Chapter Four:

A Bag Full of Bad News

Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling – so therefore I do not own any of these characters unless you don't recognize them!

A/N: My lovely story seemed to kinda lose itself…I got distracted with school (finals are so time consuming) book projects, final grades (which my dad wasn't very please with (whoops!) But now summer is here and since I don't seem to have a life when I'm at home, I'm back to work at my typing. So expect updates at least once a week - maybe more! Don't forget to review!

- 6 Months Later -

The wedding was all planned. It would be on the last day of May; just a small ceremony that consisted of friends, family and a few old professors. Hermione would wear a simple Muggle wedding gown; sleeveless and trimmed with lace and pearls and a five feet long train. Ginny would be the maid-of-honor and Harry would be the best man. Percy had been invited, but to no one's surprise, he had declined. Ron had bought Hermione a small cottage in the countryside, ten miles away from the Burrow. They planned to move in by mid-July. Until then, all they could do was wait patiently for May 31st to come.

- May 24th -

"Ron," Hermione announced to him, walking into the silent kitchen around lunchtime.

"What is it?" Ron looked worried. Hermione was extremely flushed and was swaying back and forth.

"I think I have the flu!" She looked upset.

"How the heck did you get the flu?" Ron looked frustrated. He had been uptight about the wedding for weeks and now Hermione was sick with some insane Muggle bug.

"I don't know," Hermione said in a small voice. "I'm going to the doctor this afternoon. Just to make sure it isn't something else." She left the room without waiting for a reply from Ron.

Ron paced back and forth in the kitchen, waiting for Hermione to get home from the doctor. It was way past dinner-time and she had already been gone a good five hours, and it was pitch black outside. He looked up anxiously at the sound of the door opening. Hermione entered looking extremely pale, tears running down her cheeks.

"What is it?" Ron hurried over to her and helped her to a chair.

"Death Eaters. In the village. Dark Marks over three houses." She put her head against Ron's chest and cried.

"Mum!" Ron pounded up the steps in panic.

"What is it Ron?" Mrs. Weasley looked cross.

"Death Eaters in the village! 'Mione saw them!" He said quickly.

"Goodness!" Mrs. Weasley gasped. "They're bound to be up here soon!"

"Are we going to leave?" Ron asked.

"To Harry's," Mrs. Weasley started pulling out trunks and throwing clothes into them. "Go get your things packed - Hermione's too. Don it as quickly as you can!" She hurried him out of the room.

Three minutes later Ron, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley were in the kitchen. Mr. Weasley was locking all the door sand windows. In the distance they could hear people screaming.

"Okay let's get out of here." Mr. Weasley said as he entered the kitchen, looking worried.

They all nodded and Disapparated, their trunks going with them.

Ron, Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley Apparated into the brightly lit kitchen of Harry and Ginny's house in Godric's Hollow.

"Mum? Dad?" Ginny asked in confusion as she entered the kitchen as soon as she heard the crack of them Apparating. "Ron? Hermione? What are you doing here?" She noted that they all had extremely large trunks with them and her heart filled with dread.

"Death Eaters were attacking the village. We had to leave." Mrs. Weasley sank down into a chair, pale and frazzled looking.

"That's horrible!" Ginny started to prepare tea for everyone.

"Where's Harry?" Ron asked.

"In his study. Researching," Ginny sighed. "He only comes out at mealtimes it seems like. And to ask me to run to the library in Diagon Alley for more books." She set a steaming mug of tea in front of Mrs. Weasley and Hermione. "Would you like me to go drag him out of there?"

"No let him work. He'll come out when he wants to." Mrs. Weasley gazed around the kitchen.

"Yes Mum," Ginny looked at the worried and tired faces of her family and friend and began to prepare some food.

"Where d'you want me to put the trunks Ginny?" Ron asked, hoping to make himself useful.

"Just put them by the stairs for now. I'll make up the bed in a little bit."

"You only have one bed?" Mrs. Weasley asked in surprise.

"Well two," Ginny pulled out plates from a cupboard and set them on the table. "The one Harry bought and the one from my room. We'll have to sleep on the couch."

"Thank you dear for having us." Mrs. Weasley gave her only daughter a warm hug. "Why don't you go do what you need to do before tonight. I'll get dinner for everyone."

"Thanks Mum. I'm glad you go here safe." Ginny left the room.

"Harry?" Ginny asked, knocking softly on the study door. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah," he replied loudly, shuffling papers around.

"I haven't seen you in two days." Ginny noted.

"I know, but I've been so busy. I think I have an idea of where another Horocrux is." He rubbed his eyes.

"Are you done for tonight at least?" Ginny looked hopeful.

"D'you want me to be?" Harry smiled at her as he stored his files away into a desk drawer.

"Of course. You know I hate to see you locked up in this room," Ginny bit her lip. "Plus, we have visitors."

"We do?" Harry groaned.

"Ron, Hermione and my mum and dad." Ginny confirmed. "It's a long story and Hermione looks about read to pass out so I'm going to get a bed ready for her." She kissed Harry on the cheek quickly and hurried upstairs.

Hermione climbed the stairs to the guest bedroom, slowly. She was exhausted and felt close to passing out. Ron followed in silence behind her. As soon as they reached the bedroom and locked the door, Hermione sank down onto the bed, breathing heavily.

"Hermione, what did the doctor say?" Ron asked quietly.

"I…I don't know how to say this Ron," Hermione's eyes filled with tears.

"Whatever it is, I can take it." Ron sat down next to her.

"I…I have another brain tumor." Hermione sobbed. "There's a ninety percent chance I won't survive. The doctor's giving me four weeks."

Ron held her in his arms as once again, she cried. But this time, he cried too.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear.

"Don't be," Ron brushed her hair out of her face. "We'll get through this. Together. No matter what."

Hermione didn't have the strength to leave her bed at all the next day. Mr. Weasley and Ginny had gone off to work, Mrs. Weasley had gone to Diagon Alley to see Fred and George and Harry was once again locked in his study.

Ron was worried. Hermione was slowly dying. He knew it. Her strength was slowly leaving her and soon, it'd be her mind. He couldn't stand to look at her one more minute.

"Harry?" Ron knocked on the study door.

"Come in," Harry replied.

"Hey," Ron said awkwardly. He really hadn't talked to Harry since he had proposed to Hermione, over seven months ago.

"I found another Horocrux. I think." Harry said trying to strike up a conversation.

"Great. Brilliant." Ron tried to look happy.

"It's Hermione isn't it?" Harry noted Ron's pained expression.

"Yeah," Ron answered quietly. "She's dying. Another brain tumor."

"I'm sorry mate." Harry looked unsure at what else to say.

"If she's going, I'm going." Ron muttered.

"She's not going to leave Ron," Harry assured him. "She's strong. She'll make it."

"I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't." Ron shook his head.

A/N: There it is! I hope you enjoyed. It took me longer than I thought to type this, but "The Chronicles of Narnia" is such a good movie, I just couldn't help myself. Don't forget to review! Up next Her Last Breath…Good-bye. Until then - may your wands stay brightly lit, rupertgrintfanatic.