Author's Note:

Well, November has come and gone and the story lay dormant for quite a while and for that I'm incredibly sorry. Life just... gets in the way, sometimes. Things have been tough, but I'm carrying on and moving forward.

This chapter is short, much shorter than the others, but I want to wrap up the first heat so we can delve back into some plot!

Enjoy!

Hermione stirred slowly, blinking the sleep from her eyes as she woke. A heavy weight was sprawled against her chest, a throbbing sensation settling between her legs. She wiggled beneath the weight, turning to look at just exactly what had her pinned down.

Harry. The boy she'd loved since she was eleven years old. One of his arms lay across her stomach, keeping her pulled tightly against him. Their legs were tangled together, and as she attempted to move away, she realized he was still inside of her.

She let out a small gasp as she felt him slip from her, wetness gushing from her where they'd been locked together. The noise stirred Harry from his own sleep and he cracked open his eyes with a small smile, inhaling deeply through his nose to enjoy the scent of their mating lingering in the room.

She sat up slowly, clutching the sheets to her chest, sucking in panicked breaths as she realized what they'd done, what they'd agreed to.

"Hermione," Harry whispered, sitting up behind her and wrapping her in his arms. "Breathe, love. In and out, in and out." He pressed her back against his chest, regulating his own breathing as he chanted to her, and he felt her slump back against his chest as her breathing began to steady.

"What is it?" he asked, wanting to understand what had her so upset.

A choked sob came from Hermione, causing Harry to tighten his hold around her. "I've ruined your life, now," she whispered softly, he could hear the heartbreak in her voice.

"Never," he responded, "You've been saving my life for seven years, Hermione. Now I get to live with you by my side for the rest of it, I don't quite see how that's anything less than perfect."

"You had plans," Hermione wailed, "You're going to teach and find a great girl and have a family, and then I come along and you have to..."

Harry turned her to face him, cradling her face in his palms. "Don't be silly, Hermione," he said, pressing his lips to her forehead. "I'm still going to have all that, eventually, with you. I didn't have to do anything. Don't you see? I wanted to. I've wanted to be with you for years, but the timing was never right and then there were Ron and Ginny."

She stiffened in his arms at the mention of the two Weasleys.

"But Hermione," He continued, "I came back to Hogwarts for you, only for you."

Hermione slumped against his chest, and he could feel her tears hitting his skin. Using one hand to tilt her chin up to look at him, he placed a gentle chaste kiss to her lips. "I wouldn't have this any other way, sweet girl," he told her, trying to portray years worth of emotion into his gaze.

Hermione nodded, dropping her head to rest against his chest. As they sat cradled together, she felt the presence of her heat creeping back into her body. It started as a dull throb, deep in her core, and was slowly pulsing into her stomach, her chest. Her fingers were tingling with the need to touch Harry. Alpha, Alpha, my Alpha she thought.

"I'm here," Harry answered, not quite realizing she hadn't spoken aloud. Her eyes whipped up to meet his.

Can you... hear me? Hermione thought, trying to figure out what had just happened.

Harry nodded, unable to resist kissing her again. He pulled her to his chest, pressing her body against his and flipping them so he was above her on the mattress.

"It must be the bond," he told her as he trailed his mouth over her throat, sucking lightly as she moaned against him.

"Amazing," she responded with panting breath. Her hands grasped his shoulders, her legs twining around his waist as she ground against him. She took a moment to wonder if she should bother to be embarrassed by her wanton behavior, and a thick growl from Harry stilled her.

"Never," he said roughly, grinding his already hard cock against her. "We were made for this, Hermione. You, for me. Me, for you."

Their eyes met and understanding was evident in the look Hermione was giving him.

"I love you, Harry Potter," she whispered to him, her fingers trailing the stubble that had grown on his jaw over the evening. "I have since I was eleven."

Harry could wait no longer, with that admission he thrust wildly into her waiting heat, filling her with one quick motion. He didn't believe Draco and Neville when they'd told him that Hermione loved him, it seemed too farfetched a dream, and yet here she was writhing beneath him with the words spilling from her lips, and he thought his heart might explode.

He locked eyes with her as he moved in and out of her body, I love you, Hermione Granger he thought, knowing the bond must allow her to hear his thoughts as well. Forever, my sweet girl. Forever.

It didn't take long for the two of them to tumble over the cliff into blissful oblivion. With a rough shout, Harry came deep within her, dropping his head to her chest as he caught his breath, her fingers trailing along the expanse of his back.

He rose his head to look her in the eyes, a hand raised to cup her cheek as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

"I love you, Hermione," he whispered, rolling to the side and pulling her back against him. "I have since I was eleven."