Hearts Grow Old

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He watched her put her hand on his best friend's shoulder, smile and wave one last goodbye.
When she turned around, she shook her head with a slight smile on her lips, letting it grow bigger as her face turned up towards him.

"Finally got rid of him." He stared at her eyelashes. Tiny bits of snow was melting on them. It was in her hair too, and her cheeks were flushed. Feeling some kind of deja vu, he nodded, and she hooked her arm to his. Her words suggested she'd somehow known what he was thinking - as usual.

"It's a strange thing, snow. I mean, I know all the science of it of course, but I still haven't found one single book that explains why it looks so tasty." The childrens screams were heard from all the way on the other side of the house. He looked up, took a deep breath and smiled at her.

"Well, Hermione, you've found your man." She swatted his arm playfully, falling into old habits against her better judgement. "I'm serious!" She laughed, letting go of his arm and putting her hands on her hips.

"Harry, how can you possibly give me an answer that none of the scientists can?" Harry winked, snow piling up on his glasses.

"Well, I've got children. And children know better than any scientist, because they always speak the truth, no matter what." He felt pleased with himself. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so? So what have they told you?"

"It's simply due to the fact that it looks like sugar icing and is soft and cold as ice cream. You're not going to get a better answer than that." Hermione laughed again, shaking her head.

"You know, Harry Potter. You might have saved the world from evil, but you didn't use any brains to do it, alright."

"True that. All muscle here." Rolling her eyes, she swatted his arm again.

"So what are our plans for tonight? The children thinks it's just another day of the half term, but I think they'd appreciate something special."

"Well," Harry said, breathing in like he was bracing himself for a very hard task, "I guess I'll make cupcakes with hearts on... if you and me end the night with some wine. I don't know if I can take the horror without something to look forward to."

Hermione nodded, as they rounded the house.

"Wine and the rest of those cupcakes. And a romantic film." Harry, now over 40, still hadn't let go of that boyish way of his.

"Aww, Hermione! Why would you try to kill me?" Hermione looked at him in disbelief.

"Harry, one film won't kill you. If you're supposed to watch a romantic film on any day of the year, it is today." Harry grumbled, but she knew not to take him seriously.

They would stay here for the following few days.

Harry had the children this week, and Ron had to work. But Hugo and Rose had been so excited about seeing Harry's cabin that Hermione had ended up going anyway, leaving Ron to eat Pizza and watch sports every night, and not have to sit through any romantic comedies. (He really was the lucky one.)

"I hate Valentine's day-" Harry murmured, suddenly grabbing Hermione and pulling her tight to him. Hermione's heart skipped a beat for the first time in years. In that same way it always used to skip a beat when she was with Harry. She'd grown older, grown up, grown into the relationship and being a mother. She had thought that hearts got old too, that they healed and moved on. Harry squeezing her tight like this made those old wounds start bleeding again. Against all sanity.

The snowball hit the house next to Harry's ear.

"Albus, watch auntie Mione!" Albus was laughing and making faces at the two. Soon Harry and Hermione were pelted with snowballs from all the children.

Hermione shrieked, laughed and as Harry let go of her with a green eyed wink in her direction, he bent down to create a massive snowball, while chanting;

"I'm gonna hunt down some children for supper tonight, dear. Just call me if you need help with anything." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before running off, roaring, their children screaming and scattering like a flock of rabbits.

The kiss had been rough, since he probably hadn't shaved that morning.
She'd grown used to it of course, with all the greetings through the years, but somehow she just stood there for a second too long, fighting the urge to touch her cheek. Rose woke her up from her daydream.

"Mum! Mommy! Save us!" She laughed, shaking her head.

"Oh, dear, you brought it on yourself." Then she went inside, grinning wickedly at Rose through the glass window of the door, as her daughter laughed and flailed at the same time, trying to get in.

Harry almost got a hold of her, but she was a quick girl, and out of his reach in half a second, sticking out her tounge. Hermione turned towards the kitchen, finding herself relax. Alone. She touched her cheek, like she was brushing off some breadcrumbs. Then she shook her head.

"Don't be silly." She took on the task ahead, realising she better leave all of the proper food for Harry. She was knows to everyone for being a horrible cook. But there was one thing she did better than anyone else...

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"Macaronies and cheese! Yes auntie Mione, you're the best!"

Hermione smiled, patted Sirius' jet black hair affectionatly, as he went by her.

"Thank you, dear." Then her hawk eyes saw Hugo trying to walk in with his wet boots on. "Don't you dare Mr! Put those boots were all the others are." Harry grinned at her.

"Oooh, she did the Molly. Be careful guys, you know how angry grandma can get!"

"Harry, I'm hardly as harsh as Molly!" Harry shrugged, dipping his fingers into the melted cheese, grinning as Hermione swatted him.

"I know someone who's as bad as Molly when she-"

"Wait until it's on your plate! And seriously Harry, that's not a very nice thing to say. Not to Molly and definatly not-"

"You mean mum, right?" Albus asked, looking at his dad with meaningful eyes.

"Wow, you're right. Auntie Ginny sure is scary when she gets her knickers in a twist." Rose shrieked with laughter, and Lily's almost blew milk through her nose.

"Hugo!" Hermione scolded, trying not to laugh. "Language!"

"What?" She shook her head while Harry patted Hugo's shoulder, leaning in closer.

"Hey, she knows you're right. She just doesn't want to admit it, because Ginny's her best friend." They all laughed.

"That's it. Harry James Potter, if you don't stop being a child this instant, there will be no supper for you!" That shut him up alright. Harry, still grinning of course, straightened up and started heating up some plates so that Hermione could put food on them.

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"Finally some peace and quiet..." Harry said as he fell down on the sofa, wine and two huge glasses in his hands. He sighed before handing a glass over to Hermione.

"That cupcake bussiness sure was a challenge," Hermione agreed, hiding a smile. Harry still had icing in his hair from the fight between Hugo and Albus.

When Harry had filled up her glass, she leaned back too, the saucer with cupcakes on her lap.
She sipped some, humming to herself.

"Okay, are you ready for the Holiday?" Harry rolled his eyes, but didn't protest. "Cupcake?" She offered him the plate, and he grabbed one, taking a big bite.

"Thanks. Mmm, okay," he declared, mouth full, "worth the time."

Some time passed, and Harry actually seemed to be watching the film, when suddenly...;

"See, Mione. This is what I don't get!" He pointed to Kate Winslet crying on the screen.

"What are you on about?" she asked, a bit cross with him for interrupting.

"Look at her! She's gorgeus! How come only an arse can get her attention, seems to try and get her attention! And why does she want it from him?"

Hermione was baffled. She turned away from the screen. Harry was geuinly concerned.

"Shut it. She reminds me of myself in our Hogwarts days." She felt quite defensive about the character, it was one she could relate to.

"How can you relate to her? Sure, she spends a lot of time working, but you certainly weren't obsessing over Ron like this... were you?" Hermione blushed.

"I would hardly call it obsessing! She's in love and the one she loves doesn't seem to notice. They're just friends and she can't do anything about it."

"Okay, so she's broken hearted. But what about Jack Black? She can't be bothered? I mean, not really. And he seems to be just as dense."

"Sometimes you don't see it at once..."

"This is not you, this is... Cho Chang!" Hermione glared.

"AND sometimes you have to get over one thing to get to something - someone else."

"Hermione... Who did you fancy this much at Hogwarts. Don't tell me some teacher or something!" He was looking at her, that curious glow in his eyes. She knew he wouldn't stop asking.

"Gosh, it was years ago. Another life. What does it matter?" She stared at her fingers gripping the wine. She could tell on the surface that she was shaking. "We're not 15 anymore."

"True, true. So tell me! What difference woud it make?" Hermione got annoyed,emptied her glass and shook her head.

"Harry, don't be silly. Give me some more wine please."

"I don't mean to upset you, Mione, but it's going to kill me. Is it Draco?" He kept pouring, a bit too much.

"That's enough, Harry."

"Wine or asking?" She looked away, shaking her head. "Come on. If you show me yours, I'll show you mine." Those words led to a small erruption of laughter from Hermione. He just couldn't stop, could he? She regretted saying anything in the first place, but then again...
She liked their friendship now, and he was right. It wouldn't make a difference, despite what she had felt today, against her better judgement.

"Well, go on. Guess then." She could see his thrilled expression in the corner of her eye. She wasn't going to tell him anyway.

"Okay, let's see... Umm, Malfoy?" Hermione laughed, giving him a dirty look.

"Harry, seriously, come on!" Harry drank some, smiling. The wine gave Hermione an excuse to flash him a flirty look.

"You never know. Maybe you had a thing for bad boys... It wasn't a teacher, right? I mean, I know you liked Lockhart, but come on..." She shook her head, a dizziness taking over.

"How about Neville? Is that an okay guess?" Hermione paused the film, turning towards him, tucking her feet under her. More wine.

"Okay, a thoughtfull guess. But still wrong." Harry rubbed his chin.

"I'm guessing there's someone I don't know about...?" she nodded. "Okay, I seriously don't know. Seamus? Lee? Did you and Luna ever get freaky?" Hermione gaped and punched his arm.

"Harry!" He held onto it like she'd really hurt him.

"Hey! It's very common you know. Ginny did it!" Hermione giggled (the wine's doing, obviously), closing her eyes.

"Oooh, I did NOT want to know that!"

"Come on Mione, it's HOT. Besides, I could totally see you with-" She rolled back and kicked him instead.

"Oww! Alright, alright! Sorry." Harry drank some more. "Okay, I guess I give up. Or you could give me clues." Hermione thought for a moment. Too much alcohol, much too fast.

"Well, everyone knew who he was... He had a tragic past, and he liked one of my best friends."

Harry sighed. "Oh come on, that is totally Neville!"

"Harry, how hard can it be! It was you, obviously!" He choked on his drink, and the smirk he'd worn all through the conversation was wiped off. Hermione grabbed it instead, feeling quite satisfied.

When his coughing fit passed, he just stared at her. Then:

"Hermione, seriously? Me? Why?" She suddenly couldn't look at him.

"Harry, I was 13! Okay, I was a bit older than that, 17, but... You know, I don't know why, really. It was just a..." she took a deep breath. "...crush."

Harry smiled a tiny bit.

"Was it because I was..." he wiggled his eyebrows; "...the chosen one?" Hermione shook her head, feeling like the little girl with the not so tiny crush.

"No, Harry. It was because..." She tucked some hair behind her ear, but it wouldn't stay there since it was still so thick it pretty much did whatever it wanted to. "It was because you were sweet, and had a big heart... and because you didn't look at the world like everyone else. Besides, you accepted me... In a way, you changed me. You turned me into a more self confident person." She looked up, and Harry was not smiling. He was staring intensely at her.

"Gosh, that sounded sooo cheesy. Let's pretend I never said anything!"

"Hermione... That's just... Why didn't you ever tell me?" Hermione drank some more wine to have an excuse not to talk.

"Well, when should I have said it? 'Oh hey, Harry, I know we're in the middle of rescuing your godfather from prison and all but, just wanted to say; you're hot!' Or; 'Oh, Harry, don't mind that Umbridge makes Hogwarts a Hell, I just thought you should know that I'm the one you should be with, not whimpy Cho Chang!' or should I have said; 'Well, Ron left us alone in the woods in a tent, and he's kind of pissed off because I used to have these feelings of love towards you...'! Is that what I should've said?"

Hermione was breathing hard, her glass in such a tight grip her hand started to ache.

"Love...?" She swallowed.

"What?" Harry looked like he was in shock.

"You said... Love. Feelings of love." Hermione licked her lips.

"Don't be silly Harry, of course I loved you. As a friend. It was just that I kind of liked you as, well..."

"Hermione, you said love." Hermione felt stressed out, and quite angry with herself.

"Well, what does it matter Harry? If I loved you, so what? It's been years, it's all over now. It's just quite embaressing. Another teenage girl who loved the boy who lived. Ironic, really. That Ron was right about something for once in his life."

"It does matter, Mione. I liked you too, I was just too dumb to see it." Hermione's heart skipped a beat. Harry sighed, smiling at her sadly. "Hah, imagine that. What if we'd done something about it, how would it have looked now...?" Hermione thought about that for a bit. A thought she had never before let into her mind.

"...that... we would probably not have stayed together anyway, Harry. Only about 2% of teenage couples-" Harry gave her a look that said it all, everything she knew.

They would have still been together. They were just built for each other. It happened to be friendship now, but it could've been much more. The point was, they couldn't live without each other. It sounded like much, but thinking about it, it felt true.

"Why did you marry Ron, really?" Hermione frowned at the question.

"Well, Harry, I loved him... and, I thought I could finally live with him. We'd gotten used to each other." Harry sighed.

"I felt obligied to marry Ginny. It's a miracle we stayed together for so long. I mean, I loved her, but we didn't have that-" and with one look, she knew what he meant. Harry broke away, sighing.

"Dumbledore once told me, the portrait, I mean-" He laughed slightly at that. "He said that you shouldn't marry the person you think you can live with, you should marry the person you know you can't live without."

"He's always been too wise for his own good," Hermione smiled.

"Do you think he knew how I really felt about you?" he asked, making her laugh dryly.

"That sounds so wrong out loud, but yeah, he probably did."

"That old fart. Should've made me realize." Hermione ignored him.

"Whew. Too much wine there, I think. Good thing the children are sleeping in the guest cabin." Harry nodded, far away in his mind. He wanted to do something, anything to stop this from happening to him. His best friend's wife should not be on top of his list of possible dates. He knew that, but all he could think about was a moment that had happened about three years ago.

A little girl, four years old, had come up to him and asked him to sign her toy broom. When he'd done it, she asked him about how he was. Harry pulled the usual crap, telling her about love conquering everything, and now he was married and had children. Obviously, the little girl had frowned upon Ginny, standing next to him on one of their many tries to be a normal couple again.

Then the little girl had turned to Harry and cheekily asked him where his wife Hermione was. Obviously, she had heard something she shouldn't have, or maybe some grown up had discussed Rita Skeeter in front of her. The point was, that Harry said his very good friend Hermione was well and a mother, and that this was his wife Ginny.

The girl had looked very annoyed, said a good bye and then gone back to her parents with a little wave towards Harry.
Ginny had of course made a big fuss, while Harry had not been able to stop thinking about it.

Now he looked up at Hermione, older than he could remember her, wrinkles on the corners of her eyes, hair not as brown as it used to be, flustered cheeks and purple on her top lip from the wine. And he still thought he'd never seen anything quite like her. She lit up the room just by being there.

She finished the wine, and caught him staring, smiling slightly, putting her glass on the low wooden table. Her fingers found their way to her ring, which she started twirling absent mindedly.

"Anyhow, let's watch the film, shall we?"

And as the time went by, Harry found it harder and harder to watch the film and not her. Hermione either didn't notice or just ignored him on purpose. She started crying near the end, and Harry reached out to touch her knee, to smirk or something like it. But she turned and looked at him like he'd suddenly said something offensive.

"That's not fair, Harry." He looked at her, confusion evident.

"Huh?" Hermione shook her head, stood up a little too fast so that her eyes blackened for half a second.

"You can't just do things like that! I'm happily married to the dumbest, nicest, funniest and most riddicolous man I have ever met, and you can't just do that!"

Harry scrambled off the couch, grabbing her by the shoulders, trying to calm her down.

"What are you on about? Hermione, calm down!" She wriggled in his arms, sobbing quite loudly, took a step back and the glass clattered onto the wooden floor. She froze, listening to it roll, looking down at her feet.

Harry thought she looked mad, and beautiful. Her hair was hanging like a collection of creepers in front of her face, but as she looked up her eyes were wide.

"Sorry, too much wine," she stated again, and Harry raised his eyebrows worriedly. She gave him a small smile. "Seriously, Harry. This film just gets to me, that's all."

"Umm..." he let go of her, pushing his fingers through his hair, making it stand up in it's usual mess. "Well, let's go to bed then. You go ahead and I'll clean this mess up."

Usually Hermione would never have let Harry do something like that on his own, but now she just rubbed her nose and went to get her things.

He picked up the glasses and the now empty wine bottle, washing up without magic for once, letting her take her time. Ten minutes later he reckoned she'd be out of the bathroom.

He knocked, but when he heard a grumble from inside, he still went in. Hermione had started pulling her shirt over her head, but one of the buttons on her sleeve had somehow gotten caught in her hair, so she was stuck with a hand over her head, her stomach and half her bra showing.

"Er, Hermione, do you need... some...?" Hermione gave a frustrated growl.

"Stop staring and help me, will you?" He hurried up to her and couldn't help but laugh as he tried saving her from the uncomfortable position.

Hermione suddenly laughed too, and laughing loudly Harry couldn't concentrate on untangling her.

"Will you please help me?" she finally breathed. "I can't feel my fingers!" Harry, holding his breath, gave it another go and finally pulled the shirt over her head. Hermione started shaking her hand, when Harry realized how incredibly and uncomfortably close they were.

Her bra was almost touching his shirt, and Hermione noticed it too, looking up at him.

She almost looked like she was giving up on something. Then Harry let his fingers put some of her hair over her shoulder. Untangling some more, using that as an excuse to accidently on purpose touch her shoulder. Hermione looked sideways at it, holding her breath.

Harry's hand fell on her upper arm, rubbing it with his thumb.

"There." He smiled. "You're released."

"Right." Hermione responded breathlessly, biting her lip until it almost drew blood. They just stood there, Harry felt that similar pain in his stomach, and his heartbeat beating loudly in his ears.

"Oh, to heck with this," Hermione suddenly said, squirming to grab his hand and put it on her hip, stepping closer. She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest, breathing in deeply.

Harry leaned into her hair, almost sneezing, hoping she couldn't feel the obvious. With a quiet, breathy sound from her, and her thigh slightly shivering as she ever so slightly pressed a tiny bit closer, he knew she had.

His fingers trailed up and down her back, lingering on her bra. Hermione's skin errupted in goosebumps. Then she pulled away.

"I'm going to bed." Like nothing had happened, she went out, in bra and jeans.

Harry swallowed, followed her, in disbelief. He stopped in the doorway as she started unbuttoning her trousers, turning to look at him. She pulled them off, blushing ever so slightly, before pulling out a pajama top out of her bag beside the bed. Harry had offered to sleep on the couch, but first he would have to change, and he had no idea what was happening.

He shook his head and stepped over her bag to reach his clothes while she sat on the bed, leaning in under her top to pull her bra out.

Harry pulled his shirt off, then his trousers, trying to hide himself as he pulled pajama bottoms on, turning over to look at Hermione again. She was staring at him, lip in between her teeth.

When she noticed him noticing her, she just shrugged, as if to say; "Just looking."

That was it for Harry. He couldn't stand it. With two steps he was by her, and in a second his mouth was pressed to hers, her hands entagled in his hair... She started pulling him down, and he pushed her further on on the bed, laying on top of her in one motion. Hermione left his lips to breathe in deeply, and she almsot whimpered. He started kissing her neck, her legs wrapped around him and he pushed against her, and she didn't know what to do except moan quietly.

When she tried to get his face to hers he grabbed her hand and pushed it onto the duvet, kissing her down her collarbone, helping her unbotton her pajamas. She shook out of her pyjamas, leaning up towards him, pulling his trousers down, stroking his lower back.

Harry sat up, letting her straddle him, leaning down to really get her tounge into his mouth.

"Shit," she breathed as his hands where on her bum, threatening to pull her pants down. She grinded against him, and then they lay down, side by side... and just stopped to stare at each other.

"This is a bad idea," Harry said, his erection clearly stating otherwise. Hermione nodded, her thighs at the ready, still tightly wrapped around him. She leaned in to kiss him, and he kissed her back, stroking her thighs. They broke apart, still tightly snuggled together.

"Ron thinks my thighs are getting too fat..." she mumbled. Harry gripped one, looked down and stroke it slowly, on the inside. Hermione let go off his hips, and he moved down to kiss her just below.

"He's mental." Hermione nodded, smiling blissfully as Harry kissed her thighs.

"Ginny used to say I should shave more often..." Hermione sighed happily, sitting up to stroke and kiss his cheeks and chin.

"Bonkers, that woman is-" she mumbled as she started kissing his neck just below the chin.

"Speaking of bonkers..." Harry said meaningfully, making Hermione laugh quietly.

"We're not that stable ourselves, are we?" Harry nodded, kissing her betweent her breasts, making Hermione head snap back violently.

"We can't-"

"I know." He nodded. They shared a look, before lying down, snuggling under the duvet and crawling closer to each other, noses almost touching.

"Let's just sleep." she mumbled, already drifting off.

"Night Mione."

"Night Harry."

He felt her relax, and he let himself do to, knowing the children wouldn't disturb them. The longer they could stay in bed watching telly in the morning, the better.

Hermione was so warm in his arms. He hated that she'd completely ruined Valentine's Day for him. If only he'd listened to Dumbledore and hadn't been so dense. If only he'd seen the signs. If only he'd listened to himself.

But teenage boys are stupid. And when they grow up to be men, they are usually lonely.

And all too often the love of their lives happen to be their best friend's wife.

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