Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.

Authors Note: Okay, this chapter didn't turn out as well as I wanted, but I think it's the best I can do. I'm not much for going totally over the top with romance, because I don't really think life is like that. At least, it's not like most people portray it in stories and such. As such, I generally like to keep a bit of realism in mine. This chapter is the result. Anyway, thanks for reviews. Enjoy!

Time continued to fly by, growing closer and closer to the end of term, and the end of Harry's sixth year. Dumbledore still had not awoken from his coma and Snape and Madam Pomfrey, despite their combined attempts, had been unable to rouse him. According to Snape, he couldn't find any mention of a glowing green potion in any of his books, and therefore had no idea what Dumbledore ingested. Harry wasn't sure whether he was telling the truth or not and had been secretly looking through his own books, but had yet to find anything.

On the subject of Snape, Harry had been prepared for his relationship with Hermione to be publicly ousted, but that had yet to happen. The only thing he could think of was that Professor McGonagall had somehow talked Snape out of it. How she had done that, he had no idea, but he was grateful anyway. While he didn't really mind the idea of being out in the open with Hermione anymore, he certainly wasn't going to reveal it until he had to.

But as time went by, Hogwarts seemed to become stranger and stranger. It was like this unknown, invisible fog had descended on the castle, making everyone act strangely. Most students seemed on edge, maybe because of the knowledge that Dumbledore was out of action (who had always been the publics safe net, despite the fact the old wizard had been publicly discredited since stating Voldemort return). Everyone seemed to view that as a sign that something was wrong, and therefore the entire wizard world, and Hogwarts in particular, was on edge.

Draco had continued to isolate himself. He only ever spoke to Harry now, but the conversation was always forced and rather one sided. Harry just had the distinct impression that life was slowly draining out of Draco. Was he that heartbroken over what he'd done? Harry had tried to slap some sense (metaphorically speaking) into the young Malfoy, but his efforts had failed.

And as time went by, Harry found himself growing even more worried. Something was definitely wrong. He had been feeling it all year, like everything was just leading up to this one big moment, and then it would all come crashing down. Harry had the unpleasant feeling that that moment was rapidly approaching, whatever it was. First it was the Junior Death Eater problem that he had still been unable to solve. Second was the strange silence of the Junior Death Eater, who after his first act had seemingly fallen of the face of the earth. And then, out of the blue, Dumbledore falling into his coma. But what was next? What was the last domino that set everything into motion?

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, her voice coming from where her head was buried in his chest.

They were lying cuddled up on the sofa in Slytherin's chamber, the room lit by only a few candles, giving it a nice dim light that set the mood perfectly.

"I think something is going to happen," Harry said, honestly. "I just…I have this bad feeling."

"You have a bad feeling?" Hermione repeated, craning her neck to look at him. "Harry, that's perfectly understandable. Everyone has a bad feeling. It's probably just nothing."

"It isn't," Harry said, "I know it. Something stinks about this whole thing."

"Professor Dumbledore will be fine," Hermione said. "It's not your fault what happened. You said he told you to follow his orders and you did. Besides, Professor Snape will find the cure eventually."

"I've told you - "

"I know," Hermione said, interrupting. "You don't trust Professor Snape. But Harry, if he was really working for V-Voldemort, then don't you think he'd have done something by now."

"Maybe," Harry said, sighing, "but I still don't trust him. He just has this very distinct aura around him. I've never understood the man. When I first came to Hogwarts he was all over me. He never let me out of his sights. It's like he was waiting for me to do something. After a while he started to leave me alone, but I always felt he had his eyes on me, just waiting, you know? It was only when I helped prove Sirius innocent that he started to treat me a little coldly, like I'd let him down. You know what I think Hermione?"

"What?" She asked, engrossed.

"I think he was watching me to see if I'd do something evil," Harry said, "like what Tom Riddle would have done. I think he was waiting to see if I would be the next Dark Lord, and if I'd have shown even an inkling off it, he'd either have been kissing my ass or trying to control and manipulate me."

"That's stupid Harry," Hermione said, but she didn't sound convinced. It was like she was trying to justify something just because she didn't want to admit the truth.

"It's not," Harry said. "It's just how I feel."

"You can't rationalise that, its just speculation." Hermione argued.

"You're right," Harry said, "I'm not saying its fact. It's just a feeling and feelings are irrational. You can't explain them with logic."

"I suppose," Hermione admitted. "But I still don't think it's true."

"And that's how you feel," Harry said, "and you also can't prove that either can you? Let's just drop it Hermione. The only person who believes me about Snape is Draco and at the moment he's probably staring at some wall with moony eyes."

"You really think Draco is a good judge of character?" Hermione asked, sitting up now. "He's not really reliable is he?"

"He's a lot more reliable than you or anyone else knows," Harry said.

"Is that a feeling as well?" Hermione asked, rather sarcastically.

"Are you trying to pick a fight Hermione?" Harry asked, sitting up as well.

"I…no," she said, deflated. "Sorry, I don't mean to be snippy. I just don't understand you're faith in him. He really hurt Ginny."

"And I'm sorry about that, but that doesn't mean a thing," Harry said. "Draco made a mistake, he'll even admit it himself, which is not something he likes to do. He's very proud."

"Of what?" Hermione asked, rolling her eyes. "Being a Malfoy?"

"No," Harry said, "not being a Malfoy. That's what he's proud of. Himself. A little too much, I think. But when push comes to shove, Draco will be there for me, that I believe. And yes, that's a feeling."

Hermione blushed. "I still don't get it," she said, "but okay."

"You will in time," Harry said. "Anyway, enough about that. I don't want to spend our time together arguing."

"Me either," Hermione said, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Harry said and then pulled her closer, "come here."

They kissed for several minutes, exploring, as they'd become accustomed to. Hermione ended up on the bottom again, with Harry lightly covering her.

"I think this is what it's like," Hermione said, randomly, as they both broke from a kiss, "you know, being a proper couple. I mean, we argued, but it wasn't really hateful or anything, like most arguments, you know?"

"I know," Harry said, kissing her chastely.

"You see some couples," Hermione went on, "and all they do is argue, but I don't think it's healthy. Ginny and her old boyfriend Dean used to do it all the time. So much that people had a bet going for when they'd break up. I don't want to be one of those couples."

"We aren't," Harry said, kissing her again.

"Harry," Hermione said, stopping him as he went to kiss her again. "I've been thinking. You know, about us. I think we've taken things pretty slow, don't you?"

"Yeah," Harry said, "I didn't want to rush you."

"I know," Hermione said, "and thank you for that. It was nice to just be, you know, with no pressure. But I'm going kind of crazy right now."

"What?" Harry asked, arcing an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean crazy?"

"I…" Hermione blushed. "I mean, I…oh this is embarrassing. I mean I really, really want to make love with you."

"Oh."

"Oh?" Hermione repeated. "That's it? Oh? Harry, I just told you I want to have sex with you, you realise that right?"

Harry laughed, the utter stupidity of the moment breaking him out of his shock. Hermione scowled at him.

"What are you laughing at?" Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Sorry Hermione," Harry said, chuckled. "It was just funny, that's all, sorry. I can't explain it. Asking me if I realised you meant sex." He chuckled again. "Sorry, it was just funny. I really just ruined the moment didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did," Hermione said, "not that there was much of a moment anyway. I really didn't plan to argue right before I brought this up." And here she laughed, grinning at Harry. He grinned back.

"I guess in real life it's never really perfect, huh?" Harry said.

"Yeah, I guess." Hermione agreed.

"I'd love to make love with you Hermione," Harry said, still grinning.

"You sound so silly," Hermione giggled.

"Now you know how I felt," Harry quipped.

"Yeah, yeah," Hermione said, before leaning up and kissing him full on the lips, her tongue probing. She pulled back and smiled up at him. "If you think we're going to do it on this musty old couch you've got another thing coming."

"Right," Harry said, mock slapping his forehead, before sitting up and then standing. He offered his hand to her. "M'lady?"

She giggled and took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet and then escort her over to the bedroom. At the door she stopped and turned to face him, cupping his face and giving him a little kiss.

"Before we go in there," she said, "I'd like to hear you say it. I know you have trouble verbalising your emotions, but just this once, if you - "

Harry stopped her with a finger, idly brushing a strand of curly hair out of her face. He took a deep breath.

"I love you," he said, and then grinned at her. "Voldemort be damned, if I can say that, I can damn sure kick his ass, huh?"

"Harry!" she slapped him on the arm. "Stop ruining the moment!"

But despite her words, she was grinning widely at him, tears of happiness in her eyes. Harry backed her up slowly, leaning forward to whisper in her ear, "I love you so much," before kicking the door shut behind him.

(----)

Authors Note: So there, they finally have sex. Yay! Sorry if everyone was expecting something really sappy and romantic, but like I said, I don't really think life is like that. I should point out that the Draco/Ginny sex bit was typical romance stuff, but that turned out to be fake, didn't it? In retrospect, the Harry/Hermione sex scene (or rather, lead up to sex scene) was real and not really very romantic.

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