"I feel, so bad for Hermione," glumly remarked Ron. He desperately wanted to do something to help her, but there seemed to be nothing in his power to help.

"There is nothing that any of us can do," added Harry almost reading Ron. He had no idea what Hermione was going through. He had some idea, but in a way his pains and troubles seemed nothing in comparison to her's.

"I know, but I still can wish for some way to help."

"All we can do now is let the wounds heal with time and be there when she need us," grimaced Harry referencing his own experience with Sirius.

"Do you know what I recommend?" interjected Ginny who was sitting in a corner reading a book.

"What do you recommend?" snapped Ron.

"I recommend that we let Hermione continue to sleep, and that you two find something to do rather than mope around and feel bad for her. She needs sympathy not pity."

"If you're so smart, what do you recommend we do," came back Ron.

"I don't know, I know mom would love it if you guys degnomed the yard. Then again you two aren't much for that," shrugged Ginny.

"Well, you're a lot of help," grumped Ron.

"You could play chess you know," added Ginny before leaving the room to read somewhere else.

As Hermione lay in bed she did not truly sleep. Her mind and spirit needed the rest; they yeaned for it, the chance to slip away from the conscious world to leave worries behind. Yet physically Hermione's body did not require more sleep, thus she was plagued by restless dreams.

Hermione stood there in her room, everything was so familiar, everything was where she left it. It was as if the past few days were nothing but a bad dream. Here, this room, it was her one safe place the only place she could go to when all in the world seemed wrong. Hermione sat on her ever-comfortable bed and grabbed her pillow hugging it tight, grasping on to a familiarity so that it would never leave her.

"Hermione, you all right?" asked Hermione's mom as she stood in the doorway.

"I'm fine," half smiled Hermione as her mother sat on the bed next to her. So many mother daughter chats happened here. Reminiscing of times past, words of wisdom shared for the future, and just general chit chat of normal life.

Just as Hermione was beginning to soak the simple pleasures of her life in, all went black. Her mother was no longer there, she was no longer sitting on her bed hugging her pillows, she was standing there all alone staring up at the cold dark sign that illuminated the sky; the house in ashes, all if it gone, no hope of returining, no more dad and daughter dates not mother daughter chats. All of it gone, four spells that is all it took, four. Two killing curses for her parents, one to destroy the home and one more to cast the mark up in the sky.

The dream quickly shifted, there stood her parents right in front of her, just out of reach. Hermione tried to get to them, but the closer she seemed to get to them the farther they were. Then out of nowhere a green flash flowed by another then Hermione stood over to lifeless forms, her parents. The sight made her sick to her stomach, there was no way to fight it.

Hermione woke up with her head in a wastebasket, and in a cold sweat.

"That is it, no more sleep for me," remarked Hermione as she wiped her mouth.

Hermione quietly pulled herself together. She brushed back her hair and wiped her face off with a cool rag. Hermione then crept down the stairs hopeing not to attract attention. The thing Hermione wanted most was to be left alone; she was tired of the pity many were giving her. The only person she could think of being able to be around was Harry. He was the only person that did not show her pity but gave her sympathy. It was nice to see Ron and Harry involved in a game of chess, it gave the sense that things were still, well in this now dark and cruel world. In a way it gave her hope that life would go on. The thought pained her but in an odd way it comforted her.

After watching the two boys play for a while Hermione slipped into the living area and grabbed a book, trying to grasp on to something familiar, trying desperately trying to make life as it was.

"Hermione," noted Ron when he saw her, "Fancy seeing you down here."

"I couldn't sleep very well so I decided to come down and read for a spell."

"Let us know if there is anything we can do for you," offered Ron before turning back to the game.

Hermione was not much for reading at this point; she just stared at the same page while Ron beat Harry in wizard's chess. Hermione did not have even the slightest intention of reading the book when she first picked it up, she held for familiarity sake only. Tears brimmed on the edge of her eyes, but she fought them back. She did not want the attention that crying always brought forth. Simplicity in life was nice it was something that she was desperate for yet is was something that killed Hermione on the inside. How could things ever be normal again? A tear broke free from her eye and silently rolled down her cheek. Hermione quickly brushed it away hoping no one would notice, but the tear was noticed, Ron noticed it.

It broke Ron's heart to see Hermione hurt like she was. For every tear that Hermione shed Ron shed one on the inside for her. He loved her there was no denying it. He wanted to be with her to make her happy; he missed that glorious smile that used to play across her lips. Now the smile was gone and was replaced with sad brown eyes that no longer held the joyous golden gleam.

Hermione berated herself for allowing the tear to fall and tried to force her focus onto something else aside from her pain. She tried to force herself to read, but she could not focus on the words her eyes were too blurred to read. She fought the urge to blink knowing if she did the tears would fall. She could fight it no more.

"Excuse me," mumbled Hermione as she quickly got up, leaving her book on the chair and rushed out.

Both Ron and Harry stared after Hermione as she rushed out of the room and back upstairs. Ron gave a silent nod to Harry communicating: 'That's your queue mate.'

Harry got the message and slowly followed Hermione up the stairs. Harry gently knocked on the door to Ginny's rooming knowing that that was where Hermione was. Harry then gently pushed the door open to see Hermione sitting on the bed sobbing. Admittedly Harry understood the pain that Hermione felt but he did not fully understand all the crying. True Harry shed a few hot tears when he lost Sirius and there was a lurch in his stomach every time Sirius was brought up but he did not cry as Hermione was. Harry slowly sat down next to Hermione, before he could say a word Hermione turned wrapped her arms around Harry and sobbed into his shoulder. Harry was at lost for what to do, so he just instinctively placed his hand on Hermione's back and caressed it. He could feel her slight frame tremble in his arms as she continued to sob. Hermione truly was a beautiful creature and it hurt to see such a creature in a state such as this. Harry instantly berated himself for thinking like this. Hermione was his best friend and this was no time to think about such things. It was all of a sudden when the trembling stopped. Hermione whispered a, "Thank you," into his ear and brushed his cheeks with a thank-you kiss as she pulled away from Harry's embrace.

Harry resisted the urge to place his hand on the spot where Hermione had just kissed him, while she wiped away the few remaining tears form her eyes. Harry had never noticed it before but Hermione had a lovely golden glint in her eyes, it was a sad glint but one of the most beautiful things Harry had ever seen.