Disclaimer: I don't own the characters; they are property of JK Rowling.
A/N: Thanks to all of you who have reviewed. It means a lot to me. Hope you'll like this one too.
Chapter Sixteen
"Regained Freedom"
After their return at Hogwarts, the Order members went to rest in their rooms. The battle had been so long and wearying that they were exhausted, even after the hours on the Express, in which they had regained some energies.
However, Harry wasn't so happy as the others. He was blaming himself for Justin's death.
Hermione and the others tried to comfort him, but nobody was able to do this. During the night, however, Justin himself appeared in dream to Harry, and reassured him.
"Don't worry about my death, Harry. I willingly chose to follow you, knowing the risks it would have implied. So, now that you and the Wizarding World can live happy, do it. Do it for me, too and don't let the chance slip"
Next morning, when Harry entered the Great Hall to have breakfast with all the Order members, and the Professors, he took place between Hermione and Draco, who was a guest at the Gryffindor table. He found a copy of the "Daily Prophet" in front of him, it was an extraordinary edition.
"You-Know-Who Is Dead!" then the article continued. "Yesterday the Wizarding World had found his definitive freedom from You-Know-Who, when it seemed by now only a dream, with the last attacks, the destruction of the Ministry and of the Order of the Phoenix, and the suspect joining of Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, to the Dark Lord himself. But, it was the same Boy-Who-Lived, who actually never joined the Dark side, with an Order that he himself had founded, the Order of the Shadows, who destroyed You-Know-Who and all his Death Eaters, attacking directly his whereabouts.
His methods were unconventional, in fact Harry Potter led a Dark Army, composed by werewolves, giants, Dementors to obtain this won, but finally he used a secret weapon, the Light of the Lights, as Albus Dumbledore has explained, which is constituted by the power of pure Love, to kill the Dark Lord. This power came from the love he felt, and still feels, for his classmate Hermione Granger. So, after having attacked him so many times, we have finally to say: Thank you, Harry Potter!"
Harry smiled, reading that, as all the others on the table, then he commented.
"But what do I have to do to convince them to call him with his name? Even after his death, they still call him You-Know-Who…" and all of them laughed. Then, after breakfast, him, McGonagall once again apologized for having doubted of him.
Later that day, Harry and Hermione were having a nice walk around the lake.
At some point, Harry decided it was time to address something that had bothered him from the moment they left Voldemort's whereabouts.
"Hermione, there's something I need to ask you"
"Tell me, Harry. You know you can speak about anything with me"
"It's just, I wonder how do you feel knowing I've killed your father" he said, looking down.
She looked at him puzzled for one moment, then it dawned on her.
"Harry, I never thought of Voldemort as my father. He was just an evil madman to me, and one who kept trying to kill the love of my life, so I feel no pain for his death, if this is what you're wondering"
"Yeah, I know, but still, he made you come in this world, even if unconsciously, so…"
She took his face softly. "Harry, look at me. I love you, even if you've killed him. For all I feel, he's never been my father, so don't blame yourself for something never existing in the first place" then she kissed him softly, trying to show trough that kiss just how much she loved him.
At times she wondered how could she have been in love with Ron, but that was all in the past now, what mattered was that she and Harry were together and happy.
Next day, all the students returned, but not because the holidays were finished. Dumbledore had proclaimed an annual Yule Ball, from that moment, to cheer the defeat of Voldemort, and Harry and Hermione had to open the dances, as the King and the Queen of the Ball.
When Harry saw Hermione, ready for that evening, he remained speechless. Draco joked on that.
"Earth to Potter, Earth to Potter, remember to breathe!" the boy teased him.
All the ones in the common room laughed, while Harry playfully swatted Draco on his head.
"Mione, you are really stunning!" he finally managed to comment.
She was wearing a red satin dress, which fitted perfectly on her body, exalting her curves. It had spaghetti straps on her shoulders and a deep V-neck to underline her cleavage. It left her upper back bare, while a little lower there was a little bit made of entwined straps leaving some of the creamy flesh in sight before it started covering her totally again.
He, instead, was wearing an emerald green velvet robe, which matched perfectly his eyes, and she kissed him briefly.
"You're quite handsome yourself, Mr. Potter…" she said winking at him then.
The Ball was perfect, and Hanna and Neville were one of the best couples of it. The unique trouble was Seamus, who tried all the evening to approach Hermione alone. Harry noticed it, so he controlled him, and fortunately, nothing bad happened. It was incredible how that git still wanted revenge on Harry, thinking he was a crazy rampaging Dark wizard and all the Wizarding World was wrong about him…
Next morning Harry went to Dumbledore to explain what was happened before the holidays, just to prevent more acts like that one and Dumbledore assured that strong action would be taken against him.
Finally, the term restarted, and the evening of the return of the students from the holidays was signed by an joyous feast. Dumbledore, before the start of the banquet, stood up.
"We have to thank Harry Potter, all of us together, and to give him our apologies for having treated him and his fellows of the Order of the Shadows so badly," all of them stood up, cheering at the Order. But while many did not, Dumbledore noticed that Seamus remained seated, so he added.
"And I want to say you, that sadly a fellow student is dead in the Order of the Shadow's action, so we should remember Justin Flinch-Fletchey. Let's raise our goblets in his memory"
Seamus tensed and glared at Harry and Hermione, who were looking at the staff table. It didn't go unnoticed by the Headmaster.
"And an expulsion is required. Our Head Boy, Seamus Finnegan, before the holidays has dishonoured his role, trying to rape the Head Girl Hermione Granger, so from this moment he is expelled, and the new Head Boy will be Harry Potter"
At this the Great Hall was filled by shouts of happiness for Harry and of despise for Seamus. This one, however, took the chance for the last bad action, raised his wand and tried to curse Harry. "Avada…" he cried, but Neville was quicker, and cried "Expelliarmus!" so Seamus' wand flew in his hand, and the curse never departed from it.
The boy was stunned and in half an hour he found himself on Hogwarts Express, bringing him back home and away from the castle.
Life at Hogwarts became very happy now for the Order. They were cheered up by everyone, Harry was elected Gryffindor Captain, so he regained his place in the team, for the last match. Professors were so kind with them, and never scolded them, even if they were distracted. Their marks reached the top quickly, and nothing could be more perfect.
One day, at breakfast, Harry noticed Minister Fudge near Dumbledore, and suddenly three reporters of the "Daily Prophet" entered. Then, the Minister started to speak, and called the Order near him. At this point, he awarded all the members with the Merlin's Order First Class. There was also one posthumous for Justin.
After having awarded all the members, Fudge arrived to Harry.
"And this is for you, Harry Potter. The Ministry is glad to appoint you three Orders of Merlin First Class for having defeated the Dark Lord and ridden ourselves from his menace" and suddenly many flashes started to work, as the reporters took many photos of Harry and the Minister together.
Next morning, on the newspaper, Harry found himself in the first page, and there was an interview given by Fudge.
"All of us have to learn from what has happened that the appearance many times is deviating. Nobody of us knew that Harry Potter was creating one Order on his own, for example. We thought he was creating a dark association to help Voldemort to conquer the world and he had tricked the Order of the Phoenix, that night, to consign them to Voldemort. We also thought he revealed their whereabouts to the Dark Lord, but we were wrong on all those things, as it has been showed by facts, so I declare Harry Potter cleared from all the charges we had put on him. He is again a free wizard, and we should all hope he finds in his heart to forgive us for our mistakes"
Hermione, reading this couldn't help to hug him and kiss him under all the Great Hall's eyes. After that, a huge clapping of hands filled the room, and Dumbledore looked them once again with the love he one time had showed for Harry, before all the happenings of the last two years.
That night, after dinner, Harry and Hermione retreated soon to their quarters. Both felt it was time to take their relationship one step further.
So when they entered his room, and he kissed her hungrily as he had wanted to do during all dinner. She eagerly replied, and a battle of tongues ensued.
Soon, she started unbuttoning his shirt, and then, still kissing him, she pushed it down his shoulders, starting to explore his chest with her hands, and grazing his nipples now and then. It only made him more wanting, so he started undoing her blouse too. In few minutes, her white lacy bra was uncovered, and Harry started fumbling with it trying to take it off of her.
She giggled against his lips at his frustration, and with an expert movement unhooked it, then made it slide down her arms.
Feeling his gaze on her, she blushed a bit.
"I know they aren't perfect…" she started, looking down.
"What are you saying? They, you are the best sight I lay my eyes on in my whole life" he said, cupping one breast and starting fondling an already erect and hard nipple.
She moaned.
Taking the hint, Harry engulfed the other one with his mouth, starting to lick and gently bite it. That elicited more moans from her, and that made his already hard erection even more painful.
Soon the rest of their clothes was discarded and Harry lay her on his bed, kissing his way down from her cleavage and breasts to her belly, and further down, to her crotch.
After his ministrations, she became even wetter than she already was, so he understood it was time.
"Mione, are you sure you want to do this? If you don't we can stop" he said, gentlemanly, even if having to stop right at that moment would have been torture for him.
"Yeah, Harry. I'm sure. Please, make love to me" she said, then kissed him. It was what he needed. Slowly he entered her and they made love.
After they climaxed together, Harry pulled her close, and whispered, "I love you so much, Mione"
"I love you too, Harry, with all my heart…" she replied and then they kissed passionately once again.
Soon sleep engulfed them, cuddling together.
Almost a week later, Harry gained the permit to visit London, so he Apparated there, after having left the castle grounds, and he entered the most famous jewellery of the capital. When he exited, he had a small package with him, and he Apparated back.
The same night, Harry took Hermione before dinner, he brought her to the lake, where he had prepared a surprise for her. There was a romantic dinner for them, with candles light, and for her a bouquet of red roses. She had happiness tears on her eyes, seeing all of this, but nothing could prepare her for what happened after dinner. Harry extracted the package, swiftly opened it and went on his knees.
A sparkling white gold ring, with emeralds all over it engulfing one single bigger diamond was in front of her.
"Hermione Eleanor Granger, will you marry me?"
She remained speechless for some minutes, not knowing if she had dreamt what he had asked and able only to nod, while crying for joy. Then she hugged him, kissed him, and whispered "Finally my dream comes true. I love you, Harry, and surely I'll marry you…"
After some minutes, Harry summoned his Firebolt, and took her for a fly in the night. Even if she feared flying, he grabbed her waist, not letting her to fall, and she felt so sure, embraced by her unique true love, she didn't care if they were flying. Plus, the night was so beautiful, it was a breathtaking sight, and pushed aside all her fears.
Finally, the last day of the term arrived, and after having received the results of their N.E.W.T.s, the seventh years attended to the Graduation Ball. Harry and the other Order members were extremely happy, because all of them gained the maximum grades. They all obtained 11 N.E.W.T.s, while the maximum was normally 10, because Dumbledore awarded them one special in "Extremely Advanced Defense Against Dark Arts"
Then, the Ball started. Neville and Hanna were by now officially together, while Draco was with Luna. It had been a shock for his friends when they started dating, but they seemed so happy together. However, they never could reach the happiness glowing from Harry and Hermione's eyes.
All the school had noticed the ring on her finger, thus they all knew they were engaged. Congratulations ensued for days, but the ones Harry and Hermione cherished the most were the ones from the fellow members of the Order, who had shared their adventure with them, risking their life side by side with the couple.
The feast lasted all the night, then next morning they boarded on the Express for the last adieu to Hogwarts, as students, at least. All of the seventh years were very sad, and Harry had even tears on his eyes, but Hermione comforted him all the travel. When finally they reached King's Cross, Harry and Hermione said hello to the others, then started to move toward the exit.
Suddenly Hermione stopped, leaning on a wall.
"Mione, what's happened? Are you ok?" Harry asked, concerned.
"Yes, Harry. I'm only a little nauseous. Nothing to worry about. I've already been this way…" she said smiling knowingly at him.
Harry understood what she meant, and hugged her, a huge grin on his face.
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