Ease of the Midnight Visit

THE EASE OF THE MIDNIGHT VISIT

It was a perfect midsummer afternoon and she was waiting for him down by the lake. The deep blue of the sky was reflected in the mirror still surface of the water. There was a slight tickling breeze which was warm to the touch. She lay back and closed her eyes. It was nice to experience this sort of peace and serenity after the pain and suffering of the last three years.

Suddenly, almost imperceptibly, the breeze on her cheek seemed to be warmer, almost hot. She opened her eyes with a start to find them looking into a pair of emerald green ones only inches away. "Harry, you startled me," she smiled up at the tall young man leaning over her.

"Now if you hadn't fallen asleep," he grinned back.

"I was not asleep. You are just so darn sneaky."

She sat up and he sat down next to her. Together they gazed silently out across the lake to the forest beyond.

Without turning to look at her, Harry suddenly spoke. "Ron said you two decided to break it off before he went home. Why?"

She sighed and looked down. "Oh you know. After all the emotions of the last few months, with his Quidditch career starting in a week or two and I will be going straight from here to Auror training. We both agreed it would not be fair to tie each other down."

He turned slowly and looked straight at her. The intensity of his gaze caught her unawares. "That's not exactly what Ron told me," he said slowly.

He leant forward. She could feel her heart beating faster. No reason why she should feel like this. It was just Harry, one of her best friends. Striving to keep her tone casual, she asked, "and what else did Ron say then?"

"He said that he could see how much I love you and that he felt that you loved me too."

"Is it true, Harry? Do you love me?"

"Hermione, I have loved you for a long time now. But I never thought I would live this long, so I thought it better that you and Ron should be together."

His hand gently brushed against her neck until he was cradling her chin in his palm. Gently; ever so gently, he tilted her head upwards until green eyes met brown. No more words were needed as their lips met. This was no simple kiss between friends, but a deep passionate unleashing of feelings held in check for so long. His arms went around her and she embraced him back fiercely entwining her fingers in his soft black hair.

When they breathlessly pulled apart, he glanced towards the many windows on the front of the castle.

"Maybe right here and now is not a good idea," he remarked regretfully. "The castle has too many eyes."

"What do you mean?" she enquired. "There is practically no one here now that the holidays have started, just Professor McGonagall, Sirius, and a couple of Aurors."

"And Malfoy," Harry said.

"Yes, and Malfoy. But we don't need to worry about him."

His eyes clouded for a moment as a strange look, almost like a dark shadow flitted across his face. "No, I don't suppose we do. But Gryffindor tower is much more comfortable and it is just you and I alone in there for the next six weeks."

His face broke into a huge angelic smile and he held out his hand to help her up. As they happily walked back to the castle, hand in hand, neither of them noticed a slight pale figure hidden in the shadows, watching them, who had been there the whole time.

***

It was late evening several weeks later and all was very quiet in Gryffindor tower. The only two people in residence had both retired to their respective rooms after another wonderful evening together. Hermione Granger was lying in bed in what had been her seventh year dorm.

When school had finished Hermione only had an empty home to go to, as her parents had died six months ago. Harry Potter also had nowhere else to go. Wherever he went outside Hogwarts crowds of people flocked to see him, all wanting a piece of their hero. It had been decided that they should both stay at Hogwarts under the guardianship of the new headmistress Minerva McGonagall and Harry's Godfather Sirius Black.

Tomorrow was Harry's eighteenth birthday. In just two more days they would leave for London, where they were going to take up residence in Hermione's family home and commence Auror training together.

While they were the only occupants of Gryffindor tower there was one other student also in residence at Hogwarts for the summer. At the time of Voldemort's defeat, Draco Malfoy was still under the age of eighteen. His mother was in St. Mungo's and his father was awaiting trial in Azkaban. Draco would also face trial as a death eater like his father, but because of his age it was decided to keep him at Hogwarts under house arrest. Within the castle Draco was allowed relative freedom to move about, but Harry and Hermione had hardly seen him.

The Gryffindor couple had complete freedom and privacy. Under these conditions their relation ship had blossomed and soon after the morning meeting by the lake they became lovers. Their lives had fallen into a pleasant relaxed routine. During the morning they would spend time with Sirus, then after lunch Harry would answer his fan mail while Hermione caught up on reading. She concentrated on what she considered some light pre-training study with books like "The development of the modern Auror," and "Crime prevention in the wizarding world: a history."

Each evening after dinner they would retire together to the privacy of the Gryffindor common room. There they learnt to know each other as closely physically as they already did in every other way. This new development to their friendship was for Hermione a miraculous journey into becoming as close as two people could be. Hermione had been no virgin, but this soft sensual experience was so completely different to her few frantic, fumbling love making sessions with Ron in seventh year.

She knew Harry had never been that close before to another person. He had always been so focussed on defeating Voldemort and convinced that he would not survive, that he had not allowed himself the pleasure of a physical relationship. In fact Hermione believed that Harry had pushed her and Ron together in order to reduce the temptation.

Even now Harry was still an intensely private person and needed his own space. So each night after making love they would lie blissfully together in each others arms for a short while. Then they would rise, kiss each other good night and separate each to their own beds to sleep alone. This was Harry's wish.

***

On this particular night Hermione drifted off to sleep with a blissful smile on her face. A few hours later she was awoken by the sound of her door opening. She sat up groggy from sleep and looked towards the doorway. In the moonlight from the window she could see Harry standing there. He looked at her and smiled his sweet slightly crooked smile. "Hermione?" It was half question, half a statement of desire.

He moved closer towards her until he was standing next to the bed. "Harry?" He reached out, grasped her chin in his hand and pulled her face roughly up into a kiss. It was a deep, rough, passionate kiss, full of desire. She reached up to put her arms around him as she kissed him back, and he pushed her back down on the bed, following downwards on top of her never breaking contact with her mouth.

Then his hands started to move across her body. In one swift movement he removed her nightie and then his lips started to move down on to her neck, biting & sucking. She tried to say something, but he raised one hand to her mouth.

"No words. We don't need words."

She moaned with pleasure as his hands and mouth explored her body. This was very different from their usual lovemaking. Where normally he was tender and slow, tonight he has fast, aggressive and demanding. So rough that it hurt, but there was pleasure in that pain. It was as if he was seeking to possess her, to be totally in control.

It was over very quickly. And as soon as he was finished Harry rolled off, gave her one last passionate kiss, quickly put his clothes on and left the room. She lay there naked in the dark, gasping for air and trying to make some sense of what had happened. For the first time he had been rough almost brutal, but the response from her body was one of traitorous enjoyment. Hermione resolved to discuss it with Harry in the morning before his birthday party. At this resolution she rolled over and fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

***

In the morning when she got up, Harry had already left the tower. From her window she could see him on his broomstick making lazy circles over the Quidditch pitch. By the time he came in for breakfast in the great hall Sirius was already there, so there was no opportunity to discuss the strange event of the night before. It was just the four of them as usual. Draco Malfoy did not often join them for meals, preferring to remain secluded in the Slytherin common room by choice, with only the Auror on guard for company.

Originally the plan for Harry's birthday had been to go to The Burrow. But of course the wizarding public in general and the press in particular had realised this and were standing siege. So instead the Weasleys were bringing the party to Hogwarts.

By mid afternoon when it was time for everyone to arrive Hermione still had no opportunity to talk in private with Harry. This was frustrating, but nonetheless she put on her party clothes and went down to wait for every one to arrive. Sirius had been insistent that this was to be a small party, so it was just close friends.

By five o'clock everyone was there. The hosts were present of course: Minerva McGonagall, Sirius Black, Harry and Hermione. The whole Weasley family - Molly Weasley, Bill and his new wife Fleur, Charlie, Fred and Angelina , who was sporting a brand new engagement ring, George and Katie, Ginnie and of course Ron. And finally all of Harry's Gryffindor class mates, plus a couple of extras, like Parvati's sister Padma and Seamus' girlfriend Hannah Abbott. And two very special guests had been relieved of kitchen duties for the occasion - the house elves Dobby and Winkie

It was a lovely party, but the atmosphere was slightly dampened by the faces that were missing and would never be there again. Dumbledore, of course, who had died helping Harry defeat Voldemort. Arthur Weasley, killed by Death Eaters in the final battle, Percy Weasley , who had become a Death Eater, but died protecting his brother Bill, and Remus Lupin who had been killed by the man who had been one of his closest friends, Peter Pettigrew.

After the presents had all been opened the trio carried them up to the tower. This was their first opportunity to talk since Ron had gone home.

"So how are you two going?" asked Ron with a grin. Both Harry and Hermione blushed slightly and Ron looked from one to the other. "Blimey, you haven't already? You two didn't lose any time."

Hermione fancied she could see a slight look of regret and loss in Ron's eyes, but it did not last long. He grinned wildly and gave her a big hug. "I really am thrilled trust me, you two belong together."

There was not much time for a private conversation as they had to get the guest of honour straight back to his party.

It was ten o'clock by the time all the guests had departed. Hermione was very tired when she and Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room. They sat down next to each other on the sofa in front of the fire and Harry reached out his arm, gently pulling Hermione closer.

"Did you have a good birthday, Harry?" She looked up into his eyes.

"Yes," he smiled back sweetly. "It was the best."

He delicately pushed a stray curl out of her face, and then softly ran his fingers down the side of her face to touch her lips. "I don't think I have ever been as happy as I am right now. I will treasure these memories forever."

He leaned in and kissed her. Tenderly at first the kiss gradually increased in passion and intensity. His kiss and his caressing touches soon set her nerves on fire. All thought of serious discussion flew out of her mind. The only things that mattered were Harry, her and Harry, together, here and now, skin on skin in a crescendo of love and passion.

As they lay together afterwards, their naked skin glistening in the firelight, Harry seemed to be preoccupied by his own secret thoughts.

"Harry love?"

"Hmm? Yes, Hermione?"

"I just want to ask you about last night when you came to my room."

His face was unreadable. "I did not come to your room last night. You must have dreamt it." His lips curled up in the slightest of smiles. "At least you were dreaming of me."

"Yes, you must be right. It was just a dream." Hermione decided that this must be a little game he wanted to play and whatever Harry wanted was fine by her.

As they rose to go to bed Harry swept her into a tight embrace and they shared a deep, loving kiss. As they slowly drew apart, he took both her hands in his and stared intently into her eyes. "Never forget, Hermione, I do love you. I will always love you."

"And I love you, Harry."

He kissed her on the forehead and let go of her hands, turned and quickly walked up the stairs to his room without looking back. Hermione was a little puzzled. But Harry tended to be very serious at times, so she did not worry about it, went straight to her own bed and was soon fast asleep.

***

That night it happened again, just like the night before. At midnight Harry came to her room. He seemed even more confident, more in control. She felt as if she was being played like a piano. His hands, tongue and teeth were pushing her keys to play his tune. No words were spoken. The silence broken only by heavy breathing, her low moans of pleasure and his grunts as he thrust deep inside her. And when it was over he left.

Hermione was woken in the morning by the gentle hooting of a post owl landing on the bed. This was unusual. The mail was always delivered to the Great Hall. She took the letter. On the front was just her name in a very familiar script. Why would Harry send her a letter? She opened it.

Hermione my love,

By the time you read this I will be far away. For the last seven years I have lived my life under the weight of other peoples' expectations. From what I can see at the moment this will not change as long as I stay in Britain. I can't continue like this, so I am going away to try and find myself, to discover what it is like to be just Harry, instead of Harry Potter - The Boy Who Lived. This is something I need to do alone and I hope you will understand.

Never forget, Hermione, I do love you. I will always love you.

Harry.

It felt like falling into an ocean of ice cold water. Coldness seemed to penetrate right through her and she started to tremble. She crushed the letter in her hand and threw it across the room, hitting Sirius in the face as he came rushing through the door.

"Hermione. I see you got a letter too. Are you alright?"

"Alright, why should I bloody be alright?" She was screaming. "Why didn't he talk to me about it? I'm his best friend. I love him. We could have worked it through together. Bastard!" She collapsed on the bed in a screaming sobbing heap. Sirius came over and tried to touch her, but she pushed him away. "Leave me alone. Go and find him."

"Apparently he Apparated from Hogsmeade to Heathrow early this morning. He could be anywhere in the world by now."

"Anywhere but here with me," she buried her head under her pillow, sobbing like she would never stop. Sirius left her alone.

She stayed in her room all day. Dobby brought a tray up at dinner time and bullied her into eating a little, but she didn't eat much. Every time she started thinking about Harry, about what had happened, she started to cry again. "Some sort of Auror you are going to make, Hermione Granger," she told herself sternly. "You can't even control yourself. What hope have you got against a mob of unruly wizards?"

When it got dark she sobbed herself to sleep.

***

She was woken at midnight by the sound of the door opening. She looked up in disbelief. "Harry? You came back. I knew you would." She jumped up and ran to him, her arms outstretched. He held her arms tightly and started pushing her firmly back towards the bed. "Harry, what are you doing? Aren't you going to explain?"

"Shut up." He pushed her down on the bed roughly, pulled his clothes off and quickly got on top of her, leaned down grabbed her wrists and started to kiss her. Something was wrong about this. She started to struggle but he just kissed harder. He took her wand from the bedside table, muttered some words, and she found she could not control her own arms or legs.

He pushed her arms up above her head, ripped her nightie off and forced her legs apart. There was no way she could stop him. He came crushing down on top of her. It was even more painful than the previous two nights. He made no attempt to spare her pain as he bit and pawed her face and neck and breasts and drove himself into her over and over until he was spent.

Then he sat up on top of her. In the moonlight she could see an unfamiliar expression on his face. It was a look of total disgust. "I don't know why you thought he would bother to come back for you, now that he's had you and made his escape."

He got up, dressed and stood there, holding her wand and looking at her with a smirk on his face. "And I have had you too, Mudblood. Finite incantatum." The feeling and control returned to her arms and legs, but she could only lie on her bed and gaze in horror as the effects of Polyjuice potion wore off on the person in front of her and she found herself looking up at the blond hair and cold grey eyes of Draco Malfoy.