A/N: Wow! This chapter was really fun to write. It's from Mrs. Weasly's point of view and was quite different to write than the other chapters has been so far, but I loved it. Makes me want to write some more from her point of view. Maybe I'll write the story so I can do that :3
Well, I think that was all I had to say for now, so just read and enjoy :) Oh, and a review or two would be nice, I think I'm about to become addicted to those :p
I was pacing around in the kitchen, glancing at the time every now and then, by the time it was 1:30, I was giving up, and maybe Hermione didn't wish to have me around? Not that I could blame her, I was sure it would be too much too soon, after all, it was only a few days since she had gotten Ginny back, it would be too much with anyone else too, I was sure of that. Suddenly, around 1:45 I heard a small crack outside the kitchen door. It flew open, then closing half a second later. Suddenly I heard Ginny's voice, "sorry I'm late mum. No time for explaining, let's go. We have to apparate, I'm sorry about that". Shoot. She knows how I hate to apparate, but I'm sure she had her reasons. I held my breath as we began to move, then it felt like someone was trying to pull me through a needle eye. I found this way of travelling rather painful, but what didn't I do for my daughter and my adopted daughter? We materialized in a small hallway, I felt slightly disoriented as I looked around and asked Ginny where we were. She didn't answer me, just grabbed my hand and pulled me to one of the doors. When I got to the other side, I saw a simple apartment where you first arrived in the living room with the kitchen to the right, one more door next to the kitchen, one straight ahead with windows that lead to the balcony and another door to the left. Suddenly Ginny spoke, "blimey, mum. You're so pale. That apparation wasn't very kind to you, was it?" Now that she mentioned it I felt rather dizzy, "I guess not. I think I need to sit down for a moment". Ginny lead me over to the couch and sat me down. "You want some tea? Hermione has some in the kitchen, I'm sure she won't mind". Ginny looked worried. My poor girl, I'm supposed to take care of her, not the other way around, but right now everything was spinning too fast for me to care, so I just nodded carefully, afraid that if I spoke, something very different would come out, something like breakfast. Not something I had a great desire of, so instead I just nodded and waited for Ginny to return with the tea. A few minutes later the tea was gone, and I felt safe to speak again, "now, where is Hermione anyways?" She started to look around, apparently she hadn't been thinking f her whereabouts, too busy making sure I was okay, I'm sure. "She's either in the bathroom getting ready, it at the balcony calming down. I'll go look for her soon. First I need to make sure you are okay, because we will have to apparate to the restaurant again when Hermione is ready. I sighed. Great, more apparating. If it were for Hermione I would have made Ginny walk me to her apartment and let me take the floo back home, "I'll be just fine. Go find her, make sure she's okay". She went to the balcony first, I guess she wasn't there, because she returned right away, she then went for the door who I had seen at my left when we arrived. I guess she wasn't there either. The last door, the one next to the kitchen, was locked. Ginny knocked a couple of times before I heard the door unlock. She disappeared through it and stayed there for a few minutes. When she came back, she was followed by Hermione. I nearly jumped up from the couch and leaped over to her, but as I was halfway there, I remembered something Ginny had said about being careful not to scare her. Poor Hermione, so alone for so long. I stood in front of her; she shyly mumbled something like "hello, Mrs. Weasly. It's good to see you again". She was mostly looking at her shoes as she spoke. I couldn't stop myself; I clasped my arms around her and gave her a tight hug. At first she just sort of stiffened, but as soon as she got over the first shock, I felt her arms wrap around me. I just had to smile; it had been so long since last time. God, how I missed having her around, she and Ginny were always hanging together. You would never see one of them without the other when Hermione came over to the Burrow during the holidays. God how I missed her. I let go, I felt a little awkward as I looked at her again. It was the first time in nearly seven years I saw her, and I acted like I met her on the station for Easter break, and it was the first time I saw her since the summer vacation. I just ignored the feeling of awkwardness and hugged her again, "I have missed you so badly, love. You have no idea. I'm just so happy to have the chance of you being a part of the family again, love". A tear rolled down my cheek, this was almost too good to be true. I was still embracing Hermione when Ginny tapped my shoulder, "I'm sorry to interrupt this touching reunion, but I'm starving now". I kept my face straight and spoke to Hermione, "we should go, then. You probably remember how grumpy Ginny could get when you were in school?" she just nodded, looking a little worried, "well, she's worse now, so if you wish to avoid the wrath of hungry Ginny, we should have left five minutes ago". She giggled. Oh, what a wonderful sound. Ginny just glared at me, but reached out both her hands to us to apparate us all there. I figured Hermione didn't know where we were going either. I looked at her again; she had frozen and was now pale white. Why? She was always the best one at almost everything she did, including apparation, what had changed? Ginny spoke, "Hermione? I know it's probably been a while since you did this, but just look at me, everything will be fine. If you do this, I promise we can travel back here in whatever way you decide. Okay?" she barely nodded before she took a deep breath and grabbed Ginny's hand. I did the same thing, and moments later we appeared in an alley somewhere in London. Hermione looked very pale, I went over to her and grabbed one of her arms, and Ginny did the same thing on the other side. Together we nearly carried her to the other side of the street where it was a small restaurant called "the corner", Ginny gestured for us to go inside. The restaurant was cosy, sort of old fashioned, with stalls and everything. It was just amazing. We sat down in a private stall in a corner and a waitress came to hand is some menus. We all looked though them, deciding on what to eat. Then all of a sudden Hermione disappeared, we looked up and Ginny ran after her, barely mumbling an excuse before she left. So now I sat there all alone, not quite sure what to do. I decided to keep looking at the menu and try to decide what to have. A few minutes later they returned. Hermione came with an apology, explaining she wasn't really used to apparate as she hadn't done it in seven years. I found myself surprised at this information, seven years? Yes, I heard Ginny say something about it being a while, but seven years? Ginny noticed my confused look and glanced at Hermione, as if to get permission to tell the story. Still pale, she just nodded and Ginny began to tell, "Hermione hasn't used any kind of magic for the last seven years. The only thing she has had to do with the magical world is owling me and sometimes Ron, healers, quidditch magazines and firewhiskey. She has suffered some kind of depression and has refused to use her wand and everything. She has pretty much lived as a muggle the past years. I'm not quite sure why, but I'm pretty sure I can be blamed for that". I just stared at them both. How could Hermione blame Ginny for something like that? Hermione just shook her head before she spoke, more to Ginny than to anyone else, "you're not to blame. Just the moment when the war ended I had enough. I decided to live as a muggle and just get away from it for a while, I just hoped you would be there with me, and the second you told me off I decided to move away and become a part of the muggle world for good, and it worked well the first 6 months, but then I bought an owl and started to write Ginny those letters, a month later I discovered that muggle alcohol wasn't strong enough to let me forget, yes I know it was a bad decision and all, so I turned to firewhiskey. Five months later I had a mental breakdown and was hospitalized at St. Mungo for six months. When I got out I stayed away from the firewhiskey until about a year later when someone sent me a note and a magazine with Ginny in it. Then it all came back to me and I just began drinking again. I knew how Ginny was blaming me for Fred's death, and how she didn't want me around, and I just wished I could be there through it all for her with quidditch and everything. I hated myself for not being able to do that, I started to blame myself, believing I actually was personally responsible for Fred's death, and not only his, but everyone else. I drank heavily to forget it all. I'm not proud of this, but I have decided to quit drinking now. The night when Ginny showed up that first time, I was sure I had gone completely nuts and was prepared to get myself locked up at St. Mungo for good, I mean, hallucinations about Ginny couldn't be good, you know. Not after all this time, so I'm working to quit drinking, hasn't had a sip since then". I went pale as she spoke, however, at the end of her speech I regained a little colour, but not enough, "mum? What's wrong?" Ginny looked very worried, and Hermione was still looking at her hands in her lap, I think she was ashamed because I now had learned about her past seven years, I'm sure she never intended to. I was shocked to learn that she had been drinking heavily for so long. Hermione, she was so strong in every way, what had happened to her? Ginny was stroking her back to soothe her. I leaned over the table towards Hermione and spoke, "Hermione? Don't worry; everything is going to be just fine, I promise. Just the fact that you have decided to quit the drinking, proves how strong you are. Besides, you have me and Ginny here now, and we will be here to support you trough all of this. You ate not alone, love". She looked up and smiled carefully while she wiped a few tears, "thank you. Both of you", she was barely whispering. I squeezed the hand I was now holding on to and smiled reassuring to her.
The waitress appeared again and asked us if we were ready to order yet, we all ordered something called fish and chips. Must be some kind of a muggle dish, but Hermione had recommended it, and even though both I and Ginny were sceptical to this new dish, It turned out it was rather delicious, not the best I have tasted, but it was tasty. The lunch was eaten in a much lighter mood, we laughed and really enjoyed each other's company now, and all too soon we had to leave. Both Ginny and Hermione had been insisting to pay, in the end Ginny had won, but only after a couple of threats of joining me back to the Burrow. I found this rather amusing to watch. When Ginny finally had managed to pay, we went outside. The weather was nice considering the time of the year, with a little sun and hardly any wind at all. It was still chilly, but for once it felt good. "Maybe we should walk to the leaky cauldron instead of apparating any more today? Then you could take the floo back home, and I and Hermione could get something to drink and relax a little before we head back to her apartment. What do you think of that?" Both me and Hermione sighed in relief and agreed. We were at the leaky cauldron just a few minutes later. The walk there had been in silence. I prepared to leave and hugged them both goodbye. I shed a tear again. I found it difficult to leave Hermione again so soon after I finally had reunited with her, "It's been a pleasure seeing you again, Mrs. Weasly. Maybe the three of us could have lunch again soon?" I could feel my face crack into a wide grin, the widest in ages, I was so glad she asked, that meant that she was planning to stick around for a while now. I had finally gotten my lost daughter back after nearly seven years. Oh, how wonderful this day was. I hugged her again and whispered to her, not quite able to speak much, "I would love to, darling, I would love to". I shed a tear again as I stepped into the fireplace and waved them goodbye. Next thing I know I'm standing at my kitchen floor grinning. Arthur is already sitting in the kitchen, waiting for me to tell about the lunch. I embraced him, "oh Arthur, you won't believe this, it's a miracle. She's back, Arthur. She really is back to stay".