Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Harry85

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance, Action & Adventure
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 7
Published: 25/07/2007
Last Updated: 24/08/2007
Status: completed

A collection of one-shots of moments in DH that I think could have easily led to HHr if only JK wanted to. Hope you'll enjoy, and please read and review!

Chapters

1. Feeling Alone and Finding Each Other

2. Am I Disappointing You?

3. Comforting Each Other, Completing Each Other

4. Home Is Where Your Heart Is

5. Touch of Love

6. Brotherly Love. Or Maybe More...

7. Mistaken

8. Never Tickle The Sleeping Dragon

9. Burial Of An Hero

10. The Flaw In The Plan

11. Bonded For Life

1. Feeling Alone and Finding Each Other

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment.

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Feeling Alone And Finding Each Other

Harry glanced at the dark shapes they made on the floor beside him. Ron had had a fit of gallantry and insisted that Hermione sleep on the cushions from the sofa, so that her silhouette was raised above his. Her arm curved to the floor, her fingers inches from Ron's. Harry wondered whether they had fallen asleep holding hands. The idea made him feel strangely lonely.

As he got up, and thought about the mission pending upon them, he started wandering in the house, as silently as he could so to not wake up his companions.

As he dwelled upon the search of the Horcruxes they would need to start soon, he kept seeing Hermione's fingers so near Ron's, and he couldn't shake the image out of his head.

He tried distracting himself entering a room that was labelled “Sirius”. He felt a sort of excitement at entering his godfather's room, and cautiously opened the door. As he stepped in, he noticed the room had been searched like the rest of the house. He spotted a sheet on the floor, and started reading. It was a letter, and he sat on the bed to read.

As his eyes scanned through the words, he guessed it had been his mother to write it. She described how he had liked to play with the little broom Sirius had gifted him, even if he was one year old at the time, he already loved flying. Harry smiled sadly at the image that was forming into his head.

He longed to have something like that, a family he could call his own, a little kid playing around and making a mess, a loving wife which would share laughs, and hugs, and tender moments with him, and would help him raise his kids with the love he had never experienced at the Dursleys'. And then, the image of Ron and Hermione sleeping so close, their hands almost brushing, returned, like a cold shower to his heart.

He felt sudden sadness sweep over him, and he shut his eyes. He knew he had no right to keep them apart, he had Ginny after all, right? But would she wait for him? More importantly, would he really want her to?

These questions haunted him, and he felt his eyes burning with tears threatening to spill. He didn't know if Ginny would wait for him. The more he thought about it, the more he reasoned she probably wouldn't. Not for too long, at least. As for the most important question…he didn't know. Sure, he was in heaven when he was with her. But, if he had to imagine himself as a married man…well, he didn't picture himself with her. There was only one person that had stood by him no matter what, and he felt like she would be the most qualified to fill the place of the loving mother of his children.

He knew then, that what he had felt and tried to deny in fifth year, when he had seen her hit by Dolohov `s curse, was true. It scared him to death, because being anywhere near him meant to be in danger, but to be emotionally attached to him was far, far worse. If Voldemort found out about his thoughts…what he dreamed to have with her, now…no, he should not know. Plus, there were her and Ron's feelings to count.

He didn't think he had the right to tear them apart. If they were growing so close…who was he to deny his best friends happiness?

Maybe…maybe it was better to leave them alone, safe, and go on his quest on his own. As he carefully folded the piece of paper, another little remembrance of his mother, and put it into his pocket, he slithered silently to the kitchen. He had left there his rucksack with his all treasured belongings, a piece of Sirius' mirror, the Marauder's Map, the photo album Hagrid gave him…he put the letter with these other things, grabbed his wand, and turned, ready to leave and probably never see Hermione and Ron again.

Only, he found himself face to face with a bushy haired witch whose face he knew all too well.

“Where were you going, Harry?” she sternly said.

He could not respond her, not looking into her eyes.

“Leaving” he said, dropping his gaze to the kitchen's floor. He then moved to slide past her, but she blocked him.

“Why?” she asked, demanding. He was about to burst into one of the rages he had grown accustomed to in the last two years. Didn't she know what she did to him? Didn't she know how hard was for him to see her and Ron grow closer and closer?

Probably not. He didn't, too, till few minutes before.

“I need to” was his icy reply, and she was hurt by his tone. She moved, letting him pass. He did, and was on the threshold, ready to Disapparate somewhere else, unspotted by the Death Eaters keeping watch on the little square for signs of them.

She called out to him again.

“Harry” she said softly. He made the mistake of turning to look at her. What he saw broke his heart, and his resolve to leave vanished.

Tears were flowing down her cheeks.

“Don't you trust us anymore?” she whispered. “We promised you we would help you, and yet you try to sneak out without even a word…”

He walked back toward her. He closed his arms around her figure, pulling her close, and mixing her tears with some of his own.

“I do trust you, Hermione. I trust you to go on with life, whatever might happen to me. You have Ron, he will take care of you, I know it” he said, another attempt at following the path he had chosen.

“Why are you saying this?” she asked, confused.

There he was, angry again. Trying to keep his emotions in check, he spoke.

“I've seen how the two of you are growing closer. I won't stand in the way of your happiness, Hermione. You two did crazy things to follow me through the years, it's the least I can do” he said, through deep breaths who ought to calm him, but failed miserably.

“What if I want to keep following you?” she softly said, clinging to his shirt, by now stained with tears.

He was rendered speechless by her retort, and she looked up at him. Their eyes locked, and when green met brown, Harry knew he would have not the strength to leave her behind. She was too big a part of him, much more than Ginny, and he would miss her immediately.

“I'll stay” he softly said.

She gave him a faint smile, and he grinned back, sheepishly. He would treasure her smile much more than the objects in his rucksack, from that moment, and would do anything to keep her smiling.

As she took his hand, he felt safe, feeling her soft fingers on his rough ones. He gave her a squeeze, just to make sure it was real, and she smiled at him again.

Then, she stood on her toes, and pressed her lips to his own. He couldn't believe it was real, but the sensations were too strong for it to be a dream. Then, he felt her arms lace around his neck, and pull him even closer. He put his hands on his waist, and did the same, so that their bodies were pressed together.

Running an hand through her hair, which he discovered he loved to touch, he deepened the kiss, and if he had felt in heaven kissing Ginny, when his tongue touched Hermione's, it was like he was far beyond that. He felt complete, and powerful. He felt like he could take on an hundred Death Eaters, if only she was on his side.

The kiss never broke, and he was now caressing her back, while she moaned slightly in his mouth. Her eyes were closed, and as Harry cracked his open just to look at her, he really thought she was an angel. His angel, from now on.

They kept coming for more, and their tongues danced around each other, in a frenzied rhythm, while Harry kept caressing her, now on her sides. As he did so, he brushed the side of her breast, and froze. He was sure she would slap him now.

The hit never came.

“It's ok” she reassured him with a smile and a faint blush that he could barely detect, the only light in the room being that of her wand now lying on the floor, before assaulting his mouth again.

“I've never really liked Ron, Harry” she said then, panting. Her lips were swollen, as his were after all, and her eyes glazed.

“It's always been you,” she added then, “but you wouldn't pay attention to me…so I guessed you'd never like me back” she confessed. “This is why I've been growing closer to Ron. If I couldn't have you…he would have to do”

He grinned, and pushed a tendril out of her face, behind her ear. “Sorry for making you wait” he said, before claiming her lips again, and she smiled before kissing him back.

They had already lost hours of sleep, but neither cared. They had found each other, and the feeling of content filled them both from head to toe.

As she returned to the room where Ron was, they decided it was better to let him sleep, and not have the shock of seeing them together as soon as he woke up. They moved to Harry's old bedroom in the house, and snuggled contentedly, his arm draped over her, her head on his chest.

“I love you, Hermione” was the last thing he could say.

“I love you too, Harry” she sleepily murmured, before sleep took them.

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2. Am I Disappointing You?

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment.

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Am I Disappointing You?

Harry began to suspect that Ron and Hermione were having conversations without, and about, him. Several times they stopped talking abruptly when Harry entered the tent, and twice he came accidentally upon them, huddled a little distance away, heads together and talking fast; both times they fell silent when they realised he was approaching them and hastened to appear busy collecting wood or water.

Harry could not help wondering whether they had only agreed to come on what now felt like a pointless and rambling journey because they thought he had some secret plan that they would learn in due course. Ron was making no effort to hide his bad mood, and Harry was starting to fear that Hermione, too, was disappointed by his poor leadership.

That night, during her watch, he was thrashing restlessly in his sleeping bag. Ron was already fast asleep, and snoring.

He, instead, couldn't help wondering if his best friends were right, and that he was really a poor leader. He could not lead them to find the sword, he could not lead them to the other Horcruxes. He really was a low excuse of a person in charge of things.

Hermione was still reading the book Dumbledore had left her, The Tales of Beedle The Bard” , at the light of her wand, and she suddenly jumped when someone put an hand on her shoulder.

Turning hastily, she found herself looking up into Harry's green and worried eyes.

“I'm sorry” he said, grave.

“For what?” she replied, confused.

“For scaring you, just now” he said, shrugging. “And for disappointing you”

“Harry, what are you talking about? You have not disappointed me!” she said, closing her book. She sensed this talk would take quite some time.

“I'm rubbish as a leader. Don't have a plan, don't have the bloody idea what we will do next. I'm crap at this, Hermione, and I can say you and Ron are tired of wandering aimlessly through the country. You're right to be”

She stood up, and looked directly into his eyes.

“Harry, you could never disappoint me. I know it's not an easy task, I knew that you had not a clue about what to do when we left. But I want you to know, I'll stand by you always. I'm not going anywhere, if this is what you fear”

“But…” he started.

“No buts, Harry” she softly said. “you can't do this alone, and you know it. But you, and we, also know that you're the only one who can do this”

He felt anger welling up inside him. Was this how everyone considered him? An object, a weapon to do a particularly nasty work? He was tired of it.

He shook his hand free from hers, and stomped away without a word. She called after him, but he did not stop. She wanted to follow him, but Ron was sleeping, and they could not leave him alone and defenceless, in case someone came. But she was torn, because she wanted so much to run after Harry and make him go back inside with her.

He walked quickly through the forest, and it helped him clear his thoughts. He knew what Hermione really meant, in his heart. He was just to ready to burst at every little thing, those days, and he was scared about how much it felt good to vent his frustration on the others.

Half an hour later, Hermione, who was now absent-mindedly scanning the pages of her book, noticed a light approaching. Taking her wand, she waited, and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, when she noticed it was just Harry.

“You've come back” she flatly greeted him, returning to her book. She was hurt by his previous actions.

“I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean to go away like that, it's just that…” he stopped. Sighing, he passed an hand through his hair, a thing his father did often. Maybe his descending from James was finally catching up with him.

Finally he spoke again.

“It's overwhelming, you know? Having the weight of the whole world, not only the Wizarding one, on your shoulders”

She looked up at this, and turned to him, nodding, but he didn't even notice, deep in his thoughts.

“You yearn to be a normal teenager, and the BAM, you have to kill the most wicked and blood-thirsty Dark Wizard ever, without training, without someone wiser than you to ask advice to. Without a guide, you're expected to find a way to accomplish what no one else could”

She took his hand in his own again, and this time he didn't free it. He let her rub it gently, comforting him like she could.

“I know” she whispered to him, and he nodded.

“You've always understood me, Hermione. Since first year, you knew I was “Just Harry”, not the great Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived. Without you…I don't know if I'd be here now. I don't know if I can do this, if you leave”

“I won't” she said, moving closer to him, and hugging him, trying to convey how much she cared for him, and that she could never let him face this alone. He returned the hug naturally.

“But Hermione, I am leading you and Ron nowhere. And soon or later, we will make a mistake and be caught. It almost happened, after breaking into the Ministry”

“So what? If we are caught, it's something we will face later. I won't leave you alone, Harry. I could never do it” she said, and now tears shined on her eyes. She wiped them away angrily, trying to be the strong girl she had always been.

“Why, Hermione? Why you want so much to be on my side? What did I do to deserve it?” he asked, confused.

“You're really silly, Harry” she said, giving him a shaky smile. “When it comes to girls, you really need lessons”

He was bewildered, and kept moving his mouth, but no word came out.

“Because I love you, Harry” she said, looking straight into his eyes.

“What? I thought you fancied Ron!” he said, utterly shocked at the revelation.

“Ron? He's grown up quite a bit lately, and has started acting like a gentleman, yes. I suspect it's the book Fred and George gave him, he's trying to woo me with it” she smiled, still keeping her arms around him.

““Twelve Fail-Safe Ways To Charm Witches”?” Harry asked, amused.

“Yeah, that one” she laughed.

Harry was struck by how beautiful she was, partly under the moonlight, laughing softly like that. He felt guilty about thinking like that when he had Ginny waiting for him, but he could not stop those thoughts.

Then she was serious again. “But, Harry, honestly. Me and Ron are like brother and sister, at least from my side. I know he won't like it, but he will have to live with it” she said, determined.

“What's in me that makes you love me?” he asked, remembering what she had said, and moving back in her hug so that he could properly look at her face. She blushed scarlet red.

“It's not something in particular. It's who you are, of course not the hero, but the young man you've become through the years” she said, looking down, embarrassed. “You're caring, and always trying to make the people around you happy. You'd give anything to have a family of your own, and yet you are willing to sacrifice it all, just to save the Wizarding World. For these and many other reasons I love you, Harry” she ended, finally looking into his eyes.

He was speechless. No one had said such things to him, not even Ginny. He could not look away from her chocolate orbs, and slowly but definitely, he moved his head toward hers. It was like they were magnetically drawn together, as she stood on her toes to close the distance more, and finally their lips met.

It was sweet, at first, sweeter than anything he had tasted. For a moment he had a fleeting image of Ginny into his head, but it was immediately swept away by the sensations the kiss was giving him. He pulled her closer, their bodies almost melting one into the other, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss.

As their tongues met, Harry felt a surge of extreme happiness fill him, like raw, primal light that blinded him from the inside. If he thought kissing Ginny was pure ecstasy, this was something much more than that, something he had no words to describe. He battled her tongue fiercely, wanting to taste as much of her as he could, while she was running her hands through his messy black hair, and he hoped she would never stop. He caressed her body, needing the physical contact, and he knew that he had found it, the kind of love that had united his parents till they were dead.

He was finally content, and he would give anything to have a family with her. New hope ignited into his soul, and he could, for the first time since they left for their quest, see a light at the end of the tunnel and he could for the first time see himself conquer Voldemort.

As they parted, he rested his forehead on hers, never letting go of her body.

“I love you, Hermione” he whispered, and looking into his eyes, she knew it was true.

“I will defeat him. I have to, now” he said, with a slight grin, and she smiled too.

“This is the Harry I know. This is the Harry I want to see” she said, before claiming his lips again.

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3. Comforting Each Other, Completing Each Other

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment.

Oh, this one has an higher rating version, it's posted under the title of the one shot, and the rating is NC17. Thought a bit of smut could do no wrong to raise our spirits a bit, lol.

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Comforting Each Other, Completing Each Other

Harry felt a corrosive hatred towards Ron: something had broken between them.

“Leave the Horcrux” Harry said.

Ron wrenched the chain from over his head and cast the locket into a nearby chair. He turned to Hermione.

“What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you staying, or what?”

“I…” she looked anguished. “Yes - yes, I'm staying. Ron, we said we'd go with Harry, we said we'd help…”

“I get it. you choose him”

“Ron, no…please…come back, come back!”

She was impeded by her own Shield Charm; by the time she had removed it, he had already stormed into the night. Harry stood quite still and silent, listening to her sobbing and calling Ron's name amongst the trees.

After a few minutes she returned, her sopping hair plastered to her face.

“He's g-g-gone! Disapparated!”

She threw herself into a chair, curled up and started to cry.

Harry felt both happy and hollow at Ron's departure. He was happy because the redhead had really exaggerated this time. He accused them of not caring about the Weasleys, just because their parents were safe!

“My parents are dead, Hermione's are in a foreign country not even knowing they have a daughter. Such a lovely daughter at that” he thought angrily. “How dare he say something like that?”

But he also felt hollow, because Ron was his best friend, his brother almost, and to have him desert them hurt like hell. It had happened before, in their fourth year, but he thought Ron was past that. He clearly wasn't though.

As he focused again, he could hear Hermione's sobs and hiccupping, and he imagined her face strained by tears. His heart broke, and he turned.

He kneeled in front of her, and wrapped his arms around her figure.

“Hermione, please, don't cry” he said softly. “I hate it when you cry” he then admitted, and proceeded to wipe away her tears.

“I…I c-can't believe he's l-left” she sobbed, wiping at her eyes angrily. “And I c-can't believe I'm c-crying over it!” she added then.

Harry didn't really know what to say, so he patted her back and held her close. In the silence that enveloped the tent, only her slowly receding sobs could be heard, both of them deep in thought.

Harry couldn't help thinking that Ron was a jerk. He knew the redhead liked Hermione, and he knew he probably felt threatened by her bond with him, but Ron more than anyone other should know how much Hermione meant to him, and how much he meant to Hermione. No boyfriend or girlfriend would even come between them, and Ron had to know it.

But no, the redhead got into another of his jealous tantrums, and left them alone, making her cry. As anger boiled into him again, he left her, and moved to his bed.

“Harry” she called softly to him, by now not crying anymore.

He turned, giving her a smile that didn't reach his eyes, though.

“I want you to know, I've never doubted you” she said, standing up and walking toward him. She then hugged him, and sighed.

“Ron will come around, Harry. I just know it” she whispered then. Harry nodded. He was amazed. She was the one crying and sad, and yet she was there comforting him for his best friend's betrayal.

He felt a rush of affection for her, and returned the hug, kissing the top of her head.

“I know. But if he doesn't…” he started, but she shushed him with a finger.

He gently grabbed it with his hand, and moved it aside.

“If he doesn't, you and me alone will be enough. We will do it, Hermione, with Ron or without him” he said, and she nodded.

“I guess we should sleep now. Tomorrow we have to leave soon” he said then retreating to his bed. She did the same.

However, neither of them slept much that night. Harry continued brooding over Ron's betrayal, but there was also something else he had on his mind. He kept thinking about how good Hermione had felt in his arms, and how he had wanted to hold her all night long.

He knew he couldn't, he would not respect his boundaries if he did, after all he knew Ron fancied her, and while he was a git, he was still his best friend, plus Harry got the vibe se might like the redhead back. And last but not least, they were in the middle of a war, there wasn't time to mess around with dating and such.

Hermione was awake for more or less the same reasons. Was it true what Ron had said? Had she really chosen Harry, even if unconsciously? She didn't know. True, Harry was kind, caring, not to mention handsome, and he had that aura of power about him even if he didn't realize it. But lately, she had got to enjoy the attention Ron was giving her, and she thought she might like to give him a chance.

So, where did she really stay, on the matter? Ron, or Harry?

As dawn came by, she got up and went to the kitchen to fix breakfast for the two of them. She had done that since they left.

She, however, found Harry had already done it.

“Good Morning” he called to her more cheerfully than he felt himself.

“Good morning” she said, still a bit surprised.

“What, you didn't think I could make breakfast?” he joked, and she laughed.

He felt his spirits soar hearing her laughter, and he smiled too, this time more sincerely. “So, where are we going to head to, today?”

“Her…Harry…would you mind if we stayed a bit more, just to give him a chance to come back, if he wants to? I know there are the charms to prevent him from finding us, but…”

“If you want to, let's wait for a bit. I don't have a bloody clue where to search for that sword, or the other Horcruxes, so what bad can it do?” he shrugged, and Hermione felt he was still doubting himself as a leader.

Walking up to him, she placed her hands on his face, forcing him to look at her. Harry couldn't stop himself from wondering how soft her skin was. As she searched his face, he gulped at their closeness.

“Harry, I have complete faith in you” she said, her brown eyes finding his emerald ones. He knew she was sincere.

“Why?” he asked. It was stupid, but he had to know. “You'd be a better leader than I am” he added then.

“Me?” she laughed again. “No, I couldn't do it. I can help you, but it's not me, Harry. It's always been you who had to do this, you who could do this, while no one else could”

As light penetrated the tent, and reflected on her locks, Harry felt the need to outstretch his hand and touch her hair. It felt much smoother than he imagined, and he kept doing that for some moments, before noticing her curious gaze and the blush that had taken place on her cheeks, now pink.

“Sorry” he muttered, retreating his hand. He chastised himself for doing that. After all it wasn't like he was attracted to her…he had Ginny…

As he thought that, the redhead's face appeared in his mind as a distant image, faded. Harry felt troubled at this, and excused himself, leaving.

Hermione sat down, and ate quickly. Thye ahd already lost some time, hoping Ron could return, but there was no sign of him, so they should get going and leave him behind.

As she ate though, she couldn't help seeing again Harry outstretch his hand, caress her hair, and the blush that had rose to her face. She remembered how good it felt to be in his arms the previous night, while he comforted her, and wondered if she really had had to make a choice, or it was already done for her since the beginning.

Realization hit her hard as those images filled her head again, and she smiled, shaking her head.

“What you so happy about?” Harry called, a smile on his face too.

“Nothing” she lied. “We need to get going”

“Right” he said, turning serious again. Quickly they packed their things, the tent finding its usual place in Hermione's beaded bag, and Harry taking his rucksack.

As they took each other hands, and spun on the place, Harry felt once again the constricting sensation of Apparition. Darkness enveloped them for a moment, and then they landed.

“Where are we?” he asked.

“In a forest near Brighton” she said. “It' the first place I could think of” she shrugged when he looked at her inquiringly.

As they settled the tent, few words were exchanged. He went to search for something edible, and she took care of the rest. As he returned with some mushrooms and a little bunny, she shot him a glare.

“We need to eat, right?” he reasoned. She kept her stern attitude all evening, and he tried everything to make her smile at him again.

As she was reading the book Dumbledore had left her, and he was going to have his part of the watch, he turned.

“I'm sorry for that bunny, Hermione” he said. “I thought if we could eat fish, we could eat meat too. I didn't think you'd take it so bad that I caught it”

She said nothing, so he turned and walked away. As his back was turned to her, she smiled, thinking he was really cute then he rambled like that. She'd always found it endearing.

Minutes later, she fell asleep, and her dreams were filled by her best friend. She smiled contentedly, and Harry was happy to look at her from the entrance of the tent. He sighed. He suspected he might be harbouring more than platonic feelings for her, but now was not the right moment to tell her so, for many reasons.

However, when he went to wake her up, so that she could have her part of the watch, he was pleasantly surprised to hear her murmur his name.

She stirred, and in few minutes was ready to take her place at the entrance. She wished him good night, for what had remained of the night, at least, and kissed him on the cheek. He touched the spot for some minutes, before sleep took him.

While he slept, Hermione revised her plan. She knew it was not the right moment to act girlish, they were at war after all, but she needed to know, or she would not be able to focus properly on their mission.

Another meaningless day of Apparating away, placing the tent and the charms, cooking and thinking about the Horcruxes and where to find them rolled over, and as they met each other in the tent, one going to sleep, the other going to make the watch, Hermione put her arms around his neck, and held him tight.

He was a bit surprised at her behaviour, but he hugged her back anyway. She sighed, then looked up at him.

“I guess he was right, you know” she said.

“What?” he said bewildered.

“I guess I've really chosen you, Harry” she said, then pressed her lips to his own. He was shocked, but pleased.

The raven haired boy kissed her back with all what he had, burying his hands in her hair, and pulling her even closer. Their bodies menaced to melt one into the other, but they didn't care. Hermione was in heaven, it was her first kiss, and she couldn't have dreamed of something more perfect.

As Harry's tongue met hers for the first time, and they started an heated dance in each other's mouths, she knew that her guess in fifth year was right. Harry was not a bad kisser, not at all. He was, indeed, making her feel loved like no one else before.

Harry couldn't believe himself. Here he was, in the middle of a war, snogging his female best friend like there was no tomorrow, the girl he knew his other best friend fancied, and with no thoughts for the girl who was supposed to be his girlfriend.

He couldn't even remember how kissing Ginny felt like, so overwhelmed he was by the sensations kissing Hermione was giving him. He felt like he had finally found a missing piece of himself.

When finally both had to stop the kiss due to lack of air, Harry was panting, but a grin was plastered on his face.

“Wow” he whispered.

“Yeah, wow” she whispered back, smiling at him with that smile that put every star in shame. The moon itself couldn't be more radiant than her smile, and he wanted to kiss her all over again. But there was a duty to take care of.

Nodding to her, he grabbed his wand, and went to the entrance of the tent. They exchanged another smile before she entered her sleeping bag and closed her eyes, touching her swollen lips, and inwardly giggling like mad.

There was no need of spoken “I love you”s. Both knew what the other felt, with that deep understanding that had created between them in the years, the one that made them complete each other sentences, and thoughts, and both felt more content than they had since the start of that long and difficult journey.

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4. Home Is Where Your Heart Is

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment.

Oh, this one has an higher rating version, it's posted under the title of the one shot, and the rating is NC17. Thought a bit of smut could do no wrong to raise our spirits a bit, lol.

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Home Is Where Your Heart Is

The empty words could not disguise the fact that his parents' mouldering remains lay beneath snow and stone, indifferent, unknowing. And tears came before he could stop them, boiling hot then instantly freezing on his face, and what was the point in wiping them off, or pretending? He let them fall, his lips pressed hard together, looking down at the thick snow hiding form his eyes the place where the last of Lily and James lay, bone snow, surely, or dust, not knowing or caring that their living son stood so near, his heart beating alive because of their sacrifice and close to wishing, at this moment, that he was sleeping under the snow with them.

Hermione had taken his hand again, and was gripping it tightly. He could not look at her, but returned the pressure, now taking deep, sharp gulps of the night air, trying to steady himself, trying to regain control. He should have brought something to give them, and he ahd not thought of it, and every plant in the graveyard was leafless or frozen. But Hermione raised her wand, moved it in a circle through the air and a wreath of Christmas roses blossomed before them. Harry caught it and laid it on his parents' grave.

As soon as he stood up, he wanted to leave: he did not think he could stand another moment there. He put his arm around Hermione's shoulders, and she put hers around his waist, and they turned in silence and walked away through the snow, past Dumbledore's mother and sister, back towards the dark church and the out-of-sight kissing gate.

Harry was more than glad that Hermione was the one with him at the moment. He could have come with Ron, but it would have not been the same. For example, the redhead would have not known how to conjure those flowers, he thought with a sad smile. And he wouldn't have come here with Ginny. She was his ex girlfriend, and he still liked her, but there were things he would never share with her. No, Hermione was the only one that could always understand him, the only one who could always support him in his most emotional moments.

It had to be her, and only her, to be with him when he was visiting his parents' grave. It wouldn't have felt right, otherwise.

He instinctively pulled her closer, and she was surprised at the gesture, but said nothing. Honestly, it felt good to walk with Harry that way. And after they ahd grown slightly apart the previous year, she thought having some time with him, only the two of them, wasn't bad too. Ron's departure had given them the chance to form again that bond so unique, and that others could not understand, that had always kept them side by side through the years, not matter what.

It was time for them to leave, it was dangerous to be there. Probably, Voldemort knew they would come, and was on the watch, so they needed to be careful. Leading him toward the countryside out of the village, Hermione suddenly felt him pull her in another direction.

He was heading to a mass of ruins that had to be his parents' old house.

As they reached the old, rusted gate, Harry placed an hand on it, and stopped. Hermione knew he was trying not to, but tears were flowing on his face, and she gently wiped them away.

“It's been here” he whispered, and she knew he was referring to the night his parents were dead. You could see the blasted away upper floor, and her heart went out to him. She couldn't imagine how hard this must be for him.

“Harry” she started softly. “We should go”

“No, I want to stay here for the night” he said, finally looking at her. She opened her mouth to protest, but he placed a finger on her lips. She trembled at the contact.

“Hermione, I know it's dangerous. Believe me, I know. But I feel I have to, I feel it's right to do it”

Looking in his eyes, she immediately knew this was as important for him as visiting their grave had been, so she relented.

“Ok, we'll stay for the night” she said, smiling up at him. He grinned, and pulled her to him. She almost yelped out of surprise, and then laughed when she landed on his chest.

He chuckled too. “You're the best” he said softly, kissing the top of her head.

Her cheeks were now a bright pink, and not for the cold air. Not only, at least. “I try” she said, almost too low to be heard, but Harry did, and nodded. Then, they proceeded to open the gate, it was not a difficult task, and entered what remained of the house.

For once they did not need the tent to shelter them for the night, as the lower floor was still ok. There were holes in the ceiling, but it could do. After placing the usual charms to prevent them to be noticed, Harry wanted to visit his parents' room.

“You go” Hermione said to him, and smiled, gesturing for him to go up the stairs. “I'll stay here”

“No” he protested. “No, Hermione. I want you to come with me” he said, he didn't know why it was so important for him that she was by his side, but he felt he needed her to.

She took the hand he had offered her, and entwined their fingers together, giving it a slight squeeze that he returned. Harry took a deep breath, and then he started climbing upstairs, step after step.

Once he entered the room, he noticed it was still quite in good conditions. The ceiling had been completely blasted way, as well as one of the walls, but the floor was still intact, and he could see his parents' bed, and part of a small library. There were things scattered on the floor, and Hermione kneeled to look at them.

Under the bed, she found an old picture.

“Harry, look at this” she said, showing it to him. The picture showed a tiny Harry in Lily's arms, and James hugging her from behind. They were all waving at the camera, smiling.

Harry stared at the photograph in awe, and then it happened. He felt a rush of sadness envelope him, and he let himself fall on the bed, still staring at the picture, while his sobs filled the room. Hermione sat near him, and hugged him tightly, whispering soothing words in his ear.

It took him some minutes, but finally he regained control of himself. He smiled weakly at Hermione.

“See, I knew I needed you to visit this room” he said, attempting a joke. She smiled back, and squeezed his hand.

“I'll always be here at your side, Harry, you know that”

“I know, and I thank you for that” he said, serious. Then they walked back downstairs, and prepared themselves something to eat. Harry must admit with practice she was getting better and better at cooking.

“You know, this is actually really good” he said, complimenting her.

“Thanks” she said, a faint blush creeping to her cheeks. “Too bad Ron doesn't appreciate it” she muttered, but Harry heard her.

He wondered fleetingly if maybe Hermione was attracted to Ron, and it made him feel strangely queasy.

After that, they readied themselves to sleep. As they slipped into their sleeping bags, Harry smiled one last time at Hermione, who returned the gesture, before taking off his glasses.

But as the night progressed, Harry woke up with a start. He felt his scar prickling madly, and he saw Voldemort, wandering between the cottages of Godric's Hollow, and he was filled with that strange sense of purpose, of slight cheer, that always preceded his killing of someone.

“Hermione!” he screamed. She woke up suddenly.

“He's coming” he said matter-of-factly, standing up and taking his wand. “He knows we are here”

Hermione gasped, and grabbed her wand too. Mere moments later, the front door was blasted away.

“Potter” the snake-like voice hissed. “We meet again” the Dark Lord snarled.

“Riddle” Harry said, glaring at his nemesis.

“Don't you dare call me with that name!” the Dark Lord hissed angrily. Then he raised his wand. “Nice little friend you have here, Potter” he said, looking at Hermione. “Too bad she's a Mudblood, or she could have been fun in bed”

Harry was fuming, but didn't dare to make the first move.

“Crucio!” he heard Voldemort scream, and suddenly Hermione was on the ground, writhing in pain. Voldemort cackled madly, while Harry was filled with pure hatred for the killer of his parents.

“I won't let you hurt her!” he cried, his green eyes dark with rage. And then it happened. His wand moved of his own volition, and a streak of blue light interrupted the Cruciatus Curse.

The Dark Lord growled in frustration.

“You are going to lead all the ones you love to death, Potter” he hissed, then Harry heard a slithering sound. Turning, he saw Nagini move toward Hermione, but he was quicker. Rolling on the floor, he grabbed her and moved out of the snake's reach.

“Enough! You're going to die now Potter, with your Mudblood girlfriend” Voldemort shouted, and then he cast the Killing Curse.

“Avada Kedavra!”

Harry waited for death to take him, looking in Hermione's eyes serenely, while she was panicking. He held her in his arms and was content of dying with her eyes as the last thing he saw. He understood now, why he felt so connected to her, but it was too late. He had wasted his chance to show her how much he cared for her, how much he loved her, and she would never know.

Then, he felt everything going dark, and guessed he was dead.

Some time later, he felt someone touching him, and then a drop of liquid fall on his face. He couldn't understand, if he was dead he should not feel anything…

He tried opening his eyes, but he couldn't do it. The light was too strong, and Harry felt his head exploding.

“Harry” he could hear someone calling him, and he thought curious that the voice was so similar to Hermione's. He made another attempt at opening his eyes, and this time he managed it.

He looked around, and was surprised to see he was still in his parents' house. He couldn't look more though, because a mane of bushy brown hair enveloped him, and two arms hugged him so tight that air was becoming a problem.

“You're alive!” Hermione sobbed, staining his shirt with her tears. “You're alive!”

He pushed her back slightly, to look at her face, and she was horrible. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, her face was stained by tears that had by now dried on her skin.

“What's happened?”

“I don't know, the Killing Curse hit you and you went rigid, I thought you were dead, but there was bright light enveloping the two of us. Neither Voldemort or the snake could reach through it, so they left. Oh, Harry…” she said, nestling her head on his chest.

He rubbed her back soothingly, and let her cry. “I'm ok, Hermione. I'm with you” he said, smiling slightly, and she chuckled through her tears.

Then, she leaned in, and their faces were dangerously near now. He gulped, and soon her lips met his own in a chaste kiss, sweet, gentle, and yet full of meaning.

Harry kissed her back, deepening the kiss, running his tongue on her lower lip asking for entrance. She eagerly complied, and their tongues met for the first time. It was like the universe ahd exploded inside him, he felt filled by warmth, and happiness, and he knew not even all the Dementors of the world could made him feel sad now. He had never experienced something this powerful and raw before, and what he thought to be haven before, kissing Ginny, was now lame and pale in comparison.

Hermione, too, had never felt this complete, and if she was tricking herself into thinking being with Ron could make her happy, this proved her wrong. She knew she would never experience something like that with someone who was not Harry.

Their kiss grew heated, and Harry started caressing her sides, almost grazing the sides of her breasts. She buried her hands in his hair, pulling him even closer, attacking his mouth fiercely, not holding back, and he did the same. He loved the feeling of her hair in his hands, and kept stroking it gently now and then, but the dance their tongues were making was nothing gentle. It was passionate, hot, and needing.

After a while, they broke the contact, for lack of air. Their lips were swollen, their eyes filled with happiness for having found each other.

And Harry took her hand, and lead her upstairs to his parent's bedroom. He wanted to share it with her one single time, and so they snuggled on the fluffy covers. It seemed strange to do so after what had happened that night, but a lightning never struck two times in the same place, plus there were just two hours before dawn, and they would then leave definitely, probably he would never see the house again in his life.

As Hermione snuggled, her eyes closed, to his side, he wrapped an arm around her and he knew, that wherever he would go, he would feel at home if only she was with him.

As sleep took him, he remembered something he had once been told by Dumbledore. “Home is where your heart is” and he couldn't help smiling, now recognizing how true that statement was.

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5. Touch of Love

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment.

Oh, this one has an higher rating version, it's posted under the title of the one shot, and the rating is NC17. Thought a bit of smut could do no wrong to raise our spirits a bit, lol.

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Touch of Love

She hesitated, but recognised the dismissal. She picked up the book and then walked back past him into the tent, but as she did so, she brushed the top of his head lightly with her hand. He closed his eyes at her touch, and hated himself for wishing that what she said was true: that Dumbledore had really cared.

Sitting there, Harry kept playing with Hermione's wand, while deep in thought. He wondered if he had ever been seen as more than a weapon by anyone close to him. Sirius, probably, loved him really, like the son he never had. But that was because he saw his father, his old friend James, in Harry.

Lupin, another of his father's friends. Sure, the werewolf had been good to Harry when he had taught him the Patronus Charm. But was it out of love? Or was it to better prepare Harry for his destiny? The Order knew Voldemort liked to use Dementors to install fear in the population, and if Harry knew how to defend himself from them, he would be more effective in his quest.

Tonks…well, she liked him, he could say, but they knew each other for too a short time for it to be love.

Then, there were the Hogwarts professors, McGonagall, Flitwick, Hagrid…the Transfiguration Professor had probably followed Dumbledore's lead in making Harry feel loved when he was really just protected till he could accomplish what his destiny required of him, or die trying. Flitwick., well, he couldn't honestly say there could be love. He was a good enough Professor, but nothing more.

Hagrid…the matter was different. Hagrid was his first friend in the Wizarding World, and an old friend of his parents too. He probably really cared for Harry, in his own way. Probably Hagrid really loved him.

Then there were the Weasleys. Well, Molly and Arthur had always made a point to let him feel like the Burrow was his house, and their sons were all good to him. Charlie and Bill, he barely knew, Percy was a git but he was to everyone in his own family so he didn't really count. The twins, they were funny, but love? Sure, they liked him enough, bit no real love there.

Ginny and Ron…well, she kind of loved him, yes. For the title he ahd, though, and not for the real him. So, no, although she was his ex girlfriend and he had enjoyed their time together, and thought of her now and then still, he could not honestly fool himself thinking that was love.

Ron, he had twice shown he cared for Harry but not loved him enough to stand by him no matter what. A good friend, the redhead was, but when it really mattered for Harry that he stood by him, he had deserted the raven haired wizard.

And then there was Hermione. There was no doubt that she loved him, as a friend, of course. She was the one who had never left his side. And he knew she kind of fancied Ron, so having to choose had been really hard for her. Still, she chose to stand by him, even if that meant upset Ron and have him leave in that way.

So, the only ones he could reckon really loved him were Hagrid and Hermione.

And he treated her so badly once she told him she had broken his wand. Merlin, in the haste of the escape from that house and Voldemort's clutch, anything could have happened, and he knew what he said to her before was true. She had really been fantastic, and saved his life once again.

He pictured her face, fresh tears falling down her cheeks because she thought he was angry at her. He had been, but after this reasoning, he knew he had no right to. Her breaking his wand had been an accident, and if he had not lost it in the first place, it would have not happened at all. So, he was to be blamed for it as much as she was, at least.

Sighing, he finally opened his eyes, her light touch on his head still filling his heart like everyone of those gestures she often did, and that, now that he thought of it, showed how much she really cared for him.

He would find a way to destroy the locket and find the other Horcruxes. He owed her that. She had even sacrificed her parents' memories of her to be able to follow him on this trip, and the least he could do was to assure it came out as a success.

But then, another question filled his head. Who did he love? For whom he would risk it all, and sacrifice everything he had?

A reasoning led him to the conclusion that he would do that only for Hermione, and Hagrid. Sure, if something happened to the Weasleys he would be devastated. But if Hermione was to be killed, he would be as good as dead, in that same moment. It would be like a Dementor had kissed him, and taken his soul away.

The mere thought of her lying on the floor lifeless like she had been in the Department of Mysteries, made him shiver. No, he would not let the Death Eaters or Voldemort hurt her. He would die for her.

And that was all he needed. He knew he had found the answers he wanted, and he stood up, just to find himself in front of the girl who had filled his thoughts till moments before.

“Hi” she said softly. He noticed it had become dark by now, and that he had been thinking the whole afternoon, without even realizing it.

The stars shone upon them, and the moon could be seen through the branches of the trees.

“It's my turn now” she sad then, to break the awkward silence. He lit her wand, fleeting thinking how well it responded to him even if it wasn't his own.

Her face now partly illuminated, he wondered how could have he missed she had become a pretty girl. Well, more than pretty, actually. Her gold curls now were not so bushy anymore, and he wondered how would be to caress them.

Her cinnamon eyes stared back at him, slightly confused, and he felt he could drown in them, and die happy. Her whole face had an ethereal glow in the light of the wand, and he compared her to an angel.

Then, there were her lips. As she bit on the lower one, one of her typical habits when she was nervous, he felt his resolve crumble. He stepped closer, and circled her waist with one arm, pulling her to him, and then tilted his head to meet her lips.

He then realized what he had done, and immediately broke contact.

“Hermione, I'm sorry” he said. “It was stupid of me, with you fancying Ron…”

She smiled at him. “Who said I fancy Ron?”

“Well, you wept so much when he left, and those glances you gave him in the past days…plus I saw the two of you sleeping with your hands so close at Grimmauld, I thought you had fallen asleep holding hands…”

He was rambling now, and he hated it, but he couldn't stop.

“And then, you were so jealous last year when he was going out with Lavender…”

Hermione laughed. He was bewildered at her behaviour.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Harry, honestly! I love Ron, yes, but as a brother! I could never fancy someone I bicker so much with, and no I was not jealous over Lav last year. I was simply disappointed in his way to choose girlfriends. I tried to make him understand beauty is not all, and then he goes and dates Lavender, of all the Hogwarts girls she's probably the most shallow, together with Parvati!”

“So you don't fancy him?” Harry tentatively said.

“No, Harry, I don't.” she said with a smile. “What about Ginny though?”

“What about her?” Harry asked, confused.

“Don't you fancy her?” Hermione asked, and it was Harry's turn to almost laugh. “No, Hermione, I don't. She's hot, ok. But as you just said, there are more important things to seek in a girlfriend”

“Oh” she said, surprised.

Harry chuckled, then moved his hand to cup her cheek.

“So you're not upset if I kiss you again?” he asked, and she gulped at the intensity in his gaze, shaking her head.

Their lips met again, and she laced her arms around his neck, kissing him back. It started sweet and tender, but it was soon heated and hungry, as she flicked her tongue on his lips asking for entrance, and he eagerly complied. Their tongues battled in their mouths, while he caressed her hair, and found them as soft as they looked, and she fisted some of his unruly locks, pulling him closer to her, their bodies now flattened against each other.

Harry marvelled in the softness of her lips, as his hands developed a mind of their own and started caressing her back, eliciting a soft moan from her. They kept snogging their brains out for some minutes, and both felt truly happy.

As they sat at the entrance of the tent, Harry wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to him. She rested her head on his shoulder.

“Thanks” he whispered.

“What for?”

“Loving me like no one else does” he breathed in her ear, and she smiled.

“Anytime, Harry” she said, snuggling closer. “Anytime”

As they took watch together like that, Harry felt for the first time in ages happy and believed he could do it. If she was on his side, he could defeat Voldemort, and he would.

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6. Brotherly Love. Or Maybe More...

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment.

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Brotherly Love. Or Maybe More…

“She's like my sister” he went on. “I love her like a sister, and I reckon she feels the same way about me. It's always been like that. I thought you knew”

Harry looked at his friend, and knew this was what he wanted to hear. This what would make him relax about how he and Hermione acted toward each other, and he would do anything to keep Ron there with them, now that he was back.

They walked back to the tent, in silence. Harry thought back to all those nights Hermione had cried herself to sleep once Ron was gone, and he felt uneasy. He knew she would be delighted to have him back, even if at first she would be angry at him.

What troubled him was what he had said though. Did he really see Hermione like a sister? Was it all what she was for him?

Thinking back to events of the years passed together, he wondered. All the times she would hug him, or hold his hand, he would feel his heart fill with content. After Cedric's death, the summer had been terrible. But being held so close by her, once at Grimmauld Place, paid him back for all of that. And even that same year, they shared many of those hugs he had come to love and cherish.

Then, there was the Godric's Hollow thing. He could still remember how good it felt to hold her close while they walked away from that graveyard, her arm around his waist made him feel safe, and he had to admit that walking with a girl like that is not what you do with your sister or best female friend. It had something more…sexual, to it. Add the fact it was Christmas Eve, and you get a lovely romantic moment.

And then, the way she had touched his head, he could feel trough that simple gesture that she really loved him. If it was romantic love he couldn't know, but love it was, for sure. And the feeling made him treasure the touch, closing his eyes.

Plus, there was the fact she had become quite pretty, and men started to notice her. Only if you were blind you could not.

Harry tried to shake these ideas from his head, he needed to keep Ron on his side and thinking about possibly liking Hermione in that way was not going to help. But he deep down knew that realization had just hit him and that no, he had no brotherly feelings for Hermione.

The redhead, on his part, was still shaken by what the Horcrux had shown him. One would think destroying it would destroy his insecurities, and make him conquer them, but it was not the case.

He just knew Harry had said those words to reassure him, but while they thought he had the emotional range of a teaspoon, he knew what he kept seeing between his two best friends. True, he had lately received positive hints from Hermione that she might like him, but as the Horcrux figure said, “all what you desire is possible, but all what you dread is also possible”.

There was a chance for him, but there was also the chance his two best friends would hook up and leave him behind.

Finally they reached the tent, and inside they found Hermione. She looked at them in shock, moving her mouth without emitting sound, then she stood up.

“He saved my life. He destroyed the locket” Harry said, showing her the Gryffindor sword. Hermione was by now glaring at Ron.

“Hermione, really” Harry noticed her gaze, and addressed it. “He left, ok, but he came back. He saved me when I was going to drown in a frozen pond, to retrieve the sword. Then he stabbed the locket with it” Harry said, trying to convince her to forgive the redhead. He left out the details about the Horcrux taunting Ron.

But the redhead, still looking quite shaken, recalled them himself.

“It was scary. From the open locket, a figure of you and a figure of Harry emerged, and they taunted me about my insecurities. Then, the fake you” he said, looking at Hermione, “wrapped her arms around the fake Harry, and they kissed” Ron ended, looking at his best friends.

Hermione, who was near Harry, looked at Ron innocently.

“Like this?” she said, before lacing her arms around Harry's neck and kissing him hard on the mouth. The raven haired wizard knew he should push her away, but he couldn't. Instead, his arms instinctively closed around her, and he kissed her back. It was pure bliss, nothing like kissing Ginny. That was fun, but this was…wow! Their tongues met, and he felt electricity shoot through his body. As the dance inside their mouths continued, he started caressing her back while she fisted his hair in her hands, moaning slightly as the kiss grew more and more heated. They completely forgot Ron was there the moment their lips had touched.

Ron stood rooted there, his eyes shot open in surprise, he wanted to scream, to run away, bit his legs did not respond.

For excruciatingly long moments he looked at his worst fear become real, this was not a taunting Horcrux, this was real. Harry and Hermione were snogging each other in front of him.

He suddenly fell on his knees, crying. Soon later, the couple stopped kissing.

Harry was too shocked to speak, while Hermione advanced toward Ron.

“Why?” the redhead simply asked, through his sobs. “Why do I always have to be second best?” he asked.

Hermione looked at him, and felt sorry for her friend. But her mind was set. His leaving had been what led her to this.

“Look, Ron, I'm sorry” she softly said. “But it's better for you to know right now that I don't have feelings with you. The accusation you threw me when you left, that I had chosen Harry…well, it was not true, at the moment. I was, indeed, considering how much you had matured lately, and that you and me could have been a good couple together”

Harry flinched at this, not really knowing why.

“But, you left in that way, not caring what Harry was going through, not caring about what I was going through. Yes, we were wandering without a clue, but it's always been like that. Every single adventure, we started without clues and in the end solved them all. So, was so hard to trust Harry and maybe help him find a way to accomplish his mission?”

Ron shook his head.

“But, you left, Ron. And showed me again why I could never be happy with you. This made me sad, and I cried about it for weeks. I really believed we could have worked. But the glaring truth was in front of me, and from there, realizing I was tricking myself and that the one I really loved was in front of me was easy”

Harry's ears perked up at the mention of her “really loving” someone. Was he the one she meant with that? He knew now that he truly loved her, not as a sister but as a young woman.

Ron nodded. “I understand. I've never really thought you'd prefer me over Harry. I guess I've always known I was to be in his shadow once more” the redhead said, wiping the tears still falling on his cheeks.

“It's not a matter of being in Harry's shadow, Ron” Hermione hissed. “Do you honestly think I fancy, no, scrap that, I love Harry because of who he is?”

Ron looked at her, and he shook his head. “No, Hermione. I know it's not like that” he said, defeated. Then he stood up, and walked out of the tent.

“Don't worry, I'm not leaving again. I just need a walk to clear my thoughts” he said, seeing the panic on both his friends faces. That made him feel better. He knew from their expressions that he was still important to them, no matter what they wouldn't leave him behind. And that was enough for him to accept them being a couple.

Inside the tent, Harry walked to Hermione. He hugged her, while she clung to him.

“He's going to have an hard time with this” he said, inhaling the scent of her hair. “But he will cope. I'm sure he will” he said, making the hug tighter.

“I hope so, Harry, because I can't go back to being just friends with you” she whispered.

“Nor can I, Hermione. That kiss…I've been pondering what my exact feelings were for you lately” he said, not mentioning to her his sister comment. “And that kiss destroyed my last doubts. I love you, Hermione. Like a man loves a woman”

She felt tears welling up in her eyes, and looked up at him, locking their gazes. Green met brown, and they both knew what the other really felt.

It were things like this that made them realize their love for each other, and slowly but surely their heads moved closer, till their lips met again. This time the kiss was sweet, gentle, and caring.

Harry savoured it, treasuring the sensations in his heart. He would feed on them, in the dark days that surely were ahead of them, and find the strength to go on and vanquish Voldemort. He owed it to her.

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7. Mistaken

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment.

This has an NC17 version, called like this one shot, “Mistaken”. Smut feels good these days, lol.

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Mistaken

“She's like my sister” he went on. “I love her like a sister, and I reckon she feels the same way about me. It's always been like that. I thought you knew”

Ron looked at Harry hopeful.

“Hi, Ron” a cold voice reached them. Both the boys turned to look at Hermione, and Harry could see something was not right with her. She didn't even look at him, she just focused on Ron.

“Hello, Hermione” the redhead sheepishly said, shuffling his feet.

Harry winced as he saw the sign that the storm was just to explode. And there it was, he had been right.

“You are an insensitive git, Ronald Bilius Weasley!” Hermione shouted, advancing toward their mutual best friend, who was cowering and walking backwards to keep his distance from her. “You left when you very well knew this was a difficult adventure form the start and you knew Harry would need us more than ever to accomplish what he must” she continued, the fact that she was wandless, as her own was in Harry's hand, not stopping her from wanting to hurt Ron. She finally reached him as he backed himself on a tree and had no way to escape anymore.

“You don't deserve Harry's friendship, nor you deserve mine!” she shouted, and Harry intervened. He was not going to lose his best friend again. Well, one of his best friends, he immediately corrected himself.

“Hermione, calm down” he said, calmly, but with a tone that was commanding. She turned toward him.

“You take his side, after all we went through and the sadness we endured when he left?” she questioned him, bewildered.

“Hermione, he just saved my life” Harry stated, matter-of-factly. “He dragged me out of a frozen pond, where I was going to drown, and then he destroyed the locket with the sword”

She looked at them, and noticed for the first time the sword now held in Harry's hand.

Then, she crumbled again. She started crying, and Ron automatically went to hug her and comfort her. She disengaged herself from his embrace and ran away.

“Girls. Bloody mental, all of them” the redhead commented, and Harry couldn't help but chuckle.

Then, they walked toward the tent, and there they found Hermione. She refused to talk to either of them all day, but Harry could see she was listening when Ron told him where he had been and how much he had wanted to come back immediately, but couldn't.

Harry inwardly grinned, and knew they would all be ok again. Having Ron back, just like in their fourth year, cheered him up lots, but that was balanced by the sadness brought to him by Hermione's silence. He felt they were doing fine in the weeks Ron had been away. After some days of sorrow, they were back to their old selves and now see Hermione hurt and sad pained him more than he cared to admit.

He had never felt so bad when Ginny was sad, and he wondered why. So, after dinner, when Ron got to bed, and Hermione sat on the entrance of the tent to take her part of the watch, he joined her.

“You should rest, Harry” she briskly said, turning her face away from him.

“Hermione, look at me” he said. She didn't,, so he gently took her chin and turned her face. He could see tears pooling in her eyes, and he brushed them away, sighing.

“What's the matter?” he asked, lovingly. Her breath caught in her throat as she locked eyes with him. She could melt in those green orbs.

“You were mistaken” she simply said, and he looked at her in confusion.

“About my feelings for you” she clarified, decided to go on even if that brought her to being rejected. He needed to know, and she needed to take that weight off her chest. “They are definitely not sisterly”

He was astounded. “You fancy me?” he whispered in realization.

She nodded. “It's always been you, Harry” she said, looking at him softly, and wiping away the last tears from her eyes.

“What about Ron? I was sure you fancied him!” he asked, and she looked up in shock. “You thought I fancied Ron?” she said, almost laughing.

“Well, you were constantly hugging now, and you cried so much when he left, and I saw the two of you sleep with hands just inches apart, I thought you had fallen asleep holding hands back at Grimmauld…you even washed his underpants!” he added then, grinning as he remembered that.

She blushed. “Well…I thought he would do, if I could not have you. I know you're happy with Ginny, Harry, and I'd never come between you two…” but he silenced her with a finger on her lips, and marvelled at their softness.

“Ginny is fun, yes” he said. “And I honestly liked her last year. I like her still. But I don't delude myself to think that is true love, Hermione” he said, smiling slightly. “Not that I know what true love is…but I simply can't picture her as the mother of my children”

An awkward silence settled between them, and both wanted to break it. Finally Hermione spoke.

“Did you mean what you said about me this afternoon?” she asked, dread filling her already.

“About loving you as a sister?”

“Mmh” she nodded.

He sighed, and passed one hand through his hair. “Hermione, I honestly don't know”

That was not what she expected, so her eyes shot up to meet his own. “What do you mean you don't know?” she asked.

“Exactly what I said. I like to think it's just brotherly love that I feel for you, it would make things less complicated, but then at times I notice things that a best friend or a brother should not, and I feel confused” he said, sighing. “But if I have to be honest, lately the non-friendly feelings have been taking the upper hand”

She listened silently, a stupid hope settling in her chest.

He finally looked straight into her eyes. “I believe I'm falling hard for you, Hermione Granger” he said, and she knew he was sincere, she could read it in his eyes. She took his hand in her own and squeezed it, to reassure him that it was ok to feel confused.

He had his gaze fixed once again on her lovely face, smiling up at him, the light from the outside moon and stars reflecting slightly on her features and making her almost ethereal. He gazed at her full lips, so kissable, so soft…her cinnamon eyes, that lit up every time he did something right, encouraging him to go on, because she would always be by his side…her hair, now much less bushy, but instead softer and silkier.

And he knew that he would make anything in his power to keep her smiling. If that was true love he still didn't know, but he did know no one else ever made him feel like content with their mere presence.

Leaning him slowly but continuously, he captured her lips in a sweet kiss, and she was surprised, but kissed him back, lacing her arms behind his neck, pulling him on top of her as she lay on the tent floor. The kiss was becoming more and more heated, he had pushed his tongue into her mouth and she had started fighting back with her own, a frantic dance now taking place in their mouths, and a small moan escaped her throat. They both felt in heaven, like the war and Voldemort were all distant realities, and Harry knew then how it felt to kiss someone you truly love. He moved his hand to caress her hair, while she buried her own in his unruly locks, fisting them and kissing him back with a burning passion.

They were lost in each other and never heard Ron wake up. The redhead stood up to go and fetch himself a glass of water, and shock washed over him as he saw his worst nightmare come true. There they were, Harry and Hermione, snogging their brains out, the raven haired wizard caressing her back, and sneaking an hand under her shirt.

“Oi!” he called, angry. “So this is what the two of you have been doing behind my back!” he shouted, and his friends sprang apart.

“You dare accuse me of betraying Harry's trust, but then you two do the same with me!” he snarled then, directed at Hermione. She had never seen him that enraged. Then the redhead turned to Harry.

“And you, my supposed best friend, who just told me today you had only brotherly feelings for her…did you enjoy mocking me?” Ron hissed, his eyes narrowing, and his hand moving to grab his wand.

Harry was quicker though.

“Expelliarmus!” he cried with Hermione's wand, and it functioned perfectly. Ron's wand flew away, and Harry was a bit surprised at how well her wand had responded to him, not being his own. But he would dwell on it later.

The redhead growled in frustration.

“Ron, listen” he started, finally getting on his feet.

“There's nothing I need to listen from you!” the redhead shouted again, his whole face red now. “You knew I fancied her but you pursued her all the same. What's Ginny to you, Harry? Just a doll with whom you can play when you feel to?”

Harry's eyes darkened. “Don't you dare insult me, Ron. I liked your sister, and I still do. I've always been honest with her. But with Hermione…well, it's different” he said, not wanting to admit he loved her yet. He was more or less sure, but needed some more time before saying it loud. He was just a bit scared of it.

Ron hollowly laughed. Then he turned his back to them, collected his few things, and walked out.

“Think about what you're doing, Ron” Harry menacingly said. “If you leave, this time is for good. We have no time to wait for you to decide to come and play again with us. We have already lost too much time”

Ron turned and glared at the two of them. “Have fun with the bookworm” he snarled, and Harry felt his blood suddenly boil.

“Sectumsempra!” he cried, but the light of the spell missed Ron, who Disapparated away with a loud crack..

“She's not a bookworm!” Harry bellowed to the empty forest, then turned. Hermione was a bit teary-eyed.

“He's gone, again” she said, whimpering just slightly.

“He's a git” Harry said, the pain for Ron leaving not as much strong as the first time now that he knew the truth about his feelings for Hermione. He sat down near her again, pulling her close.

“We will be fine” he reassured her. “Me and you, we will do this, and then we will live happy together” he said, before claiming her lips again, and as she kissed him back, he felt happy like never before.

For once he was sincerely glad he had been mistaken.

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8. Never Tickle The Sleeping Dragon

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment.

Warning: in this one we have a bit of Super!Harry. But hey, if JK can pull off Ron speaking Parseltongue to open the Chamber, I can pull off a bit of Super!Harry, right? lol Oh, and this dwells a bit also on how much both Ron and Hermione mean to Harry, and how good the three of them work together.

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Never Tickle The Sleeping Dragon

Hermione was screaming again: the sound went through Harry like physical pain. Barely conscious of the fierce prickling of his scar, he, too, started to run around the cellar, feeling the walls for he hardly knew what, knowing in his heart that it was useless.

“What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!”

Hermione's screams echoed off the walls upstairs.

That was it. Harry was now facing the cellar heavy door, and he felt raw hatred flow through him, directed at Bellatrix. Not only she had killed Sirius, she was enjoying torturing Hermione now. And flashes of Neville's parents passed in front of his eyes. He would not let Bellatrix reduce Hermione in that state.

He didn't know what he was doing, or what he wanted to do. He was wandless, and so he knew probably he would not obtain anything. But he decided to try all the same.

“Bombarda Maxima!” he shouted, closing his eyes in concentration. He was more than surprised hearing the door being blasted away.

From upstairs, Bellatrix's voice fell silent, as well as Hermione's screams.

“Everyone, be ready. They are coming” Harry ordered, and Ron remembered the Deluminator in his pocket. He took off the lights in the cellar, and they waited.

Soon enough, they could hear people descending the steps, and in the dark they waited the right moment.

As Wormtail and another two Death eaters entered the room, Ron jumped on one of them, wrestling him on the ground, while Harry silently and wandlessly disarmed another, taking his wand.

Two red streaks of light sent the two men lying on the ground. He could not Stupefy the one wrestling with Ron without risking to hit his friend, but Luna kicked him hard on the head, making him fall unconscious.

Ron released the lights from his Deluminator, and nodded his thanks at Luna. When they turned toward Harry to see what they should do next, he was already gone.

Bellatrix had resumed torturing Hermione, and her screams echoed in Harry's brain. He ran up the steps two at a time, and soon was in the room where the “questioning” was going on.

“Release her” he growled.

“Potter” Bellatrix snarled, turning her wand on him. Draco and the others did the same. Harry knew it was foolish, but the sight of Hermione, lying on the table, still shaking from the Cruciatus Curse gave him the courage to face all of them, even alone.

However, soon he was reached by Ron, Luna and Ollivander.

“Crucio!” Bellatrix cried, aiming the wand at Ron. The fight was started. The redhead barely managed to move out of the curse path.

Spells flew everywhere, and both the Death Eaters and the boys had to dodge blasted objects that flew in their way, result of colliding with the randomly cast spells.

Hermione was still regaining her breath on the table when Fenrir neared her, greedy.

“I guess you be all mine now” he growled, but Harry noticed. “Stupefy” he cried, and the werewolf fell on the ground, stiff. She gave him a slight nod, and moved. It was time to help her friends.

Luna was duelling with Draco, and doing it well. Ron was facing Lucius Malfoy, while Harry was duelling with Bellatrix now.

“It's time to close the old bills, Lestrange” he growled.

“Still upset for your godfather, boy?” she taunted him, and Harry's eyes darkened. “Crucio!” he cried, and this time it worked. This time, he really felt it, both for Sirius and for how the woman had tortured Hermione.

Bellatrix's wand lay on the floor and Hermione was the quickest to take it. She aimed it at Draco.

“Accio wands!” she cried, and their sticks flew from the boy's pocket to her hand. She threw at Ron his own, while she grabbed hers and pocketed Bellatrix's one. As the boys were all near, they nodded at each other, and ran away, out of the manor, throwing hexes behind their shoulders. Harry was holding Hermione's hand, Ron had taken Luna and Ollivander, and suddenly they ran into Dobby, who grabbed them and whisked them away to safety.

The last thing they heard before darkness enveloped them was Bellatrix's loud scream of dissatisfaction.

As they landed, just few miles away from the manor, Harry checked everyone was there, then turned to Dobby. “Can you bring us to…”

“Shell Cottage” Ron said. “It's Bill and Fleur's house, we will be safe there”. The elf nodded, then they all grabbed him and he led them there.

First thing Harry did was to take Hermione in his arms and bring her into the house. She was pale, and weak. Adrenaline had sustained her through the fight, but now she was almost losing consciousness.

Fleur hurried him into a bedroom, and shooed him away as she tended to the girl. All night, Harry paced in front of the door, slightly reassured by Fleur's words that she was going to be fine. He couldn't help but cry, thinking it was all his fault. If he had remembered the Taboo, they would have never been caught, and she would have never been tortured. Again, he almost led her to death, and images from the Department of Mysteries came to his mind again. Seeing her body, unconscious on the ground, again, made him shudder, and sob louder.

Ron came to visit too. He was out of his mind with worry, and they barely spoke, comforting each other. Hermione was going to come back to them, and they would be the same trio once more.

Yes, both believed it would end this way. No one could think about the worst.

Suddenly, Ron spoke.

“You were brilliant, you know. That wandless magic was cool” he said, attempting a joke to light the mood. He had always been good at that, and Harry smiled.

“Practice paid off, I guess”

“It's not just practice, Harry” Luna said, joining them. They turned toward the blonde.

“Luna, you should be in bed, resting” Ron said, and Harry looked at his friend amusedly.

“Oh, I wasn't so sleepy after all” the other girl serenely said. “But, Harry, as I was saying…I could feel raw magic coming off of you when you blasted that door” she added, smiling at the raven haired wizard. “Magic conveyed by a powerful emotion that filled your soul”

After that, they remained silent for a while, Harry pondering what Luna had said, Ron and the blonde simply not knowing what to say. Some minutes later, the redhead suggested he accompany Luan to her room, “to make sure she really rests this time”

Harry nodded, and bid them goodnight. Luna smiled at him, and her eyes were full of joy at what Ron had just suggested.

Once alone, Harry decided he had to see Hermione. Fleur would have his head for that, if she found out, but he simply had to. Clicking the door open, he looked around to make sure nobody was coming, and then he snuck inside.

He then nervously walked toward her bed. She was sleeping peacefully, and he sighed. Probably it went well this time too.

He moved a chair next to her, and sat down. He gently took her hand in his own.

“I'm sorry, Hermione” he whispered, so low the words were almost just mouthed. “I put you in danger again, my stupidity almost got you killed once more”

Fresh tears came to his eyes, and he didn't stop them. He knew it was useless to keep his emotions bottled up.

Some time later, he felt pressure on his hand. He looked up and noticed she was looking at him, smiling.

“Hey” she said softly.

“You're awake” he said, surprised.

“Yeah, I am. Thanks to you” she said.

“What? No, I almost got you killed, it's my fault you were tortured…”

She silenced him with a finger on his lips.

“Harry, they would have caught us soon or later. It was a risk of being on the run, and it was bound to happen” she reasoned, and in the moonlight pouring from the window, he noticed she looked almost angelic with that smile of hers.

He was speechless.

Then he spoke. “You know, Ron was really out of his mind with worry. He kept screaming your name…”

“That's so sweet of him” she nodded, and Harry felt a pang of jealousy. “But it was you who saved me, Harry. Luna was here earlier, and she told me everything, how you wandlessly blasted the door, and then you disarmed one of the Death Eaters”

Harry groaned. “Perfect, another thing to be famous for” he joked, his spirits now high as he had proof she was ok.

She laughed, and touched his arm in doing so.

Harry vowed in that moment that he would do anything to keep her laughing once the war was finished, and there was just one way to do so. Killing Voldemort.

“I guess the old say “never tickle the sleeping dragon” explains well what you did” she reasoned then. “You didn't even knew you could perform wandless magic this well, but you got angry and you did, it just came naturally from you” she said.

“Yeah, I guess it's that” he chuckled. “Well, better that I leave you rest now” he said, and she could see in his eyes the deep affection he felt for her. Maybe something more.

He started walking away, but she called him.

“Harry” she said. He turned.

“Won't you wish me good night?” she pouted, and he grinned, walking back to her.

“Good night Hermione. Sleep well” he said, then went to kiss her on the cheek. But halfway through the distance, he locked eyes with her, and it was the biggest but probably best mistake of his life.

He felt drawn to her almost magnetically, and ended kissing her on the lips. Her eyes widened in surprise, but as he was pulling away, shocked that he had done that, she put on hand in his hair and kept him there.

Then he felt her tongue touching his lips, and he eagerly allowed her entrance. As their tongues touched, he felt pure bliss shoot through his whole body, and any coherent thought was swept away from his mind. There were just the two of them, kissing like there was no tomorrow. She caressed the back of his neck, while he nestled his hand in her hair, marvelling in their softness.

She gave a tiny moan, and closed her eyes, savouring the pleasure.

“Harry…” they heard a voice, and sprang apart, but it was too late. Ron was looking at them shocked. He had not found Harry outside the room, and guessed he had entered, so the redhead ahd followed suit, but he would have never imagined what he witnessed.

It was like the locket was taunting him all over again. His face went from shock to anger in a second, and he opened his mouth to shout at them, but Hermione's quick flick of wand silenced him. He moved his lips but no sound came out. Then Harry stood up, grabbed him by his wrist and led him outside the house. Ron tried freeing himself, but Harry's grip was vicious, so the redhead had no choice than to follow him.

Once they were far away from the building, Harry released Ron from the spell.

“Harry, how could you do that to me?” Ron angrily asked. “You knew I like her!”

Harry looked at his friend. “Yes, Ron, I knew”

“You even told me you saw her like a sister, nothing more!”

“Well, seems I was mistaken” Harry replied, trying to keep his emotions in check. He didn't want Ron to leave again, but he felt more than upset at how his best friend was taking it. Of course he had all rights to be angry, but honestly Harry was growing tired of his friend's jealousy issues.

“Ron, listen to me” he suddenly bellowed, while the redhead was continuing his tirade on how they had betrayed his trust, and how they should go on alone if he was to be left as a third wheel.

The redhead didn't stop.

“Ron, will you please listen?” Harry called, again. This time, Ron stopped talking, but kept glaring at the raven haired boy.

“You will never be left behind, Ron. You're my best friend, my first real friend, and with you I feel like with family. I would never be here without both you and Hermione, Ron, and I hope you understand that I need you as badly as I need her. It's just that with her, well, Ron, I really love her. I've finally admitted it to myself. But I could never leave you behind, or make you feel unwanted. I know how feeling unwanted is, Ron, and be sure I don't wish anyone to feel like that, not even Malfoy or Snape, as much as I hate them. So…how could you think I'd do that to my “brother”?” Harry said.

Ron looked at him and knew he was being sincere. The redhead sighed.

“I guess I don't really have a choice, right?” he said, then slumping his shoulders in defeat.

“You do have a choice, Ron. You can stick with us, or you can stay here. I'd rather have you with me, though, mate” Harry said, hoping the worst had been done.

Ron shook his head. “I could never leave you guys alone. Not now that we just reunited. Plus, if I were to leave you alone, you'd surely do all a kind of things I'd rather not imagine you and Hermione involved into” he joked with a wink.

Harry blushed scarlet red. “Ron!” he cried, and then burst laughing like his friend had started doing.

“You should have seen your face, you know!” Ron managed to choke out through laughter.

Minutes later, they returned to the house, and Harry knew what he ahd said Ron was true. He really loved her, and from her actions he knew she loved him too. Together, the three of them would bring Voldemort down.

The last thing he thought before going to sleep was “Never tickle the sleeping dragon, Tom”. And all three together they definitely were a sleeping dragon ready to show all its power.

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9. Burial Of An Hero

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment.

I'm going to be out of town for a couple weeks from today, so you'll have to wait this time to get the new chapter, but I hope to find all of you still interested in this when I come back!

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Burial Of An Hero

Slowly, under his murmured instruction, deep cuts appeared upon the rock's surface. He knew that Hermione could have done it more neatly, and probably more quickly, but he wanted to mark the spot as he had wanted to dig the grave. When Harry stood up again, the stone read:

Here lies Dobby, a Free Elf

“He'd have liked it” a voice behind him spoke softly.

“Hermione, you should rest” he started, turning to see her, but she stopped him with a sign of her hand.

“I know, Harry” she said. “But I had to see you, once they told me Dobby was dead”

Harry looked at her, and felt his sadness come back. He knew with her he could be honest, she had always understood him, and with her he had no need to act strong. She would know how he felt even if he tried to hide it, so what was the point in doing it?

He fell to his knees, sobbing loudly, and she did the same, hugging him.

“It's not your fault” she whispered soothingly. “He was, after all, a Free Elf, and chose to help us. You didn't force him to”

“I know, but…it's like Dumbledore's funeral all again, you know? I feel helpless, I don't know what to do, and people for whom I care about keep dying around me…I don't know what I'd do if the next was Ron…” he continued, then looked at her. “Or you…”

Her breath caught in her throat at the emotion in his eyes when he said that.

“Harry, I can't promise you we won't die. We are at war, and it can happen. But can you promise me something?”

He looked at her, wiping away the last tears, and nodded. In doing so, he noticed once again how beautiful she had become with time. But after all he had always known she was, since their fourth year, at least. The moonlight cast an angelic glow on her, and he felt he could deny her nothing.

“Promise me that if I or Ron will die, you'll go on with your life, Harry” she said, and he could see she meant it. “You can have an happy life with Ginny if we win this war, and I don't want sadness to take it from you, if the worst happens to me or Ron”

Ginny. She was suggesting he could have a married life with Ginny. Honestly, he couldn't see the redhead as the mother of his children. He could see her as a girlfriend that made him feel good, relax when he was stressed. But there was little to zero emotional connection between them. Hermione, instead…well, the two of them had always been able to complete each other's thoughts, each other's sentences. She had always been the one that could drag him out of his self imposed sorrow when someone around him died.

He knew he could not live without Hermione. But if promising her he would go on no matter what could make her happy, he would.

“I promise” he finally said. She smiled, and his heart soared for the first time since they escaped Malfoy Manor.

They were still holding each other, and she started crying too. He caressed her back, trying to soothe her like she had done for him.

“Hermione, what's wrong?” he asked, concerned. “Are you hurting somewhere?”

“No, Harry” she whispered. “Thanks for asking, though. No, I just realized I wouldn't be able to go on if you died” she honestly admitted, and Harry felt his heart fill with joy at the revelation.

“You know what, Hermione? Neither could I” he said, pushing her back just enough to look at her in her eyes.

She knew from his gaze her was telling the truth.

“You're a part of me, Hermione. I've just lately realized how much I really need you. If you had left, when Ron did…well, I dunno how I would have coped. Probably I'd have got myself killed in Godric's Hollow, where Vol-You-Know-Who” he said, hating himself for it, but there was the Taboo after all, and he caught himself before telling the name again, “was waiting for me”

She smiled weakly, and wiped her tears. “You defeated him many times, you would have once more” she said, cupping his cheek.

Harry didn't really know who started, but they moved closer and closer, their faces leaning in like drawn one to the other, and their lips met.

He felt a jolt of electricity pass through him at the contact with the soft skin of her lips. He then thought of Ron, how he fancied Hermione, how he had told the redhead she was just as sister for him, not that he would be kissing his sister so maybe he was wrong on that, but still…plus he suspected she liked Ron too, so he broke the contact.

“Hermione, I'm sorry, I…”

“Harry, do you regret it?” she asked, searching his eyes for an answer. In those green orbs she could see that no, he wasn't regretting the kiss at all.

“No” he said, truthfully. “But…you like Ron…” he started, and she looked at him like he had sprouted a second head.

“Ron? Why do you think I fancy him?” she asked. Harry noticed she was shivering so he wrapped his arms around her once again, his jacket by now in Dobby's grave.

“Well, you two seem to be getting closer lately, and you cried so much when he left…”

“Oh, silly” she said, grinning. “I was crying because he was being a git when you needed him the most, and I didn't know if I would be enough to help you in your mission…”

At those words, Harry felt a sudden rush of affection for her, and pressed his lips to hers again. She shot her eyes open in surprise but then relaxed and laced her arms around his neck, kissing him back. She deepened it then, running her tongue on his lower lip, and he let her in, welcoming her with his own tongue. A frenzied dance started in their mouths, and Harry ran one hand on her back, while the other was caressing her hair, revelling in its softness and smoothness. It wasn't bushy anymore, and he loved the feeling of it. He could have been doing that all day.

She, on her part, moaned into his mouth, and put one hand on the nape of his neck, pushing his lips even harder on hers, treasuring the feeling that she knew would probably not enjoy again till the end of the war, at least.

From inside the house, Ron looked at them through a window.

“Seems they found each other at last” Luna serenely commented, near him.

“Yes, they have” the redhead confirmed, with a sad smile. “I kind of always knew they would, soon or later”

“Didn't you fancy her?” Luna asked, curious.

“Yeah, I do” Ron truthfully replied. “But Harry…well, he lost his parents, and he has the weight of both Wizarding and Muggle worlds on his shoulders…I think he deserves some happiness, and who am I to deny him that?” he ended with a smile.

Luna took his hand in hers and squeezed it. “I think you said a really mature thing, Ronald” she complimented him, and their eyes locked. Ron blushed.

“You do?”

The blonde girl just nodded, and Ron smiled, never leaving her hand. Turning again to the scene outside, he felt he was truly happy for his friends. Getting over his crush for Hermione would take some time, but he knew he could do it.

In the meantime, Harry and Hermione were now resting their foreheads one on the other. He sighed.

“What's that for?”

“Nothing. For the first time in my life, I feel truly happy, but I know it might not last” he said. “However, I'll do my best to ensure it does” he said, looking at her tenderly.

She melted under his gaze, and kissed him again, this time it was sweet and gentle, not lust involved but only true, deep, everlasting love.

“You'll defeat him, Harry. I know you will” she said understanding what he had been thinking about, and he felt that if she believed in him, then he really had a chance.

Voldemort would die, and he would have his happy future with her.

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10. The Flaw In The Plan

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed till now, and here I am, back after holidays, with another instalment of this series!

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

The Flaw In The Plan

“He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds” said Voldemort, and there was relish in his voice for the lie, “killed while trying to save himself…”

But Voldemort broke off: Harry heard a scuffle and a shout, then another bang, a flash of light and a grunt of pain; he opened his eyes an infinitesimal amount. Someone had broken free of the crowd and charged at Voldemort: Harry saw the figure hit the ground, Disarmed, Voldemort throwing the challenger's wand aside and laughing.

“And who's this?” he said, in his soft snake's hiss. “Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?”

Bellatrix gave a delighted laugh.

“It is Hermione Granger, my Lord! The Mudblood who has always been on Potter's side, remember?”

“Yes, I remember” said Voldemort, looking down at Hermione.

Harry felt his blood boil hearing them call Hermione a Mudblood. He wanted so much to stand up and act, but steeled his resolve to wait the right moment. It was not time for silly rushing of things.

He felt the Dark Lord walk away from him, and toward Hermione. She was still trying to stand up again, but a quick spell from Voldemort stopped her from doing so, as chains sprouted from the ground, enveloping her wrists and ankles, and keeping her anchored there.

“I shall take particular pleasure in killing those who the most have opposed me. I surely did with Potter, I will with you now, girl” he spat, his snakelike face contorted in disgust. “But first, bow!”

As he had done with Harry in fourth year, he moved his wand, and an invisible force pushed Hermione down, bowing in front of the Dark Lord's feet.

A cold laugh sounded in the room, where no one else dared move or talk. Those on the light side knew the war was lost, and as much as they didn't want to stop fighting, there was nothing they could do now to stop Voldemort.

As Voldemort's laughter died down, Hermione started shouting in pain, and Harry knew she was put under the Cruciatus Curse again. He shut his eyes as strong as he could, wanting to act but knowing it was not time yet. He guessed how bad Ron should feel at the moment. He had, after all, witnessed how much his friend had lost it when she was tortured in Malfoy Manor.

He again opened his eyes the tiniest bit to check the situation.

Everyone was focused on Voldemort and Hermione. His chance was coming.

“And now die, filthy piece of scum!” Voldemort said, laughing cruelly, while the last echoes of Hermione's screams were still sounding in the air. “Avada…”

“Expelliarmus!” a voice cried.

The Dark Lord turned, seeing his wand fly away, and his red slits showed all his surprise.

“You are dead!” he said to the standing form of Harry Potter. Shock reverberated in everyone's faces.

“You thought so, Tom. But you were arrogant enough to not check yourself” Harry spat. “And now I have your wand. I could easily dispose of you, Tom, if I wanted” Harry said, idly playing with it. “But I like to play fair, so I'm going to give you the chance to duel” he said throwing back the wand to Voldemort. His plan was accomplished, and soon he could test if it was right.

“You're a fool, Potter” Voldemort snarled. “You had me there, in your grip, and you let me out again. Now you'll die for real! Avada Kedavra!”

The green light approached Harry, who was calm. Everyone around him was worried, those for the light because they feared it was really over now, the Death Eaters because they wondered if their master had made another mistake.

Harry closed his eyes, and felt his wand hand move of its own will. His mind was filled with happy memories, and strangely enough they were all involving Hermione. Her flinging herself at him when he went to Grimmauld in fifth year, then how she was there for him when he went to his parents' graves, the comfort her touch on his head gave him after they read all those things about Dumbledore in Skeeter's book, and many other memories of the two of them, through the seven years of their friendship…and he knew then that it had always been her, the one on his side, to let him go on, to let him reach this moment, when he would vanquish Voldemort and avenge his parents. He knew then that she was the other half of him, the one he could not go on without.

His hand drew in the air the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, the triangular eye, and it expanded as a shield in front of him.

As the green light touched it, the spell vanished.

Voldemort was confused.

Harry smirked. “See, Tom, you chased just one of the Deathly Hallows, the Elder Wand. I, instead, am in posses of the other two. And when I Disarmed you, I actually became the Master of the Elder Wand too. So, being the Master of all the three Hallows, I'm actually the Master of Death itself. You can't kill me till I'm in this condition, but I can kill you because all your Horcruxes are destroyed” Harry said.

“Do it, and you'll end in Azkaban for using the Killing Curse, Potter. Whatever you do, I win” Voldemort sneered.

“The Killing Curse is not the only way to kill a person, Tom” Harry reminded him. Then, with a flick of his wand, he freed Hermione from the chains, that vanished, and focused on his nemesis again.

“Goodbye” he said, before letting that same feeling of happiness, and images of Hermione, fill his very core. Then, he channelled it all through his wand, and a blinding white light erupted from its tip, shooting Voldemort right through his heart like a sword.

As the Dark Lord fell to the ground, dead, everyone in the room stood still. It was the end of an era, and no one knew how to act. There were still foes to fight, in that same room, and everyone was wary about letting their guard down.

It was Bellatrix who broke the silence.

“You'll pay, Potter! Avada…” but she never ended the spell.

“Stupefy!” Ron cried, stopping her. That was the cue. The battle restarted, now with the Death Eaters fighting for their lives and freedom, as the roles were now reversed. Dolohov managed to reach Ginny, and shot her with that same purple spell he had used on Hermione in the Department of Mysteries, but Neville blasted a table in the path of the spell, while Luna stunned the Death Eater.

After a nod between the three they spread to tackle more enemies.

Harry took over two enemies, and quickly disposed of them, while Ron and Hermione were doing quite well too. The Professors and the remains of the Order of the Phoenix helped the DA members lots, and while another few people fell on the light side, in few hours time the battle was won.

The Death Eaters still alive were captured, and then they proceeded to see who had fallen, to alert the families, and organize the funerals.

As Harry came across Lupin's body, he couldn't help tears fall from his eyes. He had lost the last link to his parents, but what was worse was that now little Teddy was never going to really know his father, just like Harry hadn't been able to. He kneeled near his former professor, holding the body tight.

Someone touched him on his shoulder. He looked up and found himself staring into a familiar pair of cinnamon eyes.

“He fell as an hero” Hermione said him, kneeling there too. “He moved into the path of a curse meant for Tonks, protecting her”

Harry smiled weakly. “Seems just the kind of thing he would have done” he ruefully said. Hermione nodded, and took his hand.

“Harry…”

“I know, I know. It's not my fault. It's just…you know, he was the last link to them…and now it seems like they are dead all over again”

There was no need to say who he was talking about. She knew he was referring to his parents, and she silently hugged him.

He hugged her back, holding tight, and cried on her shoulder, letting the sadness for all the deaths he had witnessed that day wash away.

After some minutes, he stood up, offering her an hand to do the same.

“Thanks” he said, smiling weakly. Then, without another word, he walked away, outside.

She looked at his back, and knew it was the moment for him to stay alone with his thoughts, so she let him go.

Once outside, Harry walked to the lake, and there he sat, throwing stones into the water, feeling kind of empty. He had done what everyone wanted from him, he had killed Voldemort, saved the Wizarding World, now what else remained for him to do?

As he was deep in these thoughts, someone called him.

“Harry! I knew I'd find you here” Ginny said. Harry smiled politely at her. She never noticed his smile didn't reach his eyes.

The redhead sat there, near him, and for some time no one spoke. Then, she started.

“I was thinking…now that's all over…maybe we could…”

Harry sighed. He had guessed this what why she had been searching him.

“Ginny, I want to be honest with you. What you and me had…it was good. I loved it, last year, and I still loved it at the beginning of my journey. What I felt for you when we were at the Burrow this summer, though, has changed. I am changed. You can say I'm more mature, I don't know if it is that” he explained, and stopped her when she was opening her mouth to protest.

“Listen to me, Ginny. I could easily lead you on, and go back with you, but the truth is, I don't see us having a family. And you know this is my deepest desire, have a family of my own”

The redhead looked away, at the water of the lake. “It's Hermione, isn't it?” she said then.

Harry looked at her surprised. “How…”

“I've always known it would be her, Harry. You…it's hard to explain, but anyone could see how your eyes lit up when she's in the same room, or when she praises you. I hoped I was wrong, when we got together last year, and still hoped when you left this summer. But I knew you'd realize it soon or later”

“Ginny…” Harry said. Then he sighed. “Please, don't tell Ron. They just got together, and I don't want to create trouble”

“I won't tell a thing” she said, then she gave him a slight smile, stood up, and walked away.

Harry covered himself with his cloak, to avoid others to find him. He wanted to remain alone and think.

What he had said was true, he didn't want to be a trouble for his friends. But didn't he deserve some happiness too? And if his happiness was in being with Hermione, what was he to do?

As he mulled over this matter, time passed, and finally he decided it was time to go back inside. He took the cloak off of him, and slowly walked back to the castle. He could hear the cheering from a distance, and just hoped he could slip unseen and go to sleep.

The only way to do that was to use his cloak, and he did exactly that. As he managed to reach a lonely corridor, he thought he had succeeded, but an hand took it off of him.

He turned, and found himself in front of Hermione. He should have known she would have found him.

“Where were you thinking you would go?” she playfully asked. Even if the light side had suffered lots of deaths, an incredible sense of joy engulfed all those who were still alive, knowing that time of fear was ended, and they could live free now. thye would always remember those who fell, but it was coming the time to go on.

“To sleep” he retorted, mirroring her tone.

“I think I'll join you then” she said, falling into step with him.

“What about your boyfriend?” Harry teased her, even if he didn't really feel like joking on the matter.

“He's enjoying the food the elves have prepared” she said with a smile. Harry guessed she was thinking back to the kiss she and Ron had shared, and his heart fell a bit.

As their chat continued, they reached the Gryffindor common room, and entered. The Fat Lady was more than happy to let them in even without a password. Harry then went to the boys' dormitories, and was surprised to see Hermione following him.

“Why are you coming with me? These are the boys' dormitories!”

She laughed softly. “I said I'd join you, right?”

“Yes, but…” he said, then it dawned on him. “You little cheat!” he said, laughing, and her eyes sparkled with amusement.

“Ron will have my head for this” he thought. “But at least I'll die happy”

So, they lay on his bed, and since it was designed for one person, they were a bit crammed. Harry was intoxicated by her smell, and had to muster all his willpower to not kiss her.

“You seem worried” she noticed.

“It's nothing” he lied, hoping she would believe it.

“Liar” she called him on it. “Tell me the truth, you know you can't lie to me”

He sighed. “I'd prefer not”

“Oh” she said, a bit hurt. He noticed, and wanted to hit himself for that.

“OK, I'll tell you” he conceded. “But don't get angry”

“Agreed” she nodded, giving him a bright smile.

“The fact is, I love you, Hermione” he blurted out. There, he did it, now it was up to her. She looked at him in shock.

“You mean like…in love with me?” she asked, dubious.

“Yeah” he confirmed, fearing her reaction. He, however, expected everything but being surrounded by her not so bushy anymore hair, and her lips meeting his own.

Automatically, his arms closed around her, and he kissed her back with all he had. Their tongues battled fiercely in each other's mouths, sending thrills of pleasure through Harry's body, something he never experienced before. He swore he could die in that moment, and he would be the happiest man on earth.

He started caressing her back, while she buried her hands into his hair, caressing it, never breaking the contact.

Only when air became an issue they parted, panting, their lips swollen, their eyes shining with happiness.

“What about Ron?” Harry asked moments later, guilt for betraying his friend's trust overwhelming him.

“Harry, me and Ron…well, I think I could be happy enough with him, but it's been always you I've loved. I convinced myself to date Ron because I thought you'd never love me back, but now that you do…this changes everything”

“Still, he'll be devastated” Harry reasoned.

“I know. But Harry, I think you deserve happiness, and Ron knows it. I think he'll come around”

Harry nodded, and with the arm still around her waist he pulled her close. She rested her head on his chest, and this is how sleep took them, their dreams filled with each other.

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11. Bonded For Life

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. What, you think if I did we would have such pairings at the end? *rolls eyes*

A/N: This is a collection of one-shots about moments in DH that I thought could turn into Harry and Hermione being together, if only JK had wanted it to happen. So…hope you'll enjoy! They'll always start with a small part quoted from the book, just to let you know where we are at the moment.

This is going to be the last one-shot of this series, I hope you enjoyed it, and I know I had fun writing it!

Where Deathly Hallows Could Have Turned Harmonian

Bonded For Life

In the front row, Mrs. Weasley and Madame Delacour were both sobbing quietly into scraps of lace. Trumpet-like sounds from the back of the marquee told everyone Hagrid had taken out one of his own tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs. Hermione turned and beamed at Harry; her eyes, too, were full of tears.

“…then I declare you bonded for life”

Harry was quite surprised to see Hermione turning toward him. He expected her to turn toward Ron, after all it was the redhead the one she fancied, but found out he was pleased she “chose” him instead.

He, however, was not given more time to dwell on the matter, as suddenly the marquee was changed to fit tables and a dance floor. He followed Ron and Hermione to the nearest waiter, and they grabbed Butterbeers.

“Let's go sit somewhere” Ron said.

“Oh, come on, Ron. We need to congratulate them!” Hermione protested, but the redhead wouldn't bulge.

“Well, see you in few moments then” she said, taking Harry with her. The raven haired wizard had to admit that congratulating the newlyweds was the most polite thing to do, but he was almost as eager as Ron to sit and avoid being dragged on the dance floor.

Not even Ginny would bring him there, that he swore to himself.

Soon enough they found the happy couple.

“Bill, Fleur, congratulations!” Hermione said, grinning, and hugging both of them. Harry followed suit.

“Thanks” Bill answered, pulling his wife close. “No need to explain” he added then, seeing how Hermione was ready to speak again. “Ron's appetite is something I know only too well” he joked.

Both Harry and Hermione found themselves chuckling.

As they scanned the room to see where Ron was, they noticed he had found a spot at Luna's table. The two of them walked there, Harry wondering briefly where Ginny had gone, as she was nowhere to be seen. Well, in that crowd of redheads, it wasn't easy to spot her anyhow.

Once at the table, they started chatting quietly about how the ceremony had gone, and both Luna and Hermione became teary eyed again.

“Girls” Ron whispered to Harry. “Never going to understand them”

Harry could only nod. The female universe was quite complex, and he didn't feel like he would ever get a real insight into it.

As they chatted, music started to play. It was the Weird Sisters, and the dance floor started to fill. Of course, it was the newlyweds' honour to open the dances, and so Fleur and Bill did, a lovely slow song filling the air. As they swayed on the spot, other couples joined them, and Luna too, although she was dancing alone. Not that the blonde was bothered by it, she was as serene as she could get.

But after all, really few things could upset Luna Lovegood, if anything at all.

When Ron asked Hermione to dance, Harry knew the redhead had really read and memorized that book he gifted Harry on his birthday. It was a completely non Ron Weasley thing to do. For a fleeting moment, Harry hoped Hermione would refuse, but after looking at him once, she nodded.

He was left alone at the table, with nothing else to do than look at the people dancing. He was honestly getting bored, and hoped to be able to leave soon, when Krum joined him at the table.

“You one of these Weasleys, right?” the Bulgarian addressed him.

“Yeah, a distant cousin” Harry said, to keep his cover. “I'm Barny Weasley”

Krum just nodded and gulped down some of his Butterbeer. “I wonder who's that pretty girl right there” he conversationally asked. “I guess she's one relative of yours…”

Harry turned and noticed Ginny at the buffet table. She was beautiful, he had to admit.

“Yeah, she is” he casually answered.

“Then?” Krum insisted.

“Then what?”

“Is she seeing someone or not?” the Bulgarian questioned. Harry understood his motives then, and became slight angry.

“Yes, she is. Kind of a big guy, too, so I wouldn't mess with him”

“I guess I'll have to go talk with Hermy-own-ninny then. From what I see that Potter still hasn't woken up”

“What do you mean?” Harry asked, interested as Krum was talking about him.

“Well, I'm sure she has a thing for him, and from how he acts around her, he must fancy her too, but from what I can see the two of them are not together yet, or she wouldn't be dancing with that other boy. Thinking of it, I haven't seen Potter at all today” the Bulgarian mused.

“Why do you think she and Harry Potter fancy each other?” Harry asked, curious because he had never thought of Hermione that way.

“Well, you don't hold hands and hug your best friend so often, nor you talk so much about him when he's not there, if you don't fancy him. This is why I think she likes him. And the hug and hand holding part goes for him too. From what I've heard, I'm not the only one to think so. Seems like one of his past girlfriends thought this too”

Harry knew he was referring to Cho. Thinking of it, she had implied he was talking and thinking too much about Hermione. Could they be right?

“Why do you care, anyhow?” Krum asked, narrowing his eyes at him.

“Nothing, just curiosity” he lied. “Sorry, I've got to go now” and so he left the table.

He walked past Ginny, who smiled at him, but he was on autopilot and never noticed her.

“Harry” she whispered while he was passing near her, but he didn't stop. “Not now, Ginny” he said, and walked out of the tent.

He needed time alone to think about what Krum had said.

As he sat on the ground, he thought back to his years at Hogwarts. Adventure after adventure, peril after peril, there was just one person who always stood by him. Only one who could understand him truly, and that could shake him from his moments of self-imposed sorrow and isolation. Hermione.

Not Ron, who had deserted him in their fourth year, although just for some time, not Ginny who became a more active part of his life only in fifth year when she joined the Dumbledore's Army.

He had to admit he had not always showed Hermione how much she meant to him, and was sorry for that. There were times, like in third year when she took his Firebolt to Professor McGonagall, when he was thoroughly pissed at her, and moments like in fifth year when she just wouldn't get his point, like when he insisted they go to save Sirius, and she wouldn't stop telling him it might be a trap. And she was right.

He almost lost her too, that night. He would never forget how scared he had been that she had died, hit by Dolohov's curse.

Yes, Hermione definitely held a special spot in his heart. He couldn't go on without her. But was it love? He didn't know. After all, he had never known what love was, being abused for eleven years, and then every summer.

He knew, however, that she had grown and was now a nice looking girl. Not stunningly beautiful, mind you, but hey, no one had to date models, right? And he was aware she wasn't ugly. He had even told her so, in fifth year, and she had even gotten better since that day.

Was he attracted to her? He might be, why not.

He didn't feel like he did with Cho about her, nor like he did in his sixth year for Ginny, sure. But he knew she was pretty. And she had qualities the other two lacked.

He couldn't finish his reasoning, though, because an hand on his shoulder startled him.

“Here you are” a soft voice said, and when he turned, he found himself staring into a familiar pair of brown eyes. Hermione's.

“Sorry, I just had to take some fresh air” he lied, standing up to face the object of his deep reasoning.

“Well, they brought the cake, if you want to come and have some…” she said, giving him one of her typical smiles. He felt something stir in him, but it was not his monster.

No, this was gentler, more subdued, and yet way more filling.

He grinned. “I couldn't miss that, could I?” he said, and fell into step with her. Soon enough he was seated at the table with everyone else, the music stopped for the moment to let all the guests enjoy the spectacular cake, with two moving figures of Bill and Fleur in their wedding dresses on the top.

As the waiter passed by them, Harry, Hermione, Luna and Ginny, who had joined them, all took a slice, while Ron took two. Harry grinned and shook his head at his friend, who winked back.

Hermione just glared at the redhead.

As they finished eating, music started again.

“Dear guests, this ceremony and happy day is coming to an end. This will be the last song, and then, we will all leave the newlyweds free to go and enjoy their first night as a married couple, if you catch my meaning” the voice of the leader of the Weird sisters came.

Ron groaned. “There are images that are good enough out of my head” he whined.

As the music filled the air again, Hermione turned toward Harry with a twinkle in her eye.

“Oh, no, you don't dare, Granger” he said, having understood what she wanted him to do.

“Come on, Harry, don't be such a baby” she insisted. “Dancing has never killed anyone”

He couldn't help feeling overwhelmed by her enthusiasm, so he got up, and followed her on the dance floor. He remembered vaguely from the Yule Ball where he should put his hands, and so he did, trying to keep a distance. She wouldn't have that though, so they were dancing quite close, swaying to the rhythm.

This one's going out to all the lover's out there
Hold each other tight and keep each other warm

Dance, your final dance
This is your final chance
To hold the one you love
You know, you've waited
Long enough

Harry felt the words of the song were strangely kind of representing his own situation. He was holding Hermione, and he knew now that while Ginny had been fun, his lifelong companion was right there, and he had never stopped looking twice at her.

So believe, that magic works
Don't be afraid of being hurt
Don't let, this magic die
The answer's there
Oh, just look in her eyes

As they kept dancing, Harry could see Hermione happy as he had never seen her before. Her cinnamon eyes sparkled and it was a sight that warmed his heart. Finally, she closed her eyes, savouring the moment, moving even closer to him. He held her there, and marvelled at how well she fit against him.

And make, your final move
Hmmm, don't be scared
She wants you to
Yeah, it's hard
You must be brave
Don't let this moment slip away

Harry knew what he wanted to do now. He wanted so much to kiss her, her lips seemed so inviting to him, her sleeked hair flowed graciously around her head with her every move, catching the light and looking like a wave of ancient gold. He was wrong when he had thought she was not beautiful as Ginny. She definitely was to him.

But as much as he wanted to do that, he was also aware that Ron fancied her, and he couldn't break his friend's heart like that.

So believe, that magic works
Don't be afraid, afraid of being hurt
No, don't let this magic die
Ohh, the answer's there
Yeah, just look in her eyes

Hermione stood on her toes, and whispered something to him. “Come with me when the song ends”

He nodded, and inhaled her scent once more. It was something like vanilla, and he found he loved it.

And don't believe that magic can die,
No, no, no, this magic can't die

So dance, your final dance,
Cause this is, your final chance.

As soon as the song ended, she took his hand and dragged him outside, as quickly as she could. Once they were far enough from the crowd, hid into the woods around the Burrow, she laced her arms around his neck, and kissed him fiercely.

He kissed her back as hard, pulling her close, and sneaking his tongue into her mouth. A battle started in there, and he felt in heaven. It was completely different from kissing Ginny, he didn't know if it was better but he knew it was different, the sensations shooting through his body let him know that.

His hands roamed on her back, and that elicited a soft moan from her, which gave Harry the idea he was doing something right. Till air wasn't a problem, they kept attacking each other's mouth, then they had to part.

Both panting, they looked at each other smiling. There was no need of cheesy declarations of love, they met the other's eyes, and they knew, in one of their typical no words communications, what the other was feeling.

Harry then took her hand, leading her back toward where the guests were still dispersing. “We should go back” he said, and she nodded, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked.

And Harry had to admit Krum was right, and was glad the Bulgarian had opened his eyes.

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