Author's Note: I am so unbelievably sorry for just now updating. My laptop was stolen, and that had everything on it. It was horrible. Anyway, I just now got a new laptop and a chance to continue. I had to rewrite this chapter, and I hope I still have some readers. I do get lax when it comes to updating. So if anyone would like to add me on msn () and keep me in shape, feel free. Thanks. xoxo
Chapter 3:
"Please explain to me, Ronald, why you walked out on the woman you supposedly love because of something so superficial and something she cannot even help?" Ginny screamed at Ronald after it had been two weeks and he still had not been to visit Hermione. She was livid.
"Ginny it isn't that simple. It was just a wakeup call for me that maybe we aren't meant to be with each other like we thought. It really made me think about forever and taking care of someone no matter what. Being there through thick and thin. That takes some serious stuff right there. Champion stuff. Stuff I am not ready for or capable of. Hermione does deserve the best, and I'm just not ready to give it to her."
"It's really sad Ronald. Maybe you could have figured this out before all of this. Now, literally, every part of her life is falling apart. What a stand up guy you are." Ginny barged out of the room to go back to the hospital.
Two weeks had flown by. Hermione knew everything. She knew her parents were dead. She knew she was blind. She knew that she and Ron were over with, even though it was never said. Hermione was making little to no progress. Most days she would lie in the hospital bed sleeping. Sleeping was definitely her coping mechanism. The doctors felt she was not ready to go home. She had lapsed into a deep depression that would take some serious time to crawl out of. Everyone had faith in her though, and believed she would come out with her head high.
Draco had been very understanding when Harry contacted him. He said Hermione's job would be there when/if she wanted to come back. The decision was hers and he would hold the job for her. She was amazing at it, and he enjoyed her in the office. In the mean time, he'd personally handle her accounts. He had really wanted to drop by and visit, but he knew she would be devastated and needed time. Harry had promised to contact him when Hermione was out of the hospital.
It was weird. The moment Draco heard Hermione was in an accident his heart sunk. He cared for her. He really did. Now that he was done with his father's bidding and all of the bullshit with the Dark Lord, he moved on. He moved to a better place. He was happy, and it was like a huge chip was lifted off of his shoulders. He knew what it was like to live now. What it was like to not be evil and corrupted.
Hermione was nothing Draco's father had said. Draco took the time to learn this himself. He had had lunch with Hermione on multiple occasions and coffee on even more occasions. He learned that she was much more than a know-it-all "mudblood". She was tremendously caring and overall a lovely person. The only thing that never settled in his mind was that she and Ron were together. They just didn't seem right to him, but everyone had raved about how perfect they were for each other. Besides, what did Draco know about them anyway?
Hermione would never forget the day Harry and Ginny came in to tell her the news that broke her heart into a million pieces.
"Hermione, sweetheart," Hermione could feel Ginny sit on the bed next to her, and she felt Ginny's hand on the side of her face. It felt different than normal. It felt like something was up.
"Yeah?" Hermione's voice was small and shaky.
"Harry and I are here. You've been in the hospital for five days now." Hermione thought Ron would be there. Her heart sunk.
"Where's Ron?" Hermione assumed he was busy or whatnot. She made excuses in her head that she knew were garbage. He wasn't there because he didn't want to be, not because he couldn't be. She braced herself for their answer. Better yet, she braced herself for everything she was about to be told. Hermione didn't feel like she had been their five days, but then again she had been knocked out. Everything was so surreal she didn't know how to react. She was oddly calm.
"He couldn't make it," Ginny sounded worried," Hermione listen, a lot has happened—"
"When can I get this bandage off of my face? I want to see you guys," Hermione whispered. She was well aware she had surgery and of all of her injuries except one. She wasn't aware that she was fully blind.
"Mione, they're going to take the bandage off today. Before they do, though, we have some news. A lot of news. " Harry tried this time.
"Where are my parents?" Hermione asked, paying Harry or Ginny no attention.
"Hermione, just listen," Harry was starting to get annoyed," As you know, you were in an accident. A horrible accident. There's no easy way to say this, Mione. Your parents didn't make it. The impact killed them instantly. I'm so sorry."
Hermione felt queasy. Her stomach was turning and her heart was breaking. Slowly this wave of sheer disbelief washed over her and every hair on her body seemed to be standing. Her entire body was tingling, and the adrenaline was rushing through her veins. How could her parents be dead? How did this even happen? The room felt like it was freezing, and she felt her body begin to shake.
"But that isn't all," Ginny stated firmly. They needed to rip the band aid completely. They had decided to tell her all at once, and not play around with her emotions. They thought it would be better to let her down all at once as opposed to rip her heart out two different times. They also decided that Ron needed to tell her himself. That wasn't their responsibility and it wasn't fair if they had to be the ones to continue to break Hermione's heart.
"W-what else could there possibly be?" Hermione stuttered, surprised she could even get the words out.
"We can only imagine what you're feeling right now. Harry is the only one that has the slightest idea of what you'll feel and go through. We'll be here for you, Mione. No matter what you can depend on us. We love you and we'll support you. Remember that, always. Something else happened in that accident. Hermione, you lost your sight. You'll be blind," Ginny tried to sound calm and collected.
At that point, Hermione felt nothing. No parents. No sight. What kind of life was that?
"Blind?" Hermione barely got the word out. "How will I do my job? How will I do anything? How can I live like this? What am I supposed to do? This can't be possible. There has to be a mistake. Magic fixes everything!" She was hysterical.
"You know better than anyone that magic can only do so much, and be careful. We're in a muggle hospital. You can't scream about magic. Besides, blind people are just as capable as anyone else. There's schools for blind people. You love school. You can go to school and learn to take care of yourself, and be independent."
Hermione was bewildered," I don't want to go to blind school! I want my life back the way it was."
After that, she broke down. Her body couldn't take anymore. She began to cry hysterically. It broke Harry and Ginny's hearts to see their friend like this. Soon enough the nurses came in, gave them a sad apologetic smile, and knocked Hermione out again.
Hermione didn't even feel time pass. She had been in the hospital for two weeks, but time just seemed to stand still. It still felt like it was the day that Ginny and Harry gave her the news that destroyed her life. Ron still hadn't bothered to show his face, and it went without saying that their relationship was done. Hermione didn't have the energy to be upset. It was horrible but she just thought of it as another thing to add to the burn pile. Something that was done. In the back her mind she hoped that soon she would think of her situation as a fresh start.
Hermione was just searching for the silver lining. It felt like there was none, and she needed some glimmer of hope to get her through. She felt bad, because she did have Harry and Ginny, but she didn't know if she could face being around Ronald. She just didn't know how to tell Harry or Ginny. They were both convinced that it would work.
"Ron is hardly home, anyway. He loves his flat. Besides, everyone loves you and wants to help. My mum is ready to have you! She went crazy around the house and made arrangements. By arrangements, I mean she rearranged the entire house to suit you. It'd break her heart if you didn't stay with us for a bit. Everyone, I mean everyone, is ready to have you. Fred and George are happy! Even though mum did make them promise to be careful. You know how they are…" Ginny barely took a breath.
(Side Note: I didn't like the fact that Fred died. So in my story he's alive. Deal with it. Haha.)
"That isn't the point," Hermione muttered," Ronald is a part of your family, and for whatever reason he doesn't want to see me. I thought he loved me unconditionally. If I'm around all the time, it will be weird and uncomfortable for him. He shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable around his own family."
"You are our family too. I'm not taking no for an answer. There's really no place else for you to go. At least for the first few weeks and then I promise we'll find some new arrangements. Besides, you and Ron will have to speak at some point," Ginny said firmly. Hermione had nowhere else to go. She was an only child and her parents were dead. As far as Ginny was concerned, they were all Hermione had.
"Fine, Ginny," Hermione was defeated. Mostly because she knew she had nowhere else to go, and because she had other things on her mind. Her parents had been dead for two weeks and there still had been no funeral. Hermione was just now verbally working with people to make the arrangements. Hermione wanted their ceremony to be together. That's how her parents would have wanted it. It was hard for Hermione to pick flowers and caskets for them. Hermione really just went with whatever.
The important thing was that Daniel and Jane Granger would be together. Hermione did not care about all of the rest.
Three weeks later and Hermione was at the Burrow. The worst was done. The funeral was over, and Hermione was relieved. It was horrible, but she was actually glad she couldn't see. She was glad she only had to hear people's condolences and not see the looks on their faces. She knew the looks on their faces would have just broken her heart even more.
Being at the Burrow was very weird. There was a huge greeting waiting for her when she walked in the door. It was a million voices all at once. The entire Weasley family was hugging her and greeting her. They were telling her how much they loved her and missed her. Molly hugged her tightly, and told Hermione that they were there for her no matter what.
"You're like a daughter to us," Arthur said," Anything you need, we'd be more than happy to help."
It wasn't as bad as Hermione thought it would be. It actually made her feel slightly better to be around so many people that loved her. She felt loved, and it was nice. Hermione could feel Ron's presence in the room, but he was silent. Hermione fought everything in her to not feel her way to him, and fling herself into his arms. She wanted him to hold her tightly and feel his warm embrace. The sudden urge to do all of that surprised Hermione. She wanted to cry. She loved him, and couldn't understand why he was doing this to her.
"Weren't we perfect?" Hermione accidently said aloud.
"What?" Ginny asked very confused.
"Oh… Nothing. I'd like to go to my room now or wherever I'm staying. I'm tired." Really Hermione just wanted to curl up in the warm cozy bed and sob. It finally hit her what was going on between them.
"Of course," Ginny took Hermione's arm and slowly led her up the stairs to her room. Ginny wanted Hermione to get the feel of everything, but thought that could wait until tomorrow.
"This is your room," Ginny said pulling Hermione through the door," Everything is simple. Here's your bed, and the nightstand next to it. Tomorrow we'll set up your closet with your clothes. Do you need anything or do you want to be alone?"
"Alone. Thanks Ginny." Hermione felt Ginny leave the room and flopped onto the cushy bed. As soon as she hit the covers the tears came. She cried and cried until eventually she lapsed into a deep sleep…
As Ron walked up the stairs he could hear Hermione sobs. He felt badly, but he kept walking up the stairs. He couldn't bring himself to face Hermione just yet. He hated himself for how he felt, but he couldn't help that. He wanted to make sure Hermione could understand. Who would understand though?
Author's Note: I know it's short, but I'm just getting the feel of it again. Hope you guys like it. Xoxo.