What's Best For Her

When Harry left his Aunt Molly at the train station, he apparated straight to the Grangers' home. As he landed in their backyard, the boy wasted no time in racing up the back porch to peer into the house. His heart sank as he saw no immediate movement but he held out hope that they were in a different part of the house.

"I'm really sorry for this, I hope I get the chance to apologize," Harry said as he drew his wand and pointed it at the back door's lock. He breathed to himself before whispering, "Alohomora," and listening as the door unlocked.

Fully aware of the fact that he was breaking into the Grangers' house, Harry shot down his guilt and resolved to apologize a thousand times over when he next saw the people. He hoped that that would come as soon as possible.

The wizard crept around the house and came to find nothing in the sitting room or kitchen. His hopes were rapidly fading but a small part of them remained, whispering to him that they might still be upstairs. He listened and quickly set off to go upstairs, not even pausing to conceal his movements anymore.

Harry didn't know how he stopped himself from breaking down when he once again found nothing but he thanked whatever it was that helped him do so. It took only a moment for the reality to set in.

He missed his chance.

Numbly and bonelessly, the green eyed teenager found himself exiting the house and crumbling in a heap on the front steps of it. He buried his face in his hands and formed a protective shell around himself as he wept like there was no tomorrow. He was certain that the pain he was feeling was a hundred times worse than the cruciatus curse. All he wanted to do was to curl into a ball and let the world run over him.

Harry couldn't even close his eyes because the second he did so, he saw her. He saw Hermione for everything that she was to him. She was his angel, his saving grace, his soulmate, and he royally mucked up the chance to be with her because he was afraid of losing her. It was painfully ironic that the very thing he sought to prevent was also the thing he made happen.

With his tears all but completely dried up, Harry rose from his seat and stood still in front of the house as he readied himself to disapparate back to The Burrow. Miserably to him, the day was still beautiful. The sun was gleaming radiantly and the smell of freshly cut grass wafted into his nose but he didn't care for it. He hated that the day was nice. It didn't have any right to be like that when he was as distraught as he was.

When a silver sedan hurriedly parked directly in front of the house, drawing his attention to it, Harry cocked his head and squinted to see who were its passengers. He wouldn't have to do so any longer as the rear door opened and his eyes bulged out of their sockets when they revealed a head of familiar bushy brown curls that he loved beyond anything else.

His eyes weren't deceiving him, the passenger in the car was Hermione. But what was she doing there? Hadn't she already left? Harry asked himself a myriad of questions but silenced them quickly as he stood completely frozen, staring at her like she was going to disappear if he looked away.

Her face was even more divine than the last time he saw her even though there were dried streaks of tears on her cheeks. Her cinnamon colored hair shone marvelously against the backdrop of the sun and he got the sense that it made her look like she was wearing a halo. It was only fitting, he thought, as she was an angel, as she was his angel.

Hermione was the first to move towards him, her face going from surprise to clear relief and joy as she did so, and Harry took his chance to run towards her and take her into his arms. He half expected her to be a figment of his imagination and fade away to nothingness when he touched her but it thankfully didn't happen. She was with him and she was real.

The elated boy held the love of his life in his arms tightly and savored every wonderful part that she had to offer. From her lithe body that perfectly fit against him to her wonderful scent of vanilla and parchment that filled him with joy unimaginable, Harry relished in everything she gave to him and thanked the fates for giving him one more chance with her. He was all too close to losing her completely but it didn't happen and he had never known such ecstasy.

"Stay," Harry pleaded as the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Stay." He was through being afraid with her. He wanted her and nothing else.

Hermione's arms were twined around his neck while his were wrapped tightly around her waist and their eyes met to show them everything they were to each other. He saw his reflection in her marvelous chocolate brown orbs but, unlike a mirror, he saw himself the way she saw him. Harry saw the love of Hermione Granger's life.

"Stay," Harry leaned his forehead against hers, "stay with me for now, tomorrow, and forever."

Their noses were touching as their breaths mingled with each other and both Harry and Hermione knew they were where they belonged. Their eyes fell closed as their breathing evened out in synchronization while the entire world disappeared around them, only leaving them as its sole occupants.

"Why should I stay?" Hermione faintly whispered, the warmth of her breath tickling Harry's lips.

With no time left to waste and him wanting to be with her more than anything, Harry began his profession.

"Stay with me because I want you," he kissed her forehead, "stay with me because I need you," his lips kissed away a lone tear that dripped out of her eye, "stay with me because I can't imagine my life without you."

He opened his eyes at the same time she did before they both leaned in even closer to each other, their lips only inches apart. Harry refrained from going any farther with her as he still had one more thing left to say. He refrained because he needed her to know the truth that he long kept hidden from her. He refrained because he wanted her to know the truth of his being, his essence, and his soul.

"Stay with me because I love you."

Hermione gasped through her tears of joy and lit up Harry's world with her luminous smile. She rubbed her nose against his and sighed happily, finally content in her life. Harry mimicked the action and breathlessly laughed in deliriousness as his arms came up to rest on her back.

"I'll stay because I love you too," she whispered lovingly before pulling his head down to finally, euphorically, meet his lips.

Completion wasn't even the word for what the couple felt as their lips blissfully joined each other for the first time in their lives. Stars exploded behind their eyes and Harry was blinded by the multicolored lights as Hermione gasped into his mouth. He deepened the kiss in an instant and felt as the world righted itself, as his misery disappeared, and as his heart floated up to the heavens.

When it finally ended, the kiss rendered Harry and Hermione breathless as they once again settled into their embrace. Both of them were drunk with happiness before he picked her up and spun her around wildly, cheering loudly as he did so. Harry didn't think it was ever possible to be as happy as he was. He was over the moon as Hermione's melodious laugh rang into his ears and filled him with enough jubilation that could last him a lifetime.

He eventually placed her back on her feet but made sure to keep his arms around her waist as they once again touched foreheads and rubbed their noses together. "I want to be what's best for you," Harry softly admitted, pouring every bit of his love for her into his words.

"You are."

At that, the green eyed teenager threw his head back and laughed wildly. His life was complete now. Harry had everything he wanted, everything he needed, within the safe space of his arms. He felt like screaming to the heavens that he, Harry James Potter, was what was best for Hermione Jean Granger.