Coming Undone
A/N: This is a songfic to Tied Together With a Smile by Taylor Swift. It isn't compatible with the seventh book, though most of the same things happen.
Thanks to my beta, marauder05. Please review.
Seems the only one you doesn't see your beauty
Is the face in the mirror looking back at you
You walk around her thinking you're not pretty
But that's not true
Cause I know you
Hermione stood looking into her bedroom mirror. She pulled her jeans up over her hips and tried to fasten them. They were tight, but she was thankful that they fit. Her curly, brown hair was extremely poufy that morning and she could not tame it.
She gave up and flopped down on her bed, burying her face in the pillow.
Hold on, baby you're losing it
The water's high, you're jumping into it
And letting go
And no one knows
That you cry, but you don't tell anyone
That you might not be the golden one
And you're tied together with a smile
But you're coming undone
After all of the tears had been shed, Hermione stood up and went back to the mirror. The tears had left tracks down her cheek so she splashed some water on her face and then smiled at her reflection. It was a forced smile.
Okay, you've got to tell them why your clothes don't fit any more, she thought. She took a deep breath and walked out of her door, silently closing it behind her.
I guess it's true that love was all you wanted
Cause you're giving it away like its extra change
Hoping it would end up in his pocket
Her parents sat at the kitchen table, her mother was eating a banana and her father was reading the newspaper. They smiled when they saw her come in.
"Mom, Dad, there's something that I need to tell you," she said.
"What is it dear?" her mother asked. A worried look appeared on her father's face.
"Well, you know how I was dating Ron. I thought I was in love and I thought he loved me back," she began.
"Oh 'Mione, you didn't?" her father said.
"I did, Daddy," she whispered as she burst into tears.
But he leaves you out like a penny in the rain
Oh, cause it's not his price to pay
Not his price to pay
Hermione sat on the stairs and listened as her parents conversation grew from whispers to outraged yells.
"We should never have let her go to that magic school," her father yelled.
"She wanted to go. We didn't know anything like this would happen to her," her mother argued. "She's learned so much and it's been a wonderful opportunity for her. She has amazing friends."
"Like Ronald!? You call him an amazing friend?? How could he be amazing when he's knocked up our daughter and won't take responsibility for it?" her father exploded.
A tear slid down Hermione's cheek. The single tear quickly turned into sobs.
"Of course I don't mean him, but he has the choice of not being a part of our daughter's life and if he's chosen to take that path so be it," her mother said.
"What about their child!" her father yelled.
"I DON'T KNOW!" her mother screamed back.
Then everything got silent and Hermione had to strain to hear. What she heard made her cry even more because her mother was crying, hysterically.
You're tied together with a smile
Hold on, baby you're losing it
The water's high, you're jumping into it
And letting go
And no one knows
You cry, but you don't tell anyone
That you might not be the golden one
And you're tied together with a smile
But you're coming undone
The search had started. The seven horcruxes had to be found, but Hermione wasn't with Harry and Ron in the search.
She was in and out of hospitals and doctors' offices.
She was finding out the sex of her baby. A girl.
And then she was giving birth, at seventeen. And after six and a half hours of labor she had a little girl, who she named Jezebel Weasley.
You're tied together with a smile
But you're coming undone
Oh
Goodbye, baby
The war came and Hogwarts was under attack, but Hermione's parents locked her in the house. One of them was always with her. They wouldn't let her help the cause and fight for the freedom of the wizarding world.
And then it was over and she received word from a Hogwarts teacher that many had been killed, but that Harry had survived and Voldemort was dead. She had no idea who was dead and who was alive. So she began to cry.
When, who she thought was her father, came up to her room and tried to wake her, she had been asleep for a few hours. Her dreams had been haunted by a gruesome death of the boy she loved. The male shook her and whispered sweet nothings into her ear until she startled awake, slamming into his forehead.
"Ouch, 'Mione," he said. But the voice wasn't that of her father's. It was Ron.
She threw her arms around him and began to cry tears of relief. He held her in his arms and kissed her head.
Once she had settled down, Ron began to talk.
"Why didn't you tell me, Hermione?" he asked her.
"Tell you what?" she countered.
"About the baby. About Jezebel," he said.
"Because I thought you wouldn't stay. You never really wanted me, wanted to be with me, so why would you want a child by me?" she asked.
"I always wanted you, 'Mione. I love you," he told her.
"I love you, too," she told him, a tear of happiness sliding down her cheek.
Goodbye, baby
With a smile, baby, baby
And so they were married. It was a splendid ceremony and two-year-old Jezebel walked down the aisle throwing flowers, in front of her mother. Mrs. Granger cried. And Mr. Granger sat stiff as a board, trying not to let his emotions get to him.
Later that night, before Ron and Hermione left Jezebel in the care of her grandparents, Mr. Granger had a talk with his daughter.
Then, when they said goodbye, he kissed her on the cheek and said, "I'll miss you, Hermione. You'll always be my baby girl. Even if you're more grown up than I ever wanted you to be." And he let himself cry.