19

Finding a Way Home.

Hermione was glad to see Mrs. Weasley. She was even happier to hear nothing had happened to Ron. She however had no idea why Mrs. Weasley would come to visit her. She did not want to sound rude but she still asked.

"It's good to see you Mrs. Weasley. May I ask why you have come to see me?"

"Hermione dear, how many times must I ask you to call me Molly?" Mrs. Weasley sat next to Hermione and gently put her arm on her shoulder. "I am here because my daughter might need me."

Hermione smiled sadly. "Your daughter is at Hogwarts finishing her last year of school Molly."

"Hermione, you have been my other daughter for years now. I shouldn't have to explain that to you. You are also going to be my daughter in law very soon as well."

Hermione shook her head. Apparently Ron had not told her they were no longer together. She was not sure how to break the news to Molly, and she was not surprised at how much it hurt her to say it.

"Mrs. Wea- Molly, I am sorry Ron has not told you, but we are no longer together." Hermione once again felt herself starting to cry. She did not want to cry in front of Mrs. Weasley, but of all the things she had lost over the last couple of weeks, losing Ron hurt the most.

Molly hugged Hermione and for the next few minutes she just let her cry.

When Hermione's tears started to slow down Molly spoke to her gently.

"Hermione, Ron told me about the fight."

Hermione bowed her head, ashamed. She was ashamed at what she had said to Ron at Grimwauld Place. She was even more ashamed that Molly knew what she had said.

Molly took Hermione's chin gently and raised her head so she could look into her eyes.

"Hermione, nothing you said was so horrible that it cannot be forgiven…"

"Molly, Harry asked me to leave! Ginny sent me an owl letting me know she wanted nothing to do with me." Hermione started crying again

Harry had told Molly he had told Hermione it was best she leave. He did not let her take her things because all he wanted was for Hermione and Ron to calm down. They both had said some very harsh things in anger. Nothing would have been accomplished had they continued to fight. Harry never dreamed that she would not come back. Harry felt terrible that Hermione had stopped talking to anyone in the Wizarding world. Ginny's letter did not seem too harsh to Molly, however she could see in her state, how Hermione might have misinterpreted Ginny's message. All Ginny was saying was she wanted to see the old Hermione and find out what was bothering her.

Harry and Ron said they felt whatever had set Hermione off had to do with the case she was working on involving Hogwarts. They would not give her any details other than to tell her it was a very rough case and Hermione had started getting depressed when she started working the case.

"Hermione," she said in a soothing voice. "Harry was not asking you to leave permanently. He just wanted to separate, you and Ron. He felt too much had already been said in anger, and anymore and either you or Ron would have gone too far. Ginny is just as concerned about her friend. She says you have sent the last three letters she sent you back unopened."

What Molly told her made sense. She could not miss that Molly said nothing about Ron. He was the one she needed to forgive her the most. She also knew Ron would never forgive her for the things she said. Ron had always felt he was not good enough for her. Though she never said the words, she knew that was what she was about to say when she stopped herself. She was lashing out at the time. Lashing out over what had been done to one of her close friends, what had been done at what she had thought was safe place. She lashed out at the one person she would always lash out at, Ron. She had to ask.

"I've lost him haven't I?"

"Lost who dear?" Molly knew she was asking about Ron.

"Ron", Hermione whispered.

"Hermione, I will not lie to you."

Hermione looked down at her lap. She did not want to hear what Molly had to say. She did need to know things were through so she could begin to move on.

"What you said hurt Ron very much. Look at me."

Hermione looked up.

"Ron loves you more than anything" Molly continued. "He also knows that men and woman fight. That is all this is Hermione, a fight. Ron never ended the engagement. You did"

Hermione nodded. "I'm starting to feel like there might be some hope for you."

"Hermione why don't you tell me what has gotten you so upset. I know it has nothing to do with Ron."

That was all Hermione needed, over the next half hour she told Molly everything. From finding the first victim, to discovering there were more victims last year. To finding out it was Benedict and some friends that were doing this and finally the fact that she would have to make Luna relive one of the worse things in her life.

After hearing everything Hermione said. She assured Hermione that Luna would need to share what happened to her with someone, the help her heal. She also told Hermione she was glad that it was Hermione, and not some stranger that would be talking to her. Molly then invited Hermione to dinner at the Burrow Friday night. She said she would make sure that no one from the family would arrive until she and Ron had a chance to talk. The last thing Molly told her before she left was "Don't you even think about leaving the Wizarding world. If anyone deserves to be a part of our world, you do."

She was sure that once she had a chance to talk with Ron she would be able to fix things between them. She also sent Luna an owl, letting her know she would be at Hogwarts the day after tomorrow, and she needed to speak with her. For the first time in a very long time, Hermione did not cry herself to sleep.

****

Hermione could not believe how much Molly's talk with her helped to bring her out of the depression she knew she had been slipping into. She did not realize how much finding out about the attacks at Hogwarts had affected her. One of the first things she did was to apologize to Harry for the night she and Ron had fought. Harry told her no apology was necessary. He and Ron were worried about her and he was glad to see she was doing better. He asked if she had talked to Ron. She informed him she would talk to Ron before the family dinner on Friday night and she hoped she would be able to make things right with him. Harry told her that Ron had been heartbroken since she had left and would forgive her.

After making things right with Harry, Hermione once again disappeared. This time however it was not because she was hiding from her friends. She had to prepare for her interview with Luna. She spent the next couple of days meeting with both rape counselors and prosecutors. The rape counselors helped to give her an idea on how to approach Luna during the interview. The prosecutors let her know how she would have to question Luna. Unfortunately she would not be able to tell Luna about what she knew. She would have to get Luna to confide in her, and tell her what had happened to her.

Hermione knew after talking to the experts that the interview with Luna would be very tough. She would have to have Luna give her a detailed account of everything that had happened to her. According to the rape counselors Luna would in effect, be reliving what had been done to her. Hermione decided that she would make a video of the interview as well. Hopefully this would keep her from having to testify in open court. Hermione was not looking forward to questioning Luna, but she knew it had to be done.

Before she knew it was time to conduct one of the most important interviews in her young career. She took her time setting up the video equipment, and she had thought carefully how she would approach Luna. Soon there was a knock on the Headmistresses door, and Luna stepped in.