In The Next Moment

A/N> Hello! Even though there is one more chapter left of "Nanny Wanted", I have been working on this one-shot as a special present for my sick best friend Lisa, aka poppywillow, my co-moderator on the harmony_podcast community. She has been very sick and stuck at home, and she needed a new H/Hr story to read. Voila! Lisa's story, the follow up to my one-shot titled, "In This Moment"- http://fanfiction.portkey.org/story/5328. I hope you like it :)

If he didn't touch her soon, he was going to go mad.

It was New Year's Eve and Harry Potter was hosting another Ministry Ball at 12 Grimmauld Place. Dozen's of couples were gliding around the ballroom floor, looking glorious in their dress robes and gowns, the light from the chandeliers making all the jewels the women wore sparkle and shine. Even though he was surrounded by smiling, happy couples who were excited to greet the new year, Harry himself was in a very foul mood.

His eyes narrowed as Ron and Hermione danced past him, Ron looking lovingly down at her as she smiled up at him. The knot that had been forming in his stomach tightened as he thought back to the last time he had kissed her lips and tasted her skin. He felt himself harden as he remembered how right it had felt when he had buried himself deep inside her, and swore aloud at his traitorous thoughts.

As if to punish himself more, Harry continued to watch them dance, trying to come up with an excuse to be alone with her. Ron had come up with reasons and excuses not to spend time with him, making it nearly impossible for Hermione to sneak off to see him. The last time they were together alone had been at the Halloween Ball, two months ago, and if Harry didn't hold her in his arms soon, he was sure he would internally combust. The only thing stopping him from marching onto the dance floor and cutting in was the fact that he wasn't sure Hermione still felt the same way about him anymore...

"Harry dear, how have you been?" asked Molly Weasley as she enveloped him in a bone crushing hug, startling him from his thoughts.

"Just fine Molly," he replied breathlessly while trying to extract himself from her vicelike grip. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," she replied with a small sniffle. "Christmas was rough, but thankfully the house was full of my children and grandchildren, so it made it a little easier."

"I'm sorry I was unable to be there with you, it's just that I was called to the Ministry for a very special assignment and I couldn't get out of it," he explained carefully.

"I understand dear," Molly said, "Hermione explained how there was some top secret mission going on that needed your attention. Thankfully she and Ron were able to be there. Ron has been such a help to me since Arthur..."

"Mum," Ron interrupted as he walked up to them, "We went by the Burrow to get you but Ginny said you had already left." He glanced quickly at Harry and curtly said, "Hullo Harry."

"Hi Ron," Harry replied, nonplused. Turning his gaze on Hermione, he stared at her longingly and said, "Happy New Year Hermione."

"Happy New Year Harry," she replied, staring back at him. Her brown eyes were turbulent and clouded with sadness as she took in how haggard and tired he looked.

Ron, who had been closely watching the exchange between them, roughly pulled Hermione away as he said over his shoulder, "Catch you later Harry."

Molly watched as her son practically dragged Hermione across the room and said, "What in the world was that all about?"

As Harry tried to tamp down his growing anger, he cast a dark look at the retreating figures of his best mate and the love of his life and replied, "I have no idea."

~*~

Two hours later, the Ball had taken on a party-like atmosphere after the consumption of a lot of alcohol . With only thirty minutes left until midnight, Harry started walking around, looking for Hermione. He was hoping to find a way to get a New Year's kiss from her, but if Ron was still being his daft self, it wasn't going to be an easy thing to do. After walking around for ten minutes, he spotted her curly brown hair, but as he started to make his way toward her she turned around. Her eyes grew wide when she saw him and she shook her head 'no' only slightly so that Ron, who was standing right next to her with his arm around her, wouldn't notice.

Getting upset by the fact that she didn't seem as dead set to be alone with him as he was with her, he spun quickly on his heel and stalked away from the crowd. Going to the bar and ordering the strongest drink he could, Harry stood at the back of the crowd as everyone started counting down from ten. Slugging back the entire drink, Harry heard everyone yell, "2...1...Happy New Year!"

Harry watched longingly as various couples on the floor started snogging and when his gaze landed on Ron and Hermione, he felt as if he were going to be sick. Ron had one arm wrapped around her waist while the other was buried in her beautiful, curly brown hair, kissing her passionately. What was worse, Hermione had her arms wrapped around his neck, kissing him back. As Harry turned to make a quick exit, two arms wrapped around his neck and suddenly two lips descended upon his forcefully, giving him no time to push the person away. When he was finally able to detach the other person's lips from his he looked at the face in front of him and gasped. "Madam Hooch?!" he said shocked as he fought a sudden wave of nausea while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"H-Happy Newsmear Harry," she slurred drunkenly with a come-hither smile. She started to advance on him with a hungry look in her eyes that was very unnerving and Harry knew that he had to get the hell out of there, fast.

"What was that?" Harry asked no one, looking past her into the crowd as if someone was talking to him. "Right, be there in a moment. So sorry Madam Hooch, but I have something that I need to take care of. Nice seeing you again...buh-bye!"

Without giving her time to reply, Harry dashed away from her as quickly as possible and stopped by the bar for another drink. As he sat on one of the stools taking a long drink and trying to forget what had just happened, he heard Ron's voice, magically louder thanks to a sonorus, suddenly call out, "Excuse me...could I have your attention please?"

With a sudden feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, Harry stood up and looked toward the growing crowd that was suddenly gathering around Ron and Hermione. Thankful that he was at the back of the group, Harry watched as Ron grabbed an uncomfortable-looking Hermione's hand and smiled at all the people standing around him.

"Seeing as it's a brand new year, I thought that I should start it out right," Ron announced. Harry and Hermione's faces each held a look of fear and disbelief as Ron reached into his robe and pulled out a small box from an inside pocket. Getting down on one knee while still holding her hand, he held the closed box up to her and asked, "Hermione Jane Granger, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Harry almost dropped the glass that he was holding in his hand. He couldn't believe it, the bloody bastard was actually proposing to her! He watched her face closely, along with every other witch and wizard in the room, waiting with baited breath to hear her answer.

Hermione stood staring at Ron with expressions of fear, sadness, confusion and dread passing over her lovely face. She could hear Mrs. Weasley sniffling somewhere behind her and she closed her eyes while taking a deep breath. She could almost feel Harry's eyes staring right through her, but she had promised herself that she would focus on her relationship with Ron and give it a fair chance. It hadn't gotten any better since she'd cut things off with Harry after the Halloween Ball, if anything it had gotten worse, and this sudden proposal was enough to push her to an emotional breaking point. Coming to an abrupt decision, whether it was right or wrong, Hermione opened her eyes and replied, "Yes Ron, I will marry you."

With a shout of happiness, Ron got up and enveloped her in a hug while she was also hugged by Mrs. Weasley at the same time. Turning her head a bit, Hermione caught sight of Harry standing in the very back by the bar, wearing the most heartbroken expression she had ever seen. With his eyes shining brightly with unshed tears, Harry lifted the glass in his hand in a silent toast while staring into her eyes and then proceeded to drain the contents in one gulp. With one last angry look, he slammed the glass down on the bar and proceeded to quickly stride out of the Ballroom.

With tears falling down her cheeks, Hermione watched his retreating form and thought, 'Oh Harry, I hope that some day you'll find it in your heart to forgive me.'

~*~

'How the hell can she do this to me!!' Harry fumed to himself as he paced angrily around his library. It was the first place he went when he was upset because it reminded him of Hermione and it always helped to settle him down. Except for tonight. She was the last person he wanted to be reminded of after the way she had just betrayed him.

He decided that there was no way in hell that he was returning to the Ball. He didn't care if it made him a bad host, he was in no mood to ass kiss and lie to complete strangers that wanted nothing more than to say they had met the famous Harry Potter. Completely lost in his anger, he failed to see the figure that sauntered into the room, and he started when she said, "You should have known that the lying bitch would break your heart."

"Not now, Ginny," he spat angrily, his eyes ablaze with fury. "Why don't you just go back to the Ball and find some other poor bastard who'll be at your every beck and call?"

"Maybe because the Ball ended over an hour ago," she replied haughtily as she glared at him. "Everyone's gone home and I figured you were hiding out in here," she said, her voice dropping in tone. Walking toward him, she stopped when they were face-to-face and said, "I know how badly you're hurting Harry...let me comfort you...I can make the pain go away." Right after saying this, Ginny placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled him down into a kiss without giving him any time to react or reject her.

At first, thanks to all the alcohol he had consumed, Harry found himself responding to her kiss. Her lips were so soft and warm, and just for one second he let himself forget what Hermione had done to him earlier. That is, until he heard a loud gasp coming from the door of the Library...

"H-Harry? Ginny?" Hermione whispered in shock. Her stomach turned as she took in the sight of the two of them holding each other, kissing passionately, and she felt like she was going to be sick. Turning quickly, she ran from the room, making her way down the corridor blindly with tears streaming down her face.

"Damn it!" Harry yelled as he pushed Ginny away from him and ran out the door after Hermione. Catching a glimpse of her at the top of the stairs he yelled, "Hermione, wait! Let me explain!"

"No!" Hermione replied, clumsily taking the stairs two at a time.

Thanks to Harry's longer legs, he caught up to her halfway down and grabbed her arm to stop her. Spinning her around, he was unprepared as she brought her other hand up and slapped him across the face, hard. Dazed, he brought his free hand up to gently touch his stinging cheek and asked, "What the hell did you do that for!"

"You were kissing Ginny!" she shouted as tears still fell freely from her eyes.

"You agreed to marry Ron tonight, and you're mad because I was kissing Ginny!" he shouted back in disbelief. "Besides, I didn't know what was happening." When her eyes narrowed and she gave him her 'bullshit' look he said, "First, you've ignored me for the past two months, then I was kissed by Madam Hooch which was very unpleasant and disturbing. Next, you said yes to Ron's proposal, and I've been holed up in the Library for the last three hours trying to drink myself into a stupor, so forgive me if I didn't spurn Ginny's advances right away!"

Hermione stared at him with a myriad of emotions swirling in her brown eyes. He knew she was trying to sort out everything he had just said, and taking advantage of her confusion, he tugged lightly on her hand to get her to follow him back in the Library. When he saw that Ginny was still standing in the place he had left her he not-so-nicely ordered, "Leave Ginny, now."

Ignoring him, Ginny looked at Hermione and asked, "Why are you here with Harry instead of with Ron, or should I say instead of with your fiancé?"

"Get out now, Ginny!" Harry said in a quiet, yet dangerous, tone of voice.

Unfazed by his scare tactics, Ginny glared at Hermione and spat, "Don't think I won't tell Ron that you were here with Harry!"

"Go right ahead," Hermione said quietly, "I doubt he'll care where I go anymore."

Ginny looked at her strangely as Harry stared at her in confusion, and when he looked up to see Ginny was still there he glared at her until she finally walked out of the room. Immediately pulling out his wand and casting locking and silencing spells, he led Hermione over to the couch and pulled her down next to him.

"Care to explain what you meant?" he asked quietly as he held her hand in his.

Staring down at their joined hands, Hermione explained, "After you stormed out of the Ball everyone came up to Ron and I to congratulate us. While I was being hugged by the Minister's wife I overheard Molly telling Ron, 'see, I told you she would rather be with you than him.' I-I just couldn't believe it, it was like I was some prize to be won in some contest between you and him that was all in his head. And his own Mother was encouraging him to propose first so that he could 'win'!" Squeezing his hand as she got angry all over again, she said, " I was so furious, but then it suddenly occurred to me that he had given me the perfect way out of our relationship. I didn't want to hurt Ron, it's the last thing I wanted to do, but after hearing the tripe coming out of his mouth, it finally became clear to me how unhappy I was and how I didn't love him at all. I finally realized that I deserve to be happy, and it's you that makes me truly happy Harry, not him. So, I waited until the crowd dispersed and I told him I wanted to go home. When we got there, I told him that I wasn't some prize to be won and he should have proposed because he wanted to marry me, not because he thought he was going to lose me to you."

When she became quiet Harry quietly asked, "What did he say?"

"He said that he knew about us," she whispered. "He knew that I had been shagging you behind his back every chance I got, and he figured that if we got married he could keep me away from you. I told him that it was you that I loved, that I wouldn't marry him if he was the last man on Earth, and I threw the ring at him and apparated here."

Harry sat quietly rubbing his thumb across the soft skin on the back of her hand, taking in everything she had just said. When she saw the hurt, cautious look on his face she said, "I know that I hurt you Harry, and I am so sorry. I just...I thought I owed it to Ron to give our relationship a fair chance and that's why I've been avoiding you. But I don't love him, I love you...you're the only man that I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Harry quickly stood up and walked over to the roaring fireplace. Leaning his arm against the mantle and resting his head upon his arm, he stared silently into the flickering orange flames. Without turning to look at her he said, "And I'm just supposed to believe you after everything that you've said and done? You come to me for sex, telling me how it's me that you want to be with and then go running back to Ron afterwards. Now I'm supposed to jump at the chance to be with you because you say it's me that you love?"

He could hear Hermione sobbing behind him and his heart twisted painfully in his chest. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her, to turn around and take her into his arms and never let her go, but he had to make sure that she wasn't just playing with his heart again. He had given her his heart and soul before, and she had given it back in pieces to go running into Ron's arms. He would be damned if he would let that happen again.

"All I can say is that I'm sorry Harry, and that I love you so much that it hurts to even think of living life without you. You are the reason I get out of bed in the morning, you're the reason I go on with my life every day even though I feel like I'm dying inside, not being able to feel your arms around me. And y-you're...you're..." she trailed off, suddenly becoming silent.

"I'm what?" he asked, his curiosity piqued after her heartfelt confession.

"You're the father of my baby," she whispered quietly, her voice breaking with emotion.

"What?!" Harry asked as he turned around suddenly with a surprised look on his face.

She looked up and saw a flicker of something in his eyes...hope, maybe...but he quickly quashed it and said, "And how do I know it's my child and not Ron's?"

Feeling hurt, but expecting the question, Hermione replied, "Because I haven't been with Ron since long before the Halloween Ball, and I'm two months along."

"When did you find out?" he asked, wondering how long she'd kept it from him.

"Just a week ago," she replied, watching his face so that she could try to gauge his reaction.

Harry took two cautious steps toward her and asked, "I'm going to be a Father?"

"Yes, you are," she replied. "When I found out, I knew for certain that I had to end things with Ron. There was no way I was going to be so cruel as to lie and tell him that this baby is his. And knowing how much you've always wanted a family of your own, I could never deny you that, especially after all the hell you've gone through with Voldemort and his followers. You deserve to be happy, and after we were together at the Halloween Ball, my heart and soul belonged to you. I love you Harry and I'll do anything to prove it to you."

Closing the distance between them, Harry took her in his arms and said, "You don't have to do anything, Hermione. You're here with me now, you chose to be with me. You're carrying my child...our child...and it would be unfair of me to blame you for trying to make your relationship with Ron work. I should have realized that you're not the type of person who can just cheat on someone without feeling guilt and remorse. And if I know you, the guilt would have eaten you up inside, but now..."

"Now I know that I belong with you," she finished, looking up at him with love shining in her eyes.

Unable to resist any longer, Harry bent down and captured her lips in a searing kiss, relishing in their softness. He kissed his way along her jaw and down her throat, all the while unbuttoning the shirt she had on. Pushing it off her shoulders, he kissed his way along her shoulders and realizing that she wore no bra, bent down and captured one of her nipples in his mouth, sucking greedily.

Hesitantly stopping his ministrations, he straightened so that he could look in her desire filled eyes and asked, "I didn't hurt you, did I? I mean, is it okay to...?"

Gracing him with her sweet, beautiful smile, she placed her hands on either side of his face and said, "No, you didn't hurt me. It...I mean, they're a little...tender...but it still feels good."

He knew she was embarrassed talking about it, evident by her pink-tinged cheeks, and as he let his gaze roam down to her breasts he noticed that they looked a little different than the last time he saw them. Thinking how the change was probably due to the pregnancy, he marveled at the fact that she was carrying their child and that her body was probably going to go through many more changes in the months to come. Without even having to think twice about it, he suddenly dropped to one knee and asked, "Will you marry me?"

"What? Harry, I'm standing here half naked and you're proposing?" she asked aghast.

Looking dismayed, Harry stood up and said, "Right, I guess it's not really the best time, is it?"

Feeling horrid for ruining his happy mood, Hermione hugged him and said, "I'm sorry. It's just that, whatever will we tell our son or daughter when he or she asks how you proposed?"

A small smile returned on his face as he said, "We'll tell him or her the truth, but we'll just leave out the part where you were topless when I asked." They both laughed, feeling truly happy for the first time in a long time, and Harry asked, "So is that a 'yes' then?"

"I would be honoured to be Mrs. Harry James Potter," she answered, and then kissed him, pouring all the love she felt for him into it.

Harry slid his hands down her chest, causing her to shiver as his fingers grazed over her nipples, and came to rest on her waist. Breaking the kiss, he kneeled down so that his face was even with her still-flat stomach and placed a kiss there. Looking up at her face and then returning his gaze to where his son or daughter grew inside her he said, "It's your Daddy. I know you probably can't hear me, but I just wanted you to know that your Mum and I love you so much, and we can't wait to meet you seven months from now."

Hermione smiled down at him with happy tears streaming from her eyes and buried her hands in his hair. As he stood up, he slid her shirt back on and started to button it again. When she looked at him questioningly he said, "There's nothing more that I want right now than to carry you to my room and make love to you all night long, but I think we should wait until we're married."

Trying to hide her surprise at his willingness to wait when she wanted him so badly it physically hurt she asked, "And when were you planning on us getting married?"

Harry leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips and with a mischievous gleam in his eyes replied, "Tomorrow's good for me."