I'm not trying to be your part-time lover
Sign me up for that full time, I'm yours,
All yours

- Jonas Brothers, What a Man Gotta Do


Five

Hermione sipped her tea and speared a cherry tomato with her fork. She brought the morsel to her mouth while consciously aware of the stares thrown at her direction. She chewed the tomato slowly, relishing the sweetness of the fruit and the tanginess of the salad dressing. She swallowed and finally looked at the women sitting around the table.

"Alright, you may ask your questions," she said with a sigh.

Two of them immediately erupted.

"How was your date with Harry?!" Fleur asked.

"What did you two do?" Lavender inquired.

"Did he kiss you?" Fleur, again.

"When's the next one?" Lavender piped.

Hermione sent an exasperated look towards Luna who only smiled serenely at her friends. It was a Wednesday and the first time all three of the healers and the mediwitch had the opportunity to gather. They sat together at St. Mungo's cafeteria during their shared lunch break. Hermione knew something was up when Lavender steered them to the quietest part of the room away from the crowd. She usually preferred to sit with a larger group of colleagues but the pregnant witch made it clear that the four of them needed to be alone.

"So?" Lavender pressed. "How was it? You said you were going to tell us together!"

Hermione cracked a smile. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell her friends about Harry. She just wanted to keep it between the two of them for a little longer. But as she looked at her friends eagerly waiting to hear the news, Hermione knew she needed to tell someone. She needed her friends for support on whatever this was between them.

"Our first date was… unexpected," Hermione started. She saw the three women become more attentive and laughed. "Honestly, I forgot about the date until he showed up at my door."

Wide-eyed, Lavender gave an exaggerated gasp. "No!"

Hermione nodded. "I had such a horrible day on Friday that it slipped my mind. He came to pick me up just a minute before the dinner I ordered arrived. But… he was really understanding. And we ended up staying in my flat for the night where we just ate pizza, drank wine, and watched The Princess Bride while eating ice cream..."

The women remained silent and looked at her with bated breaths.

She smiled. "And I had a really good time," she continued. A blush tinted her cheeks. "He kissed me before he left."

"How was it?" Luna whispered, a smile on her lips.

Hermione closed her eyes and relived the moment. She remembered the softness of his lips and the warmth of his hands around her waist. She recalled how good it felt to loop her arms around his neck and play with his hair. She also remembered how she was during the kiss. Totally at ease and in control. Satisfied. Happy.

"I think her smile answers your question, Luna," Fleur quipped. She leaned back in her chair with a very pleased smile. She and her sister have been trying to introduce the two to each other to no avail ever since Hermione moved to London. In fact, Fleur was insistent that Gabrielle need not introduce Hermione to les autres gars since it would be a waste of time. But Gabrielle does what Gabrielle wants, so Fleur watched from the sidelines when her best friend met all of the wrong men. Call it intuition, but Fleur could only see Harry and Hermione together.

Lavender's blue eyes narrowed. She leaned closer to the table as much as her pregnant bump would allow and said, "Hang on a moment. You said first. Did you two already have another date?!"

The brunette's blush deepened to the shocked faces of her closest friends. She nodded and told them about the dinner date she and Harry had on Monday evening after work.

True to his word, Harry messaged Hermione. Gone were the ways of the owl for Harry reached her by text. They talked about everything and anything all throughout the weekend. In between chores and running errands, Hermione was on her phone messaging the Auror. Their conversations ranged from their favourite foods to the places they've been to. Hermione talked about the current book she was reading and was surprised Harry had already read it too. She felt so elated whenever her phone would let out the little chime. It didn't take her long to say yes when a message came through asking if she was available for dinner on Monday evening. They went to a lovely restaurant in Muggle London's Southbank district and walked the riverbank afterwards. He held her hand all throughout their walk and left her with a parting kiss in her living room. She was in bed when she received another text from him.

"Good night, Hermione. Thank you for a wonderful evening. May I see you again on Friday?"

She replied with a "Yes" before she fell asleep with a huge smile on her face.

"My, my, my, Healer Granger," Lavender said teasingly. A Cheshire cat-like grin was on her face. "It seems like things are certainly progressing on that front."

Hermione blushed to her roots as Luna's soft giggle reached her ears. "I think it's sweet," the blonde said with a wistful smile. "They know what they want and they're not afraid to go for it."

Lavender and Fleur nodded their heads in agreement. Determined and driven were two of the first words Fleur would describe her two friends. They wouldn't have gotten to where they were in life without going for what they wanted. She looked at Hermione and thought of how the Muggleborn had to fight an uphill battle at L'Academie. Many professors still held prejudices against Muggleborns, thinking them not as skilled in magic like their half-blooded or pure-blooded counterparts. While this preconceived notion was mostly gone in Beauxbatons (and the rest of France), the progressive mentality hadn't quite reached the elite mastery school who prided itself in producing only the best and brightest. It was mostly because a lot of witches and wizards didn't find it necessary to obtain their masters, and many of those who entered through L'Academie's doors only did so because of familial obligations. So when Muggleborn Hermione Granger was admitted into the school, the staff didn't expect her to rise to the top of all of her classes. She shattered their prejudices in the best way possible and was immediately recruited into Paris' top hospital once she graduated.

And now, Hermione Jane Granger was the Chief Healer of St. Mungo's, the leading hospital in the whole British Isles. She was making waves in the British wizarding society for her progressive ideas and belief that combining non-magical techniques to remedy magical maladies was the next best thing. She put her belief into action when she treated the Auror Commander Harry Potter just weeks prior.

"I'm happy and so excited for you," Fleur said honestly. She reached across the table and grasped Hermione's hands. "I've never seen you like this before, Hermione. It's refreshing."

Hermione smiled appreciatively. "I'm excited too," she said. There was really no need to deny it to her closest friends. This thing with Harry had her feeling so light and carefree again. "I'm definitely scared, but excited," she admitted.

Lavender tsked. "If there's anybody who should be scared… it should be Harry. I have never seen him like this in all of the years I've known him. And trust me when I say that I've seen him in his worst. Merlin, I was there moments before he had his first kiss with Cho! But all this time, never had he expressed interest in anyone like how much he's clearly interested in you."

If it were possible, Hermione would have blushed even deeper. She looked at her wristwatch and noticed the time.

"I need to go," she said, standing up. "I'll see you later when I'm back, maybe in a couple of hours or so."

"Have fun on your meeting with the Minister," Luna said in farewell.

Hermione smiled at the three women and grabbed her coat. She slung her bag over her shoulder and smoothed the dress she was wearing. She beamed at her friends and with a small wave, she departed.

Luna, Fleur, and Lavender watched her go. Once she was out of the door, the three witches all looked at each other. It took but a small twitch from the side of Lavender's mouth before they were giggling uncontrollably.

Harry and Hermione have no idea what hit them and their friends were eagerly anticipating what was to come next.


Hermione dusted the floo powder from her clothes when she emerged at the Ministry of Magic's grand atrium. She steadied herself in her high heels before looking at the sign post standing tall in the middle of the floor of arrivals. The magical post had arrows pointing in all directions and names of different Ministry individuals flashed on them. She saw the name of the Minister of Magic and followed the arrow's direction heading opposite of the lifts.

Some of the witches and wizards she passed by greeted her. Hermione didn't recognize all of them but she returned their hellos with a smile of her own. She was introduced as the new Chief Healer of St. Mungo's at Healer Doyle's retirement party where many staff of both the Ministry and St. Mungo's were invited. It was a huge gathering and was where Hermione first met the Minister of Magic and Head Auror.

She entered the Minister's offices after confirming her identity with the two Aurors guarding the door. She was led into a large waiting area where an elderly witch was sitting in front of a desk by a set of wooden doors. Mountains of paperwork were piled high on the desk in front of her. Hermione avoided the memos flying in and out of the office and approached the table.

"Hello, Evelyn," she greeted warmly.

The witch lifted her head from writing on a piece of parchment. She adjusted her glasses and beamed at Hermione when her surroundings cleared.

"Ms. Hermione!" Evelyn exclaimed with a smile. She looked at the grandfather clock on the opposite wall and her smile grew wider. Evelyn really liked this new, young healer. She was always punctual and often early. "Right on time, like always," she said with a small wink.

Hermione laughed. "I can't keep the Minister waiting. Is he free to see me now?" Hermione asked.

"Even if he isn't, I can make him free for you, dear," Evelyn replied kindly. "Go on in, I know he's been looking forward to talking to you."

"Thanks, Evelyn," Hermione said. She grasped the brass handles of the doors and pushed her way inside.

Minister Shacklebolt greeted her with a jovial exclamation of welcome. Hermione closed the doors behind her and went forward to shake his hand. He ushered her to sit on one of the cushioned chairs in front of his desk and, after some small talk about the weather, decided to dive right into business.

Hermione was very surprised when she received an owl from the Minister of Magic asking for a one-on-one meeting. She didn't hear anything about it from her boss so she surmised that the meeting wouldn't have anything to do with St. Mungo's. The owl didn't say anything about the topic of the meeting either, only asking her to meet him in his office at a certain time and day. Since saying no to the Minister of Magic wasn't something she wanted to do, Hermione made sure to clear her calendar for the requested time. She dressed more professionally than she would normally dress for the hospital and wondered what the meeting would be about.

Her questions were answered when Minister Shacklebolt told her of his plans. He detailed his vision in making wizarding Britain more Muggle-forward. And, since the whole wizarding Britain would be difficult to tackle for day one, he said he planned on starting this reform within the Ministry.

Now, Hermione was surprised. One of the things she had to consider before accepting her new role at St. Mungo's was how she would be treated on the isles. It was known to all wizards and witches that Britain was still somewhat stuck in the medieval ages. Magical Britain still held so much importance on blood status than the other magical communities of Europe and North America. It was difficult to get rid of so much prejudice against Muggleborns when it was part of their history.

"Progressive is the key word, Hermione," the Minister said. "I want my government to be a progressive government. We can no longer remain in the dark ages. We are part of the twenty-first century whether we like it or not!"

"But what made you decide to do this, Minister?" Hermione asked curiously. "I'll be honest and say that this was the last thing I expected of this meeting."

Minister Shacklebolt gave a small laugh. "Do you know how many more Muggleborns Hogwarts is admitting every year? The first year class is almost thirty percent Muggleborns. Do you know how many witches and wizards decide to marry outside of magic? The figures might surprise you, but it's a lot. Magical Britain is finding less and less importance on blood status while Muggles and Muggleborns are influencing our society more and more," the Minister said. He stood from his seat and walked to one of the bookshelves lining the walls. "I'm a politician first, Ms. Granger, and I know that in order to remain in my job I need to embrace the inevitable future instead of fighting it. My predecessor did a shite job trying and just look at where he is now! The future is a society with Muggle influences intertwined with our rich magical history."

Hermione considered his words silently and carefully. He seemed to be honest enough and his words made sense. She understood that his first priority was for his government to remain in power, but he seemed to be doing a good job as a Minister anyway so Hermione had no opposition to that. "So why have you asked to meet with me then, Minister?" Hermione asked.

Minister Shacklebolt beamed at her question. "Because you are the best person to ask on how to proceed! I want to pick your brains, Healer Granger. I want to know what you think is the best approach to educating the Ministry in Muggle ways and integrating Muggle practices as part of our everyday lives. I hope that once we've introduced some of these ideas to the staff, acceptance and enthusiasm would come about naturally. So, what do you think?"

Hermione gave him a wry smile. "Minister, have you ever heard of ballpoint pens?"

After bouncing ideas off each other for over an hour, Minister Shacklebolt declared that it was time for them to stop for the day. But not before he gave Hermione a personal tour of the Ministry of Magic. Shacklebolt was impressed with the ideas the witch came up with. She suggested that a least-invasive approach would probably be best, since resentment from the staff might arise if their work was interrupted only to learn about Muggles. She said that instead of a formal "training" like Shacklebolt initially proposed, small suggestions to start using Muggle inventions would be better.

Ever the gentleman, Minister Shacklebolt carried her bag as he showed her the different parts of the Ministry. He showed her the Wizengamot circle as it stood empty between proceedings. She had read all about the Wizengamot, but he still explained that the body resembled that of the British House of Lords. He introduced her to the Undersecretary and the newly appointed Junior Undersecretary following the debacle of last week's arrest. They went to the lowest level of the Ministry and he showed her the Department of Mysteries, with its long and dark hallway and vaulted door at the end. She was most interested about this section but he laughed and said that even he didn't have the clearance to enter through the door. They met with the Head Unspeakable before Shacklebolt led her back closer to the surface.

They stopped at level two and Hermione found herself being led to the Head Auror's office. Shacklebolt explained that this level contained the Department of Magical Law Enforcement which housed the Auror Headquarters and Improper Use of Magic Division.

A tall man dressed in dark blue robes exited the hallway leading to the Auror Headquarters. His bright red hair was easily recognizable and Hermione waved at her adopted brother-in-law with a smile.

"Bill!" She cried. Bill Weasley grinned and hurried to where the pair was standing.

"Minister Shacklebolt," he greeted with a small nod. Shacklebolt gave him a nod in return. "And Hermione! What are you doing here?"

"The Minister is showing me around," she answered. "We had a meeting earlier but since I've only been to the Ministry once before, he thought I needed a tour."

"Right you are, Ms. Granger!" Minister Shacklebolt said in agreement.

"Well, don't let me keep you two, then. I'm actually on my way to see the trials. Maybe I'll see you around? Goodbye Minister, Hermione," Bill gave a small bow in farewell before he turned on his heels and headed for the lifts.

Hermione and the Minister walked together and turned in the direction Bill came from. Blocking the wide hallway were large wooden doors with a plaque reading AUROR HEADQUARTERS nailed on top. The Minister pushed the doors open and with a wave of his hand, showed Hermione the bullpen.

The large open space was buzzing with activity. Witches and wizards with their Auror badges pinned to their robes chatted and laughed and walked in between the low cubicles dominating most of the space. Those who noticed that the Minister came in greeted him and gave interested looks to the witch that was with him. Shacklebolt led Hermione down the side aisle and along a row of offices with glass walls. He steered her in the direction of the largest office at the far corner of the room and gave a satisfied grin when he saw that the Head Auror was inside. She scanned the bullpen hoping to see a familiar face, especially one with black hair and green eyes.

Shacklebolt rapped the glass door twice with his knuckles before he grabbed the handle and pushed it open. Head Auror Adam Windsor looked up from his seat and smiled at the visitors.

"The Minister and the Chief Healer! To what do I owe this pleasure?" He asked jovially. He stood from his seat and rounded the desk to shake the hands of his guests.

"Just visiting, Adam," Shacklebolt replied. "I'm showing Ms. Granger around the Ministry and thought that she might be interested in seeing the Auror Headquarters. Merlin knows it's always exciting in here."

"Ah, showing her the cream of the crop, eh, Kingsley?" Windsor asked as he winked at Hermione. She gave a soft smile while she listened to the two men banter. "Actually, you picked the perfect time to visit. The trials have just started. That should be interesting to see."

Recalling what Bill mentioned earlier, Hermione asked, "What are the trials?"

"The Auror Headquarters work closely with the Auror Academy. Therefore, after every end-of-term at the Academy, the students of its top classes are sent here to undergo tests that the Headquarters have built. It's a good way for the students to learn and a good opportunity for us to scout for incoming talent," Windsor replied.

Hermione's eyebrows rose in interest. "What types of tests are they given?" she asked curiously.

"Anything goes. Logical tests, physical tests, magical duels, deduction, flying… anything that an Auror would need to know to succeed are up for trial. They are designed by our three commanding Aurors," Windsor said. He watched as the witch's eyes lit up with excitement.

"That sounds fascinating," Hermione breathed. She turned her gaze to Shacklebolt. "Minister, do you mind if we make the trials the last stop of our tour?"

"Absolutely not, Ms. Granger," Shacklebolt immediately replied. "That sounds like a fantastic idea. Adam, would you like to join us?"

The Head Auror was already using his wand to put away his paperwork and tidy his desk. He flicked his wand one more time and the lights dimmed in his office. "I was just about to go there myself. Let's go, I'll show you the way."

The gymnasium was located at the farthest corner of the Ministry of Magic's level one. Hermioned noticed that a lot of people seemed to be heading in that direction and the Minister of Magic, Chief Healer, and Head Auror fell into step with the other Ministry workers. Many greeted the two men who were with Hermione and wondered who this other witch was. She felt the stares and saw the whispers. She held her head up high and walked confidently in between the Minister and Head Auror into the gymnasium.

It was a much larger space than what she was led to believe from seeing it outside, no doubt due to magic. There were stands all around the expansive, oval-shaped room and the walls rose to such a staggering height that Hermione couldn't even see the ceiling. It was enchanted to look like the open air outside, slightly gloomy and full of clouds, that Hermione assumed it was because of the flying trials the Head Auror said might occur. Right in the middle of the room a boxing ring was set up, and Hermione could see two figures on the ring exchanging blows and punches. There was a group of about ten men and women waiting on the wings wearing some sort of uniform and closely observing the fight.

The gymnasium was so quiet as everyone watched the match. As the Minister led them to seats near the front of the stands, Head Auror Windsor leaned close to Hermione and whispered in her ear, "They're doing hand-to-hand combat right now. The people in the grey uniform are the Academy students. They're fighting against one of our commanders."

Hermione kept her eyes trained on the match as she nodded. "No magic?" She asked.

Windsor gave a nod. "No magic, purely physical strength and agility," he replied.

They reached their seats near the front and many people around whispered their hellos once again. Hermione was finally able to see clearly who was in the ring and she gave a jerk of surprise when she realized one of the men was Harry.

He moved gracefully and fluidly as he dodged and evaded the punches and kicks the student was throwing at him. He was in the defensive as he swiped away at the jabs but not striking with his own. His arms were raised in front of his face to protect his head from a punch that could potentially end the fight if the much bigger and burlier student managed a hit.

Her stomach fluttered as she watched him move. Merlin, he really should be arrested for being too damn attractive. His hair was in delicious disarray, his face tight with concentration, and his eyes fierce with the intensity of the fight. Sweat dripped from his forehead but he showed no signs of being tired.

Then, with sudden deliberate and sharp movements, Auror Commander Harry Potter went on the offensive. He swiped away an incoming jab and returned with a fast strike. The student was forced to dodge one way before Harry's uppercut connected with his jaw. The student staggered backwards, caught in surprise by the onslaught and barely put his hands up before another one of Harry's punches got him on his cheek. A high round-house kick from the Auror which connected with the student's chest ended the match. The student fell on his back, disoriented, and raised his right hand in defeat.

"Yield! I yield!" He cried.

There was a moment of pause before all spectators erupted in applause. Up on the ring, Harry relaxed his stance and grinned. He approached the student and held out his right hand to help him back onto his feet.

"Good fight, Matthew!" The Auror said. Matthew grabbed his outstretched forearm and used it to right himself. Harry thumped his back as two other students helped Matthew off the ring.

The Auror didn't even glance at the crowd of spectators and only focused on the students. "That was a really good sparring demonstration we just had," his voice said clearly. "Anyone have any observations? Takeaways? Should Matthew or I have done something differently during the fight?"

Many of the students raised their hands. They analyzed the fight and gave suggestions on how Harry or Matthew could have done something differently. They discussed the two different techniques. Harry was so engaged in the discussion that Hermione found it so fascinating. Not once did he even glance at the people on the stands and he gave his full attention to the Academy students.

Beside her, the Minister leaned close to say to the Head Auror who was on her other side, "Potter's looking real good, Adam."

Windsor thoughtfully nodded. "I thought he'd be out for the count for much longer considering what happened. But you wouldn't even know he was in the hospital for days if you look at him now. Thank you again, Ms. Granger."

Hermione only gave a soft smile and watched the proceedings.

After about five minutes of discussion, Harry asked, "So, who's next?"

As he waited for the students to present their next champion, Harry drank from his water bottle and wiped away at the sweat on his forehead. He noticed that the trials had garnered some outside spectators, but he didn't mind. Such a thing would usually happen anyway when the Academy students visit. As long as they didn't interfere with the trials and stayed away from his boxing ring, he could care less that they were there. Still feeling unsatisfied at the heat he was feeling, he grabbed the hem of his long sleeve shirt and removed it in one swift movement. He took the bottle and poured some of its contents on his head. He closed his eyes and savoured the feel of cool water on his skin.

At the stands, Hermione felt her mouth go dry at the sight of him. She silently willed herself to not blush but she knew it was too late. She felt the warmth take root in her stomach before it spread over her entire system. She felt flushed as her eyes devoured the man on the ring and vowed to commit the image to memory.

His wet hair became even more in disarray when he ran his hand through it. Rivulets of water and sweat dripped onto his broad shoulders before cascading down the hard muscles of his chest. Hermione followed the droplet's path with her eyes, down to his hard stomach, before catching on the material of the trousers riding low on his hips.

She gulped and was thankful when something else drew her attention from Harry. The students seemed to have decided amongst themselves and another male, smaller and more compact than Matthew this time, climbed his way onto the boxing ring.

The Auror and the student went to the centre of the ring and shook hands. Then, the fight began.

It was different this time. Instead of only evading blows and being on the defensive, Harry was aggressive. Fast strikes and jabs kept his opponent's arms raised in defence. Hermione was absolutely mesmerized by his movements. He looked lethal, his taut muscles coiling and uncoiling as his body moved with such grace and intent.

The student was able to get a punch out and Hermione's heart thumped when Harry just managed to avoid the fist aimed at his nose. The Auror ducked and swiped his leg out, forcing the student to quickly jump over it or fall. Soon he was upright again, all ready with an onslaught of punches for his opponent.

The fight ended quickly. This student was smaller and quicker than the previous one so he was able to dodge the attacks of the Auror. However, he didn't have the strength to back up the punches he was throwing or remain steady for when Harry's blows connected. The student was downed when Harry sent a kick which landed on the student's side.

The spectators applauded again but Hermione remained silent. Her heart was beating so fast at the performance she just saw. Seeing Harry do that was both frightening and reassuring. She knew that people needed to have a lot of skill to be an Auror. They needed to be smart, magically intelligent, and wise. She knew they needed to be physically fit too, but she didn't realize they needed to be that fit. She had assumed that, because they could use magic to do pretty much anything, the physical expectations wouldn't be so high for an Auror. But what a shock that would be to any real opponent! Hermione imagined Harry decking some dark wizard on the nose instead of retaliating with a spell and smiled.

She was broken from her reverie by the two men beside her standing. Head Auror Windsor offered her his hand and she took it with a smile. When they were all on their feet, the Head Auror commented that they had taken a small break for they were changing the trials. Minister Shacklebolt said that he wanted to quickly greet Auror Potter to commend him for the fights.

Hermione felt her heart thumping against her chest as they led her to the group of Academy students congregated beside the boxing ring. It was easy to spot the Auror talking amongst them as he was the only one not wearing the uniform. The students near the back of the group respectfully made way for the approaching trio.

"Auror Potter!" Minister Shacklebolt said in a loud greeting. Harry's head jerked towards their group in surprise and Hermione felt herself blush when his gaze settled on her. "Wonderful fighting as always," he commended, stretching out his hand.

"Thank you, Minister," Harry replied as he returned the handshake. His eyes couldn't help but drift to the smaller woman in between the Minister and his boss. He had no idea what she was doing there but it was a pleasant surprise seeing her at his work. She looked absolutely breathtaking in that dark red dress and heels. The dress had a wide neck exposing her delicate collarbones. Her hair was tied in a low chignon at the base of her neck and Harry found himself imagining how it would be like to undo her bun and run his hands through her hair.

"Auror Potter," Hermione said softly. She offered her hand as well and he took it quickly. His burning gaze and the fact that she was standing close enough to see all the details of his body was making her feel warm all over. It was nothing she hadn't seen before - he was on her operating table just weeks ago - but seeing him like this, already so strong and abled and incredibly sexy, was doing something weird to her. She felt the butterflies in her stomach as he held her hand just a little bit longer than required.

"Healer Granger," he greeted in turn. His mouth twitched at her blush. They hadn't explicitly made their relationship (or rather, the beginning of their relationship) public aside from telling their closest friends. His Aurors knew they went on a date but he had certainly not told them the outcome of the date. He liked having her to himself and his eyes darkened a little bit at the other ways he would love to have her too.

"You're never one to go easy on these Academy students, Potter," Windsor said with a satisfied nod. He turned his attention to the students watching them. "Work hard, you lot. I've seen some amazing performances during these trials and I can assure you that we are taking notes. Keep at it and soon we'll see some of you here in the HQ."

"Well, Ms. Granger, I think that concludes our tour for today," Minister Shacklebolt said softly in her ear. Hermione nodded. "Windsor, Potter, pardon our leave as I escort Healer Granger to the exits. Good seeing you two," Shacklebolt told the Aurors.

She smiled and bid goodbye to them with a small wave.

Harry had to refrain himself from reaching out to her so he simply nodded his head. His eyes caught Hermione's one last time before she and the Minister turned around and headed for the door. His gaze remained trained on her until she disappeared from sight.

Unbeknownst to Harry, Head Auror Windsor smirked at his reaction. It was fun seeing his protégé so smitten and Adam was glad his affections were directed towards the ever level-headed, smart, and beautiful Chief Healer Granger.


Brighton, UK

A small pop was heard in a quiet, back-alley street. Two men seemed to have appeared from the darkness and their footsteps carried them towards a metal door which opened and then swung close behind them.

The inside was dimly lit from a lightbulb hanging on a cord. One of them grabbed a wooden stick from the pocket of his tailored coat. After a swish and small mumble, bright light erupted from the end of his wand.

"You're not a Muggle, Livingston," he said to another man sitting on the lone table in the room. "You can make light. I can't stand the dark."

He rose from his seat and approached the two men. "It's best not to draw any attention to us," Anthony Livingston said. He held out his hand, first to the man with the wand and then to his companion. "Thank you for meeting me, though I must ask you to turn that down."

The man who cast the Lumos eyed Livingston critically. After a brief pause, he muttered the counterspell and the room was plunged into darkness again, save for the lightbulb.

"This isn't how you should treat your guests," the man said in a haughty and mocking voice. "Now, why is it that you wanted to meet with me? The last time I saw you, you were trying to kill me instead."

Livingston looked at The Collector and took in his perfectly chiseled face and his perfectly coiffed hair. He was younger than what Anthony expected, but then again, he didn't expect the man would actually meet him face to face.

"You better answer correctly," The Collector continued tauntingly. "One wrong move and I won't hesitate to do with you what I wished I did to Potter that same evening. Tread carefully, Livingston, and don't try to play games. My men have this place surrounded."

The Collector had spat out the name Potter and Livingston smiled.

"He is precisely why I asked you here tonight," Livingston responded, and The Collector's perfectly arched eyebrow arched even higher. "You and I have a common enemy, and I think it's best that we work together to stamp that down once and for all."

A smirk formed on The Collector's handsome face. "Go on, I'm listening."


Hermione looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She pursed her lips and eyed her outfit critically. She was wearing a dark grey knitted dress which reached the middle of her calves. There was a line of buttons down one leg and half of them were opened creating a slit up one thigh. She wore sheer black stockings underneath her dress and black heeled ankle boots. She liked her outfit and quickly tied her hair in a high ponytail as the doorbell rang.

Hurriedly she grabbed her coat and purse and headed for the door. She was already smiling as she made her way through her home. She hadn't seen Harry since she was at the Ministry and was looking forward to their date. They had messaged each other after their meeting and he had commented how surprised he was to see her at his work. Then, he said that he thought she looked beautiful. Hermione commended him on the fights she witnessed and expressed interest in the other trials. He called her after that, and they spent the night talking about the other Auror Commanders' tests for the students. He operated in such a fascinating world and she was eager to learn more about it.

She grabbed the door handle and pulled it open. Her heart thumped when she caught sight of him standing just behind her door. He was wearing denim trousers, a plain white t-shirt, and a black jacket. He gave her that ear-splitting grin and she grinned back. She could feel the warmth spreading across her cheeks. He looked really good.

"Hello, Harry," she greeted.

"Hello," Harry replied. His piercing gaze roamed over her face and body as he took in her outfit. He stepped towards her and circled her waist with his arms. Then, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. "You look beautiful, Hermione," he said softly into her ear. He just about groaned when he felt her shiver against him before her arms circled his neck.

"Thank you. And you look pretty good yourself," she said with a smile. With slightly reddened cheeks, she gave him a soft peck on the lips. She played with his hair as she asked, "So what do we have planned for tonight?"

Harry peered at her and felt all stress and worry leave his system. She always managed to make him feel so at ease. She had such a calming presence around her that shifted the mood of the space she was occupying to the positive. "Well… how about I cook for you?" He asked.

Her lips curved into a playful smile. "I didn't take you for a cook, Auror Potter," she said.

His grip tightened around her waist as he winked. "I'm not, but I do know how to cook a couple of really good dishes. How does pasta and garlic bread sound?"

"Delicious," Hermione replied. "Should I bring anything? Maybe some wine?"

Harry immediately shook his head. "Just bring yourself, Healer Granger," he said. He let go of her waist and grabbed the coat draped on her arm. He offered her the coat and helped her put it on. Hermione watched as he tied the sash around her waist and straightened the collars. "We'll have to apparate outside as I haven't made any modifications to the wards yet. It's chilly."

Hermione smiled at the small promise in his words. Yet. He hadn't modified his wards yet, but did that mean that he planned to? To include her?

Her arm found its home at the crook of his arm. He made sure the front door was locked behind them. He squeezed her close and with a bang, apparated them.

Hermione found herself transported to a park. Harry had apparated them in between a grove of trees yet the sounds of the busy city still reached her ears. Looking around her, Hermione found that she recognized where she was.

"Hyde Park?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded and carefully led Hermione to the path near where they apparated. The people who saw them emerge from the trees didn't seem to mind and continued about their way. They soon joined the steady stream of people walking in the park enjoying the cool, night air as Harry led them to the park's southwest entrance.

The city was abuzz around them. Kensington Road was busy especially as it was a Friday night. There were many people out on the streets and Harry's arm wound around her waist keeping her close. He led her south on Queen's Gate and then down one of its side streets. Hermione's eyes took in the beautiful architecture of the buildings around her. The handsome brick faces of the houses and the blooms leading up to their front doors were inviting. Harry steered her across the street and down another road. The sounds of the cars and buses from the main road have gone and a quiet calm settled over them. The row houses on this street had white-bricked faces and iron-wrought railings led up to their entrances.

The uniformity of the street was broken up by the different coloured doors. He led her down the middle of the street and up a set of stairs lined with small potted plants. He grasped the brass handle of the dark red door with one hand and then took hold of her hand with the other. He murmured a spell and Hermione felt the faintest brush of his magic against her own. Then he smiled and opened the door.

"Welcome to my home, Hermione," he said as he led her inside.

The inside of the row house wasn't what she had expected. She didn't really know what she had expected, but it certainly wasn't the bright, open space and the warm tones on the walls. As soon as she stepped through the front door, she could see everything that was on the main floor. It was similar to her own home in that one room led to another. Immediately to her left was a large entertainment and family room whose main feature was a gorgeous bay window looking out onto the street. There was a cozy bench built into the bottom of that window while bookcases lined either side. The family room became the dining room which then became the kitchen. To the right of the main hallway were the staircases leading down to the bottom and up the other floors as well as some closed doors which she assumed to be closet spaces and the loo. At the back of the house she could see another entertainment room of sorts with sliding glass doors leading out to the backyard. And above her, situated right above the tall staircase, was a skylight. She could see the clear, night sky and the smallest sliver of the crescent moon through the glass.

"Your home is beautiful," Hermione commented as Harry helped her remove her coat. He smiled and hung their coats on the hooks by the door. Following his lead, she took off her boots and donned some slippers. He offered her his hand and she took it with a smile.

He led her through the main floor while describing the layout of his house. He said that most of the living areas were on the main floor. She gasped when she caught a glimpse of the backyard which was no doubt enchanted since there was no way that large of an open space would be available in London. He grinned wickedly and said that it was one of the perks he actually took advantage of as a Ministry employee. He explained that he and a lot of his friends love to play pick-up games of Quidditch out in his backyard. The bottom floor was connected to the garage and laundry area while the second floor was where the guest bedrooms were as well as another small entertainment room. The top-most floor was the master suite with his bedroom and office.

She sat on one of the tall chairs surrounding his kitchen island and watched as he popped the bread pan into the oven. He winked at her as he put a pound of dry spaghetti into a pot of boiling water to cook. As the pasta was cooking, he splashed a skillet with some oil and soon, the very fragrant and delicious smell of cooking pancetta wafted into the air.

"That smells incredible," Hermione said as she took a sip of the wine Harry gave her.

"And it will taste incredible, I hope," Harry said with a grin. "Teddy absolutely loves spaghetti carbonara so I've gotten quite good at cooking it."

Hermione smiled at the mention of his godson. Harry told her that he was the godfather of Teddy Lupin, the son of one of his closest friends who had passed away during the war. Hermione knew about Remus Lupin and his wife, Nymphadora Tonks, before though she did not know the tragic tale of them leaving their son behind. It was a surprise to her when she learned that Harry was very close to the couple and was the guardian of their son. But Harry wasn't interested in hiding Teddy from her. In fact, it was clear to Hermione that Teddy was one of Harry's top priorities. He talked about the boy with so much devotion and love that Hermione was eagerly waiting to meet him herself.

As she watched the man cooking and glimpsed the picture frames hung on the wall, Hermione realized that there were so many layers to Harry Potter. On one hand, he was the tough Auror Commander who hunted down dark wizards. He was skilled with his wand and deadly with his fist like she saw earlier that week. He was lethal when necessary and absolutely ruthless when fighting. There was also that one nagging thing which she kept at the back of her mind. He was brought to her hospital bloodied and bruised but he hadn't told her why. Sure, they were still very new to this relationship but already the fear of seeing him like that again haunted her. She looked at Harry as he stirred the boiling water and softly hummed to himself. In such a short amount of time, he had already started to mean so much to Hermione.

Harry Potter may be the Auror Commander people revered, the one whom people called their saviour, and a common household name, but she was also starting to know the other side of him. He was the present best friend, the loving godfather, and - Hermione blushed at the thought - her sweetest date. He laughed easily, listened intently, and made her feel like the most important person in the room. He had a great sense of humour, was whip smart, and it seemed like he was a good cook too.

He cooked and they talked about Teddy. Harry told her that his godson was visiting him that weekend. He planned on taking Teddy to the Natural History Museum since the boy loved looking at the dinosaurs. He pointed at a large stuffed t-rex making its home at one corner of the living room and Hermione laughed. Soon, Harry had their food ready. There were two plates topped with freshly cooked spaghetti carbonara with garlic bread on the side. He sat next to Hermione on the kitchen island and nodded his head urging her to take the first bite of their food.

Hermione grabbed her fork and looked at Harry with a small, mischievous smile. She speared the utensil into the hill of spaghetti and twirled her fork around. When she had grabbed a good amount, she brought the bite into her mouth. Her eyes widened at the taste and Harry snickered at her shocked look. The carbonara was actually really good and while she didn't expect him to be terrible at cooking, she wasn't expecting that it would be so delicious.

"Wow," Hermione said, after she had swallowed her first bite. She took a drink of Pinot and closed her eyes to savour the taste. She blinked them open and grinned. "There's certainly more to you than meets the eye," she said cheekily to his delighted look. "This is fantastic." Already she was making herself another bite.

Harry laughed aloud and grabbed his fork as well. The topic of conversation was on food now as they ate. They talked about their favourite foods and Hermione's weakness for wine. Then the topic shifted to breakfast and brunch and they had a silly argument on what "brunch" actually meant. Hermione was on the camp that any food eaten between ten in the morning and two in the afternoon is brunch, while Harry was on the side that brunch is a type of food which can be had anytime in the day.

It was easy, this thing between them. They had so much chemistry that they talked with ease and laughed with ease. There were no pretenses and no false facades. Hermione felt truly and utterly herself towards him and Harry did so as well. He listened as she narrated a story about her and Fleur while they were in school and watched at how she was so animated. She spoke with her hands and he found it so charming.

Merlin, he was done for.

She ended the story with a giggle and Harry smiled widely. Noticing that her plate was empty, Harry said, "I've got a surprise for you."

Her interest was piqued and she looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Yep," he responded playfully. He stood from his seat and cleared their empty plates. Then, he opened the refrigerator door and rummaged inside. Hermione tried to see what it was that he was getting but Harry had already righted himself with something in his hand.

He set in front of her a medium sized mason jar filled to the brim with layered cream and cake. The tiramisu was topped with sprinkled cocoa and Hermione's mouth watered at the sight. Tiramisu was…

"Your favourite," Harry said, setting the dessert in front of her. He had a spoon in his hand.

"This looks sinful," Hermione said, looking at the cake wide-eyed. She had never indulged in sweets when she was younger since her parents were dentists. But when she tasted authentic tiramisu for the first time when she went to Italy with Fleur and Gabrielle in between her third and fourth years, her life had been changed. She craved the dessert often and considered it a real treat.

Harry brandished the spoon in his hand and scooped some of the cake. He offered the bite to Hermione who looked at it with a pause. After giving it a second of thought, she looked at Harry as she opened her mouth to take the bite. She closed her lips around the spoon and felt her eyes close in pleasure. The cake was so good that she let out a little moan as she savoured the sweet and bitter taste on her tongue.

Harry felt his eyes darken at the witch in front of him. He slid the spoon from her mouth and watched as Hermione licked her lips. She opened her eyes and grinned. "Delicious," she murmured.

He wanted a taste. Harry set the spoon down on the kitchen counter and crushed his lips against Hermione's. She gasped and that was enough for him to enter with his tongue. She moaned and wound her arms around his neck drawing him closer. He wasn't sitting any longer. He was standing in front of her with one hand at the back of her chair and the other hand braced against the marble countertop. Their tongues battled for dominance and it was only their shortness of breath that made them draw for air. Their heads stayed mere millimetres apart and their noses brushed against each other's.

"You're right," Harry whispered, a smile forming in his lips. "It really was delicious."

His eyes were bright with intensity. There were so many emotions flashing through those emerald orbs and Herrmione found herself wanting to know every single one of them. She wanted to know all of his secrets and all of his deepest desires. She wanted to know all the reasons behind his smile and she wanted to be one of those reasons as well. She wanted him just as he was and just as he is.

Her lips moved to tell him her wish. "I want you," she whispered.

Harry gasped but it was now Hermione's turn to cover his lips with her own. She tugged his head to bring him closer and they were kissing again. Tentative and soft this time, savouring each other's tastes with no hurry in mind. His strong forearms surrounded her waist and Hermione found herself being hoisted up from her chair and on top of the marble island. Harry laid his hands on either side of her, locking her in place as his body moved between her parted legs.

Their lips never broke contact. Hermione combed her hands through his hair, giddy with excitement that she was finally able to do what she had been wanting to do for a long time. Harry ran his hand across a nylon-covered leg from calf to thigh, wishing that it was bare skin instead.

He had fallen so fast and so quickly and he really didn't mind a single bit. This woman in front of him was the embodiment of his dreams. She was smart and kind and so beautiful and lovely. She was genuine and true and he truly and utterly felt like himself around her. Never had he felt such strong feelings towards anybody before. She had managed to break his walls down so quickly without even trying. He already cared so much about her, already wanted more of her, already felt himself falling in lo-

His thoughts were broken by the kisses on his skin. The little minx trailed kisses from his mouth, to his chin, and was now raining kisses on his neck.

"Merlin, Hermione," he groaned. He felt her smile against him before her teeth clamped down on his neck and sucked. He was electrified with passion and his arms tightened around her. "If you continue that I won't be able to control myself," he breathed.

She pulled away then and he almost cried from the loss. But, she looked him in the eye, her amber brown eyes boring deep into his soul. She smiled and said, "I don't want you to."

His eyes darkened and his breathing grew laboured. "Are you sure?" He asked.

Her hand, now on his chest, stroke him reassuringly. She nodded her head again and looked up at him, so full of confidence and trust. "Yes, Harry. I'm sure."

He just about growled with want. The Auror wound her legs around his waist and lifted her arse from the countertop with his strong hands, carrying her. Hermione felt herself grow warm at his show of strength as he walked them towards the stairs.

Her hands and her lips were everywhere. She was kissing his ear, raking his hair, removing his shirt and throwing it on the dining table as they walked past. Then her hands were on his bare chest, stroking the muscles and memorizing every curve and line of his body. He was so beautiful and so perfect, like a statue carved with such precision and care to depict one of the ancient gods.

Harry shivered at her touches and whispered, "I'm going to drop you if you keep at that."

Hermione threw her head back and giggled, exposing the long column of her throat. Harry smiled as he saw his opportunity and attacked her bare neck. She gasped in his arms, and he momentarily stopped climbing the stairs to set her down on one of the steps. Her body draped over the steps and he loomed over her, pressing his hard body against her softness. His attack on her neck was relentless, biting and nipping and sucking on her skin leaving her breathless. He drew back and admired the mark he created on her collarbone. His hands were stroking her legs again and he groaned when they met the smooth material of her nylons. "These need to come off," he said gruffly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow and grabbed the hem of her dress. She shimmied underneath him to raise the hem to her waist. His eyes darkened when her long, shapely legs encased in black sheers came into full view. She grabbed the band of her stockings and peeled them off in one quick pull. Harry's breath stilled when he saw her knickers and he let out a surprised laugh when she covered herself again with her dress. "There. They're off," she said.

He picked her up again and carried her with her bare legs around his waist. One arm was on her bum to keep her up while the other kept running smooth patterns on her leg. Hermione felt the wall behind her back and she realized that they'd finally reached the second floor landing. Harry pressed her against the hard surface so his hands were free to untie her hair. He ran his hands through her now tumble of curls and whispered into her ear, "I've been wanting to do this since I saw you at the Ministry."

Hermione moaned not only from his words but because Harry rocked his body against her front. His erection was hard and she could feel it rubbing against her inner thighs. She felt his hands against her arse now, squeezing her flesh and rubbing her bum through the material of her dress.

He made quick work of her dress. She didn't know how he did it but he managed to take it off while she remained against the wall with her legs locked around his waist. Vaguely she recalled him throwing her dress to the side before his body molded against hers once again. She may only be in her bra and knickers now, but the heat emanating from Harry's body kept her hot. He picked her up and they were off again, climbing the last flight of stairs to his bedroom, her hands touching and caressing whatever they could and her head thrown back as Harry nipped at her neck.

Hermione felt the cool sheets of the bed behind her and only then did she realize that they'd arrived at their destination. Harry loomed over her, his eyes alight with so much passion and intensity that she found herself smiling.

He wanted this.

He wanted her.

She could see it and she could feel it. In his caresses, in his kisses, in his tender strokes of her cheek and in the way he smiled at her right now.

"You're beautiful," Harry murmured, looking at her in somewhat of an awe.

And she really was. Creamy and supple skin so soft and tender to his touch. The brightest brown eyes with specks of gold and amber. The softest lips known to men, currently bruised and red from his kisses and curved into an inviting smile. Her curly brown hair the colour of the most sinful chocolate was splayed on his bed like a halo. His mouth quirked at the thought. He recalled how he thought she was an angel when he first saw her at the hospital, but the lack of a halo was what convinced him the vision he saw was more of a siren luring him into the depths of hell. Oh, how far they've come, for now he's convinced she was nothing short of an angel and this truly was heaven.

"What are you grinning about?" Hermione asked, tracing his jaw with her finger.

"Just thinking about how wonderful you are," Harry replied. "And how wonderful this is."

She looked at him coyly before using force to shove him from on top of her and onto his back. She straddled his waist, and looked at his shocked face slyly. "We're only getting started, Mr. Potter," she said.

Her eyes were glinting with such mischief and such confidence as she unclasped her bra. Harry's eyes darkened as he looked at the witch on top of him, his hands tightening on her creamy thighs as he watched the bra fall from her arms. As soon as she threw the fabric to his bedroom floor, his hands were on her beasts. She gasped as he tested their weight and cupped each mound with his hands. The pads of his thumbs stroked over her nipples and they hardened into small stones.

She moaned at his ministrations. Her hands gripped his shoulders tightly as he drove her crazy with his fingers. Her eyes had closed in pleasure and she felt his touch stop momentarily. Harry moved them so his back was against the headboard before his hands were back on her beasts.

Then Hermione felt something hot and wet close around one of her peaks and she cried out in pleasure. Harry's hands were now splayed on her back, keeping her body in place for his mouth to play with her beasts. Her head fell backwards as Harry nipped and sucked on her nipples, alternating between the two twin peaks.

"Oh, Harry," she moaned. She was impossibly wet now and against her arse she could feel his hard erection. Her hands tugged and pulled at his hair as his mouth drove her crazy.

Her head was thrown back in ecstasy and Harry took this time to lavish her neck with attention once again. His hands have moved down to cup her arse still in their black silk covering.

"We're still wearing far too many clothes," he said in playful indignation against her skin. Hermione half moaned and half laughed when Harry dipped his hands underneath the waistband of her underwear and squeezed her bum.

He murmured a spell Hermione didn't recognize. Her eyes widened when she felt the last bit of silk disappear from her body and she knew that Harry had disappeared the boxers he was wearing as well. She grew even hotter at his display of wandless magic to rid them of their clothing. This man was truly something else, and Hermione told him that earning a laugh from the Auror before he moaned when she took hold of his ear in between her teeth and sucked.

He flipped them over and loomed over her. He looked at her and smiled, earning himself a smile back from the witch beneath him. He nudged her legs apart and dragged a finger across her centre. Harry watched as Hermione's eyes rolled to the back of her head and her mouth formed into a silent gasp. Up and down he stroked her slit, coating his finger with her essence. His finger slowly entered her warm, wet heat and Hermione moaned.

"Harry," she whispered, his name escaping in a deep sigh.

Satisfied that she was fully ready for him, Harry positioned his thick length at her entrance. He was fully erect now and rock hard. The tip of his member brushed against the outside of her folds and Hermione's eyes opened to look at him. She gave him an encouraging nod and he pushed.

They both moaned when he entered her. The feeling was incredible as he felt her wetness engulf his length. He stopped with only the tip inside of her allowing her to adjust to his size. When her hips moved below him, Harry drove himself home and fully sheathed his cock inside.

"Oh my god," came a ragged whimper from Hermione. He was so big and so hard inside of her and it felt so good. Her hands clawed at his back trying to bring him even closer and it was all of the encouragement Harry needed.

Painfully slow, he started moving. He drew his length out, leaving her almost completely, and with powerful hips he thrusted back in. Their names came out in gasps and filled his bedroom like a chant. Sweat coated their bodies as their hips met each other over and over and over again in a steady rhythm.

The feel of her tight, wet heat squeezing his cock was incredible. Her hardened nipples rubbed against his chest every time he plunged into her. He silenced her gasps with a passionate kiss and Hermione drove her hands into his hair.

"Fuck, babe, you feel so good…" he murmured against her lips. Her reply was a deep moan as he felt her walls tighten around his member.

He knew he couldn't last for much longer. Harry got on his knees and held onto Hermione's thighs. He drew her legs around his waist and held onto her hips with a vice-like grip. This new angle allowed him to piston his hips faster than before. The cries of his name only sped up his thrusts and he looked at the witch writhing wantonly below him.

She was fully engulfed in the haze of passion. Her eyes were closed and her lips were parted as she gasped and moaned. Her hands were fisted on his sheets and her head kept thrashing from side to side, splaying her curls against his bed like a crown of vines.

Harry reached between them and thumbed her engorged clit. Hermione's eyes snapped open as his finger made vicious strokes across the hardened bud. She just about screamed his name as she came.

"Harry!" she cried loudly as she fell over the edge. Her body arched, thrusting her breasts into the air as she orgasmed.

The feel of her walls squeezing him mercilessly and the sight of her losing control were what made Harry fall right along with her. His hips jerked as he found his own release, his head bowing to his chest like a fallen angel's as he emptied himself inside of her.

His thrusts slowed and his grip on her thighs loosened. Utterly spent, Harry removed himself from her heat and they both groaned at the loss of contact. He laid down on the bed beside her and immediately engulfed her in his arms. Hermione turned to him and burrowed into his side.

"That was…" Harry began, not quite knowing what the proper word was to summarize what he was feeling. Wonderful? Fantastic? Great? She murmured something into his chest which he couldn't quite hear. "What was that, Hermione?"

She turned to look at him with flushed cheeks and bright eyes. "I said that it was incredible."

"Incredible, eh?" Harry asked slyly with a boyish grin. Hermione rolled her eyes and playfully poked his side.

They showered together after that, though Harry's wandering hands made sure they were in the shower for far longer than Hermione intended since he definitely planned to keep them there for a while. Still naked but far less sweaty this time, Harry and Hermione fell back into bed.

He drew her close to him as soon as their bodies hit the pillows. She felt so good in his arms, like their bodies were made to fit. He also smelled his scent on her; smelled his shampoo in her hair and the fragrance of his soap on her body. It made him smile, for it was just another testament that she was his.

"Will you stay?" Harry asked softly into her ear. The night? Forever? Preferably the latter, though Harry didn't say it.

Hermione turned around so she was facing him and Harry was struck at how beautiful she looked. Backdropped by the soft glow of his bedroom lights, Harry saw her shining eyes and the small smile gracing her lips. She laid a hand on his cheek and she leaned forward to place a sweet kiss on his lips.

"Of course I'll stay," Hermione replied.

He grinned and sent a silent prayer to all the gods that it was for forever. Because as Hermione's breathing steadied and she fell asleep in his arms, Harry knew that he was a goner. They've only known each other for a couple of weeks but already it felt like he had known her his whole life. And cared for her his whole life. And…

Loved her his whole life.

As he joined her in slumber, Harry wished that he'd be given the chance.