PART SIX: FACE TO FACE AGAIN

"I should have realized it was you from the first moment you entered the room."

After the banquet, Harry had retreated to his residence. Like mostly all the teachers living at Hogwarts, he was treated to a quaint living space. One of the things that he did enjoy about being a teacher at Hogwarts now was the privacy. No student was allowed around the faculty resident homes.

So Harry was quite surprise to hear her voice. Harry turned around, meeting eyes with the young woman that stole his heart years before.

"Hermione" He spoke softly, wanting to savor her name, this moment.

"Your hair is still as untidy as before and your eyes still sparkle like emeralds" She whispered, walking towards him.

"You're still just as beautiful as I remember, Hermione." Harry got up from his seat, making his way gently towards her.

Hermione suddenly stopped, staring extremely hard at this man before her that was supposed to be her Harry.

"Mione?" He took one more tentative step towards her, a bit fearful that he might scare her off.

She reached up, lightly caressing his cheek with sadness and disbelief in her eyes. "I should have known it was you the moment you came back but you can't be my Harry. You can't" Her voice trailed off as her hand dropped back to her side.

"A lot has changed, Mione. That can't be denied."

"But are the changes for the best, I wonder" She softly asked, her eyes regarding this new Harry Potter before her.

"Unfortunately, Mione they are" He answered, not letting his gaze on her go.

"Why, Harry? Why did you leave leave Hogwarts? Leave us leave me?" She tearfully asked, her heart pounding painfully.

"Come sit down, Mione. It is quite a story, actually." He lead her to his bed, allowing her a seat. Harry sat himself across from her, at his desk. "And I suppose I owe you that much for everything, huh?"

"I suppose you do." Hermione answered bitterly, remembering the heartache she went through that first year he was gone.

"Oh, Hermione" Harry reached over and wiped the fallen tears from her eyes. His sole touch sent shivers through her, causing her to close her eyes.

"Please, Harry why did you leave?"

Harry sighed, then closed his own eyes. Upon opening them again, he found Hermione staring up at him with beautiful brown eyes that he so long ago could feel himself drowning into and perhaps still would.

"The day I left, Mione to you it was just two years but to me, it was so much longer."

"And you don't think that it felt like forever for me?! Because it did, Harry! It took me a long time for me to adjust to losing you! And I still am trying to adjust" She spatted hurtfully.

"I'm sorry, Mione." Harry quietly apologized, reaching to comfort her, only to be shunned.

"Harry" She took a breath, "Please just tell me what happened to you. Tell me everything"

Harry nodded, realizing that the only way to possibly have her back in his life was to reveal to her a part of his life where he not only grown completely, but still felt as if a big part of him was incomplete.