The Serpent and the Lioness

Chapter 25

A soft shuddering breath passed Hermione's lips and she turned slowly to face him. Her hands ran up his chest picking at the buttons of his shirt, before resting against his him. A soft sniffle and a flick of her head to remove the hair that had stuck to her cheek and she raised herself up onto her toes. His head bowed to meet her and when their lips joined the world felt as if it had come to a sudden stop.

It was a kiss filled with remorse and forgiveness. It was short but it spoke volumes, the power of it echoed between both of them.

Why couldn't it have been just that simple? A simple true love's kiss and the prince would just magically fall in love with the princess? No, life is not a fairy tale. Life was hard, life was painful, lonely and cold.

Hermione lightly touched his lips with her fingertips. She still felt cold. Only where his lips had met hers did she feel warm but even still, an ache was growing in her heart. She had to know but she couldn't bring herself to ask.

Slowly, she lowered herself down turning her head away, "You can...take your shower now..." Her voice wabbled but she held herself strong. She pulled away and she could feel him trying to reach her, but she couldn't let him in. Not then.

"I'll...be in the study." With an extreme effort, she pulled her fingers from his and made her way out of the kitchen.

She never saw the look of complete heartbreak over his face, nor the way his eyes dimmed with a sadness similar to her own.

Everything felt wrong. They both knew it.

oOOo

Esmeralda had divulged all that she knew, delighting in the various responses the redhead had provided. She personally had no true opinion on the matter, she just wanted her husband home.

"And that's where they are right now?"

"Presumably. I find its easier to feign ignorance if you are truly ignorant."

Ginny snorted slightly and crossed her arms over her swollen stomach. "Why didn't they tell us?"

"Perhaps they were worried about your husband?"

"Harry? He may not like the idea of them being together but in this situation, I know he would have tried to be supportive." Her words lost their confidence toward the end and she pursed her lips.

"This is more than that, as you are now aware." Esmeralda shifted slightly refilling her tea.

"You're right." Ginny leaned herself over as much as she could, and ran her fingers through her hair. "So if this works... their souls will be fused together? They will some how become whole through the halves they hold inside?"

Esmeralda nodded, "They're carrying a piece of each other now inside but when the time comes that part will leave and create a bond that will be unbreakable. Then the joined pieces will return back inside completing the cycle. They can, at that time only, leave each other. But they'll never be the same. They will be at their strongest when together. There's nothing to do about that. It's the nature of the magic. "

"And the ritual is generally completed by some valiant act of love?" Ginny was trying to assure herself that got all the facts straight; this was a bit much even for her.