Disclaimer: I don't own HP. JKR does. That's why HBP is the way it is…
A/N: Hope you'll like this. I surely enjoyed writing it. Please review!
Chapter Eleven
"Last months at Hogwarts"
Next day, for the first time in three months, Harry went to lesson, and his entrance in the classroom was welcomed by a rumble of cheers. He blushed, while the little Professor Flitwick was smiling at him. Harry followed the lessons a little embarrassed, while Hermione was looking very fondly at him, entwining her fingers with his own.
The morning went on calm, apart for too much people staring at him. That was something he had never liked. At lunch, then, he wanted to make a speech to thank everyone for helping in the battle. He also wanted to remember the dead mates.
Harry said that Dumbledore surely would have certainly appreciated their behaviour, and bravery, if he were there in that moment. And probably, he was saying just that to them, in Heaven.
Since a lot of people had seen Hermione hit by the Killing Curse, and still being alive with them, Harry decided to give them a short explanation of how that had been possible, after that a lot of people had been questioning that to them. They had agreed to do that not for making their love public, after all that was already well known, but to show how Love could defeat the Darkness and teach a lesson to the younger students.
Then, he finished his speech with a question to the new Headmaster, McGonagall.
"Professor, I have a curiosity. Who is the man at your left?"
"I'm happy you asked me, Harry, because he is here for you. He is the secretary of the Minister of Magic. He wanted to come himself, but he had other tasks to attend, to control all the celebrations after Voldemort's death. As you have seen in your fourth year during the World Cup, wizards need to be controlled when in great numbers, to prevent them to reveal our world. This man is here to give you an award in place of the Minister"
"An award? To me? But I have only done my duty"
"Mr. Potter, I introduce myself, I'm Adam McBell. And sincerely I don't think killing the Dark Lord is a simple duty for wizard just in age. So, I agree with the Minister to assign you the Merlin Order First Class! Congratulations!"
Harry accepted the award without words, while in the Hall the enthusiasm exploded. All of the students were very happy for him.
"Well, now that I had received this award, I want to dedicate it to a person who isn't more between us, a special person, my dead friend Ron Weasley" Harry said, and a tear crossed his face.
After the award ceremony, there was a special banquet, at the end of which, everyone went to relax in the park. Harry and Hermione were the last to exit the Great Hall, after a long, passionate kiss.
She put one arm on his back, then she pulled him at her, brushing his lips with hers, and Harry opened his mouth, welcoming there her tongue. Then he went on her neck, kissing her here, and making her moan, also leaving there a mark. Then he searched another time her lips.
After that, they stood up, and taking each other's hand, they went on the grounds, where everyone cheered them as "The Man-who-destroyed-Voldemort" and "The Woman-Who-Was-Revived", while they were walking. They blushed and smiled to their mates.
When they reached the shadow of a tree, they sat down, alone, she leaning her head on his chest, remaining there, telling each other the fears they felt during the battle. Draco arrived with Lavender, congratulating with Harry for his award, and apologizing once more for the past years insults.
"I believed you were famous without having done nothing, and I didn't suffer it, but last year and this one proved me wrong"
"It's all right, Draco, don't worry. By the way, how are the two of you doing?"
"Very well, thanks. I couldn't have asked for a better person near me" the boy said, looking lovingly at his girlfriend, who returned the gesture. They all started chatting a lot, until they had to run in the dungeons, for not making Snape get angry. Their double Potions lesson was starting in that moment, they had lost track of time.
However, the Professor said nothing for their little late, only motioning for them to sit. The war times with Harry were by now very far in the past, plus now his favourite student was friend with him, so he didn't punish them.
***
Lessons went on calmly until the Easter holidays. Harry and Hermione dedicated them to stay together as more as possible, because between a problem and the other, that year they had given little space to their intimacy.
One evening, Harry brought Hermione in his dorm, where they would be alone, and he locked the door. Then he put one arm around her waist, the other on her neck, pulling her to him. He kissed her on the lips, then after they explored each other's mouth with their tongues, he went down her neck, and while he was kissing her, he started unbuttoning her shirt. She did the same, and few seconds later, she was in bra and her hands were brushing his chest, wandering there. Harry moaned, then he went a little more down, kissing her between her breasts. She whispered softly his name while he undid her bra, discarding it.
He started playing with her nipples, kissing them, biting them softly, then going down in the valley between her breasts again, she then pushed him on the bed and started kissing him on his chest, then she arrived to his trousers, unbuttoned them and unzipped his fly, then discarded them.
He remained only with his boxers, with his arousal really evident. She touched it through the fabric, while he was fumbling with her jeans. Finally he discarded them and then he hooked his fingers in her panties. When he had taken them off, he brushed one finger on her opening, finding her really wet and making her shiver.
"Go on Harry, please…Don't tease me…"
And so they made love to each other.
They continued in that way until they didn't climax, together, then they took their breath, cuddling close to each other.
After a while Hermione broke the silence. "I never liked it more than tonight, Harry. You were wonderful" she said cheekily and tiredly, then kissed him softly.
"It should be because I had a crazy desire of you. It was so long time we didn't…" he replied, kissing her again.
"Definitely too much…" she said.
After a little they fell asleep. Next morning, Harry woke up particularly happy and rested. He looked around, and saw Hermione looking back at him with her wonderful cinnamon eyes.
"Good morning, love…do you want to go running?" he asked. She nodded so they got dressed and went running around the lake and the Quidditch pitch. Then they had a shower, and finally went in the Great Hall for breakfast.
***
Few weeks later, the burial of Ron took place at Ottery St. Cathpole. Harry and Hermione had been given the permit to go from McGonagall, so they Flooed to the Burrow, where the Weasley family was reunited.
Soon, they moved to go and attend to the ceremony. Harry, the Weasleys and Hermione were in the first rows. Molly sobbed loudly all the time for her lost son, and Hermione cried too, clinging to Harry.
Finally the moment of the eulogy arrived. Harry went to read the short speech he had prepared.
"We are here to commemorate a great friend. I met him on my first ride on the Hogwarts Express, when I knew nothing of the Wizarding World, and many times he explained me all the tricks of our ambient. We often joked, and he was really loyal, even if looking at him eating was a bit upsetting" he smiled, while the crowd chuckled.
"He was fun to be with, and he died defending what he believed in. For this, and many other things, we will never forget you, Ron" he concluded looking at the sky, a single tear rolling down his cheek. Then, he returned on Hermione's side.
After the ceremony, Harry was with Ron's brothers, bringing the casket to be buried. Then, he went to console Molly, who was still sobbing loudly, helped in that by her husband, Arthur.
***
The end of the term was nearing, and with it the N.E.W.T.s. They studied a lot together in the library, or in their private common room, and Harry felt he had never been happier. However, there was still something to take care of.
One day, Hermione went to their common room alone since Harry claimed he had something to do. She left her books on a table, and was relaxing a bit, when she heard a tapping on the window.
She turned and saw Hedwig with a piece of parchment. She opened the window, amused, and the snowy owl entered, flying to the table. Then she nibbled at her finger softly.
"Hedwig, Harry is not here. Would you like to leave it to me?" Hermione said. Hedwig hooted to her, as to say it was ok. So, Hermione took the piece of parchment. And…
Suddenly, a perfect red rose appeared in her hand. She smiled, imagining it was from Harry, and read the note.
"Luv, meet me on the Astronomy Tower at 7.00
Harry"
Hermione checked the time, and saw it was already a quarter past six, so she hurried in her room to prepare.
She took a shower, using her favourite shampoo, one that she knew for sure Harry loved too. It had a scent of peaches and vanilla.
Then, she chose her outfit for the evening and went to meet her beau.
When Harry saw her entering the tower, his jaw dropped. He knew she was beautiful, but her clothes underlined the fact. She had a spaghetti strap black top which left a big portion of her back bare, it had also a V low cut that exalted her cleavage. And her jeans clutched her body perfectly, exalting her hips and nicely shaped bottom.
"Hermione…you're simply…stunning…" he managed to say, going to greet her properly, with a deep kiss.
She giggled. "You look quite handsome yourself, Harry" she said, looking at him appreciatively. He had jeans and dark green shirt, that exalted his eyes.
"So, why did you ask me to meet you here?" she asked, really curious. Harry smiled.
"I've a nice dinner for the two of us planned in Hogsmeade" he said, showing her his Firebolt 2003.
She smiled warmly at him, and went on the broom behind him, keeping herself on his waist. He took off, and in few minutes they were in the village. He escorted her to a nice restaurant he had discovered some time ago.
They ate chatting lovely, then, on their way back, Harry led her to a secluded area. Then, he went on one knee, pulling out of his pocket a small box.
"Hermione Eleanor Granger, will you marry me?" he asked, opening the box. In it there was a ring, made of white gold and with a single well-cut diamond sparkling in the starlight.
Hermione had tears in her eyes. In the last times, she had been thinking about marriage, but having Harry proposing to her was beyond her imagination for the night. She was not able to speak, but her reply was clear to him when she flung herself on him kissing him fiercely.
"I take that for a yes, then" he said smiling, while they parted. She nodded. "Yes, Harry, I'll marry you".
***
The new of their engagement flew in the castle, and all their friends congratulated with them. Finally, the exams arrived.
The commission didn't want to examine him, they wanted to give him the best marks in all the subjects, but he asked them to have a normal exam.
He obtained the best marks after Hermione, who took the best grades in everything, while he was not at the top in History of Magic. Now he could start to study for becoming a successful Auror with Hermione.
This gave him the opportunity to think about Ron, who wanted to be with them to be the best trio in the Aurors' history. Ron, who was killed cold bloodedly by Voldemort. He revenged him, as all the people who were killed by the Dark Lord and his followers, but still this did not give him his best male friend back.
His wandering and sad thoughts were interrupted by Hermione, who showed him a list of invited people for their wedding, which she wanted him to read to give his approval.
He looked her, smiled, then started reading the list, grateful for the interruption.
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