December 5th, 1998
Hogwarts -Hermione's rooms
Harry Potter
Harry stared at the door to Hermione's new room, trying to rid himself of a feeling he couldn't quite name. One that stopped him from knocking, he knew that once he did, she would smile at him and open the door. She would be happy to see him.
Before he could touch the door knob, the door was flung open and Hermione grabbed his hand to pull him into the room.
"Why have you been standing there, the ward told me you were there like three minutes ago." She looked around the hallway making sure no one was about. "I thought you were talking with someone. Hurry I need your help."
"How can I help?" He looked around the room, before his attention was abruptly jerked back to Hermione, when she spun around and lifted her shirt up halfway. "Hermione."
His voice came out strange, he cleared his throat, watching her shift impatiently.
"Harry are you listening to me! Please, it itches! Scratch, scratch!"
Oh. He blushed and scratched her back.
"Oh Merlin that's it! More towards the middle!" She gave a shiver and a little moan, her skin prickling with goosebumps as he lightly dragged his fingernails down the middle of her back.
They both froze, Harry with his hands up he back of her shirt, his fingertips resting lightly against her skin.
He stared down at where his hands rested under her shirt, and instead of pulling them out, flattened his hands against her skin. He could just slide his hands forward wrapping around her to hug her close.
Hermione stepped away, his hands falling off her, and he quickly moved his bag in front of him, feeling the heat in his cheeks. She turned around opening her mouth and then paused looking at his face then the awkward way the bag was held in front of him.
"Oh." Then her face turned as red as his. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"
He gave her a half smile. "I know. Where should I put my things? I brought some things for you too."
She showed him over to an armoire against a wall. "I have a bed in here that we can resize when you come and then you can use the space for your things."
He pulled out a miniature trunk, resizing it and opening it to dig through book and clothes before he found the small black palm sized notebooks he needed. Then gestured her to the couch so he could show her.
He gave her one watching her flip through the blank pages, then look back at him questioningly. He smiled and held up his hand summoning a quill, before writing a message in the notebook.
She gave a small gasp when hers vibrated gently and opened it to the first page.
I wanted to make sure we could communicate whenever, immediately. The notebooks are charmed to sync and vibrate when a message is written.
"Wow! This is great Harry!" She smiled excitedly grabbing the quill from his hand and scribbling in hers. A second later there was a vibration in the notebook he held in his hand.
Thank you. You're the best!
The met each other's eyes and smiled. The moment stretched out and their smiles faded. Harry could see the faint shadows under her eyes and the stress. He reached out and plucked the notebook from her hand laying both their books on the table in front of them before turning and grabbing her hands, stroking his fingers along hers.
"Can you tell me what's bothering you?" She gave a soft sigh and seemed to deflate slightly, leaning back against the couch.
She shot him a small wry smile. "I just thought my redo of seventh year would be kind of … quiet?"
He squeezed her hand. "Is there anything I can do to make it better?"
She shook her head giving a sigh. He leaned closer to her, letting the sides of their heads touch. "Can you tell me what happened?"
"I'll sound whiny." She made a face.
"You'll sound like someone confiding in their best friend."
She gave a small nod of acknowledgement at that. "Ron flooed me yesterday."
She paused and it took every inch of willpower Harry had not to prompt her to continue. She moved her head so she could glance at him. "I'm worried about him, he's always…" She grimaced. "He's always been jealous of you, and now with this – its like a nightmare of his come true and he's not handling it well.
Ron had acted like an absolute git the past three days since they found out Hermione was pregnant. Harry was at a point where he had zero sympathy for Ron's 'jealousy' issues, but he knew that wasn't something Hermione wanted to hear so he swallowed it down and from what Ron had said to him he had a strong suspicion Ron used the same arguments with Hermione.
"We all had our plans and paths Hermione, it wasn't just Ron that thrown off his, and he's behaving like its about him when its not."
"I just don't want to hurt him more than he is, but I can't make him understand that I need to think about this- I need time."
I could make him understand.
Harry cleared his throat, working on making himself sound reasonable. "I can talk to him for you. Don't let anything he says make you worry, you know how he is when he's angry- always mouthing off then regretting it later."
"You're right. Okay. Maybe that will help."
He waited but she fell silent again. "Hermione….." He drew out her name in a whiny tone giving her a small smile. "What else happened? You were upset before that, when we were on the floo call together on Wednesday."
She took a deep breath, that caught a little, her fingers tightening on his. Her words came out in a rush, tumbling over each other. "I resigned my head girl position. Madam Pomfrey told me witches basically can't cast in the last trimester of pregnancy. Ginny accused me of stealing you away form her."
His eyes widened. "Hermione!"
Harry didn't know where to start, he grabbed her pulling her close and squeezing her tight trying to comfort her. She gave a small shudder.
"Shit! I'm going to cry! Dammit!" She muttered angrily into his chest as tears started leaking from the corners of her eyes.
Harry stroked her hair, already trying to think of how to alleviate each concern, at least he had an answer for the worst one. Easiest first.
"Ginny is a barmy bint. I broke up with her even before I knew you were pregnant, and I should have never gotten with her in the first place. It was easy to fall into a relationship with her and I was lonely. Even if you choose not to be with me that way, and we're just friends for the rest of our lives, I would never be with Ginny Weasley again. Okay?"
She nodded against his shirt, her tears leaving a damp trail. "Okay."
She resigned her Head Girl position. Merlin's pants, she always wanted to be Head Girl, even as a first year her eyes would get all shiny when she talked about eventually becoming one.
"Why did you resign as Head Girl? Did McGonagall say something about it when I was out of the room?"
Her hand had drifted to his side, and moved absently in a stroking motion, as if she was comforting herself by touching him. The same way she had held on to his hand while she had walked him out on Tuesday.
She shrugged. "How could I keep the position? I won't be able to hide the pregnancy for long and when they find out they're going to wonder who the father is. Am I going to waddle with a huge stomach after first years trying to help keep them in line or set an example?"
Harry tried to focus on the head girl concerns, but it felt like that statement threw him for a loop.
"You're not going to tell them it's mine?"
"No."
"I-" His voice cut off. She looked up and her eyes widened, both hands coming up to frame his face.
"Harry don't make that face!" Her hands wiggled his cheeks, and he pulled away abruptly, upset. "No one needs to know our business, Harry! As soon as they know its you there's going to be press and just a lot of attention that we don't need while we figure things out for ourselves."
"Right, logical."
She doesn't want people to know its my baby.
They needed to figure things out, she was right.
She doesn't want to marry me.
It would be easier to figure things out for themselves without reporters dogging them. He could feel his head start hurting with trying to suppress his visceral reaction to the idea she would deny he was the father.
He forced his focus back on track, there were more important things than his slightly irrational desire that she tell everyone she was pregnant with his kid. That didn't even make sense. Ignore it.
Ignore it. Harry took a deep breath, letting it go.
"I know you always wanted to be Head Girl, and I'm sorry it turned out this way Hermione. I understand why you had reservations, and I think it will make things easier for you without that responsibility. But you not being a good example is just bollocks. You're the brightest witch of our age and I would have died so many times without you. You're the best of us, and anyone who doesn't think that is a stupid git."
She was still watching him closely because of his upset, her hand worrying at the couch fabric because he had pulled away. He put his hand on top of hers, stopping the movement.
"I'm okay. And I've got something special for you." He held out his hand summoning a necklace from his trunk wordlessly. The necklace appeared sparkling, the ruby red glinting like a deep fire on black chain in the palm of his hand.
Her eyes widened at the jewelry, her faint disbelieving smile on her face. "You're giving me jewelry now?"
He laughed. "I think I would pick out something better than this if I was getting you jewelry." He paused. "Do you want me to get you jewelry?"
He tried to think of the jewelry that Hermione normally wore. He thought she favored more delicate pieces and the ruby was a quite large faceted tear drop shape.
She ignored his question. "Why are you giving me this then?"
"It's from my vault, that's why I came today instead of Friday, it took me quite a bit of time to find it. My great great great… um three greats I think grandfather created this for his wife Iolanthe Potter. Many of my relatives were inventors apparently. I've been reading through the entailment of my estate since the war ended and learning about some of the items in my vault and my family history."
"While I'm really glad you're reading up on your family history… I still don't see why you are giving me a family heirloom then?"
He cleared his throat about to get to the important part. "Well, after I left Tuesday, I went and bought all the books for expectant wizards and I read about the power loss during the end of a witch's pregnancy. And I remembered this…" He handed her the necklace. "My relative created it to house his power so he could give it to his wife – so she wouldn't be without magic when she needed it."
"How do you power it?"
"When I first picked it up, I felt it, a small drain on my magic. It reacts when it's pressed against my skin and stops when it reaches capacity. I wanted you to put it on to see if you felt the power and were able to draw on it. There weren't any incantations in the box the necklace was inside, so I'm betting it works the same way, your magic will react with it at will – much like we do when riding a broom, our intent is what makes it work."
Hermione took the necklace, pulling it over her head letting it against her neck and gave a laugh. "That's just amazing! I can feel your magic in it, like it's a battery!" She picked it up inspecting it from all angles muttering to herself. "I can't believe there's so much magic we don't know yet. It almost makes me want to be an unspeakable so I can see the really secret magics."
He grinned as he watched her brain go into overdrive trying to figure out how it was made. She finally looked up at him as if remembering his existence a few minutes later. She held his eyes and the next moment her lips were pressed against his, her breasts pressing into his chest as she kissed him. His body reacted immediately to the feel of her pressed against him. The memories crowding in to blend with reality. Smart, beautiful witch.
Harry cupped the back of her head with his hands holding her close, as he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue between her lips. Her hands crept up to rest around his neck, playing with the tips of his hair. He shuddered, he needed her closer, with less clothes on.
Their kiss broke slowly, as they pulled back together. After so many dreams of it, it was easy to pick out the emotions in her gaze. She did want him; it wasn't just because of the spell and the possession. Here now, with both of them in their right minds- she wanted him.
The thought kept repeating in his mind, giving him a giddy feeling of relief. He leaned forward and rubbed his nose against hers, causing her to laugh.
Yes! He did make her happy.
The moment had a warm glow, the heat was there- he absolutely wanted to go to bed with her. But as much as Harry wanted that, he was also content to be there, braced against he back of the couch staring into her eyes.
She pulled back slowly, like it was just as hard for her as it was for him. "I have some books I wanted to show you."
"Oh I brought loads of them in my trunk, that's why its so big." He waved his wand at his trunk and the books piled out and resized, creating a large stack on the coffee table in front of them.
"Wow, you got all these to learn about the pregnancy?"
"Yeah. I want to make sure I knew what to expect."
Hermione pulled out a large magical medical text, flipping through the pages until she had it spread half on her lap and half on his.
Harry slid his arm around her shoulders and leaned in close to pay attention to the graphic she was pointing to, realizing she was talking about getting a magical mark tattooed around her hips to promote hers and the baby's health.
How the hell was he suppose to sleep with that on his mind?
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October 31st 1998
Room of Requirement
Harry Potter
Hermione giggled as he pulled her under him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, her legs wrapping around his hips. Harry was too impatient this first time, it had been too long, he reached between her legs, stroking her clit briefly and dipping a finger in to make sure she was wet.
Then he grabbed his cock and guided himself until he barely nudged into her. They looked into each other eyes and smiled, and he thrusted in hard, jerking back violently when Hermione screamed.
Her eyes were squeezed shut and a tear leaked out. He looked down and noticed the smear of blood.
Fuck.
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December 6th, 1998
Hogwarts -Hermione's rooms
Harry Potter
Harry bolted up on the couch where he had been sleeping and stared at the doorway to Hermione's room.
I um wasn't … uh sexually active before that…
He thought of how completely undone she had been that morning after Halloween.
Fuck.
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December 20, 1998
Harry Potter
Magis Ziekenhuis, Netherlands
Harry steadied Hermione as the portkey brought them in front of the main hospital of the magical center of Amsterdam, Magis Ziekenhuis. She wanted to get the runes done as soon as possible once she made her decision. It differed quite a bit from St Mungo's, with a plan red brick exterior, and uniform square windows every so many feet.
When they entered witches and wizards walked hurriedly through the main entry, while some which were likely patients or relatives sat anxiously waiting for loved ones. It was easy to spot the healers as like St Mungo's they all wore the same color robes, although here light blue denoted the healers.
"Miss Granger!" An elderly wizard hailed, coming from their left.
"Healer Jansen! Its nice to meet you face to face." The healer then took him in at her side, a faintly disapproving expression on his face.
"And who might you be?"
Harry opened his mouth to reply, but Hermione cut him off, laying her hand on his chest.
"Harry's my friend, he's going to be with me through the ritual."
The healer's black eyes flicked him a disapproving glance but said nothing. "Of course. I already have the room prepared to keep with your timetable. Please follow me."
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December 20, 1998
Harry Potter
Magis Ziekenhuis, Netherlands
Harry stood in a small room with a raised platform that had a ritual circle carved into the stone, Hermione was laying on the circle, dressed only in a black crop top and a pair of black underwear.
When Harry had thought about the idea of Hermione with a magical mark- a rune tattoo circling her waist he had stupidly been preoccupied with how hot he thought she would look. Now holding her hand tightly, and watching as tears slipped between her tightly clenched eyes, he felt sick.
She lay on her stomach in a ritual circle while the Healer Liam Jansen carefully used a quill with a needle-sharp point to ink the runes into her skin with a specially prepared potion. Healer Jansen was a renown expert in rune protection and healing tattoos in the Netherlands, and Hermione had been really excited that he had agreed to place the runes on her body. The Healer stood to the side of her carefully, quickly, pushing the sharpened needle of the quill over and over into her skin.
Small rivulets of blood dripped down her hips from where the quill repeatedly pierced her skin creating the runes. Healer Jansen had explained this was part of the sacrifice for healing magic and helped power the spell, so they weren't wiped away and instead dripped slowly down into the ritual circle.
Harry wanted to snatch her off the circle and punch the old man doing the tattooing. No wonder Britain stopped doing this shit, it looked horrific. He looked down focusing on her hand, trying to block out the memories her screams at Malfoy Manor while being unable to go help her, then seeing the cuts on her arm at the cottage.
She shifted so the healer could continue and her breath shuddered. He whispered lowly to her.
"You don't have to do this, we can stop it right now, just tell me I'll stop it."
"I'm okay."
Time slowed, he felt like he could measure it by his heart beats, each a dull hard thud in chest. Her soft gasps, the tears dripping, the ritual circle slowly turning red. The pressure built in his chest. He had to stop it, he had to stop it.
The healer finally threw aside the quill, muttering an incantation, and the runes on Hermione's skin flickered red.
"Oooh." She moaned.
"You did very well Miss Granger! All done." The healer gave a knowing look at Harry.
Harry didn't care he met his gaze. Bastard.
The healer reached for his wand and cast cleaning charms on Hermione and gave her a robe to put on, leaving the room so she could get dressed properly.
Hermione sat up gingerly in the circle, Harry grabbed the robe to help her into it, then helped her down from the raised circle.
Once she was standing in her robe, he pulled her carefully into his arms, making sure not to put pressure on her waist. She gave a small laugh hugging him back. "It doesn't hurt all, it actually feels kind of good."
Harry swallowed convulsively, still trying to pull himself out of picturing the blood drip from her and hearing her screams. She looked up into his face and the smile fell off her face.
"Harry." She framed his face, staring into his tear glazed eyes.
"Please don't get any more of those Hermione."
"I won't. I promise." She stroked his face, before her hands went higher, running through his hair. Petting him and trying to calm him down.
He shuddered, his chest still feeling like something was pressing on it and closed his eyes. Harry felt Hermione shift against him and felt her lips press against his, her arms circling his neck.
He held her against him possessively, trying to have as much of his body pressed against hers as he took control of the kiss, pushing his tongue into her mouth, sliding it against hers. He wanted her so badly under him, to be inside her, the fear morphing into a completely unreasonable desire.
Hermione pulled back a little, and he had to force his hands to relax their grip on her.
"Let's go home."
Harry knew she didn't mean their home together, but more in a general sense of returning to Britain, but he hugged the word close to him anyway.
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December 23rd 1998
Hermione Granger
7 Weeks Pregnant
12 Grimmauld Place
Hermione lay stretched out on the couch with her feet on Harry's lap both of them reading while the fire crackled softly in front of them. Neither had spoken to Ron since the beginning of the month after he had abruptly moved out of Grimmauld place.
When she thought of Ron, she still felt twinges of shame, even though the circumstances were beyond her control she knew she had hurt him quite deeply. When she last talked to him, he had ranted about Harry betraying him and winning her back. But like a lot of his intentions, without a reminder, he lost interest quickly.
She couldn't help but compare, even though she knew it was unfair, how both had reacted to her month of silence after Halloween. Both Harry and Ron had written her dozens of letters but the tone had been quite different. Harry's had been pleading, he wanted to know how she was, if she was mad at him, he wanted to know about the dreams. Ron's had been angry and demanding, wanting a detailed explanation of what she had done with Harry. The letters from Ron reminded her of all the worst moments of his jealousy during their school years.
Her focus had narrowed in on her pregnancy and sorting things out with Harry. Placating and running after Ron so he could be persuaded to forgive them was just beyond her. Hermione stared at her text book for D.A.D.A- arguably her weakest subject, but not really seeing the words. It was hard to study when her mind kept wanting to shove images of Harry holding a baby at her.
She looked at him from under her lashes, he was intently reading yet another child rearing book, his lips slightly moving occasionally. The past month had been a revelation to her, how different he was as a friend versus a …sort-of boyfriend. Neither of them had discussed their relationship since that first day, when Harry announced he wanted to get married after she told him about the baby. Harry behaved as her boyfriend, though, without the title.
Harry had always been her confidant and a comfort to her- but now there was an intimacy to his care that hadn't been there before. When she had her rune tattoo done, she had been shocked by the expression on his face. He looked like he couldn't decide if he was going to pass out, commit murder or throw her over his shoulder and run away. The way his arms had flexed against her, and his mouth against hers, the intensity of it. She gave a little shiver thinking about it and his relaxed green gaze came up to meet hers. Silently asking, are you okay?
She gave him a smile and nodded, jerking her gaze back down to her text. How long had she been staring at him? She looked up again when he threw a light blanket over her, tucking it in on the sides of her legs before going back to his book, apparently deciding that she shivered because she as cold.
Hermione fought to keep her smile from widening, the little things he did for her gave her little butterflies in her stomach. Although she was glad he had calmed after a day or so from his reaction to the tattoo. The intensity of his focus on her had been a bit unnerving, given his overreaction she was just a tiny bit worried about his reaction when she gave birth, but she tucked that away to worry on later.
Finally, she gave up on her book, letting it flop down and her head to relax back on the couch, she hadn't been able to concentrate anyway.
"What's wrong?"
"I know we were planning to go to the Burrow for Christmas, but I don't really want to go."
"Hmm."
Hermione didn't know how much Molly or Arthur knew about what happened. How would they react to both children's exes showing up? Would Ron make a scene? Or Ginny?
"I'm supposed to see Teddy there, it's been really hard seeing him with my training schedule and Andromeda's commitments." Harry's voice was very neutral as he made the statement, not letting her know how he felt about her ambivalence about going to the Burrow.
Shoot, Hermione hadn't thought of that. Teddy was eight months now, and absolutely adorable, she hadn't seen him in quite awhile either.
"We definitely need to go then." She stated firmly, and Harry gave her a pleased smile.
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December 25, 1998
The Burrow
Hermione
7 Weeks Pregnant
Hermione put a smile on her face as they approached the Burrow, holding tightly to Harry's hand. The door was flung open as they neared it and Molly Weasley motioned them in happily.
"You two are late! Just about everyone else is here." She hugged them both in her motherly way. Then she grabbed their joined hands, pulling them apart so that Molly had Hermione on one side of her and Harry on the other side as she pulled them into the house. After letting them take off their jackets in the entry way she continued to pull them deeper into the house.
They waved to the familiar faces that turned around to face them, Hermione breathing a silent sigh of relief when she didn't spot Ginny amongst the other Weasleys. Molly let go of Hermione's hand once they entered the living room but kept hold of Harry's and dragged him off in the direction of Arthur Weasley. Hermione spotted Andromeda holding Teddy near the back of the room and made her way in that direction knowing that Harry would eventually make his way there too.
Hermione hadn't seen Teddy since before she left back to Hogwarts in July, and the changes five months made were astonishing. Teddy was a chubby inquisitive teal haired baby, that gurgled and reached out to her when she approached. Andromeda raised her eyes at Hermione silently asking if she wanted to hold him. Hermione laughed and held out her hands for Teddy. Teddy's hands immediately reached for her curls and his hair briefly wavered in color to brown before settling back to teal.
Teddy laid his head on her shoulder staring up at her, making soft babbling noises as if he was having a serious conversation and she found herself replying softly to him as she rocked him.
"Mhmm. I wonder where he is too."
"Bababa."
"I know I lost track of him when I got here, but I'm sure he'll be here soon."
"Who will?" She jumped at Harry's soft voice at her shoulder, she hadn't noticed him approach she had been so focused on Teddy's soft brown eyes. Harry's arms came swiftly around them both to make sure they were steady.
She looked over her shoulder at him, catching his eyes unexpectedly. The soft tenderness as he gazed at them gave her a warm glow. Teddy's babble increased excitedly as he stared at Harry, his chubby little hands making grabbing motions.
Hermione gave a soft laugh. "I think he wants his godfather." She transferred the baby to Harry's arms.
Teddy reared back and clapped his hands on Harry's cheeks babbling as he squished Harry's face slightly. "I'm sorry I haven't seen you as much, I promise I'm going to do better." Harry said seriously as he stared into the babbling baby's eyes.
Harry rubbed his back comfortingly and Teddy laid his head on his shoulder while Harry rocked slightly back and forth.
Hermione stared at Harry slowly rocking Teddy on his shoulder, unable to stop imagining him with their child. There was that feeling again in her stomach, little butterflies. He would be such a good father.
"Hey Hermione." She tried not to flinch like a little kid caught doing something bad, and turned around to face Ron.
"Hi Ron. Merry Christmas." Ron's gaze flicked briefly to Harry standing just beyond her with Teddy but he didn't say anything to him.
"I didn't think you would come."
"I asked her to come with me." Harry interjected stepping next to her.
Ron still didn't look in Harry's direction or acknowledge his statement. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Hermione looked up at Harry, and he subtly shook his head, he didn't think it would be a good idea. Teddy was passed out on his shoulder. Hermione took a deep breath; she was a bit worried if she didn't Ron might make a scene, and she wanted to avoid that at all costs so she patted Harry's arm softly in reassurance.
"It's okay. I'm just going to chat with him a few minutes and I'll be right back." She walked off with Ron before Harry could object. Ron led her through the house to outside, where they were alone. The snow and cold keeping everyone else inside at the moment, and she shivered without her jacket casting a warming charm.
They stopped about fifteen feet from the house in the middle of the clearing that surrounded the Burrow. Ron acted like they were taking a stroll in nice weather, looking down at his feet. Finally, she got impatient with him to speak, she was bloody cold even with the warming charm.
"Ron? You wanted to speak to me?"
"You never really liked me, did you?"
"What?"
"We're both over legal age and most of our friends had sex years ago. But even after you know who was defeated you didn't want to."
"I'm not going to do something just because everyone else was doing it, I wasn't ready for the next step. I told you that."
He looked at her and she saw the anger flash again in his blue eyes and had the feeling this conversation was pointless.
"I just want you to admit the truth. I know Ginny cast that spell, but you were happy it was Harry- you both are. If you had something for each other you should have admitted and not pretended. That was wrong of you."
She opened her mouth to deny it and then closed it. What if it had been Ron that she had slept with? Would she have been more upset? Less? The feelings were too tangled, she couldn't answer it honestly.
Harry holding a sleeping Teddy flashed into her mind. She shook her head banishing that image and gathering her thoughts.
"I'm sorry you feel that way Ron. I know we thought this might go a different way for us, but I don't want to lose you as a friend. We've been through too much for that."
They both heard the crunch of foot steps in the snow and looked to see Harry approaching from the house holding Hermione's jacket out to her.
"Thanks."
"No problem." She felt Harry's warming charm layer on top of hers and gave him another nod of thanks. They all stood there awkwardly for a minute, Harry standing next to Hermione and both of them facing Ron, as if they were the united front and Ron the outcast.
She became aware of how her and Harry looked and tried to slightly edge into the middle between the two men. She looked between them, both of them had set expressions, left to their own devices they were going to never patch things up between themselves.
"Ron, Harry and I were talking and we want you to be the baby's godfather." Both men looked at her in surprise although Harry quickly schooled his expression. She hoped he didn't get upset with her.
"Really?" Ron looked shocked but pleased, glancing between the two of them. "Of course, I'll be a great godfather." He gave Hermione a hug, and then started walking back to the house, still not acknowledging Harry.
She felt a little trepidation about looking at Harry, that hadn't been well done of her to do that without asking him. She looked at him to find him already looking at her, she couldn't read his expression.
"Are you cold?"
"No, I'm good, between the charms and my coat its fine. Are you mad at me?"
Harry exhaled loudly, his breath fogging in the cold. "No, I just wish you had talked to me about it first. Ron's been acting a bit erratic lately. One day to the next I don't know what his mind is going to come up with."
Hermione shrugged. "He asked me why I pretended to like him when I always liked you." She paused. "Well he sort of said it like that."
"Did you ever like me? Before all this?"
"It's complicated." She avoided his gaze and stared out into where the forest met the Burrow clearing.
Harry tugged her to face him giving her a small smile. "Then make me understand?"
"I don't know. Maybe? No, wait that's wrong." Now she was the one flustered, and trying to explain herself. How do you explain that something that had always been known to her, but never acknowledged? How could she 'like' him when he was talking about Cho? Or going to the Yule Ball with Parvati? Or snogging Ginny? She wasn't allowed to like him.
He shoved his hands deep in his coat pockets, kicking a bit of snow to the side of them. "I liked you back then. I like you now."
"Why didn't you ever say something?"
"You always seemed to be focused on Ron and vice versa. Why do you think it was always you I turned to?"
"I wish I had known that before."
"You know now."
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October 31st 1998
Prefects Bathroom
Hermione Granger
Harry was holding her in the warm water, her back to his front, his hands running over her slick soap covered body. She shivered in pleasure as he continued his sensual massage, his hands spreading her legs wide for him.
"No, no love, keep your legs spread wide, the warm water will help." Harry's hands slid along the inside of her thighs, before sliding back up her pussy, softly petting her.
"I feel fine now, it only startled me."
"You were crying."
"I was not crying, my eyes watered-" She broke off with a moan, when his fingers dipped slightly into her pussy, the warm water and pressure against her clit sending pulses of pleasure through her.
"Let me take care of you."
Hermione made a frustrated sound at both his words and as his hands moved further away to continue petting her body. She pulled away and turned around, wrapping her legs around his waist easily with the buoyancy of the water and feeling his hard cock against her.
She could get him to make love to her here she just had to push the right buttons. Hermione slid her hands up his wet chest, letting her finger nails drag along his skin. She saw the flare of lust in his green eyes and his jaw tightened.
"You can take care of me by making love to me."
"You're hurt."
She leaned forward to nip the tip of his ear, her lips close. "I'm hurting because I want you inside me."
His body tightened as he tried to keep himself under control. She dragged her mouth along his neck before stopping and biting him.
"Don't you want to make me happy?"
"Yes."
"I'm happy when I'm coming on your cock."
"Fuck."
"Yes, please." With a groan he gave in, his hands moving with more intent, softly spreading her and pushing in.
He watched her face carefully, as he pushed two fingers inside her. Withdrawing them slowly, then pushing them just as slowly back in. Spreading her and getting her ready for his cock.
His eyes seemed brighter green in the hazy atmosphere of the bathing pool and she rocked herself against him, helping him move deeper with his fingers inside her.
"More, please."
Harry gave her a sly lustful smile. "So polite my little love, such a good girl."
"Mhmm." He reached down to guide his cock into her, slowly pushing her down until he was seated fully inside her. She wiggled a bit experimentally on him at the stretch she felt, but there wasn't any pain.
Harry whirled them around in the water so her back was braced against the edge of the bathing pool.
"Promise me you'll stop me if it starts to hurt."
"I promise." While the heat had helped her soreness, it only increased the intensity of the feelings as they started to make love. Harry tried to keep himself slow, and she pulled at him, trying to shake him loose from his control.
Hermione wanted him as wild for her as she was for him. She started whispering all the things she wanted him to do to her and he trembled against her moaning.
His hips started snapping wildly against hers, and she reached between them to rub her clit, knowing she had driven him to the edge of his control. She wanted to come with him
Hermione reached back to brace herself with the edge of the tub as Harry stretched her out so he could see his cock sliding in to her while she rubbed her clit.
"That's my good girl, keep rubbing love." His hands tightened on her thighs where he held her open for his wild thrusts, and he grunted as he plunged deep, and she felt his hot come filling her.
The water felt almost too hot as she came, feeling submerged in pleasure. Harry lifted her against him again, his cock still inside her, to kiss her sweetly.
"You know I wanted to go slower."
Hermione gave a mischievous laugh, nuzzling him. "I know. But I didn't."
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December 31st 1998
12 Grimmauld Place
Hermione
8 Weeks Pregnant
Harry and Hermione had decided to spend New Years by themselves after the whirlwind of Christmas celebrations and visiting. Or rather Hermione had hinted and Harry agreed, she knew it wasn't much longer before everyone knew she was pregnant, and she wanted just a bit more time to hug the knowledge to herself without everyone voicing an opinion on the matter.
The fire gave the room a warm glow as the night deepened, an end to the year Voldemort was defeated. When she had started the school year all Hermione had yearned for was to have a peaceful meaningful life. Finish school, settle in with Ron, start her career so she could enact changes so her children would never have to experience what they had gone through in the war. Then in one night, it was all derailed.
She thought about that lot, usually while staring at Harry, how easily he might have slipped away from her. Would she ever have realized what they could have been together? Maybe. But more likely they would have remained as best friends, loving and supporting each other carefully, each never overstepping the line of friendship. The music floated softly through the air, and she tightened her hands around his neck as they swayed together in front of the fireplace. Hermione's eyes were closed and her head rested on his shoulder. Harry's arms tightened briefly in response and she smiled to herself.
Pressed against him, she breathed deep, loving the way he smelled. Polished wood, freshly mowed grass, and parchment -it gave her such a feeling of comfort. The moment had such an utter glow of warm contentment, here alone with him with his arms wrapped around her. All she had to do was say yes, and suddenly it was such an easy choice. Like their love had been contained in a neatly labeled box, never having been given the room to grow, and then once opened it flourished, suddenly, brightly, growing each day. It was difficult to think of think of a life that didn't involve Harry being with her like this, closer than anyone else, being her partner in all ways.
You know now.
The words had resonated with her, she hadn't known how it could be, but yes, she did know now. How easy it was to be with him, a puzzle locking into place. She curled her fingers in the tips of his hair, and he stroked her back in response, both of them taking pleasure in the tiny caresses. It was growing harder to stop with innocent caresses, her dreams telling her there was so much more pleasure to be found in his arms.
Hermione's fears that Harry was being driven only by the baby had shrunk and disappeared so slowly she couldn't pinpoint an exact moment they had gone. Harry had proven over and over, he cared for her, separate from the baby, since before Halloween. Harry had been straightforward- maybe a little too much at first, that his end goal had always been the two of them together. Hermione knew she made the right choice asking him to give her time, and he had. Now she felt it was her turn to show him, she was ready for the next step. Maybe not marriage yet, but Harry was her partner in all ways, and she wanted them to be more official.
Through this month Harry had been far more forthcoming about his feelings than she had, it was time she start being more vocal about how she felt and how much he meant to her. They would start off the New Year on the right foot. She took a deep breath pulling back from Harry's shoulder.
She met his questioning gaze and raised her hand to cup his cheek. "When you asked me on Christmas if I liked you before all this, I didn't know how to say how I felt. I was scared of admitting how much I liked you, so it was hard for me to say it like you did."
Harry opened his mouth and she rose her tiptoes giving him a shushing small warm kiss, before pulling back to continue.
"You're so important to me, the idea of losing you scares me out of my mind. I thought –" She smiled and blinked a bit so she didn't cry. "- I thought it was safer with you as my friend.
"Hermione, sweetheart. You're never going to lose me; I won't let that happen." Harry's arms tightened around her for emphasis.
"Then this happened, and it was like fate pushing me to be brave. You're just everything I always wanted. I love you Harry and I want to be with you. I want to be your girlfriend."
A faint blush spread across his cheeks as he smiled at her, then picked her up and twirled her around as they both laughed.
"I feel like I won the Quidditch World Cup."
She laughing smacked his shoulder. "I know that's a really big compliment in your mind but no."
Harry's green eyes were a bit glassy as he looked down at her. "I love you Hermione, I promise I'll make you so happy."
"You already have, love."
The heard the countdown start on the wireless, for the New Year.
Harry lowered his head to hers, pressing his lips softly against hers.
Ten.
Hermione opened her mouth, sliding her tongue along the seam of his lips. Open for me.
Nine.
Harry opened his mouth, his tongue meeting hers, exploring each other slowly, tenderly.
Eight.
I love the way you taste.
Seven.
Who needs to breathe?
Six.
Harry slid his hands lower to cup her ass, pulling her closer to him, their bodies flush against one another.
Five.
Hermione lightly dragged her nails along the back of his scalp, hearing him moan into the kiss.
Four.
Reality is going to be so much better than a dream.
Three.
I never want to stop kissing you.
Two.
How did I ever live without you?
One.
Happy New Year's love.