Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
A/N: Thanks to Sapphire Water Elf Princess for the beta-ing! Ok… a bigger chapter than the last now. This chapter Hermione cries… and we see the first snog between our favourite couple. The ending is… a bit of a cliffy. And I wasn't sure about what Harry does, but whatever. I hope you like it! Please review!
The Return
Chapter Six: Madness
"So the press have found out?" Molly asked, sipping her tea.
"Mark found out and he said that his boss dragged it out of him," Hermione said, glaring down at her tea. "I think he couldn't wait to tell everyone."
"Well, Harry will have to face them sooner or later," Molly said reasonably, placing her cup and saucer down on the coffee table. "What do you think Harry?"
He sighed and said, "I don't like wasting my time with reporters."
Molly smiled, "Rita Skeeter?"
Harry smiled grimly, "Yes."
"Not all reporters are like her Harry," Molly said reasonably.
"We thought Mark wasn't like that," Hermione interjected, "I thought I could trust him."
"At least you know now that you can't. The wizarding world will want to know what happened to you Harry. They will argue that you owe them an explanation."
"But -"
"You don't owe anyone anything," Molly said firmly, cutting across Harry. "If you want to and when you are ready, then you can tell the wizarding world where you've been. But don't cave in to them Harry."
"I won't," Harry said, placing a hand on Molly's knee. "And… I'm sorry about Arthur and Fred and George and…"
"I know," Molly said softly, rubbing his hand softly. She smiled weakly, "They'd be so happy that you're back, Harry."
He smiled back and pulled her into a hug.
---
"You two should be getting back home now," Molly said, after they'd had lunch. "I think I've tired Harry out," she added with a small smile.
Harry grinned apologetically, "Why don't you come back with us then?" he asked.
"No, I'll be alright here," Molly insisted, "I have some things to do."
"Okay," Hermione stood up, and pulled Harry up with her. She hugged Molly tightly and said, "Thanks."
"No, thank you," Molly replied quietly, kissing Hermione's cheek quickly and rubbing her back. Hermione smiled and stepped back to allow Molly to hug Harry.
"Don't you dare leave without telling me again," Molly muttered and she pulled Harry into a hug. "You're the last of my boys now."
"I promise," Harry said, hugging her tightly and kissing her cheek softly.
"Okay. Now, off you two go," Molly said, pulling back from Harry and drawing her robes around her body tightly. "Come and see me some time soon."
"We will," Harry said immediately as Hermione moved back to start to help him to the fireplace.
"Could you ask Ginny to Floo around to my place tomorrow?" Hermione asked Molly.
Molly smiled and nodded, "Sure."
---
"Next time, Molly is coming here," Harry grumbled as he sat up to try to wipe his clothes clean of soot for the second time that day.
Hermione smiled and helped him stand up, "Baby."
"Is there still a crowd outside?" Harry asked, ignoring her last comment.
"Let me get you to the couch and I'll check," she said, grunting slightly as he leaned on her.
"Why haven't you cried like Molly did?" Harry asked suddenly, frowning slightly.
Hermione sighed and said, "If I start I won't stop."
"Oh," Harry said softly. "But shouldn't you cry?"
"I don't like crying," she said as they reached the couch.
Harry sat down and said confusedly, "But it lets out emotions. If you don't cry it gets all bottled up inside and then it'll eventually explode in a giant wave."
"I won't let it," Hermione said stubbornly, walking to the window to look out at the street. She scowled, "They're still there. The crowd's gotten bigger too."
"Hermione stop avoiding the subject," Harry said firmly, looking up at her.
She turned around to face him and glared at him, "If I show my emotions, you might leave again. It's what you did last time. I wouldn't be able to deal…"
"I'm not leaving again," Harry said softly, standing up off the couch. He limped towards her and she moved forward quickly to catch him before he fell. "I couldn't ever leave again," he said softly, gazing into her eyes.
"You can't guarantee that," she said, frowning as she moved him back to the couch.
He didn't sit down; instead, he grabbed her hands to stop her from pushing him down, "Stop it," he said sharply, now glaring at her.
She narrowed her eyes and tried to pull away, "No, you stop it."
"Don't you trust me?" he asked, holding her steadily.
"Of course I trust you," she said weakly, still trying to tug her arms away from him.
"Then why won't you let your emotions out?"
She stopped struggling and closed her eyes, breathing hard through her nose. She opened her eyes, "I don't want to."
Harry frowned, "But you have to."
"No I don't."
"Stop being so stubborn!"
Hermione glared at him, "Don't tell me what to do Harry."
Harry glared back at her, "Then what are you going to do Hermione? Take care of me, fine, but if you don't cry or let any of this emotion out you'll turn bitter and you'll start lashing out at people."
"How do you know?"
"Because I did it."
Silence.
"Don't you remember fifth year? Or sixth year?" he asked, almost desperately. "Especially after Sirius died, I didn't say anything and I didn't do anything. I never cried and I never let any of that emotion out until you forced me to at the end of sixth year."
Hermione's bottom lip trembled slightly as she said, "But I'm scared."
"Don't be," he said soothingly, letting go of her wrists. "I'm not leaving and no one is taking me away from you again."
She bit her bottom lip and raised her eyes to the ceiling, trying to blink back tears. She felt Harry touch her chin to look at him and he said, "Don't."
So she stopped holding her tears in. They burst forth and trickled down her cheeks and she sobbed into Harry's chest. He wrapped his arms around her body and held her close as she cried, her tears staining his shirt. They sat down and Hermione let Harry pull her on top of him, as he lay down. She rested her head on his chest and let her tears fall down her cheeks to his chest. They lay there the whole day while Hermione cried until she had no more tears left to cry. After a long while she sat up slightly off him to gaze up at his face. He was watching her peacefully; the faint trail of his tears slightly visible.
She reached up to wipe his tears off his cheeks with her thumbs before lying back down on top of him. She then noticed the stain of her tears on his shirt and sat up again.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly, frowning slightly.
She smiled weakly and said, "I've stained your shirt." Her fingers found their way to his buttons and she undid them, very aware of the way her stomach jumped when she parted the shirt. He sat up slightly and she pushed the shirt off his shoulders and tugged it out from under him, to drop it on the floor. She raised her eyes back to his to find him watching her and looking very amused.
"Are you okay now?" he asked, taking her hands in his.
She smiled and nodded, "I'll be fine. Thank you Harry."
"Any time Hermione," he said softly.
She smiled again and leaned forward to kiss his cheek softly. When she pulled back she found his face less than an inch from hers, their noses almost touching. She bit her lip as she realised she could feel his bare skin across her midriff, where her shirt had risen slightly. His eyes were watching her interestedly, inviting her to move forward to attach her lips to his.
"I should get some dinner," she said softly, not moving from her position.
"Maybe," he replied, moving his arms around to rest them on the small of her back.
"Don't you want dinner?"
"You know what I want," he whispered.
She bit her lip again and closed her eyes, intending to resist him. But she felt his soft lips on hers and couldn't help but give in to him, letting his mouth overcome her protests, and almost purring in delight as he probed her mouth with his tongue. The kiss ended and her eyes flew open to look at his.
"I've missed you," he said softly, kissing her lips tenderly again.
"I've missed you too," she whispered, kissing him back.
He smiled happily and wrapped his arms around her body, hugging her tightly. They lay there gazing into each other's eyes for a moment before she said, "Are you going to tell me where you've been?"
Harry sighed and looked away from her, "Okay. Do you want me to tell you now?"
"By all means," a male voice sounded from the other side of the couch, "Do tell us the story of Harry Potter."
"Mark!" Hermione exclaimed, rolling off Harry to the floor ungracefully, squeaking slightly as she landed on her feet unsteadily.
"What are you doing in here?" Harry sneered at Mark, sitting up slightly.
The right corner of Mark's lips uplifted in a smirk, "I'm here for the story, Harry. The crowd outside is getting rather impatient."
"Well they'll have to wait," Hermione said quickly, "How did you get in here without me knowing?"
"I've been here for a while," he said very calmly, "While you were out, I apparated in here."
"Get out," Harry said, standing up and turning to glare at him.
"All I want is your story Harry," Mark said, holding his hands up in defence. "And maybe something of mine back." He glanced at Hermione.
"I don't believe I took anything," Harry said, raising one eyebrow and taking a sidelong glance at Hermione.
"Mark, please just leave," Hermione said quickly, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I don't think Harry is up for an interview."
"On the contrary Hermione," Mark said curtly, "I think Harry is most certainly up for an interview."
Harry narrowed his eyes and extended his arm towards Mark, fingers clenching the air. Mark's collar suddenly bunched up and he rose into the air a few feet.
"I don't associate myself with reporters," Harry said, making Mark hover over towards the balcony windows. They sprung open and Harry limped forward, moving Mark out into the open.
"Okay, okay, okay," Mark said quickly, his eyes widening and his hands going to his collar to try to release whatever grip Harry had on him. "I'll leave! Just don't hurt me!"
Harry smiled and moved Mark higher into the air, hearing the crowd below gasp suddenly as they noticed a lone figure hovering high up in the air. "I'm not going to hurt you," Harry said, limping forward, ignoring Hermione tugging on his arm.
"Harry, stop it!"
Harry shook her hands off him and moved Mark further, over the edge of the balcony. He limped to the edge of the balcony and called out to Mark, "Don't come back!" before slowly lowering him down to the ground safely. The crowd helped Mark to his feet and he glared up at Harry.
"You idiot!" Hermione exclaimed, smacking Harry's arm, hard.
"Ouch!"
"You don't just dangle people from balconies Harry!"
"He snuck into our house and listened to us talking!"
"I would have dealt with him," she seethed, tugging him away from the edge of the balcony, away from the eyes of the large crowd. Once they were inside, with the doors shut and the curtains closed so no one flying around on a broomstick could see in, she turned and slapped him again.
"Ouch!"
"Now everyone knows you're back you idiot!" she yelled, her face going bright red.
"Good for them," Harry said sullenly, turning away from her and limping slowly towards the couch.
"Oh no Harry," she said angrily moving to stand in front of him, "No, you're not just going to forget this happened. The bloody Aurors might be sent down to take care of you if they think you're dangerous!"
"Well, I am," Harry said, rather calmly.
"What?" Hermione snapped, glaring up at him.
He glared back at her and said harshly, "I could kill everyone within a ten mile radius of myself if I wanted to, Hermione. I could force the sea to open wide and swallow the land whole."
"No you couldn't," she said, suddenly looking worried.
Harry laughed bitterly, "Yes, I could."
"How on earth could you do something like that?"
He rolled his eyes, "Where do you think I was Hermione?"
"You haven't told me," she said angrily, gritting her teeth and glaring at him.
"I was stuck, okay?" he burst out, throwing his hands up. "I was sent to this odd… place where… I dunno; time seemed to have stopped. It's why when I came back I still had these injuries."
Hermione looked at him confusedly, "What?"
Harry sighed exasperatedly and began to explain…
---
To be continued…