The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

A/N: Well, I've been out of the game for awhile. I haven't really written much since HBP came out (bummer huh?), BUT I have not lost faith in our wonderful couple. Anyway, this story is based on the song “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, which is a song that I have always loved. Anyway, I thought it would be a great song for this little scene I had playing through my head. I hope you all like it.

Also, I'd like to take this time to mention, that my other story, “Secrets From the Past” has been officially PAUSED. I will come back to it when I have the heart to put into it. I hope to see you all back when I return. I truly appreciate the reviews and the support on how to continue on with the storyline. Thank you.

P.s. Hi to all my RP'ing buds! HUGS! You all are awesome, and my day just wouldn't be that interesting without talkin' with ya! This one's for you guys!

Now, on to the story:

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Song Written By: Ewon MacColl

She was beautiful. Her skin was flawless, creamy and warm. Her cheeks - rosy and her lips - pouty and pink. She had a smile that could drive a person wild. Her hair shamed silk and satin, and above all else, she had the love of a man that no other woman could achieve.

She was the love of Harry Potter's life - the center of his world.

The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the night and the empty skies my love
To the night and the empty skies

Just by looking into her eyes, she did something to him that no other person could. She could make him smile for reasons that sometimes even he could not understand. She had a way about her that was simply irresistible to him. She had powers that no other person had. She was, in Harry's opinion, the epitome of perfection. He loved the way she looked at him, the way she laughed; he simply loved everything about her.

One night, Harry came home. He lived in a lavish townhouse with an exceptionally large yard, provided by the Ministry of Magic, whom he worked for. He walked upstairs, loosening his tie as he climbed. It had been a nasty day at work. He was an Auror, and had chased a criminal wizard literally halfway across the country. The man's name was Terrence Blitherdone, a mental character who had a fetish for blinding Muggles everywhere he turned. Nearly 3 years ago, he had gone too far and killed a man. It seemed that Mr. Blitherdone was taken with the thrill of killing, and began killing Muggles whenever he could. Harry also had a deep hate for the man. He'd done something that Harry could never forgive.

Harry threw him in Azkaban not but two hours ago - for life. He was feeling pleased with himself, but he was exhausted. Coming home was his favorite part of the job. He loved coming home every night to Catherine, and could never quite imagine how he'd lived without her before.

Coming to the top of the stairs, Harry crept quietly into the second room on the left. There she was, sleeping peacefully, her beauty shaming the white lilies that sat in vases all around the room. Merlin how he loved her. He tip-toed silently to his sleeping beauty and kissed her softly on the cheek. "I love you, baby," he whispered. He had never spoken truer words to anyone. He loved her with all of his heart.

Gently, he skimmed her flush cheeks with the pad of his thumb - she was warm and soft to the touch. She made a small noise and stirred slightly, then returned to her peaceful slumber. Harry smiled at her sleeping form. She was so beautiful.

The first time ever I kissed your mouth
I felt the earth turn in my hand
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command my love
That was there at my command

“We missed you,” came a hushed voice from the doorway. Harry smiled warmly and turned to see, Hermione - his wife. She walked toward him and nestled herself in his arms as they peered down at their baby daughter, Catherine and smiled, content that their little one was safe and sound under their watchful eye.

Harry couldn't resist, he picked up his daughter, and with Hermione, slowly made his way to the nursery sofa. Harry sat down gently, cradling his baby girl in his arms. “I still can't believe she's ours,” he whispered as Hermione sat down next to him and began rubbing his arm. “I can't believe we made her.”

Hermione chuckled and smiled down at their daughter. “It is hard to believe sometimes,” she said quietly, “that we have the life we do now...that we have her in our lives.”

“Yeah, it is,” Harry agreed. “How was your day?” he asked, his eyes still fixed on Catherine.

“Oh, we read a new book today,” Hermione said, brightly. “She loved it.” Harry laughed. Hermione was keen to get Catherine interested in books as soon as possible. She had even read to her when she was still in the womb. Harry loved it. He loved Hermione. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that she could make him happier than he'd been in all his life. Harry reached out with one hand and pulled her closer to him. “I love you,” he whispered. “I love both of you so much.”

“I love you, too,” Hermione said, now stroking Catherine's tiny head. “We both love you.”

Harry smiled.

“So, how was your day?” Hermione asked. “I really wish you hated your job. Like I said, we miss you.”

“I caught him, Hermione. I put him in Azkaban...forever.”

Hermione gasped. “You - you did? Did he say anything?”

“No,” Harry said. “But I'm just glad it's over. It's done.”

Hermione put a hand on Harry and rubbed his back, soothingly and then hugged her husband. “I'm glad you're okay...and I'm glad you caught him. I'm glad it's finally over. It seems like it's been forever since...”

“Me too. I know...it's finished.” said Harry, now kicking off his shoes. “And I miss you both too, more than you know. So...I took the rest of the month off.”

“Really? You mean it? You're going to be home for the rest of the month?”

“Yep, I asked Kingsley this morning. He said I could have two if I wanted. I didn't really want to push it, so I agreed to one, but tomorrow, I'm pretty sure I'll take the other.” Hermione laughed and hugged him tightly. “Mmm,” she sighed. “Make sure you remind me to thank Kingsley.”

Harry laughed again. “Oh, I will,” Harry said, grinning, and covering Catherine's ears temporarily with his hand. “Every night for the next two months. I told you I missed you more than you knew.” Hermione smiled and Harry uncovered Catherine's ears.

“We should get to bed,” Hermione whispered.

“Yeah,” Harry agreed. They both stood up slowly and walked over to the crib. Harry, holding Catherine as if she was a piece of glass, laid her down gently on her Snitch patterned liner. Hermione bent down and kissed her baby on the cheek. “I love you, darling,” she whispered, then stood aside for Harry to say good night.

Harry leaned over her, his precious child, and kissed her little cheek, then her nose, and ran the tip of his finger up her tiny arm. “I love you, Catherine.”

Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione, and they walked down the hall to their bedroom. Inside, they had one of the softest beds Harry had ever slept on. It was amazing, and with Hermione sleeping in it with him, it was magical in all aspects of the word. Hermione went to lie down immediately. Harry couldn't blame her. Catherine was asleep, but when she cried...Merlin she cried, she sure had a set of lungs on her. But for the most part, she was awake during the day, and slept through the night - something most uncommon with newborns. Harry and Hermione laughed frequently about how they must have been blessed with a baby who could already tell time. Harry was sure Catherine was going to have Hermione's smarts. Harry went to the bathroom, dressed into his nightclothes and brushed his teeth. After gurgling, he made a bee-line for the bed. He was exhausted. Thank Merlin he had the next two months off...to be with Hermione and Catherine.

Harry laid down, and turned to Hermione. She was already fast asleep. He moved closer to her, and pulled her into his arms. “Goodnight, luv,” he whispered, and he kissed her on the forehead. He was so happy she was in his life now. Instead of welcoming sleep, as he should have, his thoughts drifted to his past. He and Hermione hadn't always been this way...this much in love.

When the two of them had finally come to their senses, it was nearly two years after they'd trekked across all of the United Kingdom in search of the remaining Horcruxes - the containers that held fragments of Voldemort's broken soul. Ron, their best friend had joined them.

During that time, Harry remembered the first time he was ever truly jealous of Ron - when he and Hermione had started dating. He thought that it would make him happy - to see his two best friends in such a relationship. But instead, his insides writhed in jealousy. He hated feeling that way. He was relieved (albeit guilty at the same time) when they told him about their first kiss. They'd told him in unison, “We're just too much like brother and sister.”

Literally days before Harry had defeated Voldemort, Ron had died. He was killed...by Terrence Blitherdone - who, apparently was one of Voldemort's servant's. Ron had been loyal until the end. In a fight to retrieve the final Horcrux, he had risked his life to save theirs. The trio was now a duo. Harry and Hermione both agreed to stick together. To be there for each other no matter what.

A year after Ron's death, Harry and Hermione had settled into their jobs. Harry became an Auror, and Hermione began her job as the Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts. They kept it secret that they had fallen in love four months prior.

A year later, they were married. Eight months later, Hermione was pregnant. Late one evening, on the last day of February, Hermione went into labor. The next morning, March 1^st, on Ron's birthday, Catherine was born.

There were times in their new life, in which both, Harry and Hermione would wander off into their imaginations and imagine Ron, still as goofy as ever, coming over for Sunday dinner with his wife, Luna (they were married shortly before he had died) to visit their god-daughter, Catherine. There were also times when the pain would be too much, and neither thought of him for weeks. But he was always in their hearts, just as Dumbledore had once said. There were days, at which they would sit back and reminisce about the times they had shared in their youth....what wonderful times those were.

As Harry lay in bed, he pushed the sad thoughts of Ron dying from his mind and concentrated on Catherine's birth. It always made him feel better. He could recall that day perfectly. He'd cried that day. When he saw her little pink face for the first time, he'd melted where he stood. Before long, the Healer was handing her to Hermione. She was just a tiny bundle, a little person that he had helped create. He didn't think it was possible to love someone so much after meeting them for the first time. He remembered, a few minutes later, he had held her in his arms, her tiny finger wrapped around his, and he was crying an ocean of joyful tears. That night, he and Hermione sat up, and named her Catherine, after Hermione's grandmother. And they gave her the middle name, Lily, after Harry's mother. When Catherine had opened her eyes, Harry's heart nearly stopped. She possessed the same green eyes that he and his mother had.

Catherine was two months old now.

After a few minutes went by, Harry slowly crept out of bed. “Where are you going?” Hermione asked sleepily.

“I er...forgot my shoes in the nursery. Don't worry, I'll be right back.” And Harry walked down the hall to Catherine's room.

Back in the master's suite, Hermione was curled up under the covers, smiling. She knew Harry was going in there to sneak a peek at Catherine...just because. She also knew that sometimes, when he was having trouble sleeping, he would go in and just gaze at her to make him feel better. Hermione loved him even more for this. When their daughter was born, Harry was like a boy at Christmas. He was so excited to finally get what he'd always longed for - a family.

She got out of bed, quietly and tip-toed after him.

When she reached the nursery, sure enough, there he was, staring down into the crib at little Catherine. She did this often herself, mostly when Harry didn't beat her to it. She couldn't help but love her little girl more than anything in the world. Hermione walked into the nursery, and wrapped her arms around her husband. “She's a little miracle, our little one,” she said.

“She certainly is,” Harry whispered. “You both are.”

Hermione looked around at him and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you.”

The first time ever I lay with you
And felt your heart beat close to mine
I thought our joy would fill the earth
And would last 'till the end of time my love
And would last 'till the end of time

Harry woke some two hours later, and looked over at the clock. It read 2:43 am. Both, Hermione and Catherine were sound asleep in his arms, the three of them, still in the nursery, now on the sofa. Harry couldn't help but smile down at the pair of them, as he basked in the love of the family he now had.

The first time ever I saw your face

His world was perfect.

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