Thanks for your encouragement!! All of you!! :-) it is mucho appreciated!!!
Disclaimer: JKR owns everything [blah blah blah] - the characters,the chocolate clusters, the portrait of the fat lady, the castle, malfoy,and anything else u can think of
EXCEPT [yes there had to be an "except"]
THE PLOT!!!!
Now On to chapter 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hermione ran blindly to the portrait of the fat lady, stumbling on her robes as she reached the concealed entrance to the Gryffindor common room.
"Chocolate clusters" she mumbled incoherently. The Fat lady gave her a look of concern and swung forward. Hermione stumbled gratefully into the common room and her knees buckled painfully. A low thud interrupted the chattering Gryffindors and they turned to look at their distraught head girl – their eyes wide with shock.
Ginny watched her best friend pull herself back on to her feet and continue on in the direction of the girl's dormitories, limping slightly as she ran. Ginny's instinct caused her to follow Hermione up the bewitched stairs.
She found Hermione curled up on her bed, her body convulsing with muffled sobs, her head buried in her pillow. An iron fist clenched Ginny's heart, sorrow welling up inside her. Quietly, she stepped next to Hermione and kneeled on the floor, placing a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder.
She neither questioned nor prodded. Another famous Weasley quality. Her dark eyes barely covered her curiosity and yet, she wisely remained silent.
"Oh Ginny…" Hermione sobbed. "My m-mum… s-she's...she's…" Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to say dead. Searing pain stabbed her insides and she sobbed, shaking so hard that Ginny had to put an arm around her to stop her from shaking.
"What happened…?" Ginny finally asked, her voice low as if she already expected the answer.
"She's dead Ginny. They killed her. The death eaters killed her" Hermione said, a flash of anger igniting her spirit.
Ginny's eyes widened and tears spilled out of them as she attempted to comfort Hermione. "I'm s-sorry… I'm so sorry"
KNOCK KNOCK.
"It's j-just us…" Ron's voice spoke uncertainly "Us… as in Ron and Harry" Ron clarified. Ginny slapped her hand on her forehead and tossed her head. (What a git!)
Hermione vigorously shook her head, mouthing No, half-annoyed at their invasion and half-relieved that Ron cared enough to come after her. (Even AFTER you demonstrated your lunacy down in the hallway) she told herself.
Ginny threw Hermione a skeptical glance before coming to a swift decision. She knew that Ron would be the only person who could help Hermione right now. Hermione needed him. More than she knew.
She strode to the door and yanked it open, glaring at her brother. If looks could kill, Ron would be dead and burnt up right now. " Took you enough time to come after your BEST friend" she retorted, angry at their delay.
"We…w-were just…" Harry attempted to explain, but shut up as Ginny shot him another hot glare.
"Enough excuses… RON, go on inside. Harry, you and I need to talk." Ron slipped into the room thankfully as Harry let himself be dragged off by Ginny.
Ron walked to Hermione's side and sat down on the bed beside her.
"'Mione… please look at me… tell me what's wrong…" Ron prodded gently.
A hushed silence met his words, deafening the spirit of the redhead. Still, he waited. Waited for a response. He knew he'd get one… Eventually.
Suddenly, she turned to look up at him, her chocolate eyes blazing with fury. "I'll kill them Ron… I swear… I'll kill them!"
"Kill who?" Ron said, his voice slightly panicky. The Hermione he knew had always been the rational one in their golden trio. Her new resentment scared him. He looked back at her angry face covered with silver tears. He placed his hand on her cheek and brushed away her tears gently.
(Soft… like the petals of a flower) The icy softness of her skin under his burning finger drove a chill down to his feet.
He let his fingers stroke her cheek delicately, reassuring her of his presence, wordlessly prompting her to continue.
"Kill the death eaters who murdered my mum!" she cried, frustrated at her helplessness.
"WHAT!?" Ron said, his face holding a mask of disbelief. Although, somewhere inside him, he knew it was true.
"Yes… my mum's dead Ron…how am I ever going to feel the same again? She's… d-dead" Hermione's voice dropped to a low whisper as she shook her head slightly.
Ron's heart went out to his friend, grief flooding his body. He couldn't stand seeing her so broken. Lifeless. His Hermione was shattered.
And he didn't say anything.
Hermione buried her face in her hands and continued to cry, her heart-wrenching sobs wringing the life out of his soul.
(Say something you big prat. Say Something!) He admonished himself, unable to tear his eyes off her beautiful face.
Still, he couldn't bring himself to say anything. He knew deep down in his heart that words wouldn't console his 'Mione. After all, what justified the death of a mother? No words could ever elucidate to her how much he cared. How much he truly hurt. No. Words just wouldn't do.
So he did the next best thing he knew how to do. He gently cradled her in his arms and held her uncertainly, her tears soaking through his robes.
(NO! get away from him!! I must…I…)
Hermione's mental protests gave in as she leaned into his secure embrace. She cuddled closer to him, desperately clinging on to him for support. Unspoken words and unvoiced emotions soaked through his skin, and his heart thudded wildly to the beat of an unheard drum.
She needed him. She needed his warmth. His comfort. His reassurance. If only for tonight. She needed it.
"I'm s-scared Ron…" she whispered "so scared…"
Ron's strong arms tightened around her, sending another shiver racing down her spine. His breath tantalizingly close to her ear, he whispered softly
"I'm right here 'Mione… right here… all you need to do is reach out for me."
Harry and Ginny opened the door slowly, their heads peeking into the room. Ginny had filled Harry in on all that had happened, Harry registering shock, anger and desperation in quick consecutive seconds.
All of them had met the Grangers. Their generosity and their love for their family shone through their personas. Now one of them was dead. They mourned for Mrs. Granger. And for Mr. Granger. But most of all, for their clever friend of six years – Hermione Jane Granger.
"Should we tell them now…?" Ginny asked, her tone of voice urgent.
"No…" Harry replied, his voice lowering to a whisper. The sight of Ron and Hermione locked in an embrace was so rare and so precious that he couldn't bring himself to disturb them.
(Two more minutes is all they need…) Harry assured himself, looking back at the bottom of the stairs, where the shadowy figure rested, waiting.
Waiting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Muahahahaha another cliff hanger.
I'm quite a fast updater.. so please reward me with reviews
6 more reviews ATLEAST and i'll update!!
SAPPPYYY!!!! I know! But what can I say? I'm a Piscean! I AM a hopeless romantic…did you guys like it though?
Who is this shadowy figure anway? To find out… read the next episode of "LL" [Leave me a heart, Lend me a dagger]!!!
Disclaimer: JKR owns everything [blah blah blah] - the characters,the chocolate clusters, the portrait of the fat lady, the castle, malfoy,and anything else u can think of
EXCEPT [yes there had to be an "except"]
THE PLOT!!!!
Now On to chapter 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hermione ran blindly to the portrait of the fat lady, stumbling on her robes as she reached the concealed entrance to the Gryffindor common room.
"Chocolate clusters" she mumbled incoherently. The Fat lady gave her a look of concern and swung forward. Hermione stumbled gratefully into the common room and her knees buckled painfully. A low thud interrupted the chattering Gryffindors and they turned to look at their distraught head girl – their eyes wide with shock.
Ginny watched her best friend pull herself back on to her feet and continue on in the direction of the girl's dormitories, limping slightly as she ran. Ginny's instinct caused her to follow Hermione up the bewitched stairs.
She found Hermione curled up on her bed, her body convulsing with muffled sobs, her head buried in her pillow. An iron fist clenched Ginny's heart, sorrow welling up inside her. Quietly, she stepped next to Hermione and kneeled on the floor, placing a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder.
She neither questioned nor prodded. Another famous Weasley quality. Her dark eyes barely covered her curiosity and yet, she wisely remained silent.
"Oh Ginny…" Hermione sobbed. "My m-mum… s-she's...she's…" Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to say dead. Searing pain stabbed her insides and she sobbed, shaking so hard that Ginny had to put an arm around her to stop her from shaking.
"What happened…?" Ginny finally asked, her voice low as if she already expected the answer.
"She's dead Ginny. They killed her. The death eaters killed her" Hermione said, a flash of anger igniting her spirit.
Ginny's eyes widened and tears spilled out of them as she attempted to comfort Hermione. "I'm s-sorry… I'm so sorry"
KNOCK KNOCK.
"It's j-just us…" Ron's voice spoke uncertainly "Us… as in Ron and Harry" Ron clarified. Ginny slapped her hand on her forehead and tossed her head. (What a git!)
Hermione vigorously shook her head, mouthing No, half-annoyed at their invasion and half-relieved that Ron cared enough to come after her. (Even AFTER you demonstrated your lunacy down in the hallway) she told herself.
Ginny threw Hermione a skeptical glance before coming to a swift decision. She knew that Ron would be the only person who could help Hermione right now. Hermione needed him. More than she knew.
She strode to the door and yanked it open, glaring at her brother. If looks could kill, Ron would be dead and burnt up right now. " Took you enough time to come after your BEST friend" she retorted, angry at their delay.
"We…w-were just…" Harry attempted to explain, but shut up as Ginny shot him another hot glare.
"Enough excuses… RON, go on inside. Harry, you and I need to talk." Ron slipped into the room thankfully as Harry let himself be dragged off by Ginny.
Ron walked to Hermione's side and sat down on the bed beside her.
"'Mione… please look at me… tell me what's wrong…" Ron prodded gently.
A hushed silence met his words, deafening the spirit of the redhead. Still, he waited. Waited for a response. He knew he'd get one… Eventually.
Suddenly, she turned to look up at him, her chocolate eyes blazing with fury. "I'll kill them Ron… I swear… I'll kill them!"
"Kill who?" Ron said, his voice slightly panicky. The Hermione he knew had always been the rational one in their golden trio. Her new resentment scared him. He looked back at her angry face covered with silver tears. He placed his hand on her cheek and brushed away her tears gently.
(Soft… like the petals of a flower) The icy softness of her skin under his burning finger drove a chill down to his feet.
He let his fingers stroke her cheek delicately, reassuring her of his presence, wordlessly prompting her to continue.
"Kill the death eaters who murdered my mum!" she cried, frustrated at her helplessness.
"WHAT!?" Ron said, his face holding a mask of disbelief. Although, somewhere inside him, he knew it was true.
"Yes… my mum's dead Ron…how am I ever going to feel the same again? She's… d-dead" Hermione's voice dropped to a low whisper as she shook her head slightly.
Ron's heart went out to his friend, grief flooding his body. He couldn't stand seeing her so broken. Lifeless. His Hermione was shattered.
And he didn't say anything.
Hermione buried her face in her hands and continued to cry, her heart-wrenching sobs wringing the life out of his soul.
(Say something you big prat. Say Something!) He admonished himself, unable to tear his eyes off her beautiful face.
Still, he couldn't bring himself to say anything. He knew deep down in his heart that words wouldn't console his 'Mione. After all, what justified the death of a mother? No words could ever elucidate to her how much he cared. How much he truly hurt. No. Words just wouldn't do.
So he did the next best thing he knew how to do. He gently cradled her in his arms and held her uncertainly, her tears soaking through his robes.
(NO! get away from him!! I must…I…)
Hermione's mental protests gave in as she leaned into his secure embrace. She cuddled closer to him, desperately clinging on to him for support. Unspoken words and unvoiced emotions soaked through his skin, and his heart thudded wildly to the beat of an unheard drum.
She needed him. She needed his warmth. His comfort. His reassurance. If only for tonight. She needed it.
"I'm s-scared Ron…" she whispered "so scared…"
Ron's strong arms tightened around her, sending another shiver racing down her spine. His breath tantalizingly close to her ear, he whispered softly
"I'm right here 'Mione… right here… all you need to do is reach out for me."
Harry and Ginny opened the door slowly, their heads peeking into the room. Ginny had filled Harry in on all that had happened, Harry registering shock, anger and desperation in quick consecutive seconds.
All of them had met the Grangers. Their generosity and their love for their family shone through their personas. Now one of them was dead. They mourned for Mrs. Granger. And for Mr. Granger. But most of all, for their clever friend of six years – Hermione Jane Granger.
"Should we tell them now…?" Ginny asked, her tone of voice urgent.
"No…" Harry replied, his voice lowering to a whisper. The sight of Ron and Hermione locked in an embrace was so rare and so precious that he couldn't bring himself to disturb them.
(Two more minutes is all they need…) Harry assured himself, looking back at the bottom of the stairs, where the shadowy figure rested, waiting.
Waiting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Muahahahaha another cliff hanger.
I'm quite a fast updater.. so please reward me with reviews
6 more reviews ATLEAST and i'll update!!
SAPPPYYY!!!! I know! But what can I say? I'm a Piscean! I AM a hopeless romantic…did you guys like it though?
Who is this shadowy figure anway? To find out… read the next episode of "LL" [Leave me a heart, Lend me a dagger]!!!