Just as Carlisle and Esme had predicted Alice, soon after sending the picture of a glowing Harry to her adoptive parents, had realized just what she had done. The fact that Harry was her singer only compounded that sudden realization. Despite being a touchy-feely and very social vampire, she'd never felt the level of contentedness she had with Harry's head on her lap and her delicate fingers trailing soothingly through her hair.

She could still taste his blood on her lips despite having departed for a hunt several hours prior, and his scent. She had ignored it and lied to herself that it was just a sire thing until she simply couldn't ignore it any longer. It was divine, intoxicating even. Like fresh rain and deep, wild forest, and a base earthy musk that had her hands trailing across his defined muscles more than once before she caught herself and snatched her hands away to safer areas.

She knew what it meant in simple terms; that he was the one made for her. Just her; perfect in every way just for her. And while the thought made a bubbling tinkle of joy erupt from her mouth every time she thought of it, there was Jasper. And she hadn't been able to see the outcome of any of this because ever since she had bitten her Harry- 'MY Harry? When the hell did I start thinking of him as mine?' she hadn't been able to see the future at all. The presence that had guided her to Harry too was gone, and it both scared her and felt as if the weight of the world had fallen from her shoulders.

The fact was that she and Jasper had been by one another's side, albeit platonically, for over five decades – and she treasured that relationship dearly. Unfortunately for her, she was well aware that Jasper held more than innocent feelings for her and wished to be more than just 'close friends', and if she was honest with herself, she had given taking it further some thought in recent years. And now this had happened; she had found her soul mate; a man she had no doubt she would come to deeply love and, she desperately hoped, would quickly come to return those feelings. And it the thought of the eternity of love they would share made her feel a torrent of emotions that had threatened to overwhelm her with joy and anticipation. But she also felt a twinge – no, a burn of guilt.

That she had not outright stated to Jasper 'no' and was now smitten with a man she barely knew… that would not go down well, and it would hurt her oldest and best friend deeply. Looking down into the calm face of her mate she sighed and finally gave into the burning temptation, leaning down and pressing her lips to his forehead before retreating. "Why did it have to be like this Harry?" she asked rhetorically to the dead silence, and then stiffened and froze in shock.

"Life can be complicated Mary Alice," a smooth, silky baritone answered, and her eyes slowly looked down to her lap in uncomprehending disbelief. The deepest, clearest, and most stunning pair of ruby eyes stared up at her from a perfectly sculpted, flawless face that a small smile rested upon.

In a movement so fast she barely saw he was standing by the side of the mattress, looking himself over with a raised eyebrow. "Damn, I just knew those books were a load of shite." Turning his head over his shoulder at the still-frozen, wide-eyed, pixie-like vampire he felt a deep, but divine burning deep in his chest as he truly looked her over for the first time. From the perfect, petite dancer's feet all the way to the tips of her wild, pixie-cut hair she looked like what he would envisage an angel fallen from heavens would. Shaking himself of his thoughts, but still feeling the burn he hoped would never disappear from where his heart once lay, he smiled warmly at her. "I'll be back in a moment, I just need to go to the bathroom."

She remained as still as a statue and he chuckled to himself before smoothly walking towards where he could smell soap. 'I mean I was planning on jumping up and screaming BRAAIIINNS! But after that wee kiss on the forehead it would've been a bit of a dick move.'

Back in the bedroom Alice's brain finally rebooted and she scrambled for her phone, hearing a throaty laugh from the bathroom. 'Damn vampiric hearing' she cussed to herself and tapped her foot impatiently as the phone rang. She thanked God for vampiric speed, because it picked up after less than two rings. "Alice, is it happening?" he asked quickly, and her brain short-circuited for a moment.

"Ah, err, well no. It's already happened. About maybe a few seconds ago," she explained uncertainly.

Esme's voice was the next she heard, sounding worried. "Do you need help Alice? How bad is he?"

Ambling back into the room grinning and, to Alice's shock, dressed in a pair of grey slacks and a black silk shirt with its cuffs rolled half-way up his forearms. "Well Ma'am, I'm pretty confident in saying I feel pretty bloody good for a dead guy!"

Alice stared at him with wide eyes, and he sent her a wink before heading over and, with a roguish grin, leaned down to her small frame and pressed a lingering but gentle kiss to her forehead. The moment his lips touched her skin Harry felt the fire in his chest explode with passion and a deep, pure feeling he had never before felt. Alice, on the other hand, felt her legs go weak and what almost felt like a surge of soothing yet fervent lava burst through her still veins.

Harry reluctantly, very reluctantly pulled back and was pleased to see the yearning to feel that again in her deep amber eyes; a sentiment he had no doubt were reflected in his own. "Erm… would that be Mister Harry?" came a wary feminine voice, and Harry continued staring into Alice's eyes as he replied; not wanting to look away.

"Yes Ma'am, and it's just Harry – Harry James Potter, but just Harry Ma'am. Mister makes me sound old." After a moment he snorted and his eyes crinkled slightly with humour. "Guess I don't have to worry about that anymore."

Even Alice cracked an impish grin at that and winked at him, earning a deep, throaty laugh that sent pleasant shivers down her spine. Despite the fact that she had so many questions and she was still utterly flummoxed that he had come out of the change as if he'd just woken up from a regular sleep, minus the heartbeat, she sat down on the mattress. After resting her back against the wall, placing the phone before her crossed legs, she motioned that he should sit in front of her.

Sending her a smirk he disregarded where she had motioned and earned himself a squeal mixed with a tinkling laugh as he leaned down, lifted her bodily up, and then sat down himself. Still giggling she felt herself get lowered back onto the bed and felt her head come to rest on his lap – his handsome face looking winningly down at her, eliciting another giggle. "My turn missy." Not really caring about going too fast at that moment, she all but purred as his hand ran lazily through her hair; her eyes closing and a wide grin stretching her lips.

"Alice, are you alright," came Carlisle's concerned voice, and she laughed, still relishing in the feel of her mate's presence and drinking in his alluring scent.

"I am just fine Carlisle, just fine. Now Harry I think you should explain to us if you know why you're not freaking out and thirsting mindlessly for blood."

"Ah, the hunger? Locked it up, not too hard really. I mean there's like a… I dunno, like a slight dryness in my throat I guess, but I'd assume that's a physiological vampiric reaction. The psychological hunger and burning need for blood I didn't want to deal with."

Alice's eyes stared up into his, and her expression had twisted into one of utter confusion. "You… you don't feel the need for blood?" came Esme's doubtful voice, and Harry shrugged, continuing his ministrations on Alice's hair. "Nope." He looked down at Alice with a raised eyebrow. "Judging by the broken furniture in the corner I really hope you've got an excuse for whoever owns this place."

Her expression of confusion turned into puzzlement. "Err, not really… why is that?"

"Because I can smell a person's scent in this house other than yours, and the person with that scent is about to knock on the door."

There was a second's silence as Alice's eyes widened in horror before voices were yelling over the phone and she was trying to grab him and restrain him. Rolling his eyes, he easily pushed her off and sighed when she charged at him again, looking terrified. Grabbing her into a bear-hug, pinning her arms to her sides he chuckled; the vibrations from his chest causing Alice to shiver in delight despite the horror and desperation she was feeling. "Harr-mph!" he used one of his hands to pull her face into his chest and calmly stroked her hair.

For the moment he ignored the yelling voices on the phone and just gently calmed Alice. He felt a deep connection to her, and she would always come first – besides, he didn't even know the names of the people on the phone. "Alice, listen to me very carefully. I smelled them coming, and where am I right now? Am I rushing off mindlessly to drain them until they are a husk?" he asked quietly beside her ear, receiving a shiver, and then she thought about what he said and stopped her struggling. Smiling Harry released her and winked before ambling towards the door as the knock came, making the voices on the phone become even more frantic. Opening the door, he stepped outside and closed it behind him. That fear quickly turned into amazement and confusion as she listened to the conversation – not the sounds of tearing flesh as she had feared – but then turned to horror and then utter embarrassment. "Oh my God he did not just do that!" If she could have blushed, she was sure her entire body would be red. Picking up the phone she told the two to shut up and then sputtered when she heard Harry say something else.

"Alice honey," Esme's desperate voice came from the phone, "please, tell us what is happening – you must stop him! Now he's got a taste of human blood-"

"Esme," Alice hissed, mortified as she heard the owner give a loud laugh at yet another thing Harry had said, "Harry is having a bloody conversation with the owner, alright! He's not bloody feeding!"

"Alice… you told us you were staying in a human town," Carlisle's voice hedged carefully and Alice finally exploded as her embarrassment hit an all-time high as Harry said something else that, she was sure even though she was a vampire made her blush.

"For fuck's sake Carlisle, yes! We're in a human town in a cottage with a human owner, that Harry, my new-born vampire, is out there saying that because it's our bloody honeymoon me and him got a little carried away and broke the bed, and the kitchen bench got broken because – oh god is that even a thing?!" Hearing one last laugh from the owner the door opened again and Harry walked in with a cocky smirk on his face as he waggled his eyebrows at her, laughing when she sputtered. After he closed the door, he grinned even wider at her and held his arms out wide.

"Ready for round twelve my dear wife? Maybe we can break the shower this time!" The soundless phone fell from Alice's fingers, and a moment later Harry was on the floor laughing his arse off as Alice wailed on him. Unbeknownst to her he'd erected a body-fitting protego to ensure she didn't do any damage, but the fact that her blows to his chest didn't seem to be having any effect apart from making him laugh harder only made her even angrier. Slowly her blows slowed and her own lips twitched, and when he grinned knowingly at her she finally broke down and collapsed onto his chest with laughter shaking her small body.

Chuckling he leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of her head, making her tense for a moment before seeming to melt; her laughs softening into a satisfied hum. Knowing that the phone she dropped was nearby and her parents would hear her Alice turned her head and rested her cheek against Harry's chest – eyes closed. "Carlisle, Esme, calm. My Harry, my new-born, just stood right in front of a human whose heartrate was elevated from the walk down to the cottage, and talked with him for a good couple of minutes."

Harry felt a thrill of pleasure rumble through him at the way she had claimed him as her Harry, but then jerked into a sitting position, his arms encircling Alice to ensure he didn't buck her off him. He stared worriedly down into her eyes, "Alice – Voldemort! The man I was fighting-"

"He's dead," she soothed softly, her hand coming to cup his cheek, and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Good… good," he muttered, closing his eyes and drawing comfort from her touch. He relished in the feelings for a moment before reaching over and picking up the phone. "Sorry Carlisle, Esme, but I need to talk to Alice privately for a bit. Is it alright if we call you back?"

"Of course, Harry," came Carlisle's silky voice, and Harry thanked him before hanging up and peering down at Alice who was looking up at him in confusion; cocooned in his arms and sitting comfortably in his lap.

"Mary Alice," he said softly, and something occurred to her. Her eyes conveyed confusion, and he smiled softly at her. "How did I know your name; your real name right after waking from the change?" At her nod he smiled and pulled her head gently to her chest once more; his hands automatically caressing her hair and his chin coming to rest against the crown of her head. "The powers above told me that I should tell you that they are very happy with you." She stiffened slightly, and he could almost smell the confusion on her.

"Fate realises that your precognition was both a gift and a curse for you," he explained, feeling her sag in disbelief.

"I- I've never told you about that," she whispered against his shirt, and he smiled.

"No. Nor did you ever tell me your name was Mary Alice. Fate believes that you have suffered the gift of foresight enough and that it is time you have that weight lifted from your shoulders. Seeing the future is no longer your burden to bear, my Alice." He felt her shiver when he said that, and her hands clutch even tighter onto his shirt. "I died, Alice. I passed over and was told by Death himself that. While I was undergoing the change, I thought about what Death said and what I then knew about you… selective precognition. There would be no surprises, no anticipation because you'd already know the outcome, no spontaneity. And all of that, Alice, I swear to you I shall give you."

He felt Alice move and allowed her to pull back slightly from his embrace to look at him. Ruby met amber, and she leaned up and did the only thing she thought such words deserved. Both shivered in delight as fire erupted and their lips softly touched. They could both feel that fire begging to be unchained, but neither wanted to ruin the purity of that moment. The touch lingered, lips softly moving against one another until, after what felt like an eternity, they slowly parted. Harry rested his forehead on hers and they simply sat there, eyes closed and indulging themselves in one another's presence and the fire rumbling in their chests.

Finally, Harry sighed with a small smile and pulled his forehead from hers, replacing it with his lips for a moment before retreating with a small smile. "As much as I wish I could stay here with you in my arms for eternity, Alice, I need to head back to where my friends were doing battle. I don't know if they won or if they're dead-"

She smiled sadly up at him but he could see the hurt in her eyes as she placed a finger over his lips. "I understand Harry."

Wondering for a moment he understood and sent her a chiding smile. "You do realise you're coming with me, right?" Her eyes immediately lit up and a bright smile broke out onto her face, but that quickly dimmed when she looked outside… at the very clear sky and bright sun. Harry understood immediately. "Ah, the sparkling thing?"

Her head snapped around to look at him and cocked to the side. "How do you know about that?"

"Well the owner commented that I was all sparkly and when I looked down low-and-behold I sparkled like one of Prince's costumes." She gaped at him and he waved his hand before leaning in with a conspiratorial grin. "Why'd you think I mentioned to him how glitter-play can be sexy as hell?"

Guffawing quickly dissolved into giggles, and he laughed before waving his hand over himself, and her laughter caught in her throat. Still standing tall and muscular, Harry looked at her and grinned. "How in the hell did you do that?" she all but blurted out, and he chuckled before holding up his hand. "Give me a second." She watched as he waved his hand over himself a couple more times and then turned front-on to her with a grin. "What do you think?"

She stepped forward, not really believing what her eyes were showing her, and cupped the slightly tanned cheek in her hand before jerking back with wide eyes. "You… you're warm and… is that- is that your heartbeat?"

"Yes, yes it is. Well it's the illusion of a heartbeat and tanned skin… and breathing and blinking."

"How in the heck do you do that?" she asked incredulously, and he sent her a wry grin.

"Well, by using magic? I am a wizard. Well a vampire wizard, really." She stared at him, disbelief clear, and he shrugged. "Well, erm, what's your favourite animal-"

"Mountain lions," she interrupted firmly, and he laughed. Pulling her into the bedroom he wiggled his finger at the broken wood pushed into the corner, and she stared with wide eyes when it almost seemed to twist in on itself and warp itself into a snarling mountain lion, which Harry quite quickly reversed back into a pile of wood. Staring up at him with almost childish glee she beamed. "That. Was. Awesome!"

He laughed and then stepped back from her, giving a wink. "Let's see if I can still do this as a vampire." He closed his eyes in concentration and Alice's eyes widened in awe as she watched Harry's body lengthen and blur and grow until before her stood a panther that towered above her in height, nearly touching the roof. Feeling rather cramped the massive panther curled up to fit the room better and lay on his haunches, his head coming to rest on his forepaws. Alice, an uncontrollable grin on her lips, saw the panther's lips curl into a grin and felt something behind her shove her towards the giant cat. Looking behind her, she saw a long, thick tail and laughed before walking forward and scratching underneath Harry's chin.

She almost squealed at how cute it was when a cabin-rattling purr vibrated the entire cottage, and suddenly Harry was in front of her once more – immediately being engulfed in a crushing hug by Alice. "Thank you," she beamed into his chest.

She didn't have to say what for. Before she never would have felt that child-like wonder and awe, because she already would've seen the surprise coming. That and, Harry thought, magic was just awesome. "I'm going to fill your life with that feeling Alice," he promised quietly, and she beamed into his chest.

It took them thirty minutes to get ready to leave, and only ten of it was Harry magically repairing everything. Alice was overwhelmed at both her reflection when Harry placed the glamour over her as well as the cocoon of warmth that was the warming charm, Harry had explained. And gods, the sound of a heartbeat coming from her chest!

After dropping by the farmstead and thanking the owner for having them, receiving a knowing smirk from the elderly man and, much to Alice's shock feeling the heat of a blush rocket over her cheeks, they hopped in Alice's car and begun driving to where she explained the forest was where she had found him. Alice hated driving slowly, but did so anyways so that they could quickly call Carlisle and Esme to tell them that they'd be out of contact for a while, but that Alice would be bringing Harry home within a few days.

Esme gushed at that proclamation, and Carlisle had laughed before wishing them well and disconnecting. Harry wryly turned to Alice. "Taking me home to meet the parents, are you?"

She blanched a little and cast a worried look at him as she drove. "Err… sorry, I guess I just assumed that you would be coming home…. With me."

Harry couldn't be annoyed when she said that. Hell, it made him want to grin with pride that she wanted him to go with her. Be with her if he'd understood her tone right. He laid his hand over hers on the gearstick and gave a quiet chuckle. "It might have been nice to be consulted on the matter Alice, but if you think I'm going anywhere without you anytime soon you've got another thing coming." She beamed at him and he couldn't help but mirror her. Soon enough his smile faded and a small frown crossed his face as he looked at the road speeding by. "In fact, getting away from this country for a while is probably a good idea. As soon as the Ministry hears that I killed Voldemort I'll get not a moment's peace, and all I want to do right now is have exactly that.

"I've been fighting a war for the last seven years of my life – I'm not letting corrupt and greedy politicians parade me around like a puppy on a leash to the press for their own benefit."

"Is it really that bad?"

He chuckled bitterly. "The magical world's laws and way that society works is right out of Victorian times. Bloodlines determine your standing in society, they still use quills for Merlin's sake, they still think muggles-"

"Muggles?"

"Ah," he chuckled casting her a dry glance, "non-magicals. Well they think that non-magicals still travel by horse and cart. Money buys everything, even votes on the governing body or getting away with murder. There are no libel laws so the press can print whatever lies they want, and there hasn't been a magical breakthrough discovery in over fifty years. They are, by all accounts, the most isolated and arse-backwards society I think I've ever experienced."

Alice stared at him, her mouth opening once, then closing, then opening again a fraction. "Err… wow. Just… yeah, wow."

"That about sums it up my dear Alice," he chuckled and he felt her grip on the gearstick tighten and a shudder run through her. He looked at her and saw her trying to hide a beaming grin and felt a secret smile of his own cross his lips. Apparently, vampires were very territorial, and having ownership claimed over you by, Harry hoped he was reading it right, something like their mate was incredibly exciting.

Now that he thought about it, when she had called him 'my Harry' he'd had almost the same reaction. 'Must be a primal, ingrained instinct,' he thought to himself. Soon enough they were flitting through the trees, and once they were well away from the road, he allowed the vampiric hunger 'electron' come a little closer to his vampiric core.

His head snapped to the left, and Alice caught the movement, grinning herself when she saw his hungry smirk and wink before he tore off to the west. She followed several trees behind him, and then came to a silent halt beside him when he too stopped. Looking down she saw a herd of deer, and then snapped her head towards Harry when a wave of red washed over the entire group of animals and they all collapsed to the ground as if dead. She looked at his outstretched hand in wonder, and he chuckled before dropping down off the branch and landing silently on the forest floor.

"Why the whole heard, you'll probably only need a couple?"

"If I wanted to kill them, then yes, I would only need a couple."

Her eyes widened, and then she felt a surge of pride in her mate as she watched him approach the closest doe before leaning down and gently biting into its neck. She heard the deer's heartbeat slowing and thought she'd have to intervene – especially as this was her mate's first hunt, but felt that pride swell even more when Harry carefully withdrew, healed the bite-wound, and then muttered a quiet thanks for the blood before moving onto the next dear and repeating the action.

After he had drank from the second deer he looked up and smiled, wiping a smear of blood from his lip and then sucking it off his finger. "Come on, there's plenty to go around my Alice. After you drink enough just call me and I'll heal the wound." Beaming, as it was an unspoken declaration of incredible trust for a vampire to share the results of his or her hunt, she approached the stag of the herd and followed Harry's actions. Feeling the hunger electron calm, Harry sealed the last wound and then walked over to where Alice was latched onto the neck of a rather groomed looking doe, a low moan in her throat testament to the taste of the blood.

Hearing his quiet chuckle, she withdrew, blood coating her lips, and Harry shocked her by kneeling down and kissing her. She couldn't help the aroused moan that she breathed into his mouth. The taste of the sweet blood being stirred in her mouth by his gently probing tongue and the feel of his powerful hand resting gently on the back of her head was easily the most erotic experience of her entire life. After several moments Harry withdrew and licked his lips, looking almost as dazed as she was. "Wow…"

"Yeah," she breathed quietly in awe. She'd never even thought of ever doing something like that, but after experiencing it once it was something she was already planning on repeating in the very near future. The two took a moment to gather themselves, smiling almost shyly at one another, before they retreated back into the trees. She watched amazed as a wave of blue light rippled across the herd and all the deer seemed to awaken – those that had been drunk from a little more sluggishly than the rest, before continuing to graze as if nothing had happened. "You're amazing," she whispered so quietly only he heard, and he returned her look of adoration.

"You just wait until I show you how you're even more incredible than you ever thought you were." She felt a rush of warmth roll over her and shivered at the promise, and he smiled widely before gesturing to the north. "Shall we my mate?"

Alice felt as if her heart had just leapt into her throat and a sharp gasp escaped her, causing the herd below to flee. "Y-your mate?"

He heard the warble in her normally perfectly toned voice and knew he'd hit the nail on the head. He had wanted to ensure that both he and her had defined what they together were before arriving at Hogwarts, and it had just felt like the right time to do so – especially after the experience they had just shared. There was no doubt in his mind that mates were exactly what they were after the flood of overwhelming emotions and closeness they had just experienced with one another. "Yes," he confirmed softly, cupping her cheek in his palm and looking deep into her glamoured-hazel eyes. "My mate."

He saw her eyelids flutter for a second and her weight come to rest more heavily against him for a moment before she raised her hand and cupped his own cheek. The smile that curved her lips was the most beautiful and joyous Harry had ever seen on anybody. "Yes, yours… always and for an eternity yours." She felt his entire body tense at her words and his gaze truly looked smouldering. When her other hand came to rest on his chest where his heart once beat her gaze too became intense and heated. "Mine," she growled possessively, "my mate."

Harry felt the fire that had burned in his chest since the moment he first laid eyes on her small, lithe form explode into a bonfire. His next action felt so natural and yet had never been done in the history of vampirism. He felt venom well up in his mouth and fixed her with a burning hot stare that she thought was too intense to be real. He leaned down and her eyes closed, only to open in confusion and then shock when he whispered in her ear instead of kissing her. "As your venom flows through my veins, so too will mine through yours. Two become one." When she felt his fangs pierce her neck and venom pour into her the world exploded. Her legs buckled and her eyes fluttered uncontrollably. A keening wail of pleasure built from a whine and erupted from her mouth; her fangs fully extended as wave upon wave upon wave of drowning pleasure crashed through her.

Harry held her standing as he tasted her venom and his mix within her, and he too shuddered in bliss. As her wail quietened, he slowly withdrew and held her as she sobbed into his shoulder; her embrace crushing as she gently peppered kisses across his just-exposed collarbone. "Two as one," she whispered before sinking her fangs into almost exactly the same spot she had first bitten him. There was no explosion as there had been when he had bitten her, as both their venoms already ran through his veins, but there was a profound sense of completion for both; as if Harry's body was welcoming her home, and hers him. Pulling back, she gently licked the puncture wounds, though they were already healing, and then looked into his eyes.

No words needed to be said. Neither knew how what had happened actually happened, but they understood what it was, what it meant, and both could see the emotions in each other's eyes caused by that profound experience. They had known each other for three and a half days, and only a few hours with Harry conscious. Alice finally understood what Esme had told her about the day she found Carlisle. They would become intimately knowledgeable about each other's lives in time, but there was not a shred of doubt in Alice's, nor Harry's, mind that they knew each other enough to know that what was said was meant without a shadow of a doubt.

Smiling silently with love in their eyes, the two disappeared back into the murky darkness of the forest.