Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, it all belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Beta Reader: Nalaniekeala. Thank you so much for your amazing help, I love you!
Chapter 1: Tears
As Hermione sat at her desk, many thoughts raced through her head; mostly dark and devious ones about what happened at the end of her sixth year. Her mind was permanently scarred with the vision of Dumbledore lying sprawled on the ground after falling from the Lightning-Struck Tower. As much as Hermione tried to push the thoughts out of her mind, they kept coming back. Kept haunting her. And they would never go away.
Dumbledore had been a wonderful person. Hermione pictured his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses, and her vision immediately became blurred with tears. He taught them many things, things they would remember all their life and be thankful for. For example, he taught her that love was the most important thing in the world. That it was always nice to have a little more love in the world.
Hermione believed that Harry was coping with Dumbledore's death even worse than she was. After all, Dumbledore was basically the only guardian he had left after his parents’ and Sirius’s death.
She wanted to talk to Harry about it, for both of them to have a good cry over it. When Sirius died, he had been depressed quite a long time afterward. She knew it would be the same now.
It was the beginning of August. At the end of last term, Mrs Weasley had invited both Harry and Hermione to stay at the Burrow for the last month of summer vacation.
They had agreed that on the evening of 1 August, Mr Weasley would Floo for Hermione. She already had her belongings packed and was ready to go by the time Mr Weasley arrived.
Hermione hugged her mother tightly. They pulled away from each other only for Hermione to see her mother’s eyes shine with unshed tears.
“Darling, do you have to go?” she whispered. “Can’t you stay here for the next month? After all, you’ll see your friends when you go back to school. I thought you’d want to spend some time with us.”
As Hermione’s father rubbed her back, she sighed. “Mum, you know I can’t. This is my world now, and I belong in it. I have to leave, especially now after all that has happened.” Her heart gave a pang. “Look, Mum and Dad, I know it’s hard on you two, and believe me, it’s hard on me too, but I have to go. Please don’t be sad.” Hermione’s eyebrows furrowed as she looked at them.
“All right, dear,” Mrs Granger said, wiping her eyes. “It’s just...you’re our only daughter and we love you so much.”
“I love you too,” Hermione smiled through her tears, embracing each of her parents tightly. “I’ll see you at Christmas...I promise.” She stroked her mother’s hair and kissed her father’s cheek one last time before turning and making her way towards the fireplace. Stepping into the green flames Mr Weasley had conjured, she shouted “The Burrow!”
There was a familiar and awful spinning sensation as she whirled through the flames ” it always made her queasy. Finally reaching her destination, Hermione stepped out of the fireplace, coughing and brushing the ashes from her clothes. Looking around, she found herself in the Weasleys’ kitchen, complete with the one-handed clock perched on the wall. Hermione caught a peek of Ron Weasley and Harry Potter sitting at the table before her vision was swarmed by a blur of red hair.
"Hermione! I've missed you so much!"
Hermione hugged Ginny Weasley tightly, laughing as she stepped away. "I've missed you too. Hi, Harry. Ron." A lump formed in her throat as she saw the ruffled red-haired boy again.
Harry and Ron greeted her back just as Mr Weasley exited the fireplace, wiping soot from his clothes and glasses. "What a ride - almost missed the destination - didn't say it clearly."
"Well, that'll teach you," Mrs Weasley proclaimed, entering the kitchen. "Oh, hello, Hermione. It’s nice to see you again!" She hugged her before taking her at arm’s length and examining her. "You’ve grown so much!"
"Thank you, Mrs Weasley." Hermione replied, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. The older woman smiled at her warmly.
"Dinner will be ready soon. Ginny, please show Hermione to your room.” With a flick of her wand, Mrs Weasley levitated Hermione’s trunk to the second landing before turning back to her cooking.
“Come on,” Ginny said, tugging Hermione’s arm as the two of them went up the stairs in direction of Ginny’s room.
“I’m so glad to see you,” Ginny proclaimed, plopping down on her bed. “You wouldn’t believe how sour the atmosphere is. Harry seems almost lifeless, the way he’s moping about...”
“When did he arrive?” Hermione asked, pulling her pyjamas out of her trunk and placing them under her pillow.
“Just this afternoon. He and Ron are always up in the attic room, and I feel they don’t want me to disturb them, so I just hang out on my own. That’s why I’m glad I have you to be with.”
Hermione returned Ginny’s sad smile as she sat down on her own bed. “So, how are you coping?”
“You mean Dumbledore’s death and all?” After Hermione’s nod, Ginny gave a sigh and fingered the hem of her skirt. “I dunno. It’s hard; everyone’s mood is a bit sustained. And it looks like Harry wants nothing to do with me.”
“How come?” Hermione asked, her expression changing to worry.
“He hasn’t exchanged a word with me the whole time he’s been here,” Ginny sighed. “He didn’t even look at me.”
“Don’t take it personally, Ginny, he’s just sad...”
“No, he’s not just sad. After he broke up with me, he’s been treating me like... I don’t know, like dust or something. I mean, even though he doesn’t want anything to do with me, he can show some sign that I exist.” The redheaded girl looked close to tears now.
“Oh, Ginny...” Hermione got up and crossed to her friend’s bed. She sat down next to her and began stroking her hair gently. “I know it’s hard on you, but you have to endure it. He’s heartbroken about what happened; you can’t blame him. You know he only broke up with you because of Voldemort.”
Ginny didn’t even wince at the name; she just pressed her lips together and shook her head, tears visible in her eyes now.
“You love him, don’t you?” Hermione asked softly.
“Ever since I was ten,” she admitted, wiping her eyes with her sleeve and emitting a bitter laugh.
Hermione hugged the younger girl tightly. “Just wait,” she advised her, pulling away. “It’ll all turn better, don’t worry.”
“I hope so.” Ginny attempted a crooked smile. “But what about you and Ron?”
Hermione sighed and looked away. “What about me and Ron?”
“Has anything happened yet?”
Hermione didn’t even bother to look embarrassed; she just shrugged. “No, not really. I mean, after what happened to Bill and Dumbledore... It’s just, no one’s in the mood for these things.”
“I hate this.” Ginny shook her head and exhaled. “Everything has changed; nothing’s the same anymore. The whole Wizarding World is depressed. It’s horrible.”
“Yeah... I know.” Hermione absentmindedly scratched her hair before standing up. “I think I’ll go down for dinner. Are you coming with me?”
“Of course,” Ginny stood and followed Hermione out into the hall, closing the door behind her.
A/N: I do hope you enjoyed this chapter, I had much fun writing it. In its original, unbeta-ed version, it had major time errors, and my dear beta Nala fixed it all up. Thanks, dear!
And here's a little excerpt from the next chapter *winks*:
“It’s “ it’s not w-what it looks like,” Hermione stammered, her face turning red.
“Oh, really?” Ron snarled. “Wait until Ginny hears about this.” He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.
*grins evilly* Stay tuned for Chapter 2, and review please!