(A/N: Thank you sooooooooooo much for all the wonderful reviews! You all
are the best! I know some of you are upset about Harry's death, me too,
but.....it just seemed right. I practically cried when I wrote the last two
chapters. Oh well, maybe its me, I love dramatic situations like this.
Lol....anyway here is your next chapter....enjoy!!!)
Usual Disclaimer
~*~*~*~*~* CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: GOLDEN NO MORE
The ministry arrived several hours later to find the partially demolished ground of Hogwarts, bodies of students, staff, and Death Eaters, and an emotionally wrecked school.
The students who had not chosen to fight were assisting Madam Pomfrey and ministry members with the dead and wounded. But there two bodies the students would not be taking care of: Voldemort and Harry. Hermione suspected that there would be a great funeral for all who had died and that the bodies were being prepared for burial. The thought made Hermione sick to her stomach but the queasiness was little compared to what she was feeling at the moment.
Ron still would not make eye contact with her, Ginny, or Neville. He sat wearily in the chair next to her, rubbing his eyes as if he'd been cramming for a Potion's final and had gotten no sleep.
Ginny had finally calmed down a bit and just sat in a corner of Dumbledore's office crying.
Neville's eyes were red and puffy but he, unlike Ginny, was not crying anymore. Instead he chose a shiny object on Dumbledore's desk to stare at.
Hermione closed her eyes. The picture hurt too much to look at. How could Harry be so wrong like this? He promised her that no one would die and yet two out of the six were dead including himself. Memories of the two came flooding back to her.
She would never again hear Luna's dreamy voice, or her soft laugh. Never again would Luna burst out random information just to make the others laugh, never would she read the Quibbler upside down. The spice Luna had added to Hermione's life had gone out.
And Harry, oh Hermione's heart practically burst with sadness remembering Harry. Harry and Ron were her first and best friends. Never again could they be called the "golden trio" No longer would she see Harry's messy black hair, and his bright happy, emerald eyes. Never again would she see him zip around on the Quidditch field. No more could Harry comfort Hermione. Hermione would now have to calm Ron down by herself. And who would there to be when Ron and her bickered? Would they fall apart without Harry?
Suddenly Hermione felt a cold finger to her cheek. She looked up to see Professor Dumbledore wipe a tear away that she hadn't even realized had fallen.
"There, There Miss Granger"
"Sorry Professor" Hermione said as she sniffed and wiped her tears away.
Dumbledore looked saddened. "No need to be sorry. Crying is healthy." Dumbledore said the last part to Ron who suddenly sat up and looked around uncomfortably. He sighed. "I'm afraid there are some things I must discuss with you four."
"Professor, not to be rude, but please don't get too into it. It's too soon." Ron said sharply, still fidgeting in his seat.
"Ah but you see Mr. Weasley, maybe this information will ease your heartache and I have every intention of doing that since it is obvious how much pain you all are in."
"What could you possibly know that we don't? What could you possible know that would 'ease our pain'?" Ron said sarcastically, standing up and putting his hands on Dumbledore's desk, staring him in the face. "I don't know what you expect....DO YOU WANT US TO BE HAPPY ABOUT THE FACT THAT HARRY'S DEAD???!!!" Ron banged his fist on Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore didn't move, and showed no expression.
"Never. I have not said it nor will you ever hear me say that. I loved Harry too Mr. Weasley don't be mistaken."
"WAS HE YOUR BEST FRIEND? WAS HE PRACTICALLY YOUR BROTHER? DID YOU SEE HIM DIE??? NO!!" Ron knocked his chair over, making Hermione flinch. Hermione, Ginny, and Neville watched with horrified expressions as Ron began destroying Dumbledore's office. Ron was crying now and he paused to look at the window, hand on his hip, and wipe his nose. "PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE, I'VE WATCHED TWO FRIENDS DIE TODAY!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THAT IS?!" Ron roared, shattering a glass object and knocking several books to the floor. Dumbledore stood with his hands together staring at Ron calmly.
"I do" Hermione said almost at a whisper to herself.
"EXCUSE ME?" Ron said as he whipped around to face Hermione.
"I did Ron. I was there. Remember me?" Hermione said the last line sarcastically and softly.
"Hermione wh-"
"NO RON! YOU'RE THINKING ONLY ABOUT YOURSELF BUT DID YOU EVEN STOP TO THINK ABOUT ANYONE ELSE?" Hermione screamed, temper high.
"WHO ELSE? NO ONE ELSE KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE!" Ron said arms in the air, face scrunched, trying not to cry.
"ME RON! IT WAS ALWAYS THE THREE OF US! HARRY WAS PRACTICALLY MY BROTHER AND THE BEST FRIEND ANYONE COULD EVER ASK FOR. AND I WATCHED BOTH LUNA AND HARRY DIE. THAT'S EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID SO FAR AND I WAS WITH YOU FOR EVERYTHING!" Hermione's tears were rolling steadily now. Ginny and Neville exchanged horrified glances.
"Luna?" Ginny gasped
Hermione and Ron snapped their heads to look at her. They looked at each other, each one with sadness and sympathy in their eyes.
"Yea" Ron said quietly looking to the floor.
Well that was it. It was as if everything was happening all over again. Neville put his hands directly over his face to cover his tears. Ginny began sobbing all over again, holding her stomach and rocking back and forth in her chair.
Hermione and Ron stood there awkwardly looking at one another. This is a nightmare. Everything's going so wrong. Hermione thought. Hermione walked over to Ginny and put a hand on her shoulder, a feeble attempt to comfort her.
"Sorry Professor, but I have to agree with Ron. Now's not the time to hear any more news. We're not ready yet." Hermione said quietly
Dumbledore closed his eyes, sighed, and nodded. "I'm sorry. I'll contact you all in a few day's time. You may go, and might I suggest going to the hospital wing to get yourselves looked at."
Hermione nodded and followed the three out of the office and to the hospital wing.
"I'm sorry 'Mione." Ron said as Ginny and Neville were getting looked over.
"It's okay Ron, I-I understand." Hermione said as she put a hand on Ron's arm.
"It's just that--" Against Ron's struggles, he began to cry again. Hermione pulled him into a hug.
"Shh....its okay.." But that's all Hermione could get out before she herself began to cry.
And Hermione and Ron stood like that crying and mourning the loss of their friends. To Hermione it seemed that without Harry, not only could they not be a "trio" they could no longer be "golden" either
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Ta da! Another chapter done! Drama rama! Hope you all liked! I promise to update soon! Hugs and kisses! Haystack)
Usual Disclaimer
~*~*~*~*~* CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: GOLDEN NO MORE
The ministry arrived several hours later to find the partially demolished ground of Hogwarts, bodies of students, staff, and Death Eaters, and an emotionally wrecked school.
The students who had not chosen to fight were assisting Madam Pomfrey and ministry members with the dead and wounded. But there two bodies the students would not be taking care of: Voldemort and Harry. Hermione suspected that there would be a great funeral for all who had died and that the bodies were being prepared for burial. The thought made Hermione sick to her stomach but the queasiness was little compared to what she was feeling at the moment.
Ron still would not make eye contact with her, Ginny, or Neville. He sat wearily in the chair next to her, rubbing his eyes as if he'd been cramming for a Potion's final and had gotten no sleep.
Ginny had finally calmed down a bit and just sat in a corner of Dumbledore's office crying.
Neville's eyes were red and puffy but he, unlike Ginny, was not crying anymore. Instead he chose a shiny object on Dumbledore's desk to stare at.
Hermione closed her eyes. The picture hurt too much to look at. How could Harry be so wrong like this? He promised her that no one would die and yet two out of the six were dead including himself. Memories of the two came flooding back to her.
She would never again hear Luna's dreamy voice, or her soft laugh. Never again would Luna burst out random information just to make the others laugh, never would she read the Quibbler upside down. The spice Luna had added to Hermione's life had gone out.
And Harry, oh Hermione's heart practically burst with sadness remembering Harry. Harry and Ron were her first and best friends. Never again could they be called the "golden trio" No longer would she see Harry's messy black hair, and his bright happy, emerald eyes. Never again would she see him zip around on the Quidditch field. No more could Harry comfort Hermione. Hermione would now have to calm Ron down by herself. And who would there to be when Ron and her bickered? Would they fall apart without Harry?
Suddenly Hermione felt a cold finger to her cheek. She looked up to see Professor Dumbledore wipe a tear away that she hadn't even realized had fallen.
"There, There Miss Granger"
"Sorry Professor" Hermione said as she sniffed and wiped her tears away.
Dumbledore looked saddened. "No need to be sorry. Crying is healthy." Dumbledore said the last part to Ron who suddenly sat up and looked around uncomfortably. He sighed. "I'm afraid there are some things I must discuss with you four."
"Professor, not to be rude, but please don't get too into it. It's too soon." Ron said sharply, still fidgeting in his seat.
"Ah but you see Mr. Weasley, maybe this information will ease your heartache and I have every intention of doing that since it is obvious how much pain you all are in."
"What could you possibly know that we don't? What could you possible know that would 'ease our pain'?" Ron said sarcastically, standing up and putting his hands on Dumbledore's desk, staring him in the face. "I don't know what you expect....DO YOU WANT US TO BE HAPPY ABOUT THE FACT THAT HARRY'S DEAD???!!!" Ron banged his fist on Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore didn't move, and showed no expression.
"Never. I have not said it nor will you ever hear me say that. I loved Harry too Mr. Weasley don't be mistaken."
"WAS HE YOUR BEST FRIEND? WAS HE PRACTICALLY YOUR BROTHER? DID YOU SEE HIM DIE??? NO!!" Ron knocked his chair over, making Hermione flinch. Hermione, Ginny, and Neville watched with horrified expressions as Ron began destroying Dumbledore's office. Ron was crying now and he paused to look at the window, hand on his hip, and wipe his nose. "PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE, I'VE WATCHED TWO FRIENDS DIE TODAY!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THAT IS?!" Ron roared, shattering a glass object and knocking several books to the floor. Dumbledore stood with his hands together staring at Ron calmly.
"I do" Hermione said almost at a whisper to herself.
"EXCUSE ME?" Ron said as he whipped around to face Hermione.
"I did Ron. I was there. Remember me?" Hermione said the last line sarcastically and softly.
"Hermione wh-"
"NO RON! YOU'RE THINKING ONLY ABOUT YOURSELF BUT DID YOU EVEN STOP TO THINK ABOUT ANYONE ELSE?" Hermione screamed, temper high.
"WHO ELSE? NO ONE ELSE KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE!" Ron said arms in the air, face scrunched, trying not to cry.
"ME RON! IT WAS ALWAYS THE THREE OF US! HARRY WAS PRACTICALLY MY BROTHER AND THE BEST FRIEND ANYONE COULD EVER ASK FOR. AND I WATCHED BOTH LUNA AND HARRY DIE. THAT'S EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID SO FAR AND I WAS WITH YOU FOR EVERYTHING!" Hermione's tears were rolling steadily now. Ginny and Neville exchanged horrified glances.
"Luna?" Ginny gasped
Hermione and Ron snapped their heads to look at her. They looked at each other, each one with sadness and sympathy in their eyes.
"Yea" Ron said quietly looking to the floor.
Well that was it. It was as if everything was happening all over again. Neville put his hands directly over his face to cover his tears. Ginny began sobbing all over again, holding her stomach and rocking back and forth in her chair.
Hermione and Ron stood there awkwardly looking at one another. This is a nightmare. Everything's going so wrong. Hermione thought. Hermione walked over to Ginny and put a hand on her shoulder, a feeble attempt to comfort her.
"Sorry Professor, but I have to agree with Ron. Now's not the time to hear any more news. We're not ready yet." Hermione said quietly
Dumbledore closed his eyes, sighed, and nodded. "I'm sorry. I'll contact you all in a few day's time. You may go, and might I suggest going to the hospital wing to get yourselves looked at."
Hermione nodded and followed the three out of the office and to the hospital wing.
"I'm sorry 'Mione." Ron said as Ginny and Neville were getting looked over.
"It's okay Ron, I-I understand." Hermione said as she put a hand on Ron's arm.
"It's just that--" Against Ron's struggles, he began to cry again. Hermione pulled him into a hug.
"Shh....its okay.." But that's all Hermione could get out before she herself began to cry.
And Hermione and Ron stood like that crying and mourning the loss of their friends. To Hermione it seemed that without Harry, not only could they not be a "trio" they could no longer be "golden" either
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Ta da! Another chapter done! Drama rama! Hope you all liked! I promise to update soon! Hugs and kisses! Haystack)