Hermione reached for his hand, but he ripped it from her grip and stalked away from her, back into the tent. She sniffled and lay back against the leaves, trying not to let the tears fall and begging herself not to come out as the weak little girl in this.

The pair had crashed into the tent that night after escaping Godric's Hollow. Harry had been shaking and she had been so scared, so terrified, that she broke her wand in two – this was what he was angered at. "What use is one bloody wand?" he had roared in her face, making her blink back tears and try not to cry as she reached for his hand. But he had stalked off, leaving her alone in the middle of the wilderness.

"Oh Merlin," she whimpered, reaching up and covering her eyes as the tears pooled once more. She had managed to heal him with a bit of dittany, but the Horcrux had been stuck to his chest and, even if she had wanted to wear that damned thing, neither had been able to get it off. Hermione knew he was only acting this way because of the Horcrux's snide voice in his head, but a large part of her wanted to curl up and cry because of it.

Harry had been the major factor in her life ever since she was eleven. She had tugged him through the twists and turns of escaping depression, she had pulled him out of his rants and held him while he cried, and she had – most of all – fallen in love with her best friend.

The wound he had just served her was, by far, the worst, in her opinion; for she even feared going back into the tent and sleeping, even if she had needed it for weeks. She hadn't slept in the past three weeks, but told nobody, for she feared that Harry would snap at her again.

She whimpered and rolled onto her side in the grass, feeling awful. Why had she broken that bloody wand?! Then they would be alright and wouldn't be in the middle of this drama! But she knew, deep down, that it was the shock of it telling her this, that she was the one who was wrong, because she loved him.

Because she loved him.

Hermione had sacrificed her goddamned parents for Merlin's sake! She had followed him through that trapdoor in first year because she was terrified that something would happen to him! She had run back from that library, knowing full well that she would be Petrified, to get that message to him!

She had flown a hippogriff to the tallest tower in the castle itself, helped a mass murderer escape with his innocent life, and then broken all the laws of time travel for him! She had walked right into the fray at the Quidditch Cup knowing she was in danger, all to save him from the Death Eaters! She had pulled him to the ground beside her because she feared his life in those woods! She had saved him from the Ministry of Magic by capturing Rita Skeeter!

She had climbed on top of that thestral knowing it was a trap! She had flown illegally to the Ministry and almost died there! She had held him that night when he found out that his godfather was gone! She had insisted that they go with him! She had faked jealousy to keep him safe!

She had let him drag them all over the country while she constantly tried to figure out what they were doing! She had watched Ron leave them in the tent! She had cried all night when he hadn't shown any emotion at all!

She had done so much for him, stayed loyal to him, why couldn't he see that she was all he needed?

Hermione curled on her side, burying her face in her knees and letting the cold, harsh winds rake over her body and through her hair. She sobbed as quietly as possible, not willing to let him know just how deeply he had hurt her, even if she really loved him.

Tears rolled relentlessly down her cheeks as she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the storm. Rain pelted on her body, plastering her close to her sides and making her groan in pain and curl deeper inside herself. The thunder rolled in and she felt something dark loom over her, but she no longer cared for much. He had hurt her, her world had hurt her. And that hurt more than anything.

She didn't know how long she stayed there, but it only felt lie minutes until she was met with the lightning that struck a tree nearby.

"Hermione?" asked a familiar voice, and she looked wearily into a pair of regretful emerald eyes with tears still rolling down her cheeks. Harry collapsed on his knees beside her, holding out his arms to her, but she shook her head and just looked at him. "Oh God. 'Mione, it's been hours. Why didn't you come inside?" Hermione sighed and relented, letting him run his fingers through her hair.

He stared down at her in horror. Her usually warm, mischievous hazel eyes were cold and broken, and her wild and untamed hair with it's beautiful curls had flattened and been plastered to her head, lifeless. Her usually tanned skin was a pale, deathly white, and there were dark rings that hadn't been there before, prominently standing out against her skin. Her body looked small, frail, with her clothes plastered to it, and he realised just how much she had been hiding under her baggy clothes.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, pulling her upwards and throwing his arms around her. "Why did you hide this from me? I could've helped."

Hermione shook her head. "No, Harry, you couldn't have. You would have tried, God knows you would have tried, but you couldn't have helped. We can't find food, we can't find water, we can't find the Horcruxes…"

Harry looked at her sharply, looking for all he was worth like that scared eleven year old boy she had met on the train seven years ago. "You're leaving me!" he accused, standing up and turning his back on her.

She shook her head again, taking his hand and resting her head on his shoulder. "You need to know that I will never, ever, leave you, Harry. I have stood by you for seven years and I wouldn't stop now even if I wanted to. I love you," she said softly, finding her sneakers very interesting at that moment.

"Love?" asked Harry slowly, looking up at her slowly. "Love?"

"Yeah," she said quietly, flicking a piece of dirt off her jeans and examining the leaves beneath her. Her clothes clung to her small body and the rain hammered down on both of them, but neither cared.

Harry looked down at her and pulled her into his arms, burying his head in her hair and inhaling deeply. "Hermione, I've loved you every day for three years. It's about bloody time," he murmured, and she let out a small laugh before hugging him back, pressing a fierce kiss to the side of his head before burying her head in the crook of his neck.

By now they were both soaked to the skin, their clothes plastered to their bodies as they embraced in the rain.

Hermione reached up and threw her arms around his neck, bring his lips smashing down on hers with suck a force both almost fell over in the mud. But she knew she had done the right thing when his hands moved down to grip her waist and pull her closer still. Their bodies moulded together as their lips moved in sync over the other's, smiling slightly.

She closed her eyes, feeling him do the same and pressing him closer yet. Harry inhaled her sweet scent and sighed.

He was loved.

She was loved.

They were home.

I'm sorry if it's been too long, but lately - with adopting and posting - I've been so busy - as well as the exams coming up. I love you all and I hope you've all continued to love the story.

Thanks!

Love,

Marlene