He Returned

'Can I come in?' Harry asked. Hermione stared for what she felt was an eternity.

'Harry? Is it really you?' Hermione whispered in awe. She thought she was maybe hallucinating.

'I hope so,' Harry said jokingly. 'So may I come inside and talk?'

Hermione could only nod and gesture. She led him to the kitchen. Hermione slumped into one of the high stools that sat along the kitchen bar. Harry shrugged off his shabby cloak; underneath he wore simple Muggle Jeans and a T-Shirt.

Harry sat down across from her and looked at Hermione straight in the face.

'I guess you want to know why I'm hear?' Harry asked after a long silence.

'That would be nice,' Hermione said she stood up. 'Um.... You want anything to drink?'

'No, I'm ok,' Harry said as he watched her back. 'How could I have been so stupid?' He thought to himself. 'Leaving her, I bet she has a boyfriend now, I'm a complete idiot.'

Hermione sat back down.

'Can I start?' Hermione nodded. 'Right, where to begin? I know, where I went after leaving Platform 9 ¾. As you know Sirius was dead, and there was no force in hell that could have taken me back to the Dursleys'. So I bought rented myself a flat.

'It was small but it was good enough for me. Even though I had a huge sum of money left by my parents I got a job, nothing flashy or important lie a Quidditch player or something in the Ministry, I went and got a job in Australia. Very low profile, I haven't been in contact with anyone I knew, not Ron, not even Dumbledore. Not even you.

'I have no real reason, but I hope we are still friends.' Harry finished and looked at Hermione.

Hermione thought about everything Harry had just said. 'What should I say? Of course I'm still his friend, hell I still love him, sort of anyway.' Hermione was silent as she pondered her thoughts.

'What kind of best friend would I be if I said no?' Hermione said. 'I have missed you, and everyone I knew.'

'What do you mean?' Harry asked.

'I live like a Muggle, I haven't kept in contact with Ron or Ginny either,' Hermione explained. 'By the way, how did you find out where I lived?'

'Remember that necklace I gave you in sixth year?' Harry asked.

'What, this one?' Hermione touched a delicate silver and emerald heart that hung around her neck.

'Yeah, that one,' Harry said. 'I had a special charm on it, if I ever wanted to find you I just thought of that necklace and where you were would just pop into my head.'

'Oh, right,' Hermione said.

'There is one other thing I would like to ask you,' Harry said.

'What is it Harry?' Hermione asked.

'Would you like to come to the Weaslys' with me?' Harry asked as he stood up, put his cloak on and extended his hand to her.

'I don't know,' Hermione looked worried. 'Wait, yes, I will come.'

'We'll get the Knight Bus, I think you will be a bit rusty at Apparition,' Harry said.

'I haven't done it since I left school,' Hermione said.

'Grab a jacket and we'll be on our way,' Harry told her.

'Let's go,' Hermione said as she opened her front door.

***

'Are you ready?' Harry asked as they stood outside the Burrow.

'As ready as I'll ever be,' Hermione replied.

Harry knocked on the door. A tall red haired man opened it.

'Bloody hell!' He cried. 'It's you!'