Chapter Twenty-Two
What She Missed Most
Ginny pushed past Harry as the portrait swung open. He sighed heavily as Hermione fought to push away from Ron. Hermione wailed against him as she struggled in his arms, and groaned when Ginny rested a hand on her waist. Hermione quieted but only slightly as she tried to yell Ginny away. Several students were coming out of their dorms to see what the yelling was about. Immediately, Ginny berated the spectators. She whispered to Colin and Demelza that Hermione’s mother had been killed, and they instantly ushered the younger students back up to dorms.
Lavender and Parvati both looked sad as their dorm mate cried against Ron. Harry thought for a moment they would go back to their dorms or say something that would infuriate Hermione more, but they only whispered something to Ginny and began to move around Hermione. Parvati sighed heavily and retrieved Hermione’s bag from Ron’s shoulder. Ginny watched her disappear up the stairs. Lavender followed her, but returned quickly with a cool, wet cloth and began to dab Hermione’s face. Hermione began to relax and finally, Ron was able to coax her sit in front of the fire.
Harry watched helplessly as Lavender wiped away Hermione’s sad tears. Hermione slowly grew silent as Ginny came around the couch. Parvati was with her and together they brushed her wild hair from her face and into a thick plait. Harry could now see her red face and the streaks of tears. Her stained face tore at his heart and all he could think to do was sit with her. Harry had never thought Hermione so beautiful, but she was. The fire made light dance off her pained face as the tears swept down her cheeks. Her lips were red and full, but he couldn’t help but notice that despite her beauty all he wanted to do was make her stop crying.
Only after he settled himself at her feet did he realize that Colin and Demelza had returned carrying several pillows. Slowly, their closest friends began to make a pile in front of the fire. Hermione sank onto a pillow next to Ginny and Ron. Ron held her shoulders tightly as she leaned into him. Her sobs had softened and her breathing regulated. Everyone relaxed as she drifted into a deep, fitful sleep. Ron and Ginny forgot about everyone else in the room as they tended to the girl. Ron held the bulk of her weight and Ginny moved around him to make certain they were both comfortable.
Harry held Hermione’s hand and felt foolish for not being able to think of something more helpful. Demelza worked silently, removing Hermione’s shoes as Lavender and Parvati aid out a blanket over Hermione’s legs before taking their own pillows and lying down in front of the fire. Harry looked wistfully at the now vacant couch. His spot was rather uncomfortable, but soon Ginny snuggled in between him and Hermione. He quickly decided to suffer silently, as Neville guided Seamus to the couch before Neville took a spot near Harry.
The pile was complete and before long, everyone had fallen into a heavy sleep. Harry wrapped an arm around Ginny, to hold one of Hermione’s hands. Ginny spooned Hermione and held her waist tightly. Ron lovingly stroked Hermione’s exhausted face as she whimpered helplessly in her sleep. Parvati, Demelza, and Lavender slept nearest to the fire, but Colin was sprawled out not too far away. Seamus snored softly on the couch and Neville murmured in his sleep a short distance away from Harry.
The night seemed to last days. Every so often, a person would wake up. Hermione woke up twice. She seemed to forget where she was and why she was there, but when reality set back in she began to cry again. The moment her first tear fell, Ginny and Ron instinctively pulled her tighter between them. Ron rocked her slightly in his arms and Ginny shushed her with a melodic voice. Harry reached up to wipe her tears and she smiled sadly at her friends. The second time, she didn’t cry out, instead she just turned into Ginny. She rested her head on her friend’s shoulder and Ron embraced her, kissing her lightly on the head.
Distantly, Harry heard the clock chime the time. It was nearly seven. Ron would be leaving in just a few minutes to have his surgery. Harry didn’t know how to help Hermione. Harry realized that when Ron left, he would have to be there for Hermione, but he felt so useless. It only took a moment for him to realize that he was more afraid of having to deal with Hermione than he was concerned for her and he felt horrible. He loved her dearly and she had been there for him, now he had to be there for her. Harry heard the common room door open and someone sweep in almost soundlessly. He jumped when he heard a crisp clearing of the throat.
Eyes snapped open as they scrambled to their feet. Harry would later swear that McGonagall almost smiled, but at the moment he was too scared to notice.
“While your devotion to Miss Granger is touching, I think it would be best if you all went to your rooms and prepared for the day,” she announced in a clear voice.
Quickly Ginny and Colin cleaned the room of the excess pillows and blankets as everyone moved towards their stairs.
“Mr. Weasley, your brother is here to take you to the hospital for your appointment. Miss Granger, I know you had hoped to accompany him, but your father is asking for you. Tonks has volunteered to escort you to St. Mungo’s as well, but I must insist you wait until after lunch.”
Hermione nodded weakly and turned to go to her dorm. She didn’t look back and headed silently up the stairs. Everyone watched her go, before Ron brought their attention back with snapping fingers. He pointed to where Hermione had just been and then pointed to Harry and Ginny. They both knew that he wanted them to watch her. They smiled in agreement and Ginny hugged her brother. She wished him good luck and he strode out of the common room with McGonagall close behind.
Ginny and Harry exchanged a brief glance with one another, before silently heading to their rooms to get dressed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ginny knew it was useless, but she tried all the same. Hermione simply refused to eat. Instead, she drank several glasses of cold water. Harry couldn’t help but think she was likely dehydrated after last night’s tears, but kept the thought to himself. While Harry was at his first training session of the day, he worried about Hermione. He raced through his procedures and after Kingsley threw him out for his distraction, he went to find his friend. He carefully examined the Marauders map to find her and hurried to meet her down by the lake. He ran to find her and relaxed slightly as he saw her tightly bundled into her robe. She smiled weakly as he sat in the snow next to her.
“I’m worried about you,” he confessed.
“How did you cope? You lost them both.” she whispered sadly.
“I never got to grieve. I didn’t know what they were like. I didn’t know my dad was a prankster. I never knew my mum was a SpitFire. I didn’t know what to miss. You have your memories, good and bad. You have people who love you to help you through.” Harry tried to explain.
Hermione let herself smile genuinely for the first time, “Harry, I love you too. You may not be my brother but so help me if you’re not.”
She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek and ruffled his hair. She sniffed and wiped her nose with the handkerchief. Her mother had embroidered it and given it to her for Christmas. She fought the thoughts and tried to think of something else.
“Harry,” she whispered.
“Yes, Hermione,” Harry answered dutifully.
“I think Ron fancies me.” Her voice cracked a little and she smiled again.
Harry chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, helping her to her feet. As they made their way back to the castle, Hermione’s smile waned as she saw Tonks approaching her.
“Wotcher Harry!” Tonks exclaimed. “Hermione, I got McGonagall to let us break out of here. You and I are going to lunch, and then we’ll be off to the hospital. See you, Harry!”
Harry watched as Tonks yanked Hermione out of his hand and out of the gate. It wasn’t terribly unlike Tonks to take charge like that, but it was hard to watch Hermione being dragged away.
The Three Broomsticks had been busy and it took them a long time to get served. They finally made their way to the hospital. Hermione had frozen for only a moment before she made her ways through the pristine halls. Tonks led her to her father’s door.
Hermione timidly inched her way into the room. Her father looked perfectly healthy. He was dozing lightly and she silently moved to his side and slipped her hand into his. She jumped slightly as his eyes shot awake and he pulled her to him.
“I’ve been so worried about you,” he yelped as his daughter tried to pull away.
“Daddy,” Hermione regained her footing and whispered sadly, “What happened?”
Gregory Granger bit back his reply and averted his gaze. He exhaled deeply before he managed to answer.
“We wanted to have a nice evening. Your Mum had been working so hard lately and she needed a break. So I made reservations and we left. We even told Mercutio what we had planned. The dinner was lovely and just as the dessert cart came around everything went pitch black. Smoke filled the room and I could see a few flames. I was thrown about five feet away from your Mum. I heard her scream and Mercutio swept in. He got me out and dropped me here, in the hospital, but I haven’t seen him since. Remus told me that he took a curse for your mother and was reduced to ashes. I think they got him out of the rubble. I tried to get to her, but my legs…and that man…he laughed and the odd beams of light. I couldn’t do anything. I’m sorry, I tried. I shouldn’t have tried to take her out. We knew that it wasn’t safe, but we though that since it wasn’t magical…” Mr. Granger began to cry heavily as he held Hermione.
“Shh, Daddy,” Hermione soothed through her own tears, “It will be alright. It’s not your fault.”
A voice called from the door, “Hermione?” Tonks said gently.
Hermione waved her in and smiled weakly as her father finally released his hold on her arms.
“I have something for you,” Tonks smiled as she pulled an ugly baby bird from her pocket.
With Mercutio safely deposited in her hands, Hermione kissed the phoenix on the top of the head and giggled as he chirped in a disgruntled sort of way.
Tonks chatted with Hermione and her father for a nearly an hour before she told Hermione that it was time to return to Hogwarts. Hermione protested but finally relented and kissed her father goodbye. Once outside the door, Hermione pleaded with Tonks to let her see Ron.
She was worried about him. Ron was nervous about the operation, but she realized that she wanted to see him not because she was worried about it, but because she needed him. After seeing her father, she just wanted him to hold her hand. His touch would make her feel better.
“He was really nervous about the procedure,” Hermione reasoned as they weaved through the hallways. “I promised him that I would be there with him, that I would see him when he woke up!”
“Hermione,” Tonks mused in a strange voice, “Only immediate family members are allowed to visit him right now. He is in fair condition and woke up about an hour ago. I saw Molly leave a while ago. Now, just because the Healer’s assistant is on a break and Ron’s room is through the door behind you and the second door on the left, doesn’t mean that I can let you walk in there. Shame I have to go talk to a friend at the Healer’s desk. It should take about ten minutes. I trust you’ll stay put?” Tonks said as she arched a royal blue eyebrow.
Hermione nodded with a forced fake frown and watched as Tonks distractedly walked away. The minute Tonks turned her back; Hermione pushed through the door and quickly walked down the narrow corridor. Taking a deep breath, she walked into Ron’s room.
He was asleep, like her father had been. She could see his chest rise and fall rhythmically as he snored quietly. Soundlessly, she moved to his side. Hermione slipped her hand into his and swept his bangs off his brow with her free hand. He stirred in his sleep. She smiled softly and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. Unsure of how it happened, Ron turned his sleeping face to her in that very second and their lips connected.
Ron’s eyes popped open and his strong arms encircled her into a tight embrace. As she melted in to him, she slowly pulled away from his face. He dipped in to capture her lips one more time, this time she gasped slightly and he smiled against her.
When he finally relaxed his grip on her waist, she immediately began to fuss. “Are you warm enough? Do you want another pillow? Your bangs have fallen into your face. Have you something to read? Did you think to bring that essay Kingsley wanted you to do?” Her rapid-fire questions clearly indicated her nervousness.
“Hermione,” he said, his voice scratchy but strong, “I’ve been awake five seconds. I’ve had my voice for less than five hours. Do you think you could wait five minutes before you start nagging at me to do homework?”
He watched her eyes spark about to rise to his bait, but she smiled. She laughed. She couldn’t stop and soon she was crying. She was crying because he remembered the night she confessed she missed their fights. She cried because he had called her a nag. She cried because instead of saying how sorry he was or something equally vexing, he just let her be herself and didn’t put up any pretence. She cried because she finally had herRon back, and because all the pain that she had felt in the last twenty-four hours was ebbing away in his embrace. He let her cry out her anxieties, soothing her with kind and gentle words. She settled after a few minutes, and murmured something against his neck.
He chuckled and brought her face up into his hands. He cupped her cheeks and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
“What was that last bit?” he asked.
“I said, ‘I love you,” she said quietly. “You have been so great to me these past few months. I just wanted you to know…”she trailed off.
“I have always loved you, Hermione.” Ron stated simply and lovingly.
He kissed her passionately. She had never felt a kiss with so much emotion behind it. For a fleeting moment, she feared that she was betraying her mother’s memory to be so happy so soon after her death, but then again, Mrs. Granger would smile had she seen Hermione and Ron together in that moment. Hermione took solace in that knowledge and smiled into Ron’s lips as they caressed her mouth. She gasped tenderly as the kiss expanded and his tongue parted her lips and massaged her own. All too soon, Tonks came loudly barging into the room. With a rueful smile on her face, she screeched at Hermione.
“Hermione!” Tonks exclaimed. “I thought I told you not to come in here! Just because you wanted a snog, doesn’t mean you can lie to me!”
Hermione and Ron both turned a respectable shade of red before he pulled her to him again and kissed her tenderly. Taking one of her hands in his, Ron pulled her onto the bed so that she could relax against him.
“Tonks,” Ron began, “I wonder how Hermione knew where my room was. I wonder how Bill is going to react when he finds out that Hermione made it in here. I know about the pool and I know about your bet. You can stop now.”
This time Tonks turned red, but only her hair.
“What bet?” Hermione asked innocently.
“My family is notorious for gambling, particularly about each other’s love lives. I believe Charlie still owes me a galleon because Bill and Fleur aren’t pregnant yet, but that’s beside the point. Apparently, Mum and Tonks bet all my brothers and Remus that you and I would get together on the day of my operation.”
“Well then, I suppose we should decide whether or not we should get together today…” Hermione said dangerously. “What’s the bet?”
Tonks eyed the couple for a moment before she confessed. “If Molly and I lose, the boys are going to buy us drinks at the Three Broomsticks until we sing ‘I Got You Babe.’ If we win, the boys have to sing ‘I Feel Pretty.’ The only difference is that they have to do it in drag at your graduation party.”
Hermione and Ron laughed out loud at the idea of Ron’s brothers in drag.
“Hermione, love,” Ron said sheepishly. “Which would you prefer; seeing Mum and Tonks drunk or my brothers and Remus in high heals?”
“Hmm…” Hermione playfully pondered. “As much fun as Drunk Tonks is, I think I’d do just about anything to see the twins in matching miniskirts!”
Ron laughed again and pulled her into a tight kiss. The three plotted the demise of the Weasley brothers and Remus Lupin. After the colour of stockings and wigs was chosen, Tonks let them talk for a few more minutes before she insisted it was time to leave. She ushered Hermione out of his grasp and they headed back to Hogwarts.
Hermione hid in the hospital wing for the rest of the evening, awaiting any news of her father. She idly worked on paperwork and taking an inventory of the potions stock. The remainder of the day provided many ups and downs for Hermione, but she focused on the good. Around nine, Pig arrived with a letter from Molly. She was happy to learn that her father was moved to Headquarters shortly after she visited him and much to her relief, Ron was returning to Hogwarts that evening.
The twins helped him into the cot he would have to occupy for the night and chatted with him about the store, Verity, and the latest developments with their experiments. Once he was settled, Harry was pleased to see that Ron was already arguing with Hermione. She wouldn’t stop fussing. At length, Ron took a deep breath and let her fret. The twins laughed, pointing out that Ron and Hermione would never change. Hermione let them mock her for several minutes before she decided to put an end to their teasing comments.
“You know boys; I would watch what you say right now. I’m not about to have you berating my patient or my patience. Especially when I know that you will be donning an attractive pair of bright pink, agonizingly painful, stiletto heals.” Hermione winked at Ron, who clamped his hand over his mouth as the twins turned white.
Roni, who had been observing the group for a while, decided to step in. “What’s this I hear? My Fred is going to be wearing a pair of heals? Will he have a matching purse, Hermione?”
“If I have any say in the matter, he will also have fishnet stockings and a thick layer of makeup!” Hermione exclaimed.
“Could you do me a favour, Hermione?” Roni asked sweetly.
“Of course,” Hermione responded dutifully.
“Could you get them each a pair of those awful Muggle fake eyelashes? The really gaudy kind, so they’ll look like streetwalkers.” Roni smirked as Fred started to chuckle.
Ron couldn’t contain himself any longer and laughed out a loud, barking laugh as Roni and Hermione teased the twins.
“Why should we put on the drag?” George retaliated.
“We have no proof!” Fred finished.
But Ron got the last word as he snatched Hermione into his arms and claimed her in a crushing kiss. The twins guffawed and Harry groaned in fake disgust, while Roni just catcalled and complained that she should have taken the bet with Tonks.
Harry Potter and the Legend of Infinity by peskypetunia
Chapter Notes: We are so very...dangerously close to the end now. I beg you to review. In this chapter, Ron AND Hermione get to say what the non-delusional people have always known would be said. And the winners are announced