Understanding

by Ydream08

Chapter 11

Two months of nonstop search for her parents in Australia ended up being fruitless. Hermione had been unable to track their movement in the records and there were no spells to help either. Harry had objected to trying a nasty kind of blood magic, but even casting that in spite of their little spat, Hermione had not gained any insight into her parents' whereabouts.

She knew deep down, that spells could never point to graves.

Four months have passed since then, but Hermione still couldn't shake off that deduction. If Harry was here with her, she would have mentioned it. He would have mutely squeezed her hand. It wouldn't be enough.

Heck, she would have shared with Ron, too. She was alone, though. Not even Ginny had returned to complete their last year in Hogwarts.

Hermione closed her book and retreated to her dorm. Tomorrow she would leave for the Christmas holiday, and she was restless to meet with Harry. It has been long since she has seen him, and letters barely made up for his absence.

Thinking about his letters, Hermione heard a pecking on her window. It was Pigwidgeon, Ron's owl which was small compared to the parsels it carried. Hermione smiled, knowing it wasn't Ron who has sent the letter but Harry. Her two boys were off to Auror training and Ron had moved in with Harry to Grimmauld Place as a sign of independence from his family. Harry used his owl to send letters, refusing to own another owl after Hedwig.

Hermione sighed, thinking how Harry's eyes would glisten at the recollection of his loyal friend. It was cruel how Harry was nearly left with no one.

They had lost Sirius early on, and then Dumbledore was gone, Remus too, and Dobby, Fred, Moody, Hedwig...and the list went on.

Hermione shook her head. It was not good to delve on the dead.

"Come in, Pigwidgeon," Hermione let the bird in. She didn't have any treats to give it, but instead, she took a towel to dry it and gave it some water. It was snowing outside. "Let me see what you've got for me."

Dear Hermione,

I hope Pig won't nick me for sending it miles away to tell you this but I missed you. I can't wait for you to come home tomorrow.

Yours,

Harry Potter

PS: Don't send Pig back. You can bring it with you tomorrow.

PPS: "DON'T pack any homework with you. Please," says Ron.

Hermione snorted at the last note but she wasn't truly surprised. There were certain jokes that never tired of between old friends.

Her eyes glancing back at Harry's actual message, Hermione felt a warmth pooling inside her. She has missed him, too. So much. After returning from Australia, Auror training for Harry and Hogwarts for Hermione had indeed separated them.

Not anymore.

Lying back to bed, Hermione hardly fell asleep. How could she? Her excitement fueled her brain. First, she thought of Harry. He would wear his old Quidditch jersey he loved so much. Gryffindor colours went really well with his emerald eyes, not to mention. Hermione recalled his voice. His smile. His intent gaze.

Afterwards, she imagined their union. Would he give her a bear hug? Or a thorough kiss? Would he spin her in the air?

The two weren't public with their relationship, so Hermione doubted she would immediately receive a kiss. Harry was shy to actually kiss her -french kiss her- when people were around anyway, but the thought of it was nice.

When Hermione finally fell asleep, she decided it was enough if he hugged her and kissed the top of her head. He would make up for it that night.

"You wouldn't believe what a nightmare she is!" Ron exclaimed after swallowing his bite.

They were having dinner. Harry and Ron had both came to meet with her on King's Cross and took a cab back to Grimmauld Place. Since tomorrow was Christmas Eve, they would go to the Burrow, but tonight it was just the three of them.

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's gossip. Apparently, coming across Pansy Parkinson at the Ministry had turned into his nightmare.

"What was she doing there, anyway?" Hermione asked. Ron had so far told about how Pansy had been shrieking at a poor employee behind the front desk. The former Slytherin had made a scene, apparently.

"Her Father had his trial a few months back but it was messy, has been ongoing till...what, last week? I heard the Ministry sent some people to collect what he owed when Mr Parkinson was sentenced, so there was confiscation on their properties," Harry informed her.

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat. She had never liked the girl, she had been a nightmare as Ron had put it, back in Hogwarts. But it was sad to hear what was become of her. To come to the Ministry to shout at workers, though? It was being a bitch on a different level.

They must be going through hard times, especially financially if the confiscation was anything to go by.

"Parkinson didn't return to her last year at Hogwarts, did she, Hermione?" asked Ron. When she shook her head, he added, "Must be because of this whole thing. I doubt none of the Slytherins returned."

"Only one. It was Tracy Davis, the halfblood." Hermione added the last part so that Ron remembered the girl. She was the only Half-blood among the Slytherins. "They deserved it, though, Parkinson and the lot of them. At least their families. Also, Parkinson-"

Hermione was about to remind them how the other girl was ready to rat them out to Voldemort, but Hermione didn't want to remember the war. It was too early. For all the three of them.

"I don't think she deserved it, Pansy I mean," Ron said surprisingly. "She is mean, and arrogant, and snotty and…"

Ron's expression had soured remembering Pansy Parkinson from school, and he even looked conflicted at his own initial thought.

"We know she is not a nice person," Harry intervened with a grin.

Ron snickered at that, "Yeah, she was a right bitch. But, you know, yesterday… You should have seen her. She ended up crying, it was… I feel sorry for her, I guess."

Hermione smiled. However unusual, this was definitely a sign that Ron matured over the months she had not seen him.

"Let's switch to the living room, shall we? You better tell me about your Auror training," Hermione changed the subject and the trio got to tidy up the kitchen. Ron was impatient so their funny stories started early. Hermione had cramps in her stomach from laughing before they got to the living room, no less.

She and Harry took the couch while Ron sat across at an armchair. It was so natural for Harry to wrap his arm around her, kiss her head, then continue the conversation. Hermione simply rested her head against him, hand on his leg, and she laughed at their jokes and revealed some more gossip from Hogwarts as well. Filch becoming a granddad thanks to a student's familiar becoming to intimate with Mrs Norris was by far what made Ron laugh the hardest.

When they were heading back to their rooms, it was well past midnight.

Ron said goodnight and closed the door. Finally alone with Harry, exhilaration tingled Hermione from head to toe.

She was staring above, at nothing, and constantly playing with her hair. The worst habit for the curly hair she had. She ended up getting it knotted.

"So," Harry said, a smile in his voice but a definite uncertainty as well.

"So," echoed Hermione and that moment, they stopped at Harry's door. Her room was ahead, on the left.

"I don't remember telling you how much I missed you," whispered Harry. Hermione smiled at the show of his Gryffindor bravery. If it weren't for the stupidly cute smile on his face, Hermione could have taken the statement as a suggestion. No, it was a joke.

"You actually did. Wrote it and said it, both. And I missed you, too."

It was Harry who was closer to the door, his back against it. So when he gently grabbed her waist to pull her towards him, causing her to stumble slightly in her surprise, all Hermione could do was giggle. It was hot in here, heat burning her face just as it did funny things to her stomach.

It didn't calm when she looked up at Harry.

Her breath caught at his intense gaze, and she could have sworn she actually stared hours instead of seconds before his head descended and soft lips were upon hers.

Hermione breathed a sigh when she got the chance. She missed him. She missed his warmth, his smell and his presence. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Hermione happily joined when he deepened the kiss.

He tasted so sweet, probably because of the Chocolate Frog he ate downstairs, but also because he was home for her, also happiness and peace she craved.

Harry removed one of his hands, and Hermione distinctly felt its absence on her skin. Thankfully, Harry moved his other hand upwards and inside her cardigan to which Hermione moaned in delight. A bit upper and she would get scratchy, though.

Smiling at his lips, Hermione got distracted when she heard that Harry was struggling with the door.

"Fuck," he hissed. "Just a moment," and the door opened. Harry was staggering backwards under his weight on the door.

Hermione giggled but her grip on Harry was tight so she righted him, and as soon as they were inside, she brought his lips back on hers. This time it was her hands that found his skin, she grazed the hem of his jersey, feeling his lower abdomen. Bringing the jersey up with her hands, she finally urged Harry to remove the garment. The glasses got in the way, but when his glasses were back in place and Hermione had also removed her own cardigan as well, Hermione pulled him to her to continue their embrace.

"Wait, wait," Harry stopped.

"What?" Hermione watched as Harry went to the door. It was slightly ajar.

"Just so Kreacher doesn't peek or anything," joked Harry but it only made Hermione shriek in disgust.

"Don't ruin the mood, Harry, please," she said with a giggle.

Harry eyed her lacy blue bra, and of course her pushed-up breasts, and he bit his lip. Looping his index finger on the belt of her trousers, he pulled Hermione to him.

"Oh, we shouldn't worry about that, because that's definitely" -he grabbed her left breast through the bra- "not the colour of my balls."

Hermione whined at his groping because it was not nearly enough. And, honestly, his joke…

"Harry, that was awful."

"That's what you love about me," he whispered. Hermione's eyes opened wide, but Harry only halted inches from her face, having realised what he had just said, then continued his act of capturing her lips.

Hermione decided, she could think about that tidbit of revelation later. Surely, it wasn't worse than 'Mrs. Potter'. Instead, she lost herself in their kiss, pressing herself flush against his broad chest.

Soon they were struggling with getting rid of their pants, and Harry was grinning like a wildcat when he saw that she was wearing matching knickers.

Hermione wondered what his face would look like to see that those very same knickers were drenched already. All for him.

Well, sitting next to one's loved one the whole evening and imaging how the night would play out did exactly that to a person. Especially after months of separation.

Hermione backed away in the bed, arms supporting her as she suggestively displayed her legs. Her face was already flushed, but seeing Harry remove his boxers in his impatience made her especially giddy.

Following her to the bed, Harry came on top of her and snugly placed himself between her legs. This time he kissed near her ear.

"Anything else different in Hogwarts?"

Why was he asking—oh. Hermione groaned because this over-grown child was exactly the same as she had left him.

"I told you I missed you," whined Hermione, but as Harry dipped deeper to thoroughly kiss her neck, suck it more like it, she knew he wanted to hear it again. His hot member on her thigh was teasing still, too.

"I thought about you every night," Hermione confessed while her hands stroked his back. Harry turned his attention on her breast for that. His tongue wetted her bra, and the sensation drove Hermione into confessing much more. "I was so lonely. Some nights, I couldn't help it and thought… thought how it would be if you were there as well. In Hogwarts, in the Tower, in my bed. It was—- ah, Harry, yes!"

Harry tugged her bra below and her breasts spilt out, one for Harry to feast on and the other to fill his palm. It felt amazing when he sucked hard on her nipples, so wet and hot and incredible.

Hermione hardly realized Harry squeezed his hands underneath her to unclasp her bra, then it was gone.

Harry popped the nipple out and licked his mouth, "You were saying, luv?"

Kissing her sternum, Harry left a trail of kisses downwards. She was gasping as he headed lawfully too close to her sex.

It was excruciatingly hard to come up with anything to say because all of a sudden, Harry had grasped her knickers as well. It was gone immediately.

The next thing Hermione knew was that Harry was kissing the top of her mound, descending to her opening and taking a good lick. Hermione had been tingling, her nether muscles clenching and unclenching repeatedly till then, so when Harry especially licked her clit, she was spasming. She came, rather quick and little, but Harry grinned in victory indeed.

He continued without waiting, though. Hermione moaned in between Harry's kisses. Oh, would he continue down there?

Hermione's heat built up once again, especially spiking when Harry entered her with a finger. "Oh, Godric, Harry!"

Curling his fingers inside and pushing as further he could go, Harry also grazed her clit with his teeth. It didn't hurt, but it was hard and cool and just alerted her, in such a different way that within minutes of her last orgasm Hermione was cuming again.

Through long effort, Hermione's gasps finally turned into deep satisfied breaths. Harry kissed below her belly once she had calmed, then he pulled himself up to kiss Hermione on the top of her head.

"Harry, that was-"

"I can't blame you for missing that," Harry said.

Godric, this man would make her crazy. Grabbing the back of his neck, she kissed him and tasted herself on his lips. It was a magnificent feeling. She could get used to this.

"I missed the taste of you as well," added Harry, talking to her lips. He pecked her again. "And I missed kissing you." One more kiss. "And I missed finding you curled in an armchair," now he couldn't properly kiss because of his stupid smile. "Reading."

"Funny, Harry James Potter," Hermione snarked playfully. "And trust me I definitely missed watching you play Quidditch."

That was definitely a lie. Harry snorted, knowing exactly that. "You like my uniform, though."

Hermione wanted to make her suggestion clear, so she took his head closer to her to lick his ear. "Your Auror uniform could do," Hermione whispered.

That earned her a lascivious grin. Next, Harry was kissing her again and moving his member over her sex.

"I missed that as well," mewled Hermione and finally she felt the tip of his penis positioned at the mouth of her entrance.

"I missed you," Harry whispered, to which Hermione could only nod, fiercely, because he had started pushing himself in, and he was stretching her so very very amazingly that…

"OH- that's! Oh, Merlin, yes," Hermione cried out tightening her grip on Harry's shoulders as she curled her toes.

Once he was fully seethed in, they both stopped to take a breath. Harry stole a kiss, not wanting to waste the moment.

Before Hermione knew it, he was pulling out, then he was back in again. Finding a suitable pace for their months of abstinence, Harry balanced himself on his upper arms to stroke her breast with one of his hands.

"You are so beautiful, and so tight, Hermione, God, I love this," Harry hissed. "I missed this. I missed you. God, you are perfect for my cock."

Hermione nodded while confirmations fell from her lips because she would not refuse anything to Harry. Nothing. At least not during sex. Sex that made her see fucking stars.

Now Harry was pounding into her, unable to maintain a steady and slow rhythm. Hermione was as frenzied as Harry, she liked it that that particular itch eased into tingling electricity.

Moments later, Harry panted next to her ear just as she vocally urged him to go harder and harder, "-I'm so close, Harry!"

And she indeed was. When Harry blindly found the bud of nerves that only slightly got the pressure needed by the friction between their bodies, Hermione cried out at his touch because finally her nerves had snapped, and she was cuming as she fantasized for months.

Harry grunted at the last few strokes, and hiding his head by her neck, he bit down as he spurted his seed inside her.

The warmth filling her made her giddy, and at the aftermath of her orgasm, Hermione found herself smiling and drawing circles on Harry's shoulder.

By the time Harry and Hermione calmed down, their sweat was cold as well. Harry's member had gone soft, so he easily slipped from inside her to roll on his side.

"That was…" he started, and Hermione finished for him, "Amazing."

Hermione smiled at him and reached to take off his glasses. Once for tonight should be enough, Hermione was tired from her road trip back home anyway.

Watching as Harry narrowed his eyes, Hermione put away his glasses. Then, she captured his lips and gave him a thorough good-night kiss.

It would have been the perfect night if it were not a noise breaking the sound of their joined tongues and lips.

"Please put a silencing charm for the second time, will you?" Ron called from next door. "Unfortunately, mine didn't hold up long enough."

Hermione went scarlet red, but before she could find her wand, Harry had Accio'd his own. He had always been better at that spell.

Harry cast the spell and reached for his glasses, "Maybe I should hold onto these as well."

Before long, Hermione was boarding the Hogwarts Express again.

"So, we won't see you until graduation?" asked Ron, he didn't seem as sad as Harry apparently was.

"What about Spring Break?" Harry whined. He didn't like it when she was always busy, especially when she was away in Hogwarts.

"I told you I meant to go for internships. I was planning to see how the Ministry is before accepting a job there. Who knows, maybe that'll make me change my mind and finally I will agree with Flitwick to become a Charms specialist."

Harry rolled his eyes because this dilemma has been the only thing Hermione had been talking this past Christmas break. Hermione was truly indecisive though. Having left with no ultimate goal like fighting the evil Dark Lord, Hermione couldn't take fast and definite decisions.

"I'll see you at my graduation?" Hermione asked, correcting her hat. Curly hair made it hard to maintain small hats. This was one that she had sewn, hence the small size. No wonder the elves didn't like her clothes back in the fourth year, she was shite at making them.

"Definitely. And hopefully, I will have moved out by then," Ron commented with a grin.

"Funny," Harry remarked back with a grin. Ron would not make the two forget that thoughtlessness.

"Fingers crossed," Hermione called out, especially because she knew Ron would not be continuing Auror training. He had disclosed in private to her about his doubts about the hard workload of the job. Harry told her that Ron has been having doubts for the past month even, so it wasn't a hard deduction that Ron would be facing a hard time being unemployed in the near future.

It was a secret from the Weasley family, though. Hermione didn't worry much. She knew that Harry would be there for Ron when he collected the courage to share his final decision with the Weasleys.

The Golden Trio of Hogwarts was growing up, Hermione thought with a smile. It was alright, though.

They had each other.

SOOOOOO,

There is only one chapter left, and that will be the epilogue. Hope you liked this chapter. I'm excited to hear your thoughts! :D

-Ydream08