Burnin' love
The street seemed lonely, except for two people walking at a brisk pace, one slightly ahead of the other, their footsteps echoing in the building as they entered. Neither greeted good neighbor Joe who was out with his dog for a walk.
The words seemed stuck in their throats, and following their path they climbed the flight of stairs already known to both of them.
Arriving on the correct floor, Harry and Hermione walked forward into Harry's apartment, both of them furious and the tension in the air was palpable.
Harry walked into the living room, stripping off his auror jacket, leaving his long-sleeved white shirt held up by the trouser straps.
He dropped the jacket on one of the sofas and then leaned against the kitchen counter, while Hermione had stood behind him with her arms crossed and apparently quite angry.
The silence was heavy, sweet home was now preparing to host a war.
"I should have known you would follow me!" Damn Hermione! They could have killed you!" Harry exclaimed furious and frustrated, taking his hair in his fists and turning to face Hermione.
"And I guess it wouldn't have mattered to you if they could have killed you?!" Hermione answered just as annoyed.
"It's different!" The auror continued, raising his voice.
"Oh yes! How?!" Hermione questioned challenging her best friend with her eyes on his.
Both were raising their voices; their emotions and feelings were coming to the surface and their breathing was quite agitated and erratic.
"Don't you dare say you're not worth it!" Hermione started again seeing the expression on Harry's face.
The raven felt his stomach lurch at being discovered, as Hermione knew exactly what he was going to say.
Embarrassed by that, but not giving his arm a twist, he tried to deflect the argument again.
"Hermione, don't change the subject!" Harry added annoyed, crossing his arms and squared his body to look more intimidating.
The brunette was not impressed and took two steps forward, imitating the posture of the jet.
Harry fixed his eyes on the honey-eyed, speaking to her in silence, trying to make her understand the seriousness of what had happened.
However, Hermione knew that although Harry was upset, he was also terrified, she could see his emotions in his green eyes, she knew him very well, as she herself was terrified at the thought that she had almost lost him.
"Don't come at me with that, Harry Potter! they could have killed you too!" the chestnut exclaimed "You also know that I am perfectly capable of...!"
"I don't doubt that, Hermione! I am a witness to that!" the green-eyed auror shouted, in a desperate attempt. "But it was a classified mission and you didn't have to intervene! It is dangerous!"
Hermione now had her jaw tense, she uncrossed her arms to rest them at her sides, her hands clenched into fists and a tear slid down her cheek, still showing her anger with the green-eyed man.
"What was I supposed to do if they killed you?!" The brunette yelled with her trembling voice, clutching harder and furrowing her brow more. "Just let you go and assimilate it?!"
Harry had softened his face a bit upon hearing his friend's words, he brought his hands to his hair combing it back in a nervous tic, caused by seeing her cry and tremble with all her emotions.
"Tell me Harry! What am I supposed to do if you get killed?! Don't put me through that again!" The girl questioned again and exclaimed between sobs.
Harry brought his hands up to his face and sighed in frustration, knowing what moment his friend was referring to. Hermione had been the first person to show him affection and he knew she cared for him and loved him, but he needed to prepare her.
"You're stronger than you think," Harry stated still with his hands on his face, causing Hermione to look at him in disbelief.
"How dare you?!" exclaimed the shocked chestnut. "I could say the same to you then!" she yelled furiously as she boldly closed the space between them and poked an accusing finger at his shoulder.
Hearing his best friend's last words, Harry felt a dagger straight to his heart. Not even her best friend's finger digging into his shoulder hurt as much as what he had just heard.
After a few seconds of silence, he assimilated it, because she was returning what he himself said, that he was strong enough to face his loss, but Harry was not willing to endure one more death of someone so important to him, someone who he loved. He needed her to know how important she was to him as well.
"Have you still not realized how important you are? Do you?" Harry asked lowering his hands and placing one on his waist and the other rubbing the arch of his nose under his glasses.
Hermione fell silent and frowned at Harry's question. A couple of seconds passed and when Harry looked at her again, she couldn't make out what she saw in his eyes. The only thing she managed to decipher was his anger.
"You are as important to me as I am to you!" exclaimed Harry approaching her and gesturing with his hands. "And I'm going to get mad every time you put yourself in danger for me! Because I love you!"
And without thinking, Harry stamped his lips against hers, in a burning desperate kiss, holding the brunette's face with his hands.
Hermione was in shock, but it hadn't taken her long to kiss him back, because after all, that was what she had wanted for so many years and had thought was impossible.
Parting their lips, they brought their foreheads together as their breaths calmed. In that kiss they both vented their emotions, put aside the anger they had felt, and gave way to what they had yearned for so long.
"I love you too, Harry," Hermione said with her breathing still erratic. "I don't care how many times you're going to get mad, because we're in this together and I'm never going to leave you alone."
"I don't have the slightest intention of losing you, Hermione," the green-eyed man declared.
"I'm not going to lose you either, so you'll have to live with the fact that it puts me in danger," the brunette added, feeling Harry's breath against her lips and his hands caressing her cheeks.
"Stubborn," Harry said and smiled slightly against her lips, knowing how stubborn and cute she was, and without further ado he kissed her again.
The auror knew that Hermione would keep her word, so what he had to do was protect her and he would do it with her life, if necessary, even if she didn't like it.