Ethereal

Hermione waits impatiently for Harry to report from his mission. She had scrambled to tidy her office and collect herself before hearing a sharp knock on the door.

"Come in," she instructs, rushing to sit back at her desk.

Harry is dressed in his auror robes. Long gone were the says when he used to dress up in reds and blues, sometimes yellow. His hair grew out, creeping down the back of his neck. Hermione discreetly eyes her friend up and down, searching for new injuries. Slightly torn collar, and a little scuffed up sleeves - seemingly nothing to worry about.

"Harry!" Hermione stands excitedly. "Nice of you to report in 3 weeks late."

Harry laughed and gave a small apologetic bow. 

"I informed you that I'll be passing by a few towns," he said, making his way towards her. 

Harry bent down to hug him, and Hermione has all her restraints put to check as she struggles to not fiercely pull the raven down in a suffocating hug. 

Harry's hair softly brush her neck and she lets out a breath she was holding. 

"I specifically told you that place is dangerous right now. You know there are small riots. People have been protesting a few laws I passed."

Being the ministress meant taking important decisions, and not everybody would agree with you. Though, a powerful position such as hers is bound to have a darker side. So, she has accepted it.

"Yea I know." Harry said and he pulled back. 

The boy stared into her eyes, both of them still holding on to each other. His grip on her tightened a little, barely noticeable. 

"I'm not going to let anybody slander you when they don't know the sacrifices you make, and the people you have helped along the way. You deserve appreciation and you know I will do anything to make sure you get it."

Hermione tried to fight her tears back. Instead, she gave a small smile. 

Shifting his gaze above her head, Harry says, "you need to assign me a long-term mission so that I can officially break these riots up. Knock some sense into people."

Hermione tore herself out the embrace. 

"Absolutely not, you just came back from a four month mission." 

"Mione, they might come after you!" Harry says incredulously.

"I can handle myself," the brunette quips.

Harry rolls his eyes.

"Can you?" the raven challenges. "When's the last time you were actually in combat?"

"Hey! I still train bastard," Hermione replies, quickly aggravated.

Well no she doesn't. She doesn't get time and honestly practicing duels doesn't make it to the top of her priority list. 

Harry smiles, all his teeth showing while watching Hermione get riled up.

"What are you looking so happy about?" the girl questions him humorously.

Hermione hates how much Harry's smile affects her. Nowadays the smiles feel rarer and rarer so each time they are directed towards her, she can't help feel special. 

"It's just really nice to see you Mione." 

The sincerity in his voice makes her heart clench. 

______________________

They decide to continue their routine. He gives her details from his mission and in turn she lets him raid her personal stash of fire-whiskey. 

Harry is pouring himself another drink.

A substantial amount of her time with Harry is spent in comfortable silence. Hermione finally allows herself to feel how much she's missed her best friend over the last four months. Being around Harry, talking to him... it's intoxicating, and Hermione feels a familiar trickle of hope flood her heart. Maybe things would be different this time, maybe things would change.

She glanced at the man, now standing near the window. He was aimlessly gazing at the setting sun.

"You ever think how normal our lives could have been if it wasn't for him." 

The last word is spat out with such venom that it isn't hard for Hermione to guess who Harry was talking about. 

"My parents would have been alive Mione. Sirius, Remus, we could all be together." Harry said twirling his glass, making the drink inside swirl. 

"You know I met this family during this mission. Well more like saw them while doing recon. They all seemed so happy. You know they seemed so much like mine... my family. The  lady had red hair and the man was a wizard. They had a son and I saw them walk down the market. They seemed... so happy Mione. So peaceful. The kid cried when they didn't buy him ice cream."

Harry turned towards her and she saw the tears trickle down. 

"His biggest worry is not getting the ice cream he wants. So he rants a little, and his father happily buys him some. His laugh was so free... not a care in the world. Is it selfish to be jealous?" There's a smile and a humourless chuckle,  Hermione finds herself rushing to wipe the tears away. The desperation making her limbs move instantly. 

Sometimes, this happens. They get drunk and Harry lets a little of his thoughts slip. It always ends in either one of them crying. 

Today, none of them say anything, just hold on to each other a little tighter, and for a little longer. 

______________________

It's dark and Harry refuses to let Hermione stay in the office. 

"Good. Now let's go, I'll walk you home," Harry offers and starts heading out of the office.

"I'm not a kid you know, I can make it home on my own," Hermione retorts, but joins Harry at his side anyway. 

He hugs her at the door of her apartment, she smiles goodbye and Harry's heart aches to watch her go. Maybe he could go inside, spend a little more time with her. 

Though he forces his feet to move, the nights he was in town were always spent in Grimmauld Palace. 

While walking back, he runs into Neville. 

"You're back in town," the tall boy gasps in surprise and Harry lets out a good natured laugh before greeting his friend. 

"Yea," Harry rubbed the back of his neck, "just dropped Mione off."

"Oh that's good, I've heard through Luna who heard through Ginny that Hermione has been spending more nights at the Ministry rather than her own home."

"She's been working even harder than usual Luna tells me she's not eating or sleeping well, but you know she doesn't listen to us," Neville  says.

"You say that like she will listen to me," Harry replies.

Hermione has always been headstrong.

"She needs you Harry. Why don't you stay a while?" Neville asks, mostly out of concern. "You are her friend, aren't you?"

Maybe that question was designed to hurt, maybe it wasn't. 

But it struck something inside Harry. 

Friend. Harry almost scowls at the word. His rampaging emotions detest the sound of it. Friend feels so diminutive. That word can't possibly describe how he feels about Hermione. It makes their relationship seems so trivial, so minor, when it's anything but. His relationship with Hermione is... everything. Which is why Harry knows he can't ruin it. 

She's the main reason he finds himself coming back home. Even as rarely as he does. 

He can't tell Hermione how he feels. He can't risk losing the most important person in his life.

"I'll try my best then," Harry sighed. 

And Neville replied with a calm, almost knowing smile, "I know you will."