Chapter Ten: Don't Cry
Thanks 2 my dazzling beta's silverbirch and LordDarQuing!! Brill work ppls!!They are just SO SO much help!!!
R&R!
Hey peeps! Wadup? OH this week has been SO boring, like unbelievingly boring. But I won't bore YOU with the story.! Anyway, good to write again!Thanks 2 everyone who reviewed - you guys are just.. Amazing. That's what you are, amazing. Truly amazing!!haha
Shout out to the astounding - LordDarQuing, skopde , bigmommak, DragonQuillz, B00kw0rm92, Samara Longbottom, XlinzX, Charissa Hallows, Morgan WhiteFang, Sirius Leigh, PyroAngel8605, blackXroseXpiano93, Lightest'Ink , Jade Wildcat!! and thank you to naoman for reviewing the first 4 chapters!
So, now with my gratitude assured to them people - on with the show!
Oh, I've about.. 3 more things to say actually. 1- Shit, I forget the three now… Ermm….
2- I'm having an em.. 'competition' of sorts. I need a better summary (Im atrocious at them!) and I would like suggestions from the audience! So if you think you have a good summary for this fic, then write it at the bottom of the review! Prize for the winner!! (And we all love prizes!!)
3- Disclaimer - HP ain't mine. Not now, not ever.
I still can't remember number 1.…
Oh, and another thing! I'll HAVE to give the 100th reviewer some sort of prize!!lol (Whenever I get 100 anyway!!)TTYL! Enjoy the chapter!XCailinNollaigx
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Don't you cry tonight
Don't you cry tonight
There's a heaven above you baby
And don't you cry tonight
-Guns & Roses: "Don't Cry"
24th October - Albus Dumbledore's Office
Hermione sat patiently as her Headmaster surveyed her quietly over his glasses. She didn't know why she was here, but she knew she didn't like the grave look on the old man's face. Her leg had taken to jigging nervously and her teeth tugged on her bottom lip - both anxious habits of hers. Judging by McGonagall's face, which had sympathy written all over it, Hermione had reason to be nervous. Minerva McGonagall was never one to sympathise with students - and Hermione knew this. She grasped by the look on her favourite Professor's face that something had gone dreadfully wrong.
"Miss Granger, I am awfully sorry to tell you that-" Hermione's brown eyes closed in fear as the Professor sighed wearily "Your mother has sadly passed away"
A tear escaped from the tightly shut eyelids as Hermione felt a stabbing pain in her heart, it was insufferable. "W-what?"
"A Death Eater attack. They wanted an heir revealed, and did it the most brutal way possible - by killing close friends and family to the proposed heirs. You, Miss Granger, are rumoured to be the heir to Ravenclaw. If so, then-"
The girl stood abruptly and left the office, not caring about her impoliteness or the fact that she could get into trouble. She didn't run, sprint or even jog from the office - she just walked. Students were tucked up in their beds, safe, sound and in a peaceful slumber - while she was mourning the death of a loved one.
Hermione could barely process the thought that someone else had died - it was devastating. She couldn't believe someone else had been taken from her because of some Heir Prophecy, she had never wanted this. Hermione would have preferred to defeat the Dark Lord the old- fashioned way, with wands and normal magic. She still wasn't so sure as to whether she was an heir though, she didn't release any powers.
Hermione wandered the near-empty halls aimlessly, a stoic expression marring her features. The odd student who passed her in the halls barely seemed to acknowledge she was there, or maybe Hermione wasn't paying attention.
She didn't know where the calmness was coming from, she should be thrashing and shouting. She could barely accept the fact someone else had died, it just wasn't fair. Hermione could say she hadn't been expecting it, she could say that she was shocked to the core- but she would be lying. Hermione was half expecting something like this to happen- she had partly suspected she was an heir. Just because she didn't release her powers when Ron died didn't mean she wasn't one, perhaps it had to be a blood relative. And to be painfully honest, Hermione was in someway relieved that it was over. She didn't have to be suspecting who would die all the time, or trying to prevent it. Now, that isn't to say that she was devastated - because she was, she was just in a state of disbelief. Hermione had never, ever expected it to be her muggle parents - or one of them. It just never occurred to her that Death Eaters might murder them. Hermione had her suspicions that they would murder someone close, but she was thinking along the lines of her sister , aunt or cousin. Not her mother, who could take a mother away from their daughter?
"The Mudblood's out at night alone?" Hermione spun to see Draco Malfoy behind her, the smug expression and smirk plastered on his pale face. He seemed to take notice of her tears and distressed state, "Something happen to the filthy mudblood's family?" Hermione clenched and unclenched her fists as she watched Malfoy bait her "There are seven Weasley children, two or three will hardly be missed," She could feel her temperature rising as the Slytherin continued "Or was it one of your parents? Did the bastards die..?" He circled her, laughing cruelly when she remained silent, "At least something has finally shut you up"
"Shut up Malfoy, I'm warning you"
He raised a blonde eyebrow as he stopped before her "You're warning me?"
She sent him the coldest glare she could muster, still struggling to keep the bursting emotions in check.
"Oh well, the world will be better off without a few measly Muggles and Weasleys"
Hermione suddenly snapped, she screamed and clutched her head in her hands. Draco took a step back, looking at her uncertainly, "Granger?"
She thrust her hands out in front of her and water came whizzing out of them, the water whirled in a circle higher and higher, still in between Draco and Hermione. Hermione's eyes darkened to a blue colour as rage and sorrow consumed her. The water crashed down towards the ground in one movement, flowing freely down the corridors. Draco's clutched his chest suddenly and fell to the ground, an overwhelming pain filling him. An intense ache throbbed in his heart, his body stiff with pain. Hermione finally dropped onto her knees next to him, emotionally and physically drained. She collapsed from her knees and onto the ground.
Both lay side by side, unconscious.
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Hermione wiped the latest batch of tears from her eyes as she closed her trunk and locked it. She had woken up in the hospital this morning, feeling rejuvenated and lively. Well, physically. Madam Pomfrey didn't even get to talk to her before she rushed out the door, Hermione knew she was going home to her father, Richard, and her sister, Emilia. Emilia was fourteen, but a muggle. She and Hermione had gotten on regardless though, the fact she wasn't magic wasn't important to Emilia. In fact, Hermione's sister had hated that Hermione couldn't do magic out of school till she was seventeen.
Hermione sniffed at the thought of her sister and dad, she was desperate to see them , yet she was also dreading it - tomorrow was the funeral , and Hermione wasn't sure she could bear seeing the coffin. If only she were seeing her sister and father under better circumstances.
The Gryffindor trudged down the stairs to the empty common room, her trunk dragging behind her.
Harry and Ginny stood up from opposite sides of the room to hug her. "Hermione, I'm so sorry" Harry whispered as he hugged her tightly
"Yeah, me too." Hermione replied softly.
"I know how you feel, Hermione" Ginny attempted to console the girl.
The three sat on the couch and Hermione rubbed her eyes ferociously, willing the tears not to fall. She could see that Ginny and Harry were truly trying their best to comfort her, but they too, were still getting over a death. She couldn't begrudge them for that, especially since she knew who it was who had died.
"You know we're here for you though - right?" Harry told her
The forlorn girl nodded "I know, thanks"
"How you holding up?" Ginny asked as she rubbed Hermione's back comfortingly in a circular motion.
"How do you expect?" She shot back. Ginny retracted her arm quickly, a hurt expression crossing her features. "Oh, I'm sorry Ginny! I didn't mean it, I'm just so.. So angry!" Hermione stood up heatedly, a rant coming on. "It's not fair! Why don't I get to decide whether I want to be an heir?! It's just not right, to kill someone's family. You would need to be totally cold-hearted! And now, my best friend and my mother are gone - and they expect me to just get on with it and fight?! What the hell? And everyone around me is just… well, dying!! What if one of you are next? What if these damn 'heir powers' are just a cruel hoax? I used to hold so much respect for the Founders, but it is well and truly tarnished now! Why would they bestow such a thing on us? I hate them! I hate them!!!" Hermione screamed the last sentence as loud as she could, her voice breaking towards the end as the inevitable tears spilled.
"Oh Hermione…" Ginny cried as the two girls threw their arms around each other. Hermione extended one arm out for Harry to join, and he hesitantly did so. The tension between Ginny and Harry melted away for a moment as the three hugged.
Pulling back, Ginny sniffed "So, are you an Heir?"
Hermione's eyes shot up, and a faint blue ignited around the brown of her eyes. Ginny chuckled nervously, "Too soon to ask?"
The brunette glared and Harry attempted to calm her down.
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25th October- Saint Joseph's Graveyard.
She held her chin high as her sister clung to her, Emilia's tears soaking her black blouse. Hermione could hear her father weeping as his brother made an effort at comforting him. But Hermione didn't cry; she couldn't. Her father and sister needed her to be strong for them, they needed someone emotionally stable - they didn't need a weeping girl of seventeen. So Hermione resolved that she wouldn't cry, not in front of her family, because her family needed to her to be stable for them. They needed her to look after them, and she was in no position to refuse that.
She watched on, steely eyed, as everyone left. The only three still standing there were her, Emilia and Richard. Hermione's eyes skimmed over the tombstone quickly, for if she looked at it too long, she would surely break.
Elizabeth Granger
Loving wife, devoted mother, great friend and sorely missed.
1958-1997
'To Yesterdays companionship and tomorrow's reunion'
Hermione knew she had to look after her family, but wondered how long she could do it for. Wouldn't she need training of her 'powers'? She would surely need to go back to school. Who would look after and take care of them when Hermione returned to her magical work and the comfort of her studies? Hermione also wondered if she was actually capable of comforting them when she was breaking also, but quickly banished the thought.
The girl dreaded explaining to her Dad why her mother was dead, he would surely be angry. Hermione wasn't sure whether he would take out his anger on her or not, would he shout at her? Would he tell her she was a disgrace for bringing this upon them?
Hermione shook her head, all she had to do for now was be there for them, for as long as she was there anyway. She knew she would have to return to the Magical world and face her other problems - but right now, her family is her first priority.
Emilia let out a long cry and her father buried his head in his hands.
Yes, Hermione Granger, could only cry in the confines of a dark room.
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Okay, how was that? I know it was mega short - but that's what I had planned for this chapter. Okay, last chance to vote in the Poll for the Gryffindor Heir as we'll find out next chapter! No- sorry, never mind. It's chapter 12 we find out ;)Oh yeah, that was number 1. Remember at the start I couldn't remember number 1? Yeah, well that's it.
I planned on making Ginny an uber bitch in this fic, but I changed my mind. Totally changed my mind. A few things in the plans had to be changed around, but it wasn't too big. Anyway, I've decided to make Ginny a nice she end up with Harry? Probably not … I know the answer, but I wouldn't want to ruin the story… . I'll usually only write Harry/Ginny if they're only in the fic once or twice - not frequently like this fic. Anyway, I'll leave you with that!But I don't think you should stop reading just because it may not be Harry/Ginny - unless you're strongly against them with other people. Anywhoser!
Tell me what you think and leave a review!!
Love yas,
XCailinNollaigx
(Previously xDramione4Lyfx)
Again, GRYFFINDOR HEIR IN CHAPTER TWELVE!!!
Next Chapter- Harry's perspective and a Magazine Article written by Cho Chang on the subject of the heirs...(What else would it be?lol)