Snow

Chapter Eleven: A New Life

Harry's favorite thing about his new home was the fact that he had one. Then there was the fact that he finally lived with his godfather. It felt weird to him to have someone he could talk to about anything on a daily basis. Having spent the better part of his life being forced to keep questions about his parents to himself, it was odd and comforting to find that Sirius found great joy in talking about his two deceased friends, James and Lily Potter.

Harry also loved his four-poster. It reminded him of Hogwarts, and well... he loved Hogwarts. But at this particular moment, the thing he loved the most about living at his new home was the woman lying next to him, her whole frame pressed up against him, her head lying on his bare chest, her soft, curly brown hair tickling his cheek as her fingers gently entwined with his own.

She looked up at him and the word 'Angel' instantly came to mind. She was absolutely extraordinary. And she was his, forever and always, and the best part was that their relationship was no longer a great secret. Now that Hermione was out of danger, there was no longer any reason to keep her protected. This made the couple very happy.

"Do you suppose..." she said as she moved her leg and gently rubbed it against his own under the covers, "that we should get dressed before Sirius returns from the Weasleys?"

Harry didn't say anything for a moment as he ran his forefinger from her bare shoulder, down her torso to her hip, and up again, making the hairs on her arm rise as she shivered from the touch.

"Probably," he said after much thought.

Hermione giggled. "You don't sound like you're in much of a hurry."

"And you are?" Harry asked, sounding appalled at the idea.

Hermione gazed at him with affection. "If I could stay here until the end of time with you...under these sheets... I would."

"But?" Harry pouted, weakening Hermione's resolve with every passing second.

Hermione glanced over him at the alarm clock sitting on his end table.

"Happy Birthday, Harry," she replied softly. It was 12:02.

He smiled down at her and leaned down for a kiss. "It certainly is," he murmured before pressing his lips softly to her own. They enjoyed the softness of the kiss for a couple of minutes before pulling away.

Harry was now seventeen. In a month's time he would be spending his last year at Hogwarts. It was a thought he didn't like to consider much.

Hermione stared at her best friend and true love in her scrutinizing way. "What's wrong, Harry?"

"Nothing," Harry assured her with a smile. "I'm just thinking about how much I love you."

Hermione gave a sweet smile and ran a hand through his hair. She loved running her fingers through his soft, black strands.

"Of course you love me," she said and lifted up her body so it was directly over his. The moonlight seeping through the window gave Hermione somewhat of an ethereal glow.

She kissed him on the lips, then softly trailed kisses down his jaw line, to his neck and down to his shoulder. He moaned, knowing that she was deliberately adding to the fire that was slowly building.

"Before we go any further..." he said, and she took the hint and lifted herself off of Harry. "I thought you'd like to know that Ron has known about us for months," he said.

Hermione groaned. "You have to bring him up now?" she whined, but laid her head back down on the pillow. "Since when? How did he find out?" she asked, though it wasn't really necessary to sound upset.

"He's known since Easter...he saw us in the window," Harry told her.

She laughed softly. "I can't believe he didn't confront us after what he saw there. Our little Ron is growing up," she said in awe.

"Well...he's happy for us. I think Sirius had a talk with him. I can't believe they both knew for that amount of time and didn't say anything," Harry said in agreement.

"Well...I think Sirius dropped a few hints, didn't he?" Hermione asked, grinning.

"That he did," answered Harry. Then he turned to her.

"Are you happy?" he asked, suddenly sounding very insecure. Hermione realized this and brought her lips quickly to his own, trying to tell him not with words, but with the determination of a passionate kiss, that she loved him and could never be happier.

"Does that answer your question?" she asked. She didn't like it when he got insecure. She hated it when he thought for even a second that maybe she'd be better off with someone else, or somewhere else.

"It does, love," he said.

They kissed each other deeply, enjoying the sheer feeling of their closeness.

"I want to give you something," Harry murmured, parting from her.

"A gift?" Hermione asked eagerly, her eyes growing earnest with excitement.

"Yes, sit up with me," he commanded gently, and Hermione obeyed instantly, excitement bubbling inside her and rubbing off on Harry, who no longer felt anxious or worried for giving her a gift on his birthday.

He reached inside his bedside table, and pulled out a square, cardboard box.

"What is it?" she asked, taking the package from her boy friend.

"Open it," Harry suggested. "I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to wrap it."

Hermione giggled. "Don't be ridiculous. Why are you giving me a gift on your birthday? Shouldn't it be the other way around?" she asked.

Harry grinned. "I thought you already did give me your birthday present."

Hermione looked slightly chagrined at this statement. "Oh, yeah," she replied with a shy giggle.

"Go on," Harry said. "Open it."

Hermione lifted open the flap of the box and pulled out a heavy wad of tissue paper. When she pulled away the wrappings, a medium-sized, smooth, round snow globe was revealed before her.

"Oh, Harry!" she exclaimed with delight.

The snow globe contained Hogwarts and the entire school grounds, including the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch, and even Hagrid's little hut. She shook the globe forcefully, and glittering flakes of snow began to fall from the cloudy sky, covering the entire school grounds in sugary icing.

"It's perfect!" she squealed, and threw her arms around Harry, dropping the globe onto the sheets.

"Thank you so much," she whispered, before pressing a kiss to his lips.

"I saw it in Hogsmeade just before we came home before the holidays, and I just knew you had to have it. It's out of season, but I know how much you love snow," Harry told her.

"It's perfect," Hermione repeated more softly. "I adore it. And I adore you," she said, kissing him again.

"Now that's what I like to hear," grinned Harry.

Giggling, the two lovers rolled together on the bed, their happy laughter echoing in their minds and in their hearts.

The End.

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