Black Tinted Green

A/N: This is going to be a two part fic. It's RWHG, but it's not a fluff story. I guarantee. Hope you enjoy.

Juliet

The long deserted London street was silent but for the sprinting footsteps of Hermione Granger. She knew she shouldn't be out alone, especially at night. But she didn't care. It seemed like the entire night sky had a greenish cast. Glowing in the light of so many dark marks. Hermione was suddenly hit by a painful stitch in her side and gasped, clutching it, but she kept on running. She could run through the pain. The emotional agony was far worse anyways.

Much of the Wizarding world would be celebrating as they spoke. Surely the Ministry would have spread the word far and wide. Reporters for the Prophet would be scratching away on their parchments at top speed. The magical world, which has had so little to celebrate over all of these dark years, the world that has seen so much death, and had so little hope, would be finally able to sleep soundly in their beds at night. Lord Voldemort was dead. The ministry would be up and celebrating their hard won victory. The victory that they had nothing to do with. The victory they would take credit for. The one they hindered more than helped. All of the real heroes however, were not celebrating. They themselves were stricken with more fear than some of them had ever faced on the battlefield.

Hermione burst through the display with the ugly old mannequins and into the brightly lit entry way. She heard worried voices. Healers were bustling around, some filling into help from their usual posts in the hospital. It was a scene, not unlike one you might see in a muggle hospital, after a massive traffic accident involving several busses and a many car pile up. The Welcome Witch, who Hermione had only ever seen looking tired and bored, appeared to be moderately interested, and almost excited, by what was going on, rather than horrified, or panicked, or even at all concerned. Just interested. This would have enraged Hermione, had she not had far more important things on her mind. She had just seen Minerva McGonagall standing against a wall at the far end of the room. She ran towards her.

"Professor! Professor McGonagall!" She yelled, pushing her way through the bustling lobby. She looked up and saw the frantic young woman rushing towards her, main of bushy brown hair flying behind her, face streaked with tears.

"Miss Granger." She spoke in a soft quavering voice. "Oh! Are you alright?"

Hermione ignored this question. She didn't know if she was okay.

"Where is Harry? And Ron? The others?"

"Hermione," the older woman sighed, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine! Or, I'll live at least."

"You should get yourself checked out Miss Granger," suggested McGonagall.

"No, I don't need-"

"Hermione!" shouted a voice from somewhere. A ragged and worried Remus Lupin. "Hermione, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Where are-"

"She should be checked out in any case," interjected McGonagall.

"No! I'm fine! Were is Harry and Ron? Remus? Please!"

"I'll take you too them."

"Remus! I don't really think-"

"Minerva, Hermione seems fine. She should be with her friends, while she still can," Remus said, his voice cracking a little.

"But-"

"Come, Hermione," ordered Remus, with an air that clearly said to Professor McGonagall 'End of argument,' and Hermione followed him.

Hermione wanted to sprint as fast as she could, but Lupin was merely walking at a steady pace. This irritated Hermione. Her best friends could be dieing, and the most Lupin could manage to do was normal walking. Her best friends were dieing. 'No! Don't think that! They're not dieing! They can't be-'

"Hermione? Hermione?" Hermione snapped out of her reverie.

"Huh? What?" she replied stupidly.

"Hermione," began Remus gently, "how much do you know?"

"Not much," replied Hermione, "I was dueling with the Death Eater, Rookwood. Then, when they all started disaperating, once they had figured out that Voldemort was killed, I knew it must all be over. So I went running to find Harry. When I found Harry, he- he- didn't look good. I didn't get close enough to really know anything. Bill apparated him here so fast. I never- and – I- I- Ron wasn't anywhere. Not even- not even- a body. I- I-" Hermione's breathing was heavy and labored now. Tears spilled afresh down her face. She looked paler than ever against her dark hair. "Got- got- attacked by Lastrange- George and me finished her- her- off. But by then, ev-everything was settling down. I-I- oh, I was so scared! I- I- are they okay? I-I- was so afraid that they were- they were d-dead. I-I-"

But then Remus sat her down on a bench outside one of the rooms, and held her as she began sobbing uncontrollably into his shoulder. Until this point Hermione hadn't even been aware she was crying. Remus held her close and let her cry.

"I-I-," sobbed Hermione, "I- can't loose them now."

"I wish I could tell you that you aren't going to, Hermione, but no one really knows anything yet. They think that Ron should be okay, though they really don't know anything for sure. He hasn't woken up yet."

"And- and- Harry?" Hermione asked, afraid of the answer.

"He's, he's, it doesn't look good. No one knows what he was hit with. They, he, he's not improving."

Hermione felt a dead weight sink farther in her chest. She took several deep breaths to steady herself. Then she stood up so suddenly she made Remus jump.

"Take me to them."

"Okay."

They went up several flights of stairs, to the fourth floor- spell damage, down several corridors. Hermione began running when she saw the red headed form of a disheveled Molly Weasley bobbing nervously outside a ward half way down the hallway.

"Hermione dear!" said Mrs. Weasley, embracing her, "thank goodness you're alright!"

"Where's Ron?"

"Him and Harry both are in the ward at the very end of the hall. Fred and Ginny are in this one here."

Hermione waited only long enough to mutter a quick, "Thank you Mrs. Weasley," then rushed, pell-mell down to the last room at the very end of the hall.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Please review! Part 2 on the way.