Authors Notes: As usual, thanks to everyone who reviewed!!!
Just a heads up that I'm heading out of town again this weekend- I'll be able to update tomorrow night, however I'm not sure about Thursday night because I'm leaving town at 6am and probably won't be online.
That wonderful night at the end of the holiday had made it even more painful to say goodbye to her at the airport two days later. She confessed in her first letter to him from Rome that she had cried the entire flight and was already missing him terribly.
But the two nights they had together stayed in Harry's mind for the entire six months and were what got him through his rigorous training regime, as were her letters. He didn't know how she found the time to fit in over ten hours of research a day and managed to write two page letters to him everyday. He could hardly manage training, study and writing to Hermione.
The sixth month separation ended at the end of January and Harry had gone to the airport to pick her up. The next page of the album contained a coaster from the airport bar, where he had waited for hours for any sign of her…
The bar was the only place in the airport where one could escape the hustle and bustle and Harry had found it comforting, despite the fact it was 4am. He was slightly unshaven and dishevelled and he wished he didn't look as bad as he did. Hermione's flight had been delayed for hours and he was beginning to get tempted to just Apparate to Rome and Apparate back with her.
She was only flying for the sake of her parents- they didn't trust magical transportation and felt better if their only daughter was coming home in a nice, normal fashion. Harry was sorely tempted to find a payphone and call Mr and Mrs Granger and tell them that flying might be a nice, normal way to travel, but delays were always inevitable.
Sighing, he laid his head down on the table and closed his eyes. He was so very tired and incredibly glad he didn't have to go to training the next morning. The recruits had been given Saturday off, a first ever.
'Mind if I sit here, mate?' someone said and Harry lifted his head and looked at the man standing beside the table. 'You looks like you could use the company, that's all.'
'Yeah, I guess I could,' Harry said, yawning and running a hand through his hair.
'Guess your flights been delayed too, eh?'
'Actually, I'm waiting for someone,' Harry replied. The man grinned at him.
'Whoever she is, she's damn lucky to have a bloke who'll sit around at the bloody airport at 4am waiting,' he said and Harry was too tired to think of a smart reply. 'Which flight is she on?'
'She's on the-' Harry started to say, before the airport announcer cut over the top of him.
'Attention all- flight IA764 from Rome has now landed at gate seventeen.'
'She's on that flight,' Harry said, standing up and collecting his jacket.
'Good luck mate!' the man called as Harry dashed out of the bar and through the airport, following the signs to gate seventeen. He caught sight of himself in one of the mirrors he passed and shuddered. He ducked out of sight and withdrew his wand and cleaned himself up a bit. As a last minute though, he conjured a small bunch of flowers, and held them in the opposite hand to his jacket.
He arrived at the gate as the first passengers started to trickle off and he felt nervous as he watched and waited.
He spotted Hermione before she spotted him and he was able to let his breath be taken away. She seemed to be taller than she was when she left, and her hair was a lot shorter and lighter. And she looked stunning in just a pair of simple jeans and a long black jumper.
She shrieked when she spotted him and broke into a run, leaping into his arms, laughing with joy. Close up, he could see that she had bags under her eyes and was obviously as tired as he was, but she was smiling. Smiling and laughing.
'Oh, I missed you so much,' Harry whispered into her hair, holding her close. He felt complete again, after six months of feeling empty. He had never realised until that moment how well Hermione fitted into his arms.
'I missed you too,' she whispered back, holding onto him even tighter. 'Oh, I'm never leaving again.'
'I think I want that in writing,' he teased, kissing her gently. 'Oh, it's good to have you back.'
'It's good to be back,' she replied, before gasping in surprise. 'Are they for me?'
Harry was puzzled for a moment, wondering what she was talking about. Then he remembered the flowers he'd conjured.
'No, they're for the pilot actually,' he teased, earning a small slap on the chest from Hermione as she laughed at him.
'Oh Harry.'
They managed to locate Hermione's luggage with relative ease and it was still pitch black as Harry hailed a taxi outside. Harry gave the driver the address of his London flat and he lay back in the seat, Hermione nestled in beside him.
'I am so tired,' she said, yawning. 'I feel like I could sleep for a hundred years.'
'Hopefully you won't,' Harry said, kissing the top of her head. 'I don't think I could bear it.'
'Well, I won't. Just for you.'
The taxi stopped at the door of the building and Harry gave him some muggle money without even looking at how much he gave him. They stumbled their way up into Harry's flat and lay down together on the lounge and within seconds they were both fast asleep, wrapped up in each other.