Memo: Filler Ahead. Sorry your going to suffer now ;)
That evening, Hermione walked slowly throughout the grounds.
She had rushed from the carriage, not giving Professor McGonagall or Malfoy a chance to say anything. She wondered if the word had spread throughout the faculty yet. It was such great news, wasn't it?
She sighed and wiped the tears slowly from her eyes. She was heading to Hagrids' Hut. He had a right to know directly from her.
She had an obligation to tell him.
So with a deep breath she climbed the oversized steps and knocked heavily on the door to his home.
He opened it up with a cheery smile on his face. His smile faltered just barely when he saw her. He had grown accustomed to her illness. She wondered how he'd react to the news she had now.
"Hermione! Come in, come in," he said happily and motioned for her to join him. She stepped in quietly, wrapping her arms tightly around her. She sighed sadly, closing her eyes. She sat down in one of the oversized chairs.
He bustled about, preparing her a mug of tea. She smiled at him.
She was going to miss Hagrid so much.
"How are you?" she asked shakily.
"Doing mighty good. Dumbledore said that he might even let me keep a dragon at the castle if I can tame him. Dumbledore's a great man, Hermione. A great man. Ain't one greater," he said and praised Professor Dumbledore as he set the mug of tea in front of Hermione.
She wrapped her ice-cold fingers around the hot glass. She stared into the tea, making it swirl gently and steadily.
"What's wrong?" he asked. He sat down and leaned in close, listening to her. She looked up at him, trying her best to restrain the tears.
"I had my appointment at St. Mungo's this afternoon," she said with a shrug. Hagrid raised his large bushy eyebrows.
"Really? How'd that go?" he asked and sipped his tea, his eyes studying her face intently.
"Not too good, Hagrid," she said. The tears overcame her and she lowered her eyes, her voice having gone weak. She took steady breaths. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.
He set his mug down carefully.
"How much not good?" he asked, his voice cracking nervously. He cleared his throat, "Excuse me," he whispered. Hermione looked up at him, a tear falling from her eye slowly. Her lip trembled and she took another deep breath.
"Hagrid... if it weren't for magic I wouldn't have been able to last thing long... even with magical treatment I won't... I won't... I might not be able to graduate," she whispered. Hagrid's hands were shaking horrible.
"No…no...there has to be a way," he said and tried to hide the tears in his eyes. Hermione let a sob escape her before she regained her composure.
"No... muggle doctors and magical healers have done everything..."she whispered. "The healers offered remedies that would prolong it..."
"That's great!"
"I refused them. It required my constant residency at St. Mungo's, and things that would have... I wouldn't be the same. I refused every treatment offered. If I'm not going to last I at least want the last of my time to be as normal as possible," she said and then clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobbing.
Hagrid buried his face in his hands and sobbed heavily. His enormous body trembled and caused the china to rattle.
She rushed over to his side and wrapped her arms around him tightly. He returned the embrace, taking comfort from her small body. He sobbed against her and she stroked his mane of unruly hair.
After about half an hour of tears and silence, he finally spoke.
"How did Harry and Ron and Ginny take it?" he asked and wiped his nose along his giant arm.
Hermione shied away, adverting her eyes and facing the door.
"They don't know, she said. "I can't tell them," she added. Hagrid shook his head.
"You have to tell them! This isn't right, Hermione!" he exclaimed, standing up. Hermione looked up at his massive figure. "You promised you'd tell them!"
"That's when I thought I was going to LIVE!" Hermione screamed and collapsed to the floor.
Hagrid was silent as she sat in a small ball on the floor. "I really thought I was...I thought I was...I didn't think...Hagrid I'm only seventeen," she sobbed.
He sat next to her and wrapped his heavy arm around her shoulder.
"It will be alright, Hermione. You need your friends through this, though. This is something you can't handle alone," he said and kissed the top of her head.
She shook her head and sighed.
"How do you think they'd act? How do you think they'd treat me, Hagrid? I want my last days to be the best days... and they can't be that way if they're treating me like china. I just want everything to be normal," she whispered. She then looked up at Hagrid with a weak and trembling smile. "And I'm not alone... thank you for being here Hagrid," she added.
Tears filled his eyes again at the thought of losing Hermione, and he cried quietly and held her tightly, treasuring his time he had with her.