A/N: I know it's been FOREVER since I updated this story. It's just been tough to get into this one, especially when I keep getting new ideas for Severus & Hermione. I have 6 news S+H stories in the works & three of them aren't even posted yet, & now a Robin Hood story has come into mind. But I promise you I will not let this story go unfinished. Like I said last time, I'm going to finish this story even if it kills me. I hope this makes up for the long wait.
Disclaimer: It's all JK's. I make nothing off this, just taking a few characters out for a walk.

~*~Won't Go Home With Out You~*~

Arthur couldn't believe that he had gotten to see and speak to Hermione. It took all his will power not to pull her into his arms and snog her in front of God and everyone. He missed her so much and seeing her without being able to touch her was a horrible feeling. But knowing that he would have dinner with her the following night made up for it.

As he plopped down onto the thread bear couch by the fireplace he could hear female voices coming from one of the upstairs bedrooms.

"-cry myself to sleep, Gin. I keep thinking why did this happen to me?" Hermione's voice came out clearly, as if he was using his sons' extendable ear invention. She sounded sad, but he was grateful that he didn't hear a husky tone to it that would suggest she had been crying.

"Mia, all you have to do is tell him that. This can be fixed you know that." Ginny sounded extremely frustrated to Arthur's ears. Hmm, she must have been talking with Mia since after we left the coffee shop. Arthur thought as he decided to head outside, giving the women the chance at the privacy they thought they had.

"Hey dad. How'd it go?" Harry called as he walked up to the house.

"It went pretty good. We're meeting for dinner tomorrow night." Arthur fell instep with the younger man as he walked toward the backyard that had a small pond.

"Than why do you look like you've been punched in the stomach?" Harry pushed at his sunglasses to make them more secure on the bridge of his nose. He had just gotten back from working as a detective in muggle London. He decided that he wanted a job with and around people that didn't know him as The Savior or The Boy Who Lived. It was too much to live up too really and with his two daughters to look after, he didn't want to risk pissing off any more pureblood fanatics.

"I over heard a bit of Ginny and Hermione's conversation when I got home." He wasn't sure if he should tell Harry what he had heard; especially since he wasn't suppose to have heard it either.

"Well?"

"Mia told Ginny that she's cried herself to sleep and that she's always thinking 'why did this happen to me?' and it just breaks my heart more to realize that she still feels guilty or like she's not good enough for someone."

"You two are going to be the death of each other, I swear." Harry turned toward Arthur until he was facing him completely. "You do the same thing she just admitted to Gin. You two need to have a serious heart to heart and figure out exactly what you want from each other."

"Well, I think that is why Mia asked me to dinner tomorrow." Arthur felt a blush coming to his cheeks and tried to turn away before Harry could see, but he should have know better.

"And where did she suggest you go?"

"Her place."

"I know that Gin, but-"

"But nothing woman! You know something, talking to you and dad is like talking to a stone fence. You two need-"

"It's a brick wall, Gin. Not a stone fence." Hermione had a slight smirk to her lips as she corrected Ginny.

Ginny just glared at the older woman and continued on as if Hermione had said nothing. "You two need to just sit down and talk. Stop tiptoeing around each other and around the subject. He wants you and you want him. He loves you and you love him, this isn't Advanced Potions for Merlin's sake!"

"Well, that's why I invited him to my place for dinner tomorrow night."

"What! And you thought to wait to mention that?" Ginny smacked playfully at Hermione's shoulder with one of the raunchy romance novels Hermione had given to her as a gift after her wedding.

"Well, you demanded to know how our talk at the coffee shop had gone and then you went on this rant about how Molly would have had a fit if we had gone to the Leaky for lunch. Then we got on the topic of were I'm living now and how that has been going. Also, be nice to the book or I'm taking it back."

"Well you should have told me to shut up."

"Yes, because you would have listened. Oh, sounds like Harry's home." Hermione hadn't seen her best friend slash brother in quite a few weeks because of his busy work schedule, so she quickly picked up Lily from where she was playing on the couch and headed down stairs closely followed by Ginny caring Alice.

Hermione tried to calm her rapid heartbeat as she walked to the door to let Arthur in. She didn't know why she was so nervous, but she was hoping that they could come to some understand, if not start their way into a relationship.

"Hi."

"You look beautiful Mia." Arthur blushed slightly as he walked in after she stepped back from the door as an invitation. "Thank you for letting me come over."

"Of course. This way we can have our much needed talk with out anyone interrupting us." Hermione walked back into her small kitchen and checked on the lasagna that was in the oven. "Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes. Did you want a glass of sparkling cider while we wait?"

"That would be nice." Arthur strode toward the mantel where he saw pictures of Hermione with different people. Some were moving and they were pictures of her and the boys at Hogwarts. Others were still and must have been of her time in Australia and America. "Who are they?"

"Oh well the one closest to you is a picture from before I moved back. Those are my girlfriends Emily and Jessica." Hermione moved to stand next to Arthur point out other pictures. "This is my best guy friend from Australia, Michael. This was taken before I left for America. Oh and this one is Michael, his boyfriend Chris, myself, and my cousin Heather during Christmas."

"I didn't realize you had family beyond your parents." Arthur took her hand and led her to the couch, wanting to sit and talk about what she had been doing. He didn't want to dive right into the heavy conversation yet. At least, not until after dinner.

"Well, neither did my parents and I. Apparently, my grandparents had a baby boy that they gave up for adoption. They weren't in a position to take care of another child, along with my mom, and thought he would be better with a family that could. He didn't found out about the adoption until after his adoptive parents had passed away. Once he got over the shock and was able to process the news he started searching for my parents. Thankfully by that time the war was over and I was able to reverse the memory charms I had put on them."

"What else did you do in America? Did you end up moving there or just visiting?" Arthur was trying to make small talk but wasn't sure he was doing a good job of steering the conversation away from the serious conversation they were going to be having.

"Well, I traveled to Salem and I lived there for a few months, but I started getting home sick," Hermione looked down at her drink, not wanting him to see the heart ache she still felt at the memory of how much her heart yearned for him while she was gone. "After about six months I moved in with my parents."

"Do you miss your friends much?"

"I do, but they'll be moving in with in the next couple of weeks. They want to open a book store and a bar, so I told them they could live with me until they got on their feet." Hermione got up to check on the lasagna. "Damn it!"

Arthur was up in a flash and ran to the kitchen to check on Hermione. "What happen?"

Hermione started to sniffle as she pulled out the burnt dinner that she had tried to make for Arthur. "Smartest witch of my age and I can't even cook!" With that she started to cry.

"Oh, love, it's okay. If I hadn't started you on your time in America this wouldn't have happened," Arthur said as he pulled her into his arms and rubbed her back. "Come on, I'll take you to the Leaky and this way we don't have any clean up and we can just focus on us. Sound good?"

"Yes, thank you."

As the couple sat in one of the back booths, away from prying eyes, they laughed and told stories of what had happened to them in the years that had pasted since their first time together. As the night came to an end Arthur realized they hadn't made any big decisions and he didn't want to end the night with out knowing for sure if he could get her back or not.

"Yes, the girls are quite crazy," Hermione said, finish up a story of some of the antics she and girls got into.

"Hermione. I can't go home with out knowing," Arthur paused as he tried to get his thoughts in order. He wanted to do this right; he didn't want to lose her. He couldn't lose her again. "Just give me one more chance to make it right. I may not make it through the night."

"Oh Arthur," Hermione's eyes started to tear up as she looked at him. "If I could go back and stop myself from leaving I would. The worst is that I ever let you go. It's not over tonight. Lets give each other one more chance to make it right."

"Come home. With me," Arthur said as he held her hand in his, fearing that if he let go she would slip away from him. "I won't go home with out you," He hadn't meant to ask that of her yet, but he couldn't let her go.

"Arthur, I would love to-"

"Please, Hermione. I know it's a lot to ask of you after everything, but I'm serious, I can't make it through another night with out you," Arthur looked her in the eyes, hoping he wouldn't see doubt or fear in them.

"What about Molly and Ron? I don't want to cause a row between everyone," Hermione wanted to go with him, but she didn't want to be the cause of a fight.

"You don't need to worry about those two. Ron and Molly where asked to leave by Harry and Ginny a few weeks back. Please, if that is all that is making you say no then say yes," Arthur looked in to her eyes with his pleading for her to say yes.

"I'll come home with you," Hermione couldn't keep a smile from growing as she answered Arthur.