Sorry for the delay everyone! I promise I have been working on the story; I have most of it plotted now and I'm really looking forward to getting to the end simply because I think you'll like what I've got in store. (Of course, you may end up hating it, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to review, even when you don't agree with everything I write.

Updates should once again be more regular now, so do stay tuned.

Once again, nothing is mine; it all belongs to her.

Chapter Ten: Making Amends and an Unexpected Gift

Harry woke early the same morning. His hand reached across the living room table for his glasses, set them haphazardly upon his nose and scanned the room. Hermione was still deep in sleep on the couch, a blanket he'd covered her in now wrapped snuggly around her. He rose from the armchair across from the couch and quietly went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He was surprised to find plenty of food still remaining in the pantry as well as all the perishables kept fresh under what he assumed to be preserving and cooling charms.

Harry considered himself a decent cook despite having to do it the Muggle way. He'd never learned how to integrate magic into cooking and honestly considered it an easy way out. Not having his aunt or uncle hovering over his shoulders made it much more enjoyable than it had in the past. The quietness of the kitchen allowed his thoughts to wander.

Hermione had always been there for him and had just as equally always given herself fully to help him even when he'd been wrong. Memories flashed in quick succession all the times Hermione had bailed him out of trouble. He smiled remembering their first encounter during the train ride.

Thank Merlin for Trevor, he thought as he threw down several thin slices of ham into the frying pan. It was in that train compartment when Hermione performed her first act of many to make his life better; she had fixed the glasses that been broken years before that encounter. As the memories played in his mind he could not help the growing guilt in the pit of his stomach. He'd been horrible to her during third year.

Stupid broom, he cursed silently. Even when she knew it would make him angry, Hermione had only looked out for his safety. He wanted to blame Ron for his own attitude at the time but he quickly brushed the thought aside. If he'd learned anything from revisiting the Halloween memory, it was that he had too often used Ron as an excuse for his behavior. He shook his head. He'd forgiven Ron much sooner during the Tri-Wizard tournament than he had Hermione over his Firebolt. She'd been the one to support him when everyone else thought him an attention seeking prat.

And last year with the accursed potions book. Of all the stupid things to row about, it would be a book. Harry almost smiled at the irony. He recognized that Hermione really hadn't been jealous of the book. No, again it was his safety. He wasn't a prat; he was a proper arse.

Hermione had suffered greatly for their friendship. The slandering, the cajoling, the insults, (helped along by Rita Skeeter), the scrutinized focus of the school, and now, she'd given something so precious Harry felt as though he'd be sick. Harry felt guilty of the short encounter he'd had with Hermione's parents; they had been kind to him and he could still feel the warmth of Mrs. Granger's hug around him. Hermione had given too much. True, she'd done it to protect them but he knew deep down that Hermione had done it to protect him as well. Today he would begin to make amends to her and promised that if they somehow managed their impossible task, he would help find her parents and was further resolved to get to know them better.

Hermione disrupted his thoughts as she entered the kitchen while he finished setting the table. Harry knew neither of them got many hours of sleep, but she looked fairly rested despite their late night. Her bushy hair was frazzled and untamed.

"This looks wonderful, Harry," she said taking a seat.

"I was already awake and it seemed like the thing to do," said Harry. "Couldn't find any pumpkin juice, so how about orange instead?"

"Yes, please." Harry poured the juice for each of them and took a seat across from Hermione.

"I had no idea you were such a good cook, Harry."

"I did a lot of cooking at the Dursely's; this is the first time I can say I enjoyed it."

"I swear they are going to pay someday. If I live through all this they will regret it terribly."

"Hermione, I'm never going back; it's in the past now. Let it go. We have enough to do without having to worry about people I'm never going to see again. Besides, I have a couple things I want to talk to you about."

"I'm all ears."

"I promise I'll go with you to find your parents when this is all over, and I—"

"Stop, Harry, this isn't necessary—"

"Hermione, please, let me finish." Hermione nodded for him to continue.

"I want to help you find your parents when this is all over because I know how much this has cost you; it breaks my heart to know you did it in part for me and my safety. I hope someday I get to know them better and tell them how thankful I am for their daughter's friendship I don't deserve." Harry watched Hermione wipe away the tears that lingered in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione, for how I've treated you over the years. Not standing up to Ron when he insults you, for getting so angry over that stupid broom in our third year, for the slanders and lies you've had to deal with because of our friendship, for throwing aside words of caution, and especially for that stupid book last year. You've only ever had my best interests at heart and I've been rather poor at telling you how much I appreciate you. I really would be a dead man without you and I thank Merlin for Neville's lost toad."

"Oh, Harry," she said, leaping across the table and flinging her arms around him.

"I know this sounds terrible, but I'm thankful for that blasted troll too."

"So am I, Harry, so am I." They held each other for several minutes before breaking apart.

"Thank you, Harry, for saying all of that. It feels like a heavy weight has been lifted from me."

"I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner. I forgave Ron a lot faster for abandoning me during fourth year than I did you and that broom."

"I have always felt particularly slighted by that, but I never wanted to say anything. It means the world to me now."

"Can you forgive me, Hermione? I was supposed to be your best friend and I didn't act like one very much."

"Of course I do, Harry. Like you said, it's all in the past." They ate their breakfast then with nothing but shared smiles between them. When they'd finished, Hermione returned the Pensieve back into her enchanted bag and pulled out a heavy package wrapped in red paper and twine and placed it before Harry.

"What is it," he asked.

"It's your birthday present, of course," said Hermione.

"Must be a book," said Harry, smirking.

"Just open it, prat," responded Hermione. Harry stuck his tongue out and opened the package to reveal the photo album Hagrid had given him. Confused, Harry looked at Hermione questioningly.

"Open it," said Hermione as she tried to hide her excitement. Harry opened the album and immediately noticed something different. Inside the cover Harry found an inscription added in dazzling gold letters, which he also recognized was her handwriting. It read:

Books, cleverness; there are more important things, like friendship, bravery, and love.

Harry smiled as that memory floated to his mind. He gradually flipped through the pages, noticing that Hermione had given every photograph a title that Harry thought described each perfectly. However, it was at the back of the album where Harry caught his breath. First was a moving picture of him and Hermione, hugging in the Great Hall in front of all the students.

"This one was taken—"

"—In our second year," said Harry quickly. "You just came back from the hospital wing after being petrified."

"You remember that?"

"I'd never forget it," said Harry, reading the inscription: Joyous Reunion. "Who took this photo?"

"Colin Creevey," said Hermione. "I don't have any from first year, because Colin is the only one I know who took any photographs and he didn't come to Hogwarts until our second year. Keep going, there's more."

Next, Harry found another picture of him helping Ron who was throwing up slugs. It had an appropriate title: The Best of Intentions.

"I remember that one too," said Harry smiling. "Malfoy had called you Mudblood and he tried to curse him with his broken wand."

"Yes, it was one of his finer moments," said Hermione with a smile. "Pity his wand wasn't working properly."

"I'd have done the same thing if I'd known what that meant," said Harry.

"I know, turn the page." They continued looking through the photos with Harry amazed by the number of pictures Colin had taken of them.

"I didn't even know he'd taken all these," said Harry as he watched his younger self chase Malfoy and his goons with an incomplete Patronus. "That was a good day, considering everything."

"This one is my favorite," said Hermione, turning the page again. It was Hermione in her Periwinkle Blue dress as she descended from the staircase, with Harry in the foreground, his mouth hanging wide open in shock. Again, Hermione had captioned it perfectly: She's a Girl! Harry couldn't stop himself from chuckling.

"You know, I wasn't surprised that Ron never got the courage to ask me, but I never asked why you didn't ask me. I know you fancied Cho at the time, but we could have gone as friends at least. I might not have been the prettiest girl but I'd have been a good date you know."

"I didn't ask you because I knew Ron fancied you," said Harry. "And with those terrible articles that Skeeter was writing at the time, I really didn't want to put you in the spotlight more than you already were. And you are beautiful, Hermione. I think my expression in this photo proves I think you're as beautiful as any other girl at Hogwarts."

"You're so sweet," said Hermione, kissing him on the cheek. "But you don't need to flatter me; I know I'm a bit plain."

"Hermione, why do you think that," asked Harry, dropping his smile. "You're one of the most beautiful girls I know. There are a lot of pretty girls at Hogwarts, that's true, but there was only one girl who was standing at my side when the whole castle thought I entered that stupid competition. You're beautiful in a way that no other girl will ever be, at least to me." Hermione quickly swallowed up Harry in a bone-crushing hug. Her face was buried between his neck and shoulder and soon felt the wetness of her tears on his skin.

"No one has ever called me beautiful, Harry, not like that," she said softly. "My parents did of course, but it's different. Thank you."

"I'm just sorry I didn't ask you to the ball like I should have," said Harry reflecting on yet another wrong he had done at her expense. His not asking had resulted in her having to defend herself against Ron and his jealousy in front of many students.

"It's okay," said Hermione dabbing her eyes as she pulled away from the hug. "I understand now why you didn't ask me. You were being thoughtful. For the record, I didn't care what Rita was writing."

"I know," said Harry. "I just couldn't put you through anymore." Hermione smiled and turned the page to the next photo. Harry had just emerged from the Black Lake. He and Ron were wrapped in Blankets and Hermione had embraced both of them. This one read: What We Treasure Most.

"You know, if Ron and I hadn't reconciled that would have been you at the bottom of the lake," said Harry. Hermione give him a questioning look.

"Don't get me wrong, you're both my best friends," explained Harry. I'd miss both of you for very different reasons. Ron was my first mate; I can talk with him about Quidditch and do stupid things that get us in trouble for no reason other than to say we can do them."

"Go on," said Hermione. Harry could tell she was curious now.

"First thing you did when we met was fix my broken glasses. Do you know how many times they were broken when Dudley and his gang would beat up on me? Dozens. It was the nicest thing anyone ever did for me, aside from Hagrid giving me my first birthday cake and real present. That's one of many examples that make you different from Ron. Ron would beat up the person who broke my glasses, but you'd fix them."

"If you think for a moment I wouldn't hex the person who tried to harm you then you're horribly mistaken," interrupted Hermione.

"Let me finish," said Harry. "I know you would, but Ron would stop at the hexing. You always go further. You always have. You don't stop at the cause of my problems, you try to solve them and make sure I'm okay at the end of them. Let me say it like this: Ron wanted me at Headquarters that summer because he wanted me to hang out and knew I'd be mad about not being kept in the loop. You on the other hand, wanted me there because you didn't want me to be alone. That's what I'm trying to say. I need both of you, but as much as I feel guilty about it, I think they made a mistake when they put Ron down at the bottom of that lake as my hostage and not you." Once again, Hermione had buried him in her embrace.

"When did you become such a smooth talker, Harry," she asked.

"Dunno," whispered Harry. "Maybe once I realized I owed my best friend more than I'd given in the past, something clicked. Best answer I've got."

"It will work for now," she said beaming. "There are more pictures you know," she said, pointing back to the album. Harry nodded as they continued recounting all their time at Hogwarts. Nearly all the photos where a combination of the three of them; sometimes just he and Ron, a few of Ron and Hermione while many photos were just him and Hermione. As he neared the end, he found a photo he least expected. It was a photo that had been in the prophet the night Sirius had died. Dumbledore had his arm wrapped around Harry as he tried to shield him from ministry officials. The inscription: The Choice between Right and Easy.

"I know that photo isn't the most cheerful," said Hermione, "but I find it encouraging like no other. You and Dumbledore stood tall against a fiery storm and neither of you faltered. When it would have been easy and prudent to keep your head down, you kept going forward. You're more like him than you know, Harry."

"Thank you, Hermione," said Harry who initiated the hug this time. "I doubt I'll ever live up to him, but I'll try."

"You already have, Harry. You just won't let yourself believe it."