November 16, 1997
Hermione put the lunch dishes on to wash after she cleared them away. They had just moved campsites this morning; they were now somewhere near Cotswold. Hermione had let Harry choose so she wasn't sure exactly where they were. Not that it really mattered. As long as they kept on the move, they were far safer than if they remained stationary.
Hermione was being quieter than usual since Harry was wearing the locket. Since she had gone through whatever it was that had happened to her, when she wore the locket, she tended to cry more. She wasn't sure what caused it because honestly, she had nothing to cry about. Harry had told her he wanted to be with her. Sure, she was unsure if his feelings for her would last but in that moment, she knew that he meant them. The sex had been the most amazing thing to happen to her, ever. She knew that she loved him and she knew that he loved her as well, even if it ended up being in only a sisterly way. Why the tears flowed was a mystery.
Therefore, Harry shouldered the locket more than his fair share of the time. It wasn't fair and she hated seeing that inner hate burn in his eyes but he outright refused her. She wasn't sure how he did it but when he outright ordered her to do something she just couldn't seem to disobey him. Not only was it infuriating, it frustrated her because he was hurting himself because she couldn't control her emotions.
Sometimes, she wondered what was going on inside him when he wore the locket. She could see that he hated something when he had it hanging around his neck but she wasn't sure what; she supposed that it didn't matter. Hermione knew that he had a special connection to Voldemort and he was essentially wearing a piece of the dark wizard's soul around his neck. It was bound to have an effect. She just wished that they could find the Sword as quickly as possible so they could destroy the damn thing already.
Hermione went to dress for their mission; they were going to visit the orphanage that Tom Riddle had grown up in. It had taken them ten days to discover the name and the location, then information about its current state, but they were finally ready to embark on visiting it. Hermione doubted that it would yield anything useful since it had been abandoned for over a decade but she wasn't going to let it go without thoroughly investigating it.
Hermione had sat down with Harry and made a list of the horcruxes they knew and the ones that they suspected. It had been a rather depressing list, that much was truth. They knew that the diary from Ginny in second year had been one and Harry had destroyed it with a basilisk fang. Dumbledore had told Harry that he had found and destroyed a second horcrux the summer before their sixth year, though it's location hadn't been revealed to Harry. They knew that they had the locket, a token belonging to the Slytherin line. Hermione had a feeling that he had wanted items belonging to the founders; since Gryffindor's Sword was the only thing left of his legacy and it was safe in Hogwarts, that left Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. This meant that there were at least two more items. Harry also strongly suspected Voldemort's snake since he had seen the attack on Mr. Weasley from the snake's point of view in fifth year. Hermione wasn't sure how they were going to find all these items but she knew that it needed to be done before they could go into the final showdown and expect to win.
Hermione threw jeans and a warm jumper on, making sure to find a coat rather than a cloak since they were going to go into the muggle world. Her mind drifted to Harry's words from that night like they did every single day since. Him saying that he wanted her was like a dream come true; she had wanted him since they had saved Sirius together in third year. Flying on that godsforsaken hippogriff, holding onto Harry like her life depended on it, had been the one and only time that she had even enjoyed flying in her life.
Hermione wanted to believe every word out of his mouth as though it were gospel and while she was inclined to do so now, what held her back was what would happen at the end of the war, what would happen once he was face to face with Ginny and what they could have had. No, she didn't think that Harry would ever cheat on her; that just wasn't in his make up. However, she did think that she had the ability to make him completely miserable by keeping him all to herself rather than setting him free to be with Ginny. She already knew that it was would hard as fuck to see him with Ginny after having him all to herself. It would be harder to let him go and not be friends with him at all.
However, she knew that there was no way in hell that she could tell him no, she didn't want to be with him. It was just a chance she was going to have to take because she loved him. There was no denying it and there was no hiding it. Sure, she was likely to get really hurt in the whole situation but there was nothing that she could do about it. Throwing away her only chance at happiness with the one person she had loved since third year was as unlikely as a hippogriff becoming Minister of Magic. She had vowed to tell him tonight because even though she had known for days, she hadn't been able to gather the courage to tell him. He had been amazingly patient with her and hadn't pressured her at all. He hadn't kissed her once and had only drawn her close at night as they slept. It had been agony knowing that she wanted him to touch her intimately and hold her close but he was keeping his distance so he wouldn't sway her decision.
Harry was too damn noble for his own good.
Hermione met Harry at the entrance of the tent and found that he was wearing much the same as she was. He flashed her a grin before taking the horcrux from his neck and handing it to her. She shoved it down into her beaded bag as deep as it would go, burying it beneath all her books and their combined clothes. Together, they had decided that when they were actively searching for other horcruxes, they needed to have it off their persons so they wouldn't be influenced by it. Hermione didn't feel as though it influenced her actions, per se, more like her emotions, but Harry admitted that it made him want to act violently to just about everything. It was dangerous to wear in situations where they needed to keep their heads. Not to mention, it made Hermione feel less guilty that Harry was wearing it more often that he was supposed to be.
Harry gripped her hand and pulled her from the tent and they slowly made their way to the ward line. They stopped just before it and he met her eyes. She could tell that he was gauging if she was ready, if she really wanted to go. Hermione shot him a hard look, telling him exactly how ready she was. There was no way in blue hell that she was letting him do any of this by himself; while she may be scared to death by all of it, she wasn't Ron Weasley and she wasn't going to run away.
Hermione Granger had never been called a coward.
Together, they stepped over the ward line and heaved a deep breath. They were standing outside their safety net and it put Hermione instantly on edge. However, it also made her feel alive in a way that she hadn't felt in a long time, not since the Death Eaters had broken into Hogwarts and she had battled against them while Harry had chased after Snape as he had escaped the school with Draco in tow. Harry wrapped a hand around her elbow and gave her a serious look.
"Nothing too crazy, alright? I don't want to have to rescue you because you were trying to rescue me. If there really is a horcrux there, there are probably traps. I need you to think me through them, which means I need to physically get through them. We're a team so don't start when I try to do something." Hermione felt heat rise to her cheeks as she nodded. She really had no other choice.
"I know, Harry. I'm sorry, I just hate seeing you hurt." He laughed softly and hugged her close, softly kissing the side of her head.
"I know, 'Mi. I'm the same way when it comes to you. Let's just keep each other safe, alright?" She gave him a grateful nod and moved into his side even closer. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a nod. She had no problems apparating them places but since splinching Ron, her confidence had been shaken. Granted, she had had no problems with just the two of them; she had even apparated the three of them since then with no problems. It had been the fact that her mind had been distracted at the time. However, she was still scared that she was going to hurt Harry and would likely feel that way for a good long while. Therefore, she left the apparating to Harry unless it was necessary for her to do it. Harry didn't seem to mind, but she did notice that he was starting to make her do it more and more often, like he was trying to build her confidence back up.
They disappeared with a soft crack and reappeared behind a dumpster in an alley across the road from Wool's Orphanage. The sign still hung on the building, though it was dilapidated enough that you could barely read it. There were only a few windows in the building and the structure was clearly rotting. Hermione wasn't entirely sure that it was safe to enter but they had no choice. If Riddle had hidden one of his horcruxes there, they needed to find it.
Harry took her hand once more, unseemingly so, and started to pull her to the side of the building. Hermione though it was a good idea. Even though the neighborhood seemed to be deserted, it wouldn't do for them to be seen trespassing. Even though they were in the muggle world, it wouldn't do for them to get into trouble. She was sure that Riddle had spies everywhere.
They entered through a side door that wasn't even locked; the lock had been kicked in long ago. The wood of the door was rotting away and splintered, leaving them an easy access point. They entered to find a large room, probably the room where they received parents that wanted to adopt young children. Maybe the room that all the children met their someday parents. It was quite sad to Hermione to see it and know that there had to be numerous disappointed children whenever that happened. Harry kept hold of her hand and shot her a serious look.
"We stay together, no straying. I don't trust anything in this building. It looks like it could fall down at any second," he told her. She nodded, in complete agreement. There was no way that she wanted to fall through the floor when Harry wasn't around. With her luck, she'd break her neck when she landed and he wouldn't even know about it until he found her an hour later.
The orphanage wasn't overly large but it was still big enough to take them a couple hours to search. They went room to room, searching top to bottom, side to side, of every nook and cranny they could find. Some rooms still had the wardrobes that had originally been in the orphanage and after seeing the memory from Professor Dumbledore of him setting the wardrobe on fire, he was sure that the Dark Lord would hide one in there. However, after two hours of searching every single room, even the one marked T. Riddle, as thoroughly as they could, they found nothing.
Hermione sighed dejectedly. She had hoped against hope that they would find something here; maybe not a horcrux, she could live with that. A clue to where one was though, that she could have been happy with. All she was taking away from this experience was a wasted afternoon, being hungry, tired, and covered in sweat. What she wouldn't do for a glass of wine that her parents would treat her with on her birthday, a warm bath, relaxing music, and a good book. However, they were in the middle of a war and those things just weren't in the cards for her and Harry; they needed to stay focused and keep their heads in the game. The last thing she needed to do was drink and read a book for fun. She blew an angry breath out of her mouth and let go of Harry's hand, taking three steps without him.
It was in that moment that disaster struck.
Hermione stepped on what appeared to be a strong plank of wood; she had even checked before putting her weight on it. However, when she put her full weight on it, it caved inward and Hermione found herself falling through the hole in the floor. Her hands scrabbled at the floor as she fell, trying to find purchase with her nails. Harry lunged for her, falling to his knees and his hands trying to catch her. They caught a few strands of her hair before she plunged to the floor below, landing with a sickening crack.
The Gryffindor lay there on the ground, trying to take mental inventory of her injuries. She looked up to see Harry peering through the hole in the floor, looking at her with a worried frown on his face. She knew that her back hurt, her backside as well, but wasn't sure if there was something broke or or just bruised. Harry looked fit to be tied.
"Don't move, kitten, I'm coming down," he called out to her. Hermione nodded, not even sure she could talk. His face disappeared and while he wasn't watching, she started to test her appendages. Her arms and hands seemed to work just fine. Her wand was on the floor next to her and was in one piece, thank Merlin. She leaned over and pulled it towards her, feeling better once it was in her hand again.
Her feet were fine; her toes wiggled like always and her ankles showed no pain when she rotated them. Her right knee seemed to be in working order but her left one was already twice the size it should be and hurt to bend. Hermione leaned forward at the hips gently and only found mild discomfort suggesting that her pelvis was probably just sore rather than seriously injured. Before she could test further, Harry appeared behind her and slid in next to her on his knees behind her so she could lean against him. While she hated to show weakness, she had to admit that it was nice to have something to help relieve the pain.
"Tell me where it hurts, 'Mi," he told her. She tried to give him a small smile before she shook her head.
"It's a waste of time. Just cast a diagnostic. We can deal with aches back at camp. Injuries have to be dealt with here," she informed him. His wand was in his hand but he looked to her for instruction.
"Tell me what to say," he pleaded. Hermione reached up and guided his hand through the complicated wand movement. After he could do it on his own without her help, she taught him the incantation.
"Quae sit aegri," she instructed.
Harry cast the spell perfectly and she watched the diagnostics as they appeared. Harry had no idea how to read the diagnostics but since she could only not cast them on herself, it wasn't a problem. For a full minute, she watched the read out. After it was done, Harry was quite impatient.
"What's wrong with you?" he snapped. She glared at him with enough vitriol to make him look righteously cowed.
"I bumped my head but not hard enough for a concussion. I'll have a headache. My back is going to be sore but nothing is broken, as are my hips. My knee, however, is the problem. I landed wrong and it snapped one of the tendons. I won't be able to walk properly until it's healed. Even though my ankle feels fine right now, it shows that I rolled it slightly. Other than that, I'm fine," she parroted. Harry stared at her in incredulous shock.
"You're the furthest thing from fine. I'm taking the horcrux back too, there is clearly nothing here that we need to worry about. We're disapparating right now. Do you have what you need to fix your knee at the tent?" he questioned her as he pulled the locket back out of her beaded bag. She gave him a quick nod as she tried to stand. He rolled his eyes at her and scooped her up in his arms, cuddling her close to his chest as she glared at him.
"Yes, I do. I can stand, you know," she ground out at him. He chuckled before nuzzling her hair with his nose for only a second.
"I do know, actually. I don't want you hurting your knee further, however, so this is our only option. Put your arms around my neck, kitten, we're going to apparate." Hermione sighed, knowing that it was futile to argue with him when he was like this. She wrapped her arms around his neck with a little huff that she suspected amused him.
With a crack and chuckle, they were gone.
-O-
Harry set Hermione down on the couch and watched her dig through her beaded bag for a potion that would fix her knee. He still saw the panic in her eyes as she fell and felt the fear clutch his insides when he was sure that she had broken her damn neck and left him to face his mission alone. While he wished that she would leave so she was safe, it was nice to know that she cared enough about him to not want him to be alone.
When he realized that she wasn't dead, and only injured, his heart had started beating again. Harry could still feel the adrenaline pouring into his system but it was manageable now, knowing that she was alive. Holding her in his arms as he disapparated had soothed his worry even further, being able to touch her made something deep inside him become tranquil. The calming effect that her touch had on him was strange and he had never known it to be as strong as it was now.
Harry had found himself needing to touch her more than he ever had since their three day bender together. It boggled his mind but she didn't seem to mind the casual touches he bestowed upon her. She seemed to thoroughly enjoy every time he massaged her shoulders or feet, she practically purred whenever he ran his fingers through her hair. The little kisses on her forehead and the top of her head were signs of affection that he had shown her for ages but they meant more now, at least to him. At night, he snuggled up to her and wrapped himself around her like devil's snare, holding her close all night long.
Harry had held true to his word and hadn't kissed her or tried to sway her choice on whether to be with him or not. However, it was slowly killing him that she was taking so long. It had been almost two weeks and she hadn't said a word about it to him a single time, not even to ask him a question. He was starting to wonder if she was going to blow him off and was just scared of hurting his feelings.
Hermione found the potion she wanted and pulled it free, quaffing it quickly. A look of distaste crossed her features as she set the empty vial on the table in front of the couch. She looked his way and gave him a sheepish look, gesturing for him to cast on her again. Harry raised his wand and cast the diagnostic spell again just as she had taught him. Once again, Hermione watched the read out for a full minute before she nodded and sighed, pulling out one more vial from her beaded bag and drinking it down. Harry frowned at her this time, unsure of what she had just taken.
"What was that one for, kitten?" he questioned. Hermione set the second vial next to the first and met his gaze.
"A pain potion. My head is starting to ache and the first potion is said to cause a little discomfort. Not to mention I'm a little sore," she told him. Harry stood and nodded, kissing the top of her head. He reached down and started to rub her shoulders, making sure that he hit the spot between her shoulder blades that always made her slump over and moan in pleasure. He couldn't help but grin every single time he did it. After a couple minutes of loosening her muscles, he kissed her head again.
"You relax, I'm going to make us dinner," he promised her. Hermione nodded and turned sideways so she could face the kitchen and watch him while he cooked. It probably would have unnerved him in the past but he found that he liked being the sole focus of her attention now. He started to get ingredients out to fry up the last of their fish; they would have to go out shopping again for the things that just wouldn't keep too long. Hermione watched him as he worked, happy to observe him doing something well, so he was surprised when she spoke.
"You never told me how you learned to cook. You're very good at it," she told him. Harry winced, knowing that this was a subject that could become quite sore if it got out of hand. Hermione could be quite passionate in her defense of those that she cared for. While he appreciated it, he didn't plan on ever going back there. Therefore, he tried to give a diplomatic answer.
"I learned as a small child," he said. She narrowed her eyes at him and he cringed.
"You mean they made you cook for them," Hermione said acerbically. He looked up to meet her eyes and knew that he was going to have to be forthright about it.
"Yes, they made me cook for them. They made me clean for them and they starved me most of the time too. I remember getting a few good wallops when I was young and Dudley's favorite game growing up was Harry Hunting. No, I wasn't treated well but I'm choosing not to dwell on it. I'm never going back to them and I don't even really consider them my family. You're my family, the Weasleys are my family. Remus is my family. Can we please not have a discussion about it past this?" he asked her. His tone was neutral but cold and he hoped that she would just leave it alone. While he would someday choose to discuss his childhood with her, when he was wearing that Merlin-be-damned locket was not the right time. Hermione stared at him for several seconds before dropping her gaze and nodding.
"Sure, Harry. We don't ever have to talk about it again."
Harry returned to his cooking and Hermione stared at her lap. Where the silence before had been comfortable, now there was tension abound. He was starting to feel guilty for how he had handled it; he hadn't meant to make her feel like she couldn't talk to him. Just as he was getting ready to speak, to apologize, Hermione raised her eyes and they were shining with sincerity.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I wasn't trying to make you uncomfortable," she told him. He smiled her way and gave his tongs a dismissive wave.
"It's fine, I wasn't trying to sound as awful as I did. It's this damn locket," he confessed. Hermione huffed at him and he grinned. He knew she was still irritated that he was wearing the locket twice as often as she was. He hated wearing it but he hated seeing her cry more. Harry still wasn't sure why she was crying but she said that she wasn't sure either.
"Let's just take it off for the night. After the day we've had, we've both earned a reprieve," she offered. Harry wasn't sure that it was a good idea but he admitted to himself that he wanted to take the damn thing off more than anything. Therefore, he nodded, removing it from his neck and throwing it to her. She stuffed it in her beaded bag and then sealed it shut with her wand.
Harry set their food on the table and moved to carry Hermione to the table. She glared at him but allowed it. After she was settled, they both started in on their meal. Harry had to admit that it was quite tasty. Cooking had always been one of the few things that he enjoyed doing at the Dursleys, though he probably would have enjoyed it more if he had been allowed to eat the food he cooked. Hermione complimented his fish and went on and on about how amazing his chips were; he was quite sure that his cheeks were pink but he hoped that she didn't notice.
The two of them were silent through their meal, more focused on eating then talking. Harry ate two pieces of fish along with a healthy helping of chips before pushing his plate away. Before he could do anything, Hermione stood and started the dishes to wash, flashing him a mischievous grin.
"I don't have to be coddled all night, my knee is healed now," she informed him. Harry stuck his tongue out at her and she splashed him with water, spattering his glasses with it. Hermione laughed at him so Harry went to his feet and started for her, causing Hermione to shriek in laughter, running away from him. He gave chase, finally catching her at the front of the tent. He caught her around the waist and spun her through the air, laughing when she let out another shriek. Harry waved his wand at the wireless and let the music fill the tent and met Hermione's gaze when she turned around. Her eyes were wide and guileless, completely intoxicating him.
"Dance with me, kitten," he told her. Hermione put her hand in his and allowed him to pull her close, his hand wrapped around her waist to rest low on her hip while the other held her hand on his chest. Hermione let herself relax into the dance and rested her head on his chest, humming softly to the music. Harry's cheek rested against her head and he reveled in how absolutely right the whole situation felt. Hermione's voice interrupted the perfect moment and for half a second he was irritated that she couldn't just enjoy it like he was.
"I've thought about what you told me, Harry," she said. Harry could tell that she was nervous and he braced himself to have his heart broken. He couldn't bear to let her go yet so he held her close. When she let him down, he would release her but until then, he was going to hold her.
"What did that wonderful brain of yours come up with, 'Mi?" he asked, scared to know the answer. Her voice wavered slightly.
"I can't say no to you. I don't want to say no to you. I still have no idea why you would want me over Ginny but I'm going to say yes because I want you too. I've loved you since Buckbeak, Harry, and even though I'm scared to death I'm going to end up with a broken heart, you're worth it. I want to be with you, Harry, if you still want me." Harry didn't bother to speak. He bent down and kissed her, pulling her impossibly closer, his tongue demanding entrance to her mouth. She tasted like sweet submission and a flavor that was purely Hermione, that was purely his. He broke the kiss quickly to find that Hermione's pupils were blown wide.
"I want you, Hermione Jean. Now that you're mine, I'm never going to let you go. I plan to marry you someday," he warned her. She looked a little startled but not scared. After almost a minute of considering his words, she smiled at him and nodded.
"As long as you're not a complete arsehole git, I can see that happening," she agreed.
Harry burst out laughing at her words and bent to kiss her again, this time more gently. She yielded the same as before, letting him have his way. His fingers reached out to caress her cheeks and brush her curls back, leaving the way free for his fingertips to softly trace paths down her neck.
He stroked the mark on her neck and she moaned into the kiss; Harry swallowed them hungrily as he started to guide her to the bed. They may have just officially gotten together as a couple but he needed her. He was almost positive that she needed him as well. As they reached the bed, Harry broke the kiss and Hermione reached down to pull her jumper off. While Harry liked to be in control, in that moment, he knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her and he was going to allow it.
Her breasts were bare, the first time he had seen them since shagging her the last time, and they were still just as perfect as ever. He reached out and circled her right nipple with his thumb, watching the flesh pebble and raise, listening to her breath hitch. He could see that she wanted to press her mound more fully into his hand but she didn't. He smirked at her.
"Take off your clothes, kitten, I want to see you. I've been dreaming about seeing your pretty pussy since the last time I was inside you," he confessed. Hermione flushed red and he fought a smile. He liked knowing that she was stepping out of her comfort zone for him but didn't want her to think that he was laughing at her expense.
Hermione slid her jeans off, followed quickly by her knickers. Her pussy was still bare and her lips were already glistening with moisture. He loved that she was so wet and had copious amounts of liquid desire when she orgasmed; he had to constantly stop with Ginny so they could re-lubricate. Harry went to his knees so he could put his face at the apex of her thighs, leaning forward so he could put his nose at the top of her slit and take a deep breath. Her musky, womanly scent was like amortentia; he was sure that if he ever smelled the potion again, Hermione's cunt was what he would smell in the fumes. He knew without even looking that her face was a lovely shade of crimson.
"Put your leg over my shoulder and hold onto my hair. Don't try to guide me though, kitten, or I'll stop," he told her. Hermione did as he told her, putting her leg over his shoulder, letting it rest there.
His tongue snaked out and lapped at her folds, tracing each petal with care. Her hands tightened in his hair but made no move to do anything but hold on. Her arousal was trickling down her thighs so he flicked out his tongue to tease her entrance. Her breathing was erratic and he wasn't entirely sure that she was going to last through her orgasm on her feet. He plunged his tongue inside her, still surprised at how tight she was. Her moans went straight to his cock and it was straining against his jeans painfully.
Harry pulled his face away to slip two fingers inside her, pumping in and out of her while he watched her face contort into a mask of pleasure. He bent to her pussy again and flicked her pleasure pearl with his tongue, causing her fingers to tighten in his hair. Her hips started to buck so he pulled away and lightly slapped her clit, sending her over the edge. Her cunt spasmed around his fingers, trying to suck them further in. Just when she started to come down from her high, he gave her nub another light slap and watched her jolt from the sensitivity. He pulled his fingers out of her and held them up to her.
"Lick them, kitten. Taste yourself," he ordered her.
Harry didn't wait to see if she was going to obey. He put his mouth back at her entrance and started to lick her clean, wanting to get every drop of honey she had to offer. One of her hands buried in his hair again but the other held his wrist while her tongue snaked out and started to lick his fingers, at first tentatively, like she wasn't sure of herself, but then more confidently. Soon, she was deep throating his fingers and he knew what they were going to be doing next.
Harry stood and pulled his shirt off, throwing it on the floor in the distance. He kicked his jeans off, followed quickly by his boxers. His cock sprang free, bouncing off his belly proudly. Hermione hadn't moved but she was watching him and it was clear that she wanted him. Harry sat on the bed and beckoned her forward, pointing for her to get on her knees.
"I want to feel your mouth on me, kitten. You suck me off so perfectly and you gave me a preview on my fingers," he told her softly.
This was one thing that Hermione had needed very little teaching in. He had told her the basics but she had read books and she had no gag reflex due to having dentists as parents. Her hand wrapped around the base of his cock and her thumb went to the head to spread his fluid as lubrication. She muttered a spell that made her hand slick and she started to work up and down at the base. Her mouth took in the head, her tongue swirling in circles around it.
Her cheeks hollowed out and she started to move up and down, sucking on his cock as hard as she could. Harry buried his hands in her hair and groaned when she moved her hand from his cock to his balls, stroking them, feeling their weight in her hand. Her nose nestled in his curls as she took him into her throat, her eyes watering slightly. Harry threw his head back and felt his cock harden even more when he suddenly felt pressure at his back entrance. He hadn't ever had pressure on his prostate but he was willing to try anything once. He shifted so Hermione would have easier access and she pressed inside.
Harry exploded down her throat after only a moment of her pushing on the spot inside him; he could feel her throat swallowing around him and his hands tightened reflexively in her hair until he was done spurting. She pulled her finger from his arse and he moved his hands from her hair to gently stroke her cheeks as she started to lick his cock clean in much the same way he had cleaned her up.
Hermione seemed to enjoy cleaning him up; her tongue even found its way to his balls which made him wonder if she just wanted to taste him. He wouldn't blame her; he loved tasting her. This would have been far more awkward and strange between them if they hadn't already spent three days straight sleeping together and doing just about everything imaginable together. Just as her tongue dipped into the tip of his cock one last time to get the very last drop of his seed, Harry's prick started to wake again, twitching at the sight of her on her knees, naked and willing. Harry leaned forward and kissed her, tasting his seed on her tongue as he subdued her mouth with his own. He reached out and tweaked her nipple just hard enough to make her gasp into his mouth, causing him to smirk into the kiss.
"Get on the bed, witch," he said, breaking the kiss. Hermione hurried to obey him, laying on the bed on her back. Harry moved up her body slowly, pressing soft kisses to random spots on her body as he went, First her ankle, then behind her injured knee, the outside of her right thigh, the top of her slit, her left hip bone. He sucked her right nipple into his mouth for just a moment but released it quickly. He reached behind him and pulled her legs so they wrapped around him, her hips cradling him against her cunt.
Harry lined himself up with her entrance and plunged inside her, her tight, wet heat welcoming him home. She hissed, his nails digging into his shoulders, her heels digging into his arse so he paused. He reached up to brush her curls from her face.
"Are you alright?" he asked. It was only a few moments later that she answered.
"Yes, it's just been a bit. You're very big," she told him. He chuckled as he bent down to kiss her again.
Harry started to move inside her, slowly at first, but gaining speed as she grew accustomed to his girth. He had missed this, had missed being inside her, had missed feeling like one with her. This was what he had been missing with Ginny; Hermione felt like home and Ginny didn't.
"Please, Harry, harder, I need you," she begged.
Harry bent down and clamped down on her mark with his teeth, not hard enough to break the skin, but hard enough to let her know that he was still in charge. He wrapped his arms clear around her torso, hugging her tightly against him, and started to pound into her relentlessly. Her curls were flying into his face but he didn't care; he was past that point. All that mattered was the two of them and chasing their pleasure.
Hermione fell over the edge of ecstacy first. Her cunt gripped him like a vice and sucked him even deeper and his name fell from her lips followed by a string of profanities that he didn't even know that she knew. Harry followed right behind her, his seed spurting out and painting her cervix white. He pumped into her until he was empty, until his sac was shriveled and dry.
Harry released her neck but gave the mark a kiss, sending a shiver down her spine. He pushed her hair back so he could see her face and was surprised to see that there were tears on her cheeks. He instantly wondered what he had done, if he had pushed her too far. She saw his worry and smiled at him.
"It was beautiful, Harry. It was perfect. They're happy tears," she assured him. Harry gave her a gentle kiss as he pulled out of her and summoned his wand. He cast a cleansing charm on them both before speaking again.
"Are you sure you aren't hurt? I should have been more careful with you, you were injured today," Hermione cupped his face in her hands and rubbed her shadow.
"I'm fine, Harry, I swear it. I know we haven't talked about it but I know that if I don't like something you're doing or if you hurt me, I can tell you. I trust you," she told him. Harry felt something inside him swell up with pride. She trusted him and it felt good. She cocked her head to the side and smiled.
"I like the scruffy look on you. I bet you would look even sexier with a beard," she teased him. Harry just laughed, now completely sure that he wasn't going to be shaving anytime soon.
Harry pulled her down so her head rested in her customary spot on the pillow and threw the blanket over them. He snuggled up to her back, his cock nestled into the cleft of her arse and his arm thrown over her waist. His hand curled around to cup her bare breast, his thumb brushing her nipple ever so softly. She sighed contentedly and relaxed against him, letting his warmth draw her closer to sleep. Harry kissed her mark one last time, enjoying the visible shiver that went down her spine.
"I love you, kitten," he told her. She hummed her response, meaning he barely understood it.
"Love you, Harry."
Harry chuckled to himself. Life with Hermione would never be dull. He meant what he told her; he planned on marrying this girl in the future and she had seemed onboard. No matter what Ron and Ginny thought about it, he was going to make sure that he and Hermione were happy together.
Hermione was worth it.
A/N- Holy balls, y'all, I hadn't planned on that much smut at the end but apparently, my muse got horny. You're welcome. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Anyways, drop me a line and let me know what you think. Again, thank you for reading.