After two years of employment at the Ministry of Magic, Hermione Granger's absent days added up to the small number of three.

The first and second being the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, and the third being a particularly nasty flu.

Therefore, when Hermione missed work on a random monday in september, Harry Potter felt the need to barge into her flat unannounced. He was under the impression that something awful must have happened for her to stay at home. And what he saw after he apparated into her living room proved that his instinct had been right.

Hermione was laying curled up on her sofa with her back to him, rolled up in a thick blanket, loud sobs wracking through her body.

"Hermione? What happened?" Harry hurried over to her with long strides. He sat down beside her, his hip brushing the small of her back. At the contact, the figure beneath the blanket moved to reveal first curly hair in a messy bun, a frowning forehead, then swollen eyes with dark lashes clumped together with tears, and finally a red nose and even darker lips.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked again, keeping his voice soft.

"Oh, Harry!" she exclaimed suddenly, making him jump. Hermione flung herself into his arms, throwing her arms around his neck and clinging to his shirt. Sobbing even harder now than when he had first arrived. Though Hermione was a girl who cried often, this was extreme even for her. His concern increasing, Harry tried to stay calm, rubbing circles on her back and stroking her hair in an effort to sooth her.

"What happened, Hermione?" his voice was harder this time, awaiting an answer. A thousand horrible scenarios were playing in his head of what could have happened for her to be in this state.

"I-it's Cr-Cr-Crookshanks.." she sobbed into his shoulder. Harry sighed. He didn't know whether the relief he felt for a second would offend her, however he had expected something much different.

"H-He didn't make it thr-through, Harry." she continued. He remembered the pain when he had lost his familiar, Hedwig, and pulled her even closer.

Crookshanks had been injured by a bicycle a few days ago, and though Hermione and a Healer had done the best they could, nothing had worked.

"I'm sorry." he mumbled into her mane of hair. The digging of her knee on his thigh had become painful and Harry tried to subtly change their position but her grip did not loosen. In the end he managed to pull her legs across his, so she was sitting on his lap. It wasn't that big of an improvement, as now her bony behind was digging into his muscles, but it was something.

After several more minutes Hermione finally calmed a bit. With a sharp intake of air, she turned her head into his neck. He could feel the flutter of her lashes on the sensitive skin of his neck.

She mumbled an apology for soaking his shirt, he just shook his head and continued stroking her back. His hand came to a stop on the nape of her neck. Recognizing his request Hermione lifted her head off his shoulder. Their faces were inches apart, a distance that barely fazed them anymore, merely led to the acceleration of their pulses.

"It'll be okay." he promised her, and sealed his promise with a kiss to the corner of her lip.

They were not in a relationship. Relationships were fragile. After the first afterglow of victory had faded, none of the relationships they had established before, or during the war, seemed strong enough. While each of the survivors had different ways to cope, it seemed impossible to maintain the feelings they had before.

And so Harry and Ginny grew apart. Harry choosing to spend his time mourning in the isolation of Grimmauld Place, and Ginny spending her time with her family.

The kiss between Ron and Hermione seemed to be ignored by the both of them. Neither of them had the desire to begin a relationship in the aftermath of a war.

Harry begun seeking the company of the only person who had shared his long road of hardships that led to his victory. The only person who had been with him with devotion, regardless of what anyone else was saying about him.

The bond they shared because of their journey grew stronger and more physical. They sought the closeness of the other, but silently agreed that an open relationship would not be easy. Molly's disappointment that neither Ginny's relationship with Harry had worked out nor Ron and Hermione had gotten together had them feeling guilty as it was. The Daily Prophet's desire to publish every detail of Harry's life that they could get their hands on made it especially hard for him.

This resulted in stolen kisses in empty corridors, warm cuddles in front of the fire and the occasional long snogging session when there was time and privacy.

No more PDA than the people were used to.

"Do you want to watch a film? It'll take your mind off him." Harry suggested. Hermione shrugged, then nodded. They chose their film, Harry brought some ice cream from her fridge, and they sat down again, limbs intertwined, Hermione's head rested on Harry's chest. Ever so often he heard a quiet sniff, but Hermione had calmed down.

Though she had stopped crying, Hermione's mood barely changed, she was depressed. She showed up to work, acted as though everything was fine until she got home, where she threw on her pyjamas and moped around.

In the next few weeks Harry stopped by several times, only to find that nothing had changed. After a month of this, he decided to do something.

He was hesitant at first but finally came to the conclusion that a visit to Diagon Alley seemed appropriate.

And so, when Hermione came home from work exactly 5 weeks after the death of Crookshanks, she was met with a sight that would leave every girl swooning.

Harry Potter was laying on her sofa, a tiny white kitten on his chest, playing with his index finger. She observed the scene for a few seconds before Harry noticed her standing there and abruptly sat up, struggling to get the kittens claws out of his shirt.

"I've got a new friend for you." he said, when he finally succeeded. He grinned at her, holding the snow white kitten in his palm and presenting it to her.

She approached him slowly, with a blank face. Harry held his breath as he waited for her reaction. And slowly but surely a bright smile lit up her face.

"Oh my god, Harry. It's so tiny!" she gasped. The kitten was smaller than Harry's palm, and when it blinked up at her she realised that one of its eyes was a bright green, while the other was a deep azure colour.

"She is partially deaf but very playful. She won't, can't, replace Crookshanks but I thought.. maybe.." he trailed off, scratching his head.

Hermione's eyes were shining with tears.

"Oh, no, don't cry, Hermione!"

"No, I just..- Thank you." she whispered, and reached for the kitten, petting her.

"So, what do you want to call her?" he asked her, holding her up so she was at chest height. Hermione scratched the kitten behind her ears, making it purr. Her tawny hands made the fur look even brighter, almost as though it was glowing.

"How about Briseis?" she wondered after a moment of contemplation, looking up at him.

"I like Briseis."

If you guys would like to look up the kitty i had in mind it was a turkish angora. Also i love the name Briseis, theres nothing behind it. I'm not a genius like JK Rowling, cant find any names that are a reference to its colour, or its eyes... wanted to add a part about one of them looking like rons eyes and the other like harrys but...oh well xx