Part Two
"Hermione! You must come over here and see this amazing Blue Jay! Look at how cocky and proud it is, strutting about with it's feathered blue breast," Kenneth exclaimed.
Huh? What Hermione suddenly stood up straight. She had drifted off into a slight flash back. With a sudden shake of her head she walked over to where Kenneth was standing.
"Oh, you're right. It's beautiful," Hermione agreed with a nod of her pretty head.
Then a cool breeze floated over them as they sat down on the sandy ground. A cool breeze... just like the breeze Hermione felt the day she arrived at the Weasley household...
~*~*~*~
"George! George! Get Hermione's things! Don't let her carry them all on her own!" Mrs. Weasley cried.
Hermione blushed. Whenever she visited the Burrow she got all this attention and pampering from Mrs. Weasley. It made her feel slightly uncomfortable.
George got Hermione's trunk from her and they entered the Burrow.
Hermione saw Ron in there, playing Exploding Snap with the three year old Barty Weasley, Percy and Penelope's son. When he saw her, he grinned, and Hermione returned the smile. He was still the same old Ron, with his flaming red hair, and his tall (but nice!) figure.
It was so nice to see him after all those days. Hermione ran over to him and gave him a hug, which he returned heartily.
"When's Harry coming?" Hermione asked impatiently.
Ron frowned a little bit. Hermione wondered why. They had always been such chums. And Hermione always secretly had a crush on the black haired hero of the Wizarding World.
"Ron? What's wrong?" Hermione asked nervously. Had something happened to Harry?
Then the frown vanished. "Oh, nothing!" Ron said, shrugging it off. "I'm sure he's coming soon. Don't mention it to the folks though. They don't know he's coming!"
Had Hermione just imagined him frown? He seemed so happy suddenly. "I see," she replied in a confused manner.
The whole Weasley household normally knew when someone was to have guests. Then again, Hermione understood why Ron wanted to keep it all hush-hush. She wasn't exactly thrilled when they all made a big deal over her arrival. Perhaps it was better this way.
Hermione wondered how Harry was doing though... She never got letters from him anymore. Maybe he decided that he liked Cho Chang more than her. After all... they were awfully close in their sixth year and Cho came to visit countless times during their seventh. Hermione chose not to think about Cho Chang anymore for the moment. Just then Mrs. Weasley called them to dinner.
"Coming!" Ron called back.
They entered the small but busy Weasley kitchen. Mrs. Weasley opened up the many platters of food and they dove in.
"It's really good!" Hermione exclaimed.
Mrs. Weasley smiled pleasantly. "I'm glad you like it Hermione."
Ginny was sitting at one side of Hermione.
"I haven't seen you in ages Hermione! I'm so glad you've come! You're staying in my room! We can talk all night!" she exclaimed with her usual red tinge in her cheeks.
"I'd love to!" Hermione replied.
After dinner a flaming pudding was brought out and they enjoyed that heartily. Then Hermione, Ginny, and Ron went up to Ginny's room to talk about the previous year and how much fun it had been.
"I was so scared when Harry went for war. I haven't talked to him since, and I was honestly looking forward to seeing him," Hermione whispered to Ron when Ginny left for a few moments.
"Speaking of Harry..." Ron trailed off. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you about him."
"Oh, what is it?" Hermione asked.
"Well, you see... when Harry went into war with Voldemort..." Ron trailed off again, maddening Hermione.
"What's wrong Ron? Please just tell me!"
"I don't know how I can possibly say this! It's so hard for me!" Ron choked.
"Ron! Nothing happened to Harry, did it?" Hermione cried furiously.
"He was on the battlefield with Sirius. Malfoy's father shot a curse at Black, but it missed and hit Harry instead. Sirius sent me an owl right after... right after... right after Harry - died!" Ron choked out the last bit.
"And you never told me? Oh my God!" Hermione cried.
She flung herself out of the room and ran onto Ron's bed where she cried furiously. She buried herself under the lumpy pillows until she could not cry anymore. Soft footsteps came along and opened the squeaky door. Hermione didn't dare look up. She knew Ron was there.
"Hermione. Please listen to me. I wasn't allowed to tell you, but you kept asking about him and I felt you needed to know," Ron said by means of an excuse.
"You weren't allowed to tell me? Why on Earth not? What idiotic reason stopped you from telling me, I ask! I demand to know!" Hermione raged.
"Black. Old fellow, he was heartbroken. He made me swear not to tell you until he died," Ron said quietly.
Hermione looked up from the wet pillow, covered in her tears. She whispered softly, "Died?"
Then the maddening look flashed back through her eyes. "He died? Black died?"
"Didn't have anything to live for after Harry died. He died of emotional pains. Most people say he just cursed himself, but whatever it was... He was dead in his own house one night. No one ever found the scars, but rumors were made to cover it all up," Ron explained quietly.
"And we never knew about this? And I was never told... Was this why you called me over? Because Black had finally died?" Hermione asked.
Ron answered with a nod of his head.
"And what of your parents? Did they not know none of this?" Hermione asked.
"No, they did not," Ron said sharply.
"Shall they know?" Hermione inquired.
"No!" Sharper still...
"How long has Harry been dead?" Hermione asked.
"One year," Ron whispered.
Hermione gasped. "One year?"
Ron nodded silently again.
Hermione felt a shiver creep down her back. Tears tragically fell down her face. She buried her face into the pillows again, and Ron quietly stroked her back.
A/N: Uggh.... So, how was it? Tell me what you think please! I know, not too great... Promise it will get better! Sawwwy! Well, TTUL! PuLEeZe be nice and review, thanx!
