Thanks to everyone for the feedback so far - not sure what happened to the formatting in chapter 3, hopefully it's now easier to read. This fic was originally going to be one long chapter, but I decided to post sections as soon as they were written to pressure myself into getting it finished. Also, sorry not to give more clarification on the recording studio - in another fic in my head Charlie Weasley has a successful band which is pivotal to the story, I forget that you can't see inside my head! Anyway, enough of me, back to `Liminality'
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Hermione enjoyed Muggle travel, but she did so with the benefits of being a witch. A subtle cushioning charm on her chair, a nice warming charm for her feet, and a quick slurp of pepper-up potion at the end of a very long flight and she was ready to face baggage reclaim. The heat hit her as she walked across the tarmac to the Arrivals terminal and she squinted up at sun, sitting high in the sky. It felt oddly natural to be here, and she smiled to herself, feeling once more that she was walking towards her future.
As she stood watching the baggage carousel turn, waiting for her small yet magically enhanced rucksack to appear, a feeling of contentment washed over her. For a moment she stood puzzled, her eyes not taking in the scene before her, it was a feeling she associated with Harry. It always came back to Harry…maybe she'd finally found somewhere that could make her feel as settled as being near to him did. She smiled a little sadly, and spotting her bag, plucked from amidst the hundreds of others, slung it over her shoulder and began the walk through the terminal to passport control.
She was nearing the front of the queue for passport control when she first heard it; the sound of quiet organ notes. It was a simple melody, sad yet somehow hopeful, and then there was the voice. People all around the airport were stopping and looking around, searching for the source of the music. Hermione stood frozen in place as she listened to the familiar words, knowing that only one person could be behind them. She hurriedly flashed her passport at the slightly confused looking immigration official, and jogged onwards towards the arrivals gate. The song was continuing past the words she knew, and she paused as she heard the new words `if you never try you'll never know'. Hermione had no idea when she'd started crying, but she brushed the tears from her face and began walking determinedly towards the arrivals gate, now in sight. She gasped as she came through the large archway, and saw the sight before her, the walkway was lined with tiny candles on each sight, there were so many people walking around, so many people lining the railings eager to get a glimpse of their loved ones and friends as they arrived. She slowly picked her way through the crowds, following the line of candles, and suddenly the music was ending, the melody was thinning, and there was just the words `lights will guide you home', she smiled and realised she has reached the end of the walkway. In front of her were crowds of people, taxi drivers holding signs with peoples names, family members holding `welcome home' balloons, people hugging and crying in happiness, and then one of the signs caught her eye. It was only about two metres away from her, and her eyes drank in the words slowly: "Hermione Potter". Her gaze slowly drifted upwards to find her best friend gazing back at her, his heart in his sparkling green eyes, a hopeful expression on his face.
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Harry was beginning to wonder if this had been the best idea in the world, what if she shot him down, what if she cried and he'd ruined their friendship…no, stop it, it was too late now, he'd taken that step off the cliff, and now all he could do was wait and see what awaited him at the bottom. He decided to blame the bludgers in his stomach on the after effects of apparating across an ocean, something supposedly impossible, but then again, he was Harry Potter, and he might as well use his powers for his own good now and again.
He glanced once again at the watch on his wrist; it had been his 21st birthday gift from Hermione. Much like Mrs Weasley's famous clock, his watch held hands for himself, Hermione and Ron, and with a bit of careful magical tinkering, now told him how near he was to either of them. She was getting closer; she'd almost have reached the archway now. With a quick flick of his wrist, tiny candles suddenly appeared lighting the way through the walkway of the arrivals lounge. And there she was, looking beautiful, her eyes searching the crowds, she hadn't seen him yet. He watched her take in the scene around her and his eyes never left her as she carefully made her way through the clusters of families until she was almost in front of him.
His hands gripped tightly onto the sign in his hands, focusing on keeping it steady, while he gazed at her. He knew the instant she'd read it as her eyes seemed fixed to the spot, until slowly, finally, after what felt like years, her eyes drifted upwards and locked with his. He took in the tears in her eyes, her slightly shocked expression, and he began to feel that maybe this hadn't been the best plan in the world. The bludgers in his stomach all seemed to be attacking at once, until suddenly she was walking towards him an unreadable expression on her face. And then she was right there, centimetres away from him, and it happened; her face suddenly broke into a dazzling smile, her eyes sparkling happily at him, and then his arms were around her, lifting her feet off the floor, his face buried in her hair as he held her tightly, the sign lying forgotten on the floor beside them.
They stayed that way, holding each other tight, until Harry slowly lowered her feet back to the floor, and gently ran a hand through her hair, tears in his eyes. She was looking up at him and he realised that he hadn't seen her looking this happy since he'd been released from hospital after the final battle. There didn't seem to be a need for words yet, and they stood beaming at each other for several moments longer until Hermione once again closed the small gap between them and reached up to pull his head down, and their lips met for the first time. Her arms wound themselves around his neck, and he was home.
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To give credit where credit is due: Obviously all characters etc are Jo Rowling's, other moments of inspiration from "Serendipity", "Love Actually", and Alain de Botton's "On Love". Thanks for reading
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