A/N: I'm posting this today in honour of JK Rowling and Harry- Happy birthday to the both of them! Especially to her for giving us such a fantastic universe to fantasize and use our own creativity in! And Harry… *pinches* just remember, the guy IS 24 and perfectly legal ;) all right, I know… he's not real… but I can pretend can't I? ;) *schnoogles PoA Quidditch Harry doll*
Also, the plot with Charlotte and Richard will be resolved in the next chapter, which is also the final one to the story. R/R please! :)
"Harry…." Hermione moaned as she pulled her lips from his. "We can't keep doing this!"
"Why not?" Harry asked as his breathing hitched.
"Well… we're just supposed to be getting work done," Hermione didn't want to stop kissing him at all.
"I know," Harry replied. He had known when Ron and Luna said they wanted to clean together that none of them would get much work done that day. And if the looks Neville had been shooting Ginny at breakfast meant anything, he doubted they would get much done either.
Their relationship had progressed faster than either one of them had expected, but hadn't gone past the point of snogging and some touching with their clothes on. They had thought of one another for so long as only friends; these new feelings were a bit much to comprehend at times.
"You know," Harry let his hand trail down her arm. "Since you and I have gotten together my nightmares haven't been so bad."
"Really?" Hermione smiled. "That's wonderful Harry."
"I guess in a way it is," Harry grinned suddenly. "I don't get my post nightmare snog from you anymore if they go away,"
They both laughed as Hermione brushed his midnight hair aside to trace her fingers along his scar. "It's good to see you happy again Harry." She said. "I was worried for a long time that you'd never be able to let it all go."
Harry caught her hand and kissed it. "I have you and Ron to thank for that. Well… everyone really. This has been really great coming here and helping out. It's helped take my mind off everything."
Hermione smiled as his forehead leaned on hers. "Do you… do you think we'd have gotten together if we weren't here?" she asked.
"I don't know," Harry said thoughtfully. "I certainly hope so. Maybe we wouldn't have gotten together so soon but… it just always seemed like it was supposed to be us. Whenever I thought about my future you were always there and now I know why." His voice was almost a bit shy as he said those last words.
Hermione hugged him around the middle as she kissed him fully on the mouth. "You were always in my idea of the future too," she said softly. Harry grinned in obvious relief and brought his lips back to hers, easing her back down on the bed gently. Their lips fused together; his tongue tasting her mouth and his fingers making the journey down the side of her body. His palm itched to touch her skin and so Harry gently went under her shirt, letting his hand trail over her stomach.
She let him do this, as aching for his touch as he was hers. "Harry…" Hermione said softly as his lips moved over her neck. Harry moved the collar of her shirt aside so he could kiss her shoulders while his fingers got brave and moved up to touch her covered breasts. She wanted to stop him, yet she didn't and her own hands moved up to bury themselves in his messy head of hair.
His finger slipped into her bra and Hermione gasped aloud. Harry hoped that meant what he was doing was okay- he was ashamed of his inexperience but this time in his life was truly the first chance he had to spend on members of the opposite sex. "Are you all right?" he asked.
"Merlin, yes…" she gasped again, winding her fingers around the back of his neck and pulling him back down for a kiss.
*** *** ***
Whereas Harry and Hermione's relationship was developing maturely, Ron and Luna's seemed to go straight up like a Firebolt broom at a Quidditch match. They were currently lying on one of the unmade beds in the guest room they were supposed to be cleaning.
Ron was currently trailing his mouth down Luna's neck, his fingers tangled in her loose jumbled waves of hair. Her hands clutched his shoulders as their lower bodies rubbed together through their jeans.
"Merlin," he gasped as her fingers pulled at his shirt, yanking it over his head. Luna was mischievous when they snogged, and this time proved to be no exception.
Ron grasped at her flimsy tank top, needing to feel her skin against his. He pulled his hands around her, trying to unsnap her bra while not allowing his mouth to break away from hers.
"Ronald," she moaned, sending delicious shivers up his spine as her fingers trailed over his bare back.
"Loony," he muttered back, never forgetting their deal. Ron's mouth moved down to the valley between her breasts, his tongue flicking out to taste her skin as his hand grasped her butterbeer cork necklace.
Luna's back arched as he kissed over her breasts, his hand going automatically between her legs. She bucked up as his fingers brushed her spot through her jeans. Luna still couldn't believe that this was really Ron Weasley doing such things to her. "Do it again," she smiled, her eyes focused on the redhead above her but far away at the same time.
"Do what?" Ron grinned devilishly. "This?" he pressed the heel of his hand into her and she let out a small cry that went between a breath and a sigh.
"Yes," she sucked in a breath through her teeth as his mouth returned to hers, his fingers leaving her sex and coming to tangle in her hair again.
As they snogged furiously, her hand dipped into his jeans and he gave a ragged gasp into her mouth as her fingers touched his manhood. "I didn't know… you knew… how to do… that…" Ron's eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head as little warning bells started to go off. If they kept this up he knew exactly what was going to happen and he honestly wasn't sure he was ready for that yet.
"Luna…" he pulled away, moving his body off hers. "I can't… we can't…"
"Can't what?" She sat up, her tousled hair hanging over her chest.
"I can't…" Ron couldn't get the words out of his mouth. "If we kept at it… I don't trust me that's all." He felt horribly embarrassed but Luna only smiled at him.
"That's very sweet of you Ron," she said, twisting her cork necklace between her fingers.
"So you don't mind then?" Ron asked in obvious relief. "For now? It all just makes me a little nervous but maybe-"
"For now," she leaned forward and kissed him.
*** *** ***
It was the week after the girls had finished the journal. Aunt Charlotte's flu seemed to have gone away, but the older woman was still tired and keeping herself busy with renovation work. The girls couldn't seem to figure out the right time to bring her attention to the journal and talk to her about it.
On the other hand, it seemed as if the guys had gotten together and arranged a triple date in town. Ron was less than amused that Neville would be Ginny's partner for the evening and spent the few hours before it grilling him.
"What do you plan on doing with her later?" Ron asked, brushing his hair off his forehead.
"Ron," Harry looked up from where he was pulling on his shoes. "Knock it off ok?"
Neville frowned at his redheaded friend. "Look Ron, I know you're worried about Ginny. I've got no plans in taking advantage of her all right?"
"So you've thought about it then?" Ron asked.
"What are you talking about?" Neville was flabbergasted.
"Ron!" Harry got up. "That's enough. We've known Neville for almost eight years now. He's not Malfoy!"
Ron visibly relaxed at the look Harry was giving him. "You're right," he muttered. "Sorry Neville."
"Its fine," Neville replied. They were all wearing blue jeans, as the restaurant was quite casual. Harry had tossed on a green jumper, Ron was wearing a blue button down shirt and Neville had a grey jumper that almost reminded them of their former school uniforms.
"Hermione please tell me you're not planning to wear that," Ginny stared in horror at Hermione's cream coloured monstrosity.
"Why not?" Hermione asked defensively.
"Well it's… it's…" Ginny shuddered. "It's ugly!"
"My jumper is not ugly," Hermione informed her.
Ginny looked to Luna for help but the blonde only shrugged. "I've never paid much attention to fashion," she said, her mind already on Ron.
Hermione only shook her head and pulled a brush through her hair. "I don't need to get all dressed up. It's a very casual place. Besides, I don't have to impress Harry."
Ginny sighed. "You don't have to impress him but you should want to look nice for him."
Hermione finally turned around. "Are you implying that I don't look nice?"
"No!" Ginny replied. "Let me give you another shirt to wear."
Hermione figured she must have looked like she was going to say no because Ginny went to her trunk and began digging through it. "Here," she said triumphantly, holding up a black piece of material.
Hermione took it, admitting the fabric was soft and nice. "Sasha gave it to me last year to wear at the clubs," Ginny said, touching the sleeve.
"I'll try it on," Hermione disappeared into the loo and came back out minutes later. "It's kind of tight," she tugged at the sleeve.
"It fits you perfectly," Ginny said honestly. The shirt fit Hermione nicely, the arms were slim cut until the wrist and they fell down a few inches into a small bell sleeve.
Hermione looked at herself in the mirror, admiring how the shirt looked. "You don't… mind if I wear it then?"
"Sure," Ginny smiled at her friend. "Now I can't wait to see Harry's face when he sees you," she sat Hermione down and began to fuss with her hair.
Hermione sat patiently as Ginny pulled and tugged on her long bushy locks. "What are you doing?"
"I wish we had some Sleekeazy's," Ginny muttered. "You should just permanently straighten your hair Hermione."
"Not everyone has the great hair genes of the Weasley family," Hermione shot back and Luna laughed.
"All right," Ginny said a few minutes later. She'd managed to pull Hermione's hair off her face, clasping it at her nape and leaving it down in back. "You'll knock Harry's socks off."
"Thanks Gin," Hermione surprised her with a hug. "Now…" she said sitting on her bed. "You can tell us while you get ready about what's going on with you and Neville."
Ginny hid her smile. "Well… I told him all about what happened with Draco and he just sat there and listened. And afterwards I asked him if there was anything he regretted…" she told him of the resulting conversation.
"That's really sweet," Hermione said. "I'm happy for you." Luna nodded in agreement.
"Thanks," Ginny smiled at her two friends. "Here's to hoping Ron hasn't scared him off already!"
*** *** ***
Hermione was secretly pleased to see that Ginny was spot on in her prediction of Harry's reaction to her. His jaw had fallen for a moment and then he was giving her a quick kiss and muttering about how great she looked.
"Thanks," she'd whispered back. They checked in with Aunt Charlotte to let her know they were gone and now they were in town, finishing up their dinner.
It had started off a bit shaky, with Ron giving Neville suspicious looks whenever he would turn to Ginny or even try to hold her hand. Harry muttered a few words to Luna and a few moments after that Ron had other things occupying his mind.
After dinner was over, each couple separated and agreed to meet back at the bed and breakfast later that evening. Harry and Hermione walked hand in hand down the street.
"This is such a nice evening," she sighed.
"That it is," Harry agreed. "And you look really nice too," he said for about the fifth time.
"You told me that already," Hermione said with a blush.
"Sorry," Harry replied.
"I'm just not used to being complimented like that. Usually people do that when I've done well on an exam or whatnot," she replied, almost feeling shy.
Harry pulled his hand from hers and put his arm around her. "If it means anything, I've always thought you were pretty."
"Thank you," Hermione said, smiling at him. He grinned back and kissed her quickly.
"So… what do you want to do?" Harry asked. "I'm not an expert with dates."
"And you think I am?" Hermione asked.
"Well… no maybe not," Harry said. "But my one and only date, until now, was spent in Madam Puddifoot's and that was also little more than three years ago."
"Goodness," Hermione teased. "I don't think I'm that bad."
Harry smiled at her. "You are," he grinned and laughed as she slapped his shoulder. "But I like you anyway."
"I like you too, Potter," Hermione replied. He leaned in and kissed her again, this time letting his lips linger on hers.
*** *** ***
"I'm really sorry that Ron's been on your back about me," Ginny said as she and Neville walked idly down the streets of the village.
"It's all right," Neville replied, wrapping his hand around hers. "He's just being a brother is all."
"I know, but it's so embarrassing," Ginny said. "Having him yell at you for trying to hold my chair for me or picking up my napkin when I dropped it…" she shook her head.
"It's worth it," Neville interrupted, sending her a bashful smile. "I mean… I really can't believe you agreed to go out with clumsy old me."
"Neville," Ginny chided. "You need to give yourself more credit. You're not as clumsy as you were, you're a good and loyal friend, and you're very brave."
"Good of you to think so," Neville's face had turned red.
Ginny smiled and leaned against him as they walked on. "You know what helped me most after that whole situation?" she said out of the blue.
"What's that?" Neville asked, knowing what she was talking about.
"My family… aside from Ron… didn't seem to care." Ginny said with a faraway look in her eyes. "Of course they'd heard all about it, but when we got to the station at the end of the year, my mum hugged me and my dad kissed me on the cheek. They told me that if I wanted to talk about it they would be there. Fred and George teased me, but I could tell it was all good natured and not mean. It felt good, especially after the way I was when I left for school. I was downright rotten to them because I thought I was in love with Malfoy and wanted to be with him."
"I'm surprised Ron didn't come around sooner if the rest of your family wasn't angry," Neville said.
"Well… sometimes it felt like he was going to. At first he wouldn't speak to me, he would hardly even speak at me… and then it was little things, like at dinner he'd ask me to pass the salt or the potatoes, he'd tell me he'd heard from Harry or Hermione…" Ginny shrugged. "Other times it was like he'd just heard about me and Malfoy all over again."
"At least he's put it behind you now," Neville said, putting his arm over her shoulders boldly.
"That he has," Ginny smiled as she slid her arm around his waist. They walked down the pavement and her eyes lit up. "Casablanca!"
"Casa what?" Neville asked.
"It's a movie… a Muggle thing," she added in a low voice. "It's brilliant; I saw it with Sasha last holiday one evening before we went to the club." Ginny pulled on his hand. "Let's go see it!"
"All right," Neville chuckled, fishing in his pockets for some pounds. Ginny let out a happy squeal as he bought the tickets and she practically dragged him inside.
Neville sat happy and relaxed in the slightly reclining chair as Ginny snuggled herself in next to him, her head on his shoulder. He had a feeling he was going to like this movie regardless if he watched it or not.
*** *** ***
Ron felt the ground lifting up and down beneath him. "Wow…" he looked around and the world began to spin again. Being the only eighteen year old at the table, he had decided to show off and have a pint of bitter with dinner.
One pint had turned into four, eventually and Ron was now feeling quite giddy and quite randy. He was constantly turning to Luna who was skipping alongside him and grabbing her for a random snog.
They arrived back on the Crossways property and fell down in a heap by the lake, both of them laughing their heads off. Ron leaned over and kissed his girlfriend again, his arms winding around her, practically pulling her onto his lap.
She gave a little sigh into his mouth that made Ron stiffen instantly. He kissed her harder, his fingers automatically now going to her shirt. They broke apart momentarily to take off their shirts and throw them aside before clashing their mouths, teeth and tongues together in a flurry of passion.
Ron unsnapped her bra, dropping it on top of their growing pile of clothes as he laid her down on the grass. Luna was running her hands all over his bare back, her fingers brushing through his red hair as he moved his mouth from hers down over her neck and breasts.
It was really quite warm, Ron realised awhile later. "Are you hot?" he asked, catching his breath.
"Yes," Luna replied dazedly. Her lips were quite swollen and red and it made Ron grin.
"Want to go for a dip in the lake?" he asked, grinning wider.
"Okay," she agreed readily, reaching for her bra.
Ron stopped her from putting it on. "Why don't we go skinny dipping?" his smile grew wicked.
Luna smiled back. "Okay," she said again. "You know, Daddy ran an article once in the back pages of the Quibbler that said that a man's foot represents the size of other things," she gazed at his abnormally large feet and grinned.
Ron turned red but he grinned back. "Well come on and find out for yourself Lovegood," he was still buzzing quite hard. He unsnapped his jeans and watched as Luna swiftly stripped down to her knickers, her long loose hair falling to her waist in jumbled waves. Feeling slightly nervous, he kicked off his jeans and hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his boxers.
They stared at one another as both lowered the final pieces of their clothing. Ron dropped his boxers as Luna dangled her knickers for a moment and then they fell on top of the pile.
He was nervous now, his bravado from the alcohol fading away like the sunset earlier that night. Ron reached out for her hand and they slid into the cool water.
Luna wound her arms around his neck as Ron pulled them into deeper water. "I was right about your foot size," she said, her lips skimming his ear.
He grinned in relief at her. "I guess I shouldn't be so nervous around you should I?" he asked.
"No," Luna kissed him. "You already know how I feel about you,"
"I do," Ron nodded. "I feel the same way."
Luna smiled and leaned in again. Ron's arms slipped down her waist, his fingers grazing low on her skin. Their kisses grew hot fast as they dipped lower in the water so that only their heads were above surface.
She broke away from him several minutes later and dove under the water. Ron treaded, looking around for her to surface. Luna came up several yards away, her hair plastered to her head and floating around her in the water. She looked like a mythical mermaid to him, and he felt like he'd never seen anything more gorgeous in his life.
"You're staring at me," Luna said, giggling a bit.
"Sorry," Ron said, reaching for her. "Are you all cooled down now?" he teased.
"Are you going to heat me back up?" Luna asked a bit coyly.
Ron grinned. "Is that what you want Luna?" he asked, tracing a finger down her face.
"Yes," she said, gazing back at him evenly. "I looked in a book of Hermione's earlier and found something to protect myself."
"All right," Ron said, swallowing nervously. He didn't assume when he'd suggested the skinny dipping that it would lead to this… but he felt ready. He was an adult now. He'd be getting a job soon. Yes… he felt that he was definitely ready.
They kissed again, her arms coming back around his neck. Ron could feel her heart beating against his chest as his hands came around to her front, teasing her with his fingers until Luna was gasping into his ear.
Ron returned his lips to hers, his tongue thrusting in and out much like his lower half would be doing. After teasing her a bit more under the water, Ron pushed himself inside her, his eyes open and staring into hers.
It started slow and rather steady, but as the burning inside them grew, he went faster. Luna's head dropped back as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Ron kissed her neck and bit at her pale shoulder as he released, letting his shout be muffled in her skin. Luna lost it at about the same time and her cry echoed over the lake.
Ron and Luna held onto each other in the water, almost motionless for a few moments. "Wow…" he finally said weakly.
Luna rested her forehead on his, her fingers playing in his hair at the nape of his neck. She had never felt speechless before this moment and what made her happiest of all was that she was with Ron Weasley, which had been a dream of hers for so long. "It was perfect," she finally murmured.
Ron opened his mouth to say that wasn't true, it had been slightly awkward and too fast but one look at her face made him stay quiet. "It was perfect," he repeated softly.