A/N: Another chapter for you! No reviews yet, but that's okay. I'm working on two fics right now, and I'm beta-ing, so I may be slow updating. Plus, I'll probably work on the other fic more. But I won't abandon. :) The chapters may be short, but I don't see the point of putting in a lot of extra filler. I personally hate chapters that change subject often, so I tend to write shorter chapters for that sort of thing.
Chapter 2
"What do you mean he's dead?! I saw him this morning! He can't be dead! It's your birthday!"
"Hermione, believe me. He's my best friend, and my best subordinate. This isn't easy for me. Come. Floo with me to he Burrow. Mum probably has some birthday cake. You need to be surrounded by friends and family. You can't stay here; it will make it worse because everything will remind you of him. Pack enough clothes for a week."
I packed my bags and went with Ron. We arrived in the living room. As Ron had promised, there was cake.
"Oh! Hullo, dears! I wasn't expecting you so soon! Where's Harry?" Molly said.
"You- You haven't told them, have you?" I managed to choke out without crying.
"No. Mum, Harry's- Harry's dead."
"What?! No! Hermione! Let me get some tea," Molly said somewhat incomprehensively.
Molly came back and I sipped some tea. "Naturally, you'll be staying with us. You can have Ginny's old room." Molly declared.
I lost all control. I collapsed on the couch and started crying. "He's not dead. There's been a mistake. This is a nightmare," I suppose I thought if I said those things, they would come true.
"Hermione, I'm sorry. But he's dead." Ron tried to comfort me.
"Are you sure? I want to see the body!"
"I'm afraid that's impossible. All that was left was a pile of ash, his glasses, and this." He held out an object. I grabbed it from him. It was Harry's wedding ring. I read the inscription inside, "Forever yours."
I always wore a chain around my neck that Harry had given me as a birthday present a few years before. I slipped the ring onto the chain. I decided then and there that I would never take off my ring.
I went up to Ginny's room, determined to show a stiff upper lip. I put on my nightgown, and knew I couldn't hold it in any longer. I started crying and screaming and scratching and tearing at my hair. Ron came in. He started hugging me, rocking back and forth saying, "It'll be okay. It'll be okay."
After a little bit, I calmed down. However, I felt a little childish like that. "Shouldn't you be going home to your wife?"
"Shh. I talked to Luna already. We're staying here tonight. Don't worry."
"I still can't believe he's dead. He defeated Voldemort, surely he could escape from a lesser foe. I would almost think he pulled a Peter Pettigrew, but he isn't an animagus."
"Go to sleep now, Hermione." Ron walked out of the room. I knew full well that he and Luna would be checking on me periodically through the night. As soon as he left, I got in bed. I held up the ring on the chain. Through my tears, I vowed, "I find your killer Harry. It may take years. I may die in the process. But life isn't worth living without you. I at least want some closure to you death. I'll find your killer."