Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. You really think I'd have gone with OBHWF?
A/N: So, this is my response to the challenge "The truth about Rose Weasley" by leochick. It can be found here: http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=26447 I hope you'll enjoy the story, and as usual let me know what you think of it, ok? Reviews help me improve, if there's constructive criticism in them. It starts before the epilogue, but it still follows what's portrayed there at first. Just so you know.
Rose Weasley. Or Was it Potter?
Chapter Four: Long Time Due Romance
As Harry entered the room, he gasped seeing Hermione's mid section heavily bandaged.
"Oh, come on, Harry" she teased him with a smile. "You've been in much worse conditions through the years"
"And I can tell you now that I truly understand what you went through when watching over me all those times" he replied with a smile. "It's the second time you give me a nasty scare, I hope you don't have plans to do that again" he mock chastised her then.
She rolled her eyes at him before his words really sunk in. "Harry, you shouldn't talk about that here, she might overhear you" she reminded him, oblivious about the long chat he and Rose had shared while waiting to be let in her room.
"She knows. She recognized the similarities between me and little Julie, especially the eyes. Always been a smart one, our Rose" he said fondly, taking her hand in his own. "I had to tell her or it would have made things worse"
Hermione nodded, sighing. "I hope she understands"
"Oh, she does. And she will never forget Ron as her Dad. But now she knows the truth. I even told her some things you don't know, to tell the truth" he sheepishly admitted, realizing after many years his moment to be a true Gryffindor had come again, and he was determined to not let it slip away this time.
"So, are you going to tell me or not?" Hermione huffed when he paused.
He chuckled. "Impatient, aren't we?" he teased her and she had the grace to blush. He cleared his throat then, and mustered all the bravery he was able of.
"There's something you should know about the Horcrux hunt so many years ago" he started.
When he was finished telling her what had happened when Ron had destroyed the locket, she was looking at him with a mixture of anger and awe.
Anger, because he had assumed her feelings for him were only sisterly without asking her first, and because he told Ron he loved her as a sister only.
Awe, because she deep down had a feeling he didn't tell Ron the truth and if that was the case, he must be the most selfless man on Earth.
He waited for her to say something, but she didn't, so he continued.
"I'm sorry I was a chicken back there and didn't have the guts to tell Ron the truth, but I'm doing it now. As Rose pointed out, we still have many years in front of us and I won't live them with the regret of not telling you"
Hermione was speechless. She had an idea of what he was going to say but couldn't bring herself to believe it.
"I am utterly, definitely, head over heels in love with you, Hermione Jane Granger" he finally said.
Tears pooled in her eyes, and for a moment she was assaulted by the regret of the years they could have had together. She was also aware that even if they were to get together now and live for another hundred years together, she would never be able to give him a child to raise together, and that was the main reason for the sadness enveloping her.
But the joy for having Harry return the feelings she had been harbouring since their fifth year at Hogwarts was much more intense, and so she cried, and cried. Of joy, of course.
Harry, however, didn't know that, and seeing her cry he got immediately worried.
"Hermione, I'm so sorry, I didn't want to upset you so much!" he said, and she shook her head, finally forcing herself to speak.
"I'm not upset Harry. Quite the contrary in fact, I'm overjoyed at the thought that you love me too!"
"Does this mean…?"
"Yes, Harry. I'm in love with you too. Have been since Hogwarts, in fact, but you had Ginny…"
Harry chuckled. "We have been two fools" he said, gently cupping her face with his hands. "But no more" he whispered then, mere inches from her lips, before he moved to close the gap.
Hermione was shocked at the intense sensation when their lips met for the first time. It felt so powerful, so right, and she laced her arms around his neck, kissing him back, meeting his tongue greedily with her own, in a frenzied rhythm, moaning when he sucked on her lower lip, more than three decades of hidden passion pouring from both of them as they finally found each other.
From the doorway, a figure silently observed the scene, an huge grin on her lips. As she looked at her mother and biological father kissing like there was no tomorrow, Rose couldn't help think that love truly conquered everything, even misunderstandings and fear to hurt someone close.
As she quietly left the other two to each other, she smiled to herself, proud to be a Potter.
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