As he made his way through the portrait hole, Harry couldn't wipe the grin off his face. He was home. It was all over and he was home. This was the moment he had been waiting for since his final defeat of Voldemort. Actually that wasn't quite true. His arrival back at the Gryffindor common room was the second moment he had been waiting for. The first had occurred fifteen minutes prior when he held the most wonderful creature on earth in his arms, and it had gone quite splendidly, much to his surprise.
Harry had spent the greater portion of his trip back to Hogwarts petrified at the thought of seeing Hermione. "This is your chance old boy," he told himself. "No more tired excuses of having the fate of the world on your shoulders and all the other assorted rubbish. If you don't tell her now it's because you are afraid."
It was silly really. He had thought for quite awhile that Hermione had the same feelings for him. He recognized all the signs: the glances she shot his way when she thought he wasn't looking, the "accidental" brushes of arms and legs against each other, the reddening of cheeks after seemingly innocent comments were made, and the list went on and on. Harry knew all about these acts because he had been the perpetrator of the very same things toward her. Even with this knowledge, the insecurities he held that were born out of years of emotional neglect still resided deep within him. If she rejected him he honestly did not know what he would do. It was easy with the Dursleys. He had never known any affection from them and therefore held no emotional attachment or need for their love. But with her it was different. From the moment their friendship had begun she trusted and believed in him completely. Even Ron, though a great friend, had doubted Harry briefly in the past and sometimes resented his fame, but not her. She was always there, unconditionally. Hermione not being there after he revealed his feelings terrified him.
These were the thoughts going through Harry Potter's head as he waited for Hermione and Ron to take him back to the common room. These were also the thoughts that were erased permanently from Harry Potter's mind as soon as he saw Hermione reaching the top of the stairs. It was just as it had always been. The nervousness and apprehension he feared would manifest itself when he saw her were absent. Being with her was the most natural thing in the world for Harry and even his childish insecurities couldn't hinder it.
From the moment they embraced he couldn't believe the things he was saying and doing. He held her hand. He wiped a tear from her face. He called her Mione, something he had never done before. And it all was so easy…so right. There was no real need to frantically tell her what he felt inside because it was obvious to both of them. A stranger off the streets of Hogsmeade would be able to see it with one glance. In fact, it was so obvious that Harry believed even Professor Trelawney would sense it, which was saying something. No, there was no rush to say anything. "Let's just see how this evening goes," Harry thought as he pulled his head up to view the common room.
As Harry entered the room the multiple conversations he had been hearing ceased and all eyes turned toward him.
"He's back!" someone shouted as the group turned en masse toward Harry.
The biggest smile and fastest feet among the group belonged to a fifth-year with red hair who reached Harry first. She approached him in a sprint to rival Hermone's earlier run and hugged him equally as hard. "Oh Harry I'm so glad you're back. I thought I was going to pull my hair out waiting to see you. You did it! You did it!"
Her tone quieted and tears formed in her eyes as she said two words that he wasn't expecting.
"Thank you…Thank you so much, Harry. For everything."
Harry and Ginny had become quite close over the past year and a half. Ginny's crush had subsided (although it did have its occasional flare-ups) and they had become much like brother and sister. Harry had always sensed she lived in the shadows of her brothers and had taken it upon himself, with Hermione's help, to remedy the situation once she was able to carry on a conversation with him. She had become the unofficial fourth member of the "trio" and he was glad for it.
As the words came out of her mouth a reassuring smile crept onto Harry's face. "No tears tonight, Gin. Okay? Tom is gone forever, I promise. All right?"
As his words ended the tears stopped followed by a happy nod.
"That's better. And you are very welcome."
The next twenty minutes played out much the same as each and every Gryffindor above fourth-year (except for three of Harry's roommates who were otherwise occupied) took a turn slapping, hugging, or shaking Harry. Throughout each conversation Harry would keep an eye out for where Hermione had gone. It was the same routine he had practiced for over a year. Sneaking glances at Hermione when she wasn't looking just to soak her in. There was one difference tonight however. Unlike in the past when he would look away if he thought her gaze was going to turn to him, he now welcomed it. When their eyes would meet, smiles would be exchanged and everything would be right in the world again. He had finally spoken with everyone and had begun to make his way to a couch to rest his leg when he heard her voice from behind.
"Do you need help Harry?
He grabbed her hand again, lacing their fingers together as they had been before and smiled. "Not particularly."
As he said those words he felt a gentle squeeze of acknowledgement from Hermione's hand. "Did I just say that?" he thought as they silently made their way to the couch. When he sat down he realized how few of his fellow Gryffindors had been there to greet him.
"Hermione, where is everyone else? I know that Ron is upstairs, but I didn't see Dean and Seamus. And where are all the younger students?" He was quietly disappointed that more people hadn't stayed up to see him. Especially Ron.
Hermione, sensing his disappointment, smiled and began to explain. "Well I sent everyone below fifth-year to their rooms for the evening and Seamus and Dean are with Ron."
Now Harry was even more confused. "They're sick as well?"
"No they aren't sick…and Ron isn't sick either. They've gone out to get-"
"Harry!"
Harry turned to look over the back of the couch to see three very excited young men. He could tell they weren't just happy to see him. They were…up to something.
The three ran to where Harry was seated before he could pull himself up. Without thinking Ron grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him up into a hug without a trace of embarrassment. The hug was kept short but it was long enough to convey its purpose.
"It's good to have you back, mate. You all right then?"
"My leg is a little torn up but yeah, I'm all right." Harry smiled and glanced at Hermione before he continued. "It's good to see you up and about though. Hermione has been spreading a vicious rumor that you were sick."
All eyes turned to Hermione as she explained. "Well I had to tell McGonagall and Dumbledore something didn't I? I couldn't bloody well say you took a short trip to Hogsmeade to bring back party supplies. And judging by what you brought back it wasn't worth it. One bottle Ron? You were gone for two hours and all you brought back was one bottle?"
All three boys let out a laugh at Hermione's comment. "This isn't everything we brought back," Ron answered as all three began taking small items out of their pockets and spacing them out on the floor. "You see thanks to our young friend Harry here, we couldn't carry everything back without a little help."
As he spoke his last word Ron turned the cap of the one bottle he held in his hand and instantly the room was filled with every delight Hogsmeade had to offer.
Virtually everything edible that was available in the tiny wizarding town was now placed in front of Harry. Food, candy, and ale, lots of ale, now covered the floor. It was as if the three had been given a shopping spree in each of the stores and could pick whatever they wanted. Harry was shocked that they could afford all this. He knew that Fred and George had been sending money to Ron periodically thanks to the success of their now thriving business, but it could not have paid for all this. Hermione, thinking the same as Harry, voiced the question before he could open his mouth.
"Ron, how did you pay for all this?"
Harry thought Ron's face may break he was smiling so hard. "That's the beauty of it, Hermione. We didn't have to pay for a thing. Madam Rosmerta wasn't going to sell us the ale because of our age until Dean accidentally mentioned we were buying it for a party to welcome Harry back. When she found out it was for Harry she started handing it over for free! I believe her exact words were "if he's old enough to save our arses several times over he's old enough to have a pint." And that's not all. Word started getting around the town why we were there and shops that had already closed for the night started opening back up so they could give us things to bring back. We had so much by the time we were done Madam Rosmerta had to put a reduction charm on all of it so we could bring it back. That's why it took so long for us to return. They just wanted to keep giving us more and more. We finally had to put an end to it or we would have been there all night."
Harry was stunned. "They gave you all this… for free?"
"Actually Harry they all had one request. The only thing they asked was that we made sure to thank you for what you did. For saving them from…him."
Harry looked at all they had brought back in a daze. He had been around so much glad-handing and self-promotion at the Ministry that he had become somewhat jaded about what he had accomplished. But in the short time he had spent back at Hogwarts it was becoming increasingly clear how appreciated his acts were. He was broken out of his thoughts by Seamus who began to speak.
"Actually Ron, I believe there was one other request that Madam Rosmerta made."
Ron shot a disbelieving look at Seamus. "You didn't think I was serious when I said I would do that did you? Surely you're not going to make me-"
Dean cut him off before he could finish. "Now, now, Ron you promised. You wouldn't want us to tell her you broke your promise would you?"
Harry had never seen Ron look so desperate. Ron looked at Seamus and Dean and then turned toward Harry. It appeared as if he was summoning every ounce of courage he had as he walked determinedly toward the couch.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered as he grabbed Harry's face and kissed him on the forehead as quickly as possible.
The room was quiet for a split second until it erupted in laughter. To Ron's horror even Harry was laughing. "Ronald Weasley, how dare you! You kiss me without even asking me out on a formal date!"
Ron had buried his hands in his pockets and slouched his shoulders as his face turned beet red. "Harry, you're supposed to be embarrassed as well you know and not joining in on the fun."
Harry smiled at Ron and continued the torture. "Ron, how could I be embarrassed at something that felt so…so…right? Please don't be mad at me, Ronniekins. Come here and give us another kiss."
"Oh sod off!" Ron shouted as he turned his head to the floor, trying to conceal the grin that was creeping onto his face.
As the laughter continued, Ron allowed the grin to overtake him and began laughing as well. "Honestly, Harry if you hadn't just saved us all I'd take your cane and smack you over the head for what you just said."
Ron then walked over to Harry and offered him the bottle that he had already opened. "But since you did I guess all I can say is welcome back. We missed you."