A/N: Just a short story that came to me, only a couple of chapters. A little interlude I decided to write up while in the midst of Footsteps, but it has nothing to do with that universe.
Disclaimer - They aren't my toys, I just play with them
ONE: THAT FIRST NIGHT
Harry Potter dropped his body into a chair after grabbing the bottle of firewhiskey and a glass. He poured himself a drink and leaned back, placing the ice-pack he'd also retrievedsoftlyagainst his throbbing jaw, and taking a sip of his drink. She'd hit him hard and he knew that he'd deserved it.
'How could I have even thought she was cheating?' His mind asked himself for the fourth time since she'd apparated away.
She'd never left before. They fought a fair bit, but most of it was their twisted version of foreplay, and when it wasn't they just wouldn't speak for a while. But in their entire twenty years of being married she'd never left before. They'd both threatened to and on more than one occasion she'd told him to leave, but she herself had never walked out on him.
'Why the hell am I such an insecure git? Twenty bloody years she's stuck by me, longer if you count the friendship beforehand, and I bloody go and accuse her of cheating! What the bloody hell is wrong with me?'
He poured himself another firewhiskey as another part of his mind answered for him, 'Because she's too good for you. You don't think you're good enough. If you were her you'd look for better. But you're not her, and you know she'd never do that. She bloody well loves you and now you've gone and probably bloody ruined everything.'
Sure she'd spent an awful lot of time with that Rumsfield feller lately, but it was for her research. Harry knew she'd never cheat on him, he knew she loved him, but he'd gotten angry and just said it. That was when she promptly decked him round the side of the face and left.
Taking a long sip of his drink he thought back over their twenty one years as lovers, right back to the first night.
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Seventeen year old Harry Potter trudged up the stairs at Grimmauld Place towards his room. Only he, Ronald Weasley and
Hermione Granger were there and no one else knew where they were. For the past year they'd been finding Voldemorts
Horcruxes and destroying them. And tomorrow it would all end. They had one more to get and they knew where to find it,
inside Voldemort. Tomorrow he'd either kill Voldemort or be killed himself.
Tonight they would rest for whatever the next day would bring. They knew where to find Voldemort and tomorrow they'd go and hopefully Harry would kill him. It had been a rather quiet night since they knew that all three could die tomorrow.
He slipped out of his shirt and collapsed on the bed, pulling the covers over himself. He was just about to drop off when he heard the door crack open and soft footsteps pad over to him. Extra weight applied to the bed.
"Harry, are you still awake?" Hermione whispered.
Yeah, Mione, what's up?" He asked, going to sit up.
He never got the chance however as her lips crashed into his and she pushed him back onto the bed. Harry was in complete shock as her hands began exploring his body, but the shock didn't stop him from responding.
She pulled back, straddled him and pulled her shirt over her head, giving Harry the chance to come out of shock.
"Mione, I....ah" his words tumbling.
"Harry, we could both die tomorrow" she whispered, her voice husky with desire.
"Yeah, but, I mean we haven't even been dating - -"
"Harry" she cut him off.
"Yeah?"
"Shut up"
And once again her lips were on his and he couldn't help himself from responding. If this is what she wanted, then he wouldn't disappoint her. Harry sat up and reached around undoing her bra as she pulled her wand out of her back pocket and performed a sound-proofing charm on the walls and a contraceptive charm on herself. The wand and the rest of their clothes quickly formed on the floor.
Harry flipped her, but stopped before completing what they started.
"Mione, are you sure - -"
"Harry," she began, "I've never been more sure of anything. I want you right now."
He didn't need to be told twice. He watched her face as he entered her, and noticed her wince in pain. "Sorry" he whispered.
She pulled him into a searing kiss, and whispered back, "Don't be"
They spent a good part of the night making love for the first time. Harry was overwhelmed with a rush of feelings for her as she went over the edge. They'd always been friends, even though they fought alot. And over the years he'd always thought she was beautiful. He was surprised that after all they'd been through and all the time they'd spent together, it was just before he hit his peak too, on the night before either or both of them could die that he realized he was in love with her.
They spent a few hours after that just laying together talking. She lay on his chest and told him if she survived she was going to go back to Hogwarts and get her N.E.W.T.'s. He knew she would but he couldn't help but smile at the excitement on her face at the prospect of another year of learning. What worried him was the 'if she survived'.
She traced shapes on his chest while he told her he'd love to play proffesional Quidditch. He knew he wasn't the best Seeker in the world, but he wanted to try to be. And if that didn't work out he'd like to be an auror.
Then he sat behind her giving her a back rub as they watched the sun come up through the window on what might be their last day.
They hadn't died that day, obviously. Though they came very close a few times. One simply doesn't walk into the
Dark Lords lair, without getting a few Kedavras thrown ones way. Both Ron and Hermione were flung into the back wall
next to each other. They looked up in time to see Harry kill Voldemort. The rest of the battle stopped as the Dark Lord
fell. The red in his eyes fading away to nothingness. All around there was complete silence, the death eaters stared at
their lifeless master in disbelief, as did Ron and Hermione. Then one by one the death eaters apparated away.
The three contacted the ministry, who would send people to clean up, while they left, heading to the safety of Hogwarts. They walked into the Great Hall, bloody, ripped, and worn, right in the middle of the end of year feast, Harry carrying Hermione since the injury to her head caused her to pass out just as they apparated to Hogsmeade. Harry and Ron had barely been able to make it to Hogwarts themselves both completely exhausted. Everyone who'd been speaking immediately stopped as every eye in the Hall turned and stared at them. McGonagall looked at them in disbelief as she made her way to them. Harry dropped to his knees and laid Hermione on the ground in front of him as Ron called, "We need help".
McGonagall reached them and kneeled down in front of Hermione, worry and tears in her old eyes. Harry looked at the headmistress through his broken glasses, whispered "It's over" and joined Hermione unconscious on the floor of the Great Hall.
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