The Witch and The Hunters

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Page count: 5

Hermione woke to the feel of Dean's hands softly trailing her back, and it was a comforting feeling. It was light and gentle, loving even and she felt a smile pull at her mouth as she blinked the grogginess away from her eyes.

A kiss was placed to the top of her head, "Morning," he mumbled.

"Morning," she sighed in reply, wrapping her arms around him tighter and snuggling into him further, seeking his warmth.

He chuckled at her behaviour, pausing in his hand tracing her skin to remove his arm from behind his head to wrap it around her, holding her to him.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked him.

"About half an hour," he responded, shrugging his shoulders the best he could, given her weight on him and the way she was wrapped around him.

"You should've woken me."

"I'm comfortable, and I'm not going to complain about a beautiful, naked woman being draped over me."

She felt her cheeks heat up at his comment, and he chuckled at her silence. After five minutes of lying in peace and quiet, Hermione sighed and lifted her head to catch his eyes.

What Dean didn't realise was that those beautiful green orbs often held so much emotion, Hermione could usually tell what he was feeling by simply looking at him. And looking at him now, he was...Peaceful. Happy.

"We have to be at the school soon," she told him, moving a hand to his chest so she could rest her chin on it.

"The case is over now; we don't need to go back."

She shook her head. "We do need to go back, just for today anyway. It's Friday, it'll be suspicious if we suddenly disappear without anyone knowing, and we can't leave the school two members of teaching staff down, even if we aren't actual teachers. Today will be the last day, as I'm sure Harrow and Wellers are well on their way to recovery, and they won't need substitutes anymore."

"This is really important to you, isn't it?" He questioned with a crease in his forehead.

She lifted her hand and smoothed a finger over it, and once it was gone, she brought her hand back down to his chest and rested her chin against it once more.

"It is; education is an essential part of life. It gives you opportunities, it gives you a chance to become a better you, the first eighteen years of a person's life are important as this is when they are most impressionable. They learn from you by mimicking your behaviour and attitude, and teachers help to shape who these young adults will be when they enter adulthood. I may not be a teacher legally, but this is my last day with my students and I want to do as much good as I can, I want to be a part of shaping them for a better future, and if I can do that by simply turning up to class and reading over a few pieces of work and correcting them, then I will do so. I had the best education anyone could ever ask for, granted, it was somewhat tarnished by the years of fighting the war, but still, I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for my professors pushing me to work harder. If it wasn't for them believing in me, believing that despite what others may think of my blood status, I can be anything I want to be, including an influential member of the Wizarding World, which is what I am. I am well known, not only for my role in the war and being friends with The Potters, Malfoys and The Minister of Magic, I am known because of my academic achievements and the work I do to this day."

He lifted a hand to push her curls behind her ear and away from her face.

"Please, just one more day?"