Disclaimer: Since I'm not a RHr shipper, I'm not JK Rowling. Thus, HP is not mine, unfortunately.
A/N: Well, I got an email proposing me a challenge, and I found the idea fun to do, so here I am. Beware, though, this will involve lots of smut, and when I say lots, I mean it, lol. So, without further useless chatter, here it is!
Thanks to my beta Gingercat! And sorry for the delay, I've been pretty busy these days…
Depressed? No, Aroused!
Chapter Fourteen: Epilogue
As all good things do, Harry's summer at the Grangers was bound to end, and so before he knew it, he found himself packing his trunk on the night before their trip to King's Cross to catch the Hogwarts Express. Hermione had already packed hers that afternoon, with some help from Harry.
Now she was returning the favour, and helping him fold his clothes.
"Honestly, I can't understand why boys have to be so untidy and always leave their clothes in a mess!" she protested as she put a couple shirts in the trunk.
She squealed as Harry's arms snuck around her waist, and pulled her against his chest.
"I don't know about others, but in my case, I know I'm lucky to have such a beautiful girlfriend helping me to put them in order" he huskily whispered in her ear, making her shiver.
"Harry…we need to finish this…" she protested, quite lamely to tell the truth, but before she could protest further Harry turned her in his embrace, and kissed her softly.
Their tongues met in a slow dance, by now accustomed to each other, they took it slow, enjoying every single moment of the kiss, Harry's hand massaging her nape, sending sweet thrills down her spine. She moaned softly against his lips.
When they finally parted, Harry rested his forehead on hers.
"How do you think the others will take the news?" he asked. He had been a bit worried about Ron's reaction, because he knew the redhead fancied Hermione. He just hoped this wouldn't cause a new rift between them like in fourth year.
"You're worried about Ron, right?" Hermione asked back, knowing perfectly well what was bothering him.
"Yeah" Harry admitted.
"Well, I hope he's mature enough to have understood by now that I'm not interested in him, but in case he isn't and he blows up, he will have to face my wrath" she said, smiling. Harry knew she meant it, and chuckled.
"I'm sure he will behave then" he teased her, and she stuck her tongue out at him.
"I believe we have a trunk we need to pack, Mr. Potter" she said, turning back to the bed where his clothes were waiting to be folded.
Sighing, he joined her in the annoying task.
--
The next morning Harry trudged down the stairs to the kitchen to have breakfast, still quite sleepy. He wasn't used to waking up so early anymore.
"Good morning Harry" Hermione's mother greeted him. "The first day back at school is always hard, uh?" she said with a smile placing a plate with eggs and bacon in front of him.
"Thanks" he said. "Yes, the start of the year is always hard, especially so this year because it means this wonderful holiday is over" he said, with a look at Hermione who blushed the tiniest bit. Her mother smiled warmly at the two teens.
Once breakfast was done, Harry hurried up to get dressed, just like Hermione, as they would be leaving in a hour. Hermione's parents would be driving them to the station in their car.
--
The trip to King's Cross was pretty uneventful, with relaxed chat between the two adults and the teenagers, and the usual recommendations once the four were in the station. Tom and Cathleen couldn't go to Platform 9 and ¾ so they said goodbye there. Cathleen hugged Harry tightly, he was now like a son to her, and Tom did too, suggesting to him to keep his baby safe and happy.
"Daddy!" Hermione protested, blushing a bit.
"Don't worry, sir. I'll do all that's in my power to keep her happy and safe" Harry promised, and after a last round of goodbyes, the two teens pushed their carts through the barrier and found themselves on the familiar platform.
"Do you think they are on the train already?" Harry asked, referring to Ron, Ginny and their friends.
"Luna and Neville, maybe, but the Weasleys? When have they arrived sooner than the last five minutes before the train's departure?" Hermione joked, and Harry had to laugh.
"Well, let's start putting our trunks on the train then" he suggested. As predicted, there was no trace of the Weasleys yet, but they found Luna and Neville in a compartment toward the end of the train.
"Hi Harry, Hermione. Did you have a nice summer?" Neville asked. Before the two teens could reply, Luna's voice answered the question.
"Of course they did, Neville. They are together now" she said in that airy tone that was typically Luna.
"What? How…" Neville sputtered, and Harry and Hermione regarded the blonde with curiosity too.
"It's pretty easy to see, just look at their hands" the Ravenclaw replied, without looking up from her Quibbler.
And she was right. Unconsciously, Harry and Hermione were holding hands, and their fingers were entwined. Both blushed realizing just how natural the gesture had become for them, but before anyone could say another word, they heard Molly Weasley bellowing on the platform, urging Ron and Ginny to hurry so that they wouldn't miss the train.
Harry exchanged a look with Hermione, who nodded at him to reassure him that everything would be ok. The two of them called Ron and Ginny from the window so that the redheads would know where to find them, and then they sat next to each other.
A couple minutes later, the door of the compartment opened to let Ron and Ginny in. Once their trunks were safely stowed away, Ron collapsed on an empty seat.
"I swear I hate the start of the year. Not the feast, of course, but having to wake up early, the rush to catch the train…I hate it!" he complained, while Ginny rolled her eyes.
"So, Harry, Hermione, how was your summer?"
"Well, to tell the truth, it was pretty exciting" Hermione said with a smile on her lips, while looking at Harry who couldn't help grinning back as his mind went back to all the wonderful experiences of that holiday, most of which involved him, Hermione and sex in various forms.
Ginny wasn't stupid, and so she easily caught their meaning. "You two got together!" she excitedly shouted, and both Harry and Hermione's eyes looked worriedly at Ron.
After a moment of shock, the redhead realized his friends were watching him anxiously, and he chuckled.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to blast the compartment to bits" he joked. "I had realized I had no chance with Hermione anyway, so I'm not angry. Only shocked because I didn't know you two fancied each other" he said. "Just try and not turn every moment we are together in a snog fest otherwise I'm going to be sick" he joked, and Hermione stuck her tongue out at him.
Harry released the breath he was holding, and grinned back. "You know, if you moved your lazy arse and found yourself a girlfriend" he said, sneaking a glance at Luna, "we could always double date on Hogsmeade weekends"
Ron followed his glance, and noticed Luna. He had to admit she was growing to be a really pretty girl. Plus, she was blonde with blue eyes, and he had always thought blondes were pretty. She was a bit loony, so what? At least he wouldn't have to fight every moment with her because of his Quidditch talk and his eating habits.
Yeah, Luna could be a nice girlfriend for him.
"You know what? I'm hungry" he said, as the train was just now leaving London. "Luna, why don't you come with me to search for the cart lady?"
The blonde looked up, blushing, almost surprised that he had talked to her. "Me?" she asked, maybe for the first time without that imperturbable expression they all had learned to see on her face.
"Yes, you" Ron said with a smile.
"I'd love to" she said, looking down, and closing her magazine. A moment later, the two of them were outside the compartment, walking in the corridor.
"I think she might be great for him" Ginny said with a smile.
Hermione and Harry nodded, grinning, relieved that their friendship with Ron was safe. As the brunette rested her head on Harry's shoulder, he looked outside at the passing scenery, and swore to himself that he would win the war. He had too much still to live for to let Voldemort win.
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