Well, it's done. I'm so shocked, but happy at all the replies I get. Honestly, you guys are so great and so supportive! This was a fun one to write! Thanks for everything! Love ya lots!
HM
Chapter 4
Harry didn't need the map to know where to find Hermione; he had a pretty good idea on where she was. For the past couple of years, whenever she was troubled or wanted to get away, Harry would always find her by the lake under her favorite tree. He didn't know why she liked it so much, but now that he thought about it, the two of them were sitting under the tree when he had told her about the prophecy in their sixth year. It was their tree. He didn't even realize it until now.
The summer breeze washed over him as he stepped out of the castle, slowly making his way to the lake. The moon had come out from wherever it was hiding and gave a soft glow around the grounds and shimmered across the water. He loved it here. He was going to miss it; Hogwarts was his first home after all. He experienced so many things here. Ron and Hermione were the first friends he ever had. This was where he first rode a broom, played Quidditch and…met Sirius. He still missed him, but his friends, especially Hermione, had always been there for him.
He had his first kiss here, too, and he smiled softly when he remembered Cho. Funny, really…back then he thought it couldn't get any better, but after experiencing his kiss with Hermione…He was sure as hell wrong.
He saw her silhouette in the dark and the closer he got to her the easier it was to see her come into focus. She had her back slightly turned to him, so she didn't see him sneaking up behind her. He stood silent for a while, close enough to her to catch her scent. She was beautiful and he was an idiot for not seeing it sooner. "Nice night."
Hermione gasped as she spun around. "Harry!"
He grinned. "Hi."
He could see her surprised brown eyes twinkling from the moonlight. "What…what are you doing here?"
"Looking for you of course." He cocked his head to the side. "You ran off."
Hermione sighed as she turned away from him. "You have a girlfriend, Harry," she said softly. "Why don't you do us both a favor and go back to her."
"I don't have a girlfriend," he said bluntly.
"Don't be silly, Harry," she snapped as she turned back towards him. "Of course you have a girlfriend, her name is Nicole and I'm sure she's wondering where you are."
"I don't have a girlfriend," he repeated again. "I've been a single man for about ten minutes now."
Harry saw her take a step back. "What?" She shook her head. "What do you mean?"
Harry shrugged. "I mean I ended things with Nicole."
"But…but why?" she asked hesitantly as she took back her retreated step and was closer to him again.
"I think that's obvious, Hermione," he said as he shoved his hands in his pocket to keep from touching her.
"You mean…because of what happened on the balcony?"
It was dark, but he could still tell she was blushing. "That's exactly right."
"Oh Harry," she sighed shaking her head. "You didn't have to do that, I realize it was a mistake."
"It wasn't a mistake," he said firmly moving closer to her. "It was far from a mistake."
"But…but that message was meant for Nicole."
Harry smiled. "True. I told Dobby to take the parchment to my girlfriend." Harry touched her cheek. "I should have known Dobby would take it with you. He's been calling you mine for years." He chuckled. " 'Harry, your Hermione needs to make more hats and socks for Dobby,' 'Your Hermione is very clever, Harry Potter, sir…she helped Dobby to get enough courage to ask Winky out.' 'You're very lucky Harry, to have your Hermoine.' Dobby got it, Hermione. He always knew you were mine. Even if we didn't."
He heard her sniff back tears and her voice was cracking with emotion, "But…you thought…I was Nicole," she whimpered.
"Ah, Hermione," he said softly as he cupped her face with his hands. "I might have thought I was with Nicole, but you were the one I was thinking about."
She gasped. "What?"
"It's true," he said tilting her head up so she could look in his eyes. "Ever since I turned around to see you tonight, you were all I could think about." He kissed the tip of her nose. "So damn beautiful it was driving me crazy." He placed his lips upon her cheek. "I imagined you were the one I was kissing." Then the other cheek. "I wished it was you I was tasting." He flirted his lips with hers and nipped on her bottom lip. "It turned out it really was you and I'll always be grateful to Dobby, Hermione." He kissed her softly. "My Hermione."
Tears had been trickling down her face as she sobbed out of joy from hearing his words. "Oh, Harry," she cried and flew her arms around him in a powerful hug.
Harry immediately circled his arms around her waist, buried his face in her hair as he lifted her off the grass. He left frantic kisses along her neck, all across her face and finally found her lips, kissing her deeply as if he was trying to make up for all times he had been so blind. He pulled her to the ground, laying her gently on the soft grass as he let all his weight sink on top of her.
She moaned in satisfaction as her fingers tangled with his hair while he plunged deep into her mouth over and over again. "Harry," she gasped as she arched against him. "Please…"
He didn't know what exactly she was begging for, so he just started running his hands everywhere. One hand pulled her dress back down, exposing those beautiful breasts again, while his other hand traveled up her dress, desperate for the feel of her soft skin. Unfortunately, last time he was denied the privilege of tasting her, so he didn't hesitate capturing one of her breasts with his mouth, while his finger had finally found what he was looking for.
She squirmed beneath him, moaning and gasping out his name while he did things to her with his mouth and fingers. "Hermione…baby," he whispered against the valley of her breasts; then kissed her stomach. "I want this dress off." He dipped his tongue in her navel and pressed his thumb hard against her clit.
She gasped as she arched her back like a bow. "Yes," she gasped as she gripped handfuls of grass with her fists.
Harry didn't wait another second, he had that dress off of her in a flash and Hermione leaned up to greedily tug at Harry's shirt. They both shared a grin when he laid her back down, then laughter rang out when they playfully rolled on the grass. The laughs turned into groans when their mouths fused together and Harry felt her hands start to fumble with the button of his dress pants.
He was impressed at how fast she had them undone and his eyes widened when all of the sudden he found himself on his back. Hermione's lips and hands were everywhere as she traveled slowly down his bare chest. Merlin, she was an aggressive woman. Who knew? When did she get his pants completely off? He sighed as he closed his eyes while he concentrated on every feel of her lips and every caress of her hands.
Then all of the sudden he felt something soft, warm and wonderful surrounding his arousal and he groaned when he realized it was her mouth. Sweet Merlin. She was…she was actually giving him a…
"Hermione," he gasped as he tangled his fingers with her hair. "You have to stop or I'll…bloody hell, that feels good." He jerked his hips up and that made her bob her head faster, suck harder and if she didn't stop now they were going to end the night a bit to early. He gripped her hair and tugged her up hard until she had no choice but stop and crawl back over him. "That was amazing," he whispered as he looked up at her. He then gave her an accusing look. "Have you ever done that before?"
She giggled. "No. Never. Was I that good?"
He let out a laugh. "One more second of that and I would have fallen…hard."
She grinned and kissed him softly. "Anyone ever done that to you?"
"No." He kissed her back. "You were amazing."
"Well…why don't you let me finish."
"Oh, I don't think so," he said and then rolled her back over on her back so now he was looming over her. "I want to be inside you when I come." He pushed back her hair away from her face. "That is…if you want to."
Her eyes softened as he touched his cheek, then leaned down and kissed his scar on his forehead. "I want to." She kissed him on the mouth. "Very much."
His kiss was gentle as he positioned himself between her thighs and didn't stop and look at her until he was ready to enter her. "I love you, Hermione," he told her for the first time, before he slowly slid inside her. Inch by inch as he let Hermione's expressions and sounds be his guide so he wouldn't hurt her. He kissed her deeply when he reached the barrier, hoping it would keep her mind off the pain. He tasted tears and finally looked down at her when he was fully inside her. "Are you all right?"
"Yes," she whispered as Harry kissed away her tears. "You feel amazing, Harry. I love you, too…so much."
Harry was too touched to form the right words so he buried his face in her neck and together they began to move with one another. They made love for the first time, under their tree only dressed in moonlight. It was a moment that either of them would ever forget.
Later…much later. The two young lovers were curled up together, wrapped around in Harry's cloak as they looked up at the stars. Hermione's head was resting against Harry's heart as he lazily ran his fingers up and down her back.
"I'll never forget this, Hermione," Harry said and kissed her forehead. "I love you."
Hermione snuggled closer to him. "I love you, too."
"That's good." Harry rolled them over until he was hovering over her. "Hermione, I didn't grow up with a lot of love and I'm still knew at these feelings. I do know that I love you and will love you for the rest of my life."
Her eyes shimmered with tears as she touched his cheek. "Harry…"
He turned and kissed the inside of her palm. "I want to be with you. I want a life with you. I know this is fast, but now that I feel this way I'm ready to do everything with you."
She laughed through her tears. "I know what you mean."
"I want to marry you…have a whole bunch of kids with you. I want it all. I want you." He leaned down and kissed her on the lips. "Will you take me? All of me?"
"Yes," she whispered and pulled him down for another kiss. "I'll take you…all of you. I'll take you as my best friend. I'll take you as my lover…my husband, the father of my children. I want all of it…with you and only you."
Harry's heart soared as he smiled down at her. "Then for once in my life…I am truly happy." He kissed her again, deeply and slowly under the stars and for the second time, he joined himself with her.
"Hermione," he whispered in her ear as he made love to her gently. "My Hermione."