VITAL NOTE: as my struggle to find a proper ending for this piece has burdened me far more than I'd like to admit-it's quite sad, actually-I have composed two endings to this piece, both of which are released and hopefully you'll, at the very least, enjoy one of these alternate endings!
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Chapter V: Because Perfection's Overrated Anyway.
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I bite my lip, watching the waves crashing and I take in a deep breath, enjoying that earthy mix of rock, sea, and my coffee-the last being an odd addition, but somehow warming and enjoyable nonetheless. I cock my head to the side as I watch the birds flying through the air-almost as if celebrating the sunrise, and what a beautiful one it is.
"Hey, what are you doing out here, why aren't you in bed?" I hear a voice interrupt me from my reverie and I turn to face him, enjoying the sight of him naked with only our sheets covering his waist. A rumpled Harry is always a sight to take great pleasure in I note with a small smile.
"Nothing much, just thinking," I tell him, moving to the left a bit so he can sit next to me on the stairs of our porch.
He laughs. "As if you don't do that enough already."
"Oi, don't be mean," I scold him lightly, smiling despite myself. "It's so beautiful."
"Yeah," he nods. "It is… but what would be even better is having you in my bed when I wake up and need you…"
I turn to him, alarmed. "You had another nightmare?"
"No… that's not the only reason I ever need you, you know. I just like having you there, love."
"So… no nightmares?" I ask, just in case.
"No," he assures me, shaking his head even to emphasize his point. "I haven't had them in a while… find that your presence seems to keep it all at bay."
"Not all the time though."
"No, but enough so it doesn't hurt like before… and he's no longer in control of my life… instead I have you to dictate everything."
I scoff. "You can be such an arse sometimes, you know that?"
"You love it," he assures me, moving to wrap an arm around me and pull me closer to him.
"I'm sorry, you know."
"What for?" he distractedly asks me as he takes my coffee from me with his other hand and takes a sip of it before cringing-I always did put an inane amount of sugar in it, I suspect it has something to do with attempting to rebel from my parents' rules in regards to sweets, albeit it's a weak one I'll admit... though who doesn't relish even those small victories?
"For not being able to help."
He turns to me, eying me oddly, almost as if I've grown a third head really. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"
"I just… I wish I had been able to help you find a cure…"
He laughs at me and I don't quite like it. "Oh don't pout, love, it's just what you said is so ridiculous. I think you've helped more than enough by just being here, staying with me despite everything. Besides… after everything I did I suppose I deserve it, I hardly warrant a clean break after what I did to Molly and Ginny-"
"But that wasn't you, it was-"
He shakes his head, stopping me before I can even begin. "Like you said all those times before, I still did it. Me, not him, he was able to manipulate me because of preexisting feelings, it was my own fault for being weak…"
"That's not true, Harry."
His frown deepens. "No, it is… but it-it's okay, I'm just thankful to have you," he admits, pulling me even closer to him, our bodies only a hairsbreadth away from one another. "I-I know… I realize that things aren't perfect, Hermione, but all that matters to me is that I have you and, if anything, I'm sorry for not being the sort of bloke you deserve."
I smile, moving even closer to him to lean my forehead against him, sending him a crooked grin as I do so. "Perfection's overrated anyway, Potter… now let's go inside and have some fun," I offer with a small wink, squeezing his arm lightly.
His expression lightens immediately at my words and he looks at me so… so lovingly that my world sits at a standstill for a moment and I am left weak kneed at the sight, everything that I'd ever wanted and more.
"Well how can a bloke say no to that one?" he huskily asks me with a smirk of his own.
"He can't," I retort cheekily before pulling him into a deep kiss, thankful for the moment, even if just a solitary one.
Fin.
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