Second Chances

Barty sat in the study trying to take his mind of things with a book but he failed to even see the page. His mind was elsewhere, thinking of Hermione. They wouldn’t tell him anything about her, what had happened to her? For all he knew she could be being held accountable for his presence in her house. He feared she would be put on trial as his accomplice though he realised they had very little to justify such a move.

He allowed the book to fall to the rug at his feet and leant back closing his eyes. He had not slept properly since he’d had her in his arms and even then it had not been enough to force away the nightmares. He felt tired to the bone. He had felt every second of the days since he had last seen her. It had only been three days but it felt like three years.

He heard the door unlock and knew they were allowing Binky in with a tray of something or other. He had only eaten and drank enough to keep him going, he had no appetite for food at the moment but realised he had to eat to stay healthy.

“Just leave it on the table, Binky, I’ll eat something later.” He said, rubbing his eyes.

“Barty?”

He recognised that voice and for a moment he thought he had finally dozed off. He stood looking at her. She was standing a few paces behind his chair. “Am I awake?” He asked, his voice a whisper.

“Yes,” She replied, running to him, allowing him to feel how solid she was, how truly real. “I’m here.”

He held her to him fiercely, kissing her face all over, “How?” He asked, not really caring because he had her in his arms again.

“They let me see you,” She said, kissing him again, “They’re putting you on trial, Barty.” She sobbed at the feeling of his hands on her hair and back as he held her.

“I know,” He said gently, pulling away and taking a deep breath. They wouldn’t let her stay long, they were probably only doing this as a test of him. “Sit with me.” He continued pulling her onto the leather couch with him.

He had originally sat her down beside him but she crawled into his lap, wrapping her arms around him. He sighed into her hair, inhaling her scent again, “I’ve missed you.”

“What are we going to do Barty? They’re trying you for what you did before the Kiss.”

“We?” He asked, smiling down at her as she turned her face from his shoulder to look back.

“Yes we,” She replied, “If you think this changes anything I said that night you’re very wrong.”

He saw a fire in her eyes and kissed her, “You’re an amazing woman Hermione. I don’t think I’ll stop finding reasons to love you more.”

“I should hope not,” She said, laughing for the first time in days. She looked around the study seeing that most of the books were covered with the slight glow of a blocking charm, there were only a few books he could read. They weren’t taking any chances of him escaping by some method. They obviously didn’t believe he wanted to this the honest way, the way that could lead to true freedom. “Oh Barty, what are we going to do?”

“I’m going to stand trial.” He replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“Then I’ll stand with you.”

“No,” He said, “You won’t. I don’t want you putting yourself in any danger, they’ve let you off if I understand this right so don’t get yourself back in it. I want you free and safe.”

“If you don’t keep your promise I’ll never be free.” She replied, “Remember what you said you wanted?”

He looked into her eyes, weighing her meaning before he spoke, “That I wanted you as my friend and lover, as my…”

“Wife,” She said back, she kissed him slowly. “I want that too.”

He pulled her against him more, leaning back against the arm of the couch, pulling out of the kiss he spoke, “Hermione, will you-”

“Shh,” She said, placing a finger against his lips and smiling, “Ask me when it’s over.”

He smiled back at her pulling onto his chest more and shifting his legs onto the couch, laying her on top of him. She laid her head against his shoulder and slipped a hand between the buttons of his shirt to lay a hand on his bare chest, over his heart.

“How long do you have?” He asked, running his fingers through the soft curls of her hair.

“Not long,” She replied, her eyes closed, “Just hold me, I want to know your still here.”

“I’m still here,” He said quietly, shutting his eyes too, “I’ll never leave you by choice.”

She felt his other hand move, gripping hers and pressing something into her palm. She began to pull her hand up to look at what he’d given her, but he stopped her, “Put it in your pocket, look at it later.”

She sighed sliding it into the pocket of her jeans and pressing herself into him more as though trying to melt into him, become a part of him. They lay that way for a long while until they both felt the lightness of peaceful sleep begin to set in.