A/N ~ Parting is such sweet sorrow… I'm very sorry to everyone who has been waiting for this final part of the story I guess I just didn't want to let go. But it's written now so I figured I should share it with you. I hope you enjoy it and I'm sure that you'll let me know what you think…
Also I have made a few minor alterations to the previous chapter there/their kind of stuff mostly, but one thing I did have to change that you should be aware of is that Madame Pomfrey said Hermione would wake up `soon' not `in a few minutes' as in the original draft. Cheers…
MOI ~ Chapter 10 Hermione wakes up & Harry opens his eyes
It was probably about 2am but Harry maintained his solitary vigil at Hermione's bedside. Her parents had gotten a room in a nearby hotel and left instructions for Harry to call them as soon as Hermione awoke. Ron and the rest of the Weasley's had stayed until about midnight before finally returning to the Burrow with the promise they'd be back in the morning. Harry had farewelled them all before returning to Hermione's bedside were he had stayed ever since.
Madame Pomfrey said she'd wake up soon and Harry was determined to be there when she did. He figured that with the number of times he'd woken up in a hospital bed to find her there, he owed her one. He also knew that any attempt to sleep would be an exercise in futility until she'd woken up and he was assured she really was alright.
He was so tired his eyes itched with it but at the same time his mind was fully alert, waiting for any sound or movement to indicate that she was beginning to stir. Harry slipped his hands under his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes when he heard a small voice whisper.
`Harry?'
Harry turned around to look at the bed so quickly he almost flung his glasses from his face.
`Hermione?' he whispered reaching out to gently cradle her hand in his.
Her beautiful eyes fluttered open and pure, sweet relief flooded into his heart.
`Are you ok?' He asked gingerly stroking her hair from her face as though afraid she might break.
`I think so.' She replied her voice coming out in a husky rasp. Harry fleetingly though how sexy she sounded before he quickly offered her a drink. Hermione accepted the glass of water gratefully and after gulping down a few mouthfuls, in typical Hermione fashion, she started asking questions.
`Did you get him?'
Harry smiled at her, `Yeah I got him.'
`Is everyone else ok?'
`As far as I know,' he replied.
`What's happening with the other death eaters?'
`I'm not sure I've been here since you were hurt.'
`Where's everyone else?'
`Your parents got a hotel room nearby and well the Weasley's weren't allowed in your room anyway so they went back to the Burrow.'
Hermione looked at him sharply, he should have known she would pick that up.
`Why weren't they allowed in?'
Harry looked away and scratched the back of his neck as he tried to think of a way to break the news to her gently.
`Well, it's a muggle hospital,' he began hesitantly, `and they have rules about who they will let into their patients rooms.' He finished somewhat awkwardly, finally daring to look up at her again.
She frowned then, `usually it's only family…' her sentence trailed off and her eyes widened as she realised what must have happened.
`You told.' She said. It was a statement and not a question.
`I'm sorry, I was so scared and worried and they wouldn't let me in otherwise.'
`Oh Harry,' she whispered through her fingers her eyes darting to the door as though she expected angry mobs to burst through it at any moment, `were my parents angry?'
He shrugged, `at the time they were too busy being worried about you… you were pretty badly hurt Hermione, they said your condition was too unstable to risk moving you to St Mungo's.'
He leaned in and gently grasped her hands once more, `You are ok now aren't you?'
`Honestly, I'm a little sore but I feel ok.'
`I don't know what I'd've done Hermione if you'd…. you know.' He couldn't bring himself to say it.
`What are we going to do Harry?' Hermione asked her voice soft and her eyes worried, `I understand why you did it, truthfully I probably would have done the same, but what do we do now?'
Harry looked down at their clasped hands and took a deep breath trying to draw up some courage, and when he looked up again his piercing green eyes burned with intensity.
`Did you mean it?' He asked at last, his voice a low rumble.
Hermione's eyes darted away, `mean what?' she asked feigning ignorance. Harry wasn't fooled but he decided it would be chivalrous to humour her.
`Did you mean it when you said you love me?'
Everything seemed to stop for a few seconds as Harry's question hung in the air waiting for a response. One of Hermione's hands escaped from his grasp and she began to pick at the comforter covering her.
`What does it matter if I did or not?' She asked still resolutely not meeting his gaze.
`It matters because I love you,' Hermione looked up then and met his gaze at last, giving him the courage to finish what he wanted to say, `and if you meant what you said and you do love me, then I want to stay married to you… if you'll have me.'
Hermione flung her arms around his neck, `Oh Harry!' she breathed into his ear,
`I love you, how could I not when you say things like that?' she started scattering kisses over his face.
`I want to stay married to you too, but I didn't want to pressure you.' She said between kisses.
Harry laughed, relief sweeping through him and leaving him feeling giddy and light headed.
`Careful Hermione, don't hurt yourself.'
`Honestly Harry I'm fine' she said exasperated, then `but what do we tell everyone and how are they going to react?'
`As for how they react, what does it matter what they think? This is about us not them..' Hermione smiled at him and he continued somewhat sheepishly, `and I've pretty much told everyone already anyway.'
`You've held a press conference then have you?' she asked eyebrow raised.
`Well no but…well I guess we'll just tell them what I told everyone else.'
`and what was that?'
`We are married because we're in love.'
Hermione didn't answer but when her lips met his in a sweet gentle kiss Harry found that for the first time, perhaps ever, he was glad that Hermione hadn't done her research properly.
***
A/N ~ *Sob* goodbye my baby….I hope that answered all of your questions, let me know what you think…
-->