"Hermione, wait."

He tugged on my hand gently and stood up next to me. My pulse started to quicken and my hand felt as if it was on fire. Our eyes met and I felt a pool begin to form in between my legs. His gaze began to penetrate me and soon it wasn't just my hand and in-between my legs that were being affected.

It felt like hours that we just stood like that, both unable to speak and unable to move. Until I realized something . . . he was getting closer. His hand was moving up my arm and his body was turning towards me. Our bodies were as close as they could get to one another. His hands guided my arms up and around his neck as he tilted his head down to me and captured my lips with his.

It started our gentle enough, my hands caressing his neck and the few hairs at its nape, his hands moving up and down my waist and stomach. His tongue broke the bearer into my mouth and started to caress it with my own. I felt us backing up onto the common room couch and collapse onto it, him atop of me. He continued his torturous ministrations until I felt my shirt being pulled over my head. I lifted my back from the cushion to accommodate his action as he pulled it over my head.

He broke our kiss and began to place delicate, tender kisses along the hollow of my throat and neck. My hands found his abs and started to rub the little bumps that were scattered along his skin. This caused a deep moan to erupt in his throat and he began to dip his tongue out to taste my skin. He then moved his hands to my erect nipples and began to caress them through the thinness of my bra. It was my turn to moan, but he silenced it with a passionate kiss.

We continued these torturous caresses and kisses until we were both skin-on-skin atop the common room couch. He looked me in the eyes, silently questioning our mutual actions. I just smiled up at him and moved my hips to his erect member. He positioned himself at my entrance and slowly pushed inside. He moaned as he continued to slide farther into my folds. He reached the barrier and told me to kiss him. I obeyed as I was overcome with a pain so great, that it felt as though I was being torn in two.

He began to move slowly up and down until the pain faded into pleasure. When the first moan erupted from my mouth, he took it as a queue to move faster. The tower was filled with our moans and heavy breathing. I began to feel as if I was being carried to cloud nine as he came inside of me.

"Harry, Harry, Harry . . . HARRY!"

"HERMIONE!"

He collapsed on top of me as we tried to regain our breathes. When our breathing was back to normal, he stood up and reached for my hand. I blushed and took it, consciously taking a throw blanket from the couch around me. We walked up the stairs into the boys dormitories and he led me to his bed. When we were both on the mattress, he pulled the curtains around us and muttered a summoning charm for our clothes, which were probably scattered throughout the common room.

I lay down and settled into his comfortable embrace as we both drifted into a peaceful sleep. No words were spoken, no motions made, we just lay their entangled in one another and for the first time in months, I had pleasant dreams.

The morning came all too suddenly. I groaned in protest as I sensed the sunlight from behind my eyelids. I attempted to roll over, only to find something restraining me. I smiled as I remembered last night's activities. My dream had come true, I had been with Harry in the most intimate of ways and he hadn't left.

Some people would find it completely cliché that I'd fallen for my best friend; I'm one of those people. The realization came as a complete shock during our summer at the Burrow. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I never thought in a million years that he would recuperate my feelings. Although practically no words were exchanged, I felt something in the way he touched me. It wasn't lust that was passed between us, but something altogether different.

I felt his arm tighten around me as he stirred from his sleep. I removed his arm from my waist as I got up from the bed. Remembering Harry had summoned our clothes before we went to sleep, I opened the curtain up a bit to look around for them, cautious to look for any sign of another presence in the room. I spotted the clothes and reached out for them, grabbing the ones that appeared to be mine.

I quickly and quietly dressed as I felt the sheets move behind me. He was awake. Turning around, I saw a pair of emerald eyes looking at me and a smile upon his face. He didn't regret it! I let out an inward breath of relief and smiled back at him.

"I see you took no time getting dressed." He said.

"Well there's supposed to be an Order meeting this afternoon, isn't there?"

Harry looked confused for a minute, but quickly recovered when he realized I was right. "Oh yeah . . . I forgot that was today."

"Well then you better get dressed, sleepy head." I teased.

"I was kind of hoping we'd talk first . . ."

I knew what he was implying. He wanted to talk about last night, as did I, but the meeting was that afternoon and by the looks of the sun, it was well into the morning. "There will be time to talk later." I leaned in and gave him a chaste kiss.

When I pulled back, he smiled at me and began to dress himself. I shied away when I saw he was still as naked as I was when I had woken up. I opened the curtains when I felt he was covered enough and made my way to the bathroom to wash up. When I came out, I saw Harry waiting for me and he extended his arm.

I took it as I had that night and we walked hand-in-hand into the Room of Requirement where the meeting was being held. He opened the door to me and helped me get through, which I replied with a quiet 'thank-you'. He smiled as we both turned to face the Order looking at us with stony expressions etched onto their faces. Harry and I looked at each other in confusion as we made our way to the group and sat down.

"Nice of you to join us Harry, Hermione." Lupin replied politely.

"Sorry, I was a bit occupied." Harry said, sending me a quick glance.

Lupin nodded in understanding and turned to face the whole group. The Order had expanded its age limitations since the Final Battle had been quickly approaching. Among us were Ginny, Ron, Dean Thomas, Luna Lovegood, Seamus Finnigan, Colin and Dennis Creevy, and many other familiar faces from school. Hogwarts had become a headquarters for the Order as well, since it was closed due to obvious reasons.

"As I was saying before . . . we have just received word of Voldermorts whereabouts from reliable sources . . ."

I looked to Harry, only to see his expression become stern and his back tense up. I reached for his hand under the table and gave it a quick squeeze. He squeezed back in response and continued to hold my hand underneath the cover of the table.

"Harry." Lupin addressed, "we believe it is high time that we begin to take action immediately."

I furrowed my brow in confusion. What sort of action?

"You mean . . ." Harry started.

Lupin nodded at him and he looked down at the table. I tugged at his hand and showed him my confused glance. "What action?" I questioned him.

Harry looked towards Lupin, then me, "The action of me leaving here . . . and going to fight him."

My eyes widened and my heart began to race. I thought I was going to throw up. I must have looked it, because I felt more than a few eyes upon me. I straightened up my composure as much as I could and stated in which I hoped was a serious tone, "I'm coming with you." I expected to hear at least a few 'Me too's from the table, from Ron especially. But there was only silence.

I looked at Lupin seriously and he sighed, "We've also decided it was best if Harry went by himself."

Now I was really going to throw up. I felt tears spring up in my eyes as I tried to control the nausea that was flowing through my body. "So that it . . . you're going to send a seventeen-year-old out to fight the most powerful Dark wizard in history without even once person by his side?!"

"Hermione, Harry is more than capable to–"

"But what if he gets hurt . . . killed! No one will be there to help him! No one will be there to send word to anyone!"

"Hermione–"

"That's completely unfair! I've vowed to go with him since I first heard of the prophesy, why should I change my route now?!"

"'Mione . . ." this time it was Harry's voice trying to reason with me. I turned my head to him and he saw the angry tears in my eyes and flinched. "You know well enough that I don't want anyone hurt, 

especially you . . . or Ron. I can't promise that I won't die, but I can promise that I'll be careful. If Voldermort does kill me, I only want to be one life lost instead of three. I don't want to risk losing you."

Tears were free-falling down my cheeks and dripping off of my chin. I could tell that Harry wanted to wipe them off, but hesitated to do so. Instead, he rubbed the top of my hand with his thumb in a gentle manner and gave me a small smile. There was no use changing his mind, no matter how hard I tried his mind was already made up. I took in a deep breath, "Be careful."

"I will."

I heard someone come up behind us and Harry let go of my hand. Lupin placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, "Come on, then." Harry nodded and got out of his chair.

The whole order got up as well and started to wish Harry good luck and give him goodbye hugs and kisses. When he came to me, he wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in my neck, kissing it gently. When he pulled away, our gases lingered as he entered the fireplace that would take him on his quest to fight him. With one last wave and a sly smile, he disappeared into the green flames.

Three months has passed since Harry has left. Hogwarts seems empty without him. Of course, I spend most of my time in the library or with Ron, Ginny, and Luna. But there is still that empty gap. We were informed that Harry was unable to send us any letters, for risk of exposing his position to anyone snooping around in the post, so I didn't even know if he was alright or not.

I find myself huddled over a toilet for the third time that morning, Ginny holding my hair back and Luna rubbing my back affectionately. Ron was on the other side of the door, probably white in the face himself with all of the horrible noises I was making.

"Hermione, you sure have had this flu awhile. Maybe we should call for Madame Pomfrey." Ginny suggested as I flushed the toilet and my regurgitation along with it.

I nodded, "I'd like to walk, actually. Maybe it will help ease my stomach."

Ginny nodded and we left the bathroom, telling Ron where we were going. He said he would stay back, something about an unfinished chess game with Dean. We made our way to the Hospital Wing, and I was right, I did start to feel better after walking.

Madame Pomfrey told me to sit upon one of the thin hospital beds while she fetched her wand and equipment. Ginny and Luna were on chairs beside the bed, giving me re-assuring smiles. "Let's just hope this is the flu, so she can give you the potion and we can get back to normalcy."

The matron entered with her wand in one hand and a few potion vials in the other. She set them all upon the sheets and told me to drink the potion that looked to be a greenish-blue color with a slight bubbly texture to it. I obeyed and drank the dosage. I chocked on it and Luna patted my back while Madame Pomfrey conjured a water goblet and handed it to me. I mumbled a 'thank-you' and drank the water, washing down the dreadful-tasting potion. No wonder Harry hated the Hospital Wing so much, it was like they were trying to poison you.

"Are you alright, dear?" Madame Pomfrey asked me. I nodded. She instructed me to lie down on the bed so she could 'work her magic'. She waved her wand about my stomach and frowned when nothing happened.

"Well it's clear that you don't have the flu, Miss Granger."

My brow furrowed, "Then why have I been getting sick for the past few weeks?"

Madame Pomfrey looked thoughtful for a moment, then spoke, "Do you have any allergies?"

"No." I replied.

This seemed to confuse her further as she began to pace the cobblestone floor, making the clicking of her heels echo throughout the wing. She suddenly stopped as me, Ginny, and Luna looked up at her expectantly. Without a word, she rushed to her office.

"What was that about?" Luna asked.

"No idea . . ." Ginny trailed off.

She returned with a glass bottle of what seemed to be an orange-ish liquid that swished around in result of her hurried footsteps. She poured some of the contents of the potion into a glass cup and told me to drink the potion once again; I braced myself for the worse. It never came. This potion had a much more pleasant and citrusy flavor to it, so I had no trouble downing the whole thing and licking my lips afterwards.

"Glad to see you aren't choking yourself half to death." Ginny teased.

I just stuck my tongue out at her and sat back on the bed. Madame Pomfrey again made a motion with her wand and we all looked down at my stomach for some sort of reply. We started to feel let down again until a bright purple glow erupted from my stomach. The matron smiled up at me.

"Congratulations, Miss Granger."

I was confused, "For what?"

There was a long pause as she looked at me sweetly, smile still in place, "You're pregnant."

Ginny and Luna gasped from behind me. It took a moment for me to register it, but when I did my eyes widened and I felt blackness envelope me.

I awoke with people staring down at me, worried expressions on their faces. It seems as though half of the Order had come down to see if I was alright. Ron was the first one to see that I had awoken; he smiled and called for the others to come. My vision must have been somewhat distorted, because when I started to blink, only Ron, Luna, and Ginny came into focus.

"What happened?" I asked in confusion.

"You fainted." Luna told me.

It took me a moment to remember the reason I fainted. I was carrying Harry's child! I was pregnant . . . with Harry's child! Harry and I's child! I felt dizzy one again and leaned back into my pillow to settle myself.

"Don't go fainting again, Herms. You gave us all a fright when you did the first time." Ginny spoke.

I smiled gently as I head the familiar hurried footsteps of Madame Pomfrey. "Oh, Miss Granger, you're awake!" She told me I had been out for nearly two hours. I was surprised that I could sleep that long without waking myself up.

"Would you be comfortable if I asked a few things of you concerning you pregnancy?" she asked me. I saw Ron turn pale white. It was clear that Ginny and Luna had failed to tell him the reason I had fainted in the first place. He remained silent as the matron spoke, "I would like for you two come by once every two weeks for a check-up, drink a potion to help you with your morning sickness, which I'm sure you want to get rid of, and allow me to assist you with the birth."

I smiled in appreciation, "That would be wonderful . . . all of that would be wonderful, thank-you."

She nodded at me, "I will also speak to the Headmistress about letting you owl your parents and allowing you a weekend in Hogsmeade for some shopping."

I thanked her again and she said it was no trouble. She gave me the potion and instructed me that it would be refilled when I had my check ups. With that, she told me I could go whenever I felt comfortable and left the wing.

I sighed and looked at Ron's still white face. I was waiting for the explosion . . . I was not disappointed. "YOU'RE PREGNANT?!"

He said it a bit loud, as I felt my eardrums started to throb a bit. When I nodded, he just sighed and looked down at the floor. Ginny and Luna, having not been able to ask any questions before quickly made up for lost time. Luna was first;

"It's Harry's, isn't it?"

I nodded meekly, blushing a bit. I expected a glare from at least one person, but I didn't see one. Ginny was next to speak, "It was bound to happen someday."

"What?"

"You and Harry . . . everyone could see it." Ginny explained coolly. "Even if you were to blind spotted to see it yourselves."

"Yeah." Spoke Ron, who had calmed down from his outburst. "You two drove me to near insanity with all of the tension between the both of ya."

I snorted. Ginny and Luna continued to ask me questions about how it was, and if Harry was good in the sack. I refused to answer any of the questions; Ron's face told me he didn't want to hear it. They quickly dropped the subject after following my glance and turned to a lighter subject.

"We are so throwing you a baby shower once we find out if it's a boy or a girl." Ginny said excitedly.

"Actually, I want it to be a surprise." I confessed.

Ginny looked a bit put out for a moment, before re-cooperating, "We're still going to throw you a party!"

Hermione laughed as Luna and Ginny started talking about decorations and party games. They led their conversation to a corner and left me and Ron alone. I sighed, "I'm only three months along, and they are fussing as though the baby is already here."

Ron chuckled, and then turned serious for a moment, "Are you scared?"

"As hell." I replied, "But the fact that I have something inside of me . . . another human being inside of me that is mine and Harry's makes it all worth it." Ron smiled at me; it was that moment where I felt completely at ease with myself.

As the months passed, my stomach began to get noticeably bigger, which started the furry of questions that I had to avoid. I still wasn't ready to tell many people that I was pregnant. But the fact that it was growing more and more each day made it harder and harder to hide.

The only other person I had told about the pregnancy was Mrs. Weasley, and she couldn't have been more thrilled. She was stern at me first, but lightened up at my proposal with helping me. The day came where I needed to go shopping for some new clothes; my sweats barely even fit anymore.

I was accompanied by Luna, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley, of course and we found a Wizarding maternity store that I had never seen before. Luna explained to me it was only visible to those who were pregnant or with someone who was pregnant. Well, that made sense. But I still wondered what it was doing in a place like Hogsmeade, so close to Hogwarts. I asked this question while I was trying on a pair of maternity charmed jeans and a wrapped top.

"You may not have noticed, but there have been quite a few girls that have gotten pregnant over the years." Ginny explained, "You remember Alicia Spinet?"

I thought for a moment, "Yeah. But I always thought that she was just a bit overweight."

"She was pulled out of school for that 'Family Emergency'."

"Oh yeah . . ."

I walked out of the dressing room and looked at myself in the four mirrors that aligned the wall. I turned and looked down at my bum, frowning a bit. "I'm getting so big." I said with a sniff.

Mrs. Weasley was quick to reply, "It's all natural, Hermione, not to worry."

I nodded at her politely and caught the mouthing of 'thank-you's from Ginny and Luna. "I saw that." Both girls shied away and went back to digging for more clothes in the racks. I had to admit that I'd been complaining about my expanding weight a lot lately. So I couldn't blame her friends for being annoyed with me. Besides, I could just blame the hormones.

We went to the cashier for their purchases and grabbed the bags full of new clothes for me and my expanding stomach. My parents were kind enough to send money for me when I explained Madame Pomfrey's offer. When I told them that I was expecting, I was thankful that they didn't know how to send a howler. I got sympathy and love from my mother's half of the letter, and the infamous 'Who did this?!' from my father. They had both grown accustomed to it and became very supportive, thank Merlin.

We arrived back at Hogwarts just in time for dinner. I placed my bags quickly in my room and headed downstairs to settle my cravings. Cranberry's smothered in gravy sounded very appetizing at the moment.

The day I told the Order that I was, indeed, expecting, I received a bunch of support, from Lupin especially. He looked at me with a knowing glance when I had announced it at the meeting that night and smiled. The meeting came to order and Lupin was happy to report that Harry was doing well.

I sighed in relief. He was fine. It had been eight and a half months since he left, and he was still alive! The meeting came to a close and I set down to the Hospital Wing for my appointment with Madame Pomfrey.

I lay on the bed in the familiar position as she flicks her wand about me. Ginny and Luna had followed me and wanted to watch again. They were both fascinated with the process. Of course, Madame Pomfrey had noticed this, because she asked if they would like to see the baby.

"How can you see it if you have no Muggle equipment here?" I asked her.

"Oh, my dear, we had equipment way before the Muggles did." She answered.

She quickly went to her office without another word and brought a case of what looked to be jelly and yet another potion. She instructed me to lift up my shirt as she spread the jelly over my stomach. It was a very cold sensation that made me shiver a bit. She handed me the vial of liquid and I downed it in one gulp. I couldn't even taste it, since I gulped it down too fast.

Before I knew it, my stomach began to glow dimly and then became completely transparent! I could see my baby! And it was beautiful. I head 'Aww!'s from Ginny and Luna and I couldn't help but agree. It was the cutest think I had ever seen. It had cute little fingers, and little tiny toes. It was curled up in a ball and looked so innocent. Even though it was covered in placenta I knew that it would look just like Harry.

I sighed, "I only wish Harry was here to see this."

Luna looked up at me, "He will be. He'll be home soon."

I smiled at her, "I hope so."

I glanced dreamily out the window and looked out towards the forbidden forest. Just the thought of Harry alone out there sent shivers through my spine. But then I saw something move in the bushes on the edge of the forest. At first I thought it was only the wind, but when I saw a figure erupt from the shadows I knew there was something amiss. As I leaned closer towards the window, I could see that the figure was limping towards the castle. It was barely holding on before it ceased in its movements and fell lifelessly to the ground.

I gasped.

I quickly pulled down my shirt and ran (or in my case, wobbled) towards the entrance hall. Madame Pomfrey and the others were calling after me as I went. I felt them on my trail, but I didn't care. Someone out there was hurt and I had to help them!

I pushed open the doors and made my way into the darkness, when it started to rain. Just my luck. I ignored the water droplets on my face and went towards the forbidden forest when I saw the figure had erupted from. I began to see a lump on the ground as I wobbled closer to my destination. As I got closer I knew it was the figure.

It was a man. His face was face down in the dirt and he seemed to be struggling for breath and exhausted. I heard the feminine voices behind me come closer as I turned the man around. Again, I gasped.

"HARRY!"

My scream seemed to have awoken him, as his eyes started to open up and greet me. But instead of the warm, bright eyes I was so used to seeing, there were cold and tired eyes that looked at me with a scared, yet relieved look in them. His lips began to move as I brushed his wet hair away from his forehead. "Hermione."

I smiled, "Yes, Harry, I'm here."

He closed his eyes again, as if my name was the one thing that he wanted to say. Started to shake him, but he wouldn't wake up. I cried for help as I kept on trying to awaken what I hoped to be an unconscious Harry. My attempts seemed futile, and when I started to give up hope, I saw figures walking towards us in the distance. I smiled to myself and felt a wet liquid start to drip down my legs. My eyes widened. Either I had pissed myself in relief that help was her or I was about to endure about twelve hours of very painful labor.

I felt hands on my shoulders, they turned me around and I saw Lupin's concerned face look at me. He then looked next to me and saw Harry. He gasped, much as I had done and went to his side. "He needs help." I said to him. Lupin nodded and picked up the limp form of Harry.

Another face came into view; Madame Pomfrey was by my side, about to lecture me for my stupid actions. I stopped her attempt with a hand. "I need to get to the Hospital Wing . . . now."

She caught my drift and waved her hand into the air. In was few seconds, two floating cots came rushing towards us. She helped me onto one as Lupin set Harry on the other. The cots followed the elders as we 

entered the school and made our way to the Hospital Wing, where Ginny, Luna, and Ron were waiting with anxious looks on their faces.

When they saw Harry's body on the cot next to me, Luna gasped, Ginny screamed, and Ron looked as though he was about to faint. But their attention was drawn to me when I let out a painful scream and started to clutch my stomach. I felt the first contraction come, and boy did it come. Thankfully it was over within a few seconds as I lay back down on the cot. Madame Pomfrey levitated me from the cot onto the hospital bed next to me. Harry was placed on the other side of the room.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked me.

"Of course I'm not bloody alright! I'm in fucking labor here!" I screamed at him.

I saw Ginny whisper something in Ron's ear about 'hormones'. I wanted to yell at her as well, but the next contraction stopped me from opening my mouth to emit anything but a loud scream of pain. This contraction lasted noticeably longer than the last, and left me gasping for breath afterwards.

"I need . . . Harry." I gasped out.

This time it was Lupin who answered me, "He's unconscious right now, Hermione, and I'm not sure if he's going to be waking up anytime soon."

I was relieved and enraged at the same time. How can he be unconscious when I was experiencing the excruciating pain of giving birth to our child?! "Well wake him bloody up, then!" I screamed at him. Lupin just frowned and went back to Harry's side.

I let out a frustrated breathe as I leaned back on the bed. Ginny and Luna grabbed both of my hands, but I still was in desperate need of Harry. I was thankful for my best friends at my side, though. But as the hours passed, my need for Harry grew as my contractions became closer together. I was beginning to think I was going to permanently deform Ginny and Luna's hands. But not once did they let go, and I was thankful for that.

Madame Pomfrey came up to me to do a check-up on my progress. When she removed her wand from my stomach, she was smiling, "It's time."

I felt my breath catch in my throat and I started to hyperventilate. There was no way I was ready for this! I needed Harry now! The matron sensed my inner thoughts and rushed to the other side of the wing, where she began to talk to Lupin in hushed tones. I saw him nod and they began to levitate Harry's limp body over onto the bed next to me. Ginny moved from her place by my side to make room for Harry's bed moving towards mine until they were touching. I smiled in appreciation to Lupin and Madame Pomfrey as they looked down at the two of us with a gleam in their eyes.

The matron helped me position myself as I grasped Harry's hand in mine. She told me to start pushing when she instructed me to do so. I nodded and took in a deep breath.

"Push, Miss Granger."

I did as she told me and felt that familiar sensation of being torn in half. It was truly the most painful experience I had ever endured. I clutched Harry's hand for dear life and felt Ron's firm hand in my other. 

I think Luna and Ginny had had enough. Sweat became to accumulate on my brow as I finished my first push.

"Push."

I pushed again, my breathe becoming more and more ragged.

"Push."

Again.

"Push."

Again.

I continued like this for five minutes until I heard her say she could see a head. I needed to push one more time in order to see my baby. I pushed so hard, I was sure my eyes had bulged out of their sockets. My hands squeezed their tightest over Ron and Harry's hands as I let one final wave of pain ride over me.

I collapsed onto the bed as my breathing started to get back to normal. I heard a cry from beneath the sheets and I let a tired smile cross my face. "Congratulations, Miss Granger. You are now the proud mother of a baby girl."

A girl . . .

"Just let me clean her off and you can see her." I nodded as she turned to go to the table she had set up with a bathing station. I turned towards Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Lupin, who were each looking at me with bright smiles on their faces. I returned their smiles as I felt a bundle being put into my arms.

She was beautiful. Even now I could see the tuffs of black hair peeking out from her bald head. Her nose looked just like mine and I could see her trying to open her eyes. I gasped when a pair of emerald eyes exactly like Harry's began staring back at me. Everyone in the room gasped as well, and began to coo the baby.

I began to rock her in my arms and look at her lovingly. I had a baby. Me and Harry had a baby. I looked over at Harry's unconscious form and frowned, I only wish he could have seen this. Tears began to well up in my eyes as I heard someone call my name. I turned and saw Madame Pomfrey's concerned face. She gathered herself and spoke, "Any ideas for names?"

I thought for a moment, and then came to the perfect conclusion, "Emily Cecile Potter."

The matron smiled and copied my words onto a clipboard. She walked away and left me with my friends. As I looked at the way Lupin looked at Emily lovingly, I smiled and asked, "Would you like to be the godfather, Lupin." He looked shocked for a moment and the smiled at me. "I would be honored."

I looked at Ron with a small look of disdain, which he replied with a hand up and a shake of the head. I knew he understood. I looked at Ginny and asked her to me the godmother, which she gladly accepted. I knew Luna would understand as well.

I handed Emily into the arms of her godparents and told them I needed a walk. I told Madame Pomfrey on my way out where I was going and she said it was well deserved. I walked out into the cool night air and discovered that it was no longer raining. The wet grass felt good on my bare feet as I made my way to our favorite spot by the Black Lake. I laid my back against our tree and sighed.

I just sat there, starring at the starry sky above me, thinking of my new baby girl and her father. Oh, how I hoped he would be alright. If he limped here, it must have been for good reason. He would have at least sent for help if he needed it. I smiled as I realized how stupid he was, though it wasn't a laughing matter that was still how Harry was. It was his trademark to make decisions based on small hunches and coming out to very interesting consequences.

It was then when I felt a presence behind me. I turned around and saw a shadow behind be. The darkness of the tree shaded the figure. I saw that they had a bundle in their arms. When it stepped into the moonlight I gasped and got up from my position and hugged them.

"You have no idea how relieved I am that you're alright!" I whispered into his ear.

"I have a hunch." He said as I let him go. I was careful not to crush Emily, who was squirming in his arms. He looked down at her lovingly and then at me, "I am so proud of you, 'Mione."

I smiled at him, "I wasn't the only one who contributed."

I heard him chuckle. He adjusted Emily in his arms and leaned down to kiss me tenderly. It had been so long and I longed for his touch. Emily giggling was the thing that broke us apart. We both looked down at her and smiled. "I love you, Hermione." I heard him say.

Tears pooled in my eyes. "I love you, too, Harry."

We smiled at each other and he took my hand, leading me back to the castle. It was safe to say this was the day my life had truly begun.

.