Old and Broken
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters presented in the story, or the Harry Potter universe. I won't even be angry or sue if J.K. Rowling decides to use my plot. Well, maybe I'll sue just so I can buy a Hummer and laugh at all the people who are using nice, small gas-conservative cars. No, scratch that. I'd never buy one of those boxy, energy-guzzling, metallic pieces of … OK getting off subject. In conclusion, I claim absolutely no ownership!
Chapter 1/Prologue
Hermione's husband, Ron had said he'd be right back that morning. But now it was late, almost midnight, and he still hadn't returned. Scared, she flooed from the house in Godric's Hollow they and Harry had been basing their search for the Horcruxes in to Grimmauld Place (they had a special link), where maybe a member of the Order could tell her what was going on.
And when she arrived, she saw two lifeless bodies laid out on the kitchen table, Ron and Harry both.
And all the members of the Order – save Lupin (it was a full moon after all) – were standing around them.
"What's – what's going on?" She choked.
"Hermione" Bill Weasley said, through his tears, "They were the last Horcruxes . . . They died valiantly, Ron took out six deatheaters before, before" He trailed off.
"Harry killed Voldemort . . . that destroyed all the deatheaters . . . Their dark marks just . . . but he knew that the bit of the soul in him would give him a chance to come back. He knew he had to . . ." Mrs. Weasley broke off into sobs.
"When were you going to tell me? I am . . .I was Ron's wife! I'm carrying his child! How was I supposed to know? How was I supposed to say goodbye?" She fell to the ground in sobs.
The members of the Order looked around in shock.
"You're pregnant?" Kingsley Shackleboat asked.
"Yes . . It's OK though. Just because Ron was a Horcrux doesn't mean anything, right?"
Molly Weasley broke out into a new wave of tears.
"We're so sorry . . ." Mundungus Fletcher added, before so many wands, at least twelve, rose and shouted in unison "Imperio!"
Ginny walked down the stairs, sobbing violently – after all, she had lost Harry who had proposed just the night before, coming to see what the new commotion was about. She grasped her stomach and shrieked "What are you doing to Hermione?"
"She's carrying Voldemort's child" Tonks said faintly.
"No! It's Ron's baby – it's Ron's!" Ginny screamed. "Somebody has to stop this! Stop it!" Ginny ran about, tugging on her mother's robes. "Don't do this, mum. Please don't . . ."
"Hermione, you must make the Abortive Potion" Molly Weasley said anyway.
It felt so wrong to mix the ingredients, to go about the kitchen gathering things, seeing so many teary eyes watching her. She tried to stop, but there were so many of them, so many curses laid upon her. An hour later, she had finished.
"Drink it." Condemned the grandfather of her child.
Hermione faltered, but soon other members of the Order were giving their commands also. And she raised the potion to her lips and swallowed, crying the whole time.
"Finite incarnun" Whispered those who had been her friends.
She felt such pain, as she ran upstairs. Ginny followed her.
In the bathroom, she cried, knowing the last bit of Ron was gone. She could never face his family again.
"Muffliato" murmured Ginny, locking the door.
"Hermione?" She started.
"Wha-what?"
"Hermione, I'm pregnant with Harry's baby."
Hermione immediately hugged her lone friend tightly. "Don't tell anyone else" she said into Ginny's ear. "I've seen Harry's will. He left almost everything to me, on the event of Ron's death. Grimmauld place, a fair chunk of money. Of course he left some a lot to your family too. But if he had known about you, I know you would be in my place. You can stay with me when you give birth, you'll always be welcome." Now she couldn't help but rant "How could they be so stupid? Just because they were Horcruxes, it doesn't mean the babies will inherit that. Yours won't, I know. Mine wouldn't have either, I researched it, you know?" Then she broke down, for what seemed like the millionth time that day.
"They were wrong, so wrong" Ginny sighed.
"I can't go back. I was going to try to become an auror. But I … I won't now. I'm going into the muggle world. I think I'll open a café. I always wanted to do that, you know. I know it's hardly a dream job, but we can work there together. You don't even have to work. Just promise me that you won't . . . please don't leave me alone"
They were both crying, crying for everything they'd lost.
"If you promise me the same thing."
Hermione smiled sadly. "I promise"
"I do too then."
"Ginny, will you be my secret keeper now, for Grimmauld Place? I can't . . . not McGonagall"
"I understand. We'll do the charm right now."
"Sitting on the bathroom floor" Hermione added and they laughed, even if the smiles didn't reach their eyes.
Twenty minutes later, they lifted the muffliato and walked down the stairs. Hermione raised her head high.
"As
owner of Grimmauld Place, I want you all to leave. If you ever, ever
try to contact me again-"
"Or me" Ginny interjected, and
Hermione continued to talk
"I will make sure you go to Azkaban for what you've done to me. How could you have put me under the imperius curse? You're disgusting. You've broken me, I'm not ashamed to admit that" tears streamed down her face, but proud tears. "You killed your grandchild, your nephew or niece, or just an innocent soul, all out of a silly superstition that would have never come to pass. Never. And I can't look at you."
The Order was horrified.
"Her-my-own-ee . . ." Fleur began.
"Go away" Ginny said quietly. When they didn't move, she shouted "OUT!"
"Ginny, come on, sweetie" Mrs. Weasley said.
"Mum, I have a new family now" and they left an ocean of tears in their wake, taking Ron and Harry's bodies with them.
