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This is the revised version of Collapsing Heart. I have made the chapters longer by condensing the twelve chapters I have typed so far into five chapters. I have also made some minor adjustments, and fixed all the grammatical errors that I could see. To view the pre-revised version, just click on my name. As of September 2, 2011 at 3:00pm BST, the pre-revised version has had 156 reviews. I will only be adding chapters to this version from today onwards. Thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated characters are J.K. Rowling's creation and not mine. Layla however is all mine.

Collapsing Heart

Chapter One

I couldn't believe this was happening. I looked up at the gray clouded sky in deep mourning. I felt a small hand slip into mine and I was brought out of my inner thoughts. It wasn't just anyones hand, it was my little sisters; grasping on to me like I was her lifeline. As I looked down at the two coffins that held my parents I realized just how true that statement was; with no other family left I was her life line, and she was mine.

My parents died on a rainy Tuesday night just one week ago. Tuesday night was their date night. My mom would get all dressed up even though they always went to the same place in downtown New York City. Then after they ate they would go to the movies and come home in time to tuck my eight year old sister, Layla, into bed. I would always wonder why they needed to go on these dates because they had been married for twelve years. In response my mom would look at me with her eyes twinkling and say, "Hermione dear, your only twenty years old, but one day when you get married you will understand." At that precise moment she would reach over and pinch my dad's ass and they would both laugh. Layla and I would look at each other, and make fake gagging noises while sticking our fingers in our mouths. Secretly, I longed for the day when I could have a relationship like theirs. They were not the perfect couple, but they were my heroes. I loved them, I still and will forever love them. That rainy Tuesday night would be the last time I ever saw them. I would never see that twinkle in my mother's eye or my father's cheeky grin ever again...damn drunk driver.

"Hermione...Hermione dear." I shook my head trying to clear fond memories from my head, and looked at the minister calling my name.

"I'm sorry did you say something?" I whispered, as my voice tried and failed to grasp onto any kind of sound. The minister looked at me with pity and gave me a sad smile, "Yes, its time to say goodbye."

Goodbye? How the hell do you say goodbye to someone that has been there for you, cared for you, and loved you for all of your life. He made it sound like it should be easy. It felt as if a knife was cutting me in two. I quickly moved my hand to my stomach, it was as if the emotional pain was turning physical. I quickly patted my stomach to make sure it didn't really happen, that someone hadn't really plunged a knife in to me. I looked down at my sister and saw that she was staring at me very intently. She had not spoken one word since we found out they died. I have to keep it together, I have to keep it together for Layla. If I breakdown she will have no one to depend on. With that thought I straightened myself up, leaned over and dropped the two white roses I had in my hand into the ground.

"I love you mom and dad. I know you are probably worried, but try not to ok? I am going to take care of Layla as if she were my own. I will make you so proud of me." I whispered hoping by some miracle that they could hear me, wherever they are.

Layla came next to me and dropped her two flowers in to the ground. She didn't say anything she just stood up and went back to where were originally standing. The digger started putting the dark soil into the ground and over my parents. I slowly stood up, my knees popped and I groaned. I feel like I had aged twenty years overnight. I walked back over to Layla and gave her the tightest hug I could. I let a couple tears fall from my eyes, but no more, I had to keep strong.

"Miss Granger?" a voice called from behind.

I turned around and saw that Mr Jerome, Jr., one of my parent's lawyers, was standing almost impatiently right over me.

"Mr Jerome, what are you doing here?"

"Miss Granger I have been trying to get in touch with you for three days. Where have you been?" he asked me in an irritating tone.

I couldn't believe he was talking to me like this, who does he think he is.

" I have been busy preparing for my parents fucking funeral, whats it to you?" I said angrily. I didn't have time or energy to be dealing with assholes. I hated swearing, but this guy is pushing my buttons.

"Now Miss Granger lets calm down, you don't want to cause a scene now do you? Especially when nature of your sister's guardianship is at stake." He asked patronizingly.

"Are you threatening me?" I asked.

"No, I am just saying that if you want to keep your sister with you had better keep that temper in check, you don't want Child Services being called out by someone do you."

Someone is definitely getting fired very soon. I can't believe the nerve of this idiot.

"Why were you looking for me?"

"We need to go over your parents will, it is imperative that we do so."

"Well, there is no way I can do it today, I have too much going on. You can come by the house tomorrow at 8AM, I'll be waiting."

I didn't even give him time to answer, I just took Layla's hand and walked away.

Next Morning 8AM

I didn't sleep again last night, I hadn't slept in a week and I am sure it was beginning to show. After leaving the cemetery we returned to the house to find fifty people there eating, talking, and some even laughing. If no one was wearing black, it would almost seem as if this wasn't a funeral. I looked around the room and just saw a big blur; half of the people I didn't even know. Every five-seconds someone would come up to me and say how sorry they are to hear about my parents, they were such great people blah blah blah...

As the last person had left I shut the door and took a big gulp of air. The house was silent, too silent. Layla was in her playroom for most of the meal, but when I checked she wasn't there anymore. I found her in our parents room curled up into a little ball on their bed sleeping. I stood in the doorway for what seemed like hours just staring at her and clutching my chest.I saw my mothers nightgown sitting on a chair in the corner of the room. I picked it up a breathed the scent in; it smelt of vanilla and honey, it smelt like her. I unzipped my black dress, pulled the nightgown on and crawled into bed next Layla, I stared at the ceiling all night; my mind blank and my body numb.

Knock Knock

I shook my self out of the hazy trance that my mind had grabbed on to and opened the door.

"Mr. Jerome, please come in." I said as I stood to the side to let him in. I led him to the living room and we both sat down. I am glad it was Mr Jerome, Sr., not Jr., this would have been very tense if it was Jr. I like Mr Jerome, Sr., he used to remind of Santa Claus when I was a child, and for the longest time I had thought he was.

"Is Miss Layla here today?" Mr Jerome asked as he looked around the room.

"Yes," I said slowly. "Does she need to be here for this, she is only eight, I don't think she will understand any of this."

"Your parents have left something for the two of you and I have it here with me, but I can wait till the end to give it to you both."

"OK." I said nervously. Things really hit home for me early this morning when I got out of bed. I'm in university so I don't have a job. Mom and Dad always thought I should devote all my time to studying. Layla goes to a private school I'm sure the fees are horrendous. Then there is the house; will I get to keep it, or have they given it to someone else. The biggest worry of all was Layla, would I get to keep her or will be shipped off somewhere.

" Your father, before he died, had been doing extremely well with his job. He and your mother just came to me last month to update somethings on the will."

" What kind of things?"

" All good things Miss Granger, you and your sister will have nothing to worry about." Mr Jerome calmly said with a smile. The moment he said that, it was is a heavy weight had lifted off of me.

"Now there are five things that we need to go over and I want to make it easy for you to understand. I know you and your sister are in a predicament since you don't have any living relatives left to depend on." He stated

" Yes, that correct. Both Mom and Dad were only children and I only knew Nanni Granger. She lived in England though so we never got to see her before she died. Mom's parents had died before I was born."

"They were well aware of everything when they came to me to discuss the will. Now first things first the house; your father had a really good life insurance policy with his company and he also took out a few private policies on himself as well. It was put in place that when he died the house would be paid off in full. The life insurance policies, in the event of your father death, would leave the amount of twenty-million US dollars to the next beneficiary. Since you mother was the next beneficiary and she has also passed on, you my dear are next in line." He said with a sure smile on his face and sat back into the chair.

"Twe-enty Million? What I-I?"

"Yes my dear, you get everything. Now concerning your sister, you parents wanted you two to stay together but they understood that it would be a big burden for you to carry. They also understood that you were old enough to make your own decisions. They wanted you to decide whether you would keep your sister or go with the alternative placement they had set up for her."

"I am keeping her." I said quickly.

" Now are you sure you don't want to hear..."

"No!" I yelled cutting him off. "I don't need to hear anymore. I know it will take some adjusting but I can do this, I have to. I owe to my parents and Layla to stick to this.

"Your parents would understand if you couldn't dearie" he said sympathetically as he reached over and patted my hand.

"Yes, well that wouldn't have been there first choice, you said it yourself they want the two of us to stick together and this is the only way to do it."

Tears started to well up in my eyes and I hurriedly tried blink them away. Mr Jerome didn't say anything as I tried to compose my self. I looked back at him, and asked,

"Thats three things, what are the other two?"

" Ah yes, these two will be a shock to you I am sure. Did you know that you and your sister hold dual nationalities?"

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked stupidly.

"You and your sister hold passports for both the United States and the United Kingdom."

"Umm, no we don't I am sure I would have seen those."

" Your parents got them for you when both of you were born."

"How can that be possible?"

"Well, your dad was born in England therefore you have the right to hold a British passport as well. Which bring us to the last topic, your Grandmother on your fathers side left him her home in her will before she died. Which means now that your father has past, the house now also belong to you. Now that you father has died, English law requires you to go and sign a document in person to transfer the deed and title in your name." He said

"What does that mean?" I asked. My brain had turned to mush. I cant believe these things, these secrets that my parents had kept from me.

"It means my dear child that you are going to England!"

0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0

It has now been two weeks since my parents have died, and one week since Mr. Jerome came to the house to present my parent's will. I am still in shock, and I am still trying to wrap my head around everything. Our tickets were booked to fly into London, and we would be leaving tomorrow evening. Layla and I have been sleeping in my parents room ever since I found her here a week ago.

Layla still hasn't spoken either and I am starting to get a little worried. At first I let her be; I know everyone grieves in different ways, and I just thought she was channeling her grief through silence. Now I have to beg her to speak to me, and even then it's like I am talking to a stone wall. She has no problem with showing affection though, and she wont wander off on her own. Even if we are in the house she has to be in the same room as me, and right now as I try to fall asleep next to her; she holds me close in her sleep never letting her grip falter. I was just about to doze off when I heard,

" Do you think Mom and Dad are in Heaven?"

I closed my eyes tight as a tear ran down my face and sighed. I wasn't really a religious person, but I believed that if you were a good person and did good things thats all that mattered. Our parents never took us to a church so I didn't understand where this heaven talk was coming from. I was just so happy that she spoke and I didn't want to upset her, so I gently asked,

"Do you think they are in heaven?"

"Yes," She answered with a quiver in her voice.

I pulled her closer to me and said, "If you believe that they are then they are."

Her shoulders started to shake and I as I looked down at her she looked up at me; and my heart broke. Her eyes held big drops of tears, and I lost it. We both cried until we were too tired to keep our eyes open.

Next Day

After we had our cry last night, I woke up wondering if Layla would retreat back into herself like she had previously done. I guess I can rest a little easier now though because she is almost back to being miss chatterbox, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

" Do you realize who lives in England?" Layla asks me excitedly.

"The Queen?"I asked playfully.

"No silly girl someone much more important than that."

I had no clue who she was talking about. I don't go around researching people who live in England.

"Grrr. OK I will give you a clue. What is my most favorite movie of all time?"she asked frustratedly.

"Well, that easy, its the Hero Daze series." I said. There were four movies in the series and they were currently filming the fifth one. Layla must have watched them at least a dozen times, and she had roped me into watching them with her a couple times as well.

"Yes, exactly the cast of Hero Daze all live in England, but what is more important Ronald Weasley lives there! Isn't that great?"

"Yeah. Thats amazing. Ronald Weasley, Woo-Hoo!" I said with a fake cheerfulness. She didn't seem to notice my false enthusiasm because she just keep prattling on.

"Maybe I will get to meet him and give him the letter I had written for him a month ago. I never got to send it, but now maybe I can give it to him in person. Oh the possibilities, my friends are going to be so jealous when I meet him." She squealed as she jumped around the room.

When she mentioned the letter she had written for that Weasley guy, it reminded me of the letter my parents had written for us. Mr Jerome had them and had given them to each of us when he was done reading the will. I still had not read mine yet, but I wonder if Layla had read hers.

"Hey Layla? Did you read the letter mom and dad wrote to you yet?" I asked nonchalantly.

It went silent as soon as I asked. The jumping and cheering was forgotten and as I looked over at Layla I felt stupid. Her chin started to quiver, and she seemed to be retreated back into herself again. I shouldn't have brought it up. I am so stupid!

"Never mind, you don't have to answer me, I was just thinking aloud." I said trying to quickly backpedal through the mess I created. "So we better get packing, we don't want to keep Mr. Weasley waiting." That seemed to do the trick, a bright smile lit up her face and she ran upstairs. I heard the cupboard at the top of the stairs open and I could here her taking out the suitcases while humming. That was close, I need to be more careful with what I say to her. This trip is just the thing we both need. I personally couldn't stay in this house much longer, everything was a constant reminder of our parents, and I was starting to feel claustrophobic.

The morning quickly turned to the afternoon and before we knew it we were on the plane. Layla had never been on a plane before, but she seemed to love it. It was overnight flight and I was afraid she would get cranky, but she seems to be doing ok. The flight attendants had just taken our trays from breakfast when the captain's voice sounded over the intercom.

Ladies and gentleman this is your captain speaking, we will be arriving into London Heathrow in just two hours. Soon the flights attendants will be passing around a landing card for Non-British citizens to fill out and complete until then they will now be coming down the isle with magazines and newspapers to read along with our duty free service. Once again thank you for flying with us and you will hearing from me again soon.

When the flight attendant came by I took a newspaper from London and they gave Layla a young teen magazine.

"Hermione look, its Ron doesn't he look dashing!" Layla said pointing to the picture. It was a picture of him walking down the street with a black bag in his hand. I never noticed before but he was really hot.

"Yeah, he is quite cute." I said as I took the magazine from her to get a closer look.

"Someone has a crush." She sang loudly as she snatched the magazine out of my hand. Several people looked over at us and smiled.

"I do not." I said as I sunk down in my seat, and I felt my cheek start to burn.

"Listen to this Hermione, 'Ron Weasley will be answering questions on Kiss FM radio this Friday at noon. The fifth caller to call in will win a date with him at winner's restaurant of choice. Just call the number on the bottom of the page when we tell you to and you can get a chance to win.' Oh Hermione imagine if I got to meet him!" Layla said excitedly while bouncing in her seat.

"I'm sure many people will be calling in once they find this out, so don't get your hopes up all right." I said as I patted the top of her head.

"We can still listen to the radio on Friday though right. We will still be here on Friday right" she said, her eyes pleading with me to say yes.

"Yes, we will still be here, I decided to stay in Nanni's house for a month. You still have much of your summer vacation left, and we both need time away from New York." I said playfully while purposely avoiding answering the question she want to here the most.

"And?" she said frustratedly.

"Yes, you can listen to the program, but like I said before I don't want you getting your hopes up if you cant get through all right? Besides tomorrow is Friday and you might be so jet-lagged, that you will probably sleep right through the radio show." I wanted to make sure that she didn't get her hopes up about this; she was doing well these past two days and I wanted to keep it like that.

"I will not sleep through it! Maybe you should be the one to call in."

"Why would I need to do that?" I asked confusedly.

"Your so crabby, you need to go on a date." She said. All of a sudden the look on her face changed from bossy to mischievous.

"Whatever your thinking the answer is no, do you hear me." I said firmly. She was up to something, I just didn't know what.

"I'm not thinking anything." She said sweetly, almost too sweet for my taste.

I was about to call her out on her lie when the captain announced on the intercom that we were now beginning the descent into London. We didn't need to fill out the landing card because we had our British passports. It took forever to get off the plane, but thanks to my parents for thinking ahead, we didn't have to go through customs. My Nanni's house was about an hours drive north of London. I was too scared to drive so we had to get a taxi, I am sure it would cost a fortune, but it would be a small price to pay for our safety.

Friday Morning

"What do you want for breakfast?" I asked Layla as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Yesterday, I had asked the taxi driver to stop at a grocery store so we could pick up some essentials so we wouldn't starve. I'm glad I did cause the way I was feeling we weren't going anywhere today I am so tired, and I want to jump back into bed.

"I want pancakes!"

"Cereal it is." I said, as I got the milk and cereal out.

"Noooo." Layla whined

"Hey isn't your radio program thingy coming on in like ten minutes. You better hurry up and eat or you are going to miss it." That did the trick, she jumped off the kitchen chair and sprinted towards me; grabbing the cereal and milk then running back to the table.

I turned the radio on so she could listen to it while eating.

Thanks for tuning in to Kiss FM, now in about three minutes we will have Ron Weasley, who you may know from a little movie series called Hero Daze. Now here is how the competition will go, we are going to bring him on here and introduce him to you all and then we will open the telephone lines to start the questioning...so without further ado I give you Ron Weasley.

Hello, how's it going.

I turned to look at Layla so I could see the excitement on her face, and found her seat empty.

"Layla your missing it!" I shouted through out the house. I shook my head and smiled. Sometimes that girl doesn't make any sense.

I started washing the dishes when I heard something that rooted me to the kitchen floor.

"Our next caller is our fifth caller and lucky winner, who am I speaking to?" the radio DJ asked.

"Layla Granger, am I really your fifth caller."

Yes, Layla you are. How old are you? Also say hello to Ron!"

" Hi Layla, how are you?" Ron asked.

"OMG hi! I cant believe this! I am doing really good now!" Layla squealed.

"How old are you Layla?" the radio announcer asked again.

"Eight!" she yelled excitedly.

Ron laughed and said, " Aren't you a little young to be going on dates."

"Yes, but I am not calling in for me, I calling in for my sister Hermione. She needs to go out on date, she has never really had a boyfriend."

The minute she said that I took off running. I had to put an end to this before she embarrassed me further. Meanwhile I could still here her talking through the radio.

"You see my mom and dad died last week in a car accident, and now she has to take care of me. I feel bad cause she wont get to live her life like she should."

"How old is your sister?" Ron asked kindly.

"She is only twenty."

"That really brave of her to do that."

" I think so. Uh-oh. Here she comes."

"Well, put her on." The radio announcer said.

I opened the door to one of the closets and thats where I found her; with my cell phone.

She just held the phone out to me sheepishly said, "They want to talk to you."

I grabbed the phone from her and sighed, " Hello."

"Well hello there, your sister has just won you a date with the famous Ron Weasley. How do you feel Herny?"

"Its Hermione, and lets just say I am shocked. Look I know you have show to run so I wont keep you."

"What is your favorite restaurant?" Ron asked

"Look, I am sure your a nice guy and your probably obligated to do this so I will spare you the trouble. You don't have to go on a date with me. Have a good day." I said and hung up. I was mortified.

"Why did you hang up? I got you a date." Layla cried.

"I'm sorry kiddo, I love you, but you don't need to worry about me. I'm sure he has better things to do than going on forced dates with strangers," I said and walked away.