Out of the Forest

AN: Oneshot. Reviews are appreciated, Warning: Deathly Hallows Spoilers!!!

"Harry? Wake up dear."

Harry refused to open his eyes, for he knew well that Voldemorts' curse had hit him, just as he had planned when he went into the forest. He was breathing, although he knew he did not exactly need to. The voice called out to him again, it didn't sound threatening; in fact, it sounded down right seductive!

"Harry Potter… Wake up now Love, nothing more to be afraid of is there?"
Harry dared to open his eyes, slowly at first, light filling his pupils particle by particle. He saw brown hair- that's all there was, brown hair and her smile.

All pretense was dropped, and Harry rose steadily to a stooped position, rubbing his chest where Voldemorts' curse had hit him. "How are you here, where is here? Wait…" Harry asked, regaining his senses.

Hermione pressed a finger to his lip, now completely void of all the cuts and dust he had tasted as he fell to the ground, just moments earlier. "You're out of the forest Harry…well out of the forest." Hermione smiled down at him.

"Where are we then? Wasn't I just Avada…"

"Yes, you were." Hermione said simply, sitting down in front of him, pulling him to her.

Harry became more aware of himself, all of himself, every naked bit of himself. His green eyes focused on Hermione, wasn't this a strange place, he thought. For she too stood naked and was covered with nothing but her gleaming locks of brown hair. He blushed.

"Hermione….why are we naked?"

"Well, Ron got me killed. And we're in the space between worlds right now."

"Wait…you died. Ron. Lived?"
"Mmm… Shame really, a witch such as myself getting killed as a result of him, but…" She gazed up at him as he sat down next to her, comfortably at ease. "…it's alright, isn't it? We're here together, and there's no need for repressed feelings now, are there Harry?" She laid her head on his shoulder, he felt the steady rise and fall of her body, as she too continued to breathe.

"So this is…death? Heaven?" Harry inquired, surprised by all he saw around him, most fascinating of which, was Hermione.

"I don't truly care much for names, or locations."

"Since when? What brought about this change?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Since I chose to spend eternity with you, Harry. Since I could not have you in life, I chose to be with you in death."

"But, how?"
"I admit, I don't know how this came to be, Harry. I don't need to know the answer this time. The only answer that I care about, is yours."

Harry looked to her as her eyes met his.

"Harry, you can do what you want to now. Everything is up to you at this point."

"Meaning?" He swallowed, her hands were getting very close to him, hitherto unexplored parts of him.

"You can go back, and kill Voldemort, something Neville can do anyway." Her lips kissed his shoulder. "You can pass on completely, and leave it all behind." She kissed his neck, her lips pressing against his skin, rubbing along the arteries that still held blood.

"Or…?" He dared ask.

"You can stay with me, here- for all of time."

Harry paused, reflecting quietly over all that she had said since he had awakened. "Since you could not have me in life…"

"I chose to have you in death." Hermione finished for him.

"There is none other that I would choose."

Their hands joined together, the flesh still clinging to the home of bones they knew so well. The hearts still continued to beat, though they quickly began to race - as their owners indulged in desires long denied them in life. They laughed, loved and lived (as well as two dead people could) as one in this world between worlds. The pain was all gone, replaced by adoration and companionship. So the days unfolded, each one birthing new joys - and giving life to fresh experiences of unyielding and uninterrupted love.

AN: There we go, nothing much but I liked the idea. Reviews are loved -especially as I rarely do Oneshots.

-TowerMage