What I Always Wanted
Prologue: Homecomings
Harry stepped out of the Auror Dissemination Chamber, a scowl marring his face. He ran a hand through his uncontrollable shoulder length ebony tresses as he stomped off down the hall. He and his team of aurors had just spent the last hour and a half being debriefed by the berk who passed as their superior, Agamenous Melbourne. Harry honestly couldn't believe the things that Melbourne has said to and about him. Harry knew that Melbourne was not overly found of him. They had never seen eye to eye on even the simplest of things. Melbourne was of the opinion that Harry had been given too much free reign because of his past successes. He also believed that Harry's methods were far too extreme. On more than one occasion Melbourne had called Harry cocky and arrogant and had even tried to have him sacked once. The two were so often at loggerheads that most in the auror department thought it was only a matter of time before one of them pushed the other too far. Today had been the day. Melbourne had gone too far today, he'd crossed the line and Harry had had enough.
Harry scrubbed his face with his right hand, pausing reflexively to stroke the beard that covered his jaw line and chin. Glancing at his watch he saw that it was nearly one o'clock. Normally after a debriefing he would head to his office and write out his report to be filed but such things were of no concern to him at the moment. He stood for a moment trying to decide what his next move should be. The answer came to him almost immediately, Harry decided to pay a visit to the Department of Mysteries and see his favorite unspeakable, Hermione.
Harry nodded hello to several witches and wizards he passed in the corridors as he exited the lifts, turned down a corridor to his left and rounded a corner drawing up short at a door to his right. He rapped lightly on the door and waited for a response. Hearing nothing he reached out and turned the knob and walked across the threshold into Hermione's empty office. A large L-shaped floor to ceiling bookcase crammed with books ran the length of the back wall and the wall to its right. Covering three fourths of the left wall was a row of floor to ceiling filing cabinets. The remaining portion of the wall was covered with citations Hermione had received and photographs of Hermione at various conferences and lectures and a side door that led to the main offices of the Unspeakable division's headquarters. Towards the center of the room was a large handsome mahogany desk; on the left hand corner sat a lovely antique brass lamp that had once adorned the desk in Hermione's father's study. Beside the lamp was a tray holding an array of requests categorized in order of importance. On the right was a pewter and brass inkwell and quill holder it held what seemed to be endless amounts of quills and inkwells overflowing with inks in every imaginable hue. The center of the desk was covered with a stack of books, several rolls of parchment, and photographs of Hermione's family. Three outsized dark brown leather chairs surrounded the desk, one behind it and two in front of it.
Harry closed the door of the office and dropped onto the dark brown leather couch just behind it. He opened the mini cooler that was jammed into the corner by Hermione's massive bookshelf and pulled out a bottle of ale. Unscrewing the cap he downed the drink in one gulp and grabbed another. Harry swung his feet up on the couch and stared at the moving photographs decorating the wall above him of himself, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and the rest of the Weasley clan. Having finished his second ale he contemplated whether or not to have another and finding no reason not to he reached into the cooler for the third time.
Harry was halfway through his fourth ale and dozing peacefully when Hermione entered her office through the side door beside the file cabinets. As she entered the room to her right she glimpsed a hulking figure lounging on her couch. The small smile that had touched the corners of her mouth quickly turned to a frown as she spotted the three empty bottles lying on the floor and the unfinished one clasped in Harry's hand. Striding purposefully across the room Hermione walked over to the couch and tapped Harry's shoulder.
"Budge up."
Harry grunted as he opened his eyes and sat up on the couch and made room for Hermione to sit behind him. While he waited for her to get comfortable he raised the bottle of ale he'd been holding to his lips and knocked back the contents. Harry then leaned back into Hermione's embrace slumping down so low that his feet hung over the edge of the couch. With a sigh he closed his eyes. Hermione lightly traced his eyebrows with her index finger as she spoke.
"Your hair has grown out some and I see you have a beard now as well."
Harry grunted as he slumped a bit lower on the couch.
Seeing that he wasn't in the mood for small talk Hermione got straight to the point.
"Had another run in with Melbourne have you?"
Harry cracked one eye open and grunted out the words.
"How'd you suss that out?"
Hermione smiled and continued her exploration of Harry's face.
"Well you've been back all of what two maybe three hours and already you're lying on my couch drinking yourself into a stupor."
Harry grumbled and replied.
"Damn stupid prat he is! He's convinced himself that all these strange things happening are just coincidences. He doesn't find it the least bit strange that the same signs of Dark Magic have shown up in Transylvania, Romania and Yugoslavia. He thinks its just kids messing around! He thinks I'm overstating things…he actually had the nerve to tell me that I've got a glory complex…that I'm out there doing all this to keep my name in the bloody papers! That's not why I do this…"
Hermione nodded and muttered an encouraging yet incomprehensible reply as she unconsciously kneaded Harry's temples allowing him to continue venting his frustrations.
"How could anyone be so idiotic? He was a bloody auror himself for Merlin's sake! How could he be so thick as to think that I do this for the fame…as if fame alone would be worth seeing the things I've seen…doing the things I've done…"
Harry's voice dropped an octave with each word until it was only just a whisper. Hermione cradled his face in her hands and directed his gaze towards her own and replied softly but firmly.
"He judges your motives by his…its what most people do, they see the world from the only point of view they know…their own. Melbourne assumes you do what you do for fame and glory because that is his motivation. And though he has seen a great deal of the same things you have seen having been an auror himself he has no idea what you have lost and because of that he can not begin to comprehend your actions or your motives."
Hermione stopped her speech and smiled warmly at Harry and added.
"And he's an impressively stonking git."
At those words the corners of Harry's mouth turned upwards in a smile. Hermione's smile brightened as she lowered her lips to Harry's and kissed him tenderly on the lips. At the feel of Hermione's lips pressing against his Harry swiveled around so that he was facing her. Readjusting himself and drawing her to him he laid her on the couch and covered her body with his own. He smiled leisurely as he lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was a slow passionate affair. Their tongues made sweeping arcs as they languidly explored every inch of each other's mouths. Harry smiled as he cupped Hermione's face in his hands and softly brushed his lips against hers. She responded by wrapping her arms about his neck and opening her mouth to him. Harry gladly accepted her invitation and swept his tongue over her lips and into her mouth. He moaned as she flicked her tongue against his and pressed her body against his.
Harry hadn't kissed Hermione properly in what felt like ages thus the feel of her body pressed against his and the sweet taste of her on his tongue was intoxicating. Losing himself in the moment Harry wrapped his arms tightly about Hermione's waist and leaning back against the arm of the couch behind him lifted her onto his lap. A lustful half moan half gasp escaped Hermione as she settled her bum against Harry's lap and in what was clearly a practiced motion that had been repeated countless times she looped her arms more securely around Harry's neck and slipped her fingers into the fringe at the nape of his neck drawing his mouth to hers as she deepened the kiss.
Harry moaned into Hermione's mouth and intensified the movements of his tongue, touching and tasting every inch of her mouth. Hermione moaned erotically against his mouth and matched his movements. Oblivious to anything but the feel and taste of Hermione Harry released the fastenings of her robes and slipped his hands underneath her pale blue jumper. As he caressed the supple skin of her back Hermione seemed to melt into Harry's touch. Smiling into the kiss Harry allowed his hand to journey further up Hermione's back and was pleasantly surprised to find that she was not wearing a bra. With the practiced skill of a seeker Harry rotated his hands around to Hermione's front and cupped her bared breasts. Her response was a whimper and a seductive arching of her back. Though the movement tore her lips away from Harry's as her head drifted back it simultaneously thrust her full breasts into his palms and exposed the column of her throat to his lips. Harry wasted no time in leaning forward and inhaling deeply, he allowed the trademark scent of citrus and vanilla that perpetually enveloped Hermione to fill his nostrils. He opened his mouth and flicked his tongue across the delicate skin of her throat. Merlin she tasted even better than he remembered. Harry slowly kissed his way up Hermione's neck and jaw to her ear licking, sucking and nibbling as he kneaded her breasts in his hands. He felt his groin tighten as Hermione rolled her hips wantonly against him. Hermione raised her head and cupping his face in her hands pulled Harry's lips back to her own as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Harry smiled fleetingly as he readjusted their positions again, lying Hermione back on the couch. Between eager kisses he breathed out.
"God, Hermione…I've missed you so much!"
Hermione moaned a reply.
"I've missed you too!"
Their kisses intensified and soon Harry felt Hermione's hands as they closed around the buckle of his belt and deftly began releasing the clasp. Harry enthusiastically pushed Hermione's robes up her smooth honeyed thighs. Hermione was massaging Harry's erect member through his trouser as she nearly had his belt undone Harry meanwhile had hooked a finger in her black lace knickers and was tugging them down frantically as he laved her exposed cleavage with his tongue when the side door to Hermione's office banged open and a happily excited voice attached to a slender blue-eyed brunette burst into the room animatedly chatting away.
"Ms. Granger I've got that book you asked about on archaic forms of Celtic and Druid magic and while I don't see the particular passage you where referencing I did find something equally interesting…its a…oh my…I…I…I'm so sorry…oh…I should…oh my!!"
The young witch dropped the book she'd been holding and covered her face with her hands as she turned and bolted for the door. Harry and Hermione sprang apart straight away. Harry turned and faced the wall and set about closing his trousers as Hermione frantically tugged her various articles of clothing back into their proper places. Hermione ran a hand through her hair vainly attempting to order her tousled curls as she called out to the young woman.
"Daphne please wait!"
The young witch stopped abruptly midway through the door and very slowly turned halfway around, her cheeks were blood red from embarrassment and her hands shook slightly as she waved them around in time to the frantic words that flowed breathlessly from her mouth.
"Oh Ms. Granger…I'm so so sorry…I should have knocked…I…"
Hermione interjected as she walked to where the younger woman was standing and patted her arm reassuringly.
"Its alright Daphne it wasn't your fault…its ours. Harry has been away for quite some time now and we got a touch carried away with our hellos."
Hermione paused and turned to look at Harry who was picking up the book that Daphne had dropped upon seeing them in their moment of passion. Hermione admonished Harry with her eyes not to say anything inappropriate as she went about making introductions.
"Harry this is my new assistant Daphne Greenfendle. Daphne this is Harry Potter."
Harry smiled and said hello as he handed back the book Daphne had dropped. Daphne nodded stiffly, rapidly mumbling a hello and a thank you before plucking the book from Harry's hand and clutching it to her chest.
"Sorry about that."
Harry jerked his head in the direction of the couch then continued.
"I've been in Transylvania for six weeks…reckon I got a bit beside myself…"
Harry allowed his voice to trail off into silence as he jammed his hands in his pocket. He stood there for a moment more before he spoke again directing his voice to Hermione.
"I actually came by to see if you had some free time…I fancied a chat about some…er…ummm…personal matters."
Hermione drew her bottom lip between her teeth as she glanced down at the watch at her wrist to check the time. She knew Harry well enough to know that "personal matters" was his way of asking her to skive off work for the afternoon. As she mulled over her next move Hermione heard the sound of rustling parchment coming from her desk. Turning around to see the cause of the sound she saw Daphne standing behind her desk collecting all the books and research Hermione had been poring over. Daphne smiled and said.
"I'll finish off this bit of research and clear your calendar for the rest of the afternoon. If Mr. Moore inquires I'll tell him you're off at the archives doing more research."
That said Daphne turned and stumbled awkwardly through the door making sure to close and lock it behind her. Harry speared Hermione with a lustful glare and said.
"I like the way her mind works."
Hermione grinned and replied.
"You would."
Harry stepped nearer to Hermione and pulling her into his arms asked.
"Now then, where to?"
Hermione flashed him a seductive grin and whispered back.
"Surprise me."
They disapparated with a pop.
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