A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter never will. James Blunt is very talented and I owe him one for supplying the line that formed this story. I am thinking about writing a full story that will be a sequel to this and will see Tiffany go through a year a Hogwarts. Tell me what you think. Critics allowed. :)
CryLove is a beautiful thing, so rich in all its glory, so powerful in its prime, resting upon ones shoulders until the end of time. Death is dark and hollow; it drenches our soul of hope and love, causes uncontrollable misery. And so we cry…
A girl the ripe age of ten who had bushy brown hair and piercing blue eyes, not to mention a fair amount of freckles, bounced happily into the basement kitchen of her Aunt and Uncle. It late morning and the sun was shining outside the dark and grim walls of the shadowed basement, yet not letting a soul bask in its glory.
The girl smiled at the adults who sat around the table, her innocence not noticing the pain lingering in the air.
"Morning all!" She said happily taking a seat at the table.
Across from her sat her mother, with bushy hair like hers, yet brown eyes that seemed suddenly so empty of life.
"Morning Tiffany dear." Her mother said in a voice that wasn't her own.
Just at that moment, Tiffany looked at her Aunt Ginny, then to her uncle Harry and noticed the despair in their faces.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "Where's dad?"
Hermione took a deep breath and brushed a tear from her face. Harry scrunched up his face in pain and turned away. Ginny however, stoop up and went over to her niece and embraced her.
"Sweetie, something terrible has happened…" Ginny begun, her voice breaking, "Your father was out at work and got hurt…h-he he didn't make it."
Tiffany looked her Aunt straight in the eye.
"He didn't make it?"
"His gone Tiff." Hermione said softly looking at her hands.
Tiffany couldn't believe it. She searched the room for a joke but she only saw her mother drowned in grief, her aunt trying to hold herself together and her uncle dealing with the loss of the brother he thought he'd never have.
The child stood slowly, "Your lying…" She said softly. Hermione rose from her chair and embraced her daughter but Tiffany pushed her away and ran up the stairs.
Tears exploded from Hermione's eyes, a shower of memories that could have been and the loss of her true love.
Glancing at each other, Harry and Ginny made a silent agreement.
"I'll go talk to Tiff." Ginny said softly. She felt as if Tiffany was one of her own. Of course she had children but four of them were currently at Hogwarts and the youngest at the Burrow. Ginny made sure that Tiffany and her children were more siblings than cousins as Tiffany was an only child and they didn't fail to disappoint her.
Hermione gasped for air and dropped in a pool of tears on the floor as Ginny left the room. Harry rushed to her side and sat on the floor next to her. Hermione let her head rest on Harry's shoulder. Harry made no objection and silently wept.
For a moment they sat in silence. However, it was a silence of strength and unity, a silence of old friends who trusted each other deeply.
"Harry?" Hermione said quietly after a period of time.
"Yea?"
"Do you remember in our sixth year when Ron and I were fighting?" Hermione said, her voice horse while she stared hard at the wall.
Harry smiled softly, "How could I forget?"
Hermione smirked to herself and continued, "Well, the night before Ron laughed at me in Transfiguration, I had a dream. In the dream I dreamt of finally being with Ron and us having a beautiful girl together. She had my talent for school, my bossiness, yet Ron's humor and sarcastic flare," Hermione smiled to herself, "And everytime I look at Tiff, I know I am blessed, but…" More tears escaped Hermione's eyes, " What am I to do Harry? She is so young and naïve, She needs a father figure to guide her. She needs Ron…and so do I." Hermione started to shiver as her tears erupted once more.
Harry wrapped a protective arm around her. As well as Ron being the brother Harry had never had, Hermione was like his surrogate sister. All the years that the pair had been friends, Harry knew that if she ever needed his friendship and protection, now would be the time.
"It's alright," Harry said quietly, "Let it all out. Don't worry about Tiffany; she will be fine you just need to keep your memories close at hand. And as for a father figure for her, I will be there. I will not try to replace Ron of course, but I will be there when she needs me. The same goes for you." Harry smiled gingerly at the women who rested on his shoulder. Along with Ginny and his kids, Hermione and Tiffany were family and he would die for them all.
Ginny reappeared in the room and walked in holding Tiffany's hand. Hermione gradually stood up and walked over to her daughter. They looked at each other briefly before Tiffany put her hand in her mothers,
"I love you mummy." She said gently. Hermione squeezed her hand.
"I love you too sweetie."
The room filled will warmth and an invisible hand wrapped itself in Hermione's as if to tell her that even ghost can love.