Chapter 3 Saying Goodbye

When Harry woke up the next morning, he noticed something heavy on his chest. A mass of bushy brown came into view as he put on his glasses. He laid there simply hold Hermione, finding simple peace and joy in doing so. About half an hour later there was a knock on the door, and on opening revealed Moony, who saw that Hermione was in bed with him, turned to leave but Harry waved him in.

"I don't want to disturb anything" whispered Moony, trying not to laugh.

"It's not what you think, you old wolf. She didn't want to be alone last night and came in looking for comfort. As a friend I offered it."

"You would make you mother proud and your father fodder to tease you with."

"What did you want anyway?'

"No more than to wish you Happy Birthday and to let you know that it's already nine o'clock and that the service for Hermione's parents is in two hours. Dobby made breakfast. I'll send him up with some."

Moon left and Harry slowly and quietly got up so as not to disturb Hermione. Grabbing clean underwear, he went into his bath and showered quickly. Fifteen minutes later, he emerged to find Dobby arriving in the room with a tray of breakfast. Harry went to wake Hermione.

"Hermione."

"Ummm?"

"Hermione, it's time to get up. Dobby has breakfast for us. Come on."

Hermione sat up and stretched. Suddenly her eyes flew open as she remembered whose room she was in. Harry could see the panic in her eyes and grabbed her as she tried to fly out the door.

"You don't need to panic. Nothing happened. Calm down. That's it, just relax" as she melted into his arms. "Now eat some breakfast or Dobby will get upset and you really don't want that do you?"

"Miss Hermione, Dobby is sorry to hear about your family. Dobby is here to help you, Harry Potter and his Wheezy's any way Dobby can. The headmistress sent Dobby to help. Please eat the food that Dobby fixed. See all of Miss Hermione's favorites", showing her by lifting the cloth, that he had indeed, made her favorites in trying to tempt her to eat.

"Thank you Dobby, I am a little hungry." Dobby placed the tray on the bed, where they both could reach it.

"Does Miss Hermione need anything else from Dobby?"

"No, not right now but thank you."

Harry joined Hermione on the bed and in eating. Within ten minutes the food was gone and most of it eaten by Hermione. Dobby seem to sense when the tray was empty, for he appeared with Hermione's clothes, laid them on the bed, and disappeared with the tray. Hermione flushed slightly.

"Go ahead and use my bath 'Mione. I'm done with it." She quickly grabbed her clothes and ran into the bath, shutting the door. Harry dressed quickly, in his new muggle suit, while she was in there. Finished he left the room and went downstairs into the kitchen, where Moony and Tonks were talking quietly to each other. He sat down at the table and Dobby brought him a cup of tea, seeing both looking at him with the same unspoken question.

"She fine and getting ready. By the way, how are we getting there?"

"The Ministry is loaning us the use of a diplomatic limo, complete with driver."

They sat in silence for a few minutes when Harry finally said "Moony, I would like for you to come to that meeting I have tomorrow morning."

"I can do that."

"I also want to take my apparation test tomorrow and I need to go to Gringotts soon."

"No problem."

At that moment Hermione walked into the room and sat down next to Harry. Dobby brought her a cup of tea as well and she gave him a small smile. A crack from the drawing room revealed the twins arrival. They, too, were wearing muggle suits of navy blue.

"The others aren't ready yet" asked Fred.

"I heard them moving around before I came down" answered Hermione and after ten minutes of silence, Bill and Fleur came into the kitchen and told the twins that Ginny wasn't feeling well and that she wasn't going. The twins immediately went upstairs to get her. Another ten minutes later a very irate Ginny, with Fred and George behind her, came downstairs. Everyone then got up and left the house for the two block walk to meet the limo. Ginny seemed to be trying to walk off her anger. Fred confided in Harry that Ginny had felt that she didn't need to go since the rest of the family was and had got angry when George told her that since Hermione had come to their family service that they were going to do the same and proceeded to dress her themselves, but making sure that she didn't have her wand or the would be hexed into outer space. She was embarrassed and that's why she was angry.

They reached the limo and all climbed in to find an enlargement charm at work so that they could all fit comfortably. A short ride in the magical car brought them to the church where the services were to be held. The service itself was short and Hermione held Harry's hand through out the whole thing. Harry noticed a few people that he recognized, surprised to see them at a muggle funeral. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, Mad-Eye Moody and a couple of other Hogwarts professors that he didn't know but Hermione probably did. He wasn't even sure if Hermione knew that they were there. After the service, the ride to the cemetery was done in silence, but once the limo stopped and she got out, Hermione started crying. Harry literally had to guide her to the grave site and set her in a chair. The caskets were in place and the minister said the blessing, Hermione was gently crying, but when the started to lower the bodies she lost all control. It took all of Harry's strength to hold her back from jumping in. She fought against his grip, yelling at him to let her go, but he held on until she collapsed in his arms sobbing. He lifted her in his arms and carried her back to the limo, the others following them. On the ride home, Hermione gave into her fatigue and slept in Harry's arms. As the limo dropped them off near home, Harry carried her all the way up the stairs, placing her in his room, where Dobby was straightening up the mess from yesterday.

"Dobby, can you make her more comfortable while I go change?"

Yes Harry Potter, sir."

Harry grabbed some clothes and went into the bath to change. By the time that he came out Hermione's clothes were changed and Dobby was hanging her dress in the closet, next to his dress robes. She was under a blanket, still asleep. Dobby came and took the suit from Harry and hung it up as well.

"Harry Potter, sir. Dobby would like to wish you a happy birthday on this sad day for Miss Hermione and Dobby has a present for Harry Potter." Harry really expected socks but instead received a book on magical cooking.

"Thank You Dobby, this will come in handy."

"Dobby is glad that Harry Potter likes it. Dobby will go see about lunch now" and left with a crack. Harry laid the book down on the desk and went to check on Hermione. Satisfied that she was alright, he left and went down to the kitchen where a birthday lunch awaited him. Platters of sandwiches, jugs of pumpkin juice and in the middle of the table a large birthday cake. The look on everyone's faces was "How is she?" "She's asleep" he answered all of them.

Moony came and gave Harry a hug and said "We know it's been a trying couple of days, but we really didn't want to postpone your birthday. They wouldn't have wanted that" referring to those that had died. He led Harry to the center of the table, right in front of the cake where a pile of presents appeared. Fleur placed a sandwich in front of him and told him to go ahead and open his gifts. The twins gave him an assortment of things from their shop; Mad-Eye, a bag that looked like his school bag but had several compartments in it to store things, including a refrigerated one for food; Ginny, who was not present, a book on Quidditch tactics; Bill and Fleur, a book on curse breaking and a money bag that would withdraw money directly from his vault; Hagrid, a coat made of dragonhide, Hungarian Horntail to be precise; Professor McGonagall, a book on Occlumency, Dumbledore's pensive and vials of memories and a key. Harry held it up and Bill answered his unspoken question.

"It's a gift from Dumbledore and my parents. They rebuilt Godric's Hallow with Dumbledore financing and my parents restoring some of the furniture and painting some of the rooms. They had hoped to have it done by now. To get there, just tap the key with your wand and it will portkey you to the house. After that you can apparate or floo."

Tears filled Harry eyes as Bill talked. No matter what, this was the best present that he had ever had. After eating a sandwich and a piece of cake, he grabbed a second sandwich, put it on a plate and carried it upstairs to his room along with his presents. As he walked in Hermione woke up. She sat up looking around, totally confused as to where she was at. Harry put everything down and went to her and said "Hermione, it's alright. Your back at Grimmauld Place, its okay" as he held her. "I brought you a sandwich. You need to eat" while levitating the plate to her. He gave her a quick hug as she started to eat and got up to put his presents away.

"Oh, Harry. I forgot, today's your birthday. I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it; you've had a lot happen to you and a lot to think about. It's no big deal."

"But I already have your present, just let me go get it" and she jumped up and left the room. She returned with a very small box and placed it on the bed. She pointed her wand at it and enlarged the box to its original size, which filled a quarter of the bed. "Well don't just stand there. Open it."

Harry gave her another quick hug and opened the box. Inside was an assortment of muggle clothes that looked like they would actually fit.

"If they don't fit we can return them for some that do. You deserve some nice stuff and to get rid of those "hand me downs" of your cousins" said Hermione

"They're perfect and Thank You. No one has ever done something like this for me."

"You're the nicest person I know, Harry and I really should thank you for all you've done to help me, get through these past couple of days."

"It's no more than what you would have done for me or anyone else."

"I would hope so"

"We need to talk about what to do next now that Ron is gone, but it can wait until tomorrow when I get back from my Apparation test and my meeting at the Ministry."

"What meeting?"

Harry told her about the letter and that neither he nor Remus knew what it was about since he was now of age. The rest of the day was spent with helping Hermione heal, letting her talk, laugh, cry about her parents, and the Weasley's and her life with them.