It was nearly noon, but the curtains around Hermione's bed were still pulled shut. Tears didn't fall, but she hugged a pillow tightly to her chest and hadn't even thought about getting up at all. It blocked the sunlight that streamed through the windows. How could it be so sunny and pleasant on this day?
"Hermione?" Ginny's gentle voice called into their dorm room. None of the other Gryffindor girls came back for the "eighth year" so Hermione had been put in with the normal seventh year dorm, leaving it a slight bit crowded.
"Yes Ginny," Hermione replied, after a long pause.
"News from Shell Cottage, Fleur had the baby," Ginny told her. Hermione jumped into a sitting position and pulled a curtain back. Excitement and worry were etched on her face.
"What? I thought she wasn't due for another two weeks," Hermione said at once. "Is the baby okay?"
"They had a healthy baby girl," Ginny cut her off from the beginning of her frenzied speech. "They're going to name her Victoire."
"Victoire? How French," Hermione said, and both girls giggled.
"She has Weasley hair, though," Ginny said with a wide smile. "I bet she takes after her Auntie Ginny."
"Of course she does," Hermione replied, with only a hint of teasing.
"McGonagall gave us permission to visit the Burrow tonight for the christening. That should be a fun party. Mum loves babies," Ginny rambled. Hermione grimaced a bit.
"I'm invited to something like that?" Hermione asked. "Even though Ron and I aren't, like, together? I'm not family."
"Of course you're family," Ginny insisted. "It doesn't matter whether you're dating Ron or not. You've been a part of the family for a long time."
"I- you know what today is," Hermione said, finally getting to what actually bothered her. Her shoulders relaxed, but Hermione was still tense and shaking. "I don't think I can deal with people today."
Ginny sighed and came over to sit on the edge of Hermione's bed. The redhead pulled Hermione into a hug.
"Everyone knows what today is. Everyone there will know, especially," Ginny told her. "You aren't alone."
Hermione broke down in tears, finally. Ginny just kept holding her. After a few minutes, Hermione's sobs turned to sniffles and hiccups. Ginny patted Hermione's back.
"I miss my parents," Hermione managed. She coughed, and continued. "This summer, I want to go see if I can fix their memories."
Ginny nodded, and waited exactly where she was until Hermione was ready to move.
"You want to stay here tonight?" Ginny asked, when Hermione lifted her head from the redhead's shoulder a few minutes later. "I'm sure no one would mind. They'd all understand."
"And miss seeing my adorable godson? As if," Hermione said, a teary smile finally formed on her face.
"Okay. We're taking the Floo in McGonagall's office at six," Ginny told her. "Need me to stick around?"
"Would you?"
"Of course."
Ginny curled her hand around Hermione's, and let Hermione lay back down. Instead of pulling the pillow back to her chest, Hermione moved closer to her friend, and put an arm around Ginny's waist. Ginny slowly and gently played with Hermione's hair as they just sat on Hermione's bed.