Adrift No More
Harry blinked.
Hermione looked into his eyes and started to feel an overwhelming sense of fear. She felt her stomach drop into her shoes. "Oh Merlin… he doesn't love me."
Harry's face was blank with incomprehension. The he saw her face pale with fear, then her cheeks flush with humiliation and embarrassment and then she started biting her lower lip. She pulled away from him and mumbled something he couldn't hear and started to dash out of the room.
"Mione wait!" he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him. She fought for a quick moment before he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight against him, "I'm sorry for not answering right away," he kissed the top of her head and then looked into her brown eyes, "Of course I love you, 'Mione."
"Not the way I love you," she whispered. Her voice heavy with sadness.
"No," he said, "Not exactly in the same way you love me," he pulled away and looked intently into her eyes, "More."
Hermione blinked.
Her fear and embarrassment turned to something else… wait… was that…? She saw the love in his eyes and that feeling she recognized was realization of getting what you want. She finally, since she was 12, had what she always wanted… Harry.
A tear rolled down her cheek in joy and she felt him wipe it away. He slowly leaned in and she felt his soft warm lip lightly press against hers. Her heart skipped a beat and then started beating faster than she thought possible. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feeling of their kiss. The softness, the tenderness, the passion… all wrapped into one kiss. At that moment Hermione felt lighter than air and she felt the wave of love for him explode into her kiss. She melted into him and passionately returned his kiss, giving herself into what she was feeling and wanting.
For what seemed like hours, their first kiss seared her lips and soul. She relished the feel of his lips, hands, and body against her. Hermione also knew from this kiss that he did love her with everything he had. She knew that they still had a long road ahead, but she also knew that they would work through it… together.
They finally, and reluctantly, broke the kiss to catch their breaths. They touched their foreheads together and held on tight to each other.
"Wow," Harry gasped.
Hermione let out a laugh at his reaction, "To say the least, Harry," she gave him a mischievous smile, "And it only gets better from here."
She saw him blush at the comprehension of what she had just said, "Umm… well… I…," he stammered.
She laughed and kissed him again, "Harry Potter, embarrassed of a little sex talk?" she smirked, "I think I'm going to enjoy teasing you."
His mouth quirked upwards, "As long as you're willing to get as good as you give," he replied.
They kissed. They broke away, but just stood and held each other for a while. Each unwilling to let the other go.
"I need your help, 'Mione," Harry said, his voice now nervous, "I'm still not quite whole. The counselor said it could take a long time to heal. I hope you're willing to be here and help me. I don't think I can do this without you with me," she felt him tense in anxiety, "Of course I would be willing to help and support you! Don't think that just because…."
She put her finger to his lips and stopped him, "Of course I'll stand by your side and support you through this. We both need to heal and become whole again. It will be a long time before we will be strong again, but I do know this… we will be stronger together than apart."
She kissed him again and felt him relax in her arms.
"You always have the right answer," he said.
She chuckled, "And don't you forget it."
Harry laughed and then looking into her brown eyes, "I love you, Hermione."
Hermione looked into his emerald eyes, "I love you too, Harry."
He nervously dug into his pocket, "There is something I want to give you," he pulled a golden object from his pocket and held it out to her.
She gasped, "The snitch Dumbledore gave you?"
He nodded, "It was the only thing I kept with me when I left," he held it out to her, "Please. I want you to have it."
As if it was made of glass, Hermione gently picked up from his hand. She looked at the first snitch Harry ever caught and saw no marks on it despite the rough years it had experienced with Harry. She was certain Dumbledore probably used some sort of magic on it before he died to preserve it. Then her eyes narrowed as she studied it curiously.
"Harry, there's no writing on it."
He shrugged, "It faded after Voldemort killed me in the forest. I guess it served its purpose. Appearing when I was ready to die and disappearing after I died."
Hermione gently closed her hand around the object and smiled up at Harry, "Thank you."
He gave her an embarrassed look, "I know it's not jewelry or something more special, but I thought…."
She silenced him with a finger to his lips, "No Harry. This is special. More than any piece of jewelry. This was something that meant a lot to you. This was something that brought joy and happiness to you in the past," she looked form the snitch to his eyes, "And you giving it to me is special to me because I can share that joy and happiness with you in the here and now and the future."
He smiled at her, "Thank you, 'Mione. It would have taken me all night to say that. And not nearly as well as you did."
She laughed at him and they kissed once more before Hermione suggested Harry stay for dinner. They enjoyed their first dinner together, laughing about old memories they shared and few they experienced apart. Both felt the years come together a little bit during their dinner as they shared their adventures. They talked also about their future together and how they could work as a team to heal and get stronger. Hermione even mentioned that she had Kreacher keep his room ready in case he came home. Of course, she then added that her old room could be a smaller library just for her if he was willing to share a room. Harry laughed, readily agreed with her plan, and said he couldn't wait to live with her.
As they sat in front of the fire after dinner, Hermione sitting against Harry on the couch with his arms wrapped around her, she smiled and chuckled softly. He stirred and looked at her curiously.
"'Mione?"
She laid back against him, "Oh it's nothing. I just keep forgetting to say something to you since you've been back. Especially since you're going to live with me here…," she turned and looked at him and smiled, "Welcome home, Harry."
