Disclaimer: I don't own it, otherwise OBHWF would be just a delusion of someone and not canon…
A/N: My response to the challenge "Harry at Hermione's" by vivitribal. The requirements can be found here: http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=1356&st=0 Please if you read leave me a comment, it takes you few minutes and it makes me happy! *grins*
Helping Hermione Find Her Parents
Chapter Four: Reunion
"Harry…" she whispered. "You promised…you told me you wouldn't leave…please Harry…don't leave me alone…" she said, sobbing loudly, tears wetting their bedclothes. "I need you, Harry…" she whispered again to the empty room.
Few minutes later, the door clicked open.
"Hermione?" Harry softly called, and immediately he was knocked against the nearest wall by what he could just identify as a cloud of honey-coloured hair. Hermione had flung herself at him and was now sobbing into his chest.
He instinctively wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her tightly.
"Oh, Hermione…" he whispered.
"You promised me you wouldn't leave…when I woke up alone I was so scared you had abandoned me too…" she said through her tears and Harry's heart broke. But, he had good news for her.
Pushing her face gently away from his chest, he gave her a lopsided grin.
"I'd never abandon you" he said, kissing her forehead, and she smiled at him, albeit a bit weakly.
Then, he took her hand, led her to the bed, and told her to close her eyes.
Moments later, a tray with fresh pastries he had bought on his way back was in front of her.
"Harry, this is so sweet of you" she said giving him a much warmer smile than before.
He then joined her on the bed for their breakfast.
"You don't mean to eat them all by yourself, uh?" he teased her seeing how she had started attacking her third pastry.
"We skipped dinner last night, I'm famished" she said sticking her tongue at him.
The joy for discovering that Harry had not abandoned her put Hermione in a good mood, even if the thought of her parents rejecting her still hurt. But, as they finished eating, Harry approached the subject.
"You know, I've gone to see your parents this morning" he started. "That's why I wasn't here when you woke up"
"My parents?" she said, looking serious. Harry could see tears threatened to fall again from her beautiful eyes, and he wiped them away gently.
"Hermione, there's no need to cry. I've straightened out things with them, and told them they should blame me if anything, not you. It took some time, but they are now willing to accept you back, although it might take some time for them to fully heal after the shock" he said. "They don't even seem angry at me which I think is good, if you ask me. I'd rather have your family like me, thanks" he joked then.
"You did this for me?" she whispered.
"As I told your mother, I'd do anything just to see you smile, Hermione" he said, pulling her close as they were now again lying in bed. She rested her head on his chest as he lazily played with a lock of her hair.
"You're the sweetest guy, Harry Potter" she said with a smile, kissing him just on the corner of his mouth and making him blush.
Harry was very aware of Hermione's body being pressed against his own, and he hoped she wouldn't notice the reaction she elicited from him, but he would never willingly move from that position. It felt good to be snuggling like that with her, as weird it may be to say that about your best friend, and he kept rehearsing her mother's words in his head.
Maybe Ellen was right and he was really in love with Hermione. But, she liked Ron. He had seen them kiss in front of him, so there was no doubt about that.
Realizing it was getting late, Harry reluctantly moved.
"We've to get ready or we will be late for lunch with your parents" he said.
"I don't want to get up" Hermione pouted, and Harry chuckled. "Believe me, neither do I"
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They took their time to get to the Grangers', enjoying the view of the town as they moved with the taxi toward their destination. Then, they made the last stint by feet, as Harry wanted to show Hermione something he had discovered previously that morning. Walking hand in hand, sharing an occasional laugh, they seemed to the outside observer a cute couple although they weren't completely aware of acting as one.
Finally reaching the door, Hermione rang the bell and soon Ellen was there to greet them.
"Harry, Hermione! It's good to see you! Come inside, lunch is just ready!"
As they chatted while eating, Roger spoke.
"We would like to tell you that we have decided to come back to England. Only, we expect it to take some time as we need to sell the house and such, so you two will probably go back before us. For the moment, though, it would give us a great pleasure if the two of you stayed here instead of in the hotel"
The two teens eagerly agreed, and so that was settled.
Once they were done eating, Hermione remained in the kitchen to help her mother wash the dishes and catch up, and Harry went to see a rugby match with Roger. He knew almost nothing of the sport, but Hermione's father was kind enough to explain it to him.
Later, as Hermione remained there to enjoy her reunion with her parents, Harry made a trip back to the hotel to pack their things and pay the bill, which he did with the special credit card he had got at Gringott's before leaving from London.
Hermione helped him settle their things in the rooms Ellen had assigned them, and both of them realised they would need to sleep in different beds since that night. The idea saddened both.
Just before dinner, Roger took Harry with him to show him the famous Bondi Beach, which was nearby, while Hermione and her mother gossiped in the living room.
"So, you and Harry, uh?" Ellen said, with a wink.
Hermione blushed. "Mum, it's not like you think" she said.
"But you would like it to be" the older woman said with a knowing smile. Hermione nodded with a shy smile.
"You know what? I think you should just tell him, or, you can make him notice what he's missing" her mother suggested.
"Are you trying to tell me to seduce him?" Hermione said, shocked.
"Well, I wouldn't go as far as to call it seducing him, but maybe be a little more flirty, dress nicer, and such" Ellen replied with a twinkle in her eye.
Hermione sipped her tea thoughtfully, but couldn't say more as the two men had returned.
That night, both Hermione and Harry lay wide awake on their beds for a long time before falling asleep, as they had somewhat gotten used to sleep with the company of the other, and now adjusting to sleep alone again was revealing itself to be troublesome.
Both teens kept thinking of the other one, and when sleep finally took them, the subject of their dreams didn't change.
Next morning, after a good breakfast, the two of them headed to the beach. Hermione decided to follow her mother's advice and kick the flirting into an higher gear.
So, once there, she revealed the bikini she had chosen that morning, which was much skimpier than those she had wore the previous days.
It was a light blue, and contrasted well with her now slightly tanned skin. Harry froze midway through removing his shirt as he caught sight of her in that attire. He knew he would soon need a swim to calm his southern regions.
But when Hermione, her back toward him, started wriggling her hips in an attempt to have her trousers slide down her legs, that was when Harry really had to suppress a groan.
"This is going to be a long day" he thought.
And right he was, because Hermione had just started her plan.
While they were enjoying the warm sun, she took a bottle of protective lotion.
"Harry, would you please apply this for me?" she asked, with a bright smile.
He gulped. Did she mean what he thought she meant? Would he really have to rub the lotion on her back?
He blushed.
"You're so shy" she teased him, then moved to sit on his bum, and started rubbing the lotion on his back.
"Just like this" she whispered into his ear. She felt him tremble and had to suppress a smirk.
However, when Harry did the same for her, it was him who felt her squirm under his hands, and had to suppress a grin. "Two can play this game, Granger" he thought.
Later, they went to have a swim, and Harry suddenly picked her up and dropped her into the water. When Hermione resurfaced, spilling the salt water she had drank, he was laughing merrily at her face.
"You think you're fun, don't you?" Hermione mock scowled at him. But on the inside she was glad to see him so carefree like he had never been able to be till now.
They then set for a swim together and even if Harry was fit by Quidditch, he had to admit Hermione was quite resistant too.
"Surprised?" she winked at him while they were drying themselves.
"Quite" he said with a smile.
"I used to swim for hours when I was little" she explained.
Harry nodded, taking a sandwich from the bag they had brought with them. They had prepared some back at the house, and charmed them so they would not be ruined with the heat of the beach.
That afternoon, they decided to try surf, as they had seen lots of people doing that. They found an instructor, and asked him for some lessons.
By the time the afternoon finished, Hermione had already managed to stand on the surf without falling, at least till a wave came. That would be next lesson. Harry, instead, had managed to stand but just for moments before he fell back into the water.
As they walked back to the house, Hermione teased him about that.
"Insufferable know-it-all" Harry retorted, playfully smacking her bum.
Hermione faked to be outraged, before bursting in a fit of giggles. Harry chuckled too, pulling her close.
"You know what? I really like this new side of you I'm discovering lately" he said, looking at her affectionately as they entered the house, and were met with the wonderful smell of dinner being cooked by Ellen.
Hermione was left wondering over his words as they headed to their rooms to change their clothes, and felt giddy as she repeated them over and over to herself.
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