Suddenly, she's right beside me…

- - - - - - -

I was in the backyard with Gillian when I heard the familiar crack. It wasn't unusual for Ginny or Ron or Luna to pop by, so I didn't get up right away. Gillian was playing in the flower beds with her little gardening tools, helping me plant bulbs for the spring season. Well, not so much as helping me as throwing dirt on herself and hitting the ground with her play shovel. She obviously got her green thumb from her father.

I went round to find a very disheveled Harry standing in the front yard, staring in disbelief at my cottage. I remember looking back toward Gillian, my mind reeling as I wordlessly approached him. I was smiling my big fake, happy-to-see-you Harry smile when he caught my hand and roughly pulled me to him. I patted his back gingerly, waiting for him to let me go and tell me the bad news. Gods, it felt good in his arms though. Cruel that. Like offering a starving man a thimble full of broth.

I pulled away, a dozen questions on my lips, and found myself staring into a sea of green. That's when I nearly sank to the ground, because 'my look' was shining back at me.

My knees buckled and he held me by the waist as I wrapped my arms around him. A dozen questions had quickly turned to a hundred as he shushed my teary utterances about how and where and what had happened. He tried to calm me, cupping my cheek and tracing my features with his fingertips. Gods he was here. My Harry had come back. He'd come back to me. He closed the distance between us and I closed my eyes and waited for our lips to meet for the first time in a million hours.

That's when Gillian decided to make herself known.

"Mama," her sweet little voice rang out behind us.

————

(Back to Harry)

So I had her in my arms. My Hermes. My girl. Guess some other bloke hadn't snatched my treasure up. Apparently it was my good luck that the male population of England was deaf, dumb, and blind. Which was fine. Saved me the trouble of having to curse some poor sod into oblivion. She wrapped her arms around me, and dear gods I was home. My hands were shaking as I tried to keep from just attacking her mouth. I had gone three years without her, which was three years too long. I leaned in, barely brushing her perfect lips when I heard a little voice behind me.

"Mama."

I turned, and I nearly sank to my knees.

————

(Hermione Again)

"Mama"

Harry looked like he was about to pass out. He leaned against me for support, just when I needed it myself. Guess it didn't take him long to figure out what had happened during his, um, absence. Gillian, forward little thing she was, toddled right up to him and began tugging on his trousers. Guess she wasn't used to men being around.

He turned back to me. Confusion clouded his features as he silently pleaded for answers. Answers I wasn't about to provide, because I'd apparently forgotten how to talk or move of my own free will. Instead I pulled away from him, gathered up Gill, and went inside, not bothering to close the door behind me. I took her to her room and decided to dress her for her nap. Dressing Gilly-bean was simple. It required no cognitive effort, which was fine, since I couldn't manage any at the moment anyway.

With Gill in bed, I shut her door behind me, readying myself for The Talk. I went into the drawing room, hoping to find Harry there. He wasn't though. My thoughts were along the lines of oh gods, he's left, he's gone, he's angry and hurt and betrayed and…which was just sillysince he was still outside.

He hadn't moved and stood staring at the same patch of ground where Gillian had left him. I walked over and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Harry," I said gently.

He didn't answer right away. He shrugged off my hand and turned to me. "Why didn't you…" he trailed off despondently. He didn't need to finish.

I pulled away, my eyes downcast as I toyed with my hands. "You know why," I answered softly.

"No, I don't." His eyes narrowed as they sought mine. "I really don't know why you lied to me for THREE YEARS." He shouted that last part. Wow he was angry. But, then again, so was I.

"I didn't lie to you Harry." I said calmly. "I just…"

"You just hid her from me." He interrupted grimly. "Just let me go on, thinking she didn't exist, not…"

I didn't let him finish. Good thing I put my trowel down earlier. I might have thrown it at him.