Chapter 3
After the service was all over everyone walked back towards the car. Hermione just stood there at the grave staring blankly at it. "I'm so sorry Ron, I should have done more to keep you safe and with me. It's my entire fault!" Hermione whispered to the newly appointed grave as she sank to her knees. The rain was relentlessly beating down on the poor girl. "Come on 'Mione it's time to go" a gentle voice said from somewhere behind her. Hermione could barely even hear the words as she clung to the headstone for dear life. "It's all my fault!" Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs. "No it's not!" the gentle voice said from behind her. "How do you know?!" she asked harshly. "I'm not the only one that knows here. You do too and you know it!" the voice said in a demanding tone. "Who do you think you are?!" Hermione hissed as she whirled around. She stood there with her mouth hanging open as she saw the last person she would expect.
There stood a ghostly Ron. "What?" Hermione asked as shock took over her thoughts. "Hermione you need to listen to me, you didn't do this! It wasn't anybody's fault. It happens in war! I knew this and you knew this! So grow up and accept it! I'm gone!" Ghost Ron yelled at the sobbing girl. "No you're not real! You're not him! He would never say those things! He LOVED ME!!!" Hermione screamed as she stood up and stomped towards the imposter ready to kill. "That's just what you think you Mud blood BITCH!" The voice hissed. "Get out!" Hermione screamed as she pulled out her wand. She waved it once at the person and there masking charm melted off. There stood Eric Zabini (Blaise's dad, he's still evil. While Blaise and his mom came over to the light with Narcissia and Draco Malfoy). "You BASTARD!" a voice yelled as Hermione fell to the ground unconscious. The last thing she saw was a bright light and footsteps coming towards her.
As Hermione woke up she could smell cooking. "What happened?" she asked as she pulled her head up to a room full of people staring at her. "Hey you okay?" Ginny asked from above Hermione patting her hair. "Yeah I just don't remember what happened." She said as she sat up next to Ginny. "Well we were giving you time to be alone with… Him one last time and we heard you scream and when Fred got there Eric Zabini was standing over you. He's gone now." Ginny explained with a comforting smile. "Oh" Hermione said making her mouth a perfect 'o'. Mrs. Weasley walked into the room. "Oh good Hermione you're up!" Mrs. Weasley said coming to give her a hug. "Yes, thank you" Hermione said as Mrs. Weasley handed her a cup of tea. "So who's ready to eat?" Mrs. Weasley asked with a big smile.
It was obvious that they were all trying to move on and live life without Ron around. To Hermione it was a slap in the face from reality. "Actually I'm not that hungry I'm just going to go lie down for awhile" Hermione said as she got up off the couch with a great amount of effort. As she walked up the stairs she was hit by a terrible dizzy spell. She grabbed on to the railing for balance and continued walking. Everyone watch silently form the living room. As she disappeared behind Ginny's door they all exchanged nervous glances. "She's too skinny! She almost fell down the stairs and could barely get up off the couch!" Ginny exclaimed outraged. "What can we do?" Fred asked quietly. "I don't know but we have to do something!" Ginny said confusion clouding her brain. "We could force her to eat!" Ginny exclaimed jumping up. "That'll go over well." Harry mumbled. "I don't see you come up with anything better!" Ginny shouted as she rounded on him. "No Gin, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that we have to do something without her knowing or she'll push us all away." Harry said panicking for a moment. "Oh yeah, guess you're right" Ginny sighed as she sat back down. "What's her favorite food?" George asked. "Triple Peanut-Butter Chocolate ice cream" Harry said trying to understand the random outburst. "Why do you want to know?" Mrs. Weasley asked the younger twin. "Because if we buy her, her favorite food she'll think it would be rude if she didn't eat it." Fred explained still staring off into space. "Oh George you're a GENIOUS!" Ginny yelled as she leapt into his arms. "I know" George said in mock cockiness.
The next day Fred and George woke up at 6:30 so that they would be able to get to muggle London, get the ice cream, and make it back before Hermione woke up. As George was getting ready, Fred crept down the stairs as quiet as possible buy, with the squeaky floorboards that was nearly impossible. When he got the third floor landing he walked over to Ginny's bedroom. He opened the door just wide enough so he could see inside to check on Hermione. When he saw her she was shaking violently in her bed. No doubt from a nightmare involving his deceased brother. He walked into the room and sat on her bed. "Hey 'Mione wake up it's only a dream" He said trying to soothe the young girl awake. He looked over his shoulder to check to see if Ginny was awake. She wasn't in her bed. 'She must be with Harry' Fred thought to himself. "Hermione, come on wake up it's just a nightmare" he tried again.
By this time George walked into the room hearing Fred's quiet voice. Hermione was now shaking so bad the bed was moving and she had tears streaming down her face. "Fred what's wrong?" George asked alarmed. "Hermione, she's having a bad dream and won't wake up. "Stay here why I go get some water for her" Fred said as he hurtled out the door and down the stairs. "Hermione wake up! Come on!" George whispered as he grabbed Hermione and pulled her into a hug. "George what's wrong?" Ginny asked as she crept through her door just as Fred ran in with a glass of water. Hermione stopped shaking as she woke up sobbing into George's shirt. "Hey, it's okay now, it's all over" George soothed rubbing small circles in Hermione's back. "I tried to save him but I couldn't!" Hermione wailed but the sound was muffled by George. "We're all okay, we're here." Fred said as he sat down beside George patting Hermione's hair which was matted to her head. She sat up and took a few deep breaths' to steady her breathing. "Thanks" she said in a hoarse voice. "Usually I wake her, but I wasn't in here Hermione I'm so sorry!" Ginny exclaimed as she ran to her best friend and hugged her, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Well we're just gonna go now" Fred said as he pulled George up along with himself. "Where're you guys going?" Hermione asked rubbing her cheeks with the back of her hand. "To get some things" The twins said in unison. "Oh, can I… Could I come with you?" Hermione asked as Ginny got up. "Yeah, that would be fun!" George said as Fred and Ginny gave him identical glares. "Okay" Hermione said as she got out of bed and walked to her trunk and pulled out jeans and a t-shirt. "Be right out." Hermione said as she shut the door and quickly changed.
When they got to muggle London, they went to the local grocery store to buy the ice cream. "What're you getting in here?" Hermione asked confused. "Our favorite ice cream, Triple Peanut Butter Chocolate" Fred lied quickly. "Oh that's my favorite too!" Hermione exclaimed as her eyes flashed happily for the first time in a week. "Cool" George said as he smiled at her. "Well let's get some!" Hermione exclaimed as she ran towards the frozen food aisle, happy for the first time in as long as she could remember. All she could remember about herself ever since IT happened was being sad. Maybe she would be alright after all.