"You go ahead," Hermione replied. The adrenaline had pushed all sleepiness out of her body. "I don't think I can go back to sleep," She grabbed her wand and silently cast the time spell. "Four twenty, sun will be up soon anyway. I've got plenty of books to rea..." She stopped when Harry got out of bed and started pulling on his clothes.
"Get dressed," He said.
"You go back to bed," Hermione argued. "Like I said, I have plenty to keep me busy."
He shook his head and said. "We are going to watch the sunrise," He looked at her clothes which were folded neatly beside the bed. "If you hurry that is."
Ten minutes later, with the help of Winky and Dobby, they stood at the top of the Astronomy Tower. The sun was just breaking over the mountains to the east. The rays that rose into the sky changed the small fluffy clouds into multicolored jewels that laid upon an ever lightening blue background. Harry and Hermione could see their breath in the chilly air of the late June morning. The hot tea the elves had brought them was keeping them warm. In the distance they heard the far off sounds of the approaching Hogwarts Express that would take them back to London in several hours. For a half an hour they stood and watched as the sun rose, climbing over the surrounding mountains. As the light touched the forest, it changed from a darkened blue to a bright green.
"It's beautiful," Hermione said as she leaned her body against Harry.
"And yet it pales in comparison to you," Harry replied as he wrapped his arms around her.
"My my Mr. Potter, where did that silver tongue come from?" Hermione asked as she turned to look at him. A smile was on her lips because she knew he was sincere.
He didn't answer as he took the cup of tea from her hand and set it down on the tower wall. He looked at her for a second before his lips descended to hers. Cold lips soon warmed as the kiss they shared continued. When it finally ended he answered her question as he whispered. "I was inspired."
"Then allow me to inspire you some more," Hermione murmured as she initiated the kiss this time.
It was still before six when they entered Moaning Myrtle's bathroom carrying Harry's Firebolt. The silvery ghost zoomed out of her stall and was about to burst into a tirade when she saw who it was. "Oh hi Harry," She said. "Why haven't you come to see me this year?"
"Hi Myrtle," Harry replied as he thought back to when he'd last seen Myrtle. The confrontation with Draco hadn't happened until the next year. Finally he settled on, "I've been busy. Umbridge and everything."
"I understand," The ghost said before continuing in a hopeful tone. "Any chance you might die soon?"
"Uh..." Harry replied as he looked at Hermione for help. "Is it bad to say I don't want to die to someone who's dead?" He asked her. "I don't think so," He finally said to the ghost when Hermione didn't answer because she was too busy smirking.
"Well if you do, you're always welcome to share my toilet," said the blushing ghost who then zipped back into her stall. Harry and Hermione heard a small splash as she dove into the water.
Harry turned to Hermione and cocked his head in question.
"Do I need to fight with a ghost over my husband?" She asked with a smile.
"No..." Harry stammered but then focused on the sink where that hid the pipe that led to the Chamber. "Why don't you try it? Hiss something."
It took Hermione several hisses before it opened. They had been puzzled at first thinking maybe they had been wrong, but then Hermione realized that it couldn't be a regular hiss since anyone might make a similar sound or even water coming out of a tap might hiss. Dumbledore would have thought of that. She tried a longer hiss that reflected two changes in tone and immediately the sink started to sink into the floor exposing the large pipe that was the way below.
"Of course," Hermione muttered. "Ron tried a couple of times as well. I should have remembered."
"Doesn't matter," Harry replied as he climbed onto his firebolt. "Let's go."
Hermione didn't hesitate as she mounted the broom behind Harry and wrapped her arms around him. With a kick the broom rose slightly and they disappeared down the pipe. To Hermione it had only been a little more than a month since she'd made the same journey with Ron in the future. As they descended, she couldn't help but compare the rides. She'd had her eyes closed most of the time with Ron as the broom seemed to jerk endlessly as it sped up and slowed down as Ron had maneuvered it down the pipe. Left, right, up and down, the movements had been sickening; now she realized if it wasn't for the walls and air moving past she'd believe they were standing still because of the smoothness of the ride. Maybe it was just the Firebolt compared to the broom Ron had, but she felt it was more likely the one in control of it. When the broom emerged from the pipe, Harry increased the speed and Hermione's grip on her husband tightened but she never felt a moment of fear. It wasn't fear of flying; it was heights that she didn't like. When they finally made it to the chamber Hermione was lost in her memories of flying with Harry on the back of Buckbeak all those years ago wondering what life would had been like had she and Harry kissed that night.
"I thought you'd have screamed," Harry admitted as they climbed off the broom.
"It's heights I don't like," Hermione said. "I don't mind the broom," Her eyes met his. "Especially with you," She admitted.
It took less than a half hour to get into the Chamber, coax the four or five drops of venom that remained in each fang into a jar Hermione had brought and return back to the bathroom above.
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