Faded Pictures
Summary: A fleeting yet passionate love affair leaves Hermione heartbroken and in search of love. Fleeing her childhood memories, she finds herself in the arms of an American wizard in Salem, MA. What happens when he discovers her distant yet oh so painful past?
Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, neither do I claim to be. I am not making any kind of profit off of this whatsoever. I have no money at all seeing as I am a broke college student. Therefore, it would be absolutely pointless to sue me.
Prologue
Hermione Granger heaved a sigh as she packed her things. Graduation now over, she was determined to look to the future. There was no going back for her, no pondering over the 'what ifs' of her childhood. She now stood in her bedroom in her parents' home in Muggle England, facing an unsure future in a strange place. Lifting the remainder of her clothes from her drawers, folding them meticulously, and placing them into the large suitcase, she heard a soft knock at the door. Turning, she saw the door creak open and a messy, raven-haired boy peek his head inside.
She looked at him silently, waiting for him to speak, watching him push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Hermione," He looked sadly at her through his soulful green eyes, "you don't have to go." He stepped all the way into the room and closed her in a tight embrace. "I don't want you to go. Please, don't leave me."
Hermione's eyes watered as she felt his arms tighten around her. Closing her soft brown eyes, she laid her head against Harry's strong shoulder. She allowed him to simply hold her close as he ran a hand over her smooth, long, brown hair that she had finally come to tame. "Harry, you know that I will never truly leave you. It isn't like we'll never see each other again. But, nonetheless, I have to go." She pulled slightly away from the boy's embrace to look up into his eyes. "I have to do this for me, Harry. Tell me that you understand."
Harry looked down into the saddened eyes of one of the few people he had ever come to love and admire and his heart broke. "I understand." He said it so quietly it could have been mistaken for the hiss of the air blowing from the vents, but Hermione had heard exactly what she needed to hear. She tilted her head, and studied the boy's face.
Harry was so strong, so resilient. She wished she could be like him, able to shoulder all the pain that this boy had endured. Alas, she could barely handle her own pain. Buckling under her heavy heart, she had made her decision. She was leaving, leaving behind the frustration, the heartbreak, the agony of rejection. Even though her mind was made up, it put her at ease that he had finally come to accept her decision on how to handle things. For all that his opinion meant to her, she placed all her emotions and deeply rooted gratitude in a single, breathy "Thanks."
Harry released his hold on her, turning dejectedly to leave the room, to leave Hermione behind. He had walked all of two steps before he turned back, pulling Hermione deftly into his arms. He crushed her in his embrace, afraid to let go, afraid that if he did that she would disappear forever. Every emotion running through his body, he squashed into that one hug, willing her to understand his need for her to remain by his side. She tucked her slight figure into his stronger one, relishing the final moments that they had together.
After a long while spent simply holding onto each other for dear life, Harry pulled away, holding Hermione's hands in his. He stroked his thumb over the back of her knuckles, lifting them to his mouth. He looked into her pretty eyes as he kissed the back of each of her hands and placed them back at her sides. "Goodbye, Hermione." He said quietly turning and walking out the door. Hermione sat down on her bed, hot tears rolling down her face as the door closed behind him.
"Goodbye, Harry."
*~*
It took all that was in Mr. and Mrs. Granger to drive their daughter to the airport. The car ride was agonizingly silent as they gravely drove on toward the very means of their only child's escape from their protection. Hermione sat in the backseat, head in her hands as she sobbed for the loss of her home. Every once in a while, Mr. Granger would reach behind him to stroke his daughter's head lovingly, unable to let go. Mrs. Granger sat stiffly in the passenger's seat, occasionally dabbing at her eyes. Her little baby was leaving her and she didn't think she could bear the pain of it all.
What seemed like an eternity later, the family stood at the gate of the airport from which Hermione's flight would be departing. The Grangers stood huddled together in a desperate embrace. Hermione was now sniffling, her eyes puffy from crying so much. "Mum, Dad," She pulled back, looking up at their faces, "I have to go now." Those seven little words caused her mother to break down completely.
"Don't go, baby. You can't do this. You cannot leave your family like this. I won't let you. I can't let you." Mrs. Granger pulled her daughter close to her, kissing her forehead, her eyebrows, her cheeks. "Please don't leave us. Your father and I would be lost without you."
Hermione braced herself, unwilling to start crying again. "Mum, you know I love you and Dad. You know that this isn't the end. You can always come visit me, and I can visit you. You will be fine without me. You lasted through my time at Hogwarts. This is really no different, Mum. I'm going away, yes, but there are still holidays. You will always have me. Nothing can change that." She wiped the tears from her mother's eyes and kissed her cheek. Turning to her father, she wrapped her arms around his solid form. He had always been her rock, her anchor, her safe haven. But it was now time for her to let go. She kissed his cheek and turned to board the plane.
"You don't have to go, sweetheart." He said softly, watching her stop abruptly in her tracks at his words. He had been entirely supportive of her, never voicing opposition to her decision to leave. His simple words almost broke her resolve. She could stay, couldn't she? Wouldn't daddy take care of her as he always had? Couldn't he make the pain stop with his embrace and soothing words like he had when she was small? Hermione shook her head unwavering. She was strong, for her own sake she had to be.
"Yes, Daddy, I do." She didn't look back as she boarded the plane. She didn't see the forlorn look on her father's face. She didn't see the tears roll down his face. She didn't look back. She couldn't. For, if she had in a moment of weakness looked back, she would have never left.
*~*
A red head shot up, blue eyes wide, as Harry came barreling through the door. "Weasley, you fuck, show your face!" Harry was fuming as he never had before. Ron had never seen him like this, not any of the times Malfoy had tortured him as a child, not when he watched Voldemort kill many of his schoolmates and teachers, not when he had looked coldly into the monster's eyes and killed him. It was official. Harry had never looked quite so frightening.
Ron quickly considered if he could escape somehow, but realized he was trapped. He was living on the twelfth floor of his apartment building in London, near the Ministry of Magic. Due to his immediate induction as an auror after graduation, he had moved from the Burrow into this wonderful loft apartment. He never thought that he would be trapped in his own home by his deranged best friend. He now wished he were at the Burrow where he would at least be able to run out the back door.
Resigned to his fate, Ron stood shakily from where he was lying on the couch staring into the blazing fire in his fireplace, and turned wearily to where Harry stood in the doorway. He almost ran as Harry dove at him, but knew it would be over soon enough if he didn't fight it.
Harry pinned his best friend to the floor, sitting on his stomach, sending harsh blows to his chest, arms, and face. Harry didn't know his own strength as he had grown quite muscular in build over his years at Hogwarts. Harry knew he had broken Ron's nose, but, he continued to rain blows on him. With every time Harry's fists made contact with Ron's body, he conveyed his anger and frustration. This is how he communicated to his best friend that he was upset with him. Ron wasn't fighting him back, simply taking the punishment that Harry dealt him.
A long period of time, a few broken bones, a busted lip, and many bruises later, Harry relented. He rolled off of his friend, panting on the floor. Of all the things Ron now expected, one of them was not turning to see him sobbing into the floorboards. He had seen Harry cry only once before, during the summer after Sirius' death, when he had looked over the will saying that he had inherited Black's entire fortune and all his property. The sight of such open and utterly heart-wrenching pain was worse than his beating.
Ron reached over to where his wand had rolled and quickly performed a healing charm on himself, mending what he could manage until he could get to St. Mungo's for the rest of his injuries. When he could move without bringing himself more damage, he reached over and patted his friend's heaving shoulders. "Come now, Mate. Tell me what the hell happened for you to have to beat me worse than Fred and George have ever managed." He smiled as he watched Harry look at him and chuckle in a half-hearted, bittersweet kind of way.
Harry sat up slowly, rubbing his now puffy red eyes. He looked at Ron's battle scars and blanched. Had he done that? He shook his head, wondering vaguely what he had looked like before healing himself. Harry hadn't seen or even thought about how much pain Ron was in. He was too blinded by rage, sadness, and a feeling of helplessness. "Sorry, Ron, I didn't think I'd hurt you that badly. But believe it when I tell you, you deserve all the pain you are in. Oh Merlin, do you ever deserve it." Harry shook his head cradling himself in his arms. "You bastard, you don't even know what you've done."
Ron looked at Harry in utter confusion, puzzled as to what his friend was rambling on about. "Well then, tell me what I've done. I can't very well set it straight if I don't know what it is." He waited patiently as Harry composed himself. He had prepared himself for what he thought was the worst, but was totally unprepared for what came next out of Harry's mouth.
"Hermione's gone, Ron. She's left us and it's your fucking fault." Harry looked coldly into his friend's eyes, his own green eyes turning a positively acidic color. "You made her leave. Who else do I have to lose? You took away one of the last living people that I love more than anything. I thought that would end with Voldemort's life, but I guess he isn't the only piece of shit that can take away my family." Harry spat at Ron, standing shakily, turning to leave. "I hope you're happy. I'm going home to Draco to give you time to think about how you've ruined our lives." Harry stalked from the apartment leaving Ron to deal with the news alone.
Hermione? Gone? Ron didn't think he could handle it. He sat heavily on the couch forgetting all about going to St. Mungo's, his wounds now seeming insignificant. He laid his head in his hands and curled up into a ball. No sounds came from him, though tears rolled down his cheeks splashing onto his wood floors. Hours later, it was rumored by his neighbors that there was a howl of anguish heard, followed by a single "OH BLOODY HELL!"
*~*
Hello, everybody. How do you like it so far? I think this is gonna turn out really well. Did I have you fooled? It seemed like she had a relationship with Harry didn't it? My beta reader almost beat the crap out of me for that. She is an avid Ron/Hermione lover. Much thanks to her, N.C. PsyChick. Go check out her stories, the Ed, Edd, and Eddy one is cute. I had to throw the beat down in there for Ron. He deserved it, oh, and I needed to lessen the sadness of it all. I couldn't leave you all teary eyed. Review you all, the more reviews I get, the faster I update.
Summary: A fleeting yet passionate love affair leaves Hermione heartbroken and in search of love. Fleeing her childhood memories, she finds herself in the arms of an American wizard in Salem, MA. What happens when he discovers her distant yet oh so painful past?
Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, neither do I claim to be. I am not making any kind of profit off of this whatsoever. I have no money at all seeing as I am a broke college student. Therefore, it would be absolutely pointless to sue me.
Prologue
Hermione Granger heaved a sigh as she packed her things. Graduation now over, she was determined to look to the future. There was no going back for her, no pondering over the 'what ifs' of her childhood. She now stood in her bedroom in her parents' home in Muggle England, facing an unsure future in a strange place. Lifting the remainder of her clothes from her drawers, folding them meticulously, and placing them into the large suitcase, she heard a soft knock at the door. Turning, she saw the door creak open and a messy, raven-haired boy peek his head inside.
She looked at him silently, waiting for him to speak, watching him push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Hermione," He looked sadly at her through his soulful green eyes, "you don't have to go." He stepped all the way into the room and closed her in a tight embrace. "I don't want you to go. Please, don't leave me."
Hermione's eyes watered as she felt his arms tighten around her. Closing her soft brown eyes, she laid her head against Harry's strong shoulder. She allowed him to simply hold her close as he ran a hand over her smooth, long, brown hair that she had finally come to tame. "Harry, you know that I will never truly leave you. It isn't like we'll never see each other again. But, nonetheless, I have to go." She pulled slightly away from the boy's embrace to look up into his eyes. "I have to do this for me, Harry. Tell me that you understand."
Harry looked down into the saddened eyes of one of the few people he had ever come to love and admire and his heart broke. "I understand." He said it so quietly it could have been mistaken for the hiss of the air blowing from the vents, but Hermione had heard exactly what she needed to hear. She tilted her head, and studied the boy's face.
Harry was so strong, so resilient. She wished she could be like him, able to shoulder all the pain that this boy had endured. Alas, she could barely handle her own pain. Buckling under her heavy heart, she had made her decision. She was leaving, leaving behind the frustration, the heartbreak, the agony of rejection. Even though her mind was made up, it put her at ease that he had finally come to accept her decision on how to handle things. For all that his opinion meant to her, she placed all her emotions and deeply rooted gratitude in a single, breathy "Thanks."
Harry released his hold on her, turning dejectedly to leave the room, to leave Hermione behind. He had walked all of two steps before he turned back, pulling Hermione deftly into his arms. He crushed her in his embrace, afraid to let go, afraid that if he did that she would disappear forever. Every emotion running through his body, he squashed into that one hug, willing her to understand his need for her to remain by his side. She tucked her slight figure into his stronger one, relishing the final moments that they had together.
After a long while spent simply holding onto each other for dear life, Harry pulled away, holding Hermione's hands in his. He stroked his thumb over the back of her knuckles, lifting them to his mouth. He looked into her pretty eyes as he kissed the back of each of her hands and placed them back at her sides. "Goodbye, Hermione." He said quietly turning and walking out the door. Hermione sat down on her bed, hot tears rolling down her face as the door closed behind him.
"Goodbye, Harry."
*~*
It took all that was in Mr. and Mrs. Granger to drive their daughter to the airport. The car ride was agonizingly silent as they gravely drove on toward the very means of their only child's escape from their protection. Hermione sat in the backseat, head in her hands as she sobbed for the loss of her home. Every once in a while, Mr. Granger would reach behind him to stroke his daughter's head lovingly, unable to let go. Mrs. Granger sat stiffly in the passenger's seat, occasionally dabbing at her eyes. Her little baby was leaving her and she didn't think she could bear the pain of it all.
What seemed like an eternity later, the family stood at the gate of the airport from which Hermione's flight would be departing. The Grangers stood huddled together in a desperate embrace. Hermione was now sniffling, her eyes puffy from crying so much. "Mum, Dad," She pulled back, looking up at their faces, "I have to go now." Those seven little words caused her mother to break down completely.
"Don't go, baby. You can't do this. You cannot leave your family like this. I won't let you. I can't let you." Mrs. Granger pulled her daughter close to her, kissing her forehead, her eyebrows, her cheeks. "Please don't leave us. Your father and I would be lost without you."
Hermione braced herself, unwilling to start crying again. "Mum, you know I love you and Dad. You know that this isn't the end. You can always come visit me, and I can visit you. You will be fine without me. You lasted through my time at Hogwarts. This is really no different, Mum. I'm going away, yes, but there are still holidays. You will always have me. Nothing can change that." She wiped the tears from her mother's eyes and kissed her cheek. Turning to her father, she wrapped her arms around his solid form. He had always been her rock, her anchor, her safe haven. But it was now time for her to let go. She kissed his cheek and turned to board the plane.
"You don't have to go, sweetheart." He said softly, watching her stop abruptly in her tracks at his words. He had been entirely supportive of her, never voicing opposition to her decision to leave. His simple words almost broke her resolve. She could stay, couldn't she? Wouldn't daddy take care of her as he always had? Couldn't he make the pain stop with his embrace and soothing words like he had when she was small? Hermione shook her head unwavering. She was strong, for her own sake she had to be.
"Yes, Daddy, I do." She didn't look back as she boarded the plane. She didn't see the forlorn look on her father's face. She didn't see the tears roll down his face. She didn't look back. She couldn't. For, if she had in a moment of weakness looked back, she would have never left.
*~*
A red head shot up, blue eyes wide, as Harry came barreling through the door. "Weasley, you fuck, show your face!" Harry was fuming as he never had before. Ron had never seen him like this, not any of the times Malfoy had tortured him as a child, not when he watched Voldemort kill many of his schoolmates and teachers, not when he had looked coldly into the monster's eyes and killed him. It was official. Harry had never looked quite so frightening.
Ron quickly considered if he could escape somehow, but realized he was trapped. He was living on the twelfth floor of his apartment building in London, near the Ministry of Magic. Due to his immediate induction as an auror after graduation, he had moved from the Burrow into this wonderful loft apartment. He never thought that he would be trapped in his own home by his deranged best friend. He now wished he were at the Burrow where he would at least be able to run out the back door.
Resigned to his fate, Ron stood shakily from where he was lying on the couch staring into the blazing fire in his fireplace, and turned wearily to where Harry stood in the doorway. He almost ran as Harry dove at him, but knew it would be over soon enough if he didn't fight it.
Harry pinned his best friend to the floor, sitting on his stomach, sending harsh blows to his chest, arms, and face. Harry didn't know his own strength as he had grown quite muscular in build over his years at Hogwarts. Harry knew he had broken Ron's nose, but, he continued to rain blows on him. With every time Harry's fists made contact with Ron's body, he conveyed his anger and frustration. This is how he communicated to his best friend that he was upset with him. Ron wasn't fighting him back, simply taking the punishment that Harry dealt him.
A long period of time, a few broken bones, a busted lip, and many bruises later, Harry relented. He rolled off of his friend, panting on the floor. Of all the things Ron now expected, one of them was not turning to see him sobbing into the floorboards. He had seen Harry cry only once before, during the summer after Sirius' death, when he had looked over the will saying that he had inherited Black's entire fortune and all his property. The sight of such open and utterly heart-wrenching pain was worse than his beating.
Ron reached over to where his wand had rolled and quickly performed a healing charm on himself, mending what he could manage until he could get to St. Mungo's for the rest of his injuries. When he could move without bringing himself more damage, he reached over and patted his friend's heaving shoulders. "Come now, Mate. Tell me what the hell happened for you to have to beat me worse than Fred and George have ever managed." He smiled as he watched Harry look at him and chuckle in a half-hearted, bittersweet kind of way.
Harry sat up slowly, rubbing his now puffy red eyes. He looked at Ron's battle scars and blanched. Had he done that? He shook his head, wondering vaguely what he had looked like before healing himself. Harry hadn't seen or even thought about how much pain Ron was in. He was too blinded by rage, sadness, and a feeling of helplessness. "Sorry, Ron, I didn't think I'd hurt you that badly. But believe it when I tell you, you deserve all the pain you are in. Oh Merlin, do you ever deserve it." Harry shook his head cradling himself in his arms. "You bastard, you don't even know what you've done."
Ron looked at Harry in utter confusion, puzzled as to what his friend was rambling on about. "Well then, tell me what I've done. I can't very well set it straight if I don't know what it is." He waited patiently as Harry composed himself. He had prepared himself for what he thought was the worst, but was totally unprepared for what came next out of Harry's mouth.
"Hermione's gone, Ron. She's left us and it's your fucking fault." Harry looked coldly into his friend's eyes, his own green eyes turning a positively acidic color. "You made her leave. Who else do I have to lose? You took away one of the last living people that I love more than anything. I thought that would end with Voldemort's life, but I guess he isn't the only piece of shit that can take away my family." Harry spat at Ron, standing shakily, turning to leave. "I hope you're happy. I'm going home to Draco to give you time to think about how you've ruined our lives." Harry stalked from the apartment leaving Ron to deal with the news alone.
Hermione? Gone? Ron didn't think he could handle it. He sat heavily on the couch forgetting all about going to St. Mungo's, his wounds now seeming insignificant. He laid his head in his hands and curled up into a ball. No sounds came from him, though tears rolled down his cheeks splashing onto his wood floors. Hours later, it was rumored by his neighbors that there was a howl of anguish heard, followed by a single "OH BLOODY HELL!"
*~*
Hello, everybody. How do you like it so far? I think this is gonna turn out really well. Did I have you fooled? It seemed like she had a relationship with Harry didn't it? My beta reader almost beat the crap out of me for that. She is an avid Ron/Hermione lover. Much thanks to her, N.C. PsyChick. Go check out her stories, the Ed, Edd, and Eddy one is cute. I had to throw the beat down in there for Ron. He deserved it, oh, and I needed to lessen the sadness of it all. I couldn't leave you all teary eyed. Review you all, the more reviews I get, the faster I update.