Long time, no see! Been having a bit of trouble with the next 2 chapters of this fic, but I think I finally (hopefully, anyway) figured it out :)
For those still following along, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Also, thanks to the amazing be11atrixthestrange and cheesyficwriter for the chapter look-over. Rating them as human beings, I give them 10 out of 10!
oOo
Ron, come over when you get home. I need you.
Hermione's handwriting, which was usually immaculate, looked as if it had been written by a shaking hand. Ron's eyes darted to her window to see her lilac curtains closed. A knot formed in his stomach. He'd just gotten home from school and had gone up to his room to change when he'd seen the pail on his end of the rope.
Wasting no time, he tossed his backpack onto his bed and raced downstairs, desperate to get to her. He knew that whatever was going on, it wasn't good, and he ran out of his house without bothering to speak to any of his family members. Within ten seconds, he was at Hermione's front door, giving it a few polite knocks before turning the knob and pushing it open.
When he walked past the entryway and into the living area, Ron was met by the sight of Hermione sitting on the sofa between her parents, all three of them sporting red, wet faces. Hugh Granger noticed Ron first, and the man gave him a solemn nod of acknowledgement. A second later, Hermione looked up and followed her father's gaze, letting out a soft cry as she realized Ron was there. Leaving her parents' embrace, she stood and ran to him, flinging herself into his waiting arms. Ron clung to her, the fear of not knowing what was wrong with her gripping him and making his insides go ice cold.
Before he could ask her any questions, though, Hugh cleared his throat, causing Ron to look up. "I'm going to take Jean to bed," he said. "Ron, if you could-"
"Don't worry, I've got Hermione," he interrupted, causing the older man to give him a small appreciative smile. It touched Ron to know how much Hermione's dad entrusted him to take care of his daughter. Without another word, Hugh wrapped an arm around his wife and led her to their bedroom, shutting the door behind them.
Hermione hadn't let go of Ron, and although she didn't seem to be actively crying anymore, her body was trembling. "Come on," he said in a soft voice, pulling her away from him so he could turn her around and lead her up the stairs. Hermione complied and walked at his side with one of Ron's arms around her waist supporting her. When they made it to her bedroom, Hermione climbed into her bed as Ron shut the door behind him. He pulled a chair over next to her bed, but as soon as he sat down, Hermione yanked his arm and made a small noise of frustration. Knowing what she wanted, Ron pulled the covers up and climbed in next to her. Hermione scooted closer to him, her body melding into his. He wrapped his arms around her, his hands running through her hair while saying nothing, waiting for her to speak first.
"It's Grandpops," she finally said with a sniff. "He died unexpectedly this morning. They think it was a stroke."
"I'm so sorry, Hermione," Ron murmured, squeezing her tighter to him. He'd met the older man several times before and had enjoyed his dry sense of humor.
"Mum is devastated," Hermione went on. "He seemed so healthy and we all thought that we would have at least another fifteen years with him." She reached up to wipe her wet face with the back of her hand. "I can't believe it."
Ron placed a kiss on the top of her head. "There's nothing I can say right now except that I'm sorry. I'll be here for you. Anything you need from me, Hermione, it's yours."
"I don't want to talk about it. I just want you to hold me," she replied in a small voice.
"Of course. For however long you need."
They laid there in silence for a long while, and it soon became apparent by the sound of Hermione's breathing that she'd fallen asleep. Ron didn't move a muscle, not wanting to wake her. He knew how close Hermione had been with her grandfather, and it crushed him knowing how awful she had to be feeling. As he thought up ways to try and make her feel better, his eyelids grew heavy, and soon he was asleep as well.
oOo
"Ron, wake up."
Ron opened his eyes, blinking in the now dark room. "Wha-"
"We fell asleep." Hermione's voice was groggy, and Ron could tell she'd just woken as well.
"Oh." He reached up, covering his mouth with his hand as he let out a yawn. "For how long?"
"No idea. But I think my parents are asleep too. It's really quiet."
Using his arms that were still wrapped around her, though one of them was asleep, Ron pulled her closer. "How do you feel?"
She paused. "Like I could sleep for a thousand more years."
"Do you want me to get you something to eat?" he asked. Hermione didn't say anything, but Ron could feel her nod against his chest. "What do you want? I can ask Mum if she can make-"
"No. I don't want to be alone. And I want to check on Mum first before I decide on anything."
"Right." Ron sat up and rubbed his eyes. He climbed out of bed before helping Hermione stand as well, and together they made their way downstairs.
"What's that smell?" he asked as they headed towards the lit kitchen. "Smells delicious."
When they stepped onto the tiled floor, Hermione's dad was standing in front of the stove, stirring something in a large pot.
"Dad," Hermione greeted, stepping out in front of Ron.
Hugh turned around and gave his daughter a small smile. "Hey, sweetheart. Want some chicken noodle soup?"
"Yes, please. Where's Mum?"
"She's asleep. Probably will be for a while." His gaze went from Hermione to Ron. "You want some soup too, Ron?"
Ron nodded. "Yes please. If there's enough."
"There's plenty."
They both took a seat at the table, and Ron grabbed Hermione's hand. Hugh set a bowl of soup for each of them on the table before speaking. "Your Aunt Sally called. They've arranged for the funeral to be a week from today."
Hermione stared into her bowl for a moment before she nodded. "Will you come?" she asked, turning her head to look at Ron.
Ron gave her hand a squeeze. "Of course. You don't even have to ask."
oOo
"Who's that girl?" Ron whispered in Hermione's ear. "She keeps staring at us."
Hermione took a deep breath. "That would be Margaret," she answered in a clipped tone.
"Margaret?" Ron exclaimed. "That's your cousin who has given you hell your whole life?" Though Ron had never met Hermione's cousin, he'd heard plenty of stories of the slightly older girl being absolutely awful to Hermione, and he felt irritation bubbling up inside of him.
"It is," Hermione replied. "I was hoping she'd be too busy with her 'high social life' to come, but apparently not. She wasn't even close to my grandfather, so I don't know why she bothered."
Glaring at Margaret, who was still staring, Ron wrapped an arm around Hermione before leading her to a seat next to where her parents were already sitting. The service started shortly after that, and Ron couldn't help but notice that Margaret, who was sitting behind and to the left of them, seemed more interested in him and Hermione than the funeral itself. He held Hermione as she cried, not caring in the slightest that her tears were soaking through his navy blue button-down shirt.
After it was over, Ron sensed Hermione wasn't quite ready to talk to a lot of people, so he led her over to a small hallway in the funeral home for a bit of privacy. She seemed grateful for the gesture, and he held her close as she nuzzled into his chest.
After a moment, there was a sound of a throat clearing, and Hermione stiffened in Ron's arms. Having a good guess as to whom it was, Ron turned his head to see Margaret standing there watching them with curiosity.
"Hello, Hermione," she greeted, although her eyes were on Ron as she spoke.
Hermione let go of him and wiped at her eyes. "Margaret. How are you?" she asked, her voice stiff.
Margaret ignored Hermione's question. "Is he your boyfriend?" she pried, but it sounded more like a demand than anything.
This bird really was something else. Ron opened his mouth to answer Margaret but before he could, Hermione spoke first. "Yes. As a matter of fact, Ron is my boyfriend."
Ron's mouth dropped open in surprise. He tried to make sense of the words, but he couldn't. He was, of course, used to other people thinking that he and Hermione were together, but never before had Hermione said that they were. Instinctively, he knew she was only saying that for Margaret's benefit, though he didn't understand why Hermione would do that. His chest was tight with good and bad emotions battling for dominance. On one hand, hearing Hermione say that he was her boyfriend was the best thing ever, but on the other hand, it wasn't true and it felt like a punch to the gut.
Margaret smirked in a very unpleasant way. "How long have you been together?" she pressed, crossing her arms in front of her.
"A few months now," Hermione replied. "Not that it's any of your business."
"I'm surprised," Margaret said in a cool voice. "You've never been the girlfriend type."
The words, along with the tone of Margaret's voice, made Ron want to jump in front of Hermione and defend her. He wanted to demand this Margaret leave her alone, but before he could, Hermione's fingers tightened around his wrist, wordlessly telling him not to say anything.
"Well, as you can see," Hermione said, "you're wrong. Now, please give us our privacy after you so rudely interrupted us."
Margaret sneered before rolling her eyes. "Bet you he's getting some from somebody else," she muttered before turning and walking away from them.
Ron fought the urge to yell something at her back. Hermione turned away from him and began wiping the black makeup out from underneath her eyes. She looked furious, and Ron knew he had to tread carefully.
"Hermione, what-"
"I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable, Ron," she snapped, interrupting him. "It was wrong of me to lie and say you were my boyfriend."
Ron was taken aback, unsure of why he was now the source of her anger. "I wasn't uncomfortable," he insisted. "I just wasn't expecting you to say-"
"I know you, Ron, and the moment I said we were together, it was clear from the look on your face that you were mortified," Hermione cut in.
Ron shook his head. "Hermione, I just-" he paused, unsure of what to say. What could he say without giving himself away? That he wished that he really was her boyfriend? That hearing her say that he was, even if just for pretend, made his heart soar for only a moment before falling from that cloud back to a harsh reality?
"Don't worry," Hermione continued. "I won't humiliate you any more. In fact, if you want me to, I'll even go tell Margaret that I was lying. That will give her even more reasons to make fun of me."
"Hermione!" Ron hissed. "You caught me off guard, that's all. Besides, she's definitely not worth it. Who cares what your bloody cousin thinks?"
Hermione wasn't looking at him anymore, her eyes on her shoes. "I want to go home."
"Alright. Let's go then."
They made their way out of the building, and Hermione stopped to say a few quick goodbyes to several family members along the way. As they approached Hermione's car, she took her keys out of her purse and thrust them out towards Ron.
"You drive."
They both climbed in, and Ron started the car. Hermione sighed as she laid her head back and closed her eyes. Ron pulled away and headed toward their houses, neither of them saying anything. After a few minutes of silence, though, he couldn't take it anymore. "Want to listen to some music?" he asked.
"Not really." Hermione's reply came quick and Ron suppressed a groan at the hostility in her voice.
"Want to tell me what's got your knickers in a twist, then?"
"Doesn't matter," she mumbled, now staring out the window.
Ron let out a heavy sigh. "Of course it bloody matters, Hermione. You know I can't stand it when we fight."
"Are we fighting Ron?" Hermione asked. "I wasn't aware it was a fight."
Ron kept his eyes on the road, but Hermione's gaze burned on the side of his head.
"Honestly, I have no idea. All I know is that for some reason or another, you're mad at me and it's driving me fucking insane."
"I'm not mad," she said in a much softer voice. "Not exactly."
"Then what?" he asked, lowering his voice to match hers. "I can't fix it if I don't know, Hermione."
It took a while for her to answer him, and Ron waited as she gathered her thoughts.
"When I said you were my boyfriend… the look on your face... I just felt like you were ashamed of me."
"Me? Ashamed of you?" Ron scoffed. "How could that even be possible, Hermione? If anything, it would be the other way around!"
"Can you not?" Hermione snapped, her once-again angry tone taking him by surprise.
"Bloody hell! What did I do this time?" he asked, feeling dizzy from all of her up and down emotions.
"You can compliment me without degrading yourself, Ronald."
"I have not, nor have I ever been, ashamed of you, Hermione. Alright?" Hermione said nothing, so he went on. "There's more to it than that, I know it. Tell me what it is." Hermione remained silent. "Bloody hell," Ron muttered under his breath.
"I didn't like the way Margaret was looking at you, okay?" Hermione yelled, the words coming out as if bursting from her. "You don't know how her mind works, Ron! She saw that you were with me, and she was just itching to sink her claws into you and steal you away. She's always been like that! Whatever is mine, she wants to take it for herself. That's why I lied when she asked if you were my boyfriend."
Ron clenched his jaw, trying, but failing, to remain calm. "Steal me away?" he asked in a low voice. "As if I'm an object to be stolen? What the fuck, Hermione? Do you honestly, after all of our years as best friends, think that I would willingly have anything to do with someone who has repeatedly tried to hurt you? What kind of idiot do you think I am?"
"She's pretty!" Hermione retorted. "And she always gets what she wants- one way or another!"
"Today I was there for you, Hermione. I wasn't there on the fucking pull! I would never do that to you!"
"Well, how can I know that for sure?" Hermione cried. "If she'd managed to corner you and get you alone, you might've-"
"Just stop!" Ron interrupted. He was beyond irritated now, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. "Feels great to know the amount of faith you have in me, Hermione. Stupendous."
Ron pulled onto their street. Neither of them said anything as he parked the car in Hermione's driveway. As soon as he turned the engine off, Hermione snatched the keys out of his hand and got out of the car, slamming the door shut behind her. Ron watched her storm off to her house without giving him a second glance.
He got out as well and stood there, his eyes going back and forth from his house to hers. In the end, though, he knew which one he would choose. There really was only one option.
Hermione's front door was unlocked, giving Ron hope that she wasn't as angry as she'd been acting. When he stepped inside the home, he could hear soft, classical music coming from upstairs. Ron tried to figure out what he'd say to her, but when he got to her room and peered inside her open door, any ideas he might've had disappeared when he saw her.
Hermione was lying down on top of her made bed, her eyes straight ahead as she stared into space. There were silent tears streaming down her face, and Ron's heart dropped. The anger that he had been holding onto was gone in an instant. She gave him no indication that she saw him, but Ron sensed that she knew anyway.
Moving slowly, he walked over to stand next to her bed. He couldn't help but smile when, after several seconds, one of Hermione's hands traveled in his direction as if reaching for him, even though the rest of her body remained still. Bending down so he was kneeling on the floor, Ron took her hand in his, squeezing it before placing a few small kisses on her open palm.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, moving her eyes to his.
Instead of answering, Ron gently used her arm to urge her to sit up. She complied, and once in a sitting position, Ron pulled her to his chest in a hug, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her tight. Hermione returned the hug, and when Ron stood up, he pulled her with him so that they were both standing. Taking one of her arms, he slung it over his shoulder before taking her other hand in his. He wrapped his free arm around her waist as Hermione furrowed her eyebrows at him.
Ron said nothing as he backed them up from beside her bed to the middle of the room. Keeping eye contact, he gave Hermione a small smile before swaying his body along with the music. His smile widened when she let out a watery laugh, catching on to what he was doing. She swayed with him, and Ron pulled her closer, their bodies now moving in sync. As they continued, Hermione turned her head to the side, resting her cheek against his chest.
She was so familiar to him, and Ron was content and at ease as they danced. H wanted to stay where he was forever, and after a moment, he closed his eyes, pretending it could be so.