As She Bled
Hermione Granger plopped down in a notch at the edge of the lake. It was mid-summer, and it smelled like damp earth, and flowers. The sound of birds rang across the Hogwarts grounds. This notch is where she went for a little bit of peace and quite. She pulled out a cigarette, and lit it up, then she pulled out a knife, it was one of the nice ones, it had a charm on it to prevent it from ever going dull, and it was so sharp all you had to do was touch something with it, for example skin, and it would just cut right through it. Hermione looked down at her skin, so plain, so clear, the exact opposite of her life. Ron had left to join the fight against Voldemort, and she had no idea if she would ever see him again. With one slash, she cut a deep gash in her arm and smiled, the pain felt good. Tears ran down her face as she thought of Ron, it hurt so bad that he'd left, he hadn't even finished school. Without him she couldn't sleep, she couldn't eat, she couldn't breathe, she had no will left to live. The only things that kept her going were his letters. She stayed as busy as she could, trying not to think about him, it only made the pain worse, she missed him so much. He was all she ever thought about. Without Ron life was meaningless. He was the only person she had left that she could trust completely, no matter what. The blood flowed freely down her arm. She looked at her arm and pulled out her wand, she cast a spell that healed the wound, then she made another deep gash in her arm. The blood flowed so freely unlike anything else in her life, her blood was free.
The next morning Hermione woke up in her prefects' room, she got up and dressed. She took her blood replenishing potion; she had to take this every time after she cut herself. She put on a long sleeved sweater; despite the weather she had to wear something that would hide the long thin scars that ran down her arms. She walked down to breakfast more out of habit that anything else, it wasn't like she could even eat, not without Ron. The owl post arrived and she waited for her daily letter from Ron, but it never came. Perhaps it would come later today than usually; maybe he hadn't had time to write this morning so he had to wait until afternoon. As these thoughts flew threw her mind she realized that none of these things could possibly be true. Hermione knew something was wrong; she skipped all her classes that day and instead went to the library in search of a book that would make it possible for her to find Ron. When she found the book she went straight to moaning Myrtle's bathroom, the one place she could guarantee that no one would interrupt. She went threw the series of complicated spells and rituals, and, in the end it worked. She found what she was looking for Ronald Weasley. He was fighting Voldemort; about that time the spell collapsed no matter how hard she tried she couldn't get it to work again.
Later that night she went back out to the notch by the stream. Wondering with every step, would she ever see Ron alive again? She new she couldn't bare the thought of life without him, but would he ever come back to her. Tears fell in silence down her cheeks to land in pools on her arm. She pulled out another cigarette and began to cut herself; she cut deeper and deeper shredding her skin trying to find a way for the pain, and worry to flow out. After a few moments she realized what she'd done, quickly she rapped up her arm, then ran as fast as she could into the castle and up to her room.
When she made it to her room she took her blood replenishing potion. She was scared; she'd never cut this deep before, she hadn't even realized she was doing it until she looked down and saw the blood. There was a knock on the door, Hermione quickly pulled a sweater over her head, no one could find out what she'd just done. Come in, called Hermione, as she sat down on her bed. Harry walked into her room; you got a letter from Ron yet? Then he plopped down on the foot of her bed. Hermione gave him a dirty look and said, no, why ask me?
Harry looked a little hurt then answered, I didn't get one, and since you're his girlfriend I thought you might have. Harry looking rather offended got up and walked toward Hermione's door. Wait, Hermione called after him. I'm sorry, I'm just worried about him, and I didn't get a letter ether. It's ok replied Harry turning around. Hermione started to cry, the tears made a path down her face to fall onto her bed, she hung her head hoping Harry wouldn't notice she was crying, after all it's not like he's the most observant person Hermione had ever met, she reasoned with herself. Unfortunately this was one time Harry did noticed something. Hermione are you crying, Harry asked worriedly. He walked back over and sat on the foot of the bed. Hermione looked up at Harry and shrugged, I guess she answered. Harry reached out a hand and laid it on her arm, Hermione are you going to be ok? I don't know, said Hermione sniffing. Harry got off the bed and knelt on the floor next where Hermione was sitting on the bed. Hermione looked down into his worried emerald green eyes, and whispered I'm afraid. Harry looked into her eyes and reached up and hugged her. Hermione relaxed, her head rested on his shoulder and she began to cry harder. Hermione leaned forward a little too much and fell off the bed. Harry laughed as Hermione squeaked and fell to the floor. Hermione gave him an injured look and smacked him lightly on the arm, and glared at him. What did I do asked Harry innocently? You insensitive creep, you laughed at me, replied Hermione, squeaking slightly. That only made Harry laugh even harder, threw his helpless laughter he managed to squeak, lunch. What about lunch asked Hermione scathingly? That's why I came to get you, it's time for lunch, said Harry gaining control over himself, though he still burst into occasional fits of laughter. Fine lets go, but you better stop laughing or else, threatened Hermione. At that Harry let out a very loud snort of laughter. Hermione reached over and smacked him hard on the back of the head.
Harry and Hermione walked into the great hall, the ceiling was an image of a clear mid-July sky. The only reason they were still at Hogwarts was because of Voldemort. He had killed a number of muggle-born wizards already this year, so the students were being kept at school to protect them. Many of the tables were already full of students, but there were a few gaps at the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables. A few students that went home for Christmas had been killed, though suspiciously none were from Slytherin. Harry and Hermione found an empty spot at the Gryffindor table and sat. Professor McGonagall stood and walked to the podium; Hermione stood and ran out of the dining hall. A collective gasp spread threw the hall; no one had ever run out during the headmistress's speech. Hermione ran down to the front steps, it was over, it was all over. She had a feeling that something had happened to Ron, she didn't know what but something. A ministry wizard apperated outside the Hogwarts grounds, Hermione Granger? Yes that's me, can I help you? We have news that a Ronald Weasley has died in the line of duty. Oh my God, please, please……… I'm sorry miss, then he turned and walked out side the grounds and apperated out. Hermione stood there in shock, gone…..he's gone. She couldn't bear the thought of life without him. Hermione ran back into the castle. When Hermione reached the Gryffindor common room she ran straight up the steps into her room. She ran over to her trunk and started rummaging around, where was it damn it! Finally she found her knife it was on the bottom of her trunk. She walked over to the window and slit her wrist, on the wall in her blood she wrote this is for him, for the man I love. Then she walked over too the window and opened it, too feel fresh air one last time.
Later that evening Harry was headed up the steps to Hermione's room. He wanted to make sure she was okay after she had run out of diner that evening. He opened the bedroom door and stood there in absolute shock. He looked down upon Hermione's body he glanced up at the wall and saw the writing, this is for him, for the man I love. Oh my God breathed Harry, this can't be happening. He turned and ran down the steps trying to find someone anyone who could do something.
The funeral service was held a few days later. Hermione was laid too rest in a white marble casket. At the end of the ceremony people laid blood red roses on her grave, Harry stood there looking down on the freshly dug earth that had just been put over her casket. He had lost Ron and now Hermione. There was nothing left he stood there until everyone had left, then he pulled out a dagger. None of this is worth it, not anymore, not without both of you, he whispered. Then he took the knife and cut his throat. His body hit the ground with a soft thud. It was days before anyone found his body. There was another funeral and he was laid to rest next to Hermione's grave. On Hermione's gravestone where the words she had written on the wall so shortly before her death and on Harry's gravestone was written, He died for love of his friends.