Chapter Twenty-One:
(Harry)
I lay next to her sleeping form watching her body rise up and down from her gentle breathing. I had always known that she was beautiful, it's just that taking the time now to fully appreciate all that she was, was breath taking. Her hair was strewn across the pillow making it seem like she had a sort of halo around her head. I thought to myself, that I could lay here all day just staring at her and marveling at all that is Hermione, but I decided against that, it was time to get up. I quietly got out of bed and quickly dressed myself.
If this was my fantasy then I was going to continue making it come true. I was going to make Hermione breakfast in bed. Merlin knows she deserves it, more than anyone I know. I decided on pancakes, as I searched through her cupboards. I took down the pancake mix and a pan. I must've made quite a racket because before I knew it Hermione was standing in the doorway with a sheet draped around her body.
My breath caught in my throat as I gazed at her. She was barely covered, but she made it look good and not at all trashy. A lazy smile crept across her face when our eyes met. Merlin she made me feel good inside. I leisurely walked over to her, bent down and kissed her on the cheek.
"Good morning, you look beautiful." I whispered into her ear. She giggled and a slight blush began covering her face almost immediately. I pulled her into a hug and I could feel her warm body pressing against mine, if I wasn't careful I would be shagging her right here on the kitchen floor.
We broke apart and I continued making her breakfast.
"You know for this to be breakfast in bed, you have to be back in bed." I said smiling at her. Her mouth curled into a smile as well.
"I'd rather have you in bed with me, than breakfast." She said. The girl was good; I'll give her that.
I rolled my eyes pretending to be exasperated with her, but she just smiled and punched me hard in the arm. I served her, her pancakes with a glad of orange juice and sat down next to her at the table. She ate ravenously as though she hadn't been fed in weeks.
I glared mischievously at her. "Wore ya out did I, love?"
She laughed so fiercely she choked on her pancakes; I too then began to laugh heartily. She swallowed the last bite and looked at me appreciatively.
"Thank you Harry, for everything. For last night, for breakfast, for just being you." I grabbed her hands and kissed them along the knuckles.
"Hermione, I love you." I had been dying to tell her since our reconciliation, but there never seemed to be a good time. But after last night, I knew I had to do it, she had to know how I felt about her.
At first I wasn't sure how she felt about her. Her face didn't portray any negative feelings, but neither did it give forth any positive feelings. I immediately began to panic slightly, my face began to heat up from embarrassment, and I cast my eyes downward.
I felt her hand squeeze mine gently before she began to speak.
"Harry, I do care about you. So much it physically hurts me sometimes, and what happened between us last night was the most amazing and beautiful thing I have ever had the privilege to take part in. You are a gentle, kind, caring man and you have shown me many great things, and for that I am grateful."
I turned my head up so that our eyes met.
"But you don't love me." I answered for her. I didn't feel betrayed, if anything I felt spurred on.
She shook her head and muttered a quiet "I don't know" then began drinking what was left of her orange juice. She put her empty glass down on the table, she looked almost ashamed at what she had said to me. I didn't want her to feel like she hurt me, or like I didn't want to be with her anymore.
I stood up and went to her, wrapping my arms around her waist I picked her up out of her chair, with ease, and carried her into the living room. She was squirming the whole way, as well as giggling. I put her down on the chair, the sheet that had been modestly covering her, was now having quite a rough time with doing so, but it managed.
"You know 'Mione, you are getting to good at that giggling thing you keep doing." She looked abashed and stood up. I let her get half way across the room before I pulled out my wand. "Accio Hermione" I said, and she flew back towards me. She didn't even attempt to fight it, but in the force of the spell flinging her backwards the sheet was torn from her petite frame and she landed in my lap stark naked.
She glared up at me, her honey eyes enough to make my soul melt.
"And you, are getting rather good at that spell, Potter." She retorted. I laughed aloud and leaned down and planted a kiss on her pouty lips.
"It's the first spell you drove into my head with a hammer and nail, of course I'm going to use it against you." I kissed her again, this time deepening it. With my hand still on my wand I muttered a spell to close all the shutters in the living room.
My hands began to wander all over her body, they couldn't get enough of her. Soon I had joined her naked on the ground with only the sheet to cover us. We made love for the second time together right then, it was as magical as the first time, if not better. I remember thinking to myself, I wonder if it will be like this in thirty years. With any luck, we would still be as into each other as we are now.
(Hermione)
Sometime during the night Harry had lit a fire in the fireplace, and the could feel the flames dancing across my naked back. It was a wonderful feeling, the warmth on my back from the fire, and the tenderness in front of me of my lover and best friend. I opened my eyes to glance at Harry. His messy black hair was just that, messy. Sleep have over some not only his hair, but him. We had made love most of the day, stopping only for gasps of breath and quick sips of water. I was in pure bliss.
I draped my arm lazily around Harrys' midsection and I felt him groan in his sleep. He was absolutely adorable, he had his right arm resting gently on my thigh and his left arm under his head. I could see his eyes darting back and forth under his shut lids, his scar gleamed as the fire played tricks on his face.
Harry loved me. For some reason when he told me, it didn't register right off the bat. I was scared, I'll admit that, I was scared that I would somehow lose him again. He was only going to be here for two weeks, what if he went off on another mission and was killed by a dark wizard. I would be alone forever. I didn't want to admit what I felt for him, but I couldn't keep denying it. I did love him also. I so desperately wanted to tell him, I wanted him to know that I had never stopped loving him, that hating him was just a way to mask my true feelings.
I would tell him before he left. I decided it would be best if he went away knowing that I loved him as much as he loved me. Everything seemed so perfect to me right now, I didn't have a care in the world. I hadn't given one thought you Michael, or Death Eaters, or even cleaning my house since Harry had arrived last night. So this is what it feels like to be in love, I questioned myself.
Smiling I nestled my body closer to Harrys'. I heard him moan and then roll over capturing me under his weight. I grunted and laughed as his eyes lazily opened to look at me.
"Again 'Mione? You are a machine." I felt his fingers go around my waist and begin tickling me. I was thrashing around trying to get his dead weight off of me.
"Harry, no, stop!" I couldn't help from laughing hysterically. "Mercy, mercy!" I pleaded, and finally he gave in. His naked body lying atop mine.
The little tickle romp had obviously excited him, and he nudged my legs apart with his knees and entered me a little sharply. We made love very fast and brutally, biting and scratching each other like animals. After wards, I decided it was time to join the land of the living once again. I left Harry to clean up his breakfast mess while I took a quick shower.
(Harry)
So here I am cleaning up my mess in her kitchen. It just felt so right. Loving her felt so right. These past few days had been the best of my life, and I never wanted them to end. I still had a few more before I had to go back to work, I would make them count, I would win Hermiones whole heart before I had to leave.
I thought briefly of joining her in the shower when I heard a thump somewhere outside. Grabbing my wand I went to the backdoor to investigate. I opened the door and stepped onto the porch, I couldn't see anything, but that didn't mean no one was there. Dammit where was Moody when you needed him? I thought to myself.
I searched the yard thoroughly, we as thoroughly as I could, and went back inside. It was then that I heard a scratching sound in the sitting room. I ran in there with my wand at the ready, preparing to attack whoever was in there. When I entered the room, I was let out a sigh when I saw that it was only Hedwig scratching at the window wanting to be let in after he evening hunt. I opened the window and she flew in and sat on her perch. I fondly scratched her head as she nipped affectionately at my finger, I then leaned down and picked up one of Hermiones scones from yesterday and gave it to Hedwig who hooted her thanks. I smiled at my bird, feeling so much love for her.
"Drop the wand and turn around Potter." I heard an icy voice from behind me. Knowing exactly who it was, and knowing they most likely had a wand pointed at my back, I complied.
I turned to face my assailant and not to my surprise it was Michael.
"You've not only figured it out Potter, but you spent the past two days shagging my fiancé. How very professional of you." He spat the words out of his mouth.
I found that I wasn't thinking of me, but I was hoping Hermione wouldn't be coming downstairs anytime soon.
"She isn't your fiancé, when you betrayed her trust, you lost her." I said, I was trying to tempt him into giving up some information.
He laughed loudly. "The whole thing was a set up Potter. You don't think I would actually marry a Mudblood do you?"
I flinched a little at the word but pressed on. "Then why the act? Why didn't you just kill her when you had the chance? Why all the theatrics?"
Our eyes met, I seemed to be able to read the answer in his eyes. "Me." I said weakly. "You used Hermione to get to me."
He nodded his head. "You really are a smart one Potter, you know that?"
"Why?"
He looked confused.
"Why do you want to kill me?" I had to know.
"You killed our master, we have come to seek our revenge."
He then raised his wand and pointed it at me, a look of pure hatred shining in his eyes. Thoughts of Hermione flooded me, if I was gone then she would have no one to protect her. I couldn't let that happen.
Michael stood a few feet from me, his wand pointing at my chest. This went on for about a minute before he finally uttered a sound. It was the only sound I didn't want to hear.
"AVADA KEDAVRA" he screamed, and a jet of green light came soaring at me. I jumped as high as I could trying in vain to dodge the curse of death spiraling my way. Suddenly I hit the floor, and I couldn't feel anything.
This was it, the end. It was over.