A/N: So a lot of you were asking for a better snog scene between H/Hr. Actually most of you wanted a shag scene between H/Hr- I re-edited a scene and added more steamy of a kissing scene for them but they don't shag in this fic! Sorry- I'm saving my energies on that for the Dirty Dancing sequel ;) You can expect an update on that probably tomorrow evening sometime!!
Anyways, I wanted to thank all of you that took the time to leave me comments on this story. It's been in my head for quite awhile and I'm REALLY very happy that you guys liked Richard and Charlotte's story as well.
Thanks again everyone! See you on the flipside :D
"What did you two do last night?" Ginny asked when the three girls woke up the next morning and were getting ready.
"Harry and I walked around for a bit and then I managed to drag him into one of the used bookshops there in town," Hermione cast a glance at the two bulging bags resting next to her trunk. After he'd bought them for her (as she had forgotten her Muggle money back at the house) and they had arrived back, she promptly repaid him, both in quid and with a rather lengthy and nice snogging session in one of the bedrooms they'd worked on. "What about you?" she asked Ginny.
"Neville and I saw Casablanca," Ginny replied as she blushed. "Well… I had already seen it… we actually didn't do much watching." She grinned. "May I just say that Neville Longbottom kisses extremely well?"
Hermione laughed. "You may," she joked.
"Ron and I had sex," Luna said, brushing her hair in a dreamy fashion, her eyes firmly trained on the lake. "He's very good at that."
Ginny and Hermione stood positively still for a moment. "Okay Luna… its fine that you're dating my brother and all… but please, please don't elaborate on anything you do together."
Hermione agreed, nodding vigorously as she straightened out her work shirt. "I'll see you lot downstairs," she said. She headed down the hall to the guys' bedroom and knocked.
Harry opened the door to see Hermione standing outside. She grinned at him as he tugged on the bottom of his shirt. "See you at breakfast," he called behind him as he shut the door. He grabbed her hand and they raced down the hallway to one of the unused rooms.
Harry no sooner had the door shut than Hermione grabbed his shirt and propelled the both of them to the bed, her mouth on his before they even hit the mattress. Harry grinned under her lips, his fingers delving immediately into her hair and his free hand pulling up her shirt and tracing along her back.
He tasted so good; the more Hermione kissed him the more of him she wanted. She'd never experienced these sorts of feelings before and Harry seemed to draw them out of her in spades.
"Good morning," she finally murmured when their lips broke apart.
"Morning," Harry grinned, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear.
"How did you sleep?" Hermione asked, sitting up and straightening out her clothes.
"Good," Harry replied. "No nightmares!"
Hermione beamed. "That's wonderful!" she leaned forward and kissed him again.
Harry pulled her close. "I'll have to remember to not have them if I get rewarded like this."
She laughed. "I'll snog you anyways."
After another ten minutes or so of some rather heavy kissing, Harry and Hermione went downstairs. "Good morning," she smiled.
"Good morning dear," Aunt Charlotte smiled.
"How are you feeling?" Harry asked.
"Much better love, thank you," Charlotte smiled at the young man.
Harry smiled and grabbed some plates from the cupboard to go set the table. Hermione lagged behind a moment.
"Aunt Charlotte, when you have a moment I'd like to talk to you about something later," she said.
"Of course dear," Charlotte looked concernedly at her niece. "Is everything all right?"
"Oh everything is fine," Hermione assured her. "Luna, Ginny and I just found something in the attic and we want you to see it."
"All right dear," Charlotte said. "Why don't you pop in my office this afternoon then?"
"Sounds good," Hermione kissed her aunt's cheek. She grabbed some fruit and a muffin and went in the dining room, where they were quickly joined by Ron, Luna, Ginny and Neville.
"So Ron," Hermione said, shooting Ginny a sly look. "Heard you and Luna had an interesting time last night..."
Ron's head shot up and he looked first at Luna, who was watching him in her dreamy way, and then to the rest of his friends, who were snickering in their food. "Um…" he said. "What do you want to know?"
That did it for Harry and Neville, who both started to laugh so hard tears came out of their eyes. Ginny simply shook her head while Hermione tried to stifle her giggles.
"Come on Ron, we're all friends here," Hermione said brightly. "Luna here already told us all about your escapades in the lake."
Ron turned an interesting shade of magenta and muttered something under his breath.
"What was that?" Neville asked.
"What happened between Luna and me stays there," Ron answered coolly. Everyone but Luna burst out laughing again; the blonde only sighed.
"Ron's very much a gentleman," she informed everyone. That did it for him- as everyone started cracking up he grabbed Luna's hand and pulled her out of the house.
"What's wrong?" she asked, hurrying alongside him.
"They were all laughing at us in there," Ron replied shortly. "They seem to think it's all a big joke."
"Is it a big joke to you?" Luna had stopped.
"No," Ron replied.
"Then don't let the others bother you about it," she smiled as she wrapped her arms around him. "That's what I always told myself when people teased me about being odd in school. After awhile it stops hurting because their opinions don't matter."
Ron relaxed a bit. "You're right… but these are my best friends and my sister. I don't want them thinking our relationship is stupid."
"They don't," Luna replied, her eyes oddly bright. "And it wouldn't really matter if they did. They're your friends and they'll do anything for you."
Ron put his arms around her. "You're right," he conceded.
"I know," Luna sighed. "And I had a very lovely time last night."
"I did too," Ron said, feeling even better. "I'm glad it was… I'm glad it was with you." He stammered.
Luna smiled broadly as she raised herself up to kiss him. "I'm glad too," she said, her fingers already running through his red hair. They snogged for a few minutes before Ron pulled away.
"Come on," he grinned. "Maybe we can go for another swim tonight."
*** *** ***
At five to two, Hermione grabbed the journal from under her pillow and ran downstairs. Ginny and Luna had wanted to come with her but Hermione had begged off, saying she promised to tell them every detail but she had a feeling it would be hard to get her aunt to open up.
"Come in," Charlotte called at the knock on the door. Her great niece came in, a book clutched in her hand. "Oh hello dear… I'd forgotten you were coming by to show me something."
"Is this a bad time?" Hermione asked. "I can come back later,"
"Not at all," Charlotte got up and sat on the sofa near the fireplace. "Come sit down next to me."
Hermione did as her aunt said. "Well… back when we first started cleaning out the attic a month ago, we found this journal. It…it belonged to Richard."
"Oh," Charlotte said, her voice surprised and quiet.
"I really hope you don't mind," Hermione said quickly. "But we read through it- we were curious and it was like a story…"
Charlotte took the journal and opened it, her eyes filling with instant tears as she recognised Richard's familiar scrawl across the pages. "I miss him," she said.
Hermione hugged her aunt. "Will you tell me about him? If it's not too hard for you that is?"
Charlotte sighed deeply as her fingers traced the words on the pages. She was silent for several minutes as she turned to the last entry and read through it. "That night was the best and worst of my entire life." Charlotte finally said.
"You were going to marry him," Hermione said. "But you didn't…"
"No," Charlotte replied. "I was on my way here to meet him. What I didn't know was that my father had followed me with Charles. I met with Richard; we were actually sneaking away when the police showed up."
"What?" Hermione asked in shock. "The police?"
Charlotte nodded. "My father threatened to have Richard arrested for kidnapping if I didn't come back with them. I tried to call his bluff and say no, that I was an adult and I could make my own decisions about my life."
"But it wasn't a bluff?" Hermione asked, squeezing her aunt's hand.
"No," Charlotte answered sadly. "They actually had him in the handcuffs before I shouted for them to stop. I couldn't bear to look at him any more, so I left, Charles holding on so tightly to me it felt like he would break my arm."
Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat. "And then you married Charles?"
"The wedding was a week later." Charlotte said. "It was miserable, at least for me, but I tried to put on a happy face for my mother at least. I never did speak much to my father again after that. I was kept busy - Charles had a house built for us in a town two hours away… I suppose it was his way of insuring that I wouldn't be able to sneak away to see Richard."
"Did you ever see him again?" Hermione asked.
"I did," Charlotte answered. "It was six years after Charles and moved away. I had our first baby at that point and we came back here for a visit. Charles and my father were out together; I left the baby with my mother and came here."
"You saw him again," Hermione nodded.
"He had aged, but his eyes were the same as I remembered. We were so happy to see one another but at the same time, it was as if a wall fell between us…"
"You look exactly as I've always pictured you," Richard traced a line down her cheek.
"I miss you so much," Charlotte replied. "You have no idea how much I wish I was your wife, even now."
"You have a child," he nodded. "I saw the write up in the newspaper."
"A boy," Charlotte nodded.
Richard smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. "I still picture you here with me," he said. "I still love you as much as I ever did."
Charlotte felt tears spring to her eyes as she stepped forward and kissed him, the taste of his lips something she had craved for six years.
Richard pushed her back a few moments later. "We can't do this," he said, his forehead touching hers. "You're a married woman and a mother now."
"I know," Charlotte replied tearfully. "But it still feels so right Richard."
"Was that the last time you saw him?" Hermione asked, still gripping Charlotte's hand.
"No. There was one more time… Charles and I had come back when my father died for his funeral. The whole town turned up- he stood near the back. I went to him after the service was over… we both realised at that point we needed to let go of one another."
"But you never did, did you?" Hermione asked.
"Not altogether," Charlotte replied. "He never married, and I know we never stopped loving one another. And I hope one day when I pass on, he and I will be reunited."
Hermione felt a tear slip down her cheek. "I hope you are too," she whispered.
"I feel so silly, I've made you cry," Charlotte touched her niece's cheek. "You're a very good, sweet girl Hermione."
"Thank you Aunt Charlotte." Hermione smiled. "I'm glad to know arranged marriages aren't the fashion anymore."
"That they aren't," Charlotte smiled. "Besides, I daresay your parents will find Harry to be quite worthy of their little girl."
"I hope so," Hermione said. "They know how much I care about him as a friend."
"As long as you're happy, they'll be happy," Charlotte patted her hand.
Hermione smiled and got up from the sofa. "I'll let you be so you can read the journal." She kissed her aunt's cheek and went to the door. "He really did love you a lot Aunt Charlotte."
Charlotte smiled at her niece as she left, and with a trembling hand, turned back to the first page of the journal.
Hermione ran back up the stairs but instead of finding Ginny and Luna she went to the room where she knew Harry was cleaning. He was scrubbing a wall, his back to her. She shut the door and he spun around.
"Hey where did you go?" his last words were muffled because Hermione had thrown her arms around him and pressed her mouth hard against his.
Hermione kissed him as hard and as passionately as she could. "I'm sorry," she said when they pulled apart.
"Why?" Harry drew her closer. "I don't mind when you do that." His eyebrows knit together as he saw her eyes go shiny. "What is it Hermione?"
She told him about the journal and what her aunt had just told her. "I guess… I'm just glad that no one objects to us being together Harry. I care about you so much…"
"I love you," Harry said suddenly.
"You what?" Hermione's eyes were wide.
"I love you," Harry repeated. "I don't care if we've only been together as a couple for only a little while…" It was his turn to be interrupted as Hermione flung herself at him, kissing him even harder than before.
She tasted sweet to him as he flicked his tongue against hers and teased her nape with his fingers. "I love you too Harry," Hermione's eyes were wet when they pulled away.
He hugged her tightly, her arms going around his middle and holding him equally as strongly. "I'm glad we got that cleared up," Harry tried to lighten the mood and she laughed a bit.
"Me too," she rested her chin on his shoulder as he rubbed her back soothingly. There was something almost different now about his actions, as if their declaration of the word love changed even more between them than becoming a couple already had. She pulled away and looked at him, her fingers tracing the lines of his face.
Harry looked back at her, his eyes soft as he leaned in again, touching his lips to hers. Hermione closed her eyes as she opened her mouth underneath his, letting his tongue slip inside. He pulled her gently over to the bed, pushing her upon it before lying to her side, rolling her body up over his.
Hermione lost her fingers in his hair as his hands began to wander up her shirt. Hermione arched her back, allowing Harry to slip the fabric up. "Take it off," she hissed softly.
Harry opened his mouth to say something but she shushed him and helped him pull the t shirt over her head. Hermione was slightly nervous but at the same time, this was Harry and he loved her for Merlin's sake. She pulled him back down on top of her, running her hands up over his back, his skin smooth under her fingertips.
Harry let out a moan as she lightly ran her fingernails over his spine. "Merlin…" he gasped, wanting to please her like she was doing for him. He began to run his hands up over her chest, letting his fingers trail over her covered breasts. His mouth pulled away from hers to trail down her neck, over the hollow of her throat and they valley between the two parts of her that Harry was currently caressing.
"Can I…" he choked out.
"Yes," Hermione answered immediately.
Harry reached around behind her and feverishly unsnapped her bra, yanking it over her arms and taking in for the first time what Hermione looked like without anything covering her upper body. "You… you're…" he couldn't seem to form words.
"Is it that bad?" she asked.
"No!" Harry shook his head vehemently. "You're… gorgeous… I just couldn't think of what to say… my mind went sort of blank."
"Is that good?" Hermione had a small smile on her face.
"Yes," Harry grinned as he stroked her cheek. "You don't have to be embarrassed with me Hermione."
"I know that," Hermione answered. "I can't help it though…" she shivered in pleasure as Harry leaned in and kissed her again, his palm brushing over her breast.
Harry was nowhere near being experienced in these matters- he was relying on Hermione's sighs and what she was doing back to make sure he was going along all right. His heart beat faster as she open her mouth to let out a tiny cry as Harry kissed over her breast, his tongue swirling over her tip.
He returned his mouth to hers several minutes later and Hermione grasped his shoulders. "Where did you learn to do that?" she asked, once they'd broken apart for air. She moved over into his arms and Harry held her as close as he could.
"I don't know," Harry replied. "I was just… going along with what I thought felt good for you…" He noticed the sudden tears that sprang to her eyes. "What is it?"
"Nothing," Hermione sniffed. "I feel so silly."
"Why?" Harry tucked a strand of her bushy hair behind her ear.
"I don't know… I'm just happy… happy I have you… and you love me…" Hermione couldn't help the two tears that fell from her eyes."
"That I do," Harry replied. "And you love me as well."
"That I do," Hermione repeated and he kissed her again.
"I'll tell you as many times as you need to hear it," Harry said softly, bringing his lips back to hers once more.
"We should get back to work," Hermione wiped at her eyes several minutes later. "We've got plenty of time for this tonight."
"What's this?" Harry asked teasingly.
Hermione blushed. "This," she kissed him and Harry pulled her back against him.
After she and Harry had snogged thoroughly some more, Hermione took off to find Ginny and Luna and tell them what Charlotte had told her.
"And she only saw him twice again after that," Hermione said. Ginny's eyes were filled with tears and Luna looked pensive.
"That's so sad," Ginny said. "Poor Richard and Aunt Charlotte…"
"I left her the journal to read," Hermione replied. "But I was thinking… maybe… we could get some of the pictures she's not going to have framed and put them all together in a nice photo album for her?"
"That's a lovely idea," Luna agreed.
"Good," Hermione smiled at them. "Well… let's get back to work and we can start planning for the album tonight."
*** Two Weeks Later ***
Neville held the door to the restaurant open for Ginny. "Thank you," she smiled at him.
"I'm glad you wanted to go out again," he brushed his hand through his hair before winding their fingers together.
"It was much nicer without Ron breathing down your neck this time," Ginny laughed.
"Yeah," Neville admitted. "Plus I wanted to be alone with you away from the house."
"Oh?" Ginny asked playfully.
Neville stopped and gave her a quick kiss. "Hey Ginny?" he asked after they'd walked down the road a bit.
"Hmm?" Ginny asked.
"What… what would you do…if you saw Malfoy again and… he decided he wanted you back?" Neville couldn't help asking this. It was something he'd wondered about ever since Ginny had told him her tale.
"What?" Ginny asked. "Go back to Malfoy?"
"Yeah," Neville said, a bit nervously.
Ginny was silent a moment. "Why on this bloody earth would I go back to Malfoy?"
"I don't know. You loved him," Neville said, wishing he hadn't asked.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "So that means I'm still in love with him?"
"No," Neville replied. "I'm just curious."
"No," Ginny said flatly. "What Malfoy and I had… it's over now, completely. I've no desire to even lay eyes on him ever again much less talk to him or go back to him."
Neville turned red. "I'm sorry," he said.
"It's all right," Ginny calmed down. "You're not getting rid of me that easily Longbottom," she attempted a smile.
"All right," Neville returned her grin. "Long as you know what you're getting yourself into."
"I think I'll risk it," Ginny said. She glanced at her watch. "We should get back though…we have to finish the photo album since we leave day after tomorrow."
The photo album Hermione had had the idea for had turned into more of a scrapbook. Harry had found three boxes full of old newspapers in one of the closets, and using some magic, Hermione had carefully repaired them and some of the articles about Crossways and Richard were pasted into the book along with many photos they'd found.
"I can't wait to give this to her," Ginny and Neville heard Hermione saying as they climbed the stairs. "She'll be so surprised."
"I'm sure she'll love it," Harry assured her, his eyes travelling to the doorway where Ginny and Neville had just appeared. "Hey," he said. "Did you have a good time?"
"We did," Ginny answered, squeezing Neville's hand. "Save it Ron," she said to her brother who had just opened his mouth.
Everyone laughed as the redhead girl came over to inspect the scrapbook. "Wow, you guys got a lot done tonight."
"Yeah," Hermione brushed back a stray curl of hair. "We can give it to her then tomorrow after we make dinner for her."
"We?" Harry asked pointedly. "As I remember, I'm the only one of you lot that can handle myself in the kitchen. All those years of cooking for the Dursleys and this is what I get…"
Hermione bombarded him with a pillow. "Harry James I told you I would help!"
"Ow!" Harry laughed. "All right Hermione Jane, you win." He grabbed the pillow from her and tossed it at Ron.
"Hey!" Ron said, crumbs dropping down the front of his shirt from the biscuit he was eating. "I told you that I'd help too!"
"If Ron is helping you, you may want to order out," Ginny replied. "One time he and I tried to make dinner when my mum was sick and…" she shivered. "Let's just say the large black mass that was a result was completely uneatable."
Everyone laughed at that, even Ron.
*** *** ***
"I wish you kids didn't have to leave tomorrow," Charlotte said as they all finished the dinner Harry, Hermione and Ron had worked on.
They had wound up making pasta and salad, after a failed attempt at a casserole and roast chicken went in the garbage. Harry had hardly been amused at Ron and Hermione's disabilities in the kitchen and had finally shooed them away so he could make something edible.
"We don't want to leave either Aunt Charlotte," Ginny said. "It's been lovely being here."
"That's sweet of you to say dear," Charlotte replied. "I'll certainly miss your help. I can't believe how much the six of you were able to finish up in the time you were here."
"We had plenty of time to do it," Ron said.
"Well thank you all very much," Charlotte said firmly. "You're all welcome to come back and stay whenever you like."
A chorus of thank you's rose from the group as Ron and Luna began to gather the dirty dinner plates. Harry and Hermione rose to get dessert, which was the only thing Hermione had been able to fix as it involved no cooking- strawberry shortcake.
"Good job Hermione," Ron said with his mouth full.
"Thank you Ron," Hermione replied. They all finished dessert, and Hermione picked up the gift wrapped scrapbook that had been sitting under her chair all of dinner.
"Aunt Charlotte…" she began. "We all wanted to give you something… to remind you of Crossways back when you were younger and… and Richard," Hermione finished tentatively. She handed her aunt the gift and Charlotte tore it open.
"Oh…" Charlotte's jaw dropped as she took in the carefully planned pages, the pasted in newspapers, and photos. "This… this is…" tears filled her eyes.
"We all really hope you like it," Ginny said, sitting down next to her. "We put as many pictures of Richard and the house as we could find."
"Thank you all so much," Charlotte said. "What a lovely gift! I will put it on the front table for display next to the guest book. I absolutely love it!"
She hugged each teenager in turn. "Thank you all," she sniffed. "I've grown to love you six like my own children since you've been here. I can't believe how much I'll miss all of you."
Ron, Luna, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Neville crowded around her in one large group hug. "We love you too," Hermione said her eyes clouded with tears.
They left Charlotte several minutes after that so she could look through the book herself. The elderly woman was deeply touched at the thoughtfulness of her great niece and friends.
The photos and articles they had selected brought back many, many memories. Her fingers traced over Richard's face- the kids had even found photos that had been taken of them together on the old swing outside.
It was those days Charlotte missed most of all. Those carefree days before they had been caught, when they could be open with their love for one another, before they had been dragged apart, before she had been married off to another man she'd never truly grown to love.
Charlotte leaned her head back against her headboard- she had gone to bed while still reading some of the articles- and began to dream about what it would have been like should her father not have caught them that night.
A different life indeed…
*** *** ***
The six teenagers crowded around the window of their compartment and waved furiously at Aunt Charlotte as the train began to pull from the station. She had been quite spunky that morning due in large part, they suspected, from the scrapbook they'd given her the night before.
An hour or so into their journey back to London, Neville and Ginny had fallen asleep, their fingers woven together; Ron and Luna had been gone for the past half hour 'using the loo'. Harry was dozing as well, his head in Hermione's lap, her fingers brushing lightly through his messy black hair.
"Hi," he whispered when he was jolted awake much like he had been on the ride to Crossways.
"Hi," she whispered back. "Did you have a nice kip?"
"It was all right," Harry sat up and stretched, letting his arm fall over her shoulders.
"Very smooth Potter," Hermione leaned against his shoulder.
"What?" Harry asked innocently.
"Nothing," Hermione leaned up for what was supposed to be a quick kiss. Harry curved his fingers over her nape, keeping her lips pressed against his. Hermione put her book aside and moved on top of Harry's lap, his arms going around her waist as she boldly pushed her tongue into his mouth.
His responding groan told her he was quite happy with that move as Harry pulled her closer, as close as she could possibly get. Hermione was having a hard time breathing as her rib cage was crushed against his chest, her breasts flattened as his mouth practically devoured hers.
"Ahem," a voice at the door made them pull apart, Hermione biting down hard on her swollen lower lip. Ron started laughing at the looks on the faces of his two best friends. "Getting a little friendly there aye Harry?"
"Sod off Ron," Harry grumbled. "You ruined a perfectly good snogging session."
"Potter," Ron said languidly. "You've really got a lot to learn don't you?"
"Shut up Ron," Harry said warningly. "I do not have a lot to learn about snogging."
"Not about snogging, but about where to do it," Ron grinned. "That's what the loo or an empty compartment is for."
Harry glared at him and then grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her out into the corridor, Ron's laughter echoing behind him.
*** *** ***
Charlotte stood at the gate of the village cemetery, her dress blowing around her legs. She'd let her hair down and the grey strands swung gently around her shoulders. She walked carefully along the rows of headstones until she came to a particular one.
She set a bouquet of flowers down, cleaning away a few of the weeds cluttering the ground. Tracing her fingers along the engraved name and dates, Charlotte took a deep breath.
"Hello Richard." She began in a slightly shaking voice. "It's been a long time…"