Time-Traveling Meddler

Okay, so here’s a new fic by me! Don’t worry “sleeping” fans, I’m not finished yet with that story. Having a little bit of a set back and this story popped in my hand and you guys know how I get anxious. I sometimes write faster when I have one than more story going anyways and “sleeping” is almost finished. I’ve even written half of the next part.

This story is a fun one, and I hope you guys enjoy it. I wanted to go ahead and post it and get a feel for what you guys think. If you like where it’s going let me know!

~HM

Time-Traveling Meddler

Chapter 1

James had thought he would spend another harmless night at home, lounging in bed with all his freshly bought books scattered around him. Little did he know that wasn’t going to be the case.

James was finally going to Hogwarts for the first time in only a few short weeks! A moment he had been looking forward to since that day he had watched Sirius walk through Platform 9 ¾ just six years ago. He was only four, but he remembered sitting on top of his Dad’s shoulders, waving goodbye to his brother.

His sister Kylie, who was eight then, stood next to Dad, holding his hand while she waved as well with her free one. He remembered how his very pregnant mum had insisted on taking him through the barrier, making sure he got on the train safely.

“I’ll stay with the kids, luv,” his dad said to her, kissing her softly. “Go on with Stretch here.” Dad had ruffled Sirius’ hair who grinned up at him at the sound of his nickname..

James was young, but he remembered it perfectly and two years later he had to watch Kylie go while he stayed behind with his Mum and two-year old sister, Lily. Kylie had always been a Daddy’s girl and wanted Dad to go with her to the platform. Dad had smiled, squatting down to her and tweaked her perky nose. “Of course I’ll go with you, pumpkin.” Dad and his nicknames…jeez. Dad called him Jaybird a lot, after the bird, because he was such a natural flyer.

Now it was his turn and he was finally going to go through the barrier while his little sister stayed behind. The best part was, he was going with his two best friends in the whole world. Mallory & Clark. James couldn’t remember a moment in his life when Mal and Clark weren’t in it. They had been friends since the moment they were born. It was expected, since all their parents grew up together years ago. It was kind of cool.

He was just finishing up the first chapter of Standard Book of Spells; Grade One, when someone knocked on his door. “Yeah, come in.” The door opened and James smiled at his mum. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” She looked at his books and smiled. “Looking forward to school?”

“Do Hippogriffs fly?”

His mum laughed and his heart fluttered. He always made her laugh…he loved making his mother laugh. “You do get your sense of humor from your father.”

“And you,” he added. “You’re funny too, Mum.”

“Oh…well…you’re sweet to say so.” She walked over and sat on his bed. “I wanted to talk to you before your father and I leave.”

He gave a little shrug as he continued reading, only to have his book closed by his mum. He looked up, then sighed when she had that familiar one brow arch upwards. “Yeah, okay. I’m listening.”

“Sirius and Kylie are in charge.”

“Aww mum…can’t Hagrid baby-sit?”

“He hasn’t baby sat since the time he accidentally set the couch on fire.”

His eyes lit up. “Yeah, it was awesome.”

“Sirius and Kylie,” she repeated. “We’ve ordered pizza…and I want you to go take a bath before bed. I mean it, you smell like the backyard.”

“Only because Sirius tackled me,” he grumbled.

“One more thing…and it’s the most important.” James looked up and waited. “No going in our room.”

James blinked. “Er…yeah, sure Mum.”

“I mean it,” she said firmly staring him down. “And whatever you do…do NOT touch anything on my dresser.”

“Well, golly Mum….”

“Especially, the silver heart shaped jewelry box…and do NOT look inside it.”

James was speechless as his mum looked sternly at him. Why was she acting like this? She was looking like she knew something he didn’t know. Why was she being so specific about that one jewelry box? “Er…y-yeah, sure.”

She smoothly got up from the bed and walked to the door, then turned around giving him a little smirk before closing the door.

“What the bloody hell was that?”

He was quite at dinner. While his siblings were running around grabbing pizza, all talking at once, he sat at the table hardly touching his pizza. Something that wasn’t like him at all. It was gnawing at him. What was she up to? Curiosity was killing him and it was curiosity that made him sneak down the hall later that night.

He slowly passed Sirius’ room, where he could hear his muggle music blaring from inside, then slid by Kylie’s room who was chatting on her new wizard ‘link. Probably Jordan, he thought as he rolled his eyes. He got to Lily’s room and being the protective brother he was, stuck his head to make sure she was asleep, before continuing on to his parent’s room.

He took one shaky breath, gathered up his courage before opening the door. “Merlin, please don’t let my Nimbus Millennium 5000 be taken away for this.”

The room was dark, but the huge skylight above their bed, helped the moonlight laminated the room. His barefoot was silent against the carpet as he made his way to his mum’s dresser. The top was scattered with fancy glass bottles and jewelry boxes. His sister Lily liked to fiddle with them, sniffing the ones his mum held out to her, while he and his dad wrestled on the huge bed.

He lifted one of the bottles and brought it hesitantly to his lips and smiled. It smelled like Mum.

His eyes then shifted to the sliver heart-shaped silver box that gleamed in the moonlight. He looked around, making sure he was still alone before picking it up. On the front of the box there was fancy lettering that read: my love.

“You’re such a softy dad,” he said out loud as he brought it to his ear and shook it gently. Something jangled inside and he frowned. What was it? Coins? Jewelry? Why didn’t his mum want him to open it? He put it back down, biting his lip as he took a step back. He should go. He should just turn around and go.

Then, that smirk she had given him flashed in his mind and he quickly snatched it back up. He opened the lid, frowning at the small pile of gold nestled inside. He reached inside and pulled out to reveal a long gold chain. A charm that looked like an egg timer dangled in front of him. What was so important about this?

James sighed as he set the box down and but the long chain around his neck. Still confused he examined the small egg timer closer and noticed the tiny knob on the side. He gripped the knob with his thumb and forefinger and twisted it.

“Cool,” he said aloud as the egg time rotated, smiling as he kept turning it over and over again. “Jeez, what’s the point?” James rolled his eyes as he turned it one more time, before finally stopping.

By the time he opened his mouth to scream, his feet already lifted from the floor and the world faded to black.

XXX

October 1997

“It’s such a beautiful day.” Ginny sighed and since her boyfriend didn’t, she reached out for his hand. “Isn’t it a great day?”

Harry gave a shrug. “Yeah.” He looked around. “Kind of cold.”

“It’s October….I love fall.”

“I hear there’s going to be a costume party on Halloween.”

“Yep, I’m sure it will be fabulous.” Harry said nothing and Ginny had to fight back a sigh. “It’s nice that you were able to come back to school.”

Hogwarts did remain open during Harry’s seventh year, but him and his friends were too busy chasing clues for the location of the Horcurxes. When school started a new year a few months ago, McGonagall offered them to finish school, along with Draco.

Draco had been a surprise asset to the defeat of Voldemort. Harry assumed he was loyal to Voldemort to the very end, but Draco shocked both sides when he abruptly turned to their side.

“I had watched my dad kill Snape,” Draco had told him later. ‘Orders by the Dark Lord. Turns out Snape really never betrayed Dumbledore…he had no choice. Dumbledore and Snape both knew it.” Their new friendship was still growing, but Harry definitely respected him a whole lot more.

“Harry, are you even listening to me?”

“Hmm?” Harry shook his head clear. “Sorry, my mind was…wandering.”

This time Ginny didn’t hold back a sigh. “Harry, it’s been six months since you killed him. You were distant and I understood at first…I gave you space.” Harry looked over the lake, but remained silent. “We just got back together a month ago and I was the one that initiated it because I was tired of waiting for you.”

Harry let out a short laugh, remembering how Ginny shoved him in a broom closet. He didn’t have enough time to blink when Ginny started snogging him. “You were pretty direct.”

“You weren’t complaining at the time.”

He shrugged. “I guess not.”

“Harry, can’t you look at me?” Ginny gave him a tug with his hand when he started to walk off. “When are you going to stop looking at me with blank eyes?”

“I’m sorry, Ginny…I’m just…”

Whatever he was going to say ended with a gasp when he saw the small body hit the ground. “Oh my god,” Harry whispered.

“What?” Ginny asked and then gasped when she saw the body lying a few feet away. “What happened?”

“He…it was like he came out of the sky.” Harry then took off towards the body who still remained perfectly still on the grass. He was lying on his stomach and his face was turned away. Harry slowly bent down on his haunches and reached around to check for a pulse. “He’s alive,” he told Ginny who had just caught up with him.

“Looks like a first year,” Ginny said squatting down next to him. “His hair is kind of like yours, Harry.”

“I noticed that.” Harry then frowned when he saw the glint of gold reflect off the sun around the boy’s neck. He carefully pulled at the chain and his heart dropped when he saw the egg-timer. “He’s wearing a time turner.”

“A time turner?”

“Yes, Hermione had one during third year. We used it to save Sirius.”

“Really?”

Harry nodded. “This looks a little different. More…fancy, I guess you could say.”

The boy then let out a groan as he shifted on his stomach.

“Looks like he’s coming around.” Harry placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder and slowly began to roll him over on his back.

Ginny’s gasp said it all. He had his hair, something he noticed right away, but he also had his face. He had the same eye shape as his and the same chin, but his nose was a little different.

“Harry, do you think it’s you?”

“No.” Harry shook his head and then brushed the bangs back to reveal a bare forehead. “No scar.”

“What about your dad?”

It was a possibility, but he didn’t think so. “I don’t know, Gin.”

The boy moaned again, this time his eyelids fluttered until finally revealing Harry’s identical green eyes. “Hey,” Harry said softly. “Take it easy…can you hear me?”

The boy squinted as he nodded his head. “Yeah.”

“What’s your name? Can you tell me your name?”

His head was killing him and he felt dizzy and nauseous, but the familiar calming was comforting. “J-James.”

Harry’s heart skipped a beat and shared a quick look with Ginny. “James who?”

What was going on…where was he? James felt himself start to slip back under but he focused his eyes on the person looming over him. His vision started to blur, but the face was familiar. But it couldn’t be who he thought he was, this person didn’t know who he was.

“Kid…hey kid, stay with me…look at me.” Harry watched the boy’s eyes focus on him and then opened his mouth to say something. “That’s it…take your time.”

“Da….Dad?”

Harry froze and before he could even react the boy’s fainted, lying limp on the grass once again. “Did…did he just call me dad?”

Ginny’s eyes were wide as her hand covered her mouth in shock.

That was enough to let him know he did in fact heard the boy correctly. Dad? It made sense, he guessed, due to the fact the kid looked exactly like him. Except for that nose. “He said…Ginny, this is my son.”

“I can’t believe this,” Ginny whispered. “What’s he doing here?”

“I..I have no idea, but we need to get him inside.”

“Should we take him to the hospital wing?”

“I..I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Harry shook his head as he watched his son sleep. His son. Bloody hell, that was weird. “If this gets out, the media would have a field day about this. We need my invisibility cloak.” He looked over at Ginny. “Go inside and get Hermione. She used my cloak last, she wanted to do some late night studying without anyone disturbing her.”

Ginny nodded as she looked at the boy, trying to find any resemblance in her, but couldn’t see anything. That didn’t mean anything though, she assured herself. He could just have gotten all of Harry’s genes. “Where do you want to take him?”

“We’ll take him back to my room,” Harry looked at the boy who was coming around again. “Go on and hurry Ginny, I don’t want anyone else to see him. Inform Hermione about what happened and bring her along.”

Ginny was about to argue why Hermione had to come, but decided against it. The last thing she needed was another fight between her and Harry over Hermione. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

As Ginny ran off towards the castle, Harry stared down at James who was struggling to open his eyes. His futuristic son was lying right in front of him and he didn’t have a bloody clue on what to do.

Hermione, he thought assumingly. She’ll know what to do. She always knew what to do.

XX

That’s all I have so far! So? Wanna know what happens next? Let me know!

Hey guys, sorry I’ve been MIA lately, I’ve been sick all weekend and been soooo busy lately. I’ve written a little more of this story, but it’s short. I thought I’d go ahead and post it for you. Sleeping is very difficult for me to finish, it’s like I don’t want to finish it, so I’m stalling. I don’t know, I’ve just enjoyed writing it so much! I’ll try harder to update soon, this month is major busy for me, so I’m giving you a heads up there. Thanks for everyone’s patience and keep those awesome reviews coming!

Chapter 2

Harry patted his son’s cheek lightly, hoping to wake him up. “James,” he said giving him another little pat.

James winced and his body jerked. “Yeah. I…Merlin, my head.”

“Hurts?” Harry put a hand over the boy’s head, wishing he could get rid of any pain he was feeling. “Why don’t you sit up?”

“What happened?” he grunted when Harry pulled him to a sitting position. “Where am I?”

“Well, I don’t know what happened,” Harry said as he watched his son blink around his surroundings. “You kind of fell from the sky.”

James looked up at him and blinked. “Dad?”

Harry frowned. “Apparently.”

His little green eyes bugged out. “Holy cow!” He reached up and touched his face. “You look so young.”

Harry lifted a brow. “Probably because I am. I’m eighteen.”

James snorted. “No you’re not, you’re like…almost forty.”

“Maybe in your time, but in this time I’m eighteen.”

“What do you mean?” James looked around. “Where am I?”

Harry let out a breath. “Well. It’s the year 1997.”

Harry watched his son’s jaw drop and his eyes bug out again as he took the information in. Then James eyes rolled in the back of his head while he groaned and slapped his hands over his face. “Oh man, Mum is going to kill me!”

Harry cleared his throat. “Who exactly is your mum? And why is she going to kill you?”

“She told me specifically not to mess with her stuff,” he said with slight fear in his eyes. “Please, Dad….please don’t let her ground me! I only have a few weeks left of summer.”

“I…” Harry was speechless. “Well…I guess I’ll try and remember to tell her that in the future. Now, who exactly is your…”

“I just had to look.” James got up and started to pace. “I just couldn’t let it go…but the way she looked at me…then smirked at me, it was like….” He then paused, looked around him as he did a quick rotation with his body. “Wait a minute.” He looked out over the lake…a lake he had heard so much about and had seen pictures of in Hogwarts; A History. “Am I…” He spun around to face his dad who was now standing up with his hands stuffed in his jeans. “Am I at Hogwarts?”

“Oh…yeah. So, uh…about your mother…”

“Merlin, I can’t believe it!” James ran a little bit closer to the castle and looked up at it in pure awe. “It’s even more amazing than I imagined.” James spun back to Harry and beamed at him. “Ever since Sirius left for Hogwarts, I’ve been waiting for this moment.”

“I…wait what?” Harry’s heart dropped and he took a step toward James and grabbed his arm. “Sirius? Who?”

“Oh yeah,” James chuckled. “You have another son…an older one.”

Harry swallowed the chunks that were threatening to heave up in his throat. “I..I mean, you…you’re not my only son.”

“Nope, Sirius is your oldest,” James said brightly not oblivious to his Dad’s look of fear. “Sirius is about to start his seventh year and he’s Head Boy…and Kylie? Well, she’s starting her fifth…and she’s a prefect.”

Harry’s head started to spin. “Ky-Kylie?”

“You’re second oldest,” James continued. “She’s cool and all…can kind of be a pain in the butt, she’s just starting to like boys.” He rolled his eyes. “She talks to Jordan all the time on her wizard ‘link.”

Harry pressed his fingers to his temple and squeezed his eyes shut. “Jordan? Another one of my kids?”

“Jordan?” James asked then laughed. “No, Jordan’s Uncle Ron and Aunt…woah, hey…Dad, you okay?”

“I…I’m not sure.” Harry took a shaky breath as he let all the information sink in. “Anybody ever tell you, you talk too much?”

James laughed. “Yeah…you do all the time.”

Harry frowned. “Well….I don’t blame me. So…I’ve got three kids?”

James bit his lip. “Weeell….”

Harry’s heart hitched. “Well, what?”

“Lily,” James said finally looking up at him. “The youngest.”

Four. He had four kids. “Bloody hell.” His knees turned to jelly as he sank to the ground, bending over as he tried to control the panic attack that was creeping up on him. “Four kids…bloody hell…four kids.”

“Hey…Dad, you okay?” James bent over patting his back. “Don’t worry, you’re a great Dad…the best. You and Mum love all of us very much.”

Harry lifted his heavy head and looked into his son’s eyes. “James…I’m only eighteen. The thought of me being a father…scares the hell out of me.”

“Well, yeah…I guess so.” James shrugged. “But you’re not eighteen in my time and you seem very happy with all of us. And you’re all, lovey dovey with Mum…jeez, the two of you act like you’re eighteen most of the time.” James paused by sticking his finger down his throat, pretending to gag himself. “It’s gross.”

Harry stared at his son, then…the laughter trickled up in his throat. He busted out laughing as he fell backwards on his butt, holding his stomach while James laughed with him. “Well…I guess that’s good to hear. And you’ve never told me who…”

“Oh no.”

Harry saw him look at something over his shoulder. “What?”

“Mum…Mum’s coming…oh she’s going to kill me.”

Harry held his breath as he turned around, but frowned when he saw not only Ginny Weasley running towards them, but Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood right along with her. “Er…mind clarifying which one you are referring to?”

Okay, so here’s a new chapter! I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for being patient everyone, you guys were lucky because I was by myself and slow at work. This month is very busy for me. So enjoy the update while you can! Much Love!

HM

Chapter 3

“Oh no.”

Harry saw him look at something over his shoulder. “What?”

“Mum…Mum’s coming…oh she’s going to kill me.”

Harry held his breath as he turned around, but frowned when he saw not only Ginny Weasley running towards them, but Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood right along with her. “Er…mind clarifying which one you are referring to?”

“It’s…” James frowned at his dad. “You mean…you don’t know?”

“Well.” Harry studied Ginny as the girls were nearly to them. “Ginny’s kind of like…my girlfriend and all.”

James opened his mouth, only to shut it again. One of the few times he didn’t know what to say. “Maybe I shouldn’t…you know…say anything.”

Harry did not like that plan. “But…”

“Harry!” Hermione was the first to reach them as she breathed heavily from her long run. “It’s true?”

Harry nodded. “Yeah, I mean…well, look at him?”

Hermione did and felt as if she was a kid again, meeting Harry for the first time on the train so many years ago. “Merlin…you look just like him.”

James grinned. “Uncle Draco calls me Mini Harry.”

Harry’s jaw dropped. “Uncle Draco?” Harry frowned as he looked at the others, who were also stunned. “You mean…he’s in your life? I…I’m still friends with him?”

James laughed. “Well, duh…of course he is. After all, he’s married to…” Once again, he shut his mouth, stopping himself from blurting out another shocking fact from the future. “Maybe I should just keep quiet.”

Harry watched his eyes flutter nervously to the girls. “James, are you telling me…that Draco…Draco Malfoy…marries one of them?”

James bit his lip and lifted a shoulder. “Maybe…okay, yes…but I won’t say who.”

Ginny scoffed. “One of us? Marry Draco?” Ginny rolled her eyes and ignored the annoying flutter in her stomach. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Not too ridiculous. He’s rather sexy, ” Luna signed dreamily, causing a chuckle out of James.

“Aunt Luna always make me laugh,” James muttered softly to where only Harry could hear him. He wondered if James realized he made the mistake of calling Luna, Aunt Luna, automatically eliminating her as his mother. Harry sure caught it and now knew it was between Hermione and Ginny. His palms started to sweat.

“Draco? Sexy?” Ginny scoffed again, flipping her hair doing so. “Please. He’s nothing but a cocky, arrogant son of a bi…”

“Hey.” Harry held up a hand to cut her off. “Watch the language in front of the kid.”

Ginny flushed. “Oh.” She looked down at James, giving him a tentative smile. “Sorry.”

“That’s okay.” James shrugged and then chuckled. “Besides, Dad, it’s Uncle Fred and Uncle George you worry about, they tend to slip up now and again.”

Harry’s mouth tilted up. “Really?”

“You bet, I remember when Lily was only two and Uncle Fred…or was it Uncle George? I can’t remember, but one of them called the other a butt-munch in front of Lily and for days that’s all she would say, over and over again.” James cackled at the memory of Lily saying it over and over again while his mum scolded his uncles, who had cringed under her scary wrath. “Mum was not pleased.”

Harry couldn’t help but smile. “I would imagine not.”

“You thought it was hilarious…you tried so hard not to laugh every time she said it. You were careful to do it behind Mum’s back, though. So was I. She caught us laughing together one time though.” James giggled. “Oops.”

Harry laughed with him; he couldn’t help but do anything else. The kid wasn’t technically born yet and he was already falling head over heels in love with him.

“Harry?”

Harry looked up to see Hermione staring at him with curious eyes. “Yeah? Sorry…maybe we should get going and…”

“Who is Lily?” Hermione asked, cutting him off.

Harry blinked and then remembered they weren’t around when James dropped the bomb that he had more kids. “Oh…right. Lily’s my youngest daughter.” He looked at James. “Right?”

“That’s right.” James shoved his hands in his pocket to keep from running over to hug his mum. He really, really wanted to. “There are four of us.”

Luna smiled softly, Ginny paled and Hermione was cool and silent. “Four,” Hermione finally said and looked up at Harry. “Harry, you have four kids.”

“Ah, well.” Harry held up his hands as the panic crept up him again. “Technically, I don’t…at least right now I don’t.”

“He almost fainted when I told him,” James said with a delightful laugh, then yelped when Harry smacked him playfully behind the head. “Ow…jeez Dad.”

“You talk too much,” he said giving him a slight smile then turned to Hermione. “We need to get him to the castle, do you have the cloak?”

“Yes.” Hermione pulled the cloak out of her bag and then gave it to James. “Just put it over you, then no one will see you.”

“I know how it works,” James said with a grin. “I never get to use it though.”

“Why not?” she asked giving a look to Harry. “Your dad doesn’t let you use it?”

Harry narrowed his eyes. “Hey, I’d let him use it, I…”

“No, no,” James laughed shaking his head. “Oldest at Hogwarts gets it, so I have a few years till I can have it.”

Harry couldn’t help but smile at the image of his kids sneaking around Hogwarts in his cloak. “Well…you get to use it now. Stay next to me, we’ll crowd around you so no one can bump into you.”

James nodded as he put the cloak around his shoulders and his head floated in the air. “Hey, where are we going in the castle?”

“To the Head Boy/Girl common room,” Harry told him as he helped him with the cloak. “Hermione and I stay there.”

“Right.” James pulled the cloak over his head. “You’ve told me all about it.”

“Well, now you’ll get to see it,” Hermione said smiling in his direction, even though she couldn’t see it anymore. “We’ll keep you there until we figure out how to get you home.”

“If anyone can figure it out,” Harry said putting his hand on his invisible shoulder. “It’s Hermione.”

Since they couldn’t see him, James took the advantage of grinning to himself. “Okay. I’m ready when you are.”

“Stay close,” Harry said one more time and then together they made their way to the castle.

James was in awe. His jaw hung open the entire time as he shuffled along through the halls of Hogwarts. He took in every corner, every crevice and painting along the way. When he saw his first ghost he wanted to jump out of his skin, he was so excited. It was exactly the way he pictured it, only better. He hoped the smell was the same years from now, he hoped that the sounds of students chattering as they walked the halls never changed. He loved it. He couldn’t wait.

It wasn’t until they were safely inside the common room that James threw the cloak off him and began to talk to his dad with excitement. “This place is so cool! I can’t believe it…and the ghosts! Wicked! I can’t wait to come here, I just can’t wait…”

Harry wondered if he ever would stop to take a breath, but couldn’t help but smile at the boy’s enthusiasm. “James,” Harry finally said cutting him off. “Breath, buddy…breath.”

James took in a long deep breath, and then let it out. “Okay…okay I’m done. Wow…wow, this is the common room? Cool…Sirius and Riley get to stay here.”

“Sirius?” Hermione asked Harry as they walked into the heart of the common room.

“My oldest son.”

“Riley?”

“I have no idea.”

Ron and Draco, who were sitting on the couch, stood up as they walked in. “So, what’s all the commotion about Harry having a son?” Draco asked and then his eyes fell on the kid. “Woah…it’s like a mini Harry.”

James let out a laugh. “See Dad? Told you he called me that.” He then ran over to Draco and threw his arms around him. “Hiya, Uncle Draco! Thanks again for my birthday present, I had a great time.”

Draco paled as he looked down at the boy who was hugging him tightly around his waist. “Er…I…hmm.” Completely stunned and speechless he looked over to Harry for some help, but he just shrugged, looking just as stunned as he was. “Er…you’re welcome?”

James beamed up at him. “You took me and Clark to a Chuddley Cannons game. It was one of the best games I’ve ever seen!”

“Clark?” Draco looked up at Harry. “Another one of yours?”

Harry stuffed his hands in his pockets, trying to put away the small sting of jealously at the sight of his son hugging Malfoy. “Not to my knowledge.”

“No, Clark is yours,” James said casually and then smiled up at Ron. “Hey, Uncle Ron.”

Ron chuckled nervously as the boy now clung to him. “Er…hey.”

“What did you say?” Draco asked in a whisper as he stared at James. “Clark is what?”

James looked up at him puzzled, then realized again that he was in the past and Draco wouldn’t have any idea who Clark was. “Oh, he’s yours. Your son. We’re going to school together in a few weeks, with Mallory too. Oh, Mallory’s yours Uncle Ron.”

This time, it was Ron who paled. “What? What?”

“Um…James?” Harry took a tentative step towards them. “Maybe you should…not say anything else for a bit.”

“Oh.” James cleared his throat then laughed nervously. “Right, sorry…I can’t really keep my mouth shut.”

“You’re wrong,” Draco said with panic in his eyes. “I don’t have son…I can’t have a son.”

James noticed the look of sheer fear in Draco’s eyes and he didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t the kind of panic that his dad had, or that his Uncle Ron was having now as he sunk to the couch staring into space, but it was fear. “But…you do,” he finally said carefully. “Sorry, I…I didn’t think you’d be upset, you always seem to love your kids and…”

“Kids?” Draco felt his heart plummet to the pit of his stomach. “I…I have more than one. No…don’t answer that.”

“Uncle Draco…”

“Don’t call me that.” Suddenly, the huge room shrank and there were too many people staring…watching him. He felt the air start to thicken and he felt like he was suffocating. “I…I have to go.”

He stalked out of the room and everyone moved out of his way, except for Ginny who stood in front of him. “Get out of my way, princess.”

Ginny usually scowled at the nickname he used on her, but instead placed a hand on his arm. “Draco, why are you so afraid?”

Draco stiffened at her touch. “I’m not afraid of anything,” Draco shrugged off her hand. “The kid just has it wrong. I’m not a father…I’ll never be like him.”

That surprised her, but she kept her face cool and collective. “Never be like who? You’re father?”

Draco opened his mouth, then shut it, then scowled. “Nothing. Leave me alone.”

“We have rounds tonight,” Ginny said as she moved aside.

“Whatever, I’ll be there, but just leave me alone.”

The whole room was dead silent as they watched Draco Malfoy storm out of the room.

Whew! Finally got a chapter up! Sorry it’s been so long! Now that Sleeping over I hope to finish this one up rather quickly. This fic will not be a long one, so just giving you guys a heads up on that. So anyway, here’s a chapter and I promise I’ll try to put the next one up a little sooner. Thanks everyone! Happy Holidays!

~HM

Chapter 4

“I’m sorry,” James said and rushed over to his dad. “I’m so sorry, Dad, I didn’t know…he’s a great father…I didn’t know he’d act like that.”

Harry knelt in front of him and clasped his shoulders. “It’s okay, James. He was just shocked. You just have to keep remembering how young we are. We’re not parents now…you don’t technically exist yet.”

James looked down at his feet. “But I do. I’m not lying, I really am your son.”

“Oh, James,” Hermione knelt next to Harry, causing James to look up at her. “That’s not what your dad meant, of course you’re not lying. Anyone can see that you belong to Harry just by looking at you. It’s just that…you’re in the past and…you have to be careful what you say. We don’t want anything to mess up your future.”

“Exactly,” Harry said with a nod and gave him a firm pat. “Just keep that in mind, okay?”

James nodded. “All right.” He smiled softly then let out a laugh. “I’ll try my best to keep quiet about the future.”

Harry gave him an encouraging smile and nuzzled his head. “Why don’t we all go sit down so we can figure this out, hmm?”

“Actually, I have to go,” Ginny said speaking up since Draco’s surprise escape. “I promised the new chasers I’d help them with some overtime practicing before dinner.”

“All right,” Harry said walking over to her. “I…guess I’ll see you later.”

“I have rounds late tonight and I know you’ll be busy with James, so I’ll just see you tomorrow, okay?”

Harry shoved his hands in his pockets. “Er…sure. Okay.”

Ginny leaned up to kiss him, but Harry turned his head so she would meet his cheek instead. He didn’t know why, but he did not feel comfortable kissing Ginny in front of his futuristic son. “I’ll talk to you later,” he said quickly before retreating back to James.

“What was that all about?” Ron asked once Ginny was gone.

“What?” Harry asked sitting next to James while Hermione sat on the other side.

“That. Brushing her off like that.”

“I didn’t brush her off, Ron.”

“I specifically watched you…”

“I didn’t mean to, I just didn’t…” Harry let out a sigh. “I just…”

“Didn’t want to kiss her in front of me?” James finished for him.

Harry looked over at James frowning. “Do you always do that?”

“Do what?”

“Know what I’m thinking?”

James shrugged. “Pretty much.”

Harry looked over at Hermione. “You’re the only one who can do it now,” Harry said, smiling softly when she blushed.

Ron cleared his throat after a moment of watching his two best friends having a…weird moment. “Er…So, how are we going to get him back?”

Hermione tore her eyes away from Harry. “Oh…right. I guess we should probably go see McGonagall and show her the Time Turner.”

“Maybe she can strip it…see how it works,” Harry suggested. “If we know how it functions, we could probably send him back the exact time he left.”

Hermione nodded. “Good idea. James, why don’t we slip the cloak on you and we’ll take you to go see Professor McGonagall.”

“Minnie?” James asked as his eyes lit up. “I get to see, Minnie?”

Hermione blinked. “Er…Minnie?”

“Sure…Minnie baby-sits us all the time, ever since she retired years back.”

“Wow…I can’t believe you call her, Minnie.”

“We all do, Dad. Even Ron and Draco’s kids.” James winced suddenly. “Sorry, that’s not really being quiet about the future, is it?”

Hermione laughed. “Oh, it’s okay James. Stuff like that is harmless. Don’t worry. We should get going though, I’m quite anxious to get started.” She looked over at Ron and Luna. “Are you two coming along?”

“I’m awfully hungry,” Ron said, wincing when his stomach growled. “We’ll go down for dinner and ask Dobby to bring back some food for you three.”

“I forgot Dobby use to work here,” James said after Ron and Luna left.

“Use to?” Harry asked handing him the cloak.

“Well, he works for us now. You hired him a soon as you found out Mum was pregnant with Sirius.”

“Really?” he asked with a grin then laughed at Hermione. “I feel like I should be taking notes, I’d hate to forget something.”

Hermione smiled. “Well, all I know is, you better be paying him, Harry. I’d hate it if S.P.E.W didn’t teach you anything.”

James snorted. “Well duh…Of course he’s getting paid. There’s hardly a house elf out there that won’t work without pay.”

Hermione’s jaw dropped. “Are…Are you serious? House elves get paid?”

James watched her eyes fill with tears as she waited for him to answer. “Yes. Thanks to you.”

“Me?” Hermione squeaked, barely registering that Harry had taken her hand for support.

“Well…you are the CEO of S.P.E.W.”

Hermione choked back a sob. “I am?” she whispered.

Harry squeezed her hand. “Is that so hard to believe, Hermione?”

She looked up at him, smiling through her tears. “Well, I…it just always seemed so hopeless.” Hermione brushed her tears away hastily. “Look at me…I’m a mess. Crying over something so silly.”

Harry wiped away a tear she missed. “It’s not silly, Hermione, you’ve always wanted to make a difference with S.P.E.W.”

“Yeah,” she said shakily and then let out a delightful laugh as she leaned down to hug James. “Thank you, James….thanks for this precious gift.”

Although he was embarrassed, he hugged her back. “I didn’t really do anything,” James said sheepishly when she pulled away.”

“Oh, but you did,” she said brushing his hair back. “You gave me hope on a dream I thought was dead.” She laughed again, but this time jumped in Harry’s arms. “Oh, Harry, can you believe it?!”

Harry smiled softly, loving to see how happy this made her. “I always knew you could do it if you tried hard enough.” He gave James a wink over her shoulder. “Nothing you can’t do.”

Hermione blushed as she pulled back. “That’s not true, I’m rubbish at Divination.”

“Ah, well…who isn’t really?”

“I’m a terrible flyer,” she reminded him.

Harry laughed. “Well, that’s true, I guess you’re not perfect after all.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Ha, ha, very funny. And you will pay for that.” Hermione playfully pushed him away and smiled at James. “For now…let’s try and get you home.”

XXXX

“You’re son?” Professor McGonagall repeated with one eyebrow arched upward. “From the future?”

“Yes, mam,” Harry said looking at the chair between him and Hermione, where an invisible James was sitting. “He’s under the cloak. Go ahead James…you can take it off.”

When he revealed himself a small gasp of wonder escaped McGonagall. “Good heavens,” she said placing a hand on her heart. “He has so much of you in him…and your father.”

“Yeah,” Harry said sharing a smile with his son. “He has my eyes…my out of control hair…although he doesn’t have my…”

“Nose,” McGonagall finished with a hint of a smile. “He has his mother’s nose.”

Harry blushed as he avoided eye contact with Hermione and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Well, I, uh…he’s not really saying who that is sooo…I don’t…”

“You mean you don’t know?”

Harry opened his mouth, only to close it. “I…er…well…no. Do you?”

“Harry, I’d recognize that nose anywhere,” she said as her and James shared a little smirk. “It’s a shame that you don’t.”

“But I…”

“James, let me take a look at that Time-Turner,” she said cutting Harry off.

“Sure thing, Minnie.” James took it off and went over to her desk to hand it over.

“Did you call me, Minnie?” She finally asked after James returned to his seat.

“Oh…right.” Harry gave her a awkward smile. “Supposedly all my kids call you that. I hope that’s okay.”

Minerva’s eyes immediately softened and looked at James. “You do?”

James nodded. “Yep, we sure do. You told us to, I hope you don’t mind I just…”

“No, no.” She shook her head and waved it off. “Don’t be silly…I think it’s a very sweet name, it’s just…” She looked over at Harry and Hermione. “Albus use to call me by that name when he teased me and…it just took me by surprise. That’s all.” She then immediately straightened in her seat and cleared her throat. “Well…now, let’s just take a look at this thing. Yes…definitely a new model…some similarities with today’s model, but very different. I’ll have to get some experts to study it…see how it works than maybe we can figure out how to get your son home safely.”

“How long do you think it will take?” Hermione asked urgently. “The longer he’s here, the more danger there is for him being exposed.”

“Or changing the future,” Harry added. “Professor, I don’t want the Ministry getting wind of this…please make sure you twist the truth a little when you explain the situation to the experts.”

“I understand,” she said with a nod. “Not to worry, I won’t even mention your name.”

Harry smiled gratefully. “Thanks.”

McGonagall nodded. “Now…the best thing to do is for James to sit tight and stay in your living quarters as much as possible. Do not go out without the cloak, if you do decide to leave.”

“Yes, Professor,” Hermione assured her. “We’ll be careful.”

“I’ll be in touch…this will be my first and main priority.”

Harry nodded. “Yeah…okay. Thanks. Let’s go James…maybe we can try and get you something to eat.”

“I can never say no to food,” he said cheerfully as he hopped up from his feet. “Bye Minnie!”

Harry watched as McGonagall’s eyes softened once more. “Bye James. It’s been a pleasure.”

Yeah baby! An update already! I’m so good! Man, I’m kind of shocked, as you all know I normally don’t update two days in a row. Enjoy it while you can, because I promise it doesn’t happen a lot! Thanks for all the great reviews!!

Chapter 5

“It’s weird to think about it, isn’t it?” Ron asked Luna as they made their way out of the Great Hall. “All of us married…having kids.”

“I don’t know if I do or not,” Luna said. “James hasn’t said anything.”

“Of course you will, LuLu,” Ron said playfully nudging her. “Who wouldn’t want to marry you?”

Luna sighed. “I’m all sorts of weird and abnormal.”

Ron laughed as he threw an arm around her. “I happen to like you that way.”

Luna blushed as she looked away. “What about you, Ronald?” She didn’t look at him, but slipped an arm around his waist. “Who do you think the mother of your Mallory is?”

“Haven’t the slightest idea,” he said with a shrug.

“Do you think it’s Hermione?”

“No.”

Luna stopped, making him pause as well. “You answered that rather quickly,” she said looking up at him.

Ron pondered for a moment, realizing what he just said, then flashed a quick smile as he gave a little shrug. “Yeah, I guess I did.”

Ron started to walk away but Luna grabbed his hand and pulled him back. “I don’t understand,” Luna said shaking her head. “I thought…you and Hermione were together.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Well…I did walk in on you two snogging that day at your brother’s wedding.”

“Aww jeez, that was awkward, wasn’t it?” Ron laughed. “I’d hardly call that snogging, it was barely even a kiss.”

“But I thought…”

“Luna, if you can count the number of times you’ve kissed the girl with one hand….it’s hardly a relationship.”

“Oh. Well…how long has it been since you’ve kissed?”

“That day you walked in on us.” Ron gave a little shrug. “During the war, there just wasn’t enough time and we…just never talked about it.”

“Don’t you think you should? Maybe she’ll want to start something.”

“No,” Ron said with a small smile. “Hermione and I are just friends. Always have been, really.”

“James looks a lot like Harry,” Luna blurted out suddenly before Ron could walk away again.

Ron lifted a brow. “Yyyyeaaah,” he said carefully not knowing where she was going with this. “Practically identical.”

“Practically,” Luna repeated. “Except for his nose.”

Ron shoved his hands in his pockets. “Right.”

“I know where he got that nose, Ronald,” Luna said patiently as she linked her hands in front of her. “I think you do, too.”

Ron was silent for a moment, not knowing what to say. It was when Luna gave him a questioning look, when Ron sighed in defeat. “Yeah…Yeah, I guess I do.” He gave a little laugh, shaking his head in wonder as he began to continue on, but once again was pulled back in place. “Lulu,” he said with an exasperating laugh. “You’re acting very weird and abnormal.”

Luna smiled brightly. “I thought you liked me like that.”

“Hard not to, but…”

“My mother’s name was Mallory.”

“..you’re being very…” Ron trailed off when her words registered. “What?”

“My mother.” She cocked her head to the side and smiled. “Her name was Mallory.”

Ron shook his head and laughed. “But that’s my daughter’s name.”

“Hmm…how bout that?”

Ron paled and his jaw dropped. “Luna…”

“I gotta run.” Luna leaned into him and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. “See you tomorrow, Ronald.”

Ron couldn’t seem to do or say anything, so he stood there as he watched her walk away. His eyes couldn’t help but travel downwards as he admired the look of Luna’s backside. “Woah,” he said shaking his head clear. “Bloody hell, did I just check out Luna’s bum?”

Yeah, ya did, a voice that sounded a lot like Harry said to him. And you liked what you checked out.

“Oh, sod it,” Ron muttered as he made his way back to the common room. What did that mean? Why would he name his daughter after Luna’s mum? The only reason he could think of would be if….

“Bloody hell.”

Ron immediately quickened his steps, now running to Harry and Hermione’s common room. He found them sitting at a table by the window, finishing up dinner that Dobby had taken them. “Hey,” Ron said plopping down in an extra chair.

“Hey Ron,” Harry said as he finished off his shepherds pie.

“You okay?” Hermione asked when he noticed the distress look on his face.

“No. Yes.” Ron shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“You’re not freaking out about being a dad too, are you?” James asked as he set down his pumpkin juice.

“No…Well, it is a rather frightening thought but…no.” Ron cleared his throat as he shifted in his chair. “Actually…can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Do I marry Luna?”

Harry choked on his pumpkin juice, coughing uncontrollably while James patted him on the back. “Don’t answer that,” he croaked, gratefully accepting Hermione’s goblet of water and sucking it down. “Don’t answer that,” he repeated coughing a few times more before finally getting his breath back. “Ron, what are you thinking? Asking that here in front of Hermione?”

“Why would I care?”

Harry looked across at Hermione. “Because he’s your boyfriend.”

Hermione tickled out a laugh. “No he’s not.”

“Jeez, why does everyone think that?” Ron asked with a roll of his eyes. “I mean, yeah…we had our moments and yes…we attempted to share a few kisses, which failed miserably….er…no offense, Hermione.”

Hermione held up a hand. “Please. None taken.”

Ron grinned and then shrugged at Harry. “We’re just friends.”

Harry was still yet convinced. “The two of you always had something going on though. I just thought…”

“Harry,” Hermione sighed. “The only thing Ron and I have between us is annoyance and aggravation.”

Ron snorted. “You can say that again.”

“Not that I don’t adore the git,” Hermione said sweetly before she kicked his shin under the table.

“Ow!” Ron groaned gripping his shin. “Hermione! No kicking!”

James giggled. “Get use to it, Uncle Ron. She tends to do that a lot.”

“Great,” Ron muttered.

“So, can I answer Ron’s question now?” James asked his dad, who had been staring at Hermione this whole time.

“Hmmm?” Harry turned to his son. “What? Oh…no, don’t say anything.”

Ron groaned in protest. “Aw come on, Harry, why not?”

“If you I don’t get to know, you don’t get to know.”

“But I…”

“Ron, no,” Harry said firmly. “Stop talking about it and find out by yourself like everybody else. Just because my son decides to drop in from the future, doesn’t mean we need to take advantage of him.”

Ron slumped in his chair. “Oh all right, fine. I’ll leave it alone and figure it out on my own.” He grinned at Harry and bobbed his eyes. “Could be kind of fun.”

Harry laughed. ‘Yeah, well…why don’t you go on and start strategizing your plan of attack. It’s getting late and this one probably needs to get ready for bed.”

James did not like that idea. “Oh, come on, Dad. You and Mum let me stay up till at least ten-thirty.”

Harry lifted a brow. “Do we?”

James nodded aggressively. “Mm-hmm, sure! All the time!”

Harry grinned at him, then leaned forward in his chair and stared him down. “Look me in the eyes and say that again.”

James took a deep breath and stared him down right back. “You and mum let me stay up until, oh, all right…ten.” Harry didn’t even blink and James sighed. “Fine..nine-thirty.”

“Hmm…sounds about right.” Harry leaned back in his chair and looked Hermione. “What do you think?”

“I don’t know,” Hermione pondered eying James. “That’s still a little late.”

James paused for a moment before leaning back in his chair. “Okay, so only nine-thirty is for special occasions, but at least I spoke the truth a little.” James crossed his arms across him with a pout. “Mostly nine…man, can’t I even win in the past when I have over twenty years on you?”

“Technically, eleven,” Harry pointed out. “And I am your father, aren’t I? I know all.”

“Scary how good you are at that, mate.” Ron stood up from the table. “I’m off to bed. See you later, Squirt.”

“Night, Uncle Ron,” James said running up and giving him a hug.

Ron smiled and patted his head. “Night.”

“All right, James,” Harry said standing up once Ron left. “I’ll take you upstairs, Dobby should have taken care of that extra bed I requested for you.”

“Okay, I…oh! I almost forgot. I need to take a bath.”

“A bath?” Hermione asked with a smile. “Why?”

“Well, my mum asked me to and I promised her I would.”

“You do realize that was in the future?” Harry asked with a teasing grin.

“I know that but…I promised her.” James stuffed his hands in his pockets and nervously shuffled his feet. “I should still keep it, shouldn’t I?”

Harry’s heart warmed with pride at the boy his son had come to be. “Of course, James. You’re absolutely right.” Harry held out his hand. “We’ll go upstairs and I’ll take you to the bath.”

“I’m going to stay down here and catch up on some studying,” Hermione said, smiling at the two of them. “You sleep well, James. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

James let go of Harry’s hand and ran up to her, hugging her tight. “Good night.”

Hermione felt tears threatened to appear as she kissed the top of her head. “Good night, sweetie. I’ll see you in the morning. We’ll get you home, I promise.”

“I know.” He leaned back and flashed her that same grin she knew all too well. “I trust you.”

Harry gave Hermione a smile as James took his hand again. “I’ll come back down after I’m done.”

Hermione nodded quickly waving them off. “Okay. Take your time.”

As they walked off hand in hand, Hermione watched them as the tears finally emerged. She still couldn’t believe Harry was a father…that he would have the family he always wanted. She was happy for him. No one deserved it more than he after all he had been through. She just hoped that the girl he married realized that and appreciated all the wonderful things Harry offered.

For someone who didn’t know he’d have kids less than twenty-four hours ago, she had to admit, he picked up on it rather quickly. Anyone could see what a wonderful father he was, because it showed on the adorable boy that popped up in their lives. Harry and his wife…whoever she was…raised him well.

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.

Here’s the next chapter. Finally! I’m going to start wrapping this up, remember this wasn’t going to be a long one. SO things are going to start getting crazy starting with this chapter so enjoy!

Chapter 7

Although Ginny would never admit it to anyone or even herself, she actually looked forward to her rounds with Draco. For some odd reason he always seemed to make her laugh, even if he was an annoying prat. Her favorite thing they did was bust the couples they would catch making out in a broom closet. There were a lot of broom closets at Hogwarts.

Usually, he’d make some funny smart ass remark to them, then send them on their merry way without taking any points from them. “Why would I take points from them doing something I would do?”

Tonight was different. He was moody, angry and took away points from anyone he crossed path. Ginny even saw a couple before Draco did so she quickly shooed them away so they wouldn’t have the unfortunate luck of Draco’s scary wrath.

“Let’s go to the Astronomy tower,” Draco grunted and started to walk off.

“All right that’s it.” Ginny grabbed his arm and yanked him back and shoved him into the recent broom closet they had just busted.

“Ginny,” he said as he stumbled inside. “Bloody hell, have you lost your mind?”

“No.” Ginny shut the door behind him and lit her wand and the dark broom closet was filled with a soft glow. “But you sure have. What is wrong with you?”

“Me? You’re the one shoving me into a broom closet!” Draco started to nudge her aside. “Now get out of my way.”

“You’re not going anywhere until you tell me what’s wrong,” Ginny said blocking his way to the doorway.

“I mean it Ginny…out of my way or I’ll…”

“You’ll what?” she asked slapping her hands on her waist. “Knock me down? Man handle me? Hit me even?”

Draco’s eyes narrowed. “You think I’m capable of that, princess?”

Ginny’s eyes immediately softened. “No Draco…I don’t. Apparently you do, though.” Ginny grabbed his shoulders and pushed him backwards. “Here…sit.”

Draco had no choice but to plop down onto a upturn bucket. “Are you trying to manhandle me, Ginny?”

“Shut up and listen.” Ginny kneeled in front of him, placing her hands on his knees. “You were angry with me…”

“Why are you speaking in past tense?”

Ginny cracked a smile. “Fine. You’re angry with me. Frustrated and maybe even a little annoyed, am I right?”

“Absolutely.”

“Yet here you are…sitting on a bucket listening to what I have to say when we both know you could leave anytime you wanted. As good as I am at curses, you outweigh me and can easily shove me aside and walk out.”

Draco shifted his eyes away. “What your point, Gin?”

“You’re not him.” She felt him tense under her hands and his face harden like a stone. Ginny cupped his jaw and turned his face towards hers, waiting for his eyes to connect with hers. “You’re not your father, Draco. Not even when you were at your worst.”

Draco scoffed. “Oh, come off it…I was horrible.”

“Yes, you were…a horrible bully…but not evil. There’s a huge difference, Draco.”

As much as he wanted to argue with her, he knew she had a point. As mean and horrible as he had been growing up, he never had the guts to do anything harmful to anyone. He talked a big game, to Crabbe and Goyle, bragging that he would love to get the chance to kill the great Harry Potter, but deep down he knew better. He hated Harry growing up, that was real, but he never wanted him dead. “When James said Clark was my son,” he finally said, mumbling softly that Ginny had to lean closer to hear him. “My whole body went numb…I was terrified.”

Ginny took both his hands in hers. “I know, Draco.”

He squeezed them. “It’s terrifying. To be responsible for another person…I…I just can’t imagine.”

“Well, it’s quite obvious you’re going to be a great father.”

Draco let out a sarcastic laugh. “And how do you know that, princess?”

Ginny lifted a shoulder. “Oh, I don’t know…might have to do with the way James ran up to you, hugging you tight. Or the way he looked up at you in adoration.”

Draco shifted uncomfortably, obviously embarrassed. “He did not,” he denied but he couldn’t help but remember the look of joy in his eyes as he looked up at him.

Ginny smiled. “Are you kidding? James is obviously nuts about you and if James…Harry’s son looks at you like that…I can only imagine how Clark will look at you.”

Draco’s heart hitched at the sound of his son’s name. “Clark.” He gave her a wobbly smile. “Kind of a cool name.”

“It’s a great name.”

Draco gave her a smirk. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

“I don’t know,” she said looking confused. “Must be something in the air.”

Draco’s teeth flashed. “Yeah…well whatever it is…thanks.”

“Anytime. Don’t get use to it though.”

“I’ll try not to. So…if I have a son, then that must mean some girl out there was crazy enough to marry me.”

“Well, according to James, that crazy girl is either Hermione, Luna or…or me.”

Draco lifted a brow. “Really?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I marry one of you?”

“Yes. Luna said you were rather sexy.”

Draco let out a heartfelt laugh for the first time since he slipped into his foul mood. “Luna. I’m absolutely crazy about that girl and marrying her would be an adventure but…she has her eyes set on someone else.”

Ginny thought of Ron and smiled. “She sure does.”

“And you’re with Harry…so that leaves Hermione.”

Ginny’s smile immediately faded. “Hermione?”

Draco hid back a smile. “Well, yes…Harry is your boyfriend after all.”

“Well…right now he is, but…”

“But what? You don’t think the relationship will last?”

“I never said that, it’s just…”

“You clearly are unsure of your relationship or you wouldn’t be hesitant about it.”

Ginny huffed out a breath. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next five minutes and will you let me finish a sentence please?”

“My apologies,” he said letting go of one of her hands to place over his chest. “Please continue.”

Ginny eyed him suspiciously. “All I’m saying is you can never know. A lot can happen in a year. Yes, technically I’m with Harry now, but…maybe I won’t be a month from now.”

“Are you saying…my sweet princess…that you can see us tying the knot?”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “Please…for all we know, we have zero chemistry.”

Draco cocked his head to the side. “You’re right. We probably have no chemistry between us.”

“Right. If you ever kissed me….we’d both probably start….laughing or something.”

“Maybe.” Draco flashed her a grin. “Let’s find out, shall we?”

Ginny should have seen it coming. Her fast reflexes from Quidditch should have helped her prevent it, but he was too fast…to sneaky. He tugged hard on her hand that was still joined with his causing herself to stumble against his hard chest as his other arm swooped around her waist, trapping her there. His lips swooped down on hers before she could draw her next breath and could only hold on for dear life as he assaulted her with his mouth.

She made a sound of protest as she tried to pull away, but he only held her tighter. She opened her mouth to deny him, but he only filled it with his persistent tongue. She gasped softly when he caught her lower lip between his teeth, then her body melted into his arms. She was holding up the white flag…she surrendered as her arms circled around his neck and opened herself to him.

As soon as she stopped fighting, Draco kissed her more urgently, more desperately as his tongue rubbed sensuously against hers…over and over again until the taste of her consumed him. He slid of the bucket, kneeling with her as he dragged her up, gripping her hair while he plundered, pleased that she met his eagerness right back. “You were right,” he breathed as his hands moved to the back of her thighs, yanking her up high so she straddled his waist. “No chemistry.”

“Shut up,” Ginny groaned as she rubbed against him while their mouths fused together.

“Are you laughing?” he mumbled against as he nipped and teased her lips. “I’m sure as hell not laughing.”

“Draco,” she moaned as she pulled him backwards. “You’re talking…why are you talking?”

“I have no idea,” he said as he started to follow her lead.

“Well, stop it.”

“Okay,” he said as they made their way to the floor.

She clung to him as she moved anxiously beneath him. She knew it was wrong…letting Draco her kiss her this way, but it felt too good to pull away. When he touched her…she felt alive. When he kissed her…she no longer felt so alone. She had wanted this with Harry. To experience this acceleration sweeping through her with every touch, every caress. No matter how many times she snogged with Harry, it was never like this. Never like this. It wasn’t Harry that was on top of her. It was Draco. It was Draco’s body pinning her deliciously to the floor. It was Draco who was now kissing her with a hint of tenderness that she never would expected from him.

“Princess,” he murmured as he linked their fingers and pinned them above her head, trailing lazy open mouth kisses down her neck. “Do I need to stop?”

She let out a throaty sigh as she arched her body lazily against him. “No,” she whispered as she turned her head to his, seeking his lips, moaning softly when they connected. “Don’t stop.”

Draco kissed her softly, once…twice and then a third before slowly pulling away. Ginny looked up at his gray eyes that were pouring into hers while their mouths were only inches apart. They both knew that this was something that couldn’t be forgotten, that this passion they discovered was not just a one night stand, or a brief love affair that would burn out. It was something that would never go away. “Don’t ever stop,” she whispered before lifting her head and as their lips absorbed…their hearts became one.

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.

Here’s the next update! It’s a good one, so enjoy!!

Chapter 9

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.

He kissed her hard, mostly out of frustration with Hermione’s lack of confidence. He slipped his fingers into her hair, moving one hand to the back of her neck as he kept his lips pressed urgently against hers.

She made a sound from the back of her throat, a high pitch moan of shock then a wistful sigh when her whole body began to melt under his touch. The kiss suddenly turned unbearably soft, their lips absorbed, flirted and nipped. Heat spread throughout his body like wildfire, giving him a sense of comfort he so rarely felt. Just as he was going to sink into that comfort, she made a small sound of protest and pulled away.

“Harry,” she gasped placing a hand on his chest to keep his distance.

He reached up to cover her hand. “Hermione…”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tugging her hand away. “I can’t do this.” She climbed hastily out of his bed. “I just can’t.”

He watched in utter disbelief as she fled the room and the shock of it stalled him a moment, before finally going after her. He was quick and luckily was able to stop her at the foot of the stairs leading to her room. Being a member of the opposite sex prevented him access to Hermione’s wing.

“Hermione, wait.” He grabbed her arm and spun her around a little harder than he meant to, causing her to tumble in his chest. He caught her around the waist, tightening his grip so she was pinned against him.

“Let me go,” she demanded even though her voice was shaky and weak.

“No, I don’t think I’m going to do that,” he said and pulled her up off the floor.

Her breath caught in her throat as she found her face now even with his while her feet dangled in the air. “Put me down, I…Don’t,” she said turning her head away when he moved his face towards her.

“Don’t what?”

“Kiss me again.” She looked at him now with desperation in her eyes. “Not unless…”

His heart hitched. “Not unless what?”

Her eyes shimmered with tears as Harry caressed her cheek. “Unless you’re sure…positive that you want to. Positive that it’s me you want, because…because I couldn’t bear getting my hopes up…thinking for a brief moment that James could be my son…only for that to be taken away because you decided this was a mistake. My heart would break. So be sure, Harry. Be sure.”

Harry didn’t say anything, couldn’t say anything. Her words unraveled him and knew he would never forget the way her watery brown eyes pierced through him. His own eyes traveled across her face, touching here and there as he took in every curve, every crevice. Then he saw it. Something he had been looking for. Something that had been right in front of him all this time. “Ah…there it is.”

Hermione frowned. “My nose?” she asked as he ran a finger down the length of it.

“Not just your nose…someone else has that nose. Someone I love very much.”

Hermione’s breath hitched in her throat when she understood his meaning. “Harry,” she whispered as she shook her head in disbelief.

“He looks identical to me.” He tapped the tip of her nose. “Except here. My son.” He then kissed it. “Your son.” His lips found hers in a soft kiss. “Our son.”

Her eyes turned from disbelief to pure joy as her lips trembled into a smile. “Our son.”

Their lips met over and over again while they laughed, cried and brushed away tears. It was a moment neither of them would forget, that instant when they both realized that they loved each other. That their lives would never be the same and that they would spend the rest of it together.

“Are you ever going to put me down?” Hermione teased as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He smiled as he touched his brow to hers. “No. Never.”

Hermione just smiled touched his cheek affectionately. Harry then turned his head to kiss her palm and their eyes met. Brown meeting green and Harry felt as if everything made sense. His whole world was right side up and his life was this person. His Hermione.

“C’mon.” He set her to her feet but linked their fingers. He never wanted to stop touching her. “Let’s go to the common room.” He gave her a mischievous grin. “And talk.”

It made her laugh. The twinkle of amusement in his eyes as he nipped at her fingers. “All right. Lead the way.”

Harry sat down, immediately opening an arm as Hermione easily curled next to him. The gesture made him smile, thinking how a few short hours ago they were sitting side by side on this couch, but didn’t touch or lean into each other intimately like they were now. Funny how quickly things can change.

“Is this really happening?” Hermione asked breaking the comfortable silence.

Harry tilted her chin up so their eyes could meet. “It is.” His lips curved as he brought her mouth to his. “Yes.” He kissed her again, soft lingering kisses, for he was in no hurry, he had a whole lifetime of kisses to share with her.

Hermione sighed dreamily. “It’s nice to know I get to kiss you for the rest of my life.”

Harry grinned. “I was thinking the same thing.” He watched her smile spread and her eyes brightened, then just as quickly her smile faltered and worry replaced happiness. “What’s wrong?”

“Ginny.” She bit her lip. “What about Ginny?”

Harry sighed as he shook his head. “To tell you the truth, I’m not that worried about it.”

“But why? She loves you and…”

“No she doesn’t. She might think she does, but she’ll soon realize it’s not me she’s meant to be with.” Harry chuckled when he saw she still looked puzzled. “Come on, Hermione. You’re suppose to be the smart one. Think about it. Earlier, James said Draco married one of you three. It’s not you…thank the gods…and we all know Luna only has eyes for our Ronnekins so…that leaves…”

“Ginny,” she finished for him when it finally dawned on her. “Ginny and Draco.”

“Crazy, huh?” Harry laughed. “It’s a wonder they haven’t killed each other…yet…I can’t think of anyone more perfect for one another.”

“I bet they’ll have lots of make-up sex.”

Harry choked out a laugh. “Hermione, you surprise me.”

She grinned as she shifted up and nipped at his ear. “I’m not as innocent as you may think.”

Harry shuddered when he felt her tongue tease his ear. “So I see.” He then frowned as Hermione straddled his lap. “Wait, what do you mean by that? Have you…”

“Had sex?”

“Yeah.”

“What if I said yes?” she asked as she fiddled with his messy bangs.

“Then I’d as you with who so I can track down and kill him.”

Hermione laughed at how quickly he answered, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Well, then it’s a good thing I haven’t.”

Harry felt a tingle of relief loosen around his heart. “That’s a very good thing.”

Hermione smiled softly as she touched pressed his hand to her cheek. “Kiss me, Harry. Good and proper. Kiss me until I’m convinced this isn’t a dream.”

“This is hardly a dream,” Harry murmured leaning up nipping at her incredibly soft lips. “I’ll be glad to show you just how real this is.”

Their lips met, almost shyly, then parted. Tongue’s seek out, touch, then caress all in one slow fluid motion. Sighs escaped and filled the room as hands explored undiscovered textures and curves. Harry plunged his fingers in her untamed hair, gripped strands as he tasted deeply, turning the kiss into need and passion.

Hermione responded without missing a beat, shifting on his lap so her body touched his in all the right places. Her mouth opened for him, letting him take all of her and more as she could only hold on for the ride. She gasped for air as soon as he removed his lips from hers, only to nip at her chin then down the arch of her neck. Clouded brown eyes rolled at the back of her head when she felt his hot breath and warm tongue branding her skin. “Bloody hell, Harry,” she said huskily as she clutched handfuls of his hair.

“You smell fantastic,” he whispered in her ear before sucking softly on her lobe. “I need to stop.” He groaned when she grounded herself against him and he gripped her hips tightly in response. “Merlin, don’t do that. I’ll lose what little self control I have left.”

“I like it that I can make you lose your self control,” she responded as she brought his lips back to hers and they both devoured. They tasted each other quickly, biting and nipping in between as their hands started to grabble for each other’s clothes.

Harry’s hands were traveling up her leg and under her skirt while Hermione shoved and yanked at his shirt from behind his back. Harry pulled back to allow her to pull the shirt over his head and then moved his lips to her neck once more as his trembling hands fiddled with the buttons of her shirt. When there were enough undone to sneak a hand inside, he did so cupping her softly while the other hand finished the rest of the task.

She arched against his touch while she helped him pull the rest of her shirt off her shoulders. Her hands were trapped in the cuffs and Harry kept them captive as he trailed his lips back to hers. She didn’t know how he did it, he was so fast but she blinked and he had her on her back. Her body writhed anxiously beneath him as she tugged her hands free, desperate to touch him.

“Hermione,” he sighed as he nuzzled her neck while letting his body weigh down on hers. “Wait. God, I need a minute.”

Hermione wrapped herself around him, moving her cheek against his hair. “What is it?”

“It’s nothing.” He kissed her neck before lifting his head up, propping himself on one elbow and brushed his hand over her hair. “Everything’s perfect. You’re perfect.” He sighed and bent down for a kiss to reassure her that he wasn’t having any doubts on how he felt. “I just…I wonder that we’re going too fast. Most couples who start out don’t know if they are going to make it or not and we do. We know we’re going to marry we know exactly how many kids we’ll have. What if knowing all that is making us go too fast.” He linked his hand with hers, toying with her fingers before bringing them to his lips. “I don’t want to mess this up.”

“You won’t. Couldn’t.” She smiled softly as she brought his fingers to her lips and returned the gesture. “But I see your point. There’s no need to rush. I want our first time to be special and perfect. This isn’t the time. Especially with our futuristic son sleeping just upstairs. You’re exactly right.”

He smiled. “Of course you understand. You’ve always understood me.” He leaned down and playfully bit her little pointy chin he already loved so much. “Even during my moody and irritable days.”

“It’s a gift,” she said as she trailed her fingers gently over his scar.

The gesture made his heart twist and his stomach churn. If he didn’t already know in his heart she was the one, he would have fallen for her at that moment. “I love you, Hermione.”

Hermione felt her heart skip a beat as her fingers paused in their caress. Then a smile formed on her lips, slowly as it stretched into a full smile while her eyes sparkled brilliantly. She framed his face with her hands and brought his head down, placing a kiss on his scar, then shortly after on his lips. “I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you.”

“I know.” Harry laid his head on her chest, listening the to sound of her heartbeat. “I realize that now. No one has loved me, looked out for me, cared for me in the way that you have. Do. I can lie here for the rest of my life, falling asleep at the sound of your heart beating.”

“It beats for you,” she said as she strummed fingers through his hair. “Since the moment I first saw you, my heart belonged to you.”

Harry closed his eyes as he let her words flow through him and absorb into his heart and mind. It was something he had always yearned to hear. Someone loving him unconditionally the way Hermione did. They were more than just best friends. They were soul mates, soon to be lovers, then husband and wife, then parents. It was a scary journey, but it was exciting as well and he couldn’t wait to get started.

“Ever since I could remember,” he mumbled as the gentle stroke of Hermione’s fingers were threatening to put him to sleep. “My heart felt empty. A empty void full of nothingness.” Harry sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, shakily. “Now…Now it’s so full it almost hurts.”

Hermione’s eyes filled as she held him, planting a kiss on the top of his head. “Harry,” she whispered. “I don’t know what to say to that, except that you better get use to that feeling. Because I can assure you it’s never going away.”

Harry’s lips tilted up. “Good, I don’t want it to. I’m falling asleep.”

Hermione laughed softly as she wiped away her tears. “Go to sleep then, Harry.” She pulled down the quilt that was draped over the back of the couch and covered it over the both of them. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Yes, yes, I know it’s been awhile. Busy, busy, blah, blah…sorry! Family stuff, Easter, work and all that jazz rolled into one! This story is going to start wrapping up! I hope you’ve enjoyed it! Here’s the next chapter!

Chapter 10

Harry figured the best way to wake up his future wife was with soft, lazy kisses and oh boy, was he right. He loved the small throaty moan that vibrated against his mouth, then the way her long, lean body stretched sensually against his. He felt her lips curve against his, then laughed softly when she playfully nipped at his bottom lip.

“Morning,” he murmured, grinning lazily.

“Mmm, morning,” she moaned sleepily as they both shifted until they lied side by side facing each other. “Sleep okay?”

Harry smiled softly as he brushed back her hair, knowing that was her way of asking if he had any nightmares. “Never better.” He pressed her body close to his, kissing her long and deep, then pulled back slightly and held out her shirt. “Might want to put this on…not that I mind seeing you like this.”

Hermione flushed when Harry fiddled with the strap of her bra that had fallen over her shoulder. “I forgot.”

“I sure didn’t,” he said leaning down to trail kisses along her bare shoulder as he pulled the strap in place. “One day soon, I’ll do that in reverse, but for now…better put this on.”

Hermione shuddered against him. “You sure know how to stir me up.”

“Darling, that’s so sweet.”

Hermione chuckled as she sat up, slipping her wrinkled blouse back on while he pulled his cotton tee back over his head. “What time is it?”

“Still early yet.” Harry picked up his glasses that had fallen on the floor, slipped them back on. “Just thought we should both get up so our son wouldn’t walk in on us like that.”

Hermione’s heart lurched. “Our son.” She gave him a wobbly smile. “Still can’t get use to hearing that.”

“Well start getting use to it,” Harry said cupping the back of her neck, bringing her in for a long hard kiss. “We’re going to have two of them you know, so we’ll be saying it a lot in the future.”

Hermione grinned. “Okay.” She kissed him back, short lingering kisses that seemed to melt her heart. “I guess I should go on up.”

“Yeah,” he agreed but kept on kissing her, sliding his tongue in for a quick taste. “Should go up.”

“You need…mmm…stop kissing me in…oh my…order for me to go.”

Harry pressed his lips to her throat. “In a minute.”

“Sure thing,” she said then let out a laugh when he playfully tackled her onto her back.

It took him awhile, but Harry finally made himself pull away. He had walked her to the foot of her stairs, shared a few goodbye kisses, then separated. James was still sleeping when he got to his room, so he snuck in the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Twenty minutes later, he stepped out half dressed in his school uniform. He was drying his hair with a towel as James was just waking up. “Morning.”

“Morning,” James yawned sleepily.

“Sleep okay?”

“Yeah,” he muttered as he rubbed his eyes. “Forgot where I was.”

“Understandable.” Harry went to his wardrobe closet to finish getting dressed. He still wasn’t used to the huge walk-in closet that he had and he only needed a third of it. “We have classes today, so you’ll have to hang around here.”

James frowned. “By myself? All day?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to tell everyone to come see you in between classes, okay?”

“Can’t you play sick?”

“Right, like Hermione would let me. Look, why don’t you get dressed and come down when you’re ready. Your m…er…Hermione and I will be downstairs waiting.”

James sighed in defeat. “Oh, all right.”

Harry smiled. “Your clothes are on the chair. Dobby had them washed. I’ll see you down there.”

Harry sighed as he made his way down the stairs. He felt really sorry for him. Who would want to stay in a room cooped up all day? Maybe he could skip Diviniation. He was doing pretty good in that class and it was half bull shit anyway. So yeah…he would skip Diviniation and come back here…maybe play some chess or exploding snap with his son.

He was just walking into the common room when Hermione was wobbling through the portrait hole, with a pile of books in her arms. She had so many piled high in her arms he could only see her brown eyes peering over the top book. “Well for goodness sake, Hermione,” he said rushing over to help her before she lost her balance. “Here, hold still.”

Harry took more than half of the pile and Hermione let out a breath of relief. “Thanks. Almost didn’t make it.”

“What’s this all about?” he asked placing the books on the table, then grabbed the rest of Hermione’s and plopped it down as well.

“I just thought…with James being stuck here all day…maybe he’d want to read a book or two?”

Harry lifted a brow. “A book or two?”

“Well…I don’t know what he likes,” she let out a exasperating breath. “He’s technically not my son yet.”

“I know,” he said smiling softly as he stepped to her and touched her cheek briefly. “And this was sweet of you to do. I already talked to him and he’s kind of bummed at the idea of moping by himself.”

“I’m sure he is. I got some first year books. Oh I know they will be way outdated to his books, but I thought it couldn’t hurt. I also got some books on Quidditch. He’s your son after all, so he must like Quidditch.”

Harry grinned as he pulled her in his arms. “You’re a sweetheart, you know that?” he asked bending down for a kiss.

Hermione blushed as she looked away. “I am not.”

Harry just chuckled and nuzzled her neck. “Yes, you are. My sweet Hermione.”

“Now you’re just being foolish,” she said although her heart did a little flutter at his endearing words. She giggled when he started to rain tiny kisses along her soft skin. “Harry, cut it out.”

She tried to wiggle away, but he held on tighter. “Uh-uh. You’re stuck with me now, my love.”

“Well that’s more like it!”

Hermione gasped as they sprang back from each other. “James,” Hermione said breathlessly. “I…we…”

“Well, it’s about time you figured it out,” James said with a roll of his eyes. “Jeeze it was torture watching the two of you. Then I come down and see you two canoodling and Dad calling you, ‘my love’ like he always does. Usually…the sight makes me gag…but I can say it’s quite welcoming now.”

“James,” Harry started.

But he was only getting started. “I’m glad the two of you worked it out, I have to say I was a little worried last night when you ran out after Dad kissed you and…”

“You saw us?” Harry asked surprisingly getting a word in.

“Oh…yeah, I was awake the whole time,” he told him waving it off like it was nothing. “I got to witness my parent’s first kiss. Kind of cool if you think about it, I mean what kid can say that?”

Hermione put a hand to her head. “My head’s spinning.”

Harry put a hand on her shoulder. “Hold onto me if you’re going to faint.”

“Sorry…guess I’m rambling…I’m just so excited.” He looked at Hermione. “Now that you know, I can call you mum, right? I mean calling you Hermione all this time was so weird.”

“Oh. Well.” Her eyes and heart softened. “Of course you can.”

“Great,” he sighed with relief and ran up to throw his arms around her waist. “Thanks, Mum.”

Hermione’s eyes shimmered as she stroked his hair. “You’re welcome.”

“Hey,” he said leaning back and looking over her shoulder. “What’s with the leaning tower of books?”

“Oh.” Hermione flushed. “Well, I just got you some books to read. A lot of first year books. I realize they are way outdated from yours but I thought it couldn’t hurt.”

“No, it’s great Mum…thanks…er…I just…I’ve already read all my books.”

Hermione blinked. “You have?” she asked in pure awe.

He nodded enthusiastically. “Yup. Every word.”

Harry snorted a laugh. “He’s definitely your son all right…ugh!” Harry doubled over in pain when Hermione elbowed him in the gut. “Jeez, Mione…it wasn’t an insult.”

James snickered. “Good one, Mum.”

Harry narrowed his eyes. “Traitor.”

He just shrugged. “Sorry.”

“Oh, sorry are you?” Harry asked as he straightened with a gleam of playfulness in his eyes. “Oh, you’ll be sorry, kiddo.”

Knowing all too well the look on his dad’s face, James let out a joyous laugh as he tried to flee. Unfortunately and like always, his dad was too fast and caught him around the waist, tackling him onto the couch. Although he tried to wiggle away and fight back, he loved ever minute of it.

“Be prepared for the chest rubbie,” Harry said as he pinned his arms behind his head.

“No, not that,” he protested and then busted out into a fit of giggles when he rubbed his fist against his chest over and over again.

Hermione laughed as she watched then shook her head hopelessly. “Oh Harry, leave James alone,” she said swatting him on his back.

When his dad released him James collapsed dramatically in defeat. “Thanks, Mum.”

“And let me have a go at it,” Hermione said suddenly and pounced her son.

Once again James laughter filled the room as the tickle torture continued.

Well here’s the next chapter! Only a few more chapters left! I’m ready to wrap this one up! And maybe…just maybe another story is in the works. A story I want to get out before the last and final book. So enjoy this one for now! Love you guys!

~HM

Chapter 11

“Just go and talk to her, Harry,” Hermione said nudging him a little as they lingered just inside the Great Hall. “You’re the one that said you weren’t worried.”

“Yes, but I still don’t want to hurt her,” Harry said as he watched Ginny laughing with friends at the table. “I know we’re not getting married, but I still care about her. She’s obviously going to be a part of our lives, our kids call her Aunt Footie. I mean…what’s that all about?”

Hermione’s lips twitched up into a smile. “I don’t know, but maybe you should ask her? Might mean something to her.”

Harry took a deep breath. “All right, I’m going. Would you mind tracking down Dobby, make sure he gets breakfast to James?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

“And grab me a couple of pieces of toast, okay? I’ll meet you outside of Transfiguration.”

“All right, now…woah there Harry,” she said slapping a hand to his chest when he leaned down to kiss her. “Public place…lots of people around that still think you’re with Ginny.”

“Oh.” He grinned as he leaned back. “Right. Sorry. Habit already.”

Hermione smiled. “That’s quite alright. Now go already.”

“Right. I’m going.” He hitched his back on his shoulder than playfully tugged her hair. “Love you,” he said with a wink before walking away.

“Ditto,” Hermione called out causing him to turn around and share a quick grin.

Harry made a beeline straight to Ginny, feeling more guilty when he realized how happy she looked. She’ll understand, he assured himself. She’d have to, there was no other option. She wasn’t her future, Hermione was and the sooner she found out the better for everyone.

“Ginny.”

She looked over from the wizard magazine she was sharing and her smile faltered for a moment, before quickly slapping it back into place. “Harry. Hi.”

“Hi,” he said resisting rolling his eyes when the girls started to giggle. Didn’t they ever grow out of that? Hermione never giggled. Well…that wasn’t true, but she only giggled when it was appropriate. Like last night. He made her giggle a lot last night….and this morning during their snogging session and of course the tickle fight. Especially when James and him turned on her. She had such a great laugh. So damn cute and…

“Did you need something, Harry?”

“What?” Harry shook his head clear. “What? Oh. Sorry. Yes. Er…can we go somewhere and talk?”

“Sure,” she said sending the girls into another fit of giggles. Unlike him though, Ginny did roll her eyes as they walked away. “Sorry. They just can’t seem to help themselves.”

He laughed. She did always seem to make him laugh. “That’s all right, I’m use to it I guess. Let’s go outside, it’s nice out.”

“Fine with me.”

Harry held the door open for her and didn’t speak until they were a good distant from the castle. He walked to the edge of the lake and she stood beside him, waiting for him to talk. “Seems like forever ago when I first traveled over this lake. So many things happened between then and now.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “That’s life I guess. Never know where it’s going to take you.”

“Exactly,” he said giving her a smile and turned to her so his back now faced the lake. “Ginny, you know I care about you, right?”

Ginny’s eyes softened. “Of course I do, Harry. I care for you, too. Very much.”

Harry winced. “Merlin, don’t say that. It makes it worse.”

“Worse? What are you talking about?”

“Something happened last night,” he said shoving his nervous sweaty hands in his pocket. “I…Hermione and I….we were talking and…Merlin, how do I say this?” Harry pinched the bridge of his nose hoping the right words would come out of his mouth. “The thing is, Ginny, I found out who James’ mother is and…I’m sorry, but it’s Hermione.”

Ginny kept her eyes trained on him. “Hermione?”

“Yes, I…I’m sorry, I…I kissed her. I know I shouldn’t have, because technically we’re together, but…it just kind of happened and…what are you smiling about?”

“You hooked up with Hermione last night?” Ginny asked with a hint of amusement in her voice.

“Yes, I…” Harry frowned. “Sorry. I don’t wish to hurt you, Ginny but…oaf!” Harry stumbled back when Ginny launched herself into his arms. “Ginny, what….”

“Oh Harry, that’s wonderful!” Ginny let out a delightful laugh then gave him a friendly loud smacking kiss on the mouth. “I was so worried!”

“Worried?” Harry shook his head clear when Ginny stepped back. “I’m confused…what were you worried about?”

“Well, turns out you weren’t the only one who cheated last night,” she admitted with a chuckle. “Draco and I…well, we had are rounds last night and one thing lead to another and…we were fooling around in a broom closet.”

Harry blinked. “Really?”

“Yes and a part of me felt bad and I was going over what I was going to say to you and then this happened and a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders.” She let out another laugh as she gave him another hug. “I didn’t want to hurt you. You still mean so much to me.”

Harry smiled softly, running a friendly hand over her hair. “You matter to me, too. I don’t want to say like a sister, because we’ve snogged before, but…you matter to me. You always will, Ginny.”

Ginny’s eyes shimmered now as she leaned back. “You’re making me cry, Harry.” She smiled through her tears when he conjured up a handkerchief. “Thanks. You were always good at that.”

“You cry a lot. I had good practice.” He smiled. “Are we okay now?”

“Yes,” she said dabbing away the rest of her tears. “And I’m happy for you and Hermione. Truly. There was a reason I was always jealous of her, deep down I knew she was meant for you.”

“I hope Draco knows how lucky he is to have you.”

“He does and I’m looking forwards to reminding him how lucky in the future,” she teased with a smirk, making Harry laugh and throw a friendly arm around her.

“You know my kids call you Aunt Footie,” Harry told her as they made their way back to the castle. “What’s that about?”

Ginny’s eyes softened. “Oh, that’s sweet. My father called me that when I was little. It was his own personal little nickname.”

“I never heard him call you that.”

“Oh, he wouldn’t dare do it in front of anyone else. Knew I’d get embarrassed. But I’m not embarrassed anymore and it’s a nickname I’m fond of. It’s nice to know they’ll call me that.”

“You’ll have a brood of your own, according to James,” Harry teased with a friendly bump with his hips. “Keep you and Draco busy.”

Ginny smiled at the thought. “We only know of Clark now, but I’m sure we’ll have more.”

“Apparently you do. Your…sorry, I won’t say anything if you don’t want me to.”

“No, go ahead,” Ginny said. “I’d like to know.”

“James was talking a lot this morning after our family tickle fight. He kept saying how Sirius…my oldest…and Riley were going to have a blast here. I asked who Riley was and he said that she was Uncle Draco and Aunt Footie’s oldest.”

Ginny’s eyes filled again and dug out the handkerchief. “Really?”

“Yes. Really. Crazy isn’t it?”

“Oh, it’s wonderful,” she said blowing her nose. “Look at me, leaking everywhere.”

“It’s understandable,” he said giving her a little one arm hug as they kept walking. “And look who’s up ahead, glaring at me like he wants to kill me.”

Ginny looked up to see Draco standing just outside the front entrance of the castle, crossing his arms over his chest with a scowl on his face. “Oh, he’ll get over it. He needs to know you’re going to be a constant in my life.”

“Good,” he said as they walked over to him and just because he knew it would piss Draco off, he turned and kissed her cheek. “Thanks for the talk…Aunt Footie.” He then walked off, giving Draco a pat on the back. “She’s all yours, I’m going to go track down my girl.”

Draco scowled after him then turned toward Ginny, preparing to say something stupid, but then his eyes softened. “You’ve been crying.” His eyes then hardened. “Did Potter make you cry?”

“Yes, the jerk,” she said with a laugh as she wiped her cheeks dry. “I love him for it.” She then smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “All good tears, Draco, so no worries.”

Because he wanted to and because he could, he leaned down to kiss her softly. “I don’t care to see you cry.”

“I know and it’s sweet,” she said placing her head on his shoulders. “But it’s going to happen from time to time, seeing that I’m a sentimental sort, so you best get use to it.”

Draco placed his cheek on the top of her head. “Okay. All this is new to me, Ginny, but I promise you I’ll try to do my best by you. I’m not good with words and although I…I love you…it might be hard for me to say it from time to time.”

“I don’t need fancy words, Draco,” she assured him as her heart simply soared up and over into his hands. “I just need you.”

“You have me.” He turned and kissed the top of her head and she leaned her head back so their eyes could meet. “Tell me.”

She didn’t need to ask what, she knew what he was asking. She also knew that it was a phrase that he never heard growing up and she was more than pleased to be the first to tell him. “I love you.”

Draco closed his eyes as emotions he never felt before…emotions that both terrified and excited him…swept through him like one rapid gush of wind. He couldn’t seem to find words to say, so he simply opened his eyes, looked deeply into hers, and closed them again as he kissed her with everything he had. Pouring himself into the kiss.

He may not be able to give her words, but this he could give her. He could always show her how much he needed her. His life would be an empty void without her and it pleased him to know that she wasn’t going anywhere. That his life will be anything but boring with her by his side. She would frustrate him, bump heads with him constantly, then drive him bloody crazy.

He couldn’t wait.

Extremely short update! But I wanted to finish off a little snippet of Ron and Luna before I started to close it down. So enjoy and look for a longer update soon!

Chapter 12

Ron Weasley was beyond pissed off. No. No, not just pissed off. Agitated, frustrated and extremely annoyed. Everyone seemed to be all happy go lucky now that they found the person they’re meant to be with. Harry and Hermione snogging all over the damn halls of Hogwarts like they’ve been doing so all their lives.

It had been two days since their new found relationship had been exposed and it was still the hot topic of conversation floating around school. And if it wasn’t hearing about how bloody stinking cute they were, it was talk about what a smoking hot couple Draco and Ginny were.

Now that annoyed him. Draco was with his little sister doing Merlin knows what with her in darken corners and cluttered broom closets.

But the main reason why he was pissed off, agitated, frustrated and extremely annoyed was no other than Luna Lovegood herself. The little wench had been ignoring him ever since that little bomb she dropped on him that night. She planted a seed in his head that wasn’t all too horrible to think about and looked forward to exploring the possibilities, but how could he do that when she kept brushing him off!

Well, that was going to stop right now, he thought as he paced the hall outside of the Great Hall. She was still in there eating so he would wait her out. Then once he got her alone he’d…well, he didn’t know what exactly he’d say or do, but he figured it would come to him. She was about to get a piece of his mind.

Obliviously unaware of Ron’s evil plot against her, Luna strolled her way out of the Great hall, only half listening to the girlish chatter that surrounded her. Two sixth year girls were on either side of her and a few fourth and fifth year girls flanked pathetically behind her.

There use to be a time where the girls didn’t give her a time of day, but now things were different. Now that she was good friends with…what did they call them again? Oh yes…the Mysteriously Sexy Harry Potter, the Dangerously Sexy Draco Malfoy and the Adorably Sexy Ron Weasley. Since she was now friends with the three different “Sexy” men, all the girls wanted to be her friend. She wasn’t buying it though, she knew they were only using her to get close to any three of them. Luckily, her friends weren’t buying it either and now that the Mysterious and Dangerous were taken, their new focus was the Adorable. Who was now walking toward them, sending the girls into a fit of giggles before plastering on their flirty smiles.

“I need to talk to you,” Ron said firmly to her as he grabbed her arm. “Let’s go outside.”

“Hi Ron,” the girl to Luna’s right boldly said while giving her a flutter of lashes.

“Hi, Stacey,” Ron said before dragging Luna away.

The girl sighed dreamily after him. “He said my name.”

The other girl eyed her friend. “You’re name is Tracy.”

Tracy sighed again. “Close enough.”

“Will you stop dragging me?” Luna huffed in annoyance. “And let me go, I can walk myself!”

“I’ll stop dragging you,” he said moving his hand swiftly from her arm to her hands, clasping it tight. “But I’m not letting go of you.” Ever. “So just shut up and keep walking.”

“You’ve got some nerve, Ronald Weasley,” she cursed and then pursed her lips. She’d stay quiet, then give him a boot in the ass.

He kept walking until they were almost fully on the other side of the lake. He’d had hoped he’d walk out a little of the anger, but it only made it worse. “What is your problem?” Ron asked harshly stepping dangerously close to her.

“My problem?” she jabbed a finger in his chest. She may have been the loony sort most of the time, but when she was angry her temper overruled and her looniness faded. “You’re the one who dragged me out here like a Neanderthal.”

“You’ve been ignoring me.”

She opened her mouth, only to shut it abruptly, then lifted her chin. “I have not. I’ve been busy.”

“Busy my ass! Every time I’ve gotten anywhere near you, you’d mutter some excuse and walk away.” He let go of her hand and shoved them in his pockets, scowling across the lake. “Have I done anything? If I have, I’m sorry. I would never mean to hurt you.”

“No, you haven’t done anything,” she said and blew out an exasperating breath. “That’s the problem, isn’t it?”

Ron frowned. “What’s that suppose to mean?”

She threw up her hands. “Ugh, you’re hopeless! A potato has more sense than you. I’ve had enough of it and you. I’m tired of waiting around for you to get a clue.”

Luna spun around to stalk away, taking only a step before turning back at Ron who still stood there frowning like an idiot. “Oh, the bloody hell with it,” she cursed and leapt up into his arms and fused her mouth with his.

He staggered back in shock as his hands unconsciously cupped her taunt ass while his mouth continued to be assaulted. Her arms and legs were wrapped around him and as he subconsciously met the firey pace with her mouth, his hands slid up her slim back and gripped her soft silky hair. He took her to the grass since he felt his legs turn to rubber. A need he never knew he possessed inside him released and took over as they rolled together on the grass

“Touch me,” Luna pleaded while Ron moved his eager mouth to her neck. “I’ve been dying to have your hands on me.”

Ron groaned as he rolled again until Luna was sprawled out on top of him and his hands streaked over her. Desperate to explore every curve, every inch of naked flesh he could reach. Finally. Finally he knew where he was going, who he was meant to be with. Luna. It was always Luna and he vowed that he would love her the rest of his life. Cherish her, every looney, wonderful and lovely inch of her until his last breath.

The sun set, the reddish orange sky turned ink black and a blanket of stars twinkled overhead with the brilliant moon shimmering down on them. And at that moment, when the night surrounded, two friends who were always destined to be so much more…became lovers.

Okay, here it is. It’s over! I wanted to wrap it up quickly because I really want to try and finish another story before the last book comes out. I loved writing this and thanks to everyone again for your support! I hope you like the ending and look for the next story by HM coming soon! Thanks!

~HM

Chapter 13

“I can’t believe you’re leaving already,” Hermione said as she looked at her son with sad eyes, while Harry wrapped an arm around her. “I mean…you just got here.”

“Don’t be sad, Mum,” James said as he put the Time-Turner around his neck. “You’ll see me again and in the mean time you’ll be too busy with Sirius and Kylie to even think about it. They’re a handful. Especially Kylie.”

Harry laughed as he knelt beside him. “We’ll still miss you and count the days until you come back into our lives.”

James grinned. “I come into the world fast. Mum was only in labor for a few hours with me.”

Hermione paled. “Oh, that’s nice,” she said dryly. “Just a few hours.”

“Well, it’s better than Kylie who too longer and…”

“Okay, maybe you should stop talking,” Harry said quickly when he saw the panic look in Hermione’s eyes.

“Oh. Right, sorry.”

“Hey there, Mini-Harry, not going off without telling us goodbye are you?”

James turned to see his Aunts and Uncles walk in through the portrait door. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said as he ran and threw his arms around Draco.

“Oaf,” Draco grunted at the force of his hug, then chuckled as he ruffled his hair. “Travel safe, kid and have fun at school. Don’t you and Clark and Mal get into too much trouble.”

James giggled. “We try not to, but sometimes it finds us,” he admitted than turned to Ginny. “Bye Aunt Footie.”

Ginny accepted his hug whole heartedly as tears started to merge. “Bye sweetie, you take care.”

“Uncle Ron, Aunt Luna,” James said hugging them both at once. “I can’t wait to tell Mallory about this, she’s going to be so jealous.”

Ron smiled. “From what you’ve told me about her, she sounds wonderful. We both can’t wait to meet her.”

“You will soon enough,” James said stepping back. “You’ll have to deal with the twins first though.”

Ron paled and Luna gasped. “Twins?” they both asked.

James slapped a hand over his mouth. “Oops, sorry.”

“Okay, son,” Harry said holding back a chuckle. “Let’s get you home before something else slips from that mouth of yours.”

“Good idea,” he said and smiled when his mum knelt in front of him and started to mess with the Timer.

“Now don’t worry,” Hermione assured him. “McGonagall told me exactly how it works and once I’m done it should take you back exactly to where you left. So just relax and let me work this, I don’t want to make a mistake.”

“Don’t worry, Mum, I trust you,” James said with a grin which she answered.

“And it shouldn’t take a great toll on you this time. Last time you turned it too fast and that can cause blackouts, but at the right pace you should be fine.”

“Okay, I’m ready.”

She gave him one last smile before turning her focus to the egg-timer. Her hands were steady as she carefully turned the knob clockwise over and over again until finally stopping. Her eyes than shifted to his and Harry knelt next to her as they looked into their son’s eyes. “We love you, James,” Harry said as he James started to fade away. “Be safe.”

“I love you too,” James said as his vision started to blur. “Both of you.”

Than the world dissolved around him and everything turned black.

His Mum was right. When his feet hit the floor he stumbled onto it, but he didn’t pass out. He was face down and when he opened his eyes he heard someone chuckle.

“See Dad, told you so.”

“Well I’ll be damned, you were right. Good call about not telling your, Mum. She would have freaked.”

James may not have passed out, but he still felt a little dizzy so he shook his head clear and started to push himself up to his feet. He put a hand to his head wincing at the slight headache and then blinked in his surroundings. He saw two people sitting at the foot of the bed with an identical grin on their faces.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the man that looked like him, but still looked too young to be his Dad in his time. “Dad?” he asked anyway scared that the Time-Turner didn’t work.

The man chuckled and lifted his bangs to reveal a blank forehead. “Nope, sorry. He’s Dad.”

James turned to the other man who also had his features but his face was older and his hair was still as messy as ever, but was now silvery gray. “Dad?” he asked in amazement when he saw the scar.

“Afraid so,” he said with a sigh. “Your old man is getting old.”

“But…But…”

“Not to worry,” the other man said as he got up and knelt in front of him. “Mum just made a little mistake and went about a quarter of an inch too far.”

James’ jaw dropped when he realized who he was talking to. “You…You’re me.”

“Yeah, about twenty years from your time,” he said but then laughed when he saw his younger self turn pale. “Not to worry, I get you back safe enough. I’ve been waiting for this day for twenty years and I’ll be damned if I mess it up.”

A sixty-year old Harry knelt beside the older James and in front of the younger one. “Wow, you were so young back then.” Harry grinned as he touched young James’ cheek. “You have your whole life ahead of you.”

The older James sighed in envy. “Yeah. I’m telling you James, you are going to have lots of adventures at Hogwarts.”

“I am?” he asked still very confused.

“Oh, yeah you are,” his older self said with a grin and then picked up the egg-timer. “Now, let’s get you back to your time so you can start your life.”

The younger James watched him work and then his eyes fell on the simple gold band on his left finger. “You have a ring,” he said with wide eyes. “You…You’re married?”

He chuckled. “We are married,” he corrected with a twinkle of amusement in his eye. “And have two kids and one on the way.”

James could do nothing but sputter out protests he couldn’t form.

“Now you know how I felt, son,” Harry said with a laugh. “Not to worry though, you’re a great father.”

James couldn’t think. He couldn’t even think about being a father he was only eleven for Merlin’s sake! And he was married? “Who? Who do I marry?”

The older James looked at his younger self and gave him a wink. “To the girl who always had our heart.” He then gave the egg-timer a quick turn the other way and stepped back.

James opened his mouth to ask more but once again was lifted off his feet and he was gone.

“He’s gone,” James said when he watched his eleven year old self disappear. “All this time of waiting and it’s done.”

Harry put a hand on his son’s shoulders. “You got him back safely, James. If you didn’t you wouldn’t be here right now.”

James smiled at his father. “I know. Time-Travel. It’s so strange, isn’t it? If I think about it too much I get a headache.”

Harry barked out a laugh. “You’re telling me. I’ve only done the time-travel thing once with your mum and it was enough for me and we only traveled a few hours back, not even close to what you did.”

“It was just the first of many adventures I participated in.”

“It was a hell of an adventure,” Harry said as he gave him a half hug. “Let’s go on downstairs. The party is just getting started, most everyone is outside by the pool.”

“You go on ahead,” James said with a smile. “I’m just going to sit here for a bit.”

“Okay, I’m going to go downstairs and see my grandkids, Merlin knows Hermione’s already hogging them.”

“You do that,” James said with a chuckle. “Oh and please, Dad…no conjuring up any sweets for the kids, okay? Especially Peter. He’ll be up all night.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Harry said with a bright smile as he crossed his fingers behind his back.

“Uh-huh,” James said dryly not believing a word he said. “I’ll be right behind you.”

Once he was alone he sat back down on the bed and his mind drifted back to that night when he finally returned to his time. He had been so excited as he ran in the halls waking up all his brothers and sisters so he could tell him of his adventure through time.

He didn’t tell any of them about his pit stop to the future. He told his wife on the night of his wedding, after they had made love for the first time as man and wife. He had told his dad only a week ago because he didn’t want him worrying for twenty years like he had. Not that he wasn’t confident with himself, but with time-travel and magic you never knew.

He remembered being seriously freaked at the answer his older self had given him about his future wife. He didn’t know what to think about it, so he tried not to, but it didn’t take him long to figure out who that person was. He had been right, she did always have his heart, ever since he could remember.

“James?”

James looked up to see his very pregnant wife standing at the doorway of his parents bedroom, with a slight frown on her face while a hand caressed the slope of her belly. “Mal, hey.” James got up and walked over to her, giving her one of his charming smiles as he reached for her. “You doing okay?”

“As good as a seven month pregnant witch could get I guess,” she said as she reached up to kiss him. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah, just thinking.”

“Did you get yourself home okay?” Mallory asked with a smile. “I really wished I could be there, I’d have loved to see you when you were eleven again.”

James let out a chuckle as he kissed her fingers. “Yes, I know, but seeing you would have freaked me out and if I had known it was you, I don’t think I would have known how to act around you.”

“I know,” she said smiling when he pulled her in his arms and she nuzzled her cheek against his chest. “Didn’t take you too long to figure it out though.”

James kissed the top of her head with curved lips. “No, I guess not. First kissed you on a dare by Clark when we were fourteen.”

“I remember,” Mallory tipped her head up to look at him. “Changed everything.”

“That it did,” he said giving her a long sweet kiss. “As much as I’d love to stay here with you and snog you senseless, we better get down. Our kids out by the pool?”

“Yes, Peter and Caleb are asking for you,” Mallory said as she took his hand and they made their way down the stairs. “They want to swim with their father.”

“Well, I better accommodate them. Why don’t you go find a place to sit, get off your feet, then tonight I just might give them a rub down.”

Mallory groaned at the idea. “That sounds heavenly,” she said as they walked outside where all the noise and commotion was taking place. Kids and grownups were splashing in the pool while others were lounging around by the pool. “I’ll be over at the table with Sirius and Riley. Riley can’t drink alcohol either so we’ll keep each other company.”

James kissed his wife one last time before running to the pool, screaming “Cannon Ball!” as he landed in the water right between his kids.

Harry smiled as he watched his son jump in the water than laughed when James’ oldest son, Caleb dunked him back under the water. “I’m telling you Hermione,” Harry said as he bounced his youngest granddaughter, Nora, Lily’s little girl, on his knee. “We’re the luckiest people alive. Have the best family, the best friends and the cutest grandkids,” he added nuzzling Nora and sending her into a fit of giggles.

“Yes we are,” Hermione said with a smile as he watched everyone around her. “So much has happened since that day James popped into our lives when we were still so young.”

“Tell me about it and look what resulted from it?” Harry asked as he displayed the scene with a sweep of a hand. “All this…Us getting married, followed shortly but Ron and Luna, then Draco and Ginny.”

“Then we had kids…all of us and then we blinked and they were all grown up.”

“And getting engaged to your ex-arch enemy’s daughter,” Harry said as he looked over at Riley and Sirius who were talking with Mallory. “Remember when we first found out? Thought Draco was going to have a heart attack.”

“Well, you two did walk on them snogging Christmas Eve when they were sixteen,” Hermione reminded him as she picked up her glass of Merlot and took a healthy sip. “Ah, memories.”

“Riley Malfoy became Riley Potter, Hermione….you know that had to rub Draco the wrong way.”

“Well, he got over it, didn’t he? Anyone could see how happy she was with Sirius? Are you going to give her up?”

Harry held tightly to Nora. “No. Mine.” He then flicked his wrist and a Sugar Quill appeared his hand.

Nola gurgled in delight as she held out her pudgy hands for it. “Hurry up and suck it down, baby,” Harry said as he gave it to her. “Before your mum…”

“I saw that, Dad!”

Harry winced and then looked over at his youngest, who was in the pool with her older son Jack, clinging on her back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about? I didn’t give her that.”

“Uh-huh,” Lily said dryly with a roll of her eyes and knowing it was hopeless turned her attention back to her son.

“I use to be more subtle than that,” Harry said to Hermione. “I’m losing my touch.”

“You still mean well,” Hermione said leaning over and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “And I love you for it, even though you bribe the kids too much with that little trick.”

“I use my weapons when one needs to,” he said with a grin and then kissed her on the lips. “I love you…so much. We’ve had a pretty incredible life together, haven’t we my love?”

“The best,” she said and then sighed as she put her head on his shoulder. “I love you too, Harry. We’ve made such an awesome family and it continues to grow. We still have so much life left to live.”

“So we will.” He kissed her forehead smiled at his family that surrounded him and knew he was loved. His wife and family meant everything to him and even though he had just celebrated his sixtieth birthday, he knew it was only the beginning. “We’ll live together, my love.” He kissed her again, but this time found her lips and felt complete. “Always together.”