Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
A/N: Thank you Sapphire Water Elf Princess for the wonderful beta-ing! Well, I wrote this all on my lonesome, so I hope its ok. Small explanation as to why Hermione hasn't fully expressed her feelings yet… that'll be fully addressed next chapter. So, I hope you like! Please remember to review!
The Return
Chapter Five: Molly
Last chapter…
"You're denying that Harry Potter has returned?"
Hermione bit her lip and looked behind her. Mark was standing very close to her, at the foot of the steps leading up to the front door. He was frowning up at her with his arms crossed. She sighed and turned back to face the reporter,
"I won't ask you again. Please get out of my way."
"So he is back!"
She narrowed her eyes and drew her wand from the pocket of her robes and pointed it at the man's chin. "Move," she said very softly.
The reporter smirked and stepped aside. "Have a nice evening Miss Granger. By morning, half of the wizarding world will be at your doorstep."
---
"We have a problem," Hermione said quickly as she entered her apartment.
Harry frowned and sat up on the couch slightly, "What's happened?"
"Mark told his boss about you," she said, sighing heavily as she set the pizza down on the coffee table in front of him.
He frowned, "And they're outside now?"
Hermione nodded, "I almost had to fight them to get back in."
Harry sighed, "They won't apparate in, right?"
"No, Mark learned from last time not to do that," Hermione said reasonably. "Do you think you can apparate?"
"I don't know," Harry said uncertainly, biting his bottom lip. "Look, don't worry about them. I'll deal with them if they try to get in, okay?"
She sighed and sat down next to him, rubbing her eyes, "I never meant for anyone to find out about you before you were ready," she said softly, leaning her head back against the couch.
"I know," he said reassuringly. He reached for the pizza and placed it on his lap, opening the box. "Let's eat and we'll worry about them in the morning."
Hermione nodded and they began to slowly eat the pizza.
---
After they had finished their dinner they decided to go to bed. Once Harry was happily settled down in her bed, she said,
"Now that you're almost completely healed, I'm going to sleep out on the couch," standing up off his bed.
"No!" Harry protested immediately. "No Hermione, what if I need something in the night?"
"Then call for me," she said over her shoulder, going to her wardrobe and pulling out her pyjamas.
"What if you don't hear me?"
She smiled and turned around to face him, her pyjamas across her forearm. "The apartment isn't that big Harry."
"But…" Harry cast around for a reason for her to stay. He suddenly grinned and said, "What if those idiots try to come in the house?"
"You mean the reporters?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sure you can take care of yourself Harry."
"Come on Hermione, why don't you want to sleep with me?"
"Because it's not necessary anymore," she said reasonably, placing her hands on her hips and raising an eyebrow at him.
"That couch can't be too comfortable and there's heaps of room in here," Harry pointed out patting his hands either side of him. "It'll be warmer in here too."
"I can cast a warming charm you know," she said, beginning to smirk at him.
"But it's so much nicer to have someone next to you," he said, smirking back at her.
Hermione smiled and turned her back on him, heading out of the bedroom, "Good night Harry!" she called over her shoulder.
Harry sighed and watched her leave, not sure whether or not he should be watching the way her backside moved as she walked.
---
"Hermione!"
She sighed in her sleep and snuggled her head back into her pillow.
"Wake up!"
She suddenly felt a poking in her side and grunted, trying to move away from it.
"Come on Hermione."
"Sleeping," she muttered, swatting slightly at the poking.
"No you're not," Harry's voice said, sounding as though he was grinning widely.
Hermione opened one eye and muttered, "What do you want?"
"I have no one to talk to."
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" she asked, sitting up and yawning widely, rubbing her eyes.
"I can't sleep."
She sighed and looked at him. "Why are you out of your bed?" she asked suddenly, her eyebrows rising worriedly. "How on earth did you get out here?"
"Calm down Hermione," he said soothingly, rubbing her arm.
"But you're not supposed to be walking!"
"It took me an hour to get here Hermione, don't send me back in there," he said, looking at her in amusement.
"Oh Harry," she said exasperatedly, swinging her legs off the couch. "Why are you out here?"
"I told you, I have no one to talk to."
"Well, I'm not very good conversation at three in the morning," she said, standing up and walking sleepily towards the counter, where her wand lay. She yawned widely as she picked it up and twirled it at the couch, which then transformed into a bed the same size as the one in her room. "Get in," she said, placing her wand back down and plodding back to the bed.
"You don't have to -"
"Get in," she repeated collapsing back down onto the bed and pulling her blanket back over her body.
Harry couldn't help but grin as he clambered onto the bed, tugging the blanket across his body.
"Don't steal it all," Hermione grumbled, twisting her body to face Harry, trying to make sure the blanket still covered her.
"I'm not trying to steal it all," Harry replied, twisting his body to face Hermione.
"Yes, well, why can I feel a breeze on my back then?"
"Because the blanket is down to your waist," he said, glancing down her body.
She glanced down, "Oh."
He smiled and moved a little closer to tug it up her to her shoulder, "Better?"
She nodded and looked back at him, "Yes. Would you like to sleep now?"
"Alright. How will we sleep?" he asked innocently.
Hermione smiled and rolled her eyes and turned over to sleep on her other side, "Like we normally do."
"Oh good," he said, slipping an arm around her waist and snuggling up to her from behind.
"You know, tomorrow night if you come out again you'll stay out here and I'll just move back to my room," she said over her shoulder.
"Then I'll just make sure I cling onto you before you have a chance to leave me," he murmured to her ear.
She smiled and didn't respond.
---
"We are not apparating there," Hermione said firmly, buttoning Harry's shirt up for him.
"I'm sure I can though -"
"You'll probably splinch yourself," she said reasonably, finishing his shirt and stepping back.
"I will not!"
"We're going to Floo over to Molly's and that's final."
"But I don't like -"
"It's either that, or we go outside to face a giant crowd. And I've already Flooed Molly to tell her we're coming."
Harry scowled and crossed his arms, "Fine."
---
When Harry and Hermione tumbled out of Molly's fireplace, Molly was sure she was dreaming. There, sprawled uncomfortably on the ground was Harry. Wasn't he supposed to be dead? Did this mean none of it had happened? Did it mean that her husband and sons were still alive?
Hermione brushed herself off quickly and stood up to walk to Molly, who had frozen in the doorway.
"Molly?" she said tentatively, placing a hand softly on her shoulder.
Molly raised her eyes to meet Hermione's and said in a very soft voice, "Was it all a dream then?"
Hermione's face fell and she lowered her eyes to the ground. Molly looked back at Harry who was now sitting up, trying to clean himself of soot. She bit her lip as tears came to her eyes and moved a little closer to Harry.
"This is why I hate the Floo Network," Harry grumbled, attempting to kneel up to stand up. He fell back to his bottom and scowled, "Stupid legs." He finally looked up to see Molly gazing down at him with tears in her eyes and her bottom lip trembling.
"Harry?" she whispered hoarsely, extending a hand to him.
Harry took her hand and Hermione rushed to help pull him up to his feet. "Hi Molly," Harry said, once he was standing steadily.
"Harry," she whispered again, launching herself on top of him, hugging him tightly to her, making him feel as though his bones were being crushed. "Oh God, we thought you were dead," she muttered, the tears trickling down her cheeks.
"It's okay Molly," Hermione said softly, rubbing the old woman's back.
Harry was silent as Molly hugged him, finally knowing the depth of devastation people like Molly had to go through. He simply tried to support her as she cried hopelessly and clung onto him.
"Come on Molly," Hermione said, trying to pry her arms from Harry.
Molly pulled back and looked up at Harry worriedly, as though she knew he was going to leave her again.
"We'll go into the living room, okay?" Hermione suggested.
Molly nodded and sniffed slightly, "I'll put the kettle on."
"Come on Harry," Hermione said, slipping an arm around his waist and beginning to help him towards the living room.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, stopping walking and pulling Hermione around to face him.
"What for?"
"For not coming back sooner," he said, gazing after Molly, "I… I didn't think people would want me to come back after they lost everything." His bottom lip trembled slightly and he looked down.
"Oh Harry," Hermione sighed, pulling him into a tight hug. "You're back now and that's all that matters," she whispered, tears close to escaping the corners of her eyes. She sniffed and pulled back to kiss his cheek tenderly. "Come on. Molly will be waiting."
They made their way into the living room and sat down, waiting for Molly to come out of the kitchen.
"I'll go help her," Hermione said suddenly, standing up quickly.
Harry nodded and watched Hermione leave the living room.
"I did floo ahead," Hermione said softly as she helped Molly place three cups of tea on a tray.
"I didn't believe you," Molly said wearily, sniffing again. "Sugar?"
Hermione shook her head and asked, "Have you told Ginny?"
Molly shook her head, "No."
"Should we ask her to come over now?"
Molly shrugged and picked the tray up with trembling hands, "I don't know."
"Let me take that," Hermione said softly, taking the tray from Molly.
"How can you not burst into tears and cry hysterically?" Molly asked suddenly, tears beginning to slide down her cheeks again.
Hermione sighed and placed the tray back down, "If I cry then I'm afraid I won't stop," she said softly. "Harry honestly needs me to be strong for him at the moment. He's still healing from whatever he's been through these past five years. I can't cry."
Molly nodded and picked the tray up, with firm hands now. The pair left the kitchen and went back into the living room to Harry, who was sitting very patiently on the couch still.
"Sugar, Harry dear?" Molly asked as she placed the tray down on the coffee table.
"No thank you," he said, leaning forward and taking his cup and saucer.
---
To be continued…