Ginny Weasley walked in to the bathroom, shaking, and screamed. In front of her was one of the scariest, most shocking things she had seen, though it only affected her so much because of who it was.
Hermione Granger was lying, motionless, on the floor, a razorblade next to her. She screamed again, not knowing what had happened and too messed up to find out. "Oh God, Hermione, please, no, please God, no, not Hermione, please, please, be okay Hermione, please be okay, I know you didn't, I know you couldn't – you wouldn't, oh please be okay…" She muttered, falling to her knees and shaking her friend. "Help! Someone! Anyone! It's 'Mione! Please, please come help!" she half-sobbed, half-screamed.
Hermione opened her eyes. "Shh, Ginny. Calm down. What's wrong? Why are you screaming?" she asked.
"You – you're alive! Merlin, I thought you had – but that doesn't matter."
Hermione couldn't understand a thing Ginny was saying. "Of course I'm alive, Ginny. What did you thi-" She looked at the ground, where Ginny was staring, and saw the blade, laying there, still calling out faintly for her to use it. She shook the thought away. "Ginny, I'm so sorry. You're right – I was going to. But I didn't – couldn't – use it."
Ginny was still sobbing, staring at the gleaming blade. "You – you don't understand, Ginny. It's – it's so hard!"
"Of course I understand, Hermione! I was here too, remember? But I'm not – I mean, you – "
Somehow, Hermione found the strength to stand. "No Ginny, you don't understand! Yes, it was hard on you, but you – you have a family, you have a home to go to! I don't have anything! There's nothing left for me here, or anywhere else!"
"Wha-"
"My parents are dead, Ginny," she half-screamed, half-sobbed. "They've been gone for months. I haven't heard from them since September. I – I tried denying it, convincing myself that they were just busy or something, but they're not. They're gone, and they're never coming back. You – you still have your parents, and Bill, and Charlie, and Fred, and George, and even Percy! I don't have anyone. I'm alone, Ginny, don't you understand that? I can't go home, because I don't have a home to go to. I can't stay here – all I see is death."
She lowered her voice considerably, talking more to herself than to Ginny. "I hope the dementors come for me. I used the Unforgivables, more than once. I deserve Azkaban. I broke the law."
She was shocked. "Hermione, they're not going to put you in Azkaban! You were fighting for your life, for all of our lives! They can't send you to prison for that!"
"I know, Ginny. They won't send me to prison. I killed wizards – more than one – and nothing is going to happen to me because of it. I'll – I'll probably get a medal or something! But I don't deserve it!"
Ginny didn't know what to say. What could she say? The smartest witch she knew – one of her best friends – thought she deserved the dementors. Ginny knew there was nothing she could say to make her feel better. "Come on, 'Mione. There's something – someone – I think you should see before you try to – Before you do anything you're going to regret. Okay?"
Hermione nodded and followed Ginny out of the bathroom, leaving the glinting silver behind.
It's a really short chapter, I know, but it needed to be written and I can't think of anything else to put in it. Thanks!
