In response to one of my reviewers: No Weasleys were fried in the making of this chapter. ;)
Australia pt. 2
July 2, 1998
Dear Luna and Neville,
George is commandeering on my bed as I write this letter. Dad invited him to spend some time with us stating that he knew what deep hole George found himself in. As of now it just means that he's brooding in our place instead of the Burrow. I'm still expecting to see results.
To put your mind to rest let me tell you that I'm not exhausting myself studying into oblivion. Neither mum nor Baba would let me and mostly I study when I'm not knitting in Baba's house. Baba was the witch that reversed the memory charm on my parents and as such, they have become close, to the point where Baba's house is my parent's house too so I stay with her when my parents are out. She's good company and study partner when she's not forcing me to nap. I still don't understand how I can be mothered when I'm soon to be a mother myself.
Anyways, NEWTs won't kill me as long as I keep to schedule. My parents can try to interfere with it but it really isn't more than what I have studied before. I keep a healthy diet and take all my medicines to the hour. I keep my day stress free and everything in balance so as not to harm the baby.
Neville, thank you so much for the gifts. Evangeline's room is coming out very nicely, I have a feeling the stuffed animals you sent will be very much loved when Evangeline starts playing with them. She kicks up the biggest fuzz when I put one of them next to her.
I'm happy to know that things in England are turning out nicely and Hogwarts will be able to reopen again this fall. Don't forget to take time for yourselves and heal too.
Love,
Hermione Granger
July 5, 1998
I slide into my seat and chug down all the morning potions I had to take. George was standing next to the oven with mum learning how to cook muggle style and dad was reading the newspaper.
"Hermione darling, your mum won't be able to go with you to your doctor's appointment so I'll be going with you."
I nod at dad. "Sure."
George hummed from the stove. "Why do you need a healer Hermione?"
"Just a routine check-up," I answer. Not a lie.
"And the crib? The baby clothes?" I sip my tea and look anywhere but at George. "Are you pregnant Hermione?"
"And what if I was?"
George shrugged. "Nothing. I was just wondering."
"Good answer George."
Mum set down my plate and I tucked in. It was a nice breakfast and I took notice of George's healthier parlor.
"Australia agrees with you George." I point out. He was tanner and more filled out.
Mum grins. She had been the one to take George around while dad was busy. He was an honorary assistant in their office and a very well-fed guest at Casa Granger. Baba had taken one look at him and set him to work around her house. That woman seemed to know everything. She worked him till he was tired then poured tea down his throat and made him talk about his sorrows. I sat quietly during these moments and sipped my own tea. I didn't have much to contribute to the conversation.
"Ready to go Hermione darling?"
"Yes, dad."
July 5, 1998
Curses flew in front of the hospital and I returned fire as fiercely as they sent them to me.
"Protego Horribilis! Deprimo! Silencio!"
The shield charm stepped in front of my father and the rest went towards our attackers. Death Eaters were out trying to get one last hit in but I wasn't about to be overtaken so easily. I didn't survive the bloody war to fall to some no-name cowards.
"Sectumsempra." The wizard went flying but I didn't regret taking another life for a second. Not when I had innocents to protect.
"Granger move!" I slid away from the curse that was sent my way and I went back to back with George.
We cast spells in tandem. It was a familiar dance to us, one that we had performed too many times before Australian Aurors popped into the scene and helped take down the resistance.
I see the red light coming but am unable to avoid it. The pain felt as if a million knives were stabbing me. It was the same excruciating pain I had endured not so long ago.
I screamed. Every inch of me hurt and everything blacked out.
July 5, 1998
"Someone get some healers out here!"
"She's going to bleed out!"
"Hold on Hermione. Just hold on."
"Pour those potions into her. We will not be responsible for losing a War Hero."
"Everyone move away!"
"We're losing her!"
"HERMIONE!"
July 10, 1998
A breeze swept into the room as the door opened. I didn't look at the newcomers, instead preferring to look at the charmed view outside.
"Hey, Hermione. How are you?"
I didn't say a word to him.
"Hermione, you can't shut us out. We're trying to help."
"Evangeline had been dying since she was born Neville. It's a miracle she's made it this far." I tilt my head towards him. "Do you know what Madame Pomphrey said when she told me I was pregnant? That she was a high-risk pregnancy. One wrong move and she would be gone."
"That doesn't change the fact that Evangeline has made it this far. She will make it to term. Evangeline is as stubborn as her mother."
I don't respond to his words instead turn the conversation around. "I want my textbooks."
Neville cringed away from me. "The Healers say that you need rest, Hermione. Studying for NEWTs is the opposite of resting."
I look at him blankly. "I only need my Potions textbook and my notes. Do it Neville or I'll have one of the guards fetch it for me."
"Speaking of guards, how did you get those?"
The Aurors on the door shifted as they tried to look like they weren't blatantly eavesdropping. "The Ministry put them on bodyguard duty until I'm well enough. Don't try to distract me, Neville. I plan on taking my Potion NEWT as soon as I can."
"That's the thing! You don't need NEWTs. Everyone and their mother knows that you could pass them without studying right now and still receive the highest score in history. Just focus on getting better. For you, for Evangeline, Hermione."
"I am thinking of my daughter Neville. How am I supposed to heal her if I don't have the funds to research? She has seizures inside my womb Neville. What the hell do you expect me to do?"
"Let me take care of it! You're my friend Hermione Granger. Let someone else take care of you for a change."
I glare at the man. "You want to help me? Get me my notes. Until then get out."
"You're impossible!"
Luna laid a hand on Neville. "Let her do as she wants Neville. This is Hermione's way of dealing with the situation. It won't kill her to study."
"It might kill the baby." He snapped at her.
I harden my eyes at him. "Get out."
Regret entered his eyes just as fast as the words left his mouth. "Hermione—"
"I said get out!"
Luna dragged Neville away and I was left on my own again. The window was showing a seaside view but all I could see where the dead people in Highland Scotland. There was a woman with pink hair and a teen with mousy hair. I could still hear Dennis' screams as he shouted for his brother.
The bed dipped and I stare into the blue eyes of George Weasley until he too looked away. "The dead never leave us alone do they?"
"No," I murmur, "they don't."
"You know what pissed me off the most about this whole thing?" I shook my head. "We were just kids. You, me, the bloody first years. We were all just kids. And no one did anything to prepare us. Because we were just 'kids'. Funny how that turned out. Our generation took the biggest hit."
My hands bunched the sheets between my fingers. "I just want it all to end. I don't want to add another name to the list of people we've lost."
"It'll never end but I can live with it if you're there too."
"Misery loves company?" I don't know but there was more emotion in me than just anger and apathy.
George's arm came around me and we both relaxed into the bed. "Something like that Granger, something like that."
We stayed like that for hours. The sun reached its peak in the charmed window and I felt somewhat at peace. I wasn't alone.
July 11, 1998
"We know that these are hard news to hear Miss Granger but we thought it to be prudent to bring it up now that you are more stable."
I nod at the Head Healer in charge of my case. There were no feelings in my body. It was all just a sea of white noise to me. "Will she live?"
The Healer didn't look at me as he delivered the prognosis. "We will do everything in our power to save your daughter's life Miss Granger but we cannot guarantee anything. By our observations and your descriptions, we hypothesize that there was a protective magic barrier around the fetus during your time in the war. Now that you're out of the war mentality we think that your body thought it to be time to drop the magic barrier."
And with no barrier, there was nothing to protect Evangeline. Bile rose in my throat. I failed her. Again. I failed my daughter again.
The Healer continued speaking. "You were held under the Cruciatus for anywhere from thirty seconds to a minute. The exposure was minimal but to a fetus body. We don't know yet what effects the curse will have for the baby long term. Most women lose their children after being exposed to the curse so there is still hope yet Miss Granger."
"I see."
"We would only like to keep you under observation for a couple of weeks to ensure that you have the best care at your disposal should you need it." Dr. Matt laid his hand on my shoulder. "We will do the best we can Miss Granger." With that, he left the room and I was alone with my thoughts again.
For the first time in weeks, I allow myself to cry.
July 12, 1998
"Here's the book you wanted. Mind if I studied with you? I want to take my NEWTs too. It might help me stop blowing things up."
"I thought you were mourning Fred." There wasn't a hint of the bottomless despair I allowed myself to enter last night.
"I was. Seeing you under the Cruciatus curse though, it put things into perspective. You're alive and I need to live for the living. I reckon Fred won't forgive me otherwise."
I turn to face the red head. "How do you do it? How do you find a reason to live?"
George shrugged. "That's something you have to figure out yourself Hermione." He stood up from the bed and stretched. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to get something to eat. There's no way I'm studying if they are no snacks involved. I'll even let these ladies over here-" he pointed at the guards, "know about the Extendable Ear. They might be more discrete on their eavesdropping then."
A small smile crack through as one of the women's ear goes red at being caught red handed. Really, didn't these people know we were soldiers once? We knew when we were being eavesdropped. A silencing spell would have been thrown into the room if we wanted privacy.
George left but another person popped in. It was Neville and he had a bouquet of flowers in his hands.
I stare at him and he hid behind the arrangement. "Look I just want to apologize. It was rude-" I glare at him, "Ok I was an arsehole for suggesting that you would endanger Eva's life but I had a good reason. Not that it excuses it or anything! I just wanted you to not hate yourself if Evangeline didn't make it."
I blink away tears and focus on the lapels of Neville's robe. "I would never hurt my daughter Neville. That you would think otherwise hurt."
"I know," he rushed to apologize, "and I'm sorry. I was just trying to look after you but I did it in the worse way possible-"
The rest of his apology went over my head. Pain shot through my system as Evangeline moved inside of me. Knives stabbed my lower half and a guttural scream came out.
"Hermione! Someone call a healer!"
Vaguely I noted that the sheets were wet. Maybe it was piss or blood but my brain was under too much pain to think logically.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
My body went rigid and Healers invaded the room. A potion was coaxed into my throat and I stared at the room's white ceiling.
July 20, 1998
Dear Harry,
This letter will never reach you because I don't have the guts to send it to you. You owled me yesterday and I wrote you a reply. I asked you to visit me but I don't know if I want you here.
These past months have been hard. I haven't told you yet but I'm pregnant. It's yours Harry, and I'm terrified of telling you in person. I know you won't forgive me for keeping the baby a secret from you but it's for the best. In two months I'll know if Evangeline will live and if she does then I'll shout it to the world that you're a father. If she doesn't…then you won't have to live with the knowledge that you lost another family member to this war.
I wish you were here Harry but I would never want you to see me like this. Not because I give a shite what I look like but because you don't deserve to know that your daughter is dying and it's my fault.
I should have thought to use a morning after pill or whatever its magical equivalent is. I should've known that I was pregnant and high-tailed out of there, come to Australia with my parents and help you win the war from a safe location. I shouldn't have endangered our daughter's life like that and I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry.
Now I'm dealing with the consequences. I could lose Evangeline at any moment and it would all be my fault. I hope that whatever you're doing Harry, you're happy. I say that in the best way possible. At least one of us deserves to be.
July 30, 1998
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday! Hopefully, you'll get this letter this letter in time if not the belated Happy Birthday. You can finally be considered an adult in both worlds. Do me a favor take a shot for me?
Sorry, I have to miss your birthday but I'm stuck here in Australia for a couple more months. It's too bad that you or Ron can't visit but I'm sure that those parties in Great Britain are a good enough reason to stay away as any! We won. We more than deserve to celebrate. I just prefer to do it from the comfort of my home with a good book in my lap. Now that's heaven for me.
I didn't think you would appreciate a book as an eighteen birthday present so instead, I got you a present that you would have loved to get instead. Hope you have a fantastic birthday. I can't wait to hear from you and Ron to tell me all about it. I want all the dirty details.
Love,
Hermione Granger
Hello everyone! Here's another chapter of The Brightest Witch. Hit follow and comment down below!
