Moments
I couldn't believe it has been over one month since she left.
I gulped down my fire whisky by my bed. It's been my tenth bottle today. My throat burned like raging fire, but up to this point, it didn't matter and I didn't care. Anything to take away the pain I felt inside. I looked at the pile of clothes that didn't belong to me. I felt tears prick at the corner of my eyes just by looking at them.
I picked up the sweater from the top of the pile. It was her favourite- the one she wore when we defeated the Dark Lord. I smelt the shirt, hoping for her minty toothpaste scent, but all traces of her was gone. All it smelt was of soap.
I couldn't last another day without her. I kept her shirt in hand as I lay on my bed. Tears fell faster and faster as my eyes focused on just one all too familiar picture.
"We should really move back to my Mum and Dad's place," I laughed as I tried working her odd Muggle contraption, "What is this thing called anyway?"
She laughed as she went over to me. "Ronald, your doing it wrong." Hermione, the smart one in our relationship, pushed a button on the machine. "This is called a juicer."
I smiled. We were now living in the Muggle world in her parent's house for the time being- until Rose and Hugo go back to Hogwarts. "What would I do without you?"
"Nothing, actually," she smirked as she washed her hands. "Once it looks ready just press the red button and open the lid."
I nodded as I watched the "juicer" do its work like a Keeper would watch the Quidditch field.
A few minutes later, the liquid inside looked ready. "Open the lid then press the red button," I said to myself.
Hermione came back in the kitchen as I put my hand on the lid, ready to open the juicer. "Ronald, what are you doing?" She came closer as I waited for the right time to open it. I didn't want Hermione to do all the work in this family, so I'd like to show her that I could work these silly Muggle contraptions on my own.
"I'm doing what you told me to do, Mione," I smiled as I slowly opened the lid. "Ron, no! Don't open the li-" She got cut off as my banana juice squirted around the room and all over our clothes and faces.
"You're so lucky I love you," Hermione said as she wiped around her dazzling eyes with a piece of cloth she found nearby. I grinned at the thought that she wasn't mad about the mess I made at her parents house.
"I know," I said. She laughed as she got my Muggle camera dad gave me from my birthday a few years ago.
She giggled as we posed for the strange camera. "Smiiillleee!"
I stared at the picture by my bed, my lips clashed into her cheek as the camera flashed, and my head filled with other fond memories I shared with her.
I couldn't believe this was all happening even though its been more than a month.
I picked up the frame and threw it to the wall, my face then buried in my hands. I had made too much noise, obviously, because my best friend's gentle voice came through the door.
"Ron, are you okay?"
I screamed, my voice dry, rough, and raw with anger. "Go away!"
I heard Harry knock again. I climbed from my bed and grabbed my old blue duffle bag. I threw in a few items I needed and made my way outside, pushing past Harry who held the bottom of her jacket. I swung around and threw his hand off of it.
"Ron, this isn't healthy."
"You don't know how I feel."
"Yes, I do! Hermione was my friend, too."
"Yes, Harry, she was your friend, but you know what the difference is? Hermione was my everything, my soul, my heart, the only person who knew me in and out. Do you know what it's like to have everything you finally got and then it being wiped out in an instant? Do you know what it feels like for your lungs to shut down? When I breath, it kills me. Do you know what it feels like to have a big hole in your heart and you know it can never heal?" I finished there, my eyes blood shot on Harry as I yelled out each words, getting air as I did so.
Harry stayed silent. I sighed as I turned my heel, but a little sweet voice stopped me from moving further.
"Daddy? Where are you going?" Hugo, Hermione and I's son. He stood by his door step, holding his blue blanket she knitted for him along side Rose. Their eyes were red and puffy, much like mine.
I faced my children, holding back the tears, not wanting them to remember their father as a coward who couldn't take life without just one simple thing. "I'll just be a few blocks away, but I won't leave for good, okay?"
Rose said nothing, staring at me as if I had gone crazy. I was about to make my way out, saying nothing else to my poor children. I was a bad father.
"Dad. I know your not coming back." Rose finally spoke up, her voice quivering with fear but I could her the struggle she always had of trying to be confident.
I didn't dare look back to see their faces once more. I didn't want to see what I heard- the fear and the tears. I didn't want them to see my fear and tears; that was probably it.
"Rose, even if I don't come back," I choked on my own words, my anger fading but not as well, "you both have to know I'll always be with you where ever I am. You both have to know me and your mum loved you and we always will. Don't forget that."
I opened the door I was directed to. I saw a familiar face looking down at my wife. It was Harry. "What happened?"
Harry's eyes were red and puffy, obviously stating that he's been crying.
Hermione lay on the hospital bed, eyes clothes and in a blue sleeping gown.
"What happened?" I repeated my words as I grabbed Harry.
He mouthed something, a few sounds coming out of his mouth. "She.. crashed. Into one of those cars. I'm sorry.."
It took a few minutes for it to sink in, for my brain to allow what Harry meant. "No. No. You're lying Harry. We have two kids, she's my one true love, this can't be happening. WHAT HAPPENED?"
"I'm sorry, Ron," he left the room giving me some privacy,
This had to be some cruel and sick joke. I screamed out loud, the pain worse than anything I'd ever felt before- even from a spell.
A nurse came in. "Is she okay?" I asked her repeatedly.
"Not even magic can fix it," she was obviously from the Wizarding world.
I shook my head as I kneeled on the floor. Life was horrible starting here.
"It'll be okay.." the nurse tried soothing me as she checked on Hermione.
"No. No it won't. Nothing will ever be okay ever again. Not without Hermione."
Time heals everything, that's what my mum told me. I knew it was a lie, it didn't heal a thing. It made everything worse, everyday worse. It made the pain worse. Each day got harder to live.
As much as I wanted to turn around and kiss the kids in the forehead, be forced to kiss Hugo's teddy bear, the one in the Quidditch robe, or say my last goodbye to my best friend Harry- I didn't do any of what I wished. Instead, I made my way to through the door, letting my tears fall freely once more as I knew what was going to happen.
This author's note will be short as there is another one in the next chapter.
The next chapter is the same, really, just different endings. If you want to read the twist ending (which I recommend), go ahead and read after his first flash back.
I hope you enjoyed! - A:)
