Epilogue

She was trying too hard.

Hermione Granger knew the truth of it, but she couldn't help it. She just couldn't bring herself to accept that there was a spell that she couldn't do, but her lack of performance with the Patronus Charm was really starting to get her down. Not as much as the aftermath of the revelation of her relationship with Harry did, but it was still up there.

Of course, Harry noticed.

When wouldn't he?

He was so clued into her that they were usually able to answer for each other even in normal conversation. So, even as he moved around the room helping several of the other DA members with the same spell, he kept one eye on her. She was working closely with Ginny and Luna, who were also struggling, though Luna was almost there.

When Harry had spoken to Luna a few lessons back, she'd confessed to using a memory of her mother to fuel her Patronus, which had made him feel comfortable enough to tell her that he'd started that way as well. It was his blush afterwards that told her all she needed to know: his memory had changed, to include a certain brown-haired witch.

Harry did the rounds another two times - spending as little time with Cho as possible - before he moved to join his three favourite girls. They all offered him smiles, though Hermione's was considerably more enthusiastic than both Luna and Ginny's combined.

It always filled him with warmth whenever she showed him that she was happy to see him; to be near him; just to spend time with him. The start of their school term had been stressful, to say the least, but things eventually settled down when people realised that their relationship was made of strong stuff.

The strongest.

Goodness knew that they'd been tested, but the Wizarding World now knew the truth of it and couldn't question it. The fact that they asked so much of fifteen and sixteen-year-olds should have raised eyebrows, but Wizarding Britain had a field day with the liar and his Muggleborn girlfriend.

It merely solidified Harry's opinion that the world truly was cruel.

But then he had Hermione; and the great big world ceased to bother him anymore.

"Professor Potter," Ginny said teasingly, getting Harry's attention. "Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to - "

"Oh, shut it, Gin," Harry cut her off, laughing. "Do you want my help or not?"

Ginny huffed. "By all means, show us the magic."

Harry rolled his eyes, and Hermione let out a small giggle. He'd only started to do the eye-roll quite recently and Hermione hadn't waited a single day to write home to her parents and tell them all about it. Her father really got a kick out of that piece of news.

Harry spent the next ten minutes working with both Luna and Ginny, while Hermione drifted a little away to work on her own. They were both truly attentive, diligent students and, if what he taught them was able to protect them in the future; he didn't regret the DA one bit.

Once Harry set them to work on their own again, he drifted away as well, only one destination in mind.

Harry moved to stand behind Hermione, much closer than he usually did when they were in public - even though they considered the DA a safe space. He slowly slipped his arms around her waist and hugged her close to him, making the great big world immediately fell away. The same way that one touch from her could rid his body of anger; a touch from him lowered her anxiety.

Nobody seemed to notice them and, if they did, Harry and Hermione didn't seem to care.

Hermione sighed when his chin moved to rest on her left shoulder.

"You're too tense," he said quietly, his breath tickling the skin of her neck. "It definitely won't happen if you keep trying to force it."

Hermione knew it all already. It was part of the problem, wasn't it? She was so frustrated because she knew, and yet she still didn't know how to fix it. She absolutely hated not knowing things, and this especially was grating on her nerves.

"Tell me what you're thinking about right now," Harry said gently, his hold on her tightening slightly.

"The memory I'm using?"

"No, just what you're thinking about," he clarified.

She sighed, dropping her wand arm and relaxing into him. "I'm thinking that I want to call it a day," she said tiredly; "but then I'll just feel guilty about it."

Harry nuzzled her neck with his nose, before he unashamedly breathed her in. "How can I help?"

"You're doing it."

"I could be doing a few other things," he whispered, making her shiver. "You know how much I love helping."

She huffed. "You're too distracting for your own good."

"Hey, I want you to nail this Charm almost as much as you do," he said seriously. "My watch is looking a little bare."

At the sound of that, Hermione pocketed her wand and took hold of his left hand so that they could both study his watch. "I don't know why you don't just switch it to display your own Patronus," she said, touching on a topic they'd discussed many times before.

"I'm waiting for yours," he said easily, as if it was the simplest reason there could possibly be. "So it shall remain blank until we learn your form."

She brought his hand up to her lips and kissed its back. "I think I'm going to go back to Gryffindor Tower," she said. "Will you be all right seeing out the rest of the lesson?"

"I think Ron and I can handle it," he said. "Though, I'll probably have to keep an eye on him; he's been telling people all sorts of things about his supposed memory."

"Quidditch Captaincy and possible Head Boy?"

Harry let out an amused breath that tickled her neck. "He's awfully excitable sometimes."

"Ginny's started referring to him as our special child," she said, laughing lightly.

"Oh no, our kids would definitely be better behaved, he said easily, making her flush instantly. "And Spencer, our oldest, will probably - "

Hermione's sudden pinch to his hand stopped him from getting any further.

"Ouch! Hermione!" he hissed in pain. "What was that for?"

"We are not naming our kid Spencer," she said seriously, even though they both knew that he was joking.

"And why not?" he asked, rubbing the back of his hand to exaggerate his injury.

"He'd get way too much satisfaction out of it," she said, fighting a giggle. "And we definitely can't have that."

Harry squeezed her once before he resettled against her, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder once more. He needed her to relax, but even he knew that there was no way of that happening in this room. Not with everyone around them, and definitely not when she was placing this misplaced burden on herself, as if the world was going to end if she didn't master this spell right now.

Harry wondered what was really bothering her, because he was sure it didn't have much to do with their watches. It was something else; something she wasn't telling him.

Hermione eventually sighed, all amusement leaving her. "I think I'm going to head back to the Tower," she told him. "I've got some work to finish up, and I'm not really feeling very, well, inspired."

Harry wasn't sure what to say to her, so he just kissed her cheek before releasing her.

Hermione turned around so she could see his face. "Are you sure you're going to be all right?"

Harry glanced Ron's way, to spy the redhead surrounded by several other DA members. Harry just knew that, even in that moment, Ron was sprouting tales about his own memory that he used for his Patronus. As yet, majority of the students were casting incorporeal shield Patronuses, which didn't yet have forms. There was the odd one or two of them who were able to cast corporeal ones.

Harry remained the only student with the ability to cast a fully intangible Patronus, which was powerful magic of the truly advanced kind.

"I'm sure we'll manage," Harry eventually said, giving her the out that she needed while still reassuring her. "I mean, how much damage could little old me and Ron possibly do?"

"I think the Whomping Willow would have a few things to say," she said, smiling at him.

"That thing almost killed us!" he exclaimed. "Stupid, bloody tree."

Hermione lifted her right hand to touch his cheek. "I'll see you later, okay?"

He placed a hand over hers and leaned into her touch. "You sure you're going to be okay?"

She nodded, and then she was walking away.

Harry watched her go until she was out of the room, his own anxiety already kicking in. It was a problem, he knew, but he couldn't help it. They'd reasoned that it would be too dangerous for Hermione to go anywhere by herself while the school got used to the idea of them, and now, months later, he still couldn't get rid of the panic he felt whenever he knew she was alone.

The sound of a commotion drew his attention to his right where Angelina Johnson had successfully produced her first corporeal Patronus. The teacher in Harry was extremely proud - and was able to show it - but the boyfriend felt a little slighted. Hermione was already struggling with her own supposed incompetency, and this definitely wasn't going to help.

Harry dismissed the group several minutes later, and he didn't stick around as the students lingered, chatting about their successes and failures with the DA's newest Charm. It would be the last Spell he would teach, they'd decided, what with their exams coming up, as well as an increasingly pompous Inquisitorial Squad, spearheaded by the pink toad.

Harry found Hermione in the Common Room, poring over one of her Ancient Runes books. He'd noticed that she was spending a lot of time on that particular subject lately, but he was too afraid to ask. His girlfriend's brain was a little terrifying.

Like earlier, he moved to stand behind where she was sitting at the Trio's table, placed his hands on her shoulders and dropped a kiss onto the top of her head.

Hermione made a sound of content and leaned back into him. "Were there any accidents?" she asked quietly.

"If you count Ron almost peeing himself after Ginny sent a Bat Bogey Hex at his feet, then yes," he said, laughing lightly.

She absently touched his left hand on her shoulder. "Have you finished your Charms essay?"

"I have, actually," he informed her rather proudly. "I just have to do a read through and then I was going to ask you to take a look at it."

"Hand it over then."

Harry dropped another quick kiss onto her head, and then he was rushing up to his dormitory to fetch his books. The room was still empty, mainly because Ron and the rest of the boys stayed behind in the Room of Requirement to, essentially, muck about. He decided that he definitely wouldn't tell Hermione that. She was on a bit of a rampage when it came to their study schedules with their exams quickly approaching.

Hermione barely raised her eyebrows when Harry returned and sat down on her left side. He made quick work of getting out his books, parchment, quill and ink. As soon as he pressed his quill down to make his first edit to his own essay, Hermione took his quill from him and replaced it with one of her own.

Harry heaved a sigh good-naturedly. "You have to stop doing that."

She smiled innocently. "I like yours better."

"Then you should just keep it."

"But then it would be mine, and it's just not the same," she explained, as if it were just supposed to make sense to him.

Harry just shook his head. This was just something that he wouldn't ever understand about his girlfriend and that was okay with him. It just meant that there would always be new things for him to learn about her.

He nudged her slightly to make sure she was looking at him. "I didn't ask about Ben's letter earlier," he said, referring to the mail she'd received that very morning. "How is he doing?"

"Oh," she sounded, allowing the momentary distraction. "They've just arrived in Milan. He said that Poppy's going down to visit in a few days, and watch the first show at the San Siro. Of course, he sends his love."

Harry glanced at her. "I'm sure those aren't the words that he used."

"I'll get the letter for you to read later," she told him, shrugging slightly.

Harry was about to respond when the Fat Lady's portrait swung open and a group of students tumbled in. He spotted the Weasley twins and the girls from the Quidditch team talking excitedly among themselves.

"Oi, Hermione," Fred Weasley said, getting the witch's attention; "you missed it."

"Missed what?"

"Angie's Patronus. It was amazing!"

Harry reasoned that Hermione was a far better actress than he first thought. Though, he had to hand it to her, because she'd managed to hide her true feelings from him for goodness only knew how long. But he'd learned to read her lately, and he now knew so much.

She started to worry her lip once she'd conveyed the necessary excitement and congratulated Angelina enthusiastically. Truthfully, it was entirely distracting as he watched her in his periphery. He had half a mind to kiss her right there and then.

"Stop that," he said in a low voice, narrowing his eyes. "It's just a spell, Hermione."

She huffed. "I just don't understand why I can't get it," she said, allowing her frustration to get the better of her. "I know I'm doing it right. I've practiced the wand movement, and I know I'm saying the incantation right. Why isn't it working?"

Harry sighed. "Maybe that's the problem," he finally said.

"What?"

"I think I might know what's wrong," he began, starting off cautiously. "But you have to promise not to hurt me if you don't like what I'm about to say. You can be awfully scary sometimes, and I'm terrified of you."

Hermione frowned, as she shifted in her seat to give him her full attention. "Harry?"

"Promise," he demanded.

She sighed dramatically "Fine, I promise."

Harry looked her in the eye. "Based on our readings, we know that the Patronus Charm is, umm, esoteric magic, right?"

She nodded, internally pleased that he remembered the term. Though, she had to be the first to acknowledge that Harry's performance in the classroom had improved substantially, given that Hermione Granger was up to offering him greater incentives than just an Outstanding.

"Which essentially means that the Patronus Charm is an emotional, somewhat passionate spell, right? So it isn't something that can be mastered out of a book, Hermione. You approach most academic things like this intellectually, logically, and not emotionally. This is where I think the problem is."

Hermione just stared at him, processing his words as best she could without feeling like her boyfriend just told her that she was an emotionless robot.

"My guess is that you're looking at the Charm as you would any other, but this isn't a Charm that does something, so you can't think of it like that. It requires that you think of your happiest memory for a reason, because it's more of an expression, isn't it? The Patronus is an expression of your happiness, your joy and your love."

Hermione dropped her gaze, suddenly reading a little too much into his words. "Are you mad at me?"

Harry sputtered. "What? Why on earth would you think that?"

She looked at him through her lashes. "Well, if the Patronus is an expression of my feelings, then surely I'm not feeling very much... For you."

Harry's eyes bulged. "What? No! Hermione, that is so not what I'm saying, and I know you know that," he hurried, needing her to know. "I'm not hurt or angry or anything, okay? The Patronus Charm is some of the most difficult magic known to the Wizarding World. I also had trouble with it in the beginning."

She couldn't even bring herself to look at him.

"And, if anything, I think that the main problem is that you have too many happy memories right now," he said, his tone lighter, somewhat airy. "I mean, you're with me, so it must be difficult for you to pick a specific one to use, right?"

Despite her whirlwind of thoughts, Hermione smiled at him. "This ego of yours is totally out of control."

"You chose me, Hermione; what did you expect?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "I love you, you know that?"

"I love you too," he said easily. They were words he said every single day, so of course they were easy.

"Good," she said sweetly; "now get to work."

Harry dipped his - her - quill into his ink and proceeded to continue editing his Charms essay. He glanced at her a few times, watching as she continually worried her bottom lip. He could tell that she was thinking about something different now, and he wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing. He would have to talk to her about it when they were alone next, which, thankfully, arrived later that night.

Hermione was squeezed in between Harry and the back of the couch opposite the fireplace, as the two of them lay together in the Gryffindor Common Room well after curfew. Everyone else had gone to bed and, as far as their roommates were concerned; both Harry and Hermione were safely tucked away as well.

"Tell me something good," Hermione said, resting her head on his chest.

"Something good... hmm, let's see," he said thoughtfully. "Specifically about the Patronus Charm?"

"If you want to."

He took a breath, trying to decide what about his life could be considered good. "Well, as you know, for a long time, my memory associated with the Charm, though not entirely happy, was about my parents," he explained. "Just the thought of them; the hope of them... it was my happiest memory. How sad is that?"

"It's not sad," she assured him, though she was struggling to figure out how this could be 'something good.'

"It's all right, Hermione," he said softly, absently placing a kiss on the top of her head. "What I'm trying to tell you is that, when I produce my Patronus these days; I don't think of my parents."

"Oh?"

"I think of you."

Hermione's breath caught.

"I think of the first time we went to the Room of Requirement when we got back after our Break." He laughed when she gave him an accosted look. "Not because of what we did - which was amazing, by the way - but because of what it meant."

Hermione thought back to the first time they'd disappeared into the Room of Requirement on their own. The first week back had been trying, to say the least, and the two of them had needed some respite; some form of peace. It took the rest of the school butting into their business to get Ron to start defending them, until he finally accepted that his two best friends were in love and nothing was going to change that.

Not even Professor Umbridge, who'd turned her nose up at the news. What kind of Professor even commented on the romantic lives of her students anyway? Even Professor McGonagall hadn't said anything, though she did look mightily smug about something.

So they'd gone to recuperate, and remind themselves that they were in it, together. They'd talked for hours, and kissed for longer. Truly, it was one of Harry's favourite days, second only to the entire Christmas Break he'd spent with Hermione and her parents.

"What did it mean, Harry?" she asked softly, breaking into the faraway look in his eyes.

"It suddenly wasn't just about the future that's expected of me, or the past that's haunted me. It was about the present; my present, with you." Harry kissed the top of her head again, enjoying the action a little too much. "I was surprised by it, and then not surprised at the same time," he said. "Does that make sense?"

"Normally, no," she said, laughing lightly. "But I know you, and I understand you."

"I love you, Hermione," he said seriously. Then he chuckled. "Is that 'something good' enough for you?"

She took a breath, and sat up slightly so she could look at his face. "You know, during that truly embarrassing talk we had just before we left; my mum warned me about you," she let him know.

"What about me?" he asked innocently.

She breathed out, tickling his skin. "You're so all-consuming."

Harry grinned at her. "Can't think about anything but me, huh?"

"It's definitely a problem," she confessed. "This is my O.W.L. year, Mr Potter, and all I ever really want to do is spend my time with only you."

Hermione reached up to kiss him, her fingers trailing along the hem of his t-shirt, up his chest, shoulders and neck, before finally finding their way into his hair. She eventually rolled onto him, both their legs and tongues tangling in the heat of their kiss.

Harry's own hands snuck under her top, his fingers caressing the skin of her back as he clutched her closer to him. "Maybe you need a new memory," he murmured against her lips. "Something I can help you with."

She giggled, temporarily forgetting what they were even talking about. Then she remembered, and she lifted her head to look into his perfect green eyes. Eyes that owned her. "Thank you."

"For what?"

Hermione didn't respond. She rather just kissed him, taking a page out of Harry's book, and used her actions instead of her words. Really, she wanted to thank him for being so honest with her, and encouraging of her, and making sure that she knew he believed in her.

Because the breakthrough, thankfully, happened a few days later.

She practically tackled him to the ground.

Hermione Granger caught the raven-haired wizard completely unawares when she threw herself at him and they both fell onto the couch in the Gryffindor Common Room. She was grinning madly and, despite the fact that he hadn't managed to look at her face before he was attacked; Harry just knew what had happened.

"Well, hello to you too," Harry said through his own laughter, just managing to ignore the fact that they weren't actually alone in the room.

Hermione lifted her head to look at him, her own face completely red from her own excitement and embarrassment. "I finally did it," she said unnecessarily. "I know what it is." She suddenly sat up, pulling him up as well so that she was sitting on his right side.

Harry presented her with his left arm, where his watch was hidden by the sleeve of his school shirt. For a moment, they both went still, each of them staring at his sleeve.

"It's not a doe," she suddenly said, needing him to know.

Harry looked at her. "Okay, Hermione."

She took a deep breath before she moved his sleeve out of the way so they could look at the face together. Only, it was still blank. "Well, that was a bit anticlimactic," she said.

Harry frowned. "That's odd," he agreed. "Did you check your watch?"

"My watch is switched to your Patronus," she reminded him, looking thoughtful for a moment, before she took his watch off his wrist and studied it closely. "Do you think it's malfunctioning?"

Harry shook his head. "Can magic malfunction?"

"It can definitely go awry if the Runes aren't scribed properly," she said, dropping into her academic tone of voice. "But I know for a fact that it works because when you press the switch; it displays your Patronus." As she said it, she switched the watch's face and Harry's Stag came into view.

Even after seeing it so many times in person and on her own watch, it still amazed her. Hermione pressed the switch again, expecting another blank face but that was not what she received. The Stag transformed into an entirely different animal.

"Oh."

Harry blinked. "Is that...?"

Hermione blushed. "It is."

"You did it, Hermione," he said happily, a smile breaking out on his face. "Although, I'm not entirely sure what that animal is exactly."

She couldn't help her laugh. "It's an otter, Harry."

"An otter, you say?" he asked, smirking slightly. "For the future Mrs Potter."

Hermione just shook her head, though she did blush. "You are so weird."

He immediately kissed her cheek. "I'm so proud of you," he said seriously. Then, switching topics quite suddenly, he asked: "Do you want to go for a walk?"

She stiffened. "Didn't it rain earlier?"

He pretended as if he didn't hear her. As much as she hated the wet and the cold; she usually couldn't say no whenever he brought out his perfect eyes and cute face, and asked her to take a walk with him. "Go and get ready," he said simply. "Meet me back here in five minutes."

Hermione just rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath as she stood up and started towards her dormitory. "Sunshine kid just takes advantage of the fact that I love him."

Harry couldn't help his grin as he watched her disappear up the stairs. Once she was out of sight, Harry looked at his watch again. The face was no longer blank. He'd told her that it would remain that way until they learned of her form, and he honestly couldn't be more proud of her.

An otter.

Who would have guessed?

"I'm ready."

Harry looked up to spy Hermione Granger dressed unnecessarily warmly, in her raincoat, beanie, scarf and gloves. He even chuckled at the sight of her. "Did you run or something? I said five minutes," he said, sounding amused. "I haven't even fetched my own coat."

"Hurry up."

Harry couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he stood up and went to retrieve his own coat. She was probably in such a rush because she wanted to get him alone somewhere and use those magic hands on him. He really did know her a little too well.

As soon as he returned to the Common Room, Hermione led the way out and away from the Tower. They walked hand-in-hand, in mutual silence as they made their way towards the Entrance Hall of the Castle.

Harry brought them to a stop just as they approached the open doors. He hadn't been out to visit his large rock at the Black Lake in quite some time and, truly, he had Hermione to thank for that. He had her parents to thank for that as well. They made him feel like he was a part of the family. They cared about him, and Harry no longer felt like he had nobody.

As long as he had her.

"Why, why, why is it so damn cold?" she said, huffing in annoyance. "It isn't even winter anymore."

Harry laughed lightly. "It's Scotland, Hermione; when isn't it winter?"

Hermione shivered.

"Jeez, Hermione, didn't anyone tell you that it's cold outside?"

She grinned at him, sighing softly when he tightened the scarf around her neck and then kissed her forehead. "What would I do without you?"

"Possibly freeze to death," he said, laughing lightly. "Or stay completely warm inside. It's a toss-up, really."

"I must really love you or something."

Harry closed his eyes for a moment, his heart swelling with unbridled emotion. "We're going to be okay," he said softly. "We always will."

Hermione reached up to kiss him quickly, and then she turned and started through the front doors. She was forced to stop when Harry grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her back. "What's wrong?" she asked, looking back at him curiously.

"Nothing," he said quickly. "Just, well, you know, I - " he hesitated.

"What is it, Harry?"

He tugged on her hand until the front of her body was touching him, practically pressed against his chest. "I thought, you know, that I should tell you that it's cold outside before you head out with your boyfriend, who seems determined to make sure that you freeze to death," he said, touching her hair and making her shiver once more, though not from the cold this time.

She blinked, before her face broke out into a grin. "Oh."

Harry met her gaze and dropped a kiss to the corner of her perfect mouth. "Pretty girl," he said seriously; "it's cold outside."

Fin