She let her hair down in an attempt to lessen the pounding headache that was threatening to attack. She stopped in front of the bookstore and looked in through the slightly misted glass windows. The sight of the rows and rows of books was making her feel a little better so she sighed and opened the door.
Walking up to the register, Hermione put on her best "I'm fine" face and smiled at the cashier, Robert.
"Well hello Miss Granger, are you here for the book, or do you want to keep it on hold?" Robert asked her.
"No, I think I'll pick it up today, a friend of mine asked me to send it to him." Hermione answered. Robert smiled and reached under the counter for the books that were set on hold. He selected the small, leather-bound red book with a note, reserving it for Hermione, on it. He handed it to Hermione who put it in her bag without looking at it. She looked back up at Robert.
"Anything new today?"
"Not today,"
Smiling slightly, Hermione walked out of the store, feeling mentally exhausted from the prospect of the book in her bag. She walked in silence in the direction of her apartment so wrapped up in her thoughts that she almost missed the complex. Using her key she entered the musty foyer and stopped to check her mailbox on her way up to her 2nd floor flat. She opened her door and walked into the simply furnished flat, dropping her mail and bag down on the breakfast table.
She fixed herself a warm cup of soothing tea and sat at the table preparing herself for the task. She reached into the bag and set the red book on the table in front of her. It didn't have to be this difficult, she reasoned. If she flipped past the page that would cause her grief then, it would be ok. She pulled the book towards her and read the title.
The Diary of a Muggleborn
The life and schooling of Hermione Granger
She had written it a year after graduating from Hogwarts with Harry and Ron. She grimaced at the thought of her carefree spirit then. Though the war with Voldemort was over, his followers still caused enough trouble. They were planning something dark and Harry had known it for sometime now. Although he doubted they were bringing Voldemort back again, it seemed as though they were perhaps bringing about a new leader, with none of the same weaknesses of the old one.
Hermione sighed and opened up the book to the first blank page, she quickly flipped past the dedication page and got to the next blank page. She got a pen and wrote a short note to Seamus, to whom she would be sending the book, and closed it. She would send it by owl in the morning. For now, she needed rest.
Ron apparated into London, almost falling in the dark. It was only eight o' clock but days were getting darker earlier as the weather got colder. The thunderclouds didn't help matters much either. It's especially irritating to be in the dark when you're looking for someone.
His first thought was to go to the local bookstore, where she was sure to have been recently. He could ask someone about her. He walked into the store and the familiarity of the place hit him...hard. Before he asked anyone, he was going to have a look around.
He walked slowly through the small aisles filled with books he knew the one he was looking for sub-consciously but he didn't like to think about it. He stopped and looked at the small red-leather spine. He pulled it off the shelf and held it before opening it to the dedication page.
Harry sat with his back to the gravestone for what seemed like hours. Occasionally he would utter a joke or a small sentence to the person resting beneath him. It didn't do good to be sad about it anymore. Although at times, the pressure of the loss would just weigh down on him until he would breakdown. He knew the person would get mad if he was sad all the time so he tried his best to be happy for them. It didn't help though, that Ron was gone. Harry knew that if Ron were to ever show up again, he would be mad at him for leaving, but in his heart he would be relieved . He didn't blame him for leaving in the first place. Things had gotten hard in the midst of the war. Ron had left shortly after being captured and rescued by Harry and Hermione. No one knew what happened to him in the dungeons of Voldemort. They knew he had been hurt, Hermione had sensed the number of healing charms Ron had placed on himself the moment they saw him. He never talked about it. And then he just left. Things were already a mess by then.
As Ron saw the name on the dedication page, his eyes grew blurry. He slid down the aisle and let his tears fall so he could make out the words on the page.
To Ginny Weasley
And her unborn child, Lily
May they always rest in peace
Harry got up off the grave and brushed himself off. He pulled from his pocket, a single red rose and lay it at the base of the gravestone. He glanced at the statue that enhanced the grave. The Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus. Harry cradled the cheek of the statue with his hand. As he turned to leave the graveyard he whispered.
"Happy Birthday, Gin"