Comforting

Ruddy_Brilliant

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 4
Published: 13/08/2006
Last Updated: 13/08/2006
Status: completed

Harry comforts Hermione. Just that. =)

Chapters

1. Chapter the Only

1. Chapter the Only

Disclaimer: Quite obviously, Harry Potter is not mine. If it were, Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione would never. Ever. Be together.

The front door closed behind her.

“Hermione, dear, is that you?” called Harry from the kitchen, hurriedly wiping his hands on a dishtowel. He came into the living room. “Her– oh!”

Upon seeing him, his sobbing wife had thrown herself into his arms, a fresh wave of tears flowing freely down her face.

“Hermione!” Harry exclaimed, his arms automatically wrapping around her. “Love, love, what happened? What’s wrong?”

Hermione didn’t respond, just kept sobbing into his shoulder, her arms gripping him tighter.

“Here, love, let’s sit down,” said Harry, and he gently maneuvered them onto the couch. Hermione began to cry harder, attempting to speak but the choked sobs making it difficult to understand anything.

“Shhh, shhh, just cry it out, cry it out,” whispered Harry, holding her tightly and stroking her back. “Let it out, dear.”

“I’ve had– the worst day– ever–” choked Hermione, burrowing deeper into his chest. “Oh, Harry...”

“Oh, hun,” he murmured.

“It was so bad,” burst out Hermione, sitting straight up and pulling away. “It–” And she burst into tears again.

Wordlessly, Harry pulled her back into his arms, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Tell me about it,” he whispered. “I’m here, love, you don’t have to worry anymore. What happened?”

Quieting down, Hermione snuggled comfortably into his warm embrace and wiped a few tears away. “I lost– a big– project,” she choked out, trying to hold back tears. “Harry, it was so bad. It was a very good research opportunity for me, but I completely bombed the interview today, and the project went to someone else. The president of the firm kept looking at me like I was a total idiot!”

“But you’re not,” whispered Harry.

“I’m not!” she exclaimed. “I am not! But oh– I looked like it,” she sobbed, reaching for her Harry again. “Harry, it was so awful– I feel so terrible, I just feel like crying, over and over again.”

“Oh, love,” murmured Harry sympathetically, dropping kisses into her hair, “that is so awful. I know just how you feel.”

“You do?” Hermione asked, twisting in his arms to look up at him.

Harry chuckled softly and raked his fingers through her soft curls. “Remember that deal I was supposed to make for the league of Aurors?” he asked. “They were all counting on me to make the deal, and I got there and I was a complete mess. The people we were dealing with thought I was totally insane and said they’d never have anything to do with the league of Aurors again. I felt awful, lower than low, we could’ve struck this big deal fighting Death Eaters and smugglers and all, and who stops it? Harry Potter, the Boy–Who–Lived–To–Be–An–Idiot.”

In spite of herself, Hermione laughed out loud. Harry pretended to look affronted.

“Well, I’m glad you like laughing at my idiocy!” he huffed, and turned the other way, crossing his arms across his chest.

Giggling, Hermione tackled his back, kissing him soundly on the mouth. Harry cracked up and hugged her.

“See? All better now?” he asked softly.

“A little,” Hermione smiled. “Thank you, Harry. You are the best husband ever, to know how to deal with me when I’m like this. I don’t know why you even put up with me at all.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Well, I would have thought that would be obvious,” he stated.

Hermione looked up at him. “Why?”

“I love you,” Harry smiled simply. “You want to know why I put up with you? Because some days, I wonder why you put up with me. I am such an annoying, angry, stupid prat sometimes, and you’re always so good to me. I love you, Hermione. You are my one, my beautiful, lovely, smart, talented, and absolutely gorgeous wife. Do you think I would have married you if I wasn’t completely addicted to you?” He grinned. “Besides, I get to make love to you whenever I want. And when you’re as hopelessly horny in love with you as I am, that is a very good thing.”

Hermione burst out laughing, throwing her arms around Harry’s neck. “Mmm, it’s a good thing I have just the right appetite for you, too,” she murmured, gently biting the side of it. Harry shivered, then abruptly stood up, holding out his hand.

“Come on,” he whispered. “Let’s go to bed.”

“Best idea ever,” Hermione whispered back as he scooped her into his arms and headed towards the stairs, his lips meeting hers in a searing kiss.