Chapter 3

She kept checking her phone and email, wishing someone would make contact. The fire was roaring in the fireplace, but no Floo calls had come in either. Hermione's week had been horrible, and she was desperate to unwind and for some human contact, but no one seemed to be interested in reaching her.

When she and Harry had decided to live in the muggle world, to keep her closer to her parents - and also because they were so used to the mundane ways, they didn't want to give some things up - the decision was easy. A big house, a big garden, lots of rooms for the expansion of the family they had talked about. What Hermione hadn't counted on, was how lonely it was to stay alone in such a house, when her boyfriend was on away games. A year had gone by since they had been living here, but this week he'd had back to back away matches and since she couldn't take time off, she was stuck alone. Adding to that, everyone she could have possibly reached out to was unavailable, including her parents to whom she had given the second honeymoon cruise they were on.

Hermione was dozing off on the couch, the TV long forgotten, a book slipping from her fingers. Being bored was something she had wished for sometimes during their adventurous years in Hogwarts, but this was inhuman. It was 6 pm and she was ready to sleep! Eventually she gave up fighting, and covering herself with the afghan that lived on the back of the couch, she fell asleep.

As she woke up, it was dark out. The sound of keys falling and a whispered "Bloody Hell!" in that familiar voice she loved brought a sleepy smile to her lips. Harry was finally home.