A/N: Much shorter chapter this time, whether that's a relief or upsetting. Shameless, cavity-inducing fluff between our two favourite characters, and a promise…
Enjoy!
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WHUMP!
Harry was nearly tackled to the ground as Hermione seized him and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug worthy of Mrs. Weasley's approval.
"Oh, Harry, you did it!" she cried, sobbing into his shoulder, laughing and stealing a quick kiss on his cheek all at the same time. Both she and Harry would have liked to snog each other senseless, they both knew it, but that was impossible in front of all of these people. Their relationship was still a meticulously kept secret, and not a soul suspected a thing. Even Hermione's stolen kiss on Harry's cheek was quick enough to go thoroughly unnoticed by the cheering crowd, including the horde of Weasleys that was now enveloping the two.
It was finally over. The most difficult months that anyone had ever known were finally over, and the future looked bright for the first time in what seemed like forever. Voldemort had fallen, along with Bellatrix Lestrange and most of the Death Eaters, and those who had survived were currently being carted off to Azkaban, to wither away in the company of the Dementors for the rest of their days.
There had, of course, been losses on the good side as well. Aberforth, the last of the Dumbledore line, lay dead in the Great Hall, along with Professors Sinistra, Sprout and Snape, Lee Jordan, Dean Thomas and many other Hogwarts students - Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Slytherins alike, all of whom had fought bravely to defend themselves, Harry and the beloved Hogwarts castle. The pain of their deaths would come in time, and they would be respectfully mourned, but for now there were cheers, and there was laughter. Harry and Hermione found themselves crushed by hundreds of people, the room forming a sort of giant group hug, as witches and wizards from every house and every walk of life threw their arms around each other like best friends. Draco Malfoy was seen being held close by Professor McGonagall herself, the two wrapped in a bigger embrace by Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Lucius would be taken to Azkaban in a little while, to pay for his crimes like everyone else, but he was left to hold on to his family for just a few minutes longer, to pull them close and make sure that they were all right, before being imprisoned for the rest of his life.
Argus Filch, cradling a mewing Mrs. Norris, had been pulled into a hug by a group of students who would usually have tried to beat him over the head with a broomstick if he got within six feet of them. He had fought valiantly, especially considering the fact that he was a Squib among wizards, fighting his way through Death Eaters using "the old one-two", as Uncle Vernon would have said. Luckily for Filch, Death Eaters were not usually very brawny, relying on their magic to fight. The old caretaker might not have been a wizard, but he was surprisingly agile for his age when it came to dodging curses (perhaps it came from years and years of students trying to hex him), not to mention perfectly capable of knocking a man out with his bare hands despite his seemingly feeble build.
Tiny Professor Flitwick had popped up above the crowd, being tossed into the air and caught again by a group of laughing professors and students. It was probably thanks to him that Hogwarts castle still stood, damaged and a little shaky, but still standing tall in the light of the dawn. He laughed squeakily as he was thrown and caught again and again by the crowd, sending triumphant fireworks into the air and filling the Great Hall with bursts of coloured light.
Fred and George Weasley were seen soaring over the crowd on broomsticks that they must have found somewhere, tossing some of their Wildfire Whiz-Bangs into the air, where they joined Flitwick's magical fireworks. The air glittered with silver and gold sparks, not to mention multiples sparkling replicas of the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and even Slytherin crests (though it must be said that there were only a handful of Slytherin crests, while the sky was thick with the red and gold of Gryffindor). Their shocking pink Catherine wheels whizzed around the Great Hall, ricocheting off the walls as they went. They seemed to have charmed some of their sparklers just for the occasion, because "POTTER FOR PRESIDENT" and "POTTER POWER" were being repeatedly spelled out in silver and gold over the crowd, glittering for a few moments before fading and sure to be spelled out again in less than a minute.
Arthur and Molly Weasley were the first to hoist Harry into the air, where he was quickly joined by Hermione and Ron (though the redhead did not deserve it at all, never having returned to the tent after deserting his friends - well, ex-friends now - but he received the attention anyway because he was still perceived as Harry's best mate). The three were passed around the room as the crowd proceeded outside, into the fresh air and the sunlight. The fireworks followed, soaring high into the sky and becoming less visible in the sunshine. Fawkes was seen soaring in circles around the throng of people, singing a wonderfully triumphant song and lifting everyone's spirits even higher.
The merrymaking continued for a while, until everyone's throats were too raw to cheer anymore and their arms too tired to support the Boy-Who-Lived, his (secret) girlfriend and his friend-turned-enemy any longer. When the end of the cheering finally came, Harry, Hermione and Ron were set down and finally given a bit of peace as everyone quieted down a little and stopped giving them bone-crushing hugs. Madam Rosmerta appeared from the Three Broomsticks, levitating innumerable cases of Firewhiskey, Butterbeer and other drinks to soothe everyone's throats. The wireless from the Room of Requirement appeared and was quickly charmed to play so that everyone could hear the music at the same volume no matter how close to or far away from it they were (within about fifty feet). Madam Pomfrey set up a makeshift hospital in a corner of the Great Hall, quickly restoring the less gravely injured to good health and making sure that the more severely injured were stable enough for transport to St. Mungo's. The Death Eaters who remained were quickly rounded up and transported to Azkaban via a mass Portkey (a mask taken from one of the Death Eaters, ironically), and the wireless informed everyone that all of the darker wizards were being arrested all over the world, found trying to hide in Canada, Russia and even Australia.
The crowd spread out over the vast Hogwarts grounds and the noise level declined enough to hold a conversation without having to yell. Harry stood a little way off from the people, under the tree that he had often sat under with his friends, the one where his father and the rest of the Marauders had once sat together. He surveyed the crowd with a smile on his face, feeling light as a feather (the copious amounts of Firewhiskey might have helped a little). He was gazing happily into space when he suddenly found himself knocked to the ground by someone a little smaller than he was. He probably would have yelled in surprised had he not recognized his attacker's laugh as he was quickly tackled and blinded by their hands over his eyes.
"Guess who?" giggled the voice.
"Er… Merlin?" Harry guessed.
"No!" the voice laughed. "Guess again."
"'Mione, love, I know it's you," Harry chuckled.
The hands were lifted from his glasses and Hermione's grinning face came into focus, looking down at him from his left.
"Boo," she said.
"I'm terrified."
"You should be," she said with a giggle, helping him to his feet, "if I can tackle you that easily."
"No fair," he pouted, "I was spacing out, not to mention that I might be a little drunk."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Lay off the Firewhiskey, love," she said, giving him a shove and chuckling as he nearly fell over. "I mean it. I don't feel like kissing a drunk guy."
"Mmm… well, if there's kissing involved, I might consider your proposal," said Harry as he slowly managed to steady himself.
"Darn right you'll consider it," she said, "it's an order."
He stuck his tongue out at her. "I don't have to listen to you, I'm Harry Potter!" he exclaimed happily, throwing his arms in the air and nearly making himself fall over.
She eyed him sternly. "If you ever, ever want there to be kissing involved again, you'll listen to me, Harry Potter," she told him, crossing her arms.
"Aw, that's not fair," said Harry, "don't deprive me of what I need most, 'Mione."
Hermione's expression softened. "Promise me that you won't drink any more Firewhiskey and you can have a kiss."
Harry grinned. "All right, no more Firewhiskey."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Good," she said. Then, with an evil grin, she gave him the quickest peck on the cheek that he had ever gotten and skipped away, giggling madly. Harry deduced that she must be a little tipsy as well, and chased after her, intending to get a proper kiss. He caught up with her in a few strides, tackling her behind yet another tree and holding her arms to the ground.
"I want my kiss," he said.
"I gave it to you already," she said, giggling and trying to wriggle out of his grip.
"I want a real one."
"That was a real one!" she giggled.
"You're a crook, did you know that?"
"Yup."
"Well, you're not getting away with it this time," he told her, and he pressed his lips to hers. She pulled away playfully.
"You've had your kiss," she insisted, trying to squirm away from him again.
"I want another one, then."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Promise me something else if you want another kiss."
"What should I promise?"
"Anything."
"I promise I'll stop asking for kisses," he offered.
She seemed to consider that. "OK," she agreed. He grinned and pressed his lips against hers again. She kissed him back for a few moments before pulling away.
"OK, you've had your kiss. Someone might see us if we keep this up," she warned.
"I don't care," Harry said, grinning. He flopped onto the grass beside her with his arms and legs splayed haphazardly. "I love Hermione Jane Granger and I don't care who knows it!" he said happily.
"Harry, you are adorable when you're smashed, did you know that?" she asked, resting her head on his arm instead of on the ground.
"And yet you won't let me have more Firewhiskey."
"Only because you're going to give yourself alcohol poisoning if you keep drinking."
He snapped his fingers a little clumsily. "Right. Forgot about that."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "My boyfriend the idiot."
"The adorable idiot," said Harry.
"I suppose. Thank Merlin you're an excellent kisser or I'd have nothing to do with you."
"Right," said Harry. "That's the only reason you stick with me?" he asked, prodding her side. She squirmed in protest.
"Stop it, you're tickling me! And yes, I only stick around for the kissing."
Harry leaned over so that he was looking down at her. "Well, I'd like to keep you around." He kissed her again. She waited only a moment before she pulled away.
"You promised-"
"That I wouldn't ask," Harry said with a sly grin. Hermione rolled her eyes and poked him in the chest. He evaded any more poking by lying back on the grass.
"You're a crook," she said.
"I learned from the best."
"I want another promise as a trade for that kiss," she said.
"I want another kiss as a trade for another promise as a trade for that kiss," he countered.
"I want another promise in exchange for a kiss as a trade for the promise that you owe me for that kiss," she said. She was less drunk that he was and therefore more capable of remembering this sort of sequence.
Harry's eyes rolled up towards the sky as he tried to remember how to phrase his argument. "I want another kiss in exchange for the promise that I owe you for… For Merlin's sake, just kiss me already!" he exclaimed, trying to press his lips to hers.
She put a finger on his lips. "Promise first, then I might consider giving you another kiss. We've already risked being seen… er… four times this morning, I think," she reminded him, pausing to try to remember how many times they had kissed. "It's not a good idea to keep it up. We're going to get caught."
Harry looked thoughtful. "I've thought of a promise."
"What is it?"
He smiled at her. "I promise to tell everyone about 'us' as soon as I'm sober enough to think straight."
Hermione's eyes brightened. "You'll tell them?"
"Of course I'll tell them," he said.
"You're not just saying that because you're drunk, are you?"
Harry shook his head. "Not a chance."
Hermione looked doubtful.
"I promise I'll tell them," he repeated. "Really. I'll tell everyone that I am very, very much in love with you and that we're together, whether they like it or not."
"Really?" she asked. "You'll tell them all of that?"
"I promise," he repeated. "Though I might not tell them in those exact words," he added thoughtfully.
She pulled him closer. "You know, I think you might get that kiss."
He smiled. "Good. But I'll tell them anyway, even if I don't get it. I said it before: I love Hermione Jane Granger and I don't care who knows it."
She smiled as well and lightly pressed her lips to his. "And I love Harry James Potter and I don't care who knows it, as long as he does."
"He certainly does," said Harry.
"Good," she said. "But I guess he won't be the only one, soon enough."
Harry nodded. "Tomorrow, love. I promise."