Chapter 8.
Hermione stared open-mouthed at the door her daughter had just slammed behind her. Tears formed in her own eyes. She
turned to Dumbledore who had moved himself behind the safety of his desk.
'Did all that really happen to her?'
'I'm afraid so.'
'Oh.'
She wanted to run after her and tell her she never meant any of it. But as she moved the pain in her chest stopped her. 'You
have a family you love and love you.'
'She can't be part f my life.'
Her old headmaster stared at her, eyebrows raised. 'Shock—must be shock.'
'Who is her father?'
'Isn't it obvious?'
'No, not really.'
She looked at the floor.
'Ron Weasley.' She looked up suddenly, her eyes filled with pain.
'Don't tell him. I may not be able to have my daughter, but I don't want him to have her either.' The pain was replaced by fear.
'Please, I beg you Albus, don't come to me concerning her again, please . . .'
Without waiting for an answer, she too swept out of the office with her own tears down her face.
Francheska ran, not knowing where she was going, not caring who she was bumping into. Her hair streamed out behind her
as she ran half-blind by her tears, stumbling more than once. She finally slowed down as she realized she was outside by the
lake. 'It's so tempting.' She had tried with pills, but her best friend had caught her. She tried a bridge, but police walked by.
She finally dug deep, each time deeper than the last. The scars were too deep to ever heal.
Suddenly she was on her back as someone grabbed her arms as she prepared to dive. Luke's face came into view. She
heard Lara running towards them.
'WHAT-THE-HELL-DO-YOU-THINK-YOUR-DOING?' his voice rising with every word. Her body went limp and she
cried. Luke pulled her onto his lap and gently rocked her ass he snuggled into his arms like a small child after a nightmare.
Lara finally reached them and she was about to ask what had happened when she heard the castle doors open again as
Hermione walked out. The older woman looked around and finally saw the crushed teenager laying in a boys arms. She
turned and stalked back to Hogsmead.