Chapter 4: Granger's Grief
All Tonks managed to get out before she lost all of her strength was the news that Mr. and Mrs. Granger were dead, then she collapsed to the floor and as she lay their panting, her eyes fell on the younger witch and grew wider with horror, pity and pain. Her last thought before she passed out was that no one should have to receive such horrible news that way.
Hermione let out a heart wrenching wail and her knees seemed to give out under her, Harry caught her in a hug as she fell and she buried her head in his shoulder. The distraught girl just kept chanting the same thing over and over again "No, no, mommy, daddy, no," sobs continued to wrack her body, the teenagers sat their holding each other and as they sat crumpled on the floor, Harry let fall the tears that he had been holding in all summer, the tears for Sirius, the tears for all of the others who would lose their lives in this war and tears for himself, in that moment he knew what he had to do, their was no choice, he must stop Voldemort, stop him from causing this pain. Remus revived Tonks and left the room, helping Tonks up, so that she could report to Dumbledore, who was resting in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Unsure what to do after he delivered Tonks to the Headmaster, Remus tentatively reentered the kitchen, Harry and Hermione had let go of each other, their tears had slowed to mere trickles, Hermione was speaking in a quiet voice, "Harry, what am I going to do, I'm all alone, I have no family…"
Harry reached out and placed a hand on her cheek, he reached the other hand out to Remus, who came and took it, looking Hermione directly in the eye, he said with such confidence and comfort that none of them could doubt it, "We will be each others family, we have all lost the people who we considered family and now because we love each other and we understand what the others have lost, you will be my sister, Hermione as well as my friend, and Remus will be both friend and uncle to us, and we will always be there for each other no matter what, we will not let the other suffer alone." As Harry finished speaking, Remus felt tears sliding gently down his face and felt Hermione reach up and gently take hold of his hand, she then reached up with her free hand and took Harry's hand from her cheek and gave it a gentle squeeze. And that is the way the Weasleys found them ten minutes later, this new family, hands joined, a young wizard and a young witch sitting on the floor, with their uncle, not by blood but by love, standing next to them.
"Hello, dears," said Mrs. Weasley brightly, stepping out of the fireplace. Her eyes came to rest immediately on the strange circle before her and she knew instantly what had happened. Dropping the things she was caring she rushed over, fell to her knees, bringing Remus down with her, and enfolded them in her embrace tears falling from her eyes onto Hermione's hair. The others came through the fire and saw pain written on the faces of their friends and family and were unsure what to think of this, until Tonks, recovered from her flight earlier, came in to the room, and gave them understanding in the form of two words, "the Grangers."
The group on the floor seemed not to hear her but they released each other, and rose to their feet, Ginny rushed forward and hugged Hermione fiercely, "O, 'Mione, I am so sorry." Tears shone in her eyes and were obvious in her voice. Ron stepped forward and put his arms around the two girls her loved best his sister and the girl who he had been in love with since he had helped to save her from a mountain troll, and he made a silent promise to himself to tell her that as soon as possible. They stood there for several moments and then broke up the hug so that the rest of the Weasley family could offer their condolences. Clearly exhausted, the normally composed and in-charge girl looked lost, and somehow smaller. "Please, I just want to lie down for a while."
"Of course, dear, would you like a dreamless sleep potion?" Mrs. Weasley asked her voice full of concern. After the girl nodded she went to the cupboard and removed it, "Ginny, why don't you go…"
But Mrs. Weasley was stopped mid-way through her suggestion, "Harry, and I will go sit with her, Molly." Remus said quietly. Hermione looked at him with gratitude plain in her face. Molly handed Remus the potion and Harry put an arm over his sister's shoulder, and they moved up stairs. Molly looked after them her face full of sorrow, she understood the new bond that had formed between them, they were all that was left of their families and they all needed that support, people who needed them and people who they could always lean on, and she knew to that should her children be left alone, with out their parents, they would be taken into that family as well, and she felt a great burden lifted of off her.