Part Two: Mesmerize

Mesmerize (verb)
to have someone's attention completely so that they cannot think of anything else

She blamed Ginny. None of this would have happened if the redhead hadn't forced her!

It was her 26th birthday, so the ladies of her life decided to take her out for a night out. It was quite a spectacle. Her, Ginny, Megan, Angelina, and Fleur dressed in their "tasteful but sexy" (as described by Ginny) dresses to have dinner at a fancy restaurant in an up and coming part of Diagon Alley which was embracing more of Muggle culture. After, they headed to a popular Muggle club near Magical London where they (except Megan, of course) drank cocktails and tried to coerce Hermione into dancing. They stuck to their own group and danced with each other, and many of the club's occupants glanced at their direction. Hermione was told to let go, and she did. She wasn't uptight, but she was more of a stay-at-home-and-read kind of girl than the clubbing sort. She preferred dinner parties over dancing and would rather get lost in a good book or movie than deal with large crowds and strangers. But her friends wanted to experience new things with her, and that included clubbing. So, she let them do her up like their personalized doll and take her out around town. She didn't realize how much fun she was having until she burst out laughing at Fleur's appalled face when the DJ, as a joke, decided to play T-Pain's Apple Bottom Jeans and the whole club cheered, sang along, and gyrated to the floor when shawty got low. Angelina told the DJ that it was her birthday too so everyone sang her the birthday song.

Perhaps it was the excess amounts of endorphins in her system from having so much fun, not to mention all the alcohol she had consumed, that she went along with Ginny's crazy idea. She was riding on the high from being taken out of her comfort zone and actually liking the experience that she said yes to this new experience too.

Ginny wanted to get a tattoo and had convinced the rest of them to get one with her. Angelina immediately said yes. She was no stranger to ink since she already had some on her skin. Also, it seemed like George really liked her tattoos so of course she was up for a new one! Sweet, sweet Megan timidly said yes since she apparently had always wanted a tattoo. Fleur took a bit more convincing. The beautiful part-Veela didn't want to mark her skin but Ginny said that they were going to get no ordinary tattoos but magical ones so she needn't worry. Her tattoo could be magiced to only be visible when she wanted to and also Bill (who had some of his own) wouldn't mind at all if she got one herself. Fleur blushed and agreed. Hermione surprised everyone and said yes too. Why the hell not? It was her birthday, she was an adult, and a tattoo sounded like a fine idea to her. She had always loved looking at Harry's tattoos so what would it hurt if she got one on her skin that she could then admire?

So the witches went back to Diagon Alley and followed Ginny into a shop. In hindsight, Ginny seemed to know exactly where to go which surprised Hermione. It didn't seem like such a spur of the moment idea since the redhead steered them through the alley and straight into the shop with beautiful and colourful images posted on its windows. Ginny explained that this shop was always open late, which was an understatement since it was just shy of midnight. A man in his late twenties was seated on a plushed chair reading a book and he glanced up when they entered through the door. A smile illuminated his handsome face and he stood up to take Ginny in an embrace. Hermione and Megan shared a knowing look.

"Everyone, this is Ashton Suzuki, an artist friend of mine. Ash, these are my dearest friends and sisters-in-law, Angelina, Megan, Fleur, and the special birthday girl Hermione!" Ginny made the introductions. Ash, whom Hermione noted was very handsome and looked to be of mixed heritage with auburn hair and dark brown eyes, kissed each of their hands in greeting. Hermione heard her friends sigh when his lips touched their skin and she stifled a grin. That was one way to win them over.

"Ladies, it's a pleasure to have you in my shop," he said, his voice silky smooth and slightly accented with Japanese. "Will you be getting any of my art on you tonight?"

Hermione liked that he referred to his tattoos as art. She looked around the parlour to see images of the tattoos he had done before and was amazed at the sheer talent displayed in them and the wide range of styles they covered. There were some in Japanese style; tattoos whose bold colours told the tale of the rich Japanese history and folklore with images of kaijus, dragons, and phoenixes. Some tattoos were what Hermione would consider "traditional" with their more iconic designs like roses, skulls, and tribal patterns. But what Hermione did not expect were to see some of the images move. She had to blink a couple of times to ensure it wasn't just a trick of the light that made the woman in the pinup tattoo wink or the dragon roar. Some of the tattoos were indeed moving atop the skin and she looked awestruck at them. So this was what Ginny meant by magical tattoos.

"I've convinced them," Ginny said with a wink. "So, who wants to go first?" At their silence, Ginny rolled her eyes and offered herself up as tribute. "Fine, I'll go first." She said. Turning to the artist, she added, "Ash, I know exactly what I want to get."

Ash nodded his head and faced the rest of the women. He gave them a dazzling smile and gestured to the comfortable seats in the waiting area. "Ladies, excuse me for a moment while I work on the design for Ginny. Meanwhile, please think about the art you would want to get tonight. You can watch later when the tattoo is being done if you're curious," he said. "My assistant will be here to help you with anything you need." With a nod, he turned around and joined Ginny already sat by a table at the far end of the room.

As if on cue, the shop assistant emerged from the back room carrying a tray with a tall pitcher of water and another pitcher of light orange liquid. It looked alcoholic, Hermione thought, and a small sip from her cup confirmed it. It had a kick and it tasted so good. It's a dangerous drink, whatever it was. They were also given some pastries and salty snacks and were handed an album containing even more designs for them to look through.

Ginny's consultation with Ash took but ten minutes and soon all of the women, with drinks in hand, hovered around a plushed chair where Ginny was sat. Her right arm was extended and a stencil of Ash's design was on the skin above her wrist.

It was a drawing of a single tree. The trunk extended to long branches which held a multitude of leaves.

"You're getting a tree?" Angelina asked incredulously.

"Yes, I like trees." Ginny said with no hesitation. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

Ash ignored them and sat on a stool to the side of Ginny's outstretched arm. He rolled the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows which revealed sleeves of brightly coloured tattoos underneath. Hermione felt her jaw drop as she looked at all of the intricate images. He removed his wand from his pocket and pointed it to Ginny's arm.

"Circumlinisti stibio," he murmured. He then touched the wand tip to the drawing on Ginny's arm. A small bead of light erupted from the tip and he carefully traced the stencil with the light. He murmured another incantation and drew outside of the stencil. Since the drawing was quite small, the procedure was finished in less than ten minutes. Ash withdrew his wand from her skin and flicked it causing the light to disappear. He gently took Ginny's arm from the cushion and tilted it to be in full view. The tree was so lifelike with its lush green leaves. She saw that Fleur was about to ask something when Ash ran a finger through the drawing. Speechless, Hermione watched as the tree bloomed. White flowers emerged from the green leaves and a couple of birds flew from between its branches.

Ginny was grinning broadly at her new tattoo. She leapt from her seat and gave Ash a hug. "It's beautiful! Thank you, Ash." She said. The artist only gave her a lopsided smile and kissed her at the side of her head.

The redhead turned to the rest of the group. With a small smile on her lips, she narrowed her gaze and looked at each of the women one by one. "Who's next?"

Hermione's head was absolutely throbbing. She lifted her head from the pillow and brought her hand up to her forehead to stop the pounding. She blinked furiously to adjust her eyes to the light and realized that the pounding was coming from her front door and not in her head.

She groaned, untangled her body from the sheets, and left the confines of her bed. She almost tripped over a box on the floor and carefully tiptoed around the remaining boxes in her bedroom. Hermione had moved flats the day before her birthday and hadn't yet fully unpacked. The most she had done was her living room and kitchen and left the bedrooms for last. That also reminded her that she hadn't yet set the wards in her new home, or had alerted her friends they could apparate inside, so she guessed that as the reason for the knock.

Whoever was behind the door was knocking again and she hurried just a little bit to answer it. The noise was making her head hurt and all she wanted to do right this moment was brew some hangover potion to sort herself out again. Thank God she had unpacked her kitchen. She grasped the doorknob and swung her front door open.

Harry was behind her door. He was sporting an easy grin wearing dark blue jeans and a forest green button up shirt which she had given him on his birthday. The top button was undone and he wore a light sports coat over it in dark grey.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?" Her hand fell from the doorknob and she let the door swing open.

His gaze was alight as he fully looked at her. Her hair was in a very messy chignon tied at the base of her neck as a clear evidence she had slept on it. Wild tendrils had escaped from the knot and was framing her face. And that face of hers. She was wearing what looked to be remnants of makeup with some mascara smudged underneath her almond eyes. Her eyes were still glassy with sleep. Harry's own eyes quickly darted to her attire and he gulped. She was wearing the smallest black dress he had ever seen her in. The neckline was high which elongated her neck but there were no sleeves so her shoulders and arms were exposed. It fit her tightly around the bust and flared at the waist. The hem stopped midway up her thighs revealing long legs and bright red painted toenails.

"I must look like a fright, huh?" She continued after noticing his reaction. She worriedly brushed away a curl from her face. "Frankly I don't even remember how I got home last night. I can't remember if I apparated home - thank God I didn't get splinched if I did! The girls took me out for my birthday, we went to dinner, and then there were some drinks, and I don't really remember much what happened after that. But yet I can't stop thinking about apple trees for some reason and God, my head is killing me. I'm going to hex Ginny, she instigated all of this..." He cut off her rambling by stepping through the threshold of her home and enveloping her in a hug.

"Happy birthday, Hermione," he said. His arms snaked around her and he almost withdrew them in surprise when his hands touched bare skin. He looked down from his place above her head and saw that the dress she was wearing had a fully exposed back. He closed his eyes to calm his racing heart as she returned his embrace.

"Thank you, Harry," She whispered softly. She withdrew from his arms and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "But I thought you weren't supposed to be back for another three days? How are you home so early?"

"I can't very well miss your birthday, now can I?" He said with a grin. "I actually came back last night but Ginny threatened to hex me if I stole you from them. She found out I was back from Ron and wanting to surprise you. But like I said, she wouldn't let me steal you away."

Hermione thought that she would have absolutely loved it if he did steal her away. Her feelings for Harry only grew these past couple of months after she came to the realization that she loved him. Every second spent with him was a second she treasured. And every minute apart never did feel right after that, too. It wasn't like she was depressed or moody when they were apart. She understood of course that it's impossible for them to be physically together all the time. She had her very demanding job and he did as well. She was okay with that. What she wasn't okay with was the feeling that something remained unresolved when they're away from each other. The uncertainty of the situation grew when there's distance between them. Because, after all, how was Harry supposed to know that she loved him if she wasn't there to show it? Doesn't the saying go "out of sight, out of mind"? Hermione very much wanted to be in Harry's mind since he was in hers all the time.

Funny enough, Hermione soon realized that she really couldn't be subtle in showing Harry he was loved. If she wanted him to know she loved him (aside from saying it out loud - she was too scared for that) and that he felt the same way, then she would need to do something drastic. It's not like he was thick (he was much better at Ron in the emotions department), but Hermione's normal actions and behaviour already oozed with love for Harry. He was used to being loved without even knowing it! For example, Hermione knew every single one of his favourites. She knew his favourite colour (cerulean blue), his favourite food (mac and cheese), how he liked his coffee (black with a dash of milk and no sugar, disgusting) and tea (preparation depends on the type of tea, but he preferred earl grey with hot milk), his favourite band (The Beatles), and his favourite song (Come Together by The Beatles). When they're having breakfast together, they worked in tandem to prepare each other's plates and when they're out and about they walked side by side with Hermione's arm looped around his. She was more touchy towards him than anyone else in her life and she knew he was the same with her! They hugged each other all the time, sat next to each other all the time, kissed each other all the time (innocently on the cheek, forehead, or temple, unfortunately) and even sleep on the same bed with each other with not a second thought if it was so required. For goodness sake, they acted like a married couple with each other and that was what was normal for them!

So, no, Hermione could not be subtle if that was her normal with Harry.

She couldn't yet decide what to do though. It needed to be something different. But since she currently didn't know what that would be, she continued to just trudge along. She would continue to love Harry with every fibre of her being and show him with every single one of her actions.

Even if he was unaware of it.

"Are you up for having a lunch out? It's almost noon anyway. Why don't you take a hot bath and I'll make you some hangover potion?" He continued. He closed the door behind him.

Add that as another reason why she loved him.

He knew just what she needed.

"I could kiss you, Harry," Hermione said. Harry smiled at her words not knowing she really meant them.

She gave him another hug and turned around to head back into her bedroom. His breath caught in his throat when he looked at her retreating form. He gulped. He had a clear view of the back of her dress, or lack thereof. The soft, pale skin of her back was fully visible from nape to the small of her waist.

He almost gave a start when he thought he saw a drawing of a Golden Snitch zoom across her skin.

Hermione stripped from her clothes and entered her en suite bathroom. She grimaced when she saw how she looked in the mirror. The makeup which Ginny had put on her was all smudged. Her hair was a mess and she hurriedly removed the pins which held her chignon (how was she able to sleep with all of that in her hair?!). She ran a hand through her curls and watched as they framed her face.

She turned to the large tub and thought that yes, moving here was a great idea. It was perched right in front of a large window overlooking the London skyline. She was assured that the window was one-way - no one from outside would be able to see in. That didn't stop her from casting her own charms over it though to guarantee her privacy. The master bath was one of the main selling points of her new flat. Hermione loved taking long soaks while reading a good book and watching over the city. She loved living in London - in the Muggle part, that is. It gave her the privacy and normalcy she wouldn't get if she lived in the magical community by Diagon Alley. It was also close enough to the magical part of London that she could get to and from her work quite easily.

She filled the tub and used some of her favourite bath salts. She tested the water before stepping over the edge and sinking into the warm water. For the next half hour, Hermione lost herself in her bath.

She emerged from the bathroom in a terry cloth robe and her wet hair twisted in a towel above her head. She smiled when she heard rummaging in the kitchen and the sound of the television which meant that Harry was keeping true to his promise. Already she felt loads better after the bath, although her memories from last night were still quite hazy. She had to give Megan a call later - she knew the pregnant witch would be the only one who would have her wits about today since she had no drinks last night.

Hermione tiptoed around the boxes in her bedroom and stood in front of her dresser. She grabbed a vial of moisturizer and rubbed some on her face, looking at the large mirror perched atop the table to make sure every inch was covered. She grabbed a larger bottle and scooped some of the liquid to rub on her body. She lost her robe and started with her arms and moved downwards, moisturizing her chest, stomach, and legs. She scooped another handful and twisted her torso slightly to moisturize her back, too.

She screamed when, through the mirror, she saw the tattoo of the Golden Snitch at the back of her right shoulder.

She heard a crash in the kitchen, followed by feet pounding on her hardwood floor. Her bedroom door flew open and Harry Potter ran inside looking frantic with his wand raised.

"What's wrong?!" Harry yelled.

She swiveled on her spot, eyes wide. She was like a deer caught in headlights. Her lips were parted in a silent gasp. Her chest was heaving from surprise. For a brief second they stared at each other, stunned. It was only when Harry realized he was staring at her naked body did he immediately turn around and walk out of her bedroom.

When her door was closed again, Hermione silently sat at the edge of her bed. The events of last night were starting to clear in her head.

Ginny was so dead.

Harry sat on the living room couch staring off into the distance. The television was still on, but he paid no attention to it.

He knew he would never, ever, ever forget the sight he had just witnessed.

Even if he was Obliviated he would never forget it.

Because, my God, Hermione's body was mesmerizing.

She was magnificently shaped, like a sculpture carved from marble by one of the greatest artists like Michelangelo. She had delicate shoulders which made way to graceful arms. Her stomach was flat, her waist narrow, and her hips flared out to shapely and long legs. And, my goodness, her chest. Harry closed his eyes when he remembered what he saw. Her breasts were full and pert and her nipples were taut when he saw them.

And then, there was her tattoo. An honest to goodness tattoo.

Of a Snitch.

A Golden fucking Snitch.

It was the sexiest thing Harry had ever seen.

That mark on the softness of her skin made Harry want to do very bad things to her.

Harry gulped and tried to clear his mind. He tried to calm his racing heart. He knew he shouldn't be thinking about his best friend like this, especially since it was a complete accident that he saw her naked. He intruded on her privacy, even though his intentions were noble. He was not meant to see her in the way that he did so, to be respectful and a good friend, he needed to stop thinking about it.

He need to just forget what he saw and wipe the memory from his mind.

Harry sighed. No, he couldn't do it.

Hermione had been in his thoughts since The Incident. It was what he dubbed the event that had transpired at the Ministry of Magic involving Macnair from a couple of months back. It was the most distraught he had ever been. It was the scariest moment of his life, even more frightening than facing Voldemort. When he saw the curse hit, it was like his heart dropped. The most intense worry and dread filled his system followed by such incensed anger at the man who caused her harm. The following days when she wouldn't wake up despite what the healers tried were even more frightening. He felt so lost when Macnair, under the influence of the truth potion, told them there was no counter to the curse.

How could that be true? How could there be no cure?

That only meant that Harry would lose her, and he couldn't, wouldn't even consider the idea.

That whole ordeal sparked a startling realization within Harry.

Hermione was important to him.

Moreover, she was the most important person in his life.

There could be no Harry Potter without Hermione Granger.

He needed her and that fact seized him and enveloped his whole being.

He tossed and turned late at night trying to make sense of it; trying to see how it would fit into his life; trying to see how it would change anything.

And then he realized that it already made sense, it already fit, and that it wouldn't change anything.

She had always been the most important person in his life. For ever since they became friends in their first year at Hogwarts, Hermione had cemented her place at the top; both at the top of the class and at the top of Harry's existence. She was a great friend, a great confidante, his saviour on many occasions, his rock, his support, his foundation. For the fifteen years they have been friends, they hardly fought. Every momentous occasion in Harry's life was spent with her. When he's away on business trips, he couldn't wait to get back to London to see her. His happiest memories were with her, of her.

Hermione's simple act of being made Harry live and thrive.

And he knew then that his feelings for her were more than just friendly.

He loved her.

So, no, Harry could not forget what he saw just minutes ago. In fact, he had been imagining it so much lately. He wanted so badly to touch her, kiss her, caress her. He wanted her to know how he really felt about her.

Uncertainty stopped him from voicing his newly realized feelings. Hermione never showed any signs of feeling more towards Harry. She was just… Hermione.

What was giving him an ounce of hope that she may be feeling the same way was this new tattoo. For him personally, the tattoos on his body were a testament of importance and a symbol of remembrance. They were like a roadmap of his life. They were representations of things which made Harry Harry. Many of them were representations of the people he loved.

He could only wish that the tattoo of the Golden Snitch on her body held the same sentiment.

He hoped that she chose the illustration with him in mind.

Because if she did, then maybe, just maybe, she felt the same way.

Hermione emerged from her bedroom silently. She looked to the living room and saw that Harry had turned off the television and was instead reading one of her books on the loveseat next to the sofa with one leg bent on top of the other knee. He looked so utterly relaxed it unnerved her. There was a steaming pot of tea on the coffee table and a mug of familiar orange potion. She bit her lip and quietly padded towards him. The sound of approaching footsteps made Harry look up from his reading material.

He gave her a smile. "Hey," he said.

Her mouth twitched. "Hey," she replied back.

She crossed the floor and sat down on the sofa. Hermione didn't know what to say. Should she apologize for what happened? Or should she pretend none of it did? Which was the path of least resistance?

"Harry -"

"Hermione -"

They laughed when they spoke together. Harry set the book on the table and gave a nod of his head. "You go first," he said.

Hermione conceded. "I want to say I'm sorry for… screaming and startling you earlier," she began. Her face coloured and she continued. "I was… surprised at something and I shouldn't have reacted as such and made you worry. God, I'm so embarrassed. But yes. I'm sorry for um… that."

Harry nodded. "Alright, but I'm not sorry."

She blinked. "What?"

"I'm not sorry."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. Her brows were furrowed and there was a small frown on her face.

Harry smiled at her. "I'm not sorry about what happened."

Her lips parted. "Why not?!" She asked almost accusingly.

"Because I saw your tattoo."

His reply took her by surprise. She wasn't expecting that. She didn't even know Harry had seen the new mark on her skin. He had seen everything else, yes, but she didn't think he saw her tattoo. And truthfully, she felt more vulnerable than embarrassed at knowing that.

Hermione liked her body. She tried to take good care of it and kept a regular regimen consisting of jogging and going to the gym. She wasn't shy when it came to her assets even though she preferred to keep them hidden. She's had many boyfriends before and most of them have seen her naked so she wasn't a prude. She was more embarrassed about the awkwardness the situation had caused than the fact that he had seen her naked.

But her tattoo was different. It was so personal. Alright, so she didn't remember it was there since she was so inebriated last night. But, she knew exactly why she had chosen the Golden Snitch even if she were not of sober mind. She didn't need to be sober to know she loved Harry. If she was to get something so permanent engraved on her body, then it needed to hold meaning and importance. It needed to be special. So, in her drunken state, she chose the Golden Snitch because it reminded her of the one she loved the most. It reminded her of Harry Potter.

It was the shock of his finding out about the tattoo that made Hermione feign ignorance. "Tattoo? What are you talking about Harry?"

The hue of his emerald green eyes darkened to a deep forest green. "The tattoo at the back of your right shoulder," he said. "It looked exactly like a real Snitch, even the size is the same. I would know - I'm a Seeker," he added with a small smile. He'd played many a Quidditch game, and always as a Seeker, to know what a Golden Snitch looked like. He had held probably thousands of them by now. He so badly wanted to take hold of this one too.

At her silence, Harry decided to continue his questioning. The flicker of hope in his chest was growing into a larger flame. Her evasion about the tattoo led him to believe that it did mean something more than just a decorative mark on her skin. He just needed to know what it was that it symbolized. "Why did you get it, Hermione?"

Hermione's eyes turned downcast. She tried to look anywhere but into his eyes. Was this what she needed to do? Was this the something different that would make Harry realize she was in love with him? If he found out that she chose this permanent illustration because it reminded her of him, and that it was like having him with her all the time, would he finally know what he meant to her?

She breathed in deeply. A small smile graced her lips and she raised her head to look directly at him. "Because it reminds me of you. I want you by my side all the time, Harry. The Snitch is like your presence. It's… it's nice feeling that you're with me."

The flame of hope spread across his body. It reached his fingertips, his toes, the strands of his hair. He felt warm all over when the dawning realization that she may feel the same way enveloped his being.

"May I see it?" He asked.

"Oh," Hermione said. She blinked. "Oh yes, of course!"

She stood from her seat and Harry stood up as well. She bit her lower lip as she turned around so her back was to him. She shrugged off her oversized cardigan so that it still clung to her upper arms but her collarbones and shoulders were revealed. The white satin camisole she wore beneath brushed against her skin when she reached up to grab her hair. She held her curls in two hands and tilted her head slightly down.

Harry was mesmerized. The drawing of the Snitch stood out from her pale and creamy skin. The walnut-sized ball with its intricate grooves and notches was etched so expertly. The two thin and feather-like wings were both extended to one side as if the ball was frozen in hasty flight. There was no colour, but it didn't need any. It was indeed the Golden Snitch for it looked exactly like the real thing.

Hermione's breath caught when she felt Harry's touch on her skin. His fingertips gently brushed over the sphere before he himself gasped. The image of the ball shook and quivered before the wings fully extended. It moved three inches to the left and stopped in flight right below the base of her neck. Harry's eyes tracked its movements like it was a Quidditch game and he was indeed the Seeker. The Snitch darted to her left shoulder, and then disappeared under her camisole. A second later it flew to her right shoulder and down the back of her arm to her elbow until he couldn't see it anymore under her cardigan.

"Hermione! It flew!" He exclaimed with a small laugh. He turned the bewildered girl to face him.

"What? It flew?" She asked dumbstruck. Harry wasn't looking at her face though, his eyes were looking over every exposed skin of her upper body. When he couldn't find the Snitch, he gently grasped her jumper and completely removed it from her and tossed it to the couch behind. Both sets of eyes darted to the Snitch which was hiding on her right forearm. Hermione saw that the ball was vibrating as it kept its place, its wings beating incredibly fast like a hummingbird's to maintain the hover. Harry's hand reached to touch it but just before he could, the Snitch raced up her arm again. They watched in awe as the image made a sharp turn at the top of her arm, moved to the base of her throat, before turning south and flying down her chest and underneath her shirt.

They looked at each other. Hermione's lips were parted in surprise, her eyes wide. Harry was looking at her so intently, his eyes clouded with something she couldn't quite decipher.

And then his lips were on hers. She stood frozen as he worked her mouth with his. His arms encircled her waist and pulled her closer to him. When her arms remained to her side, Harry smiled against her mouth before moving her arms to rest on his shoulders. And then his arms were around her again trying to draw her further in.

She started to respond when the shock wore off and the acceptance of what happened and pleasure of the situation caught up to her. His mouth felt so good against hers as he gently teased her lips with his tongue. She parted her lips to allow entrance. Her hands were causing quite a mess in his hair. She was gripping and tugging and pulling at the strands as she held his head in place against hers.

Harry's hands on her waist were causing little shockwaves of pleasure. His fingers were toying with the hem of her camisole and dipping underneath it to caress the skin peeking above her jeans. He murmured something against her lips and she extracted herself from the kiss to make sense of it.

"What was that, Harry?" She whispered. Her lips were tingling from their liplock. He rested his forehead against hers and nuzzled her nose.

"I need to catch the Snitch, Hermione," Harry said with a smile. His hands went from the side of her waist to rest at the front of her abdomen. She took in a breath when she felt his calloused hands on the skin of her stomach. "Will you let me?" He went back to kissing her again, but not on her mouth this time. He trailed kisses from her neck, to the side of her jaw, to her cheek, and lapped on her ear. She shivered and nodded her head.

The hands on her stomach raised higher until they were just below her bust. He played with the soft skin there while continuing his assault on her ear. Then his hands were suddenly grasping the hem of her camisole and in one swift motion, the shirt was gone and off her body.

He looked at her as she stood in front of him topless, chest heaving, lips bruised. She wasn't wearing a bra underneath her shirt so he was rewarded with her delicious bare breasts. She was so incredibly sexy as she looked at him, waiting. The Snitch was beating its wings and hovering right below her left breast. She looked almost vulnerable as she stood there and he wanted to comfort her and assure her that all of this was perfect and just how it should be.

"What are we doing, Harry?" She whispered.

His eyes locked on hers. There was hope behind the confusion in her chocolate orbs. That fueled his own and he knew that she felt the same way. So he took her in his arms again and kissed her. He poured every ounce of reassurance into the kiss. He enveloped her in his arms and showed her with his lips that he wanted this and that he needed this. He kissed her with so much passion that left her breathless. Against her lips, he murmured. "What I've been wanting to do for months now. What I should have done before."

It was the affirmation she needed to hear. A smile so radiant erupted from her lips. She tilted her head back and looked at him. "I love you, Harry," she said simply.

His eyes were bright and a smile graced his own face. "And I love you, Hermione," he said.

With a laugh, she launched herself into another kiss. Their kisses were playful now, teasing. They ended up on the couch with her on Harry's lap. She straddled his waist as they kissed and licked and sucked. His hands were rubbing up and down her bare back while her fingers never stopped playing with his hair. He withdrew from the kiss and went back to the task at hand. He was a Seeker after all, and that Golden Snitch needed to be caught. Hermione watched curiously as Harry tilted her back from her place on his lap and his gaze lock onto her tattoo. The enchanted tattoo of the Snitch kept its place underneath her left breast. Its wings were beating furiously now as if waiting for an attack. Slowly, carefully, as if sneaking up on it, Harry inched his left hand from her back towards the tattoo. Just as he was about to touch it, the ball zoomed to the right and disappeared underneath the waistband of her jeans.

Hermione laughed as Harry cried "Bugger!" Her mirth was interrupted by his mouth on hers again. He trailed his hands down the sides of her breasts and rested on her bum. Without breaking contact, he grabbed onto her arse and stood. She gasped when she felt herself leaving the sofa and instinctively hooked her legs around his waist. She needn't worry as Harry carefully maneuvered around her coffee table and carried her into her bedroom.

"Careful of the boxes," she said against his lips. He nodded and vigilantly carried her onto the bed without tripping over anything. Her sheets felt cool on her back after he laid her down.

He covered her body with his and whispered into her ear. "You're beautiful, Hermione," he said. His hands trailed down her sides again, teasing and barely touching where she needed him to touch her, until they rested on her jeans. He made quick work of the closure and extracted her slender legs from the constricting material.

His breath hitched as he looked at her. She was beautiful and perfect and utterly mesmerizing. There were freckles on her skin which he didn't fully see from before and he longed to kiss every single one of them. Her milky skin glowed from the lamplight next to her bed. And that damned Snitch was resting on her hip above her knickers. His hand moved to touch it but he was knocked onto his back by Hermione.

She straddled him again, both legs on either side of his waist. He scooted up her bed so his back was resting against the headboard. The friction of his jeans against the thin material of her knickers were causing her to lose her mind, but she had her own agenda. She needed to know where the fire led! She kissed him as her fingers made work of the buttons of his shirt.

"Do you know that I love your tattoos?" She asked. She was disappointed to see that he was wearing a plain white undershirt when she removed the green button up.

"Oh yeah?" Harry asked with a smile. Hermione nodded. She brought his left hand to her mouth and kissed the illustration of the lily and the owl. Then she kissed the Firebolt on his index finger. She repeated the same with his right hand, her lips touching his pulsepoint as she kissed the timeturner and otter, as she kissed her tattoo. She got off his lap and urged him to stand at the side of the bed facing her. She got on her knees and ran her hand down his right arm. She pushed the sleeve of his t-shirt up and kissed the tattoo of the Marauders. And then she turned to the circle of fire on his left bicep. She pushed that sleeve up too as she curiously examined it closer than she had before.

"Yes, and this one has been keeping me up at night," she said and touched the fire. His eyes, already hazy from her ministrations, darkened at her words. "I've been wondering where the fire leads."

He took her chin with his right hand and kissed her. "Why don't you find out, Hermione?"

She nodded. She grasped the hem of his t-shirt and in one motion lifted it over his head. She gasped at the sight. "Oh, my," she breathed.

It was a phoenix rising. The circle of fire was one of the bird's plumes and more of its feathers were etched further up his shoulder. The firebird's body was placed at the centre left of his chest and its graceful neck was extended upwards to the sky. Firey wings were curved in a graceful arch on either side of the bird as it took flight, and one of its wings tickled Harry's collarbone. Long tailfeathers of flame extended past the bird's talons and disappeared below Harry's hips.

It was rebirth. It was hope. It was the triumph over evil and over death. It was perfection.

The tattoo was so beautiful and captivating and Hermione itched to touched it. So she did. She started on his bicep, on the circle of fire which started the flame of curiosity within her. She kissed it. She followed it to the phoenix's outstretched wings and kissed that too. She felt him take a staggering breath and his chest rose as her fingers skimmed his skin. He was perfection. The muscles of his pectorals tensed beneath her touch but she continued studying the fire. It was such an exquisite tattoo. The bird's face was serene with its eyes closed. Its neck was covered with firey feathers displayed in full as the bird looked upwards, each of them so meticulously drawn on his skin. The bird's hindquarters were tensed, its sharp talons raised. From behind the bird emerged an inferno of long tailfeathers, extending way past its talons with the longer plumes disappearing below Harry's belt. Hermione traced a finger down the bird's body, over one feather, until she was stopped by the waistband of his trousers.

Suddenly she was flat on her back again with both of her hands pinned above her head. "You drive me crazy," Harry whispered.

She laughed. "Likewise," she said in response.

He growled in return and attacked her neck with kisses. The stubble of his jaw scratched her skin as he rained kisses down her throat, past her collarbone, and between the valley of her breasts. She gasped when he took one of her hard nipples in his mouth and sucked while keeping the other occupied with his hand. He switched and gave the other nipple the same attention with his mouth. Down he kissed her body, now so consumed with the woman beneath him that he took no notice when the magical Snitch zoomed quickly from the path of his hands to hide behind Hermione.

He got to the waistband of her knickers and slowly tugged them down her hips. He groaned when she was finally fully in the nude below him. He wasted no time at all and brought his lips to taste her right at her core.

Hermione's head fell back and her eyes closed. "Oh Harry," she moaned. Her grip on Harry's hair was strong as he pleasured her with his tongue. His hands were stroking the creaminess of her thigh as he brought her closer and closer to her pleasure. One finger neared his mouth and went inside her. Her long, drawn out moan was his encouragement to move his digit to stroke her inner walls as his lips and tongue teased the outside of her sex. He added another finger and started to pump his hand. He found her nub with his tongue and latched onto it with his lips. He sucked on her bundle of nerves and felt her fall over the edge.

"Harry!" She screamed. Her legs thrashed on either side of him as he brought her to orgasm. He felt her squeeze around his fingers and he didn't stop his ministrations. His tongue and lips continued to suck her as he tasted her juices. When he felt her begin to come down from the high, he eased his fingers from inside her and gently kissed her centre. He slithered up her body and took her ear in his mouth. He was so hard and his jeans were so constricting. He didn't know if he could last any longer and he sure as hell didn't want to cum inside his pants.

"I need you, Hermione," he said into her ear, his voice strained.

She flipped them over and straddled him once again. Harry had to calm his breath as he looked up at her. This siren was making him lose his mind. Her hair was a tumble of curls framing her face as she looked at him from above. Her brown eyes were shining, her plump lips in a small smile as she wondered what she would do to him. There was no shyness in her now. No, she was all woman. She trailed a finger down his cheek, traced his lips, and down his throat. She followed her digit with kisses of her own. She tasted herself on his lips and moaned. She took his bottom lip into her mouth and sucked. He groaned against her and his hands tightened their hold of her hips. She kissed down his throat and to his hard chest. She visited the phoenix with more kisses and used her tongue to trace one of its plumes.

"Hermione," he groaned. "You're killing me, sweetheart."

"Shh," she said and smiled against his skin. "I need to know where the fire leads, Harry."

Her hand fumbled with the closure of his trousers. But since she didn't want to hop of his lap to remove his clothing, and because she was a witch after all, she reached to her nightstand and grabbed her wand. A small wave and a whisper of a spell disappeared the rest of his clothing.

"Shit, Hermione," he breathed. She giggled and leaned back to look at him fully naked. The bird's tailfeathers extended to just past his Adonis belt to the top of his left leg. She followed its path with her fingers, going lower and lower down his body until her hand was stroking his inner thigh. She looked at his manhood, marvelling at its length and girth. It was fully hard and he took a shaking breath when her hand closed around it.

Slowly she moved her hand along its shaft, testing the length and firmness. Her other hand joined her ministrations to stroke his testicles. Hermione tested different strengths for her grip on his hardness until Harry's larger hand covered hers and showed her exactly how he liked to be stroked. Her breasts were heaving as they worked him together. It was the most erotic sight Hermione had ever seen. Harry, with his eyes closed and lips parted, his hard chest rising up and down as he took shaky breaths, his muscular arm flexing with every movement of the hand covering hers as they pumped his cock.

Hermione wanted more though. She wanted to taste him as well. She lifted her arse from resting on his lower legs and got on her knees. She scooted further down his legs and got on all fours. With one hand she removed his hand from his cock. He opened his eyes just in time for him to see her give a sly grin before bending down and taking him into her mouth.

"Fuck!" He yelled. Harry knew he would never, ever forget this sight. There was Hermione on her knees, pleasuring him with her mouth, her bum was in the air and Harry saw the damn Golden Snitch hovering just above the right side of her arse.

His hands fisted in her curls as she worked him. Her tongue licked his shaft from top to base. She took as much as she could into her mouth again and sucked. Her head bobbed up and down and Harry could feel the head of his cock hitting the back of her throat. He was so close, so close, but he wouldn't cum in her mouth for the first time he made love to her.

With swift movements of his body, Harry stopped Hermione. She yelped when she felt herself being lifted from her position before the bed was to her back again and his body was on top of hers. He settled himself in between her legs, the head of his manhood brushing against her entrance. He gently traced a finger around her lower lips and groaned. She was so wet for him.

"Are you ready, Hermione?" He asked in a whisper. She nodded and kissed him. "And we're safe?" She smiled and grabbed hold of his hair again.

She brought his ear to her lips and nipped. She whispered her response. "Yes, Harry. Now please, fuck me."

Like a wild man, Harry roared and buried his cock deep inside her. Hermione gasped when she felt his penetration and locked her legs around his hips. They stilled for a moment, both getting used to their new-found joining.

Harry's forehead fell onto hers. She was so wet, so tight, so damn perfect. She was so responsive to his touches and caresses. He smiled when he felt her already starting to move under him.

Hermione scraped her nails down his back, trying to draw him closer to her. This was bliss. This was heaven. Being with Harry and making love with Harry was so much better than she had ever imagined. They fit each other so well, both so attuned to each other's needs. She kissed his cheek and moved her hips against his.

He set their pace. He moved slowly at first, enjoying the feel of her tightness around him, relishing at how her sex squeezed his cock. He ran his palm down her right side and grabbed her arse. He hitched her legs further up his waist and hovered over her on his knees. He moved faster now, his strong hips driving his hardness into her warmth over and over again. He looked at her and saw her wanton figure on the sheets below him. Her eyes were squeezed tight, gasps of pleasure erupted from her parted lips, and her hands were clenching the sheets on her bed. Her skin was glistening with sweat as she pleaded with him to move faster, deeper, and harder.

"Yes, oh yes, Harry," she moaned.

Her cries of pleasure was the only encouragement he needed. With his control deteriorating fast, Harry drove into her with hard, powerful thrusts.

"Harry!" She screamed her release.

He moaned her name as he followed her over the edge. The feel of her sex squeezing him tight as she orgasmed was just too much for Harry. With one last thrust, he erupted in his passion and came.

They laid there spent. Their bodies were heaving as they took calming breaths in, their hearts beating fiercely inside their chests. Harry was careful and tried not to crush Hermione though she really didn't mind - and in fact, really liked - the feeling of his full weight on top of hers. Her mouth seeked his and tenderly they kissed.

"That was… wow," Hermione whispered. She felt Harry's body shaking on top of hers and she saw him grinning at her in laughter.

"Yes, it was," he replied. He played with a curl and he looked at her contemplatively. "But I've yet to catch the Snitch."

His lips curved into a sly smile and the Seeker resumed playing Quidditch.

Harry and Hermione made love to each other twice more before they finally stopped. It was like they couldn't get enough of each other. They were utterly insatiable for this new feeling of closeness and intimacy. They only stopped when they realized it was late afternoon and they haven't eaten anything yet. Their plans to go out for Hermione's birthday were, suffice to say, cancelled. They ordered pizza (a perk of living in a Muggle community) and chatted over their food as they ate on her kitchen island. Hermione was dressed in Harry's green shirt since her camisole was lost somewhere in the living room. Harry threw his jeans back on (since he did need to answer the door for the pizza) but left the closures undone.

As Hermione took a bite of the pepperoni and mushroom pizza, she eyed Harry who was rummaging through her kitchen cupboards looking for hot sauce. She didn't hear his question since she was so captivated by the striations of his back muscles as he opened and closed the shelves above the kitchen counters. She also noticed a tattoo she had never seen even when they were in bed.

Behind his right shoulder was another tattoo, this one more simple than the rest on his body. It had no shading, just lines and curves. It looked almost like a sparkline or a line graph, most of it just one clean line rising, dropping, or levelling as it spanned his shoulder. Hermione didn't need to look long to decipher what it was. The three small vertical lines with circles above them in the illustration were telling. It was an outline of Hogwarts complete with the three Quidditch hoops.

"Hermione," Harry said again, pulling her out of her reverie. "Did you hear what I asked?"

She blinked. "Oh, I'm sorry, no. Did you need anything, Harry?"

He smiled at her and shook his head. "Nevermind," he said. He approached her and sat on the stool next to her. He placed his hand on her knee and took a bite of the pizza slice she was eating. "You seem distracted," he said.

She gave a small smile. "I just couldn't believe I missed seeing the tattoo on your right shoulder. It's Hogwarts, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Yes it is. And don't worry, you were distracted then too."

Red spread across the skin of her cheeks and down her neck as she blushed. Harry finished eating the pizza she was holding onto and closed the pizza box. He moved it to the counter. He enveloped Hermione's waist with his arms and hoisted her above the marble island.

He grinned. "I think I want my dessert now, please."

Harry proceeded to make Hermione his.

After their kitchen tryst, Harry and Hermione retreated to the living room. They sat side-by-side on the sofa, their feet propped on top of the coffee table, and with Hermione's head on his shoulder. This time, they just talked.

Hermione told Harry when and how she realized she loved him. She recounted the night of hers and Lukas' break-up which was something she hadn't told him before. He was so angry at Lukas for how he broke up with her but Hermione assured him it was all fine. It was her ex's words which triggered the questioning in her head. What was it that she really wanted? She told Harry that the answer to the question came to her after she woke up from being cursed. She told him that as she saw his sleeping form when he kept her company throughout the night did the answer materialize in her head. It was him all along. It was he whom she wanted and loved so much. And Hermione told him that this realization of hers didn't really shock her either. She had always loved him.

She was squeezed into a one-armed embrace as Harry told his tale of how he realized he loved her. The Incident was the catalyst, for it was what knocked him to his senses that he couldn't live without her. But like her, he said that it didn't surprise him either. He had always loved her, he was just too thick to know it until she was almost wrenched from his life.

"Oh Harry," Hermione whispered and tears pooled at the corner of her eyes.

"Hey now, don't cry," Harry said, turning to her to brush away the tears which spilled. "I love you and you love me. This isn't a crying matter Hermione."

She snorted through her tears and swatted his arm. "They're happy tears, you bugger."

He winked at her. "I know. I'm happy too."

He lifted her onto his lap and wound his arms around her waist. Softly and sweetly he kissed her lips. She sighed against his mouth and melted into his touch. Her hands grabbed hold of his face as she kept his head levelled with hers.

They looked at each other, emerald eyes meeting her chocolate orbs. There was so much love, so much passion, so much joy and happiness in them. No words needed to be said but they couldn't help it. Saying those words felt so freeing.

"I love you, Harry," Hermione said softly. Her eyes were tender as she stroked his cheek.

Harry smiled. "I love you too," he said. His head moved closer to hers so their lips were just a whisper apart. "And I will never stop."

He kissed her and sealed his promise.

Much later that evening as Hermione laid curled at his side, she reminisced over the events of the past two days. Harry was already sound asleep, no doubt spent from all of the lovemaking they had done that day. The man had so much stamina, it was really quite impressive! He took her again in the living room after they talked. Afterwards when she wanted to shower, he followed her into the bathroom and made love to her in the shower and in the tub. Hermione blushed as she recalled how he pressed her body to the window and took her from behind. She could still remember how good the glass felt against her breasts and she felt exhilarated as she looked over London as Harry played her body like a harp. She screamed her climax as she watched the sunset. It was an experience she already couldn't wait to replicate.

She wasn't able to call Megan that day (she was too busy with, well, Harry) so she made a note to call her tomorrow instead. Not to ask about the events of the previous night (they all came rushing back to her when she saw her tattoo), but to tell her of his and Harry's new developments. She added the rest of the girls on her list of people to call as well. Maybe she should suggest they go out for lunch so she could tell them all at once. They would love to hear about it for sure, and Hermione could almost picture their stunned faces when she tells them that she and Harry are together.

What did this make the two of them? Was he her boyfriend now? She felt that didn't quite hit the mark. Lovers? That one sounded too risqué. Would they be partners? Significant others?

Hermione looked at Harry's sleeping form and sighed. God, how she loved this man so much. She gently stroked his chest and his arms instinctively tightened around her waist. He murmured her name and drew her closer in his sleep.

They would just be Harry and Hermione.

It was what they had always been.

It was what they were now.

And it was what they would be for the years to come.

Harry and Hermione.

As Hermione drifted to sleep a single thought flew to mind which made her smile.

Perhaps she didn't need to kill Ginny after all.

Fin.