Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, Harmonians would be celebrating right now…
A/N: My take on the challenge by Detritus, that you can find here: http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=26205 Basically, an HP/POTC crossover, I hope I can pull it off nicely! *laughs* Well, anyhow, if you read, please review and let me know what you think of the story! This is my first crossover so I need some kind of input on how I'm doing!
Well, here's the last chapter of this adventure. You will see what happens ten years later, and if Harry and Hermione will ever find some kind of happiness together, one that lasts long than one day every ten years, that is.
Harry Potter and Davy Jones' Locker
Chapter Ten: Ten Years Later
Harry was nervous. It had been ten years since he had seen Hermione the last time, and he knew his love for her had not diminished. On the contrary, if possible it had even increased.
More than once he found himself in his cabin, thinking about the good times they had together, even during the war. If he had made it out of that, it was all thanks to her, thanks to her help both on a practical level, helping him solve mysteries, and on an emotional level too, when he used to bottle all his feelings inside, after ten years at the Dursleys where he had learned to not let his emotions transpire, and she would come and tell him just what he needed, and then he would confide in her, and only her.
There had been a brief time when he had thought he could replace her with Ginny, but how mistaken he was! No one could ever top her in his heart, and he slowly learned that.
When he told Ron she was just a sister to him, he immediately thought he had made the biggest mistake of his life, but luckily it didn't work out between the redhead and Hermione.
Now, he was sailing on the Flying Dutchman toward Scotland, toward the beach where they had parted years ago, slightly anxious.
His feelings had not changed, but what about hers? Ten years are a long time. She would have found a good job, probably be head of some Department at the Ministry, he thought with a sad smile.
He had wanted to be an Auror, once. Fate denied him that, and the possibility to have a family, his biggest desire. Hermione, instead…well, she could have got herself a family, in ten years. She probably met some perfect guy who swept her off her feet, making her forget all about the raven haired best friend who was out on the sea, doing his cursed duty, waiting to be able to spend a single day on land.
He couldn't blame her, if she had married and maybe even had kids. She shouldn't waste her life waiting for him on a lonely beach.
Suddenly, Harry felt an hand on his shoulder.
"She will be there" Bootstrap told him. "I'm sure she will" he added then, looking forward toward the horizon.
"I hope you're right" Harry said, his voice slightly cracking.
Finally, the coast was in sight. They were still too far to see if someone was on the beach, but they would get there soon, and he would know.
………………….
Hermione was playing with the sand, her mind elsewhere, on that enormous flat that was the Atlantic Ocean.
She hoped Harry would come soon. They had only one day together, and she had arrived even before midnight, to make sure she was there as soon as possible.
The chest with his heart was in front of her. She had kept it safe all this time, and more than once she listened to the rhythmic beat coming from inside, with a sad smile.
Often, she would fall asleep in her bed, the chest on her side, and a contented smile on her face as sleep took her while she was thinking of Harry.
Hermione was now Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Department, and was pretty busy. However, this didn't keep her from coming. She couldn't miss the chance to see the only man she had ever truly loved.
Oh, many had tried to date her in the years. But she had always politely refused, knowing her heart would always belong to only one.
Now, as the sun was slowly starting to rise, she looked toward the sea, and finally spotted a tiny point on the horizon.
Excited, she stood up, and watched it approach fast. There was no doubt, it was the Dutchman.
……………………
Harry was on the prow, looking toward the beach with a binocular. He had caught a glimpse of movement, but was not sure. Focusing all his attention on the beach, he finally spotted her, and an huge grin spread on his lips.
He turned and met Bootstrap's eyes, twinkling madly, as to say, "I told you so"
Now he was impatient. Why couldn't the ship go faster?, he thought, frustrated.
As the ship approached the beach, Hermione could feel her heart thumping madly in her chest. She then spotted a boat being lowered, and a single man mounting on it. It was Harry, she could tell.
Ten long minutes later, he was finally ashore. After securing the boat, he ran to hug her, nuzzling her neck. She was exactly like he had left her, just a bit more grown-up looking, but the curls of brown hair reaching her shoulders were still there, just like those eyes, they were like melted milk chocolate to him, and he could drown in them. Her figure, well that had slightly changed. She was no longer a teenage girl, but a young woman now, and the curves on her body reflected that perfectly.
"You're here" he whispered, letting emotions control him, and a tear escaped his eye.
She pushed him away gently, to look into his emerald pools.
"Of course I am, silly" she said, with a smile that warmed his heart, even if it was in a chest. "Did you think I would stop loving you?" she then mock accused him.
He grinned embarrassedly. "Thought someone would come and sweep you off your feet" he mumbled, while she cupped his face with her hands, and then captured his lips in a kiss they had waited too long for.
His hands travelled on her back, then caressing her sides, till he met the swell of her right breast, and her breath hitched.
"Sorry" he apologised.
"Don't be" she breathed, bringing his hand back where it was and resuming her attack on his lips, their tongues fighting for dominance, her right hand buried into his hair and the other one resting on his shoulder.
All the passion they stored away for ten years started to pour out, and before they knew it Harry had lowered her on a flat rock, and was slowly removing her clothes, while she whimpered in anticipation of what was to come.
They made love for the first time, and both felt glorious after it.
As he pulled her close, she rested her head on his chest.
"I wish this could be forever" he said, closing his eyes.
"It will be. Even if we can see each other once in ten years, I'll never stop loving you" she said, looking up at him, and caressing his cheek.
He sighed. "Hermione, I don't want you to ruin your life waiting for me. You should find yourself a good husband and start a family with him"
"I'm not ruining my life, Harry. I'm doing exactly what I want to do. There's no one else I would start a family with"
He nodded, knowing he was not going to win that argument.
Later, they dressed again, and cuddled together, their backs resting on the same rock they had made love on, while they watched the scenery, enjoying the lunch Hermione had brought with her.
Harry had to smile at her thoughtfulness.
They say time flies when you're having a good time, and way too soon they realized the day was going to end.
"It's beautiful" he said, wistfully.
"Yeah, it is. I guess this is a really good spot to see the sun start to set" she replied, equally sad, as she knew he would have to leave soon.
Finally, he sighed, and stood up.
"Better start going, or I'll never be able to" he joked, and she swat him playfully on the arm, laughing. He stored that laugh in his brain, as he would have to remember every little thing of her, for ten long years, before he could see her again.
However, when he touched the boat to push it back into the water, a terrible wind started, and soon they could see the water of the sea rising, and forming the shape of a woman. Harry took his wand. Although lessened, he still had his magic, and he would protect Hermione even if that meant being late for going back to the ship.
Suddenly, a deep voice boomed.
"You can put that wand away, Captain Potter" it said. "It would be useless against me anyhow"
"Who are you?" Harry shouted.
"I'm the Goddess of the Sea, Calypso. I'm the one who bound Davy Jones to the Dutchman"
"You betrayed him!" Harry accused. "He loved you and you weren't there when he came back!"
"I'm not faithful, young Potter. I'm terrible, and dangerous, and easy to change my mind, just like the sea" Calypso explained. "As much as I might be sorry for my actions, anyhow, it's Jones who decided to corrupt his purpose, and so he corrupted himself" she finally stated. "But your young lady, here, no, she is faithful, and in love. She would never betray you. This is how it should have been between me and Davy Jones" the goddess mused, a bit sadly.
"What do you want then?" Harry said, knowing his time to reach the ship was growing thin.
"I'm here, because her faithfulness has saved you from your duty, Harry Potter. She has kept her promise to meet you here in ten years, and thus she released you from the curse of the Flying Dutchman"
"What about my heart?" Harry asked. "It's in the chest!"
"I guess you kept it safe, girl?" Calypso asked Hermione. The brunette nodded.
"I shall place it back where it was then" the goddess said, and the chest unlocked. Harry's heart floated out of it, and moved toward the raven haired young man, slowly entering his chest and reaching its' rightful place, not without screams of pain from Harry as the old wound from where it had been taken was reopened to allow it to go back where it belonged.
Hermione gripped his hand tightly, through the entire process, and smiled warmly at him as he caught his breath once the pain started subsiding.
"Go and enjoy your life now, Harry Potter. You have been a good captain for the Dutchman and you earned yourself a free life now"
And with that, the image of the goddess vanished, leaving the two young alone. The ship was slowly moving away, sure enough a new captain had been chosen. Harry couldn't stop thinking that Bootstrap Bill would be a perfect candidate for the role.
"It's true then? You're free?" Hermione asked, her head resting on Harry's shoulder, tears of joy pooling in her eyes.
"Seems so" Harry said, still dazed from the experience. Slowly, the consciousness of his new state reached him, so he hugged Hermione and spun her around, making her giggle.
"I'm free! I'm free! We can live together now!" he cried, and she gave him a loving smile and a nod, conveying all her love for him in those gestures. He understood, and from his eyes she knew he felt the same.
As they Apparated away, hand in hand, both knew this was just the start of a new great adventure, an adventure they would live together for many years to come.
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