Coming Home

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the last call for Flight 1182 to London's Heathrow Airport. Please proceed to Gate 34 to board. Thank you.

Hermione sighed as she stood up. She wasn't ready to return home yet, which is why she had waited for all of the other passengers to board the plane before getting up from her seat, but Dumbledore's letter sounded rather urgent and she would never keep him waiting. Trunk in hand, she made her way to the gate. She handed her boarding pass to the attendant. "Have a nice flight," the woman told her with a huge smile. Hermione smiled at her, but said nothing. In truth, Hermione wasn't ready to go home because she was afraid that she would run into the one person she had been avoiding since she left London a few months ago.

- London, a few months ago -

"I can't believe its over," Harry said as he sat at the kitchen table at the Burrow.

"I know what you mean. It seems like only yesterday that we were being sorted into Gryffindor," Ron said as he sipped his drink. As a gift, Mr. Weasley had given them a bottle of Firewhiskey. Most of the bottle was gone.

"I know. I'm gonna miss it so much," Hermione said. "We've had some good times there," she said as she looked at them both.

"Yeah, we have," Ron told her with a smile. She returned the smile, but quickly looked away. She had had feelings for Ron ever since their third year, but never said anything. She was afraid that he wouldn't feel the same and their friendship would be ruined forever.

"Next year is going to suck," Ginny grumbled from the other side of Hermione. "I still have one more year left."

Harry leaned over and gave her a light kiss on the lips and then patted her back sympathetically. "Don't worry about it, Gin. You won't be completely alone. Luna will still be there and the three of us won't be too far away."

"I know, but it won't be the same. There won't be anymore adventures to go on."

"That's because we defeated Voldemort three months ago," Hermione said. "Oh get over it, Ron. He's dead for real this time," she snapped when she saw Ron wince at the mention of the name.

"I can't help it. My whole life we've been taught to fear the name. Its instinct," he shot back at her.

"Honestly, Ron. How can you still be scared of just his name when you personally faced him and played a crucial role in his defeat?" she asked him rather hotly. She had always hated arguing with him over stupid and unnecessary things, but she knew that her point was valid and she would argue it until he finally saw that she was right.

"Get off my back, 'Mione. If I want to wince at his name, then let me. I don't see why it should bother you so much," he returned. Ron hated arguing with her, but that was because she had always made him feel stupid. He knew that she never meant to make him feel that way, but he always ended up feeling that way.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other and nodded. "We're going to go into the living room. Join us when you two are finished," Harry told them both, as the two of them stood up and left the kitchen.

"Nice job. You made them want to leave."

"Me? I did nothing of the sort. You're the one that yelled first," Hermione told him, placing her hands on her hips.

"That's because you started on me first."

"I did not!"

"Yes you did! You always do. Everything I do or say, you have to correct me. Am I not good enough the way I am?" She stood there in silence, not really knowing what to say. "Ever since we've met, you've always made me feel like I'm stupid and that I'm not good enough," he told her, his blue eyes locked onto her chocolate brown ones.

"That's not true, Ron. That couldn't be anything further from the truth. I think you're very smart. I also think you are funny and a very loyal friend. That's one of the things I love most about you." She picked up her drink and finished it. She looked at him, contemplating what she was going to say next. "There's something I have to tell you. It's something that I have wanted to tell you for awhile now." She closed her eyes momentarily, trying to reassure herself that this was the right thing to do.

When she opened her eyes, Ron was staring at her curiously. "First and foremost, I want to apologize. I am sorry if I ever made you feel stupid or inferior in any way. That was never my intention. The reason why I've always been hard on you is because I know how smart you are and what you are capable of. I don't want to see you sell yourself short." She stopped for a moment to catch her breath.

"That's what was so important that you had to wait to tell me?" he asked her. "I don't see why you had to tell me for while now."

"That wasn't it," she said calmly, taking a step closer to him.

"Then what is it?" he asked her. She looked up at him and opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She was too scared. He waited, but she said nothing. "I'm going into the living room. When you are ready to tell me whatever it is that you have to tell me, come find me." He began to walk past her to leave the kitchen.

"Ron, wait," she said. She grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. What she did next shocked them both. She pulled him towards her and kissed him. It wasn't anything fancy, just a short and tender kiss on the lips. She released him and took a step back. He was staring at her with owl eyes. "What's the matter?" she asked him. She had hoped for a much different reaction.

"Why, in the name of Merlin, did you do that?" he asked her. Her worst fears immediately began to come true.

"I just thought... I can't believe...I didn't mean to... I'm sorry, Ron. I've wanted to say this for so long now, but I never had the guts. I'm in love with you, and I have been for at least four years now. I was always too scared to tell you because I didn't want to ruin our friendship." She looked at him, his expression never changing. It was here that she realized that she had just screwed it all up. "I can see now that I was right." She turned around and ran out the kitchen door and into the night.

"Hermione, wait!" he called to her. She never turned back. "I love you too," he whispered into the night. He would never see her again... unless she ever returned.

- Present Day -

Hermione opened her eyes at the sound of the captain's voice telling the passengers that they were beginning their descent. She looked out her window and saw London below. "Merlin, give me strength," she muttered to herself.

Once at the airport, Hermione got off the plane and retrieved her trunk from the baggage claim. She then went through customs before heading to the Apparition Center. After filling out the necessary paperwork, Hermione got ready to go. Hermione arrived home a few moments later and called to her parents. Upon hearing her voice, they came into the living room to greet her.

"Hello, sweetie. We've missed you," her mother said as she hugged her. "How are your Aunt Rachel and Uncle Brian?"

"I've missed you too, mum. They are good. They send their love."

"Hey, pumpkin. Did you have a good trip? How are your cousins?" her father asked her after he hugged her.

"Hi, dad. Kevin and Jen are fine. We had a blast."

"How long will you be home for, hunny?" her mother asked her.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. I need to see what Dumbledore wants with me first," she told them. She still had not been able to figure out what he had wanted and it was driving her mad.

"All right, sweetie. You know several owls have come for you since you have left. I believe there are some up on your bed," her father told her.

"Thanks, dad. I'm going to go unpack now." They both nodded and she headed upstairs to her bedroom. Her room was exactly how she had left it; still as neat with her pictures on the wall and desk, but now an extra bookshelf had been added with all of her spell books on it. She crossed to her bed and picked up four letters. Two came from the Burrow, one from Ginny and one from Ron, and the other two were from Harry and Dumbledore. She placed the letters on her nightstand and then pulled out her wand. With a flick of her wrist, she levitated her trunk onto her bed and opened it. With another flick of her wrist, all of her belongings magically put themselves away in their proper place.

She then picked up the four letters from her nightstand and sat down on her bed to read them. She opened up Ginny's letter first.

Hermione,

Where in the hell have you been? I've been sending owls to you ever since you left the Burrow that night. Why haven't you returned any of them? I know you got them because Pig came back without anything. For the past three months I have been fighting off Ron and Harry about whether or not I have heard from you. I take it you haven't responded to them either then.

Ron told us what happened that night. I am very proud of you for finally telling him how you feel. That definitely took guts. I am also sorry that my brother is a complete git and messed it all up. Ron, Harry and I have been doing a lot of talking these last few months and you need to come to the Burrow. You and Ron need to talk. The perfect occasion for this would be this Sunday for dinner. We all hope to see you there. We all miss you terribly. Please let me know if you'll come.

Ginny

Hermione placed the letter down and stared at it for a few moments. She really wanted to go to the Burrow and see everyone, but the embarrassment and pain she would feel seeing Ron again was just too great. She reluctantly picked up the next letter, which was from Ron, and opened it.

'Mione,

I am at a loss of where I should even start. There are so many things that I want to say to you, but most of them need to be in person and not in this letter. I do know that an apology is in order for the way I behaved the night you left. I was so surprised by what you had said and did that I did not know how to react, which is what made the situation the way it is right now. I've tried to contact you several times since you've left, but all of my owls have come back to me and I did not know exactly where you were so I could not come to you. Please tell me that our friendship is not lost. I couldn't bear to not have you in my life. You're one of my best friends and I don't want to ever lose you.

There is so much more I want to say to you. Please say that you will come to the Burrow for dinner this Sunday. I would really like to see you, as I know everyone else does as well. I really need to talk to you.

Ron

Hermione folded up the paper and wiped away the tears that had begun to fall down her cheeks. Just him saying that he needed her meant a lot to her, but then him saying that she was his best friend and that he did not want to lose her friendship cut her so deep. She knew, just by his words, that he did not feel the same way about her that she felt for him and she knew that their friendship would be forever changed because of this. She looked down and saw two more letters to read; one from Harry and one from Dumbledore. She picked up Harry's first.

Hermione,

Where in the bloody hell have you been? You disappeared that night without a word and we haven't heard from you since. I'm in my right mind to hex you when I see you next.

Listen. I'm sorry about what happened that night. Ron's a prat, like we didn't already know this, and the two of you really need to talk about the situation. Please write me back telling me that you are coming to the Burrow this Sunday night for dinner. We all want to see you. Believe me when I say that your company at the Burrow would be greatly appreciated by everyone, especially one red headed git that shall remain nameless at the moment. You better be there.

Harry

Hermione smiled as she placed Harry's letter down on her bed next to Ginny and Ron's. She knew that she had to go, even if it meant seeing Ron and feeling the pain of that night all over again. It was time to bring this to an end, once and for all; to bring closure to the situation and see where they stand afterwards. She pulled out two spare bits of parchment and a quill.

I will be there Sunday. Please do not tell Ron I am coming. Thank you.

Love from

Hermione

She called her owl over and tied the letters to its leg. "Take one of these letters to Ginny and the other to Harry. Go as fast as you can." With a hoot, the owl flew out her bedroom window and into the night. Hermione then turned to the final letter that sat on her bed; the one from Dumbledore.

Miss Granger

I must tell you that I am please to welcome you back to England. I must honestly say that your absence has left many of us in a state of unrest, mainly Mr. and Miss Weasley and Mr. Potter. I know that you are not anxious to return, but what I have to tell you may be of some interest to you.

I would assume that you remember Professor Vector, your old Arithmancy professor. He always spoke so highly of you. I am, however, sad to tell you that he has passed away. It is nothing to be concerned with though. The cause of death was from natural causes.

This leads me to the nature of this letter and why I have asked you to return home. Since he died so close to the beginning of the start of term, I have been unable to locate and hire a replacement for him. I was hoping that I could interest you in filling the position, even if just for this one year. Please send word by owl on your decision. If you choose to accept the position, you are free to move into the castle anytime by the end of August. Take you time in deciding, though an immediate response is somewhat necessary.

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hermione read and reread the letter several times, her smile growing wider and wider each time she did. He wanted her to teach at Hogwarts. She had actually thought about becoming a teacher while she was in school, but never thought she would be able to because she didn't think any of the professors would be leaving any time soon. She pulled out another piece of parchment and scribbled her response to Dumbledore.

Professor Dumbledore,

I am saddened by the news of Professor Vector's death. I always liked him as a professor and I did in fact enjoy his class. When are the funeral services, if they have not been held yet, so that I may attend?

As for the position, I would be happy to accept it. It is an honor to have even been considered for the job. I will stay on as the professor for as long as you wish for me to stay. Thank you again for the offer and I won't let you down.

Hermione Granger

Since there was no owl present at the moment to send to Dumbledore, she sealed the parchment and placed it in her night table drawer until her owl returned from its current delivery. She then headed downstairs to tell her parents the good news.

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Sunday had come all too quick for Hermione as she stood in her bedroom in front of the mirror staring at her reflection. She was still contemplating on whether or not she should go, even though she had already told Harry and Ginny that she was coming. She checked herself over once more in the mirror, making sure that she looked okay. She swallowed the lump that was stuck in her throat and then Apparated to the Burrow.

She stood outside the kitchen door for a few moments before walking into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was stirring a large pot when she heard the door open. She looked to see who it was and was surprised, yet happy, to see Hermione.

"Hermione, it's so good to see you, dear," she said as she walked over to the young witch and gave her a bone crushing hug. "We've all missed you so much, dear. How are you?"

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Weasley. I am doing well. I was visiting some of my family in the states," she told her.

"That's wonderful, dear. Are you back for good now?" she asked her. Hermione nodded that she was back for good. "That's great to hear. Everyone else will be so happy to see you and hear that you are back for good. They are all in the living room if you want to go say hello," Mrs. Weasley said as she motioned for Hermione to go into the living room. Hermione nodded and walked towards the kitchen door. Taking a deep breath, she walked through the door and saw a sight she was not expecting to see.

The room became deathly quiet when Hermione walked in. Ron was sitting on one of the couches next to a very pretty blond girl and he had his arm around her, though it was on the actual couch. Hermione just stared at him, cursing herself inside for bothering to come. "I knew this was a bad idea," she said before turning around and running out of the room.

"Shit," Ron muttered as he stood up and ran after her. George had come down the stairs just as Ron left the room with a very confused look on his face.

"Did I miss something?" he asked as he sat down next to the blond girl and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"I believe Hermione Granger just ran out of the room and Ron ran after her," the girl on the couch told him.

"Hermione Granger? She's here? I haven't seen her in a few months. Why did she leave so soon after coming here though?" he asked.

"Because she assumed that Ron and Jen were together because he had his arm over the back of the couch, which just so happened to be behind Jen," Ginny told him.

"Oy vey," George said as he shook his head. "He better tell her the truth soon, before all of our lives get worse," he said. The others in the room agreed with him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"'Mione, wait!" Ron called as he ran out of the kitchen door after her. Having long legs finally did him good because he caught up with her rather quickly. "Will you please wait a minute and listen to me?" he asked as he tried to catch his breath.

"I have nothing to say to you, Ronald Weasley. Now if you will excuse me, I am going home," she snapped as she tried to move past him.

"No," he told her as he caught her wrist. "Not until you listen to what I have to say."

"I don't want to hear it," she said as she tried to free her wrist from his grip. Finally fed up with the fact that she couldn't do it, Hermione pulled her wand out and pointed it directly at him. "Don't make me do it, Ron," she warned.

He let go of her wrist and put his hands up in the air. "All right, 'Mione. You win. I'll let you go now," he said gloomily. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and slowly began to make his way back to the Burrow, his head hanging low.

She watched him walk away from her looking so sad and she felt a heavy weight on her heart. She knew that if she didn't hear what he had to say now that she never would and that would eat at her from the inside out for the rest of her life. She moved towards him, catching up to him quickly and grabbed his hand. "Ron, wait," she said softly. She took a deep breath and looked up at him. "I'm sorry that I threatened you and snapped at you," she said to him sincerely. "What did you want to tell me?"

He stared into her eyes, chocolate brown mixing with cobalt blue, as he tried to get himself under control. "Do you still love me?" he asked her. Her breath caught in her throat at his question. She had not expected that to come out of his mouth.

"W..what?" she asked with her face pale and her eyes wide.

"Do you still love me?" he asked her again as he took a step closer to her.

"Why would you ask me something like that?" she asked him in a small voice. She knew the answer to his question, though she had tried to convince herself otherwise since that night, which just so happened to be the same exact place they were standing now.

He lifted his hand to her face and gently stroked her cheek. This slight motion caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. She kept her wide eyes locked onto his as he did it. He then moved his hand to her hair, threading his fingers through her hair. He leaned closer to her, his face within inches of her own. "I ask because I love you too." Her eyes widened at what he said. "I always have and I have wanted to tell you for so long, but I was too scared. When you said what you said that night, I couldn't say anything because I was in total shock from what had just happened. I know you expected more from me that night and I am so sorry that I couldn't give it then. What I wouldn't give to go back in time to that night and do it completely different. I would have taken you in my arm and kissed you the way you deserve to be kissed. I've cursed myself everyday that you have been away for not doing the right thing that night. I knew there was a small chance that you would forgive me, but I had to try. I just-" he got cut off by Hermione lips crashing into his in a needy kiss.

At first, he was too shocked to respond, but he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. He slid his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her closer to him, pressing her body flush against his. He tightened his grip in her hair, deepening the kiss which caused her to moan softly into his mouth.

When they broke the kiss, they were both breathing heavily. "I'm so sorry, 'Mione. I never should have let you go."

"Forget about it, Ron. I'm here now and everything's going to be fine," she assured him.

"I know. I just don't want you to leave again," he told her as he rested his forehead against hers and stared into her eyes.

"I know, but I will be leaving in about a month," she told him as she tried to hide her smile.

"What? Why are you leaving?" h asked her. "You can't leave, 'Mione. Not now."

She couldn't help but laugh at him. "I'm not leaving for good, Ron. I only meant that I was leaving for Hogwarts in about a month."

"Hogwarts? Why would you be leaving for there? We already left there," he said.

"Because I'm the new Arithmancy Professor," she told hi with a wide grin.

His confused expression turned into a large grin. "Are you serious? 'Mione that's great. I'm so proud of you," he said as he swung her around in a circle. "Come on," he said as just before kissing her softly on the lips and set her down on the ground, "let's go tell the rest of the family." In agreements, the new couple made their way back into the Burrow to tell the rest of the family theirs and Hermione's good news.

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