Harry sat in the attic of Grimmauld place; unsure of himself and what would be next for him. He'd trapped himself in the dark, murky walls in order to enclose himself away from the weight of the world. Why would he want to leave when the one person he needed and loved most in this world had been taken from him by none other than Bellatrix Lestrange herself.

Bellatrix. That name turned Harry's body frigid, his blood to ice as he balled up his fists and punched the nearest object he could reach. He kicked, screamed, everything he could do to let his anger loose. She took everything from him in a matter of seconds, his life, home, and most importantly his freedom from The Dursleys.

Harry looked down at his hands as he let the tears run their course once more as he sank to his knees, unable to stand any longer. It wasn't fair… Harry had been so stuck in his own thoughts that he hadn't heard the door of the attic being pulled down, giving off a bit of light before the darkness consumed the room once again.

"Harry," a soft, kind voice had called him. "Harry, it's Hermione." Harry merely grunted as he pulled his knees to his chest, placing his head atop them. Hermione pulled her wand from it's holster and muttered, "Lumos." She managed to walk a few steps before nearly tripping over what seemed to be a lamp shade. Luckily, she caught herself and regained her composure before continuing to walk towards the back of the attic. When she spotted her best friend, her heart sank. He looked cold, dirty, angry, annoyed among other things, yet she couldn't blame him.

Once she reached the spot he was crouched in, she knelt to his level and set her wand on the floor. She let out a sigh, as she took a closer look at him, more accurately at his hands. She knew she heard the sound of something being punched earlier, now she knew why. "Harry, give me your hands." Nothing, not even a look at her. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and spoke again in a more stern manner, "Harry Potter let me see your hands now!"

Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes at her. He held his hands out in front of her while avoiding her gaze. His hands weren't as bad as she thought, only minor cuts and bruising. She plucked her wand from beside her and began to murmur a healing spell, watching as the cuts disappeared without a trace. "There you go." She told him as she let go of his hands.

As she let go, Harry took a closer look at her handiwork. "Thank you." he mumbled.

"Ah, so he can speak." Hermione joked, a crooked smile resting in the corner of her lips. "Harry why on earth are you brooding up here? You need to come back downstairs with us. Let us help you."

Harry casted his eyes to the ground as he spoke to her, " What's the point? All of you are going to just get hurt one day because of me anyway. It's only a matter of time." Hermione sucked in a breath as she looked at him in awe.

"Why would you say that? You know that's not true!"

"Oh really? Let's go down the list shall we. My parents, Cedric, my grandparents on my mum and dad's side, and oh yeah Sirius." He retorted as his nostrils flared.

"What has gotten into you?" Hermione asked, itching to reach out and place her hands on his. A few moments of silence hung in the air between the two as Harry thought long and hard on how to answer her question.

"I'm so tired, Hermione. I tried so hard to save Sirius when all I did was get him killed because of my own stupidity. Instead of going into my dorm and looking into that ruddy mirror he gave me for Christmas, I went in guns blazing and got him killed. I should have listened to you and I didn't, okay? Are you happy for me to admit that? I'm an idiot. And Now I'm stuck in reverse and have no clue on how to go on in this life without the one person who would have given me an actual home. A family I always wanted."

Hermione placed her hands on Harry's and gripped them tightly. "Now you listen to me Harry James. You are not stupid and Sirius' death is not your fault, that lies with his cousin and Voldemort who made you see what he wanted you too. But I'm begging you to please not give up on the rest of us and shut us out while you allow yourself to rot up here alone. Let us be the light to guide you home. Hell if not them, then me. Let me help fix you, please." Hermione let loose the tears she had been holding as she grieved for not only Sirius but for Harry too. He lost someone dear to his heart that can never be replaced, not even by Remus who is the last of his father's best friends.

Listening to the sounds of Hermione's sobs made Harry feel uneasy. Never in his life had he witnessed such a thing. "Hermione, please don't cry alright? I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He pulled her into his arms and held her as she sobbed onto his T-shirt. " I promise you, that I will do better and learn from my mistakes so I never have to go through this again."

"Okay." she told him as her sobs subsided. Hermione continued to sit there in Harry's arms for what felt like an eternity before she untangled herself and stood up with her hand out to him.

"It's time, Harry. Come home with us and let the light guide you." Harry looked up at her and nodded his head as he followed after her.