A/N : Hey everyone! Here's a story that's dedicated to my mom, who celebrates her birthday today :)
Promise
Hermione Granger sat in her room, staring blankly at the wall in front of her.
She shifted her gaze from the beige-coloured wallpaper to stare at her wand instead.
She stared at the stick for a few moments, and suddenly felt her eyes sting with tears.
She had to. There was no other choice. It was pre-destined. Written in her fate.
"Then why is it so hard?" she asked the wand quietly as the tears flowed down her cheeks.
She heard her mum call her for tea, and quickly stuffed her wand back into her jeans.
Wiping her tears, she knew.
Knew she had to do it today.
Linda Granger was not a stupid woman.
She was Hermione's mother, after all.
She had noticed the change in her daughter's attitude - and had questioned her, but to no effect.
She even tried sharing her fears with her better half, but Howard had simply laughed it off saying, "It must be that Ron bloke - never liked him much anyway."
But Linda knew it wasn't Ron.
Or Harry for that matter.
But they obviously had something to do with her daughter's new attitude and Linda was determined to find what.
Hermione came down the stairs two at a time as quietly as possible.
She didn't like what she was going to do at all.
But this wasn't her choice to make.
She would have to go for Howard Granger first.
Her loving father - who had held her hand as she took her first steps, and let go when she took those steps due to shock.
Her wonderful, wonderful dad - her protector and saviour.
Her eyes filled up with tears again.
"Today," she muttered, making sure that her mother was in the kitchen before making her way to the living room and to her father.
Spotting her father on the couch, she creeped up to him.
"Hermi-" he began happily, but she cut him off.
"I'm sorry, dad," she said, before non-verbally silencing him.
She felt the tears threaten to come out as her now-mute father opened and closed his mouth in utter confusion.
"Obliviate," she whispered, as her dad's eyes rolled back in his head, "Memoria Abilitates!"
And as her dad's eyes slid back to focus, she couldn't take it anymore - she couldn't hear her dad introduce himself as another person. Letting out a dry sob, she stunned him and watched as his lifeless body sagged against the couch.
Linda walked into the living room.
She knew that sob. Her daughter's.
But she would never have expected the sight that lay before her when she walked in.
Hermione was sitting on the rocking chair, head in her hands, wand on her lap.
Her husband was lifeless against the sofa.
"Hermione?"
Her daughter looked up at the sound of her name. Spotting her, she let out another sob, rubbing her red eyes.
"What happened, darling?"
Hermione didn't answer - but shot a guilty glance at her wand.
Linda gasped.
If Hermione had thought obliviating her dad was difficult, it didn't even amount to how hard it was to do the same to her mum.
Lovely, lovely Linda - Hermione's best friend and guide.
Always there for her.
Never leaving her side.
Through thick and through thin.
Her mother.
She looked up at her mum, teary-eyed.
"Time for some Gryffindor courage," she murmured - to herself , more than anyone else.
Picking up the wand on her lap, she stood up, shaking - pointing it to her mother's face.
Her mother's gasp turned to a look of horror.
"Hermione Jean Granger," she began, rather stern, "What in the world do you think you're doing, young lady?"
Hermione placed a finger on her lips in reply, and silenced her non-verbally.
Her mother opened her mouth mutely - just like her dad had, facing her daughter in fury.
"Mum," Hermione began, "Mum, you've got to trust me."
Her mother stopped struggling to speak and looked at her with tear-filled eyes.
"I didn't want to do this, okay? I've got to Mum, I've just got to. Harry's gonna die, Mum. Or Ron. Or even me. I don't know what the future holds for us, but I know that death has more than a 50 percent chance of coming. And you know what," she continued, not looking her mum in the eye, "I just want you to be safe."
Hermione took a deep breath.
"You're my best friend mum, and I wish I didn't have to do this, but I have to. Got to.I was destined for this like I was destined for my Hogwarts letter. I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you and it was my fault."
She still couldn't look her mum in the eye.
She chuckled humorlessly.
"Remember Lucy? Lucy from primary school?" she continued, n a different tone, "How she used to tease me for being a bookworm.. And tell me that I was ugly? And remember when we taught her a lesson by pretending we were ghosts and scaring the crap out of her? Or what about the first time I sneezed sparkles - when I was six? Yeah, you were so freaked out, it was funny," she chuckled again.
She met her mum's eyeS - which were swimming with tears.
Linda Granger nodded,
She looked at her wand and lifted it to her mum's height. Her mum nodded again. Tears were flowing freely down Hermione's cheeks now.
"Obliviate."
A/N : The end! Here's wishing a very happy birthday to my wonderful mom. I promise I'll update WL soon - in a few days, probably... R&R!