A/N: Firstly, I'd like to thank Stoneheart. You gave me a wonderful
review, constructive as well as extremely flattering. Thank you so much,
I sincerely appreciate it!
With Diana practically sleeping in her arms, Hermione tried to find a place to sleep. Finally, Ron offered them his bed, which Hermione refused, instead sleeping next to it - Diana on Ron's enormous pack.
With Diana and Ron sleeping peacefully, Hermione returned her thoughts to getting Diana to safety. There was no way Diana could stay in this treacherous war zone any longer.
Finally wafting off to sleep, Hermione's cares fell away as she slept, not worrying about war of Diana - but Harry.
*
When Hermione finally awoke, Ron's bed was empty. Puzzled, she asked a Sister where he was.
'Gone on the train, remember?' she said. She looked at a large pocket watch. 'Leaves in around a half a hour.'
That's it. Thought Hermione jubilantly. She had to take Diana on that train, and leave her at her mother's place. Her mother would be glad to have her, she was sure.
'Thank you!' she said, and dashed off.
Waking up the drowsy Diana was a hard task, but Hermione finally succeeded. Taking some food and put it in her bum-bag, she took Diana by the hand to catch a wagon.
'Please,' she said panting as she came to a wagon. 'Where are you going?'
The man turned around. 'Where'd you be off to?'
'The train station.' Said Hermione, a pleading look on her face.
Very few people could resist when Hermione gave them her imploring, helpless look - and this man wasn't immune either.
'Lucky I'm taking these utensils near there.' He said.
As Hermione settled in between sacks of spell ingredients and bullets, and Diana nestled sleepily against her, she thanked her lucky stars that she was female.
*
After thanking the kind man which gave her a lift, she heard the sound of the train whistle. 'All aboard!' called the conductor.
Dashing down the station, holding Diana's hand, 'Ron!' she called.
'Ron!'
A fiery headed man poked his head out the window. He saw Hermione, and his eyes widened in amazement. He walked towards the door and the train started moving slowly.
'I'll pass you Diana, OK?'
Ron gave her a disbelieving look, but held out his arms.
Hermione quickened her pace, and holding Diana, she pushed her into Ron's arms, him waiting to grab her. Grabbing her, and putting her down, Hermione - running now - caught Ron's hand and he pulled her into the train.
Panting heavily, Hermione, Ron and Diana walked into their compartment - Hermione collapsing on the chair, hand pressed to her side.
'Oh, my stitch!'
Ron breathed in slowly, his hands on his stomach. 'Never,' he said, 'Asked me to catch a child on a moving train.'
'Sorry, Ron.' Said Hermione with a cheeky smile.
Diana laughed suddenly, clapping a hand over her mouth.
'Oh, you think it's funny, huh?' said Ron, grabbing Diana and lifting her in the air, Diana giggling wildly.
Hermione watched them with an amused smile.
Suddenly everything felt very cold. Diana stopped smiling and Ron put her on his stomach.
Hermione looked out through a window. 'Crap.' She muttered. 'Dementors.'
Outside, lines of hooded creatures started moving towards the train.
Ron looked at her, horrified. 'What are we going to do?'
Hermione looked at him and pulled her knapsack on. 'We're going to apparate to Cornwall. And catch a Muggle train to London.'
'Good idea.' Said Ron, fervently.
Each grabbing hold of Diana's hands, they apparated slowly and silently away.
*
Hermione and Ron were just about to walk onto Cornwall Station, when a portly, silvery haired woman in a conductor's uniform stopped them.
'Yes?' said Hermione politely.
'Tickets please.' She merely grunted.
Hermione presented them to her.
'She saved me after my mummy died.' Said Diana proudly to this stranger.
The conductor raised an eyebrow. 'Her mother died?' she said to Hermione, not Diana.
'Yes.' Said Diana firmly.
'I'm afraid so.' Said Hermione.
'Are you a legal guardian of this child?' The lady demanded.
'Well - I. . .'
'I didn't think so.'
'I was going to look after her, ma'am.' Said Hermione.
'To adopt, you must be married. I am a social worker, you know.' She said flashing a laminated card at them. (A/N: I don't know about that whole married thing, I just added it in)
'Well. . .I am.' Said Hermione.
The woman raised an eyebrow.
Hermione couldn't well explain the situation to a Muggle. That Harry was in a war and in mortal danger and that he could either be dead or alive. 'Well. . .er. . .' stuttered Hermione desperately, 'He's my husband!' she said, pointed at Ron. Ron looked extremely startled, and the conductor shot him a stern look.
'How did her mother die, exactly?'
Hermione licked her lips nervously. 'Well, I wasn't exactly there when she died.' She said truthfully.
'But you know that she's dead?' said the woman skeptically, her eyes boring gimlets into her.
'Yes, I know she's dead, OK?' said Hermione.
'How?'
'I. . . I just do!'
'And the police? The ambulance, the coroner?' she said mercilessly. 'They know too?'
Hermione gulped.
'I'm going to have to take her for verification about this.' Said the women decidedly.
'No!'
'I'm sorry Miss. . .er?'
'Granger.'
'Miss Granger, I am sorry about this. But understand that for all I know, you could have kidnapped her. I'll have to check this out. She will be in this orphanage for a few months.' She said, scribbling something down and handing it to her. 'After all, I don't know who you people are,' -she eyed Ron's arm in a sling and their dirty khaki clothing - 'so here you are. You can see her in a few months.'
Hermione took it weakly.
The lady bustled off, Diana in tow and went through the clear doors of the train station.
'Mynee!' called Diana looking desperate and confused, saying her childish name for Hermione.
'No. . .' said Hermione, leaning against the door which swung into her. 'Diana. . .' she said, her hands sliding down the glass.
Ron turned her around gently, and held her to him. Over whelmed with this simple gesture of kindness, Hermione broke down completely, sobbed into Ron's chest.
'There, there.' He said soothingly, patting Hermione's soft hair. 'You'll see her again.'
'She, she. . . took her away. . .' said Hermione, still sobbing helplessly. 'I didn't even get to say good bye!'
'Found out her grandmother died,' said Ron to the passer-bys, who were all giving them strange looks.
Hermione sniffed and looked up and him.
'Look, 'Mione, I know how important it is for you to find Harry.' Said Ron. 'I'll be OK. You go back.'
'But, Ron. . .'
'No, I mean it.' Said Ron, tucking loose strands of hair behind Hermione's ears. 'If you want to stay here, of course, stay. But if your going to see me back, and then go to find Harry - don't bother.'
'Thanks, Ron.' Said Hermione. Sniffing, she straightened out his sling, 'Now you look after yourself, OK?'
'I will.' Said Ron.
She gave him one last hug and she thought she could feel two warm tears slid into her hair. When she pulled away, Ron wiped his eyes hurriedly with his sleeve.
'Good bye,' she whispered.
When she turned around to see him before she left for the bathroom, his left hand was raised up in a war-time salute. Saluting back, she went into the bathroom to apparate into the nearest train going to the war- zone.
A/N: Well this is turning out to be a pretty grim story! However, happiness will happen in the next chappie, or if not, the one after.
StoneHeart: Do not fret, she will not adopt Diana in exchange for her husband! But I will not give away anything else!
Thanks for fab reviews
Sassy
With Diana practically sleeping in her arms, Hermione tried to find a place to sleep. Finally, Ron offered them his bed, which Hermione refused, instead sleeping next to it - Diana on Ron's enormous pack.
With Diana and Ron sleeping peacefully, Hermione returned her thoughts to getting Diana to safety. There was no way Diana could stay in this treacherous war zone any longer.
Finally wafting off to sleep, Hermione's cares fell away as she slept, not worrying about war of Diana - but Harry.
*
When Hermione finally awoke, Ron's bed was empty. Puzzled, she asked a Sister where he was.
'Gone on the train, remember?' she said. She looked at a large pocket watch. 'Leaves in around a half a hour.'
That's it. Thought Hermione jubilantly. She had to take Diana on that train, and leave her at her mother's place. Her mother would be glad to have her, she was sure.
'Thank you!' she said, and dashed off.
Waking up the drowsy Diana was a hard task, but Hermione finally succeeded. Taking some food and put it in her bum-bag, she took Diana by the hand to catch a wagon.
'Please,' she said panting as she came to a wagon. 'Where are you going?'
The man turned around. 'Where'd you be off to?'
'The train station.' Said Hermione, a pleading look on her face.
Very few people could resist when Hermione gave them her imploring, helpless look - and this man wasn't immune either.
'Lucky I'm taking these utensils near there.' He said.
As Hermione settled in between sacks of spell ingredients and bullets, and Diana nestled sleepily against her, she thanked her lucky stars that she was female.
*
After thanking the kind man which gave her a lift, she heard the sound of the train whistle. 'All aboard!' called the conductor.
Dashing down the station, holding Diana's hand, 'Ron!' she called.
'Ron!'
A fiery headed man poked his head out the window. He saw Hermione, and his eyes widened in amazement. He walked towards the door and the train started moving slowly.
'I'll pass you Diana, OK?'
Ron gave her a disbelieving look, but held out his arms.
Hermione quickened her pace, and holding Diana, she pushed her into Ron's arms, him waiting to grab her. Grabbing her, and putting her down, Hermione - running now - caught Ron's hand and he pulled her into the train.
Panting heavily, Hermione, Ron and Diana walked into their compartment - Hermione collapsing on the chair, hand pressed to her side.
'Oh, my stitch!'
Ron breathed in slowly, his hands on his stomach. 'Never,' he said, 'Asked me to catch a child on a moving train.'
'Sorry, Ron.' Said Hermione with a cheeky smile.
Diana laughed suddenly, clapping a hand over her mouth.
'Oh, you think it's funny, huh?' said Ron, grabbing Diana and lifting her in the air, Diana giggling wildly.
Hermione watched them with an amused smile.
Suddenly everything felt very cold. Diana stopped smiling and Ron put her on his stomach.
Hermione looked out through a window. 'Crap.' She muttered. 'Dementors.'
Outside, lines of hooded creatures started moving towards the train.
Ron looked at her, horrified. 'What are we going to do?'
Hermione looked at him and pulled her knapsack on. 'We're going to apparate to Cornwall. And catch a Muggle train to London.'
'Good idea.' Said Ron, fervently.
Each grabbing hold of Diana's hands, they apparated slowly and silently away.
*
Hermione and Ron were just about to walk onto Cornwall Station, when a portly, silvery haired woman in a conductor's uniform stopped them.
'Yes?' said Hermione politely.
'Tickets please.' She merely grunted.
Hermione presented them to her.
'She saved me after my mummy died.' Said Diana proudly to this stranger.
The conductor raised an eyebrow. 'Her mother died?' she said to Hermione, not Diana.
'Yes.' Said Diana firmly.
'I'm afraid so.' Said Hermione.
'Are you a legal guardian of this child?' The lady demanded.
'Well - I. . .'
'I didn't think so.'
'I was going to look after her, ma'am.' Said Hermione.
'To adopt, you must be married. I am a social worker, you know.' She said flashing a laminated card at them. (A/N: I don't know about that whole married thing, I just added it in)
'Well. . .I am.' Said Hermione.
The woman raised an eyebrow.
Hermione couldn't well explain the situation to a Muggle. That Harry was in a war and in mortal danger and that he could either be dead or alive. 'Well. . .er. . .' stuttered Hermione desperately, 'He's my husband!' she said, pointed at Ron. Ron looked extremely startled, and the conductor shot him a stern look.
'How did her mother die, exactly?'
Hermione licked her lips nervously. 'Well, I wasn't exactly there when she died.' She said truthfully.
'But you know that she's dead?' said the woman skeptically, her eyes boring gimlets into her.
'Yes, I know she's dead, OK?' said Hermione.
'How?'
'I. . . I just do!'
'And the police? The ambulance, the coroner?' she said mercilessly. 'They know too?'
Hermione gulped.
'I'm going to have to take her for verification about this.' Said the women decidedly.
'No!'
'I'm sorry Miss. . .er?'
'Granger.'
'Miss Granger, I am sorry about this. But understand that for all I know, you could have kidnapped her. I'll have to check this out. She will be in this orphanage for a few months.' She said, scribbling something down and handing it to her. 'After all, I don't know who you people are,' -she eyed Ron's arm in a sling and their dirty khaki clothing - 'so here you are. You can see her in a few months.'
Hermione took it weakly.
The lady bustled off, Diana in tow and went through the clear doors of the train station.
'Mynee!' called Diana looking desperate and confused, saying her childish name for Hermione.
'No. . .' said Hermione, leaning against the door which swung into her. 'Diana. . .' she said, her hands sliding down the glass.
Ron turned her around gently, and held her to him. Over whelmed with this simple gesture of kindness, Hermione broke down completely, sobbed into Ron's chest.
'There, there.' He said soothingly, patting Hermione's soft hair. 'You'll see her again.'
'She, she. . . took her away. . .' said Hermione, still sobbing helplessly. 'I didn't even get to say good bye!'
'Found out her grandmother died,' said Ron to the passer-bys, who were all giving them strange looks.
Hermione sniffed and looked up and him.
'Look, 'Mione, I know how important it is for you to find Harry.' Said Ron. 'I'll be OK. You go back.'
'But, Ron. . .'
'No, I mean it.' Said Ron, tucking loose strands of hair behind Hermione's ears. 'If you want to stay here, of course, stay. But if your going to see me back, and then go to find Harry - don't bother.'
'Thanks, Ron.' Said Hermione. Sniffing, she straightened out his sling, 'Now you look after yourself, OK?'
'I will.' Said Ron.
She gave him one last hug and she thought she could feel two warm tears slid into her hair. When she pulled away, Ron wiped his eyes hurriedly with his sleeve.
'Good bye,' she whispered.
When she turned around to see him before she left for the bathroom, his left hand was raised up in a war-time salute. Saluting back, she went into the bathroom to apparate into the nearest train going to the war- zone.
A/N: Well this is turning out to be a pretty grim story! However, happiness will happen in the next chappie, or if not, the one after.
StoneHeart: Do not fret, she will not adopt Diana in exchange for her husband! But I will not give away anything else!
Thanks for fab reviews
Sassy