Disclaimer: I own nothing recognisable from the Harry Potter world and I am not profiting from this story.
A/N: Many thanks to my beta, xxDustNight88.
Prompt:"I'm begging you to keep haunting me." Resurrection Stone. Hermione Granger. Dead Flowers. Smoke. Fred's death. (Wordsmiths and Betas on Facebook for their Drabble Friday).
Haunting Me
Hermione sat on the edge of Fred's bed, her hands trembling. She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. She had thought that after two weeks of crying constantly, she would be out of tears…
She took in a shaky breath. No matter how desperately she wished it wasn't true, Fred was gone. Her heart ached in a way that she didn't know possible.
"Are you alright, Hermione?"
Looking up, she frowned when she saw Ron in the doorway. His own eyes were puffy as well.
"No," Hermione answered, her voice cracking. "I miss him."
Ron entered the room, taking a seat down on the edge of the bed. He took Hermione's hand, squeezing it tightly. "I miss him, too."
Hermione bit her lower lip to keep from crying out. "It's not fair, Ron." She leant on his shoulder, the tears falling freely now.
Ron hugged her tightly. "Fred loved you, Hermione, but he wouldn't want to see you this way."
She only cried harder at his words. "I loved him too, Ron…" She sniffed loudly. "I had thought… I had thought that we would have a future."
"I know," Ron soothed, rubbing her back gently. "I knew the war would be tough, but I never imagined my own family would suffer as much as it has…"
"I don't know how to handle this, Ron," Hermione admitted in a small voice.
"We'll handle it together," Ron promised. "You, me, Harry… Just like we always do. It'll be okay."
Hermione sniffed, wanting to believe him.
Hermione adjusted her scarf as she walked through the Forbidden Forest. She gripped her wand tightly as she looked around.
She didn't know what she was doing there… The chances that she would actually find the stone was slim.
But still, she had to try. The thought of seeing Fred once more was enough to quiet the tiny voice in the back of her head that whispered, this is wrong.
" Accio Resurrection Stone !" she called out, hoping that it would work. She huffed when it didn't, though, she didn't quite expect it to work in the first place.
Hermione let out a shaky breath as she fell to her knees. Her hands gripped the dirt in front of her in frustration. "Fred…" she whispered.
"Hermione."
Half-mad with hope, Hermione snapped her head up, only to be disappointed when she saw Harry standing before you.
"Leave me alone, Harry," Hermione said, returning her gaze to the ground in front of her.
"Come on," Harry said, approaching her. "This isn't you, Hermione. And Fred wouldn't want you to do this."
"We'll never know," Hermione angrily retorted. She let out another shaky breath. "I…"
"Hermione, you haven't slept since the battle. You've barely eaten. And now I find you on the floor of the Forbidden Forest looking for the Resurrection Stone? Hermione, you're killing yourself, and I know Fred wouldn't have wanted that for you. And neither would your parents."
At the mention of her parents, Hermione looked up. "I feel so lost, Harry," she whispered quietly, feeling defeated. She knew that Harry was right.
"You need to come home," Harry said gently. "With me to Grimmauld Place. I know you've been staying at the Burrow, but I really think you just need some time away from everyone to relax. We can get some oils for the bath, and I'll make you some soup - chicken noodle, just like you like."
Hermione stood, sniffling. She reached up and wiped her tears away. "I don't know how this will get better."
"It won't be easy," Harry said gently. "We lost so many people, Hermione… Fred, Tonks, Remus… Even Lavender. Plus, so many more. We're all hurting, Hermione. You're not alone in your grief."
She hugged Harry tightly. "Help me, please?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Ron, too."
"Of course," Harry promised. "The three of us together, through thick and thin. I won't lose you too, Hermione."
"You won't," she said softly. "Apparate me home? I don't feel like I'm emotionally stable enough to do it myself." She flushed.
"Of course," Harry said, holding her hand tightly. They Disapparated from the forest, the Resurrection Stone long forgotten about.