Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Harry lay back on his bed, finally relaxing after his final stand-off with Voldemort. After the long day…no…three fucking years he'd had, he felt as if he deserved the rest. He'd stayed with the Weasleys for hours, comforting them in their time of grief, and then he'd owled Andromeda Tonks, promising to visit her soon. He had to see Teddy; he was the only family he had left. Lupin dying had eliminated his last connection to the Marauders, thus cutting off his ties to his parents.

He turned on his side, grimacing at the charred smell of his clothes. Of course, nothing he could do would make the smell any better. The smell of death lingered around them all, especially him. Harry doubted it he'd ever get rid of that memory. Everyone thought that he'd feel free once he killed Voldemort, but he didn't; didn't they understand? He had killed! Who cared who he had killed? People didn't go to war, kill the enemy, and come out unscathed. Harry didn't ask to take on the task of killing the dark wizard who had killed his parents and countless others; he'd have gladly given the job over to a more willing soul.

"Harry? Are you in here?" Harry burrowed down into the burnt-smelling pillow, praying that whoever was calling him would just walk on past the closed curtains of his bed. He just wanted to be alone right now.

"Harry?" Wait. That voice…Harry opened his curtains to find a tear-stained face on the other side. "Thank Merlin! I've been looking all over the castle for you!"

"Ginny…I…uh, I was letting your family be together. Plus, I just needed…"

Ginny shook her head, letting her red locks flow around her shoulder. "You don't need to be alone right now, Harry. I want to be here for you."

Harry's brows furrowed at this. "But…your family…"

"They're fine. I told them I was going to come find you. We're all worried about you, Harry."

"Don't worry about me, Ginny. I'm fine."

"Well, as true as that may be, I want to be with you right now. I want to be happy for a while."

Tough shit, honey. Not much happier on this front. However, he kept his mouth closed and nodded, allowing Ginny this. He did still have feelings for Ginny, although they weren't quite as strong as they had been last year. His sore muscles, stiff from the extensive battle and months sleeping in a tent, protested as the redhead curled up in his arms, but he didn't say a word.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"What happens now? Where will you go now that you've defeated him?"

Harry thought about her question. His answer, now that he considered it, depended on the one asking. If Ron had asked, he'd probably have immediately chuckled and thrown out some ridiculous suggestion that included professional Quidditch or something along those lines. For Hermione…well…that thought derailed for a moment. He had no idea what he would tell his brunette friend. It probably depended on what she was going to do. For Ginny...well, this seemed like a loaded question that could explode on him at any time.

"Well, I don't know, Ginny. I think I just want to relax for a while, weigh my options, talk to Hermione and…"

"Hermione? Why would she matter? Why would what she has to say have any bearing on your future?" By now, Ginny was sitting up, looking down at the raven-haired Boy-Who-Won, or whatever the hell they were calling him today.

Irate, he answered, "Ginny, you didn't let me finish. I was going to say Hermione and Ron, but since you want to be like that…"

Ginny shook her head. "I'm sorry, Harry. I…I'm just tense, and I care about you, you know?"

Harry sighed. "I just want to take a nap, Ginny. Can I do that?"

"Sure, Harry. Just lie here…"

Harry was back in the tent, laying on the cot that Hermione had just abandoned to take the second watch. Since Ron had left, they split the watch four ways so that neither of them had to had to watch for too long.

He was half-asleep, never fully sleeping while Hermione was outside of the tent, when he heard the tent open and footsteps make their way next to his bed. Harry kept his eyes closed, knowing from the smell of the shampoo she had made sure to pack in that amazing beaded bag of hers that Hermione had knelt by his bed. He couldn't fault her; he had done the same many nights: abandoned his post just to come in and watch her sleep, make sure she was still there and breathing. They had to watch out for each other, right?

What he didn't expect were the tears that began to hit his arms. He heard her quick intake of breath when she realized they were falling on him, but when she went to rid his skin of the evidence of the emotions that she had thought she had hidden from him, he grabbed her hand gently.

Without opening his eyes, he questioned, "What's so terrible that you can't even share it with me, Hermione?"

Another intake of breath, this one more shuddering than the last. More droplets on his skin. "Oh, Harry! I didn't know you were awake!"

He finally opened his eyes, meeting hers immediately. They were red; obviously she had been crying a while. "That's apparent. Otherwise, you would have stayed outside and kept this to yourself." Sitting up and pulling her in beside him, he asked, "What's wrong? I mean, what else is wrong?"

Shooting a wry smile at him through her tears, she just shook her head. "It's just that I can't help but think that this is wearing you down for nothing, Harry. Why can't we let someone else do this while you prepare for your final confrontation with him? I mean, I'll volunteer and do it myself, but you should be getting fed, sleeping in a warm bed…"

Harry stopped her. "What the hell brought this on, Hermione?"

"You don't think I know that you take your two watches at night, and then you lie in here and listen out for me during mine? You're constantly moving about, never eating more than a mouse; I don't see how you're still alive, Harry! The snake's going to kill you without having to lift a bloody finger!" Tears came back to her eyes quickly, drawing the breath from Harry as he took note of what she was saying.

"You're not much better. You never take more than what you need, Hermione, so why should I?"

"Because the wizarding world needs you, Harry Potter, not me! I need you, you git! I need you alive, and you're sitting here killing yourself by being all noble and heroic! There's nothing heroic about starving yourself!"

Harry took only three words from that entire spiel. "You need me?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "Well…yes, I need you, Harry. You're my best friend."

They sat there for a few minutes in silence, and then, "You know I love you right?"

Hermione's brown eyes widened as they turned to Harry. "What?"

Harry shrugged. "I love you. You're the only one who's ever shown me true devotion, Hermione. I was reading up on love during my last stay at the Dursleys', and there are many different types of love. Platonic, the type between siblings, romantic…but you know, there's just no definition to give meaning to the type I feel for you."

Hermione was frozen. "Harry…that…" Harry had said it all so matter-of-factly that she was curious as to how he did feel about her. "Harry, what does that mean?"

"It means that I need you just as much as you need me, Hermione Granger. I've never seen our relationship as a romance. It's just weird right now. We read each other well enough we could be siblings, but Hermione, I've felt things toward you that no brother should ever feel toward his sister. Of course, I am seventeen years old, so that explains a lot. However, you're never going to be just someone else to me; I thought Ron would be right up there with you, but he's deserted me one time too many. You haven't. Like I said, Hermione, I need you in my life. Always. Somehow, someway."

With that, Hermione smiled a bit, leaning toward Harry, saying, "Well, after that, I guess I love you too, Harry. I'm going to have a lot of forgiving to go through with Ron Weasley if he ever comes back. You, though we've had our ups and downs, you've always been there, and Harry, I still need you, although I think I've said that once tonight."

Harry nodded, moving even closer to Hermione. "Gods, I need you," he muttered before kissing Hermione roughly on her lips. He truly hadn't realized just how much her presence had affected him until she had moved closer to him in the bed, but just being near her was clouding up his head.

Hermione, shocked by the roughness of the kiss, recovered quickly, knowing that both of them needed this…this contact with each other, this confirmation that the other would always be there. She knew that having Harry Potter as her first would not be gentle, but she was okay with that.

Because it was cold in the tent, the two were dressed heavily. However, it took very little time to get each other down to the bare necessities. Soon, Harry was in his boxers kneeling over a very flushed Hermione, who was down to her sensible bra and knickers.

"Come on, Harry. You're taking too long."

Harry grinned. Just like Hermione, he'd known this first time would not be gentle and caring; hunting a dark wizard did not leave time for gentleness, even if it was with your best friend.

As she cast a contraceptive spell, Harry began to kiss down Hermione's stomach, removing her bra and knickers as he went. He quickly removed his own boxers, freeing his erection as he bent down again, taking her left nipple in his mouth and rubbing the head of his dick against her clit.

A shudder passed through her as she moaned, "Gods, Harry." With this, she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him close, forcing his shaft even closer to her opening.

Not even asking for her assurance, her actions permission enough, Harry bent down and kissed Hermione, roughly forcing himself inside her, breaking through her barrier in one single thrust. As the pain ripped through her, she bit his lip, bringing blood. He kept his lips on hers anyway, but he stilled his movements just a moment, allowing her to adjust to him.

"Okay, Harry. I'm ready."

That's all he needed. Nature took over, and animal instinct reacted in the two of them. The teenagers clung to each other as Harry's cock continuously found that one place that Hermione had never known about; she didn't want to ever forget that euphoria ever existed. She tried to hold off her orgasm, having always heard about the "magic" of finishing with one's partner, but after just a few minutes, her walls clinched around Harry's cock with a vengeance that surprised both teenagers.

The feel of her orgasm fueled Harry's fire, and he began fucking Hermione harder than she thought she could take. However, she held on, and just as Harry let go, another orgasm took her by surprise; the tent was filled with their mutual cries of exhilaration and satisfaction.

Harry collapsed on Hermione, exhausted, but deliriously happy. She turned to him, smiling before settling in his arms and falling asleep.

Harry awoke, feeling a breeze on his apparently erection. He looked up expectantly, a bit disoriented in his whereabouts. Night had fallen, and he was still in the bed he'd claimed in Gryffindor Towers. He looked down, after his dream, expecting to find waves of brown hair taking care of his "needs," but instead seeing red…Weasley red. Ginny. Of course Hermione wouldn't be here …not after she and Ron…

"Ginny…ah…what….are you doing?" Even though he'd prefer his best friend, he couldn't deny a beautiful girl going down on him didn't feel good.

Ginny looked up. "What does it look like I'm doing? You had a problem…I'm taking care of it…" She grinned devilishly. "Although, I'd like to know what you were doing in that dream of yours that resulted in this."

Harry blushed, thinking back on his dream…well, memory…of him and Hermione. Had he really done that with his best friend?

Ginny had apparently decided that he'd thought enough. She took her top off and climbed up to kiss him. "Harry, I need you."

Somehow, that was enough to take him back to the night in the tent, back to the night before Ron had returned to them and totally reconfigured his and Hermione's relationship. She had, of course, forgiven their best friend, and Harry, in turn, had had no choice but to follow along. His and Hermione's physical relationship had come to an abrupt halt very quickly. The three were captured soon after that, and the chance to figure out themselves soon took a backseat to Harry finding the final horcruxes and defending Hogwarts.

When they had returned to the school, Harry had seen Hermione's eyes when had enthusiastically greeted Ginny, but he had not had a chance to really talk to her because the battle had commenced. Hermione had known that Harry had followed Ginny's dot on the Marauder's Map for months, wishing that he could be back at the school protecting the one he had left behind. What she hadn't realized, however, was that since that night, even though he had watched the map, he hadn't just watched Ginny; he was keeping watch on Snape and the other Death Eaters. He had an idea that his friends had been tortured from the time they had spent in the presence of the Carrows. However, he never corrected Hermione's views. They knew where they stood, or at least they did in his eyes.

Now, though, he was seeing, not the red-headed Quidditch player who had driven him mad sixth year, but the brown-eyed, bookish brunette who had won his affection over the last seven years of his life. He re-lived the night in the tent, throwing the girl back on the bed, muttering a contraception charm, just as Hermione had done that night. He already had one child to take care of; he wasn't prepared for another right now.

Jerking his companion's pants down, he kissed down her stomach, ignoring the patch of red hair where brown should be. He purposefully avoided his partner's face, knowing that once he saw those eyes and that red hair, his vision would be broken, and he couldn't follow through with what he was about to do. Harry kissed the girl's clit, enjoying the sound of her moans as he licked down her wet slit.

"Fuck me, Harry!"

That almost broke Harry's concentration. Hermione would never have used that language. He had seen her break down and use some course language, but never that. However, he shook his head and moved up and buried his head in her neck, never looking in her eyes. With a quick thrust, he entered her, realizing quickly that he was not the first man. Nevertheless, he used this knowledge to pick up speed quickly, making sure to hit her clit with every single downward thrust. Soon, the body under him was writhing.

"Harry! I'm cumming!"

Harry felt his own release approaching, and as his balls clenched, he did the unthinkable.

Hermione Granger was walking into the Gryffindor common room with Ron. They had been talking to McGonagall about ways to help build back the school, and Hermione had even taken the new headmistress to the side and asked her how she could help Harry. She had resigned herself to a future of being the best friend who had just been there for Harry in a time of need, a time of weakness.

She had to accept the facts; Harry would end up with Ginny Weasley, and there was nothing she could do about it. Ever since Ron had returned to them in the Forest of Dean, Harry had backed off as if Ron's mere presence was enough to remind him of what he left behind. And when he'd seen Ginny…Hermione knew then that she'd just given Harry what he'd needed, and he'd returned the favor.

But what if I need him more than just that one time? Ever since that night, Hermione had felt like she had gotten a taste of heaven, and to have it taken from her by Ginny Weasley, well, that was not acceptable! But, if that's what Harry needs now…

She thought back to her kiss with Ron during the battle and Harry's reaction. He seemed…well…annoyed.

Of course he was annoyed! It was in the middle of the battle, and he was about to fight Voldemort, you twit! However, after that kiss, Ron had refused to let her out of his sight, and she hadn't been able to find Harry after he had talked to them immediately after the battle. She had seen him with the Weasleys, but after that, he had disappeared, and Ron and his mother had kept quite a hold on her since.

"Ron, I'm going to check the dorms; wait here, will you?"

Ron looked confused. "It's the boys' dorms; I'll go with you."

Hermione sighed, but she didn't want to get into an argument tonight; she was too tired. The pair walked up the stairs, and as they were nearing the top, she heard the unmistakable sounds of a couple having rough sex in one of the beds. She was about to tell Ron they needed to turn around when she heard it.

"Harry, I'm cumming!"

That bitch! She sunk her claws into him as soon as the battle was over! Hermione was fuming, and could barely keep her wand from setting the curtain's around the couple's bed on fire when Ron whispered in her ear,

"Is that Ginny?"

Hermione held her hand up in his face, ready to confront the two when she heard it:

"HERMIONE!"

Harry collapsed, exhausted. He looked up sleepily, expecting to see a pair of equally dreamy, chocolately brown eyes, but he instead saw a surprisingly fiery pair of bright gold glaring down at him.

"WHO did you call me?"

Harry knew what he'd done immediately, and he hurriedly jerked on his boxers and jeans. "Gods, Ginny, you…you fucking wake me up with a bloody blow job, and you expect me to be in my right mind?"

"But of the two of us, you call her name? What the hell went on while you were off together, Harry? I thought you were coming back to me, not off screwing that whore!"

Harry thought he heard a movement outside the curtains, but he couldn't take the time to care right then. "What did you call her?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.

Obviously, Ginny missed the dangerous undertone. "A whore! She knew we were together, that you were coming home to me, and yet she seduced you anyway!"

"You hold on just a damn minute, Ginevra Weasley. First of all, who's the whore? You threw yourself on me as soon as I dropped Voldemort and you could get away from your family! Your brother died, Ginny, yet you came up here and jumped on my dick, and I, in a moment of weakness, let you! Second of all, and most importantly, if you ever, ever, think about calling Hermione Granger a whore or any other degrading name ever again, no hex or curse you can think of will be strong enough to counter the one you'll be on the receiving end of!"

Ginny gritted her teeth and grabbed her shirt and pants, throwing them on quickly. Harry held up his hand.

"No, you go ahead and stay here. I'll find somewhere else; I've worn out my welcome in Gryffindor Towers as it is." Harry grabbed his shirt, threw it on, and opened the curtains. He stalked down the stairs, only to be met with a tearful Hermione and an angry Ron.

"What's going on here?" Harry looked between his two friends.

Hermione looked into the fire that had been built recently. "Obviously not as much as is going on in the towers."

Harry blanched. "You…you heard that?"

Ron's ears were Weasley red. "Every word, mate." He looked between Hermione and Harry. "What the bloody hell did go on between the two of you while I was gone?"

Before Harry could answer, Hermione spoke up quietly. "None of your bloody business, Ron Weasley."

Ron's face turned to match his ears. "What?"

Hermione stood up. "I said it's none of your bloody business! You left! Why should you be privy to what went on while you were off God knows where just because it got too hard? We weren't moving fast enough for you, so you fucking left, Ron! That's why it's none of your business! If Harry and I shagged each other every night from the time you left until the time you returned, guess what? It's…none…of…your…fucking…business!"

Harry's eyes widened, as did his grin, at Hermione's tirade. Ron's head looked ready to blow off.

"But…but I thought we…?"

"We? We, Ron? I bloody kissed you in the heat of the battle for having a thoughtful moment, and you haven't let me be since!"

Ron's hands tightened into fists, his left around his wand, as he turned to Harry. "You feel the same way, mate?"

"About kissing you? I haven't kissed you, mate."

"You know bloody well what I mean!"

"About it not being any of your business about what Hermione and I did after you deserted us? Oh yeah. I agree wholeheartedly. I…uh…think Ginny would like some company upstairs. She's not too happy with me right now."

Ron seethed for a moment more before stomping off toward the boys' dorms. Harry turned to Hermione, who had walked toward the window and was looking out into the night sky.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you call my name while you were with Ginny?" Hermione's voice was still scratchy from yelling at Ron.

Harry's hand rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, she told me she needed me, and it took me back to that night in the tent. It was like I wasn't even shagging her, because that's all it was, a shag. It was like I was back with you, and it felt like if I didn't look at her, I could pretend it was you."

Hermione turned to look at Harry. "Why did you want to pretend it was me? Ginny's much prettier than I am, Harry."

Harry walked up to Hermione and shook his head. "But I didn't need it to be Ginny. I needed you, Hermione. I've needed you for a long time, and I feel like I'm going to keep needing you for a lot longer."

Hermione's eyebrow quirked. "For sex?"

"No, silly. But that is a perk, right?"

She laughed and wrapped her arms around Harry. "I know McGonagall will be fine with us being here, but I don't particular care to deal with angry Weasleys tonight. Any idea where we could go?"

"Let's go talk to the headmistress. Maybe she could find us another space, at least for tonight. We could go visit Andromeda and Teddy tomorrow."

"That sounds wonderful, Harry. Come on; we need to really talk about this whole Ginny situation anyway."

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 1.2.7

-->