I had rushed out the moment after the funeral. I ran as fast as I could, hoping to escape the fact there was no denying. Hermione, my best friend and the brightest witch of her age, was gone. Hermione, who always stuck around, who always was with us no matter how we tried to get rid of her, would no longer be there for me. I felt awful about all the times I had told her to get lost, or shut up, and how many times I rowed with her. Could she truly be gone? Did she know how much we cared for her? Bloody Hell, I thought, she might have gone not knowing that we appreciated her. She could have gone unloved, uncared for.
I hoped that Hermione had gone peacefully, knowing that I never had meant any hurtful thing I said, and that I had always loved her and appreciated everything she had done for me. I felt tears coming to my eyes. What was the world coming to, taking Hermione away, and reducing my life to ashes.
I was whisked out of my thoughts by Seamus.
"Mate, you 'aven't touched your drink. Something wrong?"
" Naw, I just lost my best friend. Why would anything be wrong?"
"Oh yeah. I was pretty shocked, ya know. I mean...Hermione.."
"I'd rather not talk about it."
"Yeah, sorry"
Right then, something came to my head. Merlin's pants! The stone! The resurrection stone that Harry had in the snitch! Wouldn't Hermione appear in it?
"I'm leaving."
"What, why, man? The concert's just started."
"I have an idea. Now let me through please."
I raced down the aisle and left the concert. I apparated to the Burrow, where I was sure Harry would be.
"Ron, dear, there you are. Ginny's just left for some party. Come here and cheer up your brother. We still haven't gotten over your...you know." Molly said, softer at the end.
"Where's Harry?"
" I haven't seen him since the funeral. And Ron, I need to talk to you about that. Hermione was like a daughter to me. I know what your going through. Her parents will be here soon, and I was wondering if you and Harry would like to give them back their memories, and tell them the news."
"I have a plan, mum. Harry must be at Grimmauld Place. I'll tell him about your stuff. Bye!"
"Well he sounds awfully cheery for a man who lost his friend and his brother in one day." Molly muttered to herself.
"Harry!"
"Hey, Ron. " Harry said gloomily
"I have a brilliant idea. We get Hermione back through the stone, and then we'll have her back!"
"I don't have the stone. I left it in the forest."
"Well, accio it, mate!"
"My parents, when I saw them in the stone, they were in my head...and all of them were there, together. Remus, Sirius, Tonks...So maybe Hermione's joined them. I'd really like that."
"Get the bloody stone!"
"Accio Stone!"
A small stone fell into Harry's hand. I couldn't see anything, but apparently Harry could.
Switch to Harry's P.O.V-
"Mum, Dad?"
"Harry...we know who you are looking for...and she will not get here, until you truly need or do not need her." Lily said
"What?"
"We took a few years to get here, and then even longer for you to truly find us. We've always been in your heart, but when you truly need us, you can see us. Remus and Tonks...you do not truly need them, but they have come here, because they hope to find their son. I don't think you understand. She will show herself when she wants to, but otherwise she will always be in your heart. We can show ourselves to you whenever now, because we have been here for so long, its natural now. Hermione will come to you, but you must look hard.
"What? What's happening?" Ron asked impatiently.
I handed the stone to him, "See for yourself.
I felt my heart sinking. I wouldn't see Hermione here either?
END OF HARRY'S P.O.V
I looked hard into the stone. I couldn't see a thing.
"What do I do?"
"Oh! You haven't lost anyone!"
"I lost my brother. And Hermione." I muttered angrily.
" They're in your heart, always. And when you need them, they'll come. And when you don't need them, they wont, but after a few years, they'll come a lot", Harry suddenly realized, " But I can't wait that long! I can't be without Hermione for that long! What if she never comes back? How will I live without her?
" You're not making any sense. Hermione's gone forever, isn't she?"
I apparated away, tears starting to come to my eyes. Hermione was gone forever. Harry had probably seen her, and wouldn't tell me. I felt lonely, and I felt like a huge chunk of me was missing. How could I ever have thought that a ghost would fill up that hole in my heart? I knew that nothing would ever be the same without Hermione.