2. She understands me

Harry sighed before taking another sip from his firewhisky. The burning sensation in his throat was a match with his mood. He was standing alone at a distant corner of the large room, lost in his thoughts.

"Hey mate!" Harry jumped at the familiar voice but when he turned his head, he came face to face with a giant pumpkin.

"Ron? What the-?" It was Halloween eve and they were at Ginny and Draco's party.

"Don't ask, lost a bet." Ron looked down at his costume or at least tried to look down because it was impossible to see below the enormous belly of the pumpkin. Harry looked at his friend, Ron's ginger hair was in perfect harmony with the rest of his costume, so much that the stem of the pumpkin looked like it was coming right out of his head.

"So much orange. You're hurting my eyes."

"Actually I liked it. He is making me hungry." Harry turned to the source of the voice. Luna was standing beside her boyfriend but she wasn't wearing a costume. She had a hat just like her lion hat she wore at school but instead of a lion this one was shaped like a mosquito.

"What's with the mosquito?" he asked, motioning to her head.

"It's a nargle." said Luna shaking her head. Her radish earrings were swinging from her ears as usual. Harry raised his eyebrows, he knew better than to argue with her.

"Cool." he said, turning back to his drink. He was not in the mood to chat.

"And what is your costume?" Ron asked, apparently he was in a mood to chat. Before Harry could answer Luna spoke.

"Can't you see Ronald? He is wearing his school uniform. And he is perfectly in character too, all depressed and moody, just like the school days. Oh look, Hermione is wearing her uniform too, over there." Both of them turned to look at the direction Luna was pointing. Hermione was chatting with Ginny but her eyes were on Harry. She was looking like she was trying to solve a difficult problem. When their eyes met, she smiled slightly and Harry returned her smile with a small smile of his own. "Oh! And she is in character, too. Looking all concerned over Harry." Luna sighed and began walking. "Let's go Ronald. I'm hungry. I hope they have pudding."

"Now that you said, I'm pretty hungry, too. See you later, mate."

"Bye, Harry." Harry gave a single nod with his head. He just wanted to go home but they had come just thirty minutes ago and Ginny would be really upset if they left now.

"Come with me." This was the third time in ten minutes that he was approached without him noticing. But this time he didn't need to look, he already knew who was talking.

"We just came, Hermione." Hermione took his glass and put it on a table near her.

"No, we're not going home. I know just what you need. Come." Harry turned his head and looked in her eyes.

"Hermione, I'm really not in the mood-" Hermione took his hand.

"Harry, I said come with me." The determination in her eyes was enough to shut him up. Hermione pulled him outside and apparated them.

When Harry opened his eyes, he saw a graveyard.

"Hermione?" Hermione tightened her grip on his hand.

"I know why you're sad, Harry. I know today's importance and I also know why you didn't want to mention it to anyone."

"'Mione…" Hermione pulled him into a hug.

"They are your friends, Harry, they would understand. You don't have to keep your feelings to yourself."

"I… I just didn't want to depress anyone." Hermione nodded her head as if she knew this, too, which she probably did.

"Come. We shouldn't keep them waiting." Harry smiled, trying to keep his tears from falling. When they came in front of the gravestones, Harry looked at the empty grass and felt a wave of sadness. Just as he wished they had brought some flowers, Hermione took out her wand and conjured a wreath of roses. Harry smiled at Hermione's quick thinking and sat down on the ground. Hermione followed suit and sat beside him. He took her hand again and kissed her palm.

"Mum, Dad, let me introduce you Hermione." Hermione smiled.

"We met before, Harry." Harry looked confused for a second then it dawned on him.

"Oh, right. We came before. But that doesn't count, we were at war and it wasn't a proper visit." Hermione shook her head.

"No, I don't mean that time. I… I came after the war. I know I should have told you but… I just wanted to be alone." Harry looked even more confused now. Hermione had come to his parents' grave and she came without him.

"But why?" he asked, unable to keep the wonder out of his voice.

"I wanted to tell them that you did it… that we have won… that it was all over… and I wanted to…"

"And you wanted to what, Hermione?" Hermione took a deep breath and held his gaze.

"I wanted to promise them that you will be happy for the rest of your life, that I would do anything in my power to ensure that." Harry smiled and leaned in to kiss her but Hermione put a finger to his lips. "Not here, Harry." she said motioning the gravestones with her head. Harry sighed and nodded his head.

"Okay, okay." Harry turned back to the graves and took a deep breath. But he couldn't start a sentence. It was like all words had left him.

"I can start if you want." Harry turned to her and nodded his head gratefully. Hermione cleared her throat and spoke in a low voice.

"Well… Mr and Mrs Potter, I just wanted to thank you for bringing Harry to this world and protecting him. I may not be a mother but if what I feel for him is even a little bit close to what you felt for him then I can understand how you gave your life to save him without a second thought. I know I would do the same thing and I hope I can feel the same love for my own child. I know Harry is afraid that he won't be able to show his kids that he cares for them…" Harry's eyes snapped to Hermione at this point. 'How could she know?' "But I'm sure one day, he will be an excellent father. I saw how he took care of his godson, Teddy, and I can't wait to see him look at his- our children that way."

Harry felt his eyes tear up upon her words. He knew that he and Hermione were in a serious relationship and that they were going to be a family one day but this was the first time she had voiced these thoughts. And he knew that she wasn't telling these things to his parents, she was really talking to him, trying to make him feel better about himself. Harry tightened his grip on her hand, thanking her without speaking because he knew that if he talked his voice would crack. Hermione kissed his cheek.

"I'll wander around. Call me when you are ready to leave." She got up and left him alone with his parents. Harry wiped his eyes and smiled at the gravestones.

"So… Mum… Dad… This woman is Hermione, my best friend, my soulmate and the love of my life… And she understands me…"