Sorry it took me so long to post, I just finished exams
All rights belong to JK Rowling :)
Chapter 5:
The next morning, I awoke early tried but not sleepy, due to the long sleep that we had had in Madame Pomfrey's office the day before. Looking over at Ginny's bedside table, the clock read half past five in the morning, yet I knew that sleep would not befall me again, so I slowly got up and left the room. Downstairs in the kitchen, I put the kettle on, conscious of the fact that everyone was sleeping I placed the Muffilato charm on it, though they probably wouldn't have heard me. On the wall opposite me, Weasley family clock hung, each hand pointing to 'home', except for Fred's who's pointed to 'lost'. I felt a stab in my chest and was momentarily distracted before the shrill whistle of the kettle pulled me out of my thoughts. My tea cup was filled with liquid comfort and I went to sit in the garden. The sound of the birds contradicted the mournful mood that the house contained. Despite the sadness and suffering of the past few months, it was a rare bliss to hear the untroubled songs of the birds, their lives untainted by the devastation and fear of the last few years. For the first time in a while, I fully let my mind wonder. Away from the horcruxes, my parents in Australia, death and towards the future, thinking of the freedom ahead of me. The heated kiss Ron and me had shared last evening made me feel giddy and young, 'after all I am only 18', I thought. But was I? I had seen things, experienced things that most adults would never see. I was tortured, scared. I witnessed death, murder, grief? The teenager that arrived here, the Burrow, almost a year ago, no longer existed.
Before I knew it, the sun was up and Mrs Weasley had come downstairs to make breakfast. The welcoming smell of poached eggs and bacon, lured me back inside. Mrs Weasley was rushing around the kitchen making breakfast. Nothing seemed to have changed, yet, I thought,
'That only made it harder to believe that Fred was no longer here'. Mrs Weasley looked tired and grief stricken and it was only polite that I offered to help, yet she pushed me away. "Thank you Hermione, but no. It keeps my mind off things". Realising the importance of distraction in this situation, I contented myself with laying the table instead. As I laid down the knife and fork in Ron's place, a sudden jolt of pain coursed through my body. It felt as if a bolt of lightning travelled from head to toe. It was a mixture of internal ache and sharp, prickly pain that felt as if someone was stabbing me with a giant sewing needle. Before I could stop myself, I groaned in pain, and leaned forward, bracing myself on the table. This didn't go unnoticed by Mrs Weasley, who came rushing over to comfort me. "Are you okay dear?", she asked. I couldn't let Mrs Weasley worry, she had lost so much in the past few days another problem would only make the situation worse. Composing myself, I nodded. The pain was still there, but had subsided enough for me to stand. "Yes, just stubbed my toe", I lied. The lie didn't seem to phase Mrs Wealsey who said: "As soon as we can, you, Harry and Ron will have to see a healer". I simply nodded, hoping Mrs Weasley wouldn't push it further, and to my relief she didn't. Taking a deep breath of composure, I stood up straight and continued my task until the rest of the Weasley brood awoke from their undoubtedly unrestful slumber