Author's note: Until now…I've only got two reviewers! TWO! Please, o puh-leeez review! I beg you!
By the way, my mate Keziah…changed her penname to NgotskItheGreaT…she'd also appreciate it if people review her stories too.
KC! Tell me if you liked the story!
Chapter Two
A Great Loss
Hermione got out of bed with a bright smile on her face. After making her bed, she hurriedly took a hot bath and went down to have breakfast with her family.
"Pancakes again, mum? My favorite!"
"Now eat a lot, you know you're going to be needing it, dear." Mr. Granger said as he took a seat beside his daughter, straightening his necktie.
"Three pancakes, is that enough?" Ms. Granger asked. Placing three round, fluffy and delicious pancakes on Hermione's plate.
"I'd go for five more pancakes even! As long as Mum cooks it!" She joked. The Grangers all started laughing. Mr. Granger took a sip of his coffee, and because he was too pre-occupied reading the Muggle newspaper, it spilled on his polo shirt.
"Looks like your Dad's thinking of starting a new fashion statement." Hermione's Mum smiled.
"Dad, it really does look good on you!" Hermione added, being sarcastic and going through a fit of giggles.
"Could you do me a favor, using a spell to wipe this stain away, dear?"
"Even if I wanted to, I can't Dad. We aren't allowed to use magic outside school. Remember?" Hermione said. "Looks like you're just going to find something else to wear for work."
"Our young daughter would ever risk breaking any school rule, right?"
"Yeah," Hermione said, looking down at the last piece of pancake on her plate and laughing nervously. "I'd never do that…"
After eating, she brushed her teeth, dressed up and brought her trunk down with the help of her Dad. She dashed back upstairs, to comb her hair. (The only thing she often forgets to do.) In a little while, she was going to be sent the train station.
It was only ten o'clock when she reached King's Cross. Hermione always wanted to be early. She got her trolley and her parents accompanied her to the barrier.
"There's Platform nine and three-quarters, " She told her them. "I guess I have to go now. Mum, Dad…goodbye." So she kissed and embraced them lovingly, before entering the barrier. Turning her back, she pushed her trolley forward and started running…but she suddenly stopped. She looked behind her. Her parents had already left.
"Oh! How could I be so stupid! I left Crookshanks in the car!" hitting her forehead with the back of her hand, she politely asked a kind lady to guard her things, while she walked back to the parking lot, to pick up her sleeping pet. She had plenty of time anyway. The train leaves at eleven.
Reaching their family van, Hermione opened the door to let Crookshanks out. He had grown quite grumpy, feeling forgotten.
"I'm sorry, Crooks. I thought you followed me on the way. It's a good thing Mum and Dad are still here. Where are they?" The cat's paw pointed near the other side of the car. Hermione saw her parents there. Her Mum was talking to someone on a cell phone. She was crying.
Though Hermione wasn't the type of person who listens to private phone calls, she couldn't help wondering what the problem was, she was just curious. She couldn't help overhearing…She stayed behind a thick tree so that they wouldn't see her.
"When did it happen?" Ms. Granger's face has still full of tears. "What time? This wouldn't have happened if she lived with us!"
Who was her Mum talking about? Why was she crying? Hermione asked herself. She heard her Mum mutter more words in a muffled voice and hiccupped every time she did so. Her dad, on the other hand, was leaning on the car, hands covering his face.
"When is the burial, then?" Her mum paused for a while. "Okay, we'll be there right away…" And the call ended, she put the phone in her handbag.
"Honey," Her mum was talking to her dad now. She tried to sound calmer, but it wasn't convincing. "We have to drop by the corner to buy some flowers before attending mother's burial-
Burial? BURIAL? Why did her mum use the words, burial and mother in the same sentence? MOTHER? Mum's mother? Gran Ellie? Could this mean that Gran's…Gran's-
"Gran's dead?"
"No…she's not. She can't…could she?" Hermione felt as though her soul was crushed. Her knees weakened but she took hold of the tree to keep her from falling. Why did her Gran have to leave her now? Her gran was eighty-nine years old, how come she couldn't even last for just one more year?
She tried to stop herself from crying, but she couldn't. She was badly hurt. One of the most important people in her life had already passed away. She couldn't explain how hard it was for her hearing the terrible, horrible news. Now she wished she didn't bother hearing anything at all.
The train leaves in fifteen minutes. Hermione's feet were still rooted on he spot where she continued crying silently. She couldn't show her parents how much pain this loss caused, it will only make things worse for her mother. She knew that her Mum was even more sensitive than she was. She wanted to attend the burial too, but was she brave enough to see one of the most important people in her life, in a coffin? Slowly, she wiped away her tears. Her eyes were all red and puffy but she didn't care. Her hair looked even bushier than the usual, but she didn't bother combing it at all. She didn't care. She didn't care about anything anymore…
She walked back to the station, looking disheveled. The lady was still there waiting for her. She waved her arms out to catch Hermione's attention. Hermione did see her, but continued walking.
"Girl! You forgot your trolley!" The woman called out. Hermione took no notice at all and was nearly walking into the barrier already. The lady stopped her.
"Do you have a problem, sweetie?" The lady standing next to her asked, putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Are you okay?" She asked again, though Hermione didn't answer. Hermione acted as if she was a zombie who had just waken up from the dead. The look on her face was blank. The same look a person would get after getting kissed by a Dementor.
"Do you want me to push this trolley for you instead?"
Hermione still didn't answer. The lady had her left hand placed on Hermione's shoulder. Her right hand, was on the trolley's handle. Gently pushing Hermione and the trolley, they were both able to pass through the barrier. Parking the trolley on a corner, the lady also helped Hermione get a seat on a bench.
"Sweetie, don't worry. Everything's going to be alright." The lady told her, giving her a pat on the head.
"I'm going to have to leave you here. You'll be okay, I know you will…"
The lady then left, passing through the barrier again. Hermione got back to her senses when she heard the train's horn and two familiar looking faces approach her.
"Hey, Hermione!" Harry and Ron greeted.
"He-hello. H-Harry, R-Ron." Hermione answered back in a very soft and shivery voice.
Noticing that Hermione had dried tears on her face, Ron immediately sat down beside her and asked-
"Hermione, have you been crying?"
"Crying? Me? No, no, no. Don't mind me." Hermione said, as the train's horn sounded again.
"We'd better get a move on before the train leaves us!" Harry informed them. He and Ron decided to carry Hermione's things for her. They got up on the train and took their seats on an empty compartment. Ron sat beside Hermione, while Harry was on the other seat. The train began to move.
"Hermione, can you please tell us what is wrong with you?" Ron asked for the second time now.
"Honestly, Ron. There's nothing wrong with me."
"Nothing wrong? You've been staring at thin air for twenty minutes, and now you tell me that nothing's wrong!"
"You know, you can tell us anything you want to. We're you're best friends, that's what best friends do, rely on each other." Harry added, giving her a reassuring smile.
"Well…it's about my Gran Ellie," she paused as she said the name. "...my mum's mum, she and I were so close. She knew all about me, I told her all my secrets, all my problems. She even knew about you guys. She was like a best friend to me, too. She was such a good person, now she's---"
Hermione didn't continue. She bowed her head and started crying again. This time, she had someone's shoulder to lean on to.
"Hermione…" Ron embraced her. "Hermione, don't cry…we're so sorry you're going through this tough time, but you'll make it and you'll be stronger from this experience."
"I've been through this lots of times already. I know how you feel. In these difficult times, your real friends step up. We're here for you." Harry added.
"You must be feeling many things...we just want you to know you're not alone…" Ron said, softly.
The old woman pushing a cart full of sweets passed by their compartment. Harry excused himself out for a while, thinking that his crying friend could use something that could make her feel happier.
"Listen, I know words aren't much comfort at a time like this, but you can always talk to me." Ron told her.
"I miss your smile, er-we miss your smile and if there's anything I can do to help bring it back, please let us know, I have a friendly smile and understanding ear and a big hug, if you want them."
These words made Hermione smile a little. She didn't know that Ron was this sweet. Harry came back in a few minutes, carrying boxes of chocolate frogs, every-flavor beans and pumpkin pasties. He then handed them to Hermione.
"Here, no one can resist sweets like these!"
Hermione beamed at both her best friends. Even though her heart was aching because of this great loss, she knew she had Harry and Ron to be there for here. Her Gran was right, she was lucky she found friends like them.
A/N: Thank you so much to my one and only reviewer,(besides my friend, Keziah) xxxCheezeItxxx for being supportive all the way! This chapter, is dedicated to you too!Thank you so much to my one and only reviewer,(besides my friend, Keziah) for being supportive all the way! This chapter, is dedicated to you too!