Always There

A/N – I enjoyed a lot writing this story. I’m glad to see that you all have enjoyed it as well. Thanks for your reviews. They mean a lot! J

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8. Together at Last

Time really flew. Summer had arrived and it was getting closer to its end. Both Harry and Hermione felt they hadn’t had a more wonderful summer in their entire lives. Everybody was glad to see them together. They had all expected it to happen ‘cause it was clear Harry and Hermione were meant to be together.

One thing kept the whole gang extra busy that summer. They had all been helping to prepare Ron and Luna’s wedding. Now it was only two weeks away. That early September Saturday, Luna asked Ginny and Hermione to go shopping with her.

Luna wanted to buy some new, sexy lingerie for her honeymoon. “Ron already knows all of my underwear,” said Ginny, and with that she took her friends into a muggle lingerie shop.

“Why can’t we just go to the one in Diagon Alley?” asked Ginny. “They have some really great lingerie there as well.”

“I want it to be a surprise! Ron’s in Diagon Alley all day. I don't want him to see me there,” said Luna while looking at a white lacy nightgown. “Besides, I’ve always wanted to come here.”

“Well… it’s not much different from any other shop.” Being a muggleborn, Hermione couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. Since they were already there, Hermione decided to buy herself a couple of bras.

“Are you buying this?” asked Ginny looking at the white, regular bras Hermione had chosen.

“Yes, why?”

“Honey, you need something more spicy!” Ginny grabbed a leopard print, lacy trimmed, black straps push-up bra. “How about this?”

“Are you crazy? That’s definitely not my style.”

“You’ll just be wearing it like for fifteen minutes and then it’ll end up in the floor anyways,” said Luna distractedly while choosing some silk stockings.

“Okay then, maybe these are a little too much, but hey… there’s a lot of nice things here you could get.” Then, with a mischievous grin Ginny added, “I’m sure Harry wouldn’t mind seeing you in something more sexy.”

Hermione flushed. Even though she trusted her friends very much, she couldn’t help feeling a little uncomfortable talking about her sex life.

“I have to agree with Ginny, you know,” said Luna while trying to decide whether to go with a black or a red silk cami. “A guy doesn’t mind to see his girl wearing something naughty from time to time.”

“It gives more fuel to your… nights,” added Ginny.

“Since when you’re such experts?” asked Hermione, who couldn’t see what was wrong with the bras she had already chosen.

“How about this?” said Ginny showing Hermione a nice, lacy black bra with matching thong. It sure was a lot classier than the leopard print one. Hermione thought about it for a while, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try something new. Seeing that Hermione was thinking about it, Ginny added, “You’ll see, it’ll bring out the wild animal Harry has inside.”

All three girls laughed at Ginny’s words. Finally Hermione decided to give it a try. “It doesn’t hurt,” Hermione thought. She just wasn’t sure when it’d be a good time to give Harry the surprise.

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The two remaining weeks before the wedding went faster than the two previous months. Before they knew it, the Saturday when Ron and Luna would finally wed had arrived.

The wedding was to take place at the Burrow‘s backyard. The entire Weasley family had helped to decorate it for the ceremony. All the bushes and trees had been decorated with real small fairies that illuminated the entire area. A gorgeous arch had been magically arranged with all sorts of white flowers. The actual ceremony was to take place right under the arch.

Ginny was Luna’s maid of honor and Harry was the best man. Hermione and Rosie, a friend of Luna from The Quibbler, were bridesmaids. Since Harry was the best man, he was escorting Ginny. Fred was Hermione’s escort and George was Rosie’s. George had taken very seriously his role as Rosie’s escort and wouldn’t let her out of his side all day.

After the ceremony, the guests enjoyed the exquisite buffet and the wonderful music. Bridesmaids and escorts were to dance a special piece with the newly weds.

“Hands where I can see them pal!” said Harry to Fred, a mocking smile on his face.

“Same to you, that’s my sister you got there,” replied Fred.

Later that night, Harry was finally able to dance with his girlfriend. “I love to dance,” said Harry in Hermione’s ear as they were dancing.

“You do?” asked Hermione amazed to hear Harry saying that. Pulling her face away from Harry’s she looked at him. “You’ve always hated dancing.”

“Not anymore,” he replied pulling Hermione back to the position she had been before, dancing cheek to cheek. “It gives me the perfect excuse to have you like this.” As he said that, he tighten his arms a little more around Hermione’s back.

“You don’t need an excuse to have me like this.” Hermione started playing with Harry’s earlobe. Then added softly in his ear, “On the contrary, if you don’t do it, I’ll jinx you”

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A week after the wedding, while Ron and Luna were enjoying their honeymoon in Italy (A gift from Mr. Weasley), Harry invited Hermione to a romantic dinner. For a little more than a month, Harry had been carrying in his inside pocket a little black box trying to find the right time to give it to Hermione. Now he perfectly understood how Ron had felt before proposing. A little bit scared about what her answer could be.

He wasn’t sure whether Hermione would think that he was going too fast. They had just been together for six months. But to Harry, it didn’t feel like rushing things. After all, he’d been in love with her for so long. He had wasted so much time that he wanted to some how make up for it. He was also totally sure that Hermione loved him, but wasn’t sure if she’d say. They hadn’t even moved in together. Hermione was still living with Ginny at their flat, but he just couldn’t wait any more.

All through dinner, Harry had looked anxious and distracted. He had been practicing a little speech all day long, but now that Hermione was sitting next to him he couldn’t remember a single word of it.

She looked astonishing. She was wearing a knee height black fitted dress with spaghetti straps and a classy cleavage, strappy black heels in her feet. To accessorize her look, Hermione had put on a silver choker and earrings set. Her brown bushy hair was tied in an elegant bun with a few strands purposely loose framing her face.

Harry couldn’t stop looking at her. Finally when the dessert plates had been taken away, Harry realized his time had arrived. He order a bottle of champagne and, after it was brought to the table, filled two flutes with the sparkling liquid.

“Let’s make a toast,” he said while raising his flute. Hermione imitated him. “To us,” added Harry. When Hermione placed her flute back in the table, Harry reached out and took one of her hands in his. Hermione felt his hand was cold yet sweaty.

“Are you okay Harry?”

“Yes, yes… In fact, I’ve never been better. Since we’ve been together Hermione, there hasn’t been a day when I’m not feeling great.” Hermione looked at his green eyes. They were so full of love and devotion. “Since we’ve been together, I am the happiest man alive. But you know, I also feel bad when I think about all the time we wasted denying our feelings. I… I don’t want to waste more time.”

As he said that he slipped the little black box to the table and placed it right in front of Hermione. When she saw it, she went quiet. Afraid of hoping for something that perhaps wasn’t what he was going to do. But when Harry opened the box for her, she realized that what she had hoped for was actually happening. A beautiful solitary ring with a heart shaped diamond shone from inside the box as if it had light of its own. Hermione seemed to have frozen. Harry took the silver ring out of the box. “I want to make sure that you’ll always be there with me. I want us to grow old together and to make a family of our own.”

Then taking Hermione’s left hand in his, he asked, “Would you like to share the rest of your life with me? Hermione, will you be my wife?”

Hermione couldn’t speak. Tears of happiness began to roll down her cheeks. Making an effort to respond, she nodded.

“Yes!” she was finally able to say. “Oh Harry! Of course I will. I wouldn’t want my life to be any other way.” As she said that, Harry placed the ring into her finger. Then, he leaned towards her and gave her a passionate kiss to seal their engagement.

Harry felt his happiness was going to explode out of him. He knew perfectly well that with Hermione at his side his life would be wonderful. Hermione looked at him. “Well,” she thought, “It seems I chose the perfect night to show Harry the little outfit Ginny made me buy.” She then smiled mischievously thinking about the surprise Harry would receive later that night.

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Always and forever,

each moment with you,

it’s just like a dream to me,

that somehow came through.

And I know tomorrow,

will still be the same,

‘cause we’ve got a life of love.

that won’t ever end.

(Heatwave)