"No. You are a hero, Hermione. People will sing your name along with
Harry's."
I don't care. Let me go back to my winter place. Well...maybe not. It is nice here. And warm....
I gently drift off to sleep, curled in Severus Snape's arms. For the first time in ages, I feel safe and protected.
* * *
"Hermione. Come on, it's time to leave."
His voice is tender and coaxing. But I wouldn't. I couldn't go back out there. I never would. Never. I couldn't go back to the place where I had killed a person. People.
"Some people want to see you."
Then....who? Who would want to see me? I had lost everyone. Everyone. Mum, Dad, Harry, Ron. All gone. Dead. Damn this curiosity of mine.
"Who?"
Severus smiled gently and beckoned. I hesitantly put my hand in his, and he led me towards Dumbledore's Office. I had not stepped outside of the Hospital Wing in months. Since I had arrived in Severus's arms, unconscious and bleeding. I had refused to talk to anyone but Severus.
He opened the door, and there were people.
Fred and George Weasley, Ginny. Remus Lupin and Minerva McGonagall. Neville Longbottom- dear sweet helpless Neville had survived the battle. And Albus Dumbledore. All stood still as I froze, memories rising unbidden, until I shook them away.
Dumbledore came forward little by little, and then swiftly enfolded me in a bear hug. Tears were in his eyes as he spoke.
"I thought we had lost you."
Then Remus and Minerva crept slowly towards me and, one after the other, spoke kindly and embraced me.
"This is where you belong, my girl. Don't ever leave us again." From a tearful Minerva.
"You're one of us, Hermione. Please don't ever scare us like that again." Remus was overjoyed to have me back. He considered me a daughter.
Neville came forward next, shyly, followed tentatively by the remaining Weasleys. Ginny pushed forward, causing me to flitch, and squeezed me so tightly I thought I would die. Poor Ginny had no words for our reunion. Neville looked down at me with kindly eyes after Ginny had withdrawn, and enfolded me in a comforting embrace, whispering to me.
"Welcome back to the world of the living, 'Mione."
Then Fred and George tip toed forward and jumped me, bear hugs all around. They smiled sadly at me, and I knew what they had suffered. There would be no more laughing, joking twins for a while.
I smiled sorrowfully, looking around the room. I turned to Severus to take shelter against him, to find he was right behind me, draping his arms over my shoulders.
Indeed, I was back in the land of the living. Perhaps I wouldn't take part for a while, but I could help those who suffered more than I did.
This was my family now.
I don't care. Let me go back to my winter place. Well...maybe not. It is nice here. And warm....
I gently drift off to sleep, curled in Severus Snape's arms. For the first time in ages, I feel safe and protected.
* * *
"Hermione. Come on, it's time to leave."
His voice is tender and coaxing. But I wouldn't. I couldn't go back out there. I never would. Never. I couldn't go back to the place where I had killed a person. People.
"Some people want to see you."
Then....who? Who would want to see me? I had lost everyone. Everyone. Mum, Dad, Harry, Ron. All gone. Dead. Damn this curiosity of mine.
"Who?"
Severus smiled gently and beckoned. I hesitantly put my hand in his, and he led me towards Dumbledore's Office. I had not stepped outside of the Hospital Wing in months. Since I had arrived in Severus's arms, unconscious and bleeding. I had refused to talk to anyone but Severus.
He opened the door, and there were people.
Fred and George Weasley, Ginny. Remus Lupin and Minerva McGonagall. Neville Longbottom- dear sweet helpless Neville had survived the battle. And Albus Dumbledore. All stood still as I froze, memories rising unbidden, until I shook them away.
Dumbledore came forward little by little, and then swiftly enfolded me in a bear hug. Tears were in his eyes as he spoke.
"I thought we had lost you."
Then Remus and Minerva crept slowly towards me and, one after the other, spoke kindly and embraced me.
"This is where you belong, my girl. Don't ever leave us again." From a tearful Minerva.
"You're one of us, Hermione. Please don't ever scare us like that again." Remus was overjoyed to have me back. He considered me a daughter.
Neville came forward next, shyly, followed tentatively by the remaining Weasleys. Ginny pushed forward, causing me to flitch, and squeezed me so tightly I thought I would die. Poor Ginny had no words for our reunion. Neville looked down at me with kindly eyes after Ginny had withdrawn, and enfolded me in a comforting embrace, whispering to me.
"Welcome back to the world of the living, 'Mione."
Then Fred and George tip toed forward and jumped me, bear hugs all around. They smiled sadly at me, and I knew what they had suffered. There would be no more laughing, joking twins for a while.
I smiled sorrowfully, looking around the room. I turned to Severus to take shelter against him, to find he was right behind me, draping his arms over my shoulders.
Indeed, I was back in the land of the living. Perhaps I wouldn't take part for a while, but I could help those who suffered more than I did.
This was my family now.