The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.
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So I was going along minding my own business when my good friend gave me a book to read. The first in a series of novels by Janet Evanovich about a bounty hunter named Stephanie Plum.
Did you know that there are 15 books in that series and of course I had to read all 15!
Between that and the start of school it has been crazier than usual here in the cesspool formerly known as New Orleans. Please forgive the tardiness of this update.
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Charlie handed Ron the same portkey he had used to both attend the memorial service and return them back to Charlie's flat. Ron looked at the crumbled diet soda can, then back to his brother.
"It would be better if no one found that." Charlie was looking at the crumbled can. "It is not exactly legal. I did not want to take the chance of Percy getting suspicious."
Ron nodded, "Okay, then I will be going then. Look, Charlie, if you need me or Monica don't hesitate okay?"
Charlie gave his youngest brother a small smile. "Maybe someday this will all be over and Hermione will able to go home and kiss that daughter of yours."
Ron felt the portkey begin to vibrate and the rush of color and sound surrounded him. He landed behind the shed in his parents' yard. It was still light out and he heard voices coming from the kitchen. Ron opened the door and walked over to his wife and child. Monica with the baby in her arms, stood when he approached. Ron wrapped his family in his arms and held on to them for all he was worth.
After a while Ron felt calm enough to think he looked around. "Where is everyone?"
Monica shifted the baby into her left arm so that she could keep her right around Ron's waist. "George is out by Fred and your Mum is upstairs lying down."
Baby Jane was rooting against Monica's breast and starting to fuss. Ron smiled at his daughter, she had his appetite. "Where is Percy?" He had to work hard to keep the anger out of his voice.
"He left right after you did. He mentioned something about giving an interview to the Daily Prophet." Monica sounded disgusted. "She hasn't been gone a week and that prat is already working his P.R."
"Let's go home love; I just want to be with my two favorite girls." Ron had already grabbed the baby's diaper bag.
"We should say goodbye to your Mum first." Monica was rocking her fussy daughter.
Ron bolted up the stairs and back down again before Monica had a chance to pull on her cloak. Ron was panting from the exertion. "Mum wants us for dinner on Sunday," was all he said before they headed home.
Charlie was anxious about checking on Hermione. He knew she could work up quite a temper and he had gone against her wishes and brought Ron to see her. Charlie was making sure the doors and windows were secure, he was stalling. Trying to rationalize his actions Charlie kept repeating to himself that it was for the best. After all Hermione had not expressly forbidden him from having his family over for a visit and it wasn't his fault that she called out to Ron. Actually, it was all Hermione's fault when one thought about it. If she had kept quite Ron would never have know she was in the flat. Yes, he decided that was it as he walked into the bedroom.
Charlie looked down at the small woman in his bed. Her face was pinched and the brusing was fading. Her eyes were shut but Charlie could tell by her breathing she was not asleep.
"Do you want some dinner?" He did not want to discuss anything more difficult that meal choice.
"No, thanks, but Charlie I can not thank you enough for bring him here." Charlie sat down gently next her on the bed. He took her hand in his and smiled.
"I just wanted someone else to know that you are safe." Charlie reached up and pushed an errant curl out of her face.
"I missed him the most." Her voice sounded exhausted. He could tell that it took great effort for her to get the words out. "Watching Ron and Monica together always filled me with hope. They love each other so much; I hoped that I would someday find that same kind of love."
Hermione's eyes filled with tears. "Who would want me now? I am nothing, not worthy of anyone loving. He made sure I knew that."
Charlie's eyes flashed as he threw up his hands and he clenched his jaw to keep from screaming in anger. "Don't say that ever again. Percy is unworthy. You are amazing. Any man would be lucky to have you in their life. Do you understand me?"
Hermione cringed at his harsh tone of voice; she was trying to make herself as small as possible, to disappear.
Charlie realized his colossal mistake the moment the words were out of his mouth. He was completely at a loss as what to do. When he tried to hold her, she shrank away from him. If he tried to touch her face she closed her eyes as if she was waiting for him to hit her.
The pure hate he felt for his brother was only equal to the self loathing he had for scaring Hermione.
Charlie did not move he spoke very softly making certain not to startle the cowering creature in front of him. "Hermione, I am so sorry. I did not mean to yell. I can not believe he has done this to you…please forgive me!"
Hermione relaxed when her defensive instincts proved to be unnecessary. When the sense of panic dissipated, she was left with a deep anger. "How did this happen to me? I truly want to understand."
Charlie took her hand again. "I 'm here with you; time has a way of making sense of things."
Hermione squeezed his hand, "You have given me time. Thank you."
Monica noticed that as soon as they left the Burrow and returned home Ron did not put their daughter down. She watched carefully as the man she loved sought comfort in loving Jane. Monica knew Ron must have had an extremely important reason for leaving her alone this afternoon. Something was very wrong. Monica stood in the doorway and watched Ron gently rock Jane to sleep. Once he put her in the bassinet, Monica reach for his hand and together they walked to the kitchen.
Monica had poured they both a glass of red wine and gave Ron his when he sat down. She knew he needed to talk and she waited for him to find the words.
Monica sipped her wine and tried counting backwards from two hundred but her curiosity got the better of her. "Ron just tell me. Nothing could be so horrible that we can't face it."
Ron looked at his wife she was the exact opposite of Hermione in many ways, she was taller and had straight fine black hair, her eyes were bright blue and she loved to fly. Ron knew that in all the ways that truly counted Monica and Hermione were alike, they both had a fierce love of knowledge, they were voracious readers and could spend hours on discussions of obscure literary points. They were as close as sisters and Hermione's death had destroyed Monica. It was only having Jane had kept her grounded.
Monica could not take anymore, "I know you miss Hermione, I do too it that what is eating away at you?"
Ron took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "Charlie took me to see Hermione, Monica she did not die."
Monica sat still for ten full seconds before she jumped to her feet. "What? Where is she? I have got to go to her!"
Ron continued, "Charlie got her out before the blaze." His head was shaking as Monica was rushing around the kitchen trying to organize herself to leave. "No, sweetheart, you don't understand, Charlie has her in hiding, she is hiding from Percy."
Monica stopped and turned to look at her husband. "That is just stupid, why would Hermione hide from her husband? Ron I don't understand."
Ron stood up and crossed to Monica, who was leaning against the kitchen counter for support. He wrapped in a hug and they walked back to the table. Ron pulled out her chair and she sat. Ron then went to his dress robes that were in the bedroom and came back with the packet that Charlie had given him. Monica looked confused when he handed the packet to her.
"What is this?" she was glancing between the packet and Ron. She realized Ron had tears in his eyes when he said. "Just read it and you'll understand."
Ron sat next to his wife as the horror of what she was reading registered in her mind.
"Ron, how could he? Is she okay? I need to see her please!" Monica was sobbing in Ron's arms when she finished studying the packet.
Ron was smoothing her hair wiping away her tears, "Charlie is taking care of her. We have to be very careful that we don't make Percy specious. Monica, do you think there is any legal recourse for Hermione. I want Percy to pay for what he has done."
"Well it all depends, the packet of evidence is damning but not enough, if Hermione were strong enough to testify, then yes I think so." Monica's legal brain was working in overdrive.
Ron nodded. "Then she needed to heal and get stronger. Charlie will make sure that she does just that!"
Monica put all of the notes and pictures back in to the packet and placed the packet into her sealed briefcase. Then she held out her hand to Ron. "Hold me?" They walked together to their bedroom and as they both tried to sleep Monica kept mumbling, "I should have known something was wrong."
Ron spooned against her back and kissed the back of her neck. "I should have too."