Work Text:
Harry knew he preferred having Hermione around but didn’t realize that he needed her until she got a new boyfriend.
Hermione had met Mike at the Ministry one day while she was doing research in the Department of Mysteries library, Mike had been there searching for information on wandless magic and the two had hit it off.
Immediately they started spending almost all of their time together and Harry suddenly realized how much room in his life Hermione took up. The library at the ancestral Potter House had been designed by her, stacked with books that she wanted. When he opened the house and found the abandoned library, he handed over to Hermione knowing that she would love it in a way that he just never could. She had her own bedroom and office space there for when she couldn’t be alone in her apartment, and she had hired the elves and made sure they were properly paid after she explained the merits of payment and days off to the elves.
Harry also became aware of how much time he thought about Hermione. It wasn’t always significant things but it was almost constant. He would wonder if she had enough to eat that day because since the hunt she’s had trouble putting on weight, he would wonder what new project she had been working on and if she had made a breakthrough, he’d wonder if she ever remembered to pick up more milk, because even though she didn’t cook she still needed some in the house for her tea and she’d regularly forget to go to the store.
With Hermione’s absence, he started to realize something else, just how much Harry needed Hermione to be happy. She made him feel safe, happy and even loved; and when she wasn’t around, he wasn’t at his best, she made him a better person and he knew it.
It wasn’t until Hermione reappeared briefly that he had another realization. Harry had come home late one Friday night and as he made his way up the stairs he heard something coming from Hermione’s room. He walked over with his wand in his hand just in case, if the war taught him anything it was to be prepared whenever and wherever. But, when he walked in he found Hermione going through the closet he relaxed, “Hermione?” Hermione stood up at the sound of her name and Harry’s jaw dropped at the sight in front of him. There Hermione stood in a metallic dress that hit mid-thigh with a plunging neckline and looking completely stunning.
“Harry! I’ve missed you!” She ran over to him and gave him one of her famous bone-crushing hugs then went back to her closet search. “I’m sorry I can’t stay I’m going out with Mike, he’s taking me to this muggle club and I only came by because I was looking for a pair of shoes that I must have left here.” After another minute of her babbling about the club that she was going to with Mike he suddenly heard “AH HA!” And she emerged with a pair of what only could be described as fuck me heels.
She was leaning against the bedpost, still talking, while she put the shoes on and when she stood straight up Harry noticed that the shoes made her legs go on for miles.
“Harry, are you listening?” Hermione’s voice cut through the fog and his eyes snapped back to hers.
“I’m sorry, what?”
Hermione just laughed, “I asked if I looked ok?”
Harry gulped. “You look beautiful.”
Hermione smiled then gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek, “Thank you, Harry, I’ll see you later.” With that Hermione left leaving an astonished Harry in her wake.
Once Harry had a minute to catch up he realized something else, he didn’t just need her, he wanted her in a way that he never wanted anyone else before.
“Oh shit.”