, like I said I know nothing about romance or relationships or intimacy... nothing... can you help me?"

Harry looked shocked... "Help… you… With what?"

"With the male perspective... how a man thinks... what his fantasies are... you know... I'd ask Ron and Luna but they won't be back for two weeks... and I only have a week to accomplish this."

Harry looked at the woman in front of him, with her beautiful cinnamon eyes... he would do anything for her... he already knew his answer... but he was also afraid that in attempting this project with her, she would find out his deepest secret... but she was pleading with him... something that she very rarely did.

"Alright, I'll do it... BUT... in doing this, we will have to also make sure that we force Pansy's hand and show her to the public for the conniving evil bitch she really is... I know Draco would be pleased with that. Ok... so Madam Writer... where do we begin?"

"Where all stories start... at the beginning."

Several hours later, the pair were seated on the floor of the great room… a fire blazing in the hearth. They had first tried to figure out who this hero was by reading bits and pieces from the series of books. It became obvious to them when the first writer had stopped writing and where another writer had taken over…

"Whom ever M. J. Prewett-Evans was, she was good… she had a completely different style then the others… Her original story was very good… It looks like she actually did about four of the novels. These remind me of some of the muggle romances that I used to read over the summer holidays." Hermione said as she picked up another book to peruse.

"You mean to tell me the Great Hermione Granger used to read something other then Hogwarts: A History… Oh the humanity… my image of you is completely shattered…" Harry said his emerald eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Oh stop you…" she said giving him a playful swat on the arm. "Well the way I understand the series it looks like the main theme of the stories is unrequited love. The main character is in love with someone and lives vicariously thru fantasies… but there is a recurring reluctance to voice those feelings…" She stopped and looked at Harry for a second then back down to the book in her hand. "I can't do this…"

Before Harry could stop her, she had stood up and apparated away. He looked down at the book she had dropped to the floor and picked it up. The cover was brilliantly done, its color and attention for detail magnificent… then he saw what she had seen… a Hippogriff soaring through the clouds with the couple intimately embraced provocatively on its back, nestled protectively between the wings...

"Oh sweet Merlin, I know who M. J. Prewett-Evans was…" Harry said quietly to himself. Sure enough, as he picked up each book and looked he could see it clear as day… though why he had not seen it before was unclear.

This series was not about a mythical character… it was about him… about them…

He walked into the kitchen and found the bottle of whiskey; it was time to face his own demons and his own heart. Picking up the bottle and the chocolate cake he apparated to the one place he knew she would be.

Silently, he appeared in the corner of her private nook… he watched her as she sat there carefully folding a piece of parchment, stopping every so often to sip on the drink she had poured for herself. She obviously had been crying…

The origami shape took form and soon she held in her hands a paper crane. She attempted to move its wings by pulling on the tail… but some how she had not folded it to flap properly. Harry noticed that there were a dozen or more cranes scattered around her desk all in the unmovable shape.

He heard her sob and watched her take another swallow of her drink.

"You know it's not the end of the world if they won't fly." Harry said quietly as he walked from his place of hiding.

"It's not the fact that they don't fly that bothers me… it's the fact that I don't know how to do it…" Hermione said solemnly, her emotions so completely dissolved by the alcohol in her system and yet she was coherent…

"Not everyone can feel comfortable with the freedom of flying." He said as he moved over to where she sat and taking her up into his arms he set her down onto his lap as he sat back down in the comfortable overstuffed chair she used at her desk. They had done this numerous times over the years… clear back to when they were at Hogwarts. It was a very cozy way to chat with each other and both had been reluctant to break the habit after all these years.

They sat there in that position for a long time… silent to their own thoughts and emotions. Harry finally took his wand out and transfigured one of the cranes into a knife and sliced a bit of the chocolate cake off and put it to his lips… Before he bit down on it's gooey goodness he saw Hermione watching him. He slowly moved the slice to her mouth and watched her take a bite, the chocolate frosting catching on her lips.

He put the rest of the piece to his mouth and popped it in succulently savoring the sweetness. It was a guilty pleasure of his to enjoy chocolate cake and Hermione knew that… oh too well. It was also one of his passions to watch her while she ate… he saw the chocolate still on her lips. Her pink tongue had begun to lap up the stickiness from her mouth.

Oh how he wanted to be that tongue… to lick the chocolate off her mouth… to taste her… to devour her… then to drink in all his desire that he possessed of her.

He shook himself from his personal fantasy of the woman on his lap. If he was not careful she would find out how much of his fantasies about her were being fulfilled each and every day with her as she was right now.

"What you thinking about Harry?" Hermione asked her voice thick with just a hint of intoxication.

He could tell that she had lowered her own inhibitions a bit and that scared him… He took a sip of her drink… She had been drinking her favorite muggle drink… Coke and Southern Comfort… It was sweet, without being overpowering in alcohol taste.

"Fantasies…" he said then quickly added, "You know what… we still need to work on your book."

"Harry… you know I…" she began uncomfortably.

"Tut, tut… Come on now… Let's go down to the Three Broomsticks… we can talk about the book over drinks. We need to get out of here for a bit… It has been a while since we did some serious drinking… you up for it?"

She nodded her head and they got up and headed for the pub. When they walked into the rustic establishment, they saw Madame Rosmerta standing at the bar. The bar was hardly full that evening and she looked like she was tired from the long day.

"Hello you two… what can I get for you… your usual?" She asked as she pulled up the glasses to begin fixing their drinks.

"Yup, you know us too well." Harry said with a twinkling grin. "And make them refillable… we have some serious drinking to do tonight." He said with a wink.

Hermione had led them over to a table in the corner where she sat down with a stack of parchment, an eagle quill and ink.

"And what will you be eating along with the alcohol tonight?" Rosmerta said with a smile.

"How about two steaks medium and chips…" Harry said ordering for Hermione as well.

"Coming right up and anything else?"

"YEAH" Hermione shouted out, "Something chocolate for dessert."

Rosmerta nodded and headed towards the kitchen, while Harry sat down placing their drinks in front of them. "You know we still have all that cake at home."

"I know… but I need sustenance here while we discuss this…" she said as she held up some of the parchments. Quickly she depleted the liquid in her glass and watched as it magically refilled. She tipped it up to her lips again and took another swallow.

Harry knew it wasn't fair to tease Hermione when she was in this condition, but he also knew that the only way he could get her out of her funk was to try and get her mind on to something constructive…

"Oh what… that great mind of yours doesn't have enough imagination to come up with some fantasies?" Harry said as he took a long draw from his drink. He watched her reaction.

Hermione nearly choked on her drink at Harry's words. "Wh… huh?"

"Maybe we better eat first before you try and drink more tonight… you aren't being to coherent with your speaking." Harry said with a grin.

"I am not drunk… I just wasn't ready for your comment… that's all." Hermione said stubbornly.

"Of course you aren't… you just have a problem with the word fantasies."

"HARRY!" She blushed… she really didn't want to have this conversation with him… but she knew it was her fault anyway since she had talked him into helping her with the book.

They sat there silently while they ate their steak and chips both their minds completely ignoring the fact that they had stopped discussing what they had come to discuss.

Finally, Hermione realized that she had to get over her fear and started to speak. "Harry, when I asked you for the male perspective for the book… I don't know why I asked… Oh this is confusing isn't it…"

"Mione… I know this isn't easy for you… this isn't a subject that we have ever really discussed. If you want to know do I have any sexual fantasies… yes I do."

"You do?"

"Yes… don't you?"

"Well… umm… yes." Hermione said blushing as she took a long swig from her drink.

"Mione… do me a favor… forget I am here… close your eyes and imagine your fantasy… then tell me what it is."

She closed her eyes… her heart beating faster as she thought about what would really arouse the sexual instinct in her…

"I am outside… it's night… the moon is bright… I can feel it on me… but I want to feel it on my entire being. I remove all my clothes and let the light become absorbed into my flesh… I see ummm him… he's there as well we are both shed of our fears… there's nothing but us in the moonlight… we begin to make love in the moonlight… our passion begins to take flight… and we are soaring higher and faster…"

Harry closed his eyes as he listened to her voice so soft and could feel his own arousal at what she was relating to him… so involved in his own imagination of discovering this fantasy of the woman he loved he hadn't noticed that she had stopped speaking.

"Is that enough imagination for you Harry?" She asked seeing him caught up in her words.

"That's ummm a beautiful fantasy Mione," he said quietly. "I didn't know you were such a Pagan."

She laughed. "I don't know what it is… but the feel of the air…" she stopped again and shook her head. "Anyway, so Mister Two-can-play-at-this-game… Tell me one of your fantasies."

He took another drink… He was actually going to tell her the truth… something he had sworn never to do…

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Harry said softly.

"Oh? It's all that is it?" Hermione said with a slight nervous chuckle to her voice.

Oh it is all that and then some… he thought. "Ok close your eyes…" Harry said and watched as she slid her beautiful cinnamon eyes shut to the rest of the world. He got up from her chair, her head turned to the noise as he walked around beside her kneeling down next to the chair.

"Harry what are you doing?" she asked her eyes still sealed shut.

"Shhh, I wanted to get close so I could tell you my fantasy… This isn't something I want everyone to hear."

"Then maybe we should discuss this at home." She said, still keeping her eyes shut.

"No… this is perfect here… Now… where do I start" he started tentatively. "I see her as clearly as I see you… not knowing the passion that I feel for her… our eyes meet and it is like a thousand fireflies have taken flight around us… Suddenly, we are away from everyone else… I sweep her up into my arms and carry her upon my broomstick, we soar through the clouds to our own private room. There slowly I undress her… I want to see the beautiful body that has been hidden from me for so many years." Harry spoke in practically a whisper in Hermione's ear. "It arouses me to see her in the flesh… I am suddenly naked to the world as well… We lose our virginity to each other…"

At this Hermione's mouth popped open a bit in shock. "Your virginity?" she asked.

"Yes… I may have dated… but that is one thing I won't share with anyone but the woman I love…" Harry whispered and then holding back no more he captured her mouth with his and kissed her passionately.

Hermione's eyes shot open in shock, then realization hit her and she closed them again savoring the taste of his tongue as it whipped against hers. Her heart raced as her arms encircled his neck and pulled him closer to her.

Desperate for oxygen they parted their kiss, still clinging to one and other… "It's only you who can fulfill my fantasy Mione… Only you whom I love with all my heart and soul."

"Oh my God Harry… all these years… I was afraid…" tears welled up in her eyes as she realized that they had both been to afraid to cross the line that stood as a barrier between their own happiness and sexual desire. "I was so afraid if I told you I had fallen in love with you… it would destroy our friendship."

Kissing her softly on the nose he chuckled, "We could battle and destroy Lord Voldemort but our toughest battle was with ourselves… we couldn't bring ourselves to see what everyone else has seen for years."

"Take me home Harry…" She said gathering her things.

"With pleasure my love." Harry said as he threw a few galleons on the table, then taking her hand they walked out of the pub, missing the smile that had appeared upon Madame Rosmerta's face.

Disclaimer: I do not now, nor at any time own any of the Harry Potter characters. This is an original plot, based on characters created by J K Rowling. In no way is any money being made, nor copyright or trademark infringement intended. J K Rowling owns all rights as well as various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, with additional rights belonging to Warner Bros., Inc. Some parts may be of an adult nature that may not be suitable for all readers. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

A/N: Ok, so this is the end of my attempt at the Co-Writers challenge (as described below) *GRIN* This is by far my favorite story I have written to date...I have gone through and corrected the names as they had been announced by JKR after this story was written... That said, I also decided to cut the story in half but also I am going to be writing an epilogue to go with this... Please let me know if I have missed anything!!!

Peace - As Always,
Muirnin - who firmly believes "An imaginative mind is a terrible thing to waste..." @}>---'---,---

Challenge Name: Co-Writers

Issued By: Sydney

Required Elements:

>Must be post-Hogwarts.

>Hermione must be a writer.

>For some reason, she must write a romance story (that's not usually her genre) and ask Harry to co-write it with her to help her with the male perspective.

>They must wind up have a conversation about their sexual fantasies.

>Hermione must fulfill one of Harry's fantasies. (or more)

>No bondage, or SM.

>Harry must win a door prize.

>Their relationship must have been non-sexual before this.

Optional Elements:

>Ron dyes his hair.

>A burglar breaks into their apartment/house. (They can be roommates or have places of their own, your choice.)

>Hermione makes something chocolate for Harry.