April 2002
Harry and Hermione were awoken abruptly the next morning.
"It's my birthday!" Teddy shouted, his face just inches away from Harry's. Harry's eyes shot open, then he smiled and placed a hand on Teddy's shoulder.
"Yeah, buddy. Good morning," he replied groggily.
Hermione, who wasn't used to being woken up like this, shot up in the bed and looked around wildly. Harry placed a hand on her arm, smiling at the sight of her hair, which was even messier than his in the morning. "You can go back to sleep. It's just Teddy."
Hermione laid back down and turned on her side to face Teddy. "Hi, Teddy. Happy Birthday."
Teddy beamed, then he furrowed his brow and said seriously to Harry, "Something fell in the toilet."
"What?"
"A banana."
"What's in there with it?" Harry asked, nonplussed.
"Just wee this time."
Hermione's eyes widened in horror. When Harry saw her face he let out a laugh. "Yes. That does mean that there was another time when it was more than just wee," he muttered before turning back to Teddy.
"Can I flush it?"
"No, I should come vanish that for you before you flush, just in case." Harry groaned as he stretched, then grabbed his glasses from the bedside table before following Teddy into the hall.
Hermione lifted up on her elbows and watched them. In the doorway, Harry stopped and patted Teddy on the head. "You're taller. Did you grow last night?"
"I'm four today."
"That must be it.
"How many are you?" Teddy asked as they continued walking down the hall. Their voices faded as they made their way down the stairs.
A few minutes later, Harry returned. He climbed back into bed and turned on his side to face Hermione. "The toilet situation is resolved."
"How many times has he dropped something in the toilet?"
"This is the third. He's allowed to get himself some fruit from the fridge if he wakes up before me and as far as I can tell he gets distracted while going to the toilet, sometimes...I don't know...I don't want to know any more details. But it's certainly not the worst bathroom-related issue I've had to deal with."
"Do I even want to know?" she asked.
"Probably not, but I'm going to tell you anyway," he replied with a grin. "About a year ago, just after he was potty-trained, which was also the height of his tantrum phase, if he didn't get his way he'd stand there in the middle of the room and wet himself on purpose."
"What? Kids do that?"
"Use their bowel movements to gain the upper hand in power struggles? Yes."
"That's horrifying. How have I not heard about this before? I feel like it should be talked about more."
Harry laughed at her indignation. "I assume no one talks about the horrors of parenting because if they did, no one would have kids and the population would die out."
Hermione nodded thoughtfully. That did sort of make sense.
Harry shifted closer to her and grabbed one of her hands. "Do you want kids?" he asked in a low voice, studying her face for her reaction.
She shrugged and said flippantly, "Why do you ask?"
Harry moved a hand to her waist and pulled himself even closer to her. "Easy," he said simply. "I want to end up with you. I want you to move in - tomorrow, if possible. I want us to get married one day and be a family. So, I'd like to know if you want kids so I can get a sense for how big this family is going to be. Just the two of us? Maybe with a dog who we treat like a kid? Or will our family be huge, like the Weasleys?"
Hermione's heart stopped for a moment. She hadn't been expecting such a heavy response. Not only had he said he wanted to marry her one day, but he also admitted that even if she didn't want kids, it wouldn't be a deal-breaker for him. Simply put, he just wanted her. It was much more than she'd been ready for this early in the morning.
Hermione looked down and said to Harry's chest, "That was - uh - blunt."
"Didn't we say we were going to stop hiding how we felt about each other?"
Hermione nodded, keeping her gaze down.
Harry tilted her chin up so she was facing him. He was waiting for her answer and the confidence with which he'd delivered his statement was replaced now by vulnerability - she could see it swimming in his eyes.
Hermione raised her hand to his face and touched her fingertips to his cheek. "I do want kids, one day."
He smiled slightly but there was still a question in his eyes, so she added, "with you."
Harry grabbed her hand and kissed it and they both laid there watching the other for several moments while their hearts pounded loudly.
Hermione broke the silence first. She grinned and said, "But not seven kids. No way."
Harry smiled and started playing with one of her stray curls. "Okay. Five then."
"Two," she countered.
"Four."
"Two."
"Three. Final offer."
"Two," she insisted.
Harry kissed the tip of her nose and was beaming when he leaned back. "Two it is. Thanks for humoring me," he added more seriously.
"I wasn't just humoring you. I want a future with you, and a family, all of it. I can't imagine myself being happy with anyone else."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. And I want to move in. I slept on it and - yeah - my answer is yes."
"Wait. What?" Harry sat up in the bed. "Are you serious? We're not going to talk about this for hours or make a pros and cons list. Just - yes?"
Hermione pulled herself up and sat across from Harry. "I'm sorry I brushed you off last night. I was scared."
"I figured."
She smiled. "I was up for most of the night thinking about it," she admitted.
"Oh, shit. I didn't mean for that, sorry. So, when you said you slept on it-"
"I just laid in bed thinking about it," she finished for him. "It's fine, really. Anyway, whenever I tried to think about it logically, it seemed so fast and then a thousand other questions and concerns came up. But if I turn off my brain and just-" She paused and put her hands on Harry's shoulders, then closed her eyes. "If I just sit here and feel - it seems right." Hermione opened her eyes and gave Harry a breathtaking smile. "So, yes. I want to move in."
Harry was at a loss for words. He hadn't expected her to say yes so quickly. He'd been prepared to do a lot more convincing.
Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek and added, "Like you said last night, we're not a normal couple, and I sort of love that."
May 2002
It was the fourth Anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts and Hermione was standing at the edge of the Great Hall, watching Harry finish up the speech he was asked to give each year. He'd practiced it so much with her that she had the entire thing memorized and could have easily given it in his place, except, nobody wanted to hear from her today. Harry was the star, a role he loathed.
Poor Harry. Hermione knew if he had it his way, he'd have used Polyjuice to disguise himself (or even better, his invisibility cloak) and passed the day as an anonymous mourner. But he was the face of victory, whether he liked it or not. He had to go around and talk to the families of those who had died and comfort them in any way he could.
Harry hated it. By the end of the day he'd be depressed and completely drained of energy, but he felt duty-bound to perform the task since a large part of him still felt guilty for allowing so many people to die in order to buy him time that night. To make matters worse, Hermione wasn't at his side to support him.
They'd realized quickly that all anyone wanted to talk about when they saw the two of them together was their new relationship, how they got together, how it was going, what it was like to be a "power couple," and when people could expect a wedding announcement.
Harry had pulled Hermione into the Entrance Hall after just an hour and said in a pained whisper, "This is awful! We're supposed to be mourning the dead but all anyone wants to talk about in there is imaginary weddings and who asked out who. What is wrong with-"
"Harry," Hermione had placed her hands on his arms. "You're completely right, this isn't about us. It's about mourning and remembering our friends and we're just a distraction. How about you pass the day with Ron by your side? No one will ask about our relationship with him there and then we can give the dead the respect they deserve."
"No, I don't-" But he'd cut off. He knew she was right. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I hate this."
"I know. It's just one day. I'll still be here and if you need to slip away, just come find me."
Hermione felt awful for leaving Harry alone but her plan worked and no one was asking Harry about his new relationship anymore. And Hermione didn't mind the break from the crowd and the chance to mourn in peace.
"I get all this credit for winning this war but I didn't do it alone. Not even close," Harry was saying.
Harry might hate this, but he was such a natural. It was probably precisely because he hated it that he was so good at it. He gave off an air of humility and sincerity that made everyone in the crowd lean in and listen closer.
"Do you realize you're mouthing along, Granger? He's not a rock star."
She turned to find Draco Malfoy standing next to her. He was wearing a pair of fine, grey dress robes and his hair was longer than when she last saw him, swept up and out of his face in a style that was meant to look casual but had likely taken a lot of time and product to get right.
Even though he was fixing her with a teasing glare, she could tell he was stressed by the tightness in his jaw and faint lines around his eyes. She figured today was hard for him. The people here were not kind to his family (for obvious reasons) but she knew if the Malfoys stayed away, they'd be rebuked for failing to take time to come pay their respects.
"Sod off, Malfoy," she said before turning back to Harry.
He ignored her. She wasn't surprised. When had that ever worked?
"So, you're really dating him?"
"None of your business."
"You know, Granger, there are other wizards in the world you can date besides your two best friends."
Hermione turned back to him and crossed her arms. "Are you offering yourself up? Not my type."
He smirked. "Yeah, right. I would never date you."
She glared at him but his eyes weren't cruel, like before. "Not because of your blood status," he said quickly, seemingly annoyed at her unspoken accusation. "I'd actually get great enjoyment out of telling my father I was dating a Muggleborn. I couldn't date you because you're terrifying."
Hermione let out a small laugh, unsure how to respond to that. Just then, Harry finished his speech and everyone started clapping. Hermione turned back to the stage and saw Harry scanning the crowd. She thought he was looking for her, but soon he was surrounded by people again and she lost sight of him.
Hermione turned back to Malfoy as Ginny came in from the Entrance Hall. "Go away, Malfoy," she said once she reached Hermione's side.
"I already tried that. It didn't work," Hermione said.
Malfoy sighed and straightened his spine, as if bracing himself for something. "I know when I'm not wanted," he announced, then added in an undertone. "Which is here and now, by literally everyone in this room."
He turned to leave but Hermione called him back, "Malfoy."
He looked over his shoulder toward her but didn't turn around.
"Thank you for helping with Ron. That was...really decent."
Hermione nudged Ginny in the side and Ginny added grudgingly, "Yeah. Thanks."
Malfoy gave them a curt nod before leaving them alone.
Ginny pulled Hermione into a hug. "Don't tell Harry I arrived just as his speech was ending. I got held up back at the Portkey Office at the Spanish Ministry. They're not very into punctuality over there. You'd hate it."
"It's okay. It's just a variation of the same speech he gives every year."
"I missed you," Ginny said, finally pulling away. "Talking on the phone is not the same."
"No, it certainly isn't."
Ginny turned toward the crowd and caught Bill's eye. He waved her over. "I'm going to go find my family," she told Hermione, "do you want to tag along?"
Hermione shook her head. "I could use a break. I'm going to see if I can find Crooks. Let Harry know I'm outside if he's looking for me."
"Don't go into the Forest alone," Ginny said sternly. "Promise."
"I won't, mum," Hermione said mockingly. "Crookshanks usually comes out to see me, anyway. I'll see you soon."
An hour later, Harry found Hermione sitting on a rock near the lake. As he approached he saw she was holding Crookshanks who looked leaner and greyer than he remembered. Harry stopped next to the rock and wrapped an arm around her. Hermione leaned into his side and they stayed there, quietly watching the lake for several minutes.
Crookshanks, sensing Hermione could use some time alone with Harry, jumped out of her lap with a soft meow. "Leaving already, Crooks?" she asked.
Crookshanks rubbed his side against her legs and let her pet him a few more times before bounding back toward the Forest. Once he was gone, Harry took a seat next to Hermione on the rock.
"The last time I was at this lake was for your graduation," he said. "I like how the graduating students left Hogwarts on boats, the same way we arrived."
Hermione nodded. Harry took her hand and turned to her. "Graduation is the only time they allow Muggles onto the grounds. I expected to see your parents but they weren't there."
Tears stung Hermione's eyes as she continued to watch the lake. "No. I didn't invite them," she admitted.
"Why not?"
Hermione turned back to Harry. "Today isn't about this. It's about remembering the Battle, the people we lost, not graduations and estranged parents."
Harry grazed her cheek with the back of his hand. "Just tell me."
Hermione closed her eyes and dipped her head down. "A part of me didn't invite them because I didn't want to deal with the rejection of them saying no. But then a larger part didn't want them here because I thought they'd cause a scene."
Harry waited patiently for her to continue talking. She looked up at him and her eyes were lined with tears.
"After I restored their memories, we'd lost a lot of trust. And I decided to tell them everything from my time at Hogwarts, everything I'd kept from them because I'd been scared if they knew, they wouldn't let me come back. The troll, being petrified, our time-travel adventure, the Department of Mysteries, Malfoy Manor, all of it."
Harry cringed. That must have been a very hard conversation. "How did they take it?"
Hermione looked back at the lake. "Do you remember when Molly blamed me for what happened to Ron? You told her it was common for people to try to find someone to blame in bad situations."
Hermione saw Harry nod out of the corner of her eye. Was she really going to do this right now? On today of all days?
Just do it! You've put it off for long enough and it's going to be bad no matter when you tell him.
Hermione sighed heavily before finally saying, "My parents - they blame you. For every time I was in danger, every injury, and for the panic attacks I'm still having. They despise you. And, uh, that's why I haven't told them we're dating yet."
A few days later, Hermione was working in her office when Ron popped his head in. "Hey. Do you have a minute?"
Hermione nodded and motioned for him to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Is this related to work?"
Ron let out a laugh. "No. I need to know how movie theaters work."
Hermione shook her head. "Agatha knows you're a Pureblood. Why are you trying to keep up this charade that you know so much about Muggles?"
"It makes me seem like a man of the world and I can tell she's impressed every time we go out there and I know what I'm doing."
Hermione crossed her arms. "You really don't think she's figured out by now what's going on?"
"Please?"
"Fine," Hermione huffed. She took a piece of parchment from her drawer and began writing down instructions for getting tickets and snacks and also put a reminder at the bottom of the different denominations of Muggle money.
"You're the best," Ron beamed when she was finished explaining everything to him.
"Yes, you've told me that," Hermione said with a smile as she leaned back in her chair. "So, that's still going well? You and Agatha? It's been, what? A month?"
"Yeah and it's good. Really good. It's just-" He cut off and looked down at Hermione's desk. She thought he looked slightly ashamed.
"What is it?"
"She's perfect, obviously. I just - I go to visit her pretty often, since she's always working, and all her patients are in love with her. It's because she's so kind and caring and I even saw one of them ask her out. And I just - hate it, but you know, that's just me being a wanker and I need to figure out how to get over it."
Hermione nodded knowingly. "Are you in a bad mood after? And a little snippy with her?"
Ron sighed and crossed his arms. "I wish I could say no. You know me too well."
"I think you should tell her about the jealousy."
Ron raised an eyebrow at her and gave her a look he rarely gave her that said, Are you daft?
"Don't say it in a way where it seems like you're asking her to change jobs or how she acts with her patients. Just inform her that you're jealous because you like her so much and you're trying really hard to deal with it. It would be good for her to know why you're in a bad mood sometimes."
"I - yeah - I guess," Ron said doubtfully. "But won't she just think I'm an idiot? Shouldn't I try to hide that?"
Hermione shrugged. "If you're serious about her, you need to show her the bad parts of yourself. And I think it's good to know when your partner is working through things, that way you know not to take their crap personally."
Hermione sighed and looked absently at the wall behind Ron. He knew she was thinking about Harry and he was pretty sure he knew why.
"Um, I heard you told Harry about your parents."
Hermione hmphed and kept her gaze on the opposite wall.
"He - uh - took it badly?" Ron pressed.
Hermione sighed. "You know Harry. He's doing that annoying self-deprecating thing he does. He agrees with my parents and has convinced himself he's personally responsible for every bad thing that has ever happened in my life."
Ron cringed and nodded. This wasn't a big surprise. He figured it was the reason she'd kept her parents' feelings about Harry from him for so long.
"Unfortunately, the only real way to solve it is to get Harry and my parents together and hope that over time they can see how good Harry is for me and how much I love him. But I'm worried as soon as they start berating him, he'll cave, side with them, and break up with me on the spot."
Ron let out a small laugh. "Yeah. I could see him doing that," he admitted.
"Ron!"
"I mean, not really, no. Of course he wouldn't do that. He's obsessed with you, in a, uh, very romantic, non-stalker way. It'll be fine."
"You don't sound so sure."
"It. Will. Be. Fine." Ron repeated.
"Yeah. Maybe," Hermione sighed.
"When is this happening? The trip to Australia. Do you have something planned?"
"We're going next month for my mum's birthday."
"I'll talk to him. Don't worry about it. Really."
"Thanks, Ron."
"But on a happier note, you officially live in Grimmauld Place now. Right?"
"Yeah. I turned in the keys from my old flat yesterday."
"Wow. So, that rule about not living with someone until you were engaged…"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I changed my mind. There's no need to look so smug," she grumbled.
"I'm just messing with you, Hermione. I'm happy for you. Really. You look good."
"Thanks."
Ron's attention was drawn to Hermione's necklace which had just changed colors. "That necklace," he started, "Harry got you that from a shop on Parbridge Street, didn't he?"
"Yeah. Uh, he did." Hermione wrapped her hand around the stone protectively and tried to keep from blushing. She was too embarrassed to admit what the necklace did, even to Ron.
"When he told Neville and I he'd been to Parbridge Street, then was vague about why, we assumed he'd bought an engagement ring, which seemed fast, even for you two. Anyway, the necklace is nice."
Ron pulled himself up out of the chair. He should be getting back to work. "I like the white stone better though," he said when he reached the doorway. "It's less ominous than the blood red."
Hermione hitched her breath and the color drained from her face. Her eyes grew wide with fear as the fist still clenched over the pendant of the necklace tightened and her knuckles turned white.
She was whispering something but Ron couldn't hear. He went to her side and crouched down next to her chair. "What happened?" he said urgently. "What's going on, Hermione?"
"Red?" she breathed. "It's red?" She carefully opened her palm to reveal the blood-red stone of the necklace but she didn't look down. It was as if she was too afraid to see the necklace herself.
Ron placed his hands on her shoulders. "Yes. It's red. What does that-" Suddenly, the stone of the necklace turned white again. "Hang on. It's white. The necklace is white, Hermione."
Her neck snapped down to look at it and when she saw it, all the tension in her body released. Ron let go of her shoulders and leaned back to look at her. She'd looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack and now she was back to normal, though she still looked slightly shaken. What the bloody hell had just happened?
Just then, Ron heard a commotion in the hall. He looked out of Hermione's office door and saw a lot of activity and shouting from the other end of the floor where the Auror Offices were. Shit. Something had happened. "Don't move," he called to Hermione over his shoulder. "Just breathe and try to relax. I'll be right back."
When Ron returned, Hermione was in the same spot, staring at the necklace and breathing slowly and deliberately. "I have to go, Hermione. Vanderwaal made a reappearance and there was some sort of explosion."
"Harry, he's - he's hurt, isn't he?" she whispered.
"I don't know," Ron said honestly. Harry was in the field but Ron had no idea if he was at the house where the explosion had happened. He went to Hermione and placed his hands on her arms again. "Harry is just fine. He has survived insane situations in the past. I'll send you a Patronus as soon as I know what's going on. Please, try to keep your head so you can receive it. Okay?"
She nodded slowly. Ron hated leaving her like this but couldn't think of anyone at the Ministry he could send a note to to come help her. He conjured a glass of water and pointed to it. "Drink this, very slowly, and continue breathing. I'll be in touch soon."
Hermione tried her best to listen to Ron. She had the reassurance from the necklace that Harry was alive, but that didn't mean he wasn't seriously injured. Maybe he'd been at risk of getting killed in the explosion Ron had mentioned but at the last moment, jumped out of the way. He could have still lost a limb, or even be unconscious, in a coma, the possibilities were endless.
Relax, drink the water, and breathe.
Luckily, it wasn't long before Ron's silver terrier appeared in her office. "Harry was at the house with the explosion but he wasn't harmed. I saw him myself and I promise he's okay. Please relax. We'll be in touch."
Hermione settled back in her chair and placed her hand over her heart. It was still racing and she tried to take deep breaths to calm it. Harry was fine. Not injured, just fine. She was sure there was some story, perhaps about Harry saving the day again, and when she got home later today he'd regale her with the tale of his adventure.
She tried to focus back on work but her head wasn't in it today. She kept glancing at the necklace to make sure the pendant was still white, then ended up taking it off and putting it on her desk so she didn't have to keep looking down at it.
An hour later, Ron's Patronus appeared again. Before Hermione could determine if it was a good or bad sign, the terrier started talking. "Harry's home. He's okay but beating himself up for a mistake he made earlier. You should go see him. He needs you."
Harry was lying on his stomach on the bed when he heard someone coming up the stairs. There was a knock on the door, then Hermione's voice. "Harry? Are you in there?"
"Yeah."
"Can I come in?"
Harry cringed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Um - no. Not right now."
He heard her sigh, then swear, then she started pacing the hall. "Seriously? You're going to do this, now?"
She was clearly angry and Harry figured she'd heard about what had happened at the abandoned house. It was oddly satisfying having her angry with him. That was the reaction he'd been looking for all day.
Hermione slammed her hand against the closed door, snapping Harry out of his thoughts. "If you insist on staying in there then I insist that you cast a diagnostic spell on yourself and roll the wand under the door so I can check the results."
It was an odd request, but Harry complied without further question. He didn't think he was in a place to be denying anyone right now. After he slipped the wand under the door, he took a seat on the ground with his back against the door. Hermione checked the results and let out a sigh of relief. She checked the stone on her necklace again, then rolled Harry's wand back to him before sitting down herself, mirroring his pose.
They'd been in this exact position before, several months ago at Hermione's flat, though neither of them were thinking of that day right now. Their brains were preoccupied with more pressing thoughts.
After several moments, Harry said, "So, you heard what happened."
"No. I didn't."
"Oh."
Hermione let out a sigh and laid her head back against the door. "Why don't you tell me about it?"
"There was an explosion," Harry began. "Dawlish lost an arm."
"Was anyone else hurt?"
"Not on our side. A kid died. And the explosion - it was my fault."
His words hung heavy in the air for several moments. Harry took his glasses off and wiped his eyes.
"Can you start at the beginning?" Hermione asked.
Harry explained how he and Dawlish had received a tip from one of their informants that Vanderwaal would be at an abandoned house just outside Oxford. When Harry and Dawlish arrived they checked for inhabitants and the house was clear, save for one small being in the attic. They assumed it was a house elf based on the size and went to investigate.
Harry arrived in the room first and was startled to find not a house elf, but a child. A boy with brown hair who looked about a year older than Teddy.
"A kid?" Hermione interrupted.
"Yeah. A kid. I knew this was some sort of trap - we knew that from the start - I should have apprehended the boy as soon as I saw him. But I froze. I didn't see what he was holding in his hands. I didn't react when he tossed it at me. All I saw was that he was scared and crying."
Harry paused to wipe the tears from his eyes and take a few breaths so he could talk again. He explained how Dawlish, who'd been a few paces behind Harry, had reacted first. He threw a Shield Charm up between Harry and the kid just in time, causing the object the kid had thrown, which turned out to be a sort of bomb, to bounce off the Shield and fly back toward the kid.
It exploded once it hit the ground, just a foot away from the boy, killing him instantly. The blast had injured Dawlish too, since he hadn't had time to throw up another Shield Charm.
"That's awful," Hermione said. She was crying now, too. "Why was there a child there and why did he have a bomb?"
"That Vanderwaal wizard is fucked up. That's why," Harry said bitterly. "He was using the boy to punish some employee of his who had wronged him. The boy was the man's son. I think Vanderwaal was thinking, best case, the kid killed or seriously hurt one of us and was apprehended, which would point us back to the boy's father and cause us to arrest him. Worst case, the boy died and a message would be sent to all of Vanderwaal's followers not to cross him."
Harry pulled his legs up and dropped his head against his knees. "He shouldn't have died," Harry said, struggling to speak through his tears. "I should have acted quicker. Disarmed him, kept that artifact he was holding from ever touching the ground. But I - I could only think of Teddy when I saw that boy and I couldn't cast anything at him. Not even Expelliarmus."
Harry sighed and hit his head back against the door. "And I guess the worst part is that no one - Dawlish, Robards, or any of the other Aurors - blames me. But they should," Harry finished.
Hermione reached her fingers under the door and when Harry saw them a few seconds later, he placed his hand on top of them. They sat there in silence for a long while, each with tears silently streaming down their face.
"I sort of expected a big speech from you," Harry said after a while.
Hermione pulled her hand back to her side of the door and sighed heavily. "You want a speech?" she asked, a little angrily. "Yeah. I have a speech."
She pulled herself to her feet and started pacing the hall again.
"Here's my speech, Harry. Why are you doing this to yourself? Have you ever stepped back and wondered why you became an Auror?"
She paused and before Harry could figure out if she meant for him to respond to that question, she continued talking.
"I'll tell you why. Because you're good at it; fighting dark wizards, and you've been praised your whole life for it. And you're insecure and struggle to find self-worth and you get it from this. But you're just playing into the persona of Harry Potter that you claim to hate. If you don't want to be Harry Potter anymore, then stop fighting dark wizards!"
Before Harry could reply she continued. She was on a roll and he wondered how long she'd been bottling this up.
"You say you want to be just Harry, but then you're terrified of being ordinary, someone who makes mistakes and has problems, just like everyone else. And I know why you do it. You've been under unbelievable pressure since a young age to be more than everyone, to do this impossible job to save us all, but you're done, Harry.
"Just be yourself. Let yourself make mistakes. Let yourself be human. Maybe the public will love you less, but who cares? I'll love you. I already know about your weaknesses and your fears and the ugly parts of you and I love you, anyway. Always have, always will."
When Hermione finished her rant, she was slightly out of breath. She continued pacing, staring down at her feet, which was why it took her a moment to realize the door had opened.
Harry was looking at her, concerned. "You really think all of that?"
Hermione crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "I suppose I do."
"And you're angry with me," he said carefully. "For what? Becoming an Auror?"
Hermione rubbed her face with her hands and groaned. "No. I'm not angry with you. I'm angry with the world, Harry, and I've just taken it out on you."
She crossed the hall and placed her hands on Harry's arms. "Sorry," she said with a small smile.
"Why are you angry with the world?" he asked softly.
She sighed and looked away before answering. "I'm angry because now, on top of every horrible memory you have in your mind, you have the image of a boy being blown up just feet away from you. I'm angry because you went to work today and didn't attack a child and that was somehow the wrong thing to do. I'm angry because - because the only bad guys you should be fighting are the fake ones with Teddy. And I- I don't know, Harry. I'm just frustrated, I guess. I can't quite articulate it all."
Harry turned her head so she was facing him. "I think you made your point quite well." He began wiping the tears that had fallen onto her cheeks with his thumbs.
"I'm sorry. You had an awful day and I just went and yelled at you. I am truly terrible."
Harry pulled her into a hug. He found this whole argument, if he could call it that, extremely uncomfortable and was desperate to change the subject. "You're not so bad. Let's put a pause on this conversation and go make some omelets. Is that okay with you?"
"Yeah," Hermione said into his chest. "Okay."
Hermione knew it wasn't worth continuing this argument. Yes, she hated that Harry was an Auror. It was a feeling that had been there for months but that she hadn't managed to put words to until a few minutes ago. But this was who Harry was and if she really loved him, she had to accept this about him in the same way he had to accept that she was a bossy perfectionist who tended to force her opinions on others at very inopportune times.
"I love you, Harry," she said as she pulled away. "I'm sorry my speech wasn't very uplifting this time."
Harry let out a small laugh and motioned for her to go down the stairs ahead of him. "I love you too, Hermione. And I did ask for the speech, so a lot of that was on me."
A/N: I apologize for the dark part with Vanderwaal, but it was one of the few situations I could think of that would really throw Harry off his game.