Love, Lies, and a Secret.

 

Chapter 21: Battles

 

"You know I love you, don’t you?" Harry whispered, looking into Hermione’s eyes. "I love you so much." He leaned in, burying his face in her hair, "So much."

"I love you too, my Harry," she whispered back, "but you can’t fight my battles.”

Harry pulled away from her, "Hermione-"

Hermione placed a finger on his lips to quiet him, "Harry," she said, "as much as I appreciate what you did today- and I do really appreciate what you did- I’m not some sort of damsel in distress who always needs to be rescued." 

Harry looked indignantly at her. "I know you aren’t a-"

"Harry," she interrupted him once again. "What happened with Ron was-" she closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. "The moment he hit me..." Hermione opened her eyes, looking down. "And then Lavender..." She shook her head. Hermione didn’t feel like reviving Ron´s situation all over again. The mere thought that one of her closest friends, even ex-boyfriend, could do that to her was sickening. "But it isn’t only about Ron, Harry." Hermione looked into his eyes. "It’s about me- and you. You know about my work." Harry opened his mouth but the look on Hermione’s face told him to stay quiet for now. "You know what I do and..." She sighed. "Yes, sometimes it gets a little nasty..." 

"A little?" Harry blurted out, incredulously. "You almost lost all your powers, Hermione!" He ran a hand through his raven hair, in frustration. "You were almost-" killed. But he couldn’t say it. The young man couldn’t even think about what would have happened if...

No, he wouldn’t think about that.

Hermione put a hand on his cheek, "I know," she nodded, "but I knew of all the consequences when I went on that mission with Terry." Hermione felt Harry tense up as she said her partner’s name but decide to ignore it. "I knew of all the consequences when I accepted to be a Hit Wizard, Harry." 

"But that’s it!" he howled frustrated. "You shouldn’t be a Hit Wizard!"  That sounded awkward even for him. If he would think of someone who could be an awesome Auror, Hit Wizard- actually, an awesome everything- it would be Hermione. And he knew it wasn’t fair for him to bellow a ‘you shouldn’t’. However, even if his rational thoughts would say that, Harry still had that scared little boy inside him.

He simply couldn’t bear to lose her. 

To anything.

Or anyone.

Hermione took her hand from his face and folded her arms across her chest while giving him a cold glare, "And may I ask why not?"

"It’s too dangerous!" he cried. "And I don’t trust that damn Terry Boot!" 

"It isn’t more dangerous than your work, Harry!" she argued. "And Terry is a very good partner! I can’t say the same about yours..." Hermione finished, looking away with a huff.

Harry grabbed her shoulders. "Hermione," he whispered, "please, look at me." She turned her head and returned his gaze. "I don’t want to fight. It’s just..." 

"I-I know, love, but you have to trust me; trust my abilities." 

"I trust you, Hermione. You’re an amazing and powerful, and skilled witch, Hermione, but..." Harry looked at her once again, and realized- or simply accepted it wouldn’t matter what he would say- Hermione wasn’t going to give up. Strangely, somehow, he felt like Ron- and it upset him a little. He felt like Ron, trying to change Hermione; willing her to do what he wanted. 

But he loved her- and for more fear he might feel, he just couldn’t try to change her.

"I’ll try," Harry finally said. "It won’t be easy, but I’ll try." 

Hermione beamed at him. "Oh, Harry!" she cried, and threw herself into his arms, hugging him. 

Harry was taken aback by the sudden movement for a moment- but only for a moment.

He wrapped his arms around her, whispering into her curly hair, "I love you, Hermione, never forget that." 

Hermione turned her head a little, so they were face to face, their lips barely touching. "I know," she whispered, "and I love you too." 

"Good to know," he murmured before capturing her lips with his own.

The kiss started tender and he closed his eyes, as if that way he could feel her better. Harry increased the grip of his arms around her waist, bringing her even closer to him as he felt her delicate and wonderful hands find a way to his hair. 

He pulled away just a little, and opened his eyes at her, a small smile on his lips. She looked slightly flushed, lips red and swollen.

`She looks beautiful,´ he thought half consciously, `Why did we take so long?´ 

"Harry?" he heard her calling his name. The young man shook his head briefly, and then began to press kisses on her cheeks and down to her jaw line.

"Oh, Harry..." she moaned.

Harry did not say anything, as her hands were still in his hair and he found it wonderfully distracting. Bending down again, Harry began to kiss down her neck, causing her back to arch. His hands slid down to her sides, resting on her hips, touching lightly the hem of her jeans. 

Not exactly aware of what he was doing, Harry let his fingers find their way under the hem of her jeans, to the fabric of knickers.

"Oh!"

He lifted his head up to peer at her. Suddenly aware of he was doing. "Oh, god, Hermione! I’m so-"

"Don’t you dare, Potter!" she hissed at him, her eyes darkening. "Touch me, Harry. Please, touch me." 

Harry felt his heart slamming fast against his chest, his breathing suddenly turning erratic. The question ‘Are you sure?’ caught in his throat. He simply gave her a sly smile and then kissed her hard on the lips.

Never breaking the kiss, Harry let his fingers slide down under her jeans. He began to stroke the gentle fabric of her knickers, cupping her most intimate place with his hand. 

Hermione moaned in pleasure against his mouth as he decided to go a little further and slowly slithered his fingers under her knickers, finally feeling her. Hermione was completely wet and her body started trembling with obvious pleasure as Harry slid a finger inside her.  

"OH!" she cried loudly, grabbing his hair with almost painfully force. "Oh!"

Harry’s lips left her lips to her jaw line, placing soft and wet kisses all around her skin. He felt as if his body was about to explode- or maybe explode wasn’t the right definition. He had had some intimate moments with Ginny- and there was Katie, of course- but no, never, like this.

Never as intense as this.  

"Oh god, Hermione," he hissed against her skin as he smoothly moved his finger inside her. "My Hermione..." he increased his momentum.

"Mmm..." Hermione murmured something incoherent. "Oh!" she cried as he delved another finger inside her, moving them deeper and faster.

"HARRY!" she moaned at full volume, her hands leaving his hair, to cling at his shoulders, using him to hold herself up.

Harry looked up at her, and watched in amazing delight the woman he loved, his best friend, with her eyes closed and face blushed.

He could be aware of his own member getting hard against his jeans but forced himself to be (sort of) under control, even as she bucked against his hand.

He was there for her.

It didn’t take too long for Hermione to come on his hand, her whole body shaking with pleasure.

Harry let his fingers stay inside her a little longer, waiting to remove them until her shuddering had ceased.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, her breathing still irregular.

Suddenly all those unsure feelings he was so accustomed to started to surface.

Had he gone too far?

Oh, Merlin! She must be thinking I’m some sort of perv!

But she liked it too...

Yeah, but...

"Harry!" she spoke a little louder this time.

"Huh?"

Hermione shook her head slightly, a content smile on her lips. "I know you too well, Harry Potter," she said, caressing the sides of his face. "And I want you to know that..." She leaned, and whispered in his ear, "It was incredible."

Harry turned his head to her, a sly but yet soft smile on the lips. "No, you are incredible."

And he kissed her again.

....

Lavender’s apartment

"So?" Lavender asked forcing an impatient tone, but Ron could see she was nervous.

Just like he was. 

It was somehow strange to him, to feel nervous because of Lavender. Deep inside, well, maybe not so deep, he knew that this was the last place he would like to be. But Ronald Weasley, for the first time in his life, realized it was a time of must have and not want.  He had finally become conscious that his acts had brought not some terrible consequences.

And whether he wanted to or not, it was time to face them. Ron heaved a sigh, pursing his lips. "Lav- Lavender," he finally began to speak, "I- we need to talk." 

Lavender let out a strange noise, something like a snort. "Oh? You think?" she asked in a mock tone. "Or do you want to continue to humiliate me like you were doing at your house?!"

Ron shook his head. "No! And-and I'm sorry for the way I acted...I-"

"Seems like now it's a little difficult for Hermione to want you back, huh?"

Ron closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Look, Lav." He looked again at her. "I said I am sorry for the way acted. You can accept it or not. However, we do need to talk about- about your pregnancy." Ron simply couldn’t say our baby.

Lavender opened her mouth but Ron held up his hand, cutting her off.

"I won’t lie and say I’m happy with this... situation," he said honestly, "but I won’t- I can’t be a bastard and leave you on your own."  

Lavender’s cold manner changed noticeable at his words, and her face opened in a large beam.

"Oh! I knew you wouldn’t, Ronald!"  she cried happily.  

Ron gazed at her and managed to give her a tiny smile.

Even though I don’t want to marry you. I don’t even love you´ he thought but decided it was better to not say anything. 

Lavender then noticed his sour expression and her beam faltered. “You don’t want to marry.” It wasn’t a question- and strangely enough- it was the first time, the real time, when Ron felt something for the girl right in front of him.

It was sorrow.

And pity.

And somehow he felt horrible with himself.

All his life, Ronald Weasley had acted thinking about himself first. Okay, it wasn’t entirely true. There were several times during Hogwarts, and then the war...But all those times were different. They were a matter of life and death, and-

It was different.

Ron heaved a sigh, closing his eyes briefly.

It wasn’t a matter of not knowing of what to do, or of the others expected him to do.

The redhead wizard opened his blue eyes, and tried to smile.

In vain.

His life was about to change; he wanted it or not.

However, like Dumbledore had said all those years back: it’s time to choose between what’s right and what’s easy. 

He looked into Lavender’s eyes and then finally said, “I’ll marry you, Lav.”

Lavender brought a hand to her mouth, letting the tears ran freely down her cheeks.  She looked at him, and let go the hand of her mouth, placing it on his cheek, caressing his skin.

“I love you, Ronald,” she whispered.

Ron only nodded.

And hoped he had done the right thing. 

****************

London, 1978

Remus´ bedroom

Remus laid Mary down on the mattress, his lips never leaving hers, and slid his body between her legs. Mary placed her knees on either side of his waist, pressing her lips more firmly against his.

Remus froze when he felt her fingers agilely untie the buttons of his shirt. Merlin, he wanted her. He knew he wanted her more than anything in the world. 

Circe, she was everything to him. He loved her, and because of that- he knew he couldn’t. It wouldn’t be fair. And for more it was against his body and heart...he had to.

He had to stop.

She didn’t know. He had never had the courage to tell her his most hidden secret--the beast that lied within him.  "I- We can’t, Mary," he said, pulling himself of her. "We can’t."

Mary looked confused at him for a moment. "W-what?" But then a realization seemed to come across her mind, and she smile knowingly, "Oh, Remus! I know you’re a Werewolf!"

Remus´ eyes opened wide. `W-what? I don’t know..." Mary raised an eyebrow at him as if she was saying `don’t even try to say I don’t know what are talking about´.   

"How?"

"It wasn’t too difficult to figure out," she responded, "it was just a matter of observation." She leaned in and touched his face, trailing his scars with the tip of her fingers. "I just wish you had told me." 

"I-"

"I know." She nodded. "And I don’t care if you’re a werewolf, a vampire, or extraterrestrial. You’re mine."

Remus smiled mischievously. "Oh? So I’m yours, Miss Addams?"

"Yeah, you’re all mine, you silly wolf," she hissed pushing him back to her.

TBC