A/N: Hi!! Sorry bout that wait….honestly….I've been kept up…I love this site and hate spending time away…I've also been kind of addicted to a role play game of Harry Potter, if you wanna check it out go to , it is the bomb!! LOL, so anyways, here we go. Any thank you so much my great reviewers!!! I love you guys so much…..and thank you to those who have given me insight on the mistakes I made. P.S. In the last chappie, the line "death cannot stop true love, it only delays it a while" is from the Princess Bride….sorry, I forgot to write that!! LOL
"Professor," Hermione said weakly, wiping tears from her face.
"Hello, Hermione," Lupin smiled, greeting her with his normal comforting tone. "You feeling all right?" He brushed a few specks off her cheek.
"Yes…….no…….I dunno….." Hermione replied, so quietly that is was as if she were telling him a secret. "I'm sorry I missed your class today, Professor, I'll make up the work……..and I will gladly be present for detention."
"No, no, Hermione. Don't worry about that." He said kindly. "Your best friend died, surely I wouldn't be mad at you for that."
"Thank you, Professor."
"No problem," he smiled at her and patted her on the back. "Now, I want to tell you something……you know you can talk to me anytime, right?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Miss Granger…" Lupin snickered. "…..It's perfectly fine if you call me Remus right now…no one is around." Hermione nodded, not looking at him.
"Professor…..if you don't mind, I'd rather be alone at the moment. But, I appreciate you comforting me," She said sullenly, and beginning to walk towards the door.
"Hermione," She turned back to face him. "If you'd like, I'll excuse you from my class tomorrow."
"Thank you, Profess--er--Remus, but, I think I need to keep my mind on my studies, so that I won't think about Ron." She replied simply, and continued out the door.
* * *
Harry tried all the rest of the evening to find Hermione, but he didn't find her until it was about time for dinner. And, when he did find her, she was in the last place he'd expect her to come to by herself; the quidditch pitch.
"Hermione, what are you doing out here?" Harry asked sympathetically. But, the slumped ball sticking out of the wall, being Hermione, didn't answer in the dark. "You've got to be cold, autumn is setting in, you're going to be needing a jacket." Her sat down beside her, putting his jacket around her. "What's going on?" Hermione's heart nearly stopped. She looked up through he tangled mess of hair. "What do you mean, what's going on?"
"You missed all your classes. Ron, right? How's he doing?" Harry asked calmly. Hermione only gave him a heartbroken look, perhaps no one had told him. Maybe Dumbledore was waiting to tell everyone at dinner, when they were all gathered together. But then, why hadn't McGonagall told Harry, it was Harry's best friend after all. But, maybe Dumbledore hadn't told her either.
"Ummm.....Harry," Hermione said softly.
"What, Hermione?"
"About Ron.......he's not as well as you may think," Tears once again reached Hermione's eyes, she brushed them away quickly. ".......he.......passed......." She threw her hands over her face and began to sob once again.
Harry's face turned gray and gaunt. His heart literally felt like it had stopped beating. "What?" he asked shamefully, as if he had done something wrong.
"I was there......he asked about you......"She managed to say between sobs.
"What'd he say?"
"He wanted......to talk to........you about quidditch........" Hermione pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and sobbed into it. Harry wrapped his arms around her and rocked her, even letting some tears out as well, until her was so upset that he cried into her shoulder. They sat there, crying and rocking for about twenty minutes, until someone showed up behind them.
"Harry?? Hermione??" Fred Weasley, followed by George, came up behind them. There faces were pale and ghost-like. "We came when we heard......." It was odd hearing them acting serious for once.
"Ullo, Fred...."Harry said weakly. Hermione, meanwhile, didn't even look up, she only sobbed. "Is your mum here?"
"Yea......" George answered. "Dad...Percy....Charlie....and Bill too...."
"I'm sorry, Fred, George," Harry hugged both of them. Hermione came up and hugged them next.
"Dumbledore wants us inside though," George said, turning around, Harry, Fred, and Hermione followed.
They got inside and walked into the clamor of the great hall, laughing and chatting, completely unaware of Ron's absence. As Harry and Hermione took seats at Gryffindor table, followed by Fred and George, who received odd looks for many knew they had left because their goods had been very popular, Dumbledore stood, ready to talk, perhaps like Hermione predicted.
"Quiet please! Quiet!" Dumbledore called in his regular worn voice, sounding very calm, but yet the tinge of sadness. The whole hall quieted down, surprised by this sudden announcement. "Now, I've called us all together to tell you some rather upsetting news. We have lost a truly splendid wizard today, some of you may know him. He was an excellent quidditch player and a loyal friend. Mr. Ronald Weasley will be missed."
Around the room, gasps were heard, even some louder than Hermione's whimpering sobs.
Harry looked around the room, eyeing Slytherin table, he saw Malfoy, who, to his great surprise, looked somewhat depressed, as if regretting a whole 6 years of rudeness.
Mrs. Weasley came up behind him and rested her hands on his shoulders, startling Harry at first because he didn't know it was her, and then calming him. He looked up at her devastated face. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Weasley." He stood up and wrapped his arms around her. She didn't speak to him while she was in her arm, but Harry understood. She shook violently while bawling on his shoulder. Hermione stood up beside Harry.
Then, she too, hugged Mrs. Weasley, who was still shaking. Harry looked sadly at her, wiping tears from his face.
"Hullo, Harry," said a small voice, obviously pained as well. Harry turned around to face the voice, it belonged to Ginny.
"Hi, Gin," Harry didn't hesitate to put his arms around her. She, much like her mother, began crying and shaking. "How your coming along?" He asked quietly.
"I......just.....can't......believe it...." She sobbed, urging Harry to grab her tighter, which he did. Seeing the Weasleys like this broke his heart, it pained him. More and more tears built up around his eyes as he let them flow freely. Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George came around in a circle around Harry and Ginny, which included Mrs. Weasley and Hermione, and they grabbed whoever randomly and just cried. But, Harry slipped away, a sudden thought striking him. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and walked out of the great hall, all eyes except the Weasley's, watching him.
He wasn't too sure where he was going, just as long as he was alone where he could think or cry or whatever he wanted to do. He decided to go to the Room of Requirement, because he knew no one could go there unless they really needed it.
Once inside, he slumped on a cushion that had appeared as he had come in. He buried his hands in his face and cried, the hole in his heart grower larger, regretting that day on the train when he blew up in Hermione and Ron's faces for the stupidest reason. It should have been him that got hit with that bludger, he had really nothing to live for, but Ron had his family, his girlfriend, everything....he, Harry, had nothing.....
"Harry....." That same soft voice......Ginny. Harry looked up at Ginny's blotchy pale face.
"Hey," He said despondently. Ginny sat down beside him and put her arm around his shoulders.
"Why'd you walk out on us?" She asked softly, giving a small sniffle afterwards.
"Just thinking bout something I said to Ron..." he replied almost as if it were nothing. Tears sprung up in Ginny's eyes again at the mention of Ron.
"What'd you say?"
"Nothing.........it....don't worry bout it....." Harry looked at Ginny, a sudden impulse to kiss her, something he had never considered before. The thoughts swirling in his head became too much......Ron.....dead......comforting......Ginny............younger sister.........alone............love........This is crazy, her brother just passed, your best friend, and all you can think about is Ginny.....but if Ron knew this, wouldn't he tell you to put on a move.......
"Harry...." She said, her lower lip curling. "...I'm so scared......Ron was the only brother left here, what if something happens at school and he won't be there to help me......no one will....." She burst into tears again, leaning in and putting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her. Thats crazy, I can't go at her now....not when she's like this....
"Ginny?" He lifted her head with his hand. He didn't hesitate when he moved in swiftly, kissing her on her soft lips. When they pulled away, Ginny looked absolutely shocked. But, before either of them could speak another word, voices were heard coming from outside the room. Harry stood up and opened the door a tad, so that he was just able to see Oliver Wood talking with......Hermione.....
"No, Oliver, nothing can happen......never,"
A/N: *sniff* *sniff* I like that chapter, please review I love you guys!! U all rock!!