Chapter 6
Hermione paced the living room of her house, having not slept at all the night before. She was desperately worried, about so many different things at once. Harry hadn't came home last night, and the kidnappers hadn't tried to make contact. She was frustrated, with herself for what she had said, with Harry for just storming off without a word, leaving two off his men constantly here waiting for contact from the kidnappers. She knew they were just doing their job, but she was more mindful of letting herself go when they were around. And she really didn't like the idea of an audience for the times she couldn't keep the tears back.
She sighed heavily as the door to her house flew open and Ron quickly made his way inside.
"Hermione how are you keeping up," He asked in a kind tone.
She just looked at, not really sure how to answer, "About the same, how's Harry, he went to your place last night, didn't he," she asked.
"Yeah he did, he's just got to handle this his own way Herms," Ron said lightly.
"I hate that name,' she said flatly.
"You never used to," he said smiling somewhat.
"I did, you just never noticed," she shot back quickly.
Ron just shook his head, "Probably not, there was a lot things I didn't get back then, but I remember when I was first sure about you two and how right you two really were for each other, do you remember coming to me a few days before your wedding," Ron asked.
Hermione went slightly pink as she remember going to him with some last minute fears about the idea of actually marrying Harry, "Yes Ron I remember," she said quietly.
"Well you asked me if I thought you were making a big mistake," to which she nodded, "Well do you remember what I said to you?"
She smiled just the slightest bit, "You said that deep down I'd always known how I felt about him, and he for me, and that we had a connection we'd never have with anybody else," she answered in a deep nostalgic tone.
Ron nodded, "And I still believe that, you guys are stronger than anything this world can throw at you, no matter what, you can make it together, I've seen that," he said taking her hand.
She let her smile grow slightly, "Thank you Ron," she said quietly.
"Anytime, Herms" he said laughing softly now, causing her to give him that eye she always did.
"Ron did your sister show up at your place last night," Hermione asked her tone sifting, now it sounding a bit colder.
"Ginny, no, not that I know of, why," Ron asked.
"She came here and I told her about what'd happened and let's just say she had some choice words about it, things like I didn't appreciate what I had, and I should consider myself lucky, I was just wondering if she went to see Harry," Hermione asked with a slightly malicious tone, suspecting something a miss here.
"Really, Ginny said that, well she was always a little hot heated and quick to defend Harry, but no I don't think she was there, Harry would have told me if she was, he slept on the couch," he said waving it off.
Hermione just looked at him and nodded stiffly, would he she couldn't help but wonder. Ron seemed to sense her worry and sifted topics, "So how's James doing,' he said looking up the stairs.
"He's, well," Hermione started and suddenly stopped, she realized she hadn't really spoken much to her son since his return from school, with so much going on, but that was no excuse she thought, she suddenly felt like a horrible mother, "Well I haven't talked to him mush but he seems to be taken it in his own stride, I wont say its easy, he and Rose are so close and he feels so protective over her, he probably feels he failed her, just like Harry, I swear they are so much alike sometimes, right down to misbehaving at school, you should see some of the owls McGonagall sends me," she said trying to lighten her soul with the thought of how her son and her husband reminded her so much of each other.
"Well I'm sure that once Rosie's back it'll all be sorted out, I have to get back, Harry's gone to work a lead I want to be there when he gets back to see what he comes up with, stay strong Hermione, we will get these guys and we will get Rose," Ron said firmly, hugging her tightly.
"Thank you Ron, and tell Harry, please just tell him to come home," she said softly.
"I will, keep faith," he said quickly before turning to leave.
Once he was gone she looked upstairs, she needed to remedy a lapse on her part. She walked up the stairs and rounded the corner to where James's room stood, she knocked. There was no answer, she pushed the door open. She noticed first just how messy it was, she got slightly annoyed, she had asked him to clean it before leaving for school. She looked at the Gryffindor hangings everywhere, blazing forth in scarlet and gold drapings from his four poster bed, which she now noticed stood unoccupied. She quickly scanned the room, he wasn't in there. Her heart began a flutter of panic, as she quickly made her way to her and Harry's room; she found he wasn't there either after a hasty search. She ran to the end of the hall to where a pink door stood, Rose's room, she opened it and breathed a sigh of relief as she saw him sitting alone on the end of Rose's small bed, holding one of her favorite dolls, one he'd given her for Christmas a year prior. He looked up at his mother's arrival with an expression that was soaked in the pain he felt, that until now she hadn't noticed. She suddenly felt worse than she had. He looked away back to the doll.
He was 12 years old and the spitting image of Harry, right down to the same wildly unruly black hair, one thing was different, he didn't need glasses, but when he looked at you could still Lily Potter's eyes staring back.
Hermione made her way slowly to the bed and sat down beside her son, "Hey there kid, how's the day," she said, beginning a greeting that only her and her son shared.
He looked on with downcast eyes, "Its come and nearly past but we have yet to seize it," he gave the normal response, but without the usual bonding enthusiasm that accompanied it.
She put her arm around him and pulled him close to her, "She'll be ok James, we'll get her back" she said softly.
"How can you be sure," he answered quietly.
"Because I have faith James, faith in your father, you know he'll never quit, like you never would, your Potters, and what do Potters do," she asked.
"They never quit," he said smiling somewhat, remembering a private joke they shared about his fathers adventures, "Are you and Dad mad at each other," he asked in another mirthless voice.
"No sweetheart" she said with a voice full of motherly compassion, "We're just worried, we all miss Rosie so much we just feel overwhelmed sometimes, but hear me when I say that your father and I love each other, and you and your sister very much, and nothing can change that," she said kissing the top of his head lightly, feeling him relax slightly, she was glad she was able to somewhat ease his already worried mind.
"I wish I could help, I wish I could help Dad," he said looking down once again.
"I know kiddo, someday, I promise, but right now your father need us to be strong for him and for Rose, and there is something you can do to help," she said lighter.
His head shot up, "What, anything," he said suddenly excited at the actual prospect of helping.
She looked at him and smiled wryly, "You could clean your room," she said in a humor rich tone, "While I make lunch, what do you think, sound good?"
He looked crestfallen slightly, he sighed, "Yeah, I guess," sounding not at all pleased with the prospect but willing none the less.
"Good, we'll lets to it then," she said pulling him to his feet, with his hands still wrapped around her, and playful pulled him toward the door as he halfheartedly pulled back at the prospect of cleaning his room, but she got him out where he smiled and ran quickly towards his door. She smiled as she watched him walk in, then it faded somewhat. She felt bust work would be good for both of them right now, it would keep his mind from dwelling on his fears over this whole thing, it would keep it from going to dark places where the thought of his sister not returning might creep in. Her as well, she had to remain strong, she knew Harry to be a rock, but a rock with cracks, and if she couldn't be there to help hold those supports she feared he'd crack. She needed to be his wife and Roses and James's mother, that's how she could get through this. She kept her faith, Harry had never failed her before, and she knew he'd never stop, she knew he wouldn't fail to get their daughter back.