True Love's Heart

Chapter 33: Waking up and Falling Asleep

Harry woke up with a start and was surprised to find the ground and walls of their den warm. Didn't he just fall asleep? Did he wake up too early?

He looked down and checked on Nagini. The lights were out in her eyes, but her muscles under his body began to twitch. Was she waking up too? That has to be a good sign.

Harry sighed in relief when Nagini's head nuzzled against his neck. ~Good morning, Harry.~

~Good morning. Is it really spring already? It feels like we just fell asleep.~

~I know, it feels odd the first time. But yes, it should be April now.~

Harry looked down at her and grinned. There was a beam of soft sun coming through the opening of their den and it was causing Nagini's scales to sparkle like emeralds. Millions of little emeralds. ~Hey Nagini?~

~Hm?~

~Thank you for letting me spend the rest of my life with you.~

~Aww, a couple of months sleep makes you so mushy.~ She grinned and snuggled into him closer. ~And I should be thanking you. You're the one who forgave me for my passed sins.~

~That's because you're a beautiful soul.~

~Hmm... Keep this flattery up and you'll have to beg me away from you.~

~Did I mention how pretty, smart, kind, and sensitive you are?~

~Tsk Tsk. Will you ever learn?~

~Nope.~

-----

Five Months Later
First week of September

~Harry! Harry, babe, wake up!~

Harry exited dreamland, one full of intertwining coils of green and brown, with the help of a sharp but gentle nudge in the neck from his mate. They had been staying in their bedroom in Hogwarts since April; it was better climate controlled and less prone to raining than the forest was. Again, they preferred to sleep in the garden rather then the bed.

~Hmm, what's up, Nagini? Its Saturday.~

~Severus just sent a patronus! He wants to meet us in the hospital wing!~ Her elation flooded from her and into Harry's chest.

~Why would he want that?~ He asked, a look of confusion met her excited one.

~You are such a goofball! Don't you know what month it is?~

~September?~

~Yes, September! And what happens in September?~

~School starts? But that's a week from now.~

Nagini just shook her head, ~You can be such a dunderhead sometimes!~ She teased. ~I'm healthy enough to take the transformation potion!~

Harry's eyes widened in surprise. He had honestly forgot about the potion. Over these last five months, they had been getting along so well, having so much fun, that he had forgotten that they weren't humans. Ok, so he obviously knew they weren't humans, but with them being some of the only ones at the school during the summer, it was easy to just be souls in love rather than focusing on their species.

~Oh, that's great! If that's what you want.~ The words fell out of his mouth before he even realized they were on his mind.

Nagini froze, tilting her head at him in confusion. ~'If that's what you want?' What do mean by that?~

Harry stared at her, almost as shocked as she was at his words. ~I mean, if you want to be human again, lets do it.~

~Of course I do! Are you saying you don't want to?~

~Honestly, Nagini, I don't care what species we are. As long as I get to spend the rest of my life with you.~

~Aww, you're so sweet.~ Nagini's eyes sparkled as she snuggled under his chin, licking the scales along his throat. ~But we are becoming humans. I've been waiting for almost eight years for this moment, I'm not spending another one as a snake!~

~Whatever makes you happy, dear.~

~Good answer.~

---
The two pythons traveled down the quiet corridors of Hogwarts that, in a week, will be crowded with students bustling to classes. Even though he made it clear that the decision of their transformation was up to Nagini, he had to admit that he was a bit excited to be able to hang with his friends again, as a English-speaking human, and introduce them to his mate properly.

Speaking of a human Nagini, Harry couldn't help but wonder what she'd look like. She hardly talked about her life as a human, aside from the first time she explained how she became a snake. It brought up too many harsh memories for her.

He wondered what color her hair would be. Would she be a blonde, a brunette? Would she be taller then him? Shorter? Honestly, he didn't care; he knew her soul so well that it didn't matter what the outside looked like. But he was still a bit curious.

They entered the hospital wing and saw Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore standing with Madam Pomfrey in her office. They walked out of the office and into the main room when they saw Harry and Nagini enter.

"Ah, Harry and Nagini! Thank you for joining us." Dumbledore greeted them, eyes glittering like the sun. "I have a feeling you know why we asked you to meet us here today?"

They both nodded, basically jumping in excitement.

"Alright, go sit on the beds, one of you on each bed." Madam Pomfrey indicated the first two beds in the room. "And cover up with these blankets, you won't be decent when you wake up."

They kissed briefly before doing as the mediwitch told them.

Snape walked over to Nagini first, setting something on the bed beside her before he walked over to Harry and placed one beside him. it was a blue capsule, about an inch long, filled with a swirling liquid. "I placed the potion in capsules, thinking they would be easier for you to take. After ingesting it, it will take a few moments for the outside coating to dissolve in your stomaches, then you will pass out and wake as humans. The transformation shouldn't take longer then a few hours to finish, though it may take Nagini longer because she's been a snake longer."

Harry looked at the blue capsule with slight concern in his eyes, before looking back up at Snape. The Professor shook his head, sensing Harry's unspoken question.

"No Potter, it shouldn't hurt; I mixed a pain potion with it."

Harry sighed in relief, looking at Nagini. She looked so excited that it instantly erased any trace of anxiety left in Harry. ~Are you ready, dear?~ He asked, though he already knew the answer.

~I am beyond ready. I'll see you on the other side, Babe. I love you.~

~I love you too, always and forever.~

~Always and forever.~

And with that, both pythons swallowed the pills whole and kept eye contact with each other until Nagini fell forward, unconscious, followed by Harry a minute later.