Unofficial Portkey Archive

Thank you SO much for all your patience everyone! This week has been super hectic for both me and my beta, and I appreciate your wonderful patience! Read on I say!

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Without You

Chapter 6: Only Hope

There's a song that's inside of my soul.
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again
I'm awake in the infinite cold.
But you sing to me over and over and over again.

So I lay my head back down.
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours, I pray, to be only yours
I pray, to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope.

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"Harry," Hermione breathed out as she broke away from Harry's kiss. He was panting and his face was red. Her eyes held a depth that almost scared him, telling him how she felt without communicating it. Her eyes told him that he could never lose her; he would literally die.

"God, Hermione, I need you." Her eyes widened in shock. "No, I need you to stay with me forever. Can you promise me you'll always be there?"

"Oh, Harry!" She sobbed before pressing her lips to his again. "I'll always be with you," she whispered in between kisses, pressing her body closer to his.

Harry couldn't get enough of her, and he already felt like he was drowning. A nonexistent rope was tying itself around his heart and squeezing out every emotion, every desire he felt for her. If it wasn't enough that he was aching for her, he hurt physically with the love he carried. It was hard to believe he could finally admit this to himself: Harry Potter loves Hermione Granger.

His tongue slipped between her parted lips and he tasted her for the first time. God, it was amazing: the way he felt as though he had to touch every part of her, and get into every inch of her skin, melt into her so they would be one.

Harry pulled back and Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. She still held onto the back of his head and was panting heavily. Harry had to smile at how dishevelled her hair was, and how flushed she looked. He never wanted to see her any other way for the rest of his life.

Scratch that, he wanted to see her wonderful naked body under his.

Not now Harry continued to tell himself. It was too soon, even though he was starting to react to her a bit south of where their mouths were attached.

"Hermione," Harry breathed as he broke away from her. He didn't say anything else, only stared at her, but she nodded in understanding as he grew hard against her thigh. Harry winced, and Hermione wrapped her arms around his middle, hugging him closely and apparated them both back to Grimmauld Place. "You didn't have to do that, I can apparate myself you know."

Hermione giggled. "I know I was just showing off."

Harry quirked an eyebrow at her. "You? Hermione Granger? Show off?"

Hermione hit him playfully and they both laughed moving only slightly further away from one another. Their eyes met again and he kissed her chastely. "So, what do we do, Harry?" Hermione asked, burying her head in the crook of his neck.

He kissed the top of her head. "I don't know," he tilted her chin up and kissed her lips again. "I don't want to stop kissing you though."

She gripped his arms tightly, her eyes boring into his. "Are you sure?"

"Oh yes."

"Then this doesn't end, right? We're-boyfriend and girlfriend then?"

Harry grinned, never having felt happier in his life than to hear Hermione call him her boyfriend. "Absobloodylutely."

Hermione reached up to trace his scar with her index finger and push his bangs aside. Never had this acknowledgement felt so good, so-erotic. He had to pull her hand away from his forehead as he choked on a breath.

"Harry," Hermione breathed as she moved impossibly closer to him.

"Oh, fuck," he cursed as his erection grew painfully hard. "Do you see what you do to me?"

Hermione was breathing hard now, fast and hard. "Y-yes." She reached down tentatively and cupped the bulge in his pants. He gave a strangled moan as she stroked him with enough pressure to make him feel like coming.

He pushed her hand away. "Oh God, Hermione. If you don't stop I'm going to come in my pants like a little kid."

Hermione smirked. "What if that was my plan?"

"I've never seen this side of you before."

"Is that bad?"

"No," Harry rested his head on her shoulder as he calmed down a bit. "It's brilliant."

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"Oh thank Merlin! Finally out of this fucking bed."

"And cage," Harry muttered under his breath to Hermione.

Hermione giggled as Ron turned to look at them. "What did you say, mate?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Hey! Can I help you with anything?"

"Um, no," Ron said quirking an eyebrow. "I should be able to carry everything in my sack, unless you want to act like my boyfriend and carry it for me."

Harry blushed as Hermione and Ron let out a roar of laughter. "I'm going to the loo," Hermione sniggered, still red in the face.

When she was gone, Ron slapped Harry on the back. "So, anything you want to tell me?"

The grin on Ron's face told Harry that there was no use in covering it up. "Yeah," Harry looked at the ground and kicked at one of the legs on the bed. "Hermione's my girlfriend now-I hope that's okay with you."

Ron let out a whoop that made Harry jump. "It's about bloody time, mate! I honestly think she was secretly lusting after you when she and I were together! Fuck, I wouldn't be surprised if the first time we kissed she was picturing your face!"

Harry had to laugh nervously. "Well, thanks I guess. I mean, she's great-brilliant, actually. And she means so much to me…" Harry looked at the floor with a shy grin on his face.

"You love her, don't you?" Ron beamed. "You do! I knew it."

Harry looked up; a tear was falling down his cheek. "God, I love her so much it hurts, Ron." His friend put a hand on his shoulder. "I mean, she and I visited my parents' graves the other day, and I got this overwhelming feeling, this…oh God. I-I don't know what I'd do if I lost her…hell, I don't know what I'd do if I lost you..."

"Well you can start by not looking like you're going to kiss me." Harry turned red and dropped his eyes to the floor. "I'm just joking, mate. But really, that's life. We lose people, and we gain them." Ron looked at Harry pointedly. "This is our life, and it bloody sucks, but there's nothing we can do about it…"

"You guys could do something about it…"

"No, Harry," Ron said forcefully. "We can't, because we are your friends and we're not backing down, especially on this. We're not going to let some prick jinx you into the ground while we sit by with tea and watch."

"Ron, you don't know how much that means to me." Ron smiled and gave him a big manly hug. Harry had never held Ron this tightly, but he felt he had to…he wouldn't be anywhere without his best mate.

"So I guess this means we're breaking up, then?" Hermione's voice came from the doorway as the two boys pulled apart quickly, blushing and laughing.

"No, but it wasn't easy letting him down, Hermione. I know how in love with me he is," Ron joked. Hermione laughed heartily, and Harry didn't think he'd seen her laugh so hard in his life. It was wonderful to see her in such a healthy state.

She crossed the room and put her hands around his neck as his moved automatically to her waist. "I guess I've got some competition then," she said before tugging his face down to hers and slipping her tongue forcefully between his lips. Harry was thrown off guard, but he didn't falter as their kisses grew more intense.

Ron cleared his throat and they stepped away from each other, flushed and positively glowing. Ron cocked his head and had a funny grin on his face. "You two are a funny couple of pink-faced kids, though I'd appreciate keeping the PDA low when I'm around."

"Noted," Hermione smirked. "Now let's get you discharged before they charge you for another night."

"I don't know if I'd mind that. I mean, they've been giving me feasts for the last few days so I could stay here a few more days."

"Ronald, look at this bill," Hermione said, handing over a piece of parchment.

Ron's eyes grew. "Bloody hell! I'm never eating out again!"

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"Have you come in possession with the cup?"

"N-No, my Lord," Wormtail cowered, trembling.

"WELL WHY NOT?" Voldemort screamed at his crony. Wormtail covered his head with his arms and curled into a ball on the ground, whimpering like a whipped dog.

"I don't know how to get into Hogwarts, my Lord, AND-" Wormtail added quickly when Voldemort looked like he would be spouting again. "And, my Lord, I don't think the headmistress would find it suspicious that someone would want to go to the-"

"You're perfectly right, Wormtail," Voldemort said, waving him off. "I never thought such a worthless imbecile could give me an answer like you just have."

Wormtail grinned brightly, straightening his shoulders for the first time in years. "Shall I-"

"Yes, Wormtail, go get Dolohov." Wormtail looked crestfallen. "He shall wait until Harry gets the cup for me, and then attack." Voldemort smiled in sick pleasure. "It's our only hope to get to that cup before Potter does."

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"So, what do you mean it's at Hogwarts?" Ron asked with a mouth full of kidney pie.

Hermione winced as she saw a few parcels of food fly out of his mouth. "Well, Harry used Legilimancy on the shopkeeper and-"

"Wait," Ron snapped his head towards Harry. "You can do Legilimancy? Bloody hell, why didn't you tell me?"

"I hadn't told anyone until I told Hermione, and now you. But I don't want to go out shouting it from mountains, Ron."

"This could be put to some good use. Hey, what am I thinking right now?"

"That you're still hungry."

"Bloody brilliant."

"I didn't read your mind, Ron, I just know you too well."

"Well, come on then, tell me how you learned it."

"I-I just remember Snape teaching me a bit of it-I really don't want to go into this right now," Harry answered quickly. "I think we should devise a plan on how to get the cup while still under McGonagall's watchful eye."

"You're right," Ron said taking another bite of his pie. "That woman can be quite the-"

"Ronald Weasley," Hermione shouted, shooting out of her seat and slamming her hands down on the table. "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times! Don't-talk-with-your-mouth-full!" Ron stared at her and then visibly swallowed what was in his mouth. Hermione sat down quietly, and went back to picking at her own kidney pie.

Harry glanced over at her. "Is something wrong, love?"

Hermione sighed as her fork clanked on the plate. "I just don't know how we're going to figure out where it is! Hogwarts is an incredibly large school!"

Harry smirked. "When in doubt, consult your bible, Hermione."

"Harry, I hardly think reading about Jesus is going to help us here."

"No…" Harry sniggered. "Your other bible."

"Hogwarts, A History," Hermione breathed in realization. "Oh, you're a genius, Harry!" Hermione jumped up and kissed Harry quickly on the head before darting out of the kitchen and up to her room to fetch her book.

"Good going, mate," Ron said, sticking some food in his mouth. "Got rid of her. Now we can eat in peace."

"You know, I wouldn't mind if you swallowed before you talk."

Ron looked at him with wide eyes. "Hermione's rubbing off on you, mate. I'd be careful."

Harry chuckled. "Oh you have no idea, Ron."

Ron made a gagging sound. "I'd rather not throw up while I'm eating, thank you very much!"

Grinning, Harry took his empty plate and brought it over to the sink. Time for him to join Hermione for his first ever reading of Hogwarts, A History.

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