Okay so here's an update finally. Not really long, sorry, I'm having a hard time with this fic right now for some reason. Hopefully it won't take me long to get the next update up. Anyway, for now enjoy!
Chapter 6
"You really do smell like the backyard," Harry told him while he helped James with his jumper when it got stuck on his head.
"Sirius tackled me."
"And what did you do?"
"Fought back."
Harry grinned, chuckling softly. "You're my boy all right." He ruffled his hair. "Now get in the bath, water is pretty full now."
"I still can't get over the size of this bath," James said once he was emerged in the hot swirling water. "It's almost as big as our pool."
"We have a pool, huh?" Harry asked as he rolled up his jeans and sat on the edge, dipping his feet in the water. "That's kind of cool."
"You and mum taught us all how to swim in that pool."
Harry smiled at the thought, picturing him splashing around in a pool with his kids. He pictured it so easily, but the one thing he had a hard time picturing was his wife. It was almost as if she was faceless. Did she have long straight red hair? Or out of control bushy hair? It was maddening trying to figure it out and a part of him felt like an idiot for not knowing. Shouldn't he know? He was dating Ginny for crying out loud, shouldn't he be positive that Ginny was the mother of his kids?
"Hey James?" Harry asked after a moment of pondering. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," he said and pushed his wet hair out of his eyes.
"Your mum and I…do we love each other? I mean really love each other?"
James opened his mouth, but shut it when Harry kept on talking.
"I'd like to think that we do, I mean of course…I've always wanted that, but do we love each other like it comes natural, or does it look like we have to work at it?" Harry sighed in frustration and looked at his son who was shoulder deep in the bath. "Am I making any sense?"
James had to press his lips together to keep from smiling. "I think so and the answer is yes."
"Yes…okay good, wait…which part? The natural or the working at it?"
"Both."
Harry opened his mouth only to shut it again, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, now I'm even more confused."
"Dad, relax, okay? You and mum are very happy with each other. You fight at times, but you always make-up and get all touchy feely with each other."
Harry blushed as he cleared his throat. "Ah well…okay."
"I'd say more, but I'm afraid I'll say too much. You did tell me to keep quiet of the future, you know."
Harry smiled. "Yeah, I know. Sorry." He then playfully splashed water at him with his foot. "Now get out before you get wrinkled. It's getting late."
"Oh..come on, Dad….ten more minutes."
"Three," Harry answered back.
"Seven."
"Five."
James grinned. "Deal."
XXX
Harry was exhausted by the time he got James officially into bed with the lights out and the door closed behind him. He stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall wondering how in the world his futuristic self handled putting four kids to bed when just one was tiring enough.
"At least I won't be alone in the future," Harry told himself as he finally made his way back down the stairs. Him and his wife…whoever she was…were in for quite a challenge.
"Well Hermione," Harry said walking into the common room. "I finally got him down and…" Harry paused and pressed his mouth together when he found Hermione lying asleep on the couch. He smiled softly when he saw a book lying on her chest and pieces of parchment scattered around her.
Harry made his way over to her, picking up her notes and stacked them nicely on the long table that was up against the back of the couch. He sat gently at her hip and lifted her hand that was across her thick book and set it aside before taking the book off her chest. Harry looked at the title and laughed softly. "Reading up on time-travel?" he whispered as he studied the cover. "Always looking out for me, aren't you?"
Harry set the book on the floor, then looked back down at Hermione, watching her sleep. Her hair was sprawled out over the deep red satin material of the couch, her mouth was open slightly as she breathed in and out, while one hand laid comfortably on her stomach and the other had dropped down on the floor. He lifted the hand, planning on moving it too her stomach, but found himself clasping it with both of his and not wanting to let go.
She was so pretty when she slept. Something he had noticed during their hunt for the Horcruxes, during many of his sleepless nights. Ron was always snoring and his mouth would be open wide and Harry would wince while he watched him drool down his face. It was an unattractive sight, so he would always find himself watching Hermione instead. There was nothing unattractive about the way she slept. She looked so feminine…so innocent. So beautiful.
Now he sat there, watching her sleep like he had so many times before, but this time with the knowing she might be the girl he married. Hermione…the girl that had been there for him since the beginning…might be his future wife. The knowledge of that left him terrified, nervous and…excited.
He didn't know why that was; he didn't even know what it was like to be with Hermione that way. He knew how he felt when he touched and kissed Ginny and it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. Kissing a girl never was unpleasant…well, except for his first kiss with Cho. That was a disaster. With Ginny it was exciting at first, then he found it normal kissing her…as if the excitement had ebbed away. He supposed that was what it was like for all couples, surely after years of being together the passion fades out.
But what if it didn't? What he had with Ginny was great, but what if he could have something with Hermione that was greater than great. He supposed he wouldn't fully know unless he touched her…unless he kissed her. Harry's heart hitched at the thought of leaning down and pressing his lips to hers, waking her up slowly with a kiss. The idea was all too tempting and he even found himself lifting a shaky hand to her face, flinching it back before he made contact.
Harry blew out a long deep breath as he shifted away, turning his back to her while he buried his head in his hands. What was wrong with him? What the hell was going on? He shouldn't be thinking this. He shouldn't want to do this. He was with Ginny. Ginny Weasley; not Hermione Granger. He shouldn't be thinking like this, but how could he not? He could marry Hermione just as easy as he could marry Ginny. He could easily picture being with her, touching her, kissing her…almost too easily. Merlin, what the bloody hell was he going to do now?
Harry sighed as he turned his head around to look back at her. As much as he would have loved to stay down with her, he knew the right thing to do was just go back upstairs and let her be. It was not the time or place to give into any urges he might have.
Harry got to his feet, pulled the quilted blanket that was draped over the back of the couch and gently covered Hermione with it. She shifted and moaned softly, snuggling deeper under the quilt. Harry smiled as he knelt down beside her and brushed a strand of hair from her face. Her skin was so smooth against his rough fingers and who would have thought her wild bushy hair was soft as silk. "Night Hermione," Harry said as his hand cupped the side of her face while his thumb grazed the bottom of her lip.
He stood up slowly, kissing her forehead on the way up before finally making himself walk away. At the stairs he paused, looked back at the couch where she lay still. He couldn't help but think they would have a wonderful life together. Harry and Hermione Potter. Had kind of a nice ring to it. Maybe he was wrong, and he really did marry Ginny, but…a small part of him couldn't help but hope he was right.