Man, it's been so long I almost forgot my password to get on my control panel! Okay, well…sorry it took so long, got sick for a couple of days, then had this thing one weekend and blah, blah. This weekend was uneventful so I finally had time to wrap up this chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 8
With the war over and done with, one would think that sleep would come easier to Harry. He put on a good front to his friends and everyone seemed to think he was fine and dandy. Well, everyone except Hermione, he couldn't seem to hide anything from her since the day they met. If he didn't adore her so much already, he'd find that extremely annoying.
He still had nightmares, some worse than others. They were better now, but it was sleep that he still had trouble with. Like tonight, as he sat up in bed, skimming through the book Hermione had been reading, while his son slept in the bed next to his. Sleep eventually took over, whether it was an hour before dawn or an hour after he douched the lights.
James shifted in his sleep and Harry grinned to himself when he started to mumble in his sleep. "Knock it off, Mallory," James muttered lazily.
Harry chuckled softly at the mention of Ron's daughter. "Dreaming about your girlfriend, son?"
James let out a whiney groan as he turned over on his other side. "She's not my girlfriend…leave me alone."
Harry lifted a brow as he watched his son, who was now still and snoring softly. "Not only does he talk in sleep, but he actually has conversations. How strange."
He chuckled again as he set the book aside, deciding it was time to try and let sleep take over. He was about to kill the light when he heard the floor squeak from outside his door. "Hermione?" he whispered loudly. "That you?"
Moments later the door crept open and Hermione's poked her head in. "Hey, sorry, I…"
Harry interrupted her by motioning her in. "Everything okay?" he asked her when she walked up to his bed.
"Yeah, sorry…I…woke up downstairs…must have dozed off."
"Yeah, you were out when I got back downstairs," Harry said with a small smile. "Didn't have the heart to wake you, so I covered you up and then stole your book."
Hermione flushed. "Oh…right, I...thought it couldn't hurt."
"Yeah, you're right. I've just read a few chapters, but it's interesting."
Hermione looked over at James who was sound asleep. "Looks like you got him down."
"It was tricky, but I managed it." Harry frowned when he saw her shiver. "You're cold." He scooted over on one side and lifted the covers. "Get in."
Hermione flushed. "Oh…er…that's okay, Harry. I don't think that's a good idea…Ginny wouldn't like the idea of us in bed together and…"
"What Ginny doesn't know won't hurt her, Hermione and besides…" He gave her a small grin. "It's not like we haven't been in worse situations."
Hermione sputtered. "That was different. It was a matter of survival."
Harry remembered that night vividly as it quickly flashed in his mind. It was the end of December and they were in the middle of an artic blizzard that had crept up on them. They had no choice but to set up their tent, which was just big enough for the three of them. Unfortunately it was too risky to heat up a fire or use a heating charm, since they knew dark wizards could easily track down their use of magic. They had only used magic when it was absolutely necessary.
"H-Hermione," Ron said as his teeth chattered while he tried to get warm in his sleeping bag. "I think this f-falls in-into the…category of abs…absolutely necessary."
"Don't…Don't b-be silly," Hermione squeaked in a high pitch voice, trying her best to sound casual.
"I can hear you shivering," Harry pointed. "We'll all d-die of frostbite and we-we're s-starting to sound like P-Professor Quirrell."
"Okay…you're right." Hermione sat up shivering and Harry scooted closer wrapping an arm around her trying to warm her up. "That's it." Hermione looked at Harry. "Body warmth."
"Wh-what?" Ron asked not following.
Hermione leaned over Harry to look at Ron who was on the other side. "We all open our sleeping bags, spread them out over all of us and we sleep close together."
"You mean snuggle?" Ron asked. "I'm not snuggling with Harry."
"Glad to hear it," Harry pointed out. "Hermione, move to the middle and be a barrier."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh all right. Start unzipping the bags and grab all the blankets we have….our outer clothes are kind of damp…we should probably remove them."
"What?" Harry asked both, pausing from their task.
"I'm not saying we have to go skyclad or anything…just strip to your boxers and I'll strip to my undershirt and knickers.
Ron blushed. "Hermione."
"We can't afford to be modest," Hermione said as she whipped off her coat and tossed it aside, then removed her jumper revealing her white cotton undershirt. "Well hurry up you two, I'm freezing!"
Harry and Ron shared a quick look of disbelief before they quickly followed suit. They all hunkered down under the blankets, scooting closer towards they middle. They were on their backs, the covers were pulled over their heads to completely block them from the bone-chilling air.
"This…isn't working," Ron said.
"We need to get closer," Hermione stated as she rolled to her side. "Ron, you turn your back against me and Harry, you scoot up behind me."
"This is so weird," Ron said as he nudged himself closer to her, already feeling the comfortable heat from her. "Like a twisted version of a threesome…ow! You pinched me!"
Harry snickered. "Do I want to know where exactly you pinched him?"
"Grabbed a hunk of skin at his side," she said in the muffled darkness. "And if you keep talking I'll do the same to you…but a more sensitive area if you get my drift."
Harry felt his jaw drop. "Hermione."
"Oh hush, I'm only joking." Hermione folded her arms in front of her, sandwiching them between her chest and Ron's back. "And move closer, will you? Your barely touching me."
"I didn't know how close you wanted me."
"There's a blizzard outside, Harry. I want you practically on top of me."
"All right, all right," He said with a hint of amusement in his voice as he shifted up higher and nuzzled himself against her so they spooned each other perfectly. Instead of folding his arms in front of him, he wrapped his outer arm over her, pulling her close. He felt her shudder against him, then relaxed as she let out a dreamy sigh. "Better?"
"Much."
"This was a good idea." Deep under the blanket, their legs entwined. "Nice and warm."
"Mmm. Ron? You okay?" He answered by snoring loudly, causing a chuckle to escape them both. "I guess so."
Harry smiled in the dark. "Night, Hermione."
"Good night, Harry." She then surprised him when he shifted her head and planted a kiss on his knuckles. "Sleep well."
He had been too stunned to do or say anything else.
Harry looked at her now and knew she had taken a similar trip back down memory lane. "Just get in, Hermione," he said and then smiled when she gave a roll of her eyes and climbed into his bed. "Besides, we might as well get use to it, there's a fifty-fifty chance you and I will get married."
Hermione froze in the middle of fiddling with the covers and her head whipped around to his. Her face turned pale and her eyes grew incredibly wide. "What? What?"
Harry fought back a smile and told him about what James had said earlier when they were out by the lake. "He said, 'mum is coming' and the kick of it was I didn't know who he was referring to."
"Why don't you think it's Luna?"
"He goofed and called her Aunt Luna."
"Why wouldn't it be Ginny?"
Harry studied her. "Why wouldn't it be you?"
Hermione blushed. "Harry, please…you don't have to do that."
"Do what?"
"Pretend. Pretend to maybe see me that way so you won't hurt my feelings." She gave him a small shrug and a half smile. "It's okay…really. I know you never have felt that way about me and probably ever would."
"Hmm, I see." Harry looked puzzled as he scratched his head. "Funny, I always thought you could read my mind about anything. Turns out your not perfect after all."
"Harry, stop," she laughed giving him a swat on the arm. "It's not funny. You're with Ginny, not me and you've always loved Ginny."
"Have I?" Harry asked. "I've never told her that."
"You…you never told her?" Hermione asked amazed. "Why not?"
Harry squirmed uncomfortably. "Because I'm not sure that I do, all the more reason you could be my wife, Hermione."
Hermione shook her head in denial. "No, I can't. You don't think of me that way."
"Maybe I do, I don't know, Hermione." He smiled and gave her hair a friendly tug. "Things can change in a matter of minutes."
Hermione stared in wonder. "You're talking about marriage to me so casually…like it's no big deal. I don't understand you."
"And I don't understand why you can't grip with the fact that I could be attracted to you." Harry's voice was a little hard with irritation. "Do you think that little of yourself?"
"No. Yes, I mean…" She shook her head clear. "That's not the point, Harry." She paused, opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, then sighed in defeat. "Why are we even talking about this?"
"I brought it up," Harry pointed out as looked at her profile and when she turned and her eyes met his, something jumped a little inside his belly. "It's not hard for me to picture myself with you, Hermione, you know me more than anyone. That's why it didn't seem like a big deal to mention to you that there's a chance you might marry me. Then again, I never thought there might be a chance that you wouldn't want to."
"What?" Hermione shook her head softly. "No Harry, of course not. I'd be honored if that happened, I'm just…just being realistic is all."
"Realistic," he repeated as he let out a laugh. "There you go again, thinking so little of yourself."
Hermione tilted her head down shyly. "I'm not as pretty as, Ginny."
Harry immediately cupped her delicate chin and lifted her head back up. "Don't say that, Hermione. No, look at me," he said when she downcast her eyes. "Look at me. Why would you say that?"
Her eyes shimmered. "Because it's true. Her hair is long, straight and shiny, while mine is…well, it's the complete opposite of that. Bushy, out of control and…"
"Untamed?" Harry finished with a grin. "I happen to like it that way. It suites you."
Hermione snorted a laugh as she tried to look away, but Harry tightened his grip on her chin. "Harry, that's sweet of you to say, but…"
"I've seen you with straight sleeky hair before," Harry interrupted. "First time was fourth year and then again at Fleur and Bill's wedding. Now, don't take this the wrong way because you did look very pretty those times but, I found myself missing your wild and crazy hair. The sleek back tamed look just doesn't suite my Hermione."
Hermione blushed, smiling softly. "So you like my hair…I still don't have her body, or her face."
"I think your face is perfect," Harry said reaching over to cradle her cheek. "And as for your body…" He raised a brow as he looked down and up causing her to turn a deeper shade of red. "I may have not seen your body Hermione, but I've felt you. Even before that night in the tent, I've found myself pressed up against you a lot of times and let me tell you…I wasn't complaining."
"Okay, so…you're really starting to embarrass me," she laughed lightly as she covered his hand that was on her cheek and pulled it away. "Why are you telling me this?"
Harry smiled. "Honestly, Hermione…I'm anxious to know who the mother of my kids are and I think I'm starting to realize who that person is. But if I do marry Ginny, Hermione, I guess I wanted you to know how special you are."
Hermione wiped away a tear that trailed her cheek. "Thank you, Harry. No matter what happens, I just want you to be happy."
Harry cocked his head to the side and keeping his eyes trained on hers. "You still don't think it could be you, do you?"
"Oh. Well." Hermione let out a shaky laugh as she waved it off. "It doesn't matter, Harry, we've been friends for so long we don't know if we could even be intimate like that. To kiss, and well…obviously make love…you do have four kids, Harry."
Harry nodded as he pursed his lips as the frustration started to rise. "You know, what? You're right…we don't know if we'd work that way…we might not even have any sexual chemistry."
"R-right," Hermione agreed as she started to shift away. "So why don't we just forget it and I'll see you tomorrow."
Harry grabbed her arm before she could slip out. "Or we could just find out now," he said and then crushed his lips to hers.