Why Men Love Women

Disclaimer: This isn't mine, I'm just having fun with it.

Summary: Harry takes a look back on why he loves Hermione so much. Not much of a plot, just a nice quick piece to brighten your day!

Author's Note: A friend told me that there is a story (very) slightly similar to this that is entitled “25 Things a Perfect Guy Would Do.” In no way did I try to steal the author's idea, and I believe the two stories are quite different, since the one is about them getting together, and mine is about after they get together, and it's post Hogwarts. Anyway, in the flashbacks, I managed to slip in an actual quote from the Harry Potter books, so that's nice, of course.
P.S. I made a little dedication to my friend, Debra, or Dedi, for short, who first showed me Portkey and persuaded me to post my first story “Beauty in the Eye” on here. Thanks, Dedi!
P.P.S. Sorry, but I was having issues with formatting, so after the list is finished it remains in italics, even though it isn't suppose to be. So, just fyi, when you see “~*~” that means it is returning to the regular story.

~*Why Men Love Women*~

Harry walked into the kitchen, grabbing three bowls and filling them with cereal, then placing them on the placemats on the table. He then grabbed the carton of milk and filled up three cups, putting them next to the bowls, then pulled three spoons out of the drawer and stuck them in the bowls. Then he took the plates with bacon, eggs, and sausage and sat them there as well. He thought about going to wake Hermione and his young daughter Debra, but hesitated. Hermione was usually not in a great mood in the mornings; she was now seven months pregnant with their second child.

Harry had found that lately he was walking on eggshells around his usually strong-willed wife, but, of course, Hermione always acted very differently during her pregnancies. Obviously, he tried to be as understanding as he could, but when she yelled at him in the middle of the night for getting her tuna with chocolate powder on it instead of cocoa powder on it, he found himself getting quite angry, which tended to result in him sleeping on the couch for an hour or so until Hermione would come down in tears apologizing for her irrational behavior, for which he would reassure her that it was alright.

Nonetheless, Harry new Hermione would be mad if he didn't wake her early enough, so he was just about to exit the kitchen when he heard a familiar tap on the window.

“What are you doing up so early?” He asked as he opened the window and stroked Hedwig, taking the envelope that was attached to her leg. He recognized the handwriting immediately. It was Ron's. Harry quickly opened the letter, reading its contents. He took a seat at the table, deciding he could let his family sleep a little longer.

“Hiya Harry!

How's the family? Is Hermione killing you yet? If you need a break, you can always owl me, but be aware that the wife will punish you when you get back.

Fred and George sent me this list of why men love women so much when Luna was pregnant, and I decided that, just incase you've forgotten,” Harry laughed, “I'd send it on to you as well. So read the enclosed list and enjoy!

Best mate,

Ron”

Harry smiled and pulled the list out of the envelope.

“WHY (MOST) MEN LOVE WOMEN SO DAMN MUCH” Harry chuckled.

“1) They will always smell good even if it is just shampoo.”

“Harry, what are you doing?”
“Huh?” He pulled himself out of his daze.
“We've been hugging for a minute now.”
“Oh, I was…” Harry shuffled his feet.
Hermione looked up and smiled at him. What a smile. “You were what?”
“Smelling you.”

“2) The way their heads always find the right spot on your shoulder.”

“I didn't get the job!” She sobbed. Harry didn't know what to do, so he just opened his arms up to her. She instinctively ran into his embrace, and, even though his shirt was slowly getting soaked, He found himself enjoying her presence, and running his hands through her hair.
“Shh… it's okay. I love you. It's okay…”

“3) How cute they look when they sleep.”

Harry came down to the common room to find Hermione asleep on a pile of books. His first thought was to wake her up and take her to her room, and his second thought was to leave her, just as she was.

“4) How adorable they are when they eat.”

“Harry, could you pass me the macaroni and cheese?”
Harry did and watched as his very pregnant wife balanced the bowl on her belly, and he found himself never respecting her as much as he did in that moment.
“What? Do I have food in my teeth?” Hermione looked up at him, confused, half smiling.
Harry smiled. “No, I was just thinking of how much I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Hermione smiled bag and went back to eating.

“5) The way they take hours to get dressed but in the end it makes it all worth while.”

Krum was at the front of the party, accompanied by a pretty girl in blue robes Harry didn't know. [...]
His eyes fell instead on the girl next to Krum. His jaw dropped.
It was Hermione.

“6) Because they are always warm even when it is minus 30 outside.”

Harry walked into the common room, shivering from walking back to the castle through the full-blown blizzard that had started raging. The second he came in, Hermione rushed to his side, pulling his now wet coat off and wrapping a blanket around him. Though she had just been outside as well, when she put her hands in his and rubbed them together, he didn't feel cold anymore.

“7) They way they look good no matter what they wear.”

“I'm going to kill Fred and George. This is the worst idea they ever had!” Hermione yelled from upstairs.
Ron gave Harry the she's-your-girlfriend look.
“It can't be that bad honey. We're all dressed up.” He called to the top of the stairs. “Just come down and let us see you.”
Harry heard Ron begin to snicker as a giant pumpkin emerged from the top of the stairs, but he had never thought she looked more beautiful in her life, and couldn't help but smile as she began muttering about costume parties in June and unprepared party stores.

“8) The way they fish for compliments even thought you both know that you think she is the most beautiful thing on this earth.”

“Does this make me look fat?”
No honey…
“Do you think I need maternity clothes already?”
No honey…
“Is she prettier than me?”
No honey…
“Do you think I would look that good in that swimsuit?”
Obviously…
“Do I have an athletic figure?”
Of course…
“Am I sexy?”
More than Aphrodite herself…

“9) How cute they are when they argue.”

Harry walked in on yet another argument between Ron and Hermione on the importance of S.P.E.W. He watched from the corner for about five minutes, just watching Hermione, thinking of how much he wanted to kiss her.

“10) The way their hand always finds yours.”

“It's me or him, Hermione,” Harry told her for the millionth time. Some times he just had to tell her just so he knew she would be there for him. She knew that, and said nothing, but simply placed her hand in his, and for a second, all was right in the world.

“11) The way you feel when you make up after having a fight.”

“I'm sorry-”
“It was my fault-”
“I shouldn't have and-”
“Me neither, and”
“I love you”
“I love you”

“12) The way they kiss you when you do something nice for them.”

Harry saw Hermione walk in and run up to her room, slamming the door behind her. Something was wrong and he knew it. He gave her time to her self as he made tea, and when he felt she was ready for him, gently came up and knocked on her door. She opened it and peaked through, eyes puffy.
“I made you some tea,” he said, holding it out to her. “Your favorite.”
Hermione smiled and began crying again. She took the tea and set it on a table and then pulled him into her arms, kissing him. “You have got to be the sweetest boyfriend that ever walked this planet!”
Harry felt lightheaded for a moment.

“13) The way they kiss you when you say, `I love you.'

“14) Actually, the way they kiss you…” Harry laughed.

“15) The way they apologize for crying over something silly, even when it isn't silly.”

“I'm sorry,” she muttered as she held a shaky hand over her forehead. “I knew you would win, but he's so… and I was just worried that's all.”

“16) The way they hit you and expect it to hurt.”

Harry heard her walk into the common room and pretended to be asleep as she approached the couch where he lay. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. He smiled. “Ginny, not here. What if Hermione walks in?”
She hit him hard and he mocked pain as he rolled off the couch, moaning loudly until he was sure the whole house could hear him.

“17) The way they apologize when it does hurt (even though we don't admit it!).”

As Hermione rambled on while hyperventilating slightly Harry couldn't hold back the laugh that came out of his mouth. Hermione, frustrated, punched him in the stomach…hard.
“Oh, Harry I'm so sorry!” She exclaimed immediately, not having realized just how upset she was.
Harry closed his eyes for a second. When he was sure he could keep his composure he just muttered, “It's nothing. Just a little bruise…”

“18) The way they say they missed you.”

Harry hesitantly knocked on the door of Spinner's End. He heard a loud, girlish screech from inside just before Hermione flung open the door and tackled him on the sidewalk. An old couple passing by smiled.
Hermione kissed him and whispered in his ear, “I missed you so much.”

19) The way you missed them…” Harry smiled, remembering all the times they'd been apart, and thinking about the reunions…

“And finally…

20) The way their tears make you want to change the world so that it doesn't hurt her anymore... Because once in your life, whatever they were to the world they become everything to you. When you look them in the eyes, traveling to the depths of their souls and you say a million things without trace of a sound, you know that your own life is inevitably consumed within the rhythmic beatings of her very heart. We love them for a million reasons, No paper would do it justice. It is a thing not of the mind but of the heart. A feeling. Only felt.”

~*~

Harry smiled and folded up the paper and the letter, inserting them back into the envelope. He turned around to see Hermione walk into the kitchen, hands resting on her round belly.

“Harry, why didn't you wake me? You know I hate to-” Hermione cut herself off when she looked and saw the breakfast on the table and promptly began crying.

“What is it, honey?” Harry walked over and hugged his wife, kissing away her tears.

“It's just, I was so annoyed at you for not waking me and you were down here making breakfast!” She sobbed a little. “It's so sweet of you. I don't know why you put up with me, I'm such a mess.”

“Well, I thought it was obvious why I do it.”

“What's that?” Hermione looked up into his eyes with her own blood-shot ones, wondering what his reasons were.

“I love you.”

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