A/N: This is short, but I wanted to post something since you all have been so patient. My class is over on the 12th! I will definitely have more time to write after that. Thanks!
-----------------------------
Chapter 19-Up Against a Wall
"Harry," Hermione gasped feeling his warm hand slide around to her back. "What's gotten into you?"
"Let's just say," Harry murmured as he tugged her shirt out of the waistband of her pants, "This is what is going to happen if we have to spar anymore." He kissed her neck feeling her hands working at the buttons of his shirt.
"So, it wasn't just me?" she whispered, arching against him urgently. Her hands moved to his pants and fumbled with the snap.
"Uh-uh," was his intelligent reply as he pushed her up against the wall in the kitchen, trying to help her with his pants. She wouldn't give him the room he needed to pull down his zipper so he pulled back, feeling her warmth dissipate for a moment. In those few seconds, where only their mouths were touching, they managed to shed their pants leading to a frenzied adjustment of hands and arms as neither of them had ever done anything so intimate against a wall before. His hand settled on her neck, kissing her in a way that took all the breath from Hermione's body. Her hands grasped his shoulders as she stood on her toes, trying to direct him where to go, that she needed him now.
In a single motion (that showed the workouts he had been taking were beneficial) he pulled her feet off the floor and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, crying out as he pushed into her, unfamiliar sensations ripping through her as they explored this new position.
"Harry." His name was interspersed between their pants and she clutched his shoulders, burying her face in his shoulder feeling the familiar knot forming deep inside a place only he could touch. He responded to his whispered name by kissing her neck simultaneously pushing his hips against hers and grasped her tighter, pressing her up against the cool wall. He could feel a warmth begin to surge through his thighs making him bury himself deeper in her, adjusting her leg as he did so.
Suddenly Hermione's head fell backwards, softly hitting the wall as she strained against him, crying out something he couldn't hear over the pounding his heart. Trying to steady themselves he held her with one arm and placed the other against the wall, not prepared for how powerful her reaction was to him. He could feel the heat of her against--around him--and for a moment everything froze. He was fairly sure he yelled her name, both of them declaring their love for each other until they were conscious of the cool air swirling around their naked lower halves and the shaking of Harry's legs.
"Oh God, Harry," Hermione panted as she collapsed against him. After a moment, he gently lowered her to the ground, their bodies between the kitchen and dining area. "That wasn't on the list I gave you."
In that brief second where it was acceptable to think about what she had just said, he knew he had to answer her comment; Harry knew what needed to be done. He reached above them to his cloak distracting his movement by kissing her softly. His fingers wrapped around the box and when he pulled away he looked deeply into her dark eyes.
"Neither was this," he pressed the black box into her hand and she glanced down, a small frown at the corners of her mouth as she tried to figure out what it was.
Figuring that maybe they should have pants on for this moment, Harry quickly preformed a few charms in the amount of time it took Hermione to pull off the bow. Surprised to feel herself cleansed and clothed she looked at him.
"What did you buy? There's nothing that I-," she glanced down as she flipped it open, her comment cut short. Nestled in the box was the platinum engagement ring he had fallen in love with. The one carat diamond sparkled as a ray of sunlight falling in the kitchen window touched and bent through the perfectly cut diamond.
Harry had not prepared himself for this moment at all. His mind was still in a fog from what just happened and he found words tumbling from his mouth that were definitely not rehearsed.
"I-Hermione-I wasn't sure what I wanted and for some reason it all hit me as I was sparring with you. I want to be there, to take care of you, and Ben, whenever needed. And when I walked past this ring it was just calling out to me. I couldn't get it out of my head and thinking…that…well," he paused trying not to get ahead of his thoughts, "…before I saw the ring actually, I kept thinking of what I'd do if those pre-death eaters were to hurt you. How my life wouldn't be happy and that the only thing worth living for would be our kids. And, I realized, I guess, that I just wanted to fit this final puzzle piece into my life." Harry sat back on his heels watching her as she stared wordlessly at the ring. He forced himself to be quiet for a moment, not quite sure if she was happy or angry; her hair had come out of her bun and was hiding her face.
"Yes," she finally whispered hoarsely, still not looking up at him.
"Yes what?" Harry asked confused, not aware he asked a question. This time she lifted her face and smiled, tears running down her cheeks.
"I think what you just said was a proposal so I'm saying yes, silly," Hermione choked out and Harry grinned, feeling a weight lift of his chest. Leaning over he kissed her and both of them fumbled the ring onto her finger where it magically sized itself down to fit her.
"You know," Harry's voice bent towards laughter as he pushed the stray hair back behind Hermione's ear, "I didn't think our life was complicated enough with children, Janie's magic issues, Charles, Malfoy, those people trying to form another group---so, why not add something else like planning for a wedding?" Harry smiled and caught her as she launched herself into his arms, hugging him fiercely. "Besides, maybe it'll draw them out faster and we can get this whole ordeal locked up and throw away the key; move on with our lives."
"Let's not plan anything until we can capture them," she nuzzled his neck and Harry shivered, amazed at how her touch could elicit such a response from him. He savored that moment and nuzzled her neck in response while thinking aloud.
"I hate to say this but we are supposed to be back at work."
"I think they may understand if we're a bit late," Harry replied, running a hand through her hair.
"Probably." Hermione sighed pulling back and kissing him solidly on the lips. "I love you."
The words rushed straight to his heart and the smile that lit up his face was one that Hermione would never forget. Leaning forward he kissed her tenderly, cupping her face between his hands and whispered it back to her.
"You know, this doesn't get us out of talking tonight," Hermione whispered against his lips, feeling them curve into a smile.
"AH, well, it was worth a try was it not?" Harry winked at her and she laughed happily.
"You just gave us more to talk about now, Harry."
-----
The next two hours were very strange as far as Harry Potter was concerned. The first person to notice the ring was Ron who congratulated them and it took a lot of restraint on Harry's part to not be upset that, soon enough, his best friend would be relaying this information to the very group trying to kill him. Harry and Hermione had to act as if they knew nothing and once the group of Aurors (those who were still in the office) dragged them away for an impromptu celebration, he had managed to push Ron and Ginny's happy reaction to the back of his mind.
It wasn't long before Arthur heard about it and within the hour Molly, George and the remaining Weasley's floo'd into the ministry and congratulated the newly engaged couple. After having a round of firewhiskey's at George's insistence, Harry found himself back in his office, the door locked, kissing Hermione like they had never been together that early afternoon.
"Whaaat?" Hermione groaned as a knock sounded at the door.
"We have a visitor," a female voice said and right away Hermione and Harry stepped back, knowing that Malfoy was in the building.
"He'd better be congratulating us," Harry mumbled, running a hand through his hair, trying to make it look a bit tidier. Hermione had thoroughly messed it up only minutes before.
"I doubt it," Hermione sighed and looked at Harry apologetically. "Our happy moment is over. Time to get down to business."
-->