A/N: Aaaaahhhhh, the chapter after the next chapter is the lassssttttt! (Jazz hands)
June 30, 1998. Day Twelve, 11:45PM
"After Ron went to the Ministry, the Aurors came in. You wouldn't believe it! McGonagall came out of nowhere, we thought she was on a mission in France, going after a new Death Eater; she was throwing curses and jinxes, but they were too strong," Ginny explained.
"We're Disapparating. Ginny and Hermione, you can do Side Along Apparation," he said. Ginny, as expected, took Tonks' hand, and grinned. I went to Fred and took his arm.
"Where are we going?" I asked Fred quietly.
He looked down at me and winked. "You'll see." I gave a slightly relieved sigh. They didn't seem too mad at me for my decisions. But the only person I cared about judging me was Remus.
"One....two...three!" Remus counted. I had that jerking feeling that used to be horrendous, but I got used to it, we stopped. On habit, my eyes were closed and I opened them, gasping.
It was nothing like Grimmauld Place, it was very...there was a sense of home. I surveyed the living room we were in. There was a very short coffee table in the middle, and several bookshelves lined up against the walls and two love seats on both of the sides. The room wasn't very big, and we went down the hall. I saw a basic family room, with a TV propped up on a small rolling cart. There was another couch, another small coffee table, and in front of us, a large dinner table. Over to our side was a kitchen with cabinets lined up against the walls. There was something nagging me inside that was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't think of it...
I looked out the window and surely, this was a suburban house, judging from the other ones down the street. I saw stairs when I was looking in the hallway, and it was a two story house. Then I saw something peculiar about the stairs. I looked and down the railing, several scratches on every side.
"Where is this place?" I asked. Remus smiled.
"You should know it well," He said. My eyes widened and I ran upstairs, and the first door on the left, I threw open. All my stuff was there; my old posters, artwork, A+ tests were on the wall. Of course; it was my house.
"When you haven't been home in several years, I thought you might like it if we stayed here."
"Of..of course!" I sniffed. Ginny looked at me and noticed I had began to cry. She came over and hugged me once again.
"Why are you crying?" she asked soothingly.
"Because," I said, trying to pull myself together. "On all the times I went on missions, different countries, continents, just to find a DE, or to find my parents, I've.....I've..." I couldn't seem to get the words out.
"I get it, Hermione," Remus spoke up, comforting me.
I finally found the words. "I've just want to go home!"
"Well, welcome home, Hermione!" Ginny laughed, and I put my head on her shoulder. I hugged her back. It was truly the people that made this place home, not the house itself. I let go of her and walked to Remus.
"Can we...talk?" I asked quietly.
"In the morning. For now, you need rest," Remus said. We all jumped once we heard the crack, me being the one of many to wield our wands instantly. Fleur stumbled in through he living room, panting.
"Ze-Ministry-says-you-'ave-toomorow-to-leave," she stopped for another breath. "Za-Burrow." I remembered that a couple months earlier, Fleur and Bill had gotten a house in southeastern Wales, to Mrs. Weasley's dismay, so didn't have to worry about The Burrow, but often stayed there anyways.
"Oh, it's where we've always lived!" Mrs, Weasley said with worry.
"Molly, you could always stay here with the children, there's plenty room," he said, unsure of himself. Something sparked in my memory, and words came spilling out of my mouth.
"In my room, I have a bunk bed. My parents planned on having twins, but just had me. I wanted the beds; me and Ginny could stay there. My parent's room has a king sized bed for Mr and Mrs. Weasley. I had an Uncle Fisher and Aunt Fleece who often stayed at my house when they couldn't pay rent-another in the attic we set up, but it should be very clean and big-maybe for Fred and George. Downstairs, there's another king-sized bed we never got to throw out, we could easily set that up and Tonks and Remus, you could sleep there!" Remus blushed and looked away, as Tonks did.
Mr. Weasley did the math in his head. "Apparently, everyone's accounted for."
"Great. Now we must be going," Mrs. Weasley said, a crack in her voice. I hugged her-but looked away, not being able to bear the tears in her eyes-and Ginny tightly before they left with Fleur and Bill.
"Well, you should get in bed. You're items are in the closet," Remus said quietly, and I nodded. My head pounded with thoughts as I carried one heavy foot after the next upstairs. But when I got to my soft, warm bed, I drifted to sleep...
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My eyes opened to a hazy, orange flair. I turned, yawning, looking at my clock. It was 1:00. I was so used to waking up early, I felt pretty ashamed. I turned on my back, but jumped when I saw the form near my bedroom window. I scrambled for my wand, but I rubbed my eyes and gave a relieved sigh-it was only Remus.
He was staring intently outside, and gave a startled jump when he saw me sitting up, watching him.
"Awake already? I'm sorry, go back to sleep," he said quickly.
"No, stay!" I croaked, then cleared my throat. "I've been wanting to talk to you. I-"
"Tonight, if you can, meet me here. Sunset, so around 6:00. Then, we'll talk," he said, not looking at me as he walked out. I dragged myself to the bathroom, stripped off my dirty, bed-ridden clothes and jumped into the shower. I sighed-I hadn't taken a shower in a couple days. I put a hand over my heart-it suddenly began to ache. But I dismissed at as not having enough nutrients(I hadn't had much to eat either). Once I got out, was done blow drying my wet hair, I looked through the drawers of my bathroom and saw something shocking-my mom's old straightened. I looked up in the mirror-should I? I flipped my hair to one side and began to straighten it.
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I walked into the kitchen to see a groggy Tonks, her hair brown and at her shoulders and quiet Remus, sipping coffee. I walked in and the corners of my mouth twitched when Tonks looked at me and her jaw dropped.
"'Mione, you're hair looks fantastic!" Tonks said, getting up and putting her fingers delicately through strands of my now straight hair.
"A couple burns, but worth it in the end," I said to her, beaming. I wasn't sure why I was so happy all of a sudden-my best friend and his brother were in jail, the man I love left me. But it was little things like this that made me feel all right. For the time being. The rest of the day, we went out, buying things for the house, and we even checked in on the Weasley's, and they were struggling, but coming along nicely. Later that evening, at 6:00, I walked into my room quietly and Remus was already there, waiting for me.
"Have a seat, Hermione," he said. I swallowed any regrets or worries I had eat. He turned from me and looked at the sunset outside.
"I just want to say-" I started, but he cut me off.
"Hermione, please. I'd like to start. I am very ashamed of you for lying, deceiving, and manipulating you're situation at the time. For that, you are now on probation. No missions for the next month. I don't know if the Order can lie faith in you ever again," he said in a hushed voice. I felt the tears come to my eyes, but I kept them back, trying to listen to what he had to say. He looked back at me with soft eyes.
"You love him, don't you?" he asked me softly, and I refused to meet his eyes.
"More than I should. More than I've loved anyone. He completes me, and...I feel...at home when I'm around him," I said in a faint whisper. "I couldn't stop thinking about him. It was juvenile to call him my boyfriend. He was more than that. I loved everything about him."
"I know it's not my place to say this, but...." I lowered my head and let the shame and sadness cover me. He lifted my head slowly by my chin. "If you love someone, you'd do anything to get to them. No matter what the Weasley's think, what Tonks thinks, what I think. So remember this: it's not your fault. None of this is your fault." I gave a shuddering sigh as he got up and looked through my open window.
"Whoever said "love triumphs all" is correct," he murmured, leaving my room. I now looked out my window, curious. What did he mean by "Anything to get them"?" I pondered this for a moment, then my head snapped up. I didn't know if this is what he meant, but hopefully, it was. I grabbed my purse, and closed my eyes, spinning on the spot-I was going to the Malfoy Manor.
When I opened my eyes, I was in the park. I gave a excited noise, then walked down the street. I felt my heart race-what if he didn't want me? What if he hated me and left me? Well, I wasn't going to deny it, I still love hi-I gasped loudly, so loudly, the break was knocked out of me. I stared at the area of ground where the Malfoy Manor once stood.
It was burned to the ground.
I walked in what was left of the floorboards, all of them, black and charred, split in half. The ceiling fan was in the middle of the floor, and the stairs still stood, but they did not lead anywhere, being half collapsed. I could see where the kitchen was, where the pots and pans once hung were now disfigured, morphed, laying on the ground, also charred. The door was hanging from one of the-well, what was left of it. it smelled of burned wood and metal. I looked over at the side-the bookshelf from the attic was now on the ground. That must've ben how badly it burned.
I walked over to it, my eyes unfocused and not blinking and my knees weak. I saw a completely while envelope. I nearly fainted when I saw my name printed across it. Shaking, I leaned against a bookshelf and read slowly.
Dear Hermione,
I don't know what to say.
Here's a start. Thank you for rescuing me. You saved my life that day in court, and as surprising as it may be, I'm grateful.
I went out to look for a purpose in life-I am homeless, poor, and God knows I don't have anyone to love.
In case you were thinking of looking for me, don't. And in case you were thinking I wanted to love you, you'd be wrong. Its difficult. You lied to me, Granger. You broke my damn heart that day too. And it's bloody ridiculous you did hurt me. But you did. I..loved you. Not anymore, though.
It's hard. I don't even know you. I'd like to believe that Claire is you, but I can't. Why would I fall for a bushy-haired, buck-toothed menace? It's hard to realize you're more than that. Because you are. How do I know that? How do I know you won't make my life crash and burn?
I don't know that. So being in contact with you is pointless.
I'll never forgive you.
DM.
For the first time that happy, happy day, I sank to my knees and sobbed.
A/N: Ugh, toughie. Oh, well. Don't worry, longer chapter next week or so.