Harry Potter: Love's Second Chance

As they watched the owl fly toward the south on her way to the Grangers, Hermione remembered this time two years previous. This time last time she'd been laying in the hospital bed recovering from the curse by Dolohov. Her hand went to her chest as she could still feel the pain it had caused just as she could still feel the cruciatus curse Bellatrix Lestrange had used. She couldn't help but feel a bit happier that both of those Death Eaters were now dead.

Harry saw the movement and wrapped his arms around her. "No one's going to hurt you this time," He said gently.

"You can't know that Harry," She replied. "There will always be danger until this is all over," She turned to look at him. "But we've already saved Sirius and maybe Dumbledore."

"You've thought of a way to keep him away from the ring?"

"I'm hoping this morning might do it," Hermione said. "When he was mesmerized by the locket you had to help him," They both thought of the look on the Headmaster's face as he saw his sister. "I'm hoping he thinks about having help to go after the ring. If he does, we're the only ones that he really can turn to."

"We can hope," Harry replied "But it is Dumbledore," They turned their gaze back to the horizon as they enjoyed the late spring warmth. It was several seconds before Harry finally broke the silence as he slid his arm around her waist. "Let's go find Luna and Neville for lunch and then head for the Room of Requirements."

"Let's take a quick look at Ginny's potions first," Hermione replied. "I want to get an idea when they'll be ready," She sighed. "I really don't know what to do about her."

"I still hope we can wait until we leave here," Harry remarked. "I'd prefer for Arthur or Molly to deal with it instead of the possibility of her being arrested or getting expelled and making the Weasleys look bad. I just can't do that to Arthur and Molly."

"I agree," Hermione said. "Let's go find out what we're up against then."

Winky and Dobby showed them the little alcove in the cave where the boats landed. As they saw the four cauldrons simmering over never-ending flames Hermione couldn't help but be impressed by the youngest Weasley's planning. "I'd never have thought about here," She admitted. "But it's the perfect place. No one comes down here and it's only used that first night," She walked over to every cauldron and examined them closely. When she got to the last one she frowned. "This one isn't from the list," Hermione said. She conjured a small ladle and dipped some of the potion out. She then spent several minutes casting spells on the liquid. Finally she looked at Harry with a look of trepidation. "She's added a lust potion."

"So she basically wants to rape me?"

"Something like that," Hermione replied as she banished her ladle. "I wonder if she's thinking of enticing you with sex or..."

"Or what?"

"Normally a fifteen year old boy would jump at the chance for sex especially if influenced by that," Hermione nodded at the cauldron. "But...she'd have to know it might not last unless she planned to keep potioning you."

"You're thinking something else?"

"What if she planned on trying to get pregnant? She knows you'd do the honorable thing," Hermione said softly. "You'd leave me and marry her without hesitation."

Harry swallowed hard as he looked at the simmering liquid as he contemplated what Ginny had planned. Finally he looked up at Hermione and answered. "I guess I should be glad Cho and I never hooked up then. I mean if I'd gotten as serious about her as I am about you then this," He motioned to the cauldrons, "might have happened and I wouldn't have known."

"I hope you're glad because you have your soul mate now," Hermione said as she glowered at him. She couldn't hold the look for long as she smiled. "But I know what you mean."

"You're the only one I want to get pregnant..." Harry reddened as he realized what he'd said. "Uh...I mean...eh when like in a few years...you said..."

Hermione laughed at his discomfort. She took his hand and looked him in the eyes. "When we are ready to be parents, I very much want to have your children, but it will be a while before we are ready for that kind of responsibility. We should wait at least three years after we finish school."

"Why?" Harry asked. "I mean I'm in no hurry but why three years?"

"The transition from school to real life is a very stressful time," Hermione explained. "Longer hours are normal since you're junior in whatever you're doing. You're spending a lot of time just learning to do your job. We just need to make sure we have the time to be parents to our children before we have them."

Harry closed his eyes and remembered his parents' home in Godric's Hollow. He imagined a similar home with a white fence around it with a small girl of three or four giggling as she played with a dog in the yard while a very pregnant Hermione was standing next to him watching the little girl as well. His eyes opened and he could see from the look in Hermione's eyes that she'd seen the image in his mind. The moment there shared was interrupted when something tugged on their sleeves.

"Master...Mistress," Winky whispered when they looked down at her. "The red-headed one who made these is coming," She looked over her shoulder as if expecting her to be there. "Dobby is delaying her but it won't last long."

"Get us out of here then," Harry said and held out his hand.

"Wait," Hermione instructed as she pulled out her wand. With a quick movement and a command their footsteps disappeared from the dirt. She gave one more quick look to make sure there were no further evidence of them being there and then took the offered elf's hand. With a 'crack' they disappeared.

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