Chapter Twenty-Four: The Return

Harry was sitting at his desk, filing through reports on a recent capture when a soft knock echoed on his door. He looked up, called 'come in,' and saw a flash of red hair before grinning. He kissed his fiancée briefly then set down his papers.

"I wasn't expecting to see you until tonight," Harry smiled.

Ginny shrugged a bit, "thought I'd stop by on my way home, just to say hi." She shifted a bit and looked around the office.

Harry said dryly, "Just to say hi?"

"Well…" Ginny sighed. "Ron stopped by the pitch today. Watched the flying and such. Anyways, we got to talking."

"About…?"

"Hermione."

"He's not…"

"No, no," Ginny shook her head vigorously, "he doesn't have feelings for her again. But he's concerned. So am I. She should be back here, home. Not to mention she hasn't told any of us what happened to upset her so much."

Harry didn't respond for a second, then said, slightly resigned, "You want me to go check up on her?"

"Yes and no. We want you to bring her home. She's been your best friend for a decade, Harry. We're worried about her, and you're the best person for the job."

"Well then," Harry got up, kissed Ginny on the forehead, "seems like I need to find my broom."

A knock on the front door, downstairs, shook Hermione out of her thoughts. She had a visitor in her house. Truly, it was her house, as it seemed this villa had once belonged to her ancestors. She wondered, ruefully, if it had been Elizabeth who had been selling it. She hadn't know who the previous owner was, at the very least. Wiping her eyes, she made her way down.

She opened the door and looked in to a familiar pair of bright green eyes. Harry took one look at her and engulfed her in a bear hug. When he let go, he looked down at her and said one sentence, "You need to come home."

Hermione smiled, laughed, wiped the tears of relief coming from her eyes and nodded. "I was thinking the same thing."

Her leave of absence had been sent to the hospital and her suitcase packed within the hour. Harry levitated her suitcase on to the back of his Firebolt and she grimaced as she walked out onto the porch.

"Do we have to fly there?"

Harry grinned, "Call it my revenge for you barely speaking to us all for two months. Besides, it's too far to apparate. Come on, get up."

A few hours later, a windswept Hermione stood in Harry's living room, being smothered by Ginny, who was chatting incessantly. "… and Neville's been working with dendacula leaves for a potion, can you believe it? His N.E.W.T. students are helping him invent it, it's a cure…"

"Ginny, let Hermione breath," Harry said, gently placing a hand on his fiancée's shoulder. Ginny blushed red, and relinquished her embrace and endless flow of news. "I'm glad you're back, though. It's been quiet without you." Ginny said.

"I don't know how long I'm back for, Ginny. My career is down in Sicily now," Hermione gave her friend an apologetic face, "I just need to straighten things out here."

Ginny huffed off and Harry turned to Hermione, "If I didn't know better, Hermione, I would say that you deserve much more than that small hospital."

"How did you—"

"When I came down to find you, I looked at your workplace first. You have a tendency to overwork yourself, and even though it's Saturday, I figured you might be down there. The trainee healers told me where you were."

"Oh."

"I've never seen you run away Hermione, and it was time to bring you back. I don't know the particulars about everything right now, but you've been my best friend for a decade, and I knew you needed to return home."

"Thanks, Harry."

"It's what friends are for," he shrugged, "and the guest room is all set for you to stay, if you want. Instead of going back to your cottage, I mean."

"I think staying over would be good for me."

Harry, Ginny and Hermione spent a quite evening eating pasta and tomato sauce, and chatting about everything. Harry and Ginny had not told anyone else that Hermione had returned to England yet, and they didn't badger her about what was going on that had made her leave in the first place. Instead, they updated her on everything that had happened in the last two months.

Neville, as Ginny had said, was working with several of his N.E.W.T. students with the properties of the dendecula leaves, and having quite a bit of academic success. Luna, it seems, had left on a journey through southern China just after Hermione had departed, to classify different plants and animals. Ron had gotten in to an accident at the joke shop due to a few pranksters, but the rummage was cleaned up quickly and a trainee healer came in to heal Ron up on the spot. Hermione felt a twinge of guilt at this; she should have been the one to patch her friend up, it was why she had become a healer. To take care of people, especially her family and friends.

By the time Ginny left for the evening, Hermione had gotten the full update, and was fully ready to fall asleep. No sooner had Harry dismissed her proposal to help with the dishes than she had fallen asleep in the comfy guest bed.

Hermione woke the next morning to birds twittering and a brightly lit room. For a moment, she wondered where she was. Then it came back to her: she was back in England, staying in Harry's guest room. She shook herself awake and got up. She had work to do today.

In the space of an hour, she was dress and at a café in Diagon Alley sipping her coffee. From across the alley, she saw Anthony Goldstein approach in his healer's robes. She got up to greet him and smiled.

"Anthony. How are you?" she extended a hand for him to shake, which he took, but he did not look his cheery self. She noticed, with a pang, that his hand was warm beneath hers.

They sat down and he responded, "Alright. Busy as ever."

"That's right. I hear you're now Healer-In-Charge of the Spell Damage Division. Congratulations."

"Thanks," he said shortly, avoiding her gaze. He turned to the approaching waiter and ordered a cup of coffee to fill the space of a minute. He then turned back to Hermione.

She was sipping her coffee and had decided that they may as well get this over with. No matter what she tried, they would not have a normal conversation until the topic was closed. "So," she started, looking him directly in the eyes, "what was that kiss about?"

He squirmed a bit under her gaze, looking very uncomfortable, and took a breath before responding, with an apologetic tone, "I didn't mean… I mean… I did it all out of order, Hermione. I was going to ask you out. I've liked you for years, but you were always my friend, and the timing never seemed right. Then, you were so beautiful at the party, and the setting was so romantic…" his voice trailed off.

"Oh," Hermione was a bit pink, and took a sip of her coffee, "I, um… I'm sorry, Anthony. I never thought of you as more than a friend. Besides, you wouldn't want me. I think I'm still in love with someone else."

In the time it took Hermione to say that last sentence, Anthony's demeanor when from that of a hurt puppy to a fiercely upset one. His tone edged on dangerous as he said, "He's not good for you, Hermione. Not like I'd be good for you." He reached out and took her hand across the table, and she hastily pulled back.

"How do you know?" she didn't let him respond, but continued, "It's none of your business. And I don't know what you think you know, but whether there was another man or not, I just told you I have only ever see you as a friend, and would never wish harm on you. In fact," she opened her purse, took out a few coins for her coffee, and stood up, "I think you need some space, and some time. Go meet someone. There are plenty of pretty girls who would like to date a Healer-In-Charge."

He looked aghast at her commentary, and began to open his mouth, but she held out a hand and continued, "I'm not kidding, you know. I've a guess that you love the idea of me, Anthony, not actually me. And I do care for you, but only as a friend. I would like to be your friend again, some day. Right now, though, it's best that we have some space so you can move on," she smiled gently, "and, best of luck at Mungo's." She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Anthony behind her. She was back.