A/N: I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. My dog got really sick and it's been nerve-wrecking. Anyway, here's an update. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I love hear feedback of what people think and ideas for the next chapter. More updates soon and faster, I promise.
PREVIOUSLY: She heaved a great sigh of relief to his last statement. "Professor?" she turned to Dumbledore. "Is there plausible explanation for why so many are returning?" He shook his head. "Well, then it seems Anne Boleyn will have to wait."
Hermione turned to Remus and everyone else that was there with her. she took a moment to compose herself and said, "I think this…uh…whole day with being here and everything we were going to do…is…never mind. You all enjoy yourselves, go see the school and Hogsmead," she took her things and started to walk of the room. "I'll be in the library. Um…" she said turning toward to Dumbledore still talking quickly not giving anyone room to disagree with what she was saying. "…I may need to borrow a few books for a bit but I'll be sure to return them quickly." Without another word she was out the door.
"She does that?" Sirius asked annoyed.
A chorus of 'yes' sounded around the room from everyone but Cedric who would have asked the same question. "I should go check on her," Remus said preparing to go after Hermione when he was stopped by Cedric.
"Would you mind if I went to talk to Hermione?" Cedric asked as he approached Remus. Her godfather nodded as he walked to his wife.
"I think that would be a good idea. She could use someone more relatable right now. But please try to bring her back here so we can talk, please?" Remus conceded. Cedric nodded and left to find Hermione.
There she sat, surrounded by books and parchment. Her face was contorted in concentration and frustration. This was the Hermione Granger Cedric remembered from his last year at Hogwarts. The woman he had seen moments ago, in Dumbledore's office, was an entirely different woman. She was still amazing in more ways than he imagined, but she wasn't the same. The woman he saw, in the library of Hogwarts, was the Hermione he could talk to.
Cedric approached her gently and sat down beside her. Hermione ignored his presence completely as she continued to pour herself into the research. Cedric took the hand, with a wispy quill in it, and placed it in his lap gently. He didn't let go when she tried to wrench her hand away. He simply took her other hand, pulling her to face him. Hermione sighed and looked in his eyes with irritation. Cedric, however, could see the masked pain in her eyes. "You know, you can't hide from it forever, Hermione." Cedric reached up to brush his knuckles across her cheek. "Hiding behind these books won't make the pain go away, dulcis libellus." (A/N: Latin- sweet little book, just thought it was cute and appropriate for the moment)
The tears she had been holding back for so long were released as she crumbled into the arms of Cedric Diggory, a man who had come back to life because of loophole in her achievement in bringing certain people back from a terrible death at the hands of Lord Voldemort. She cried for best friend she lost in the Final Battle; she cried for the parents she lost to Lucius Malfoy and four other, still unidentified, Death Eaters. She cried for the loss of sixty-two Hogwarts students currently enrolled at the time of the Final Battle and that year. She cried for the Order members lost and the Slytherin boy who turned in his father for murdering her parents giving up the life he knew for her. And she cried for not crying before and sacrificing her true mourning to make sure nothing like this ever happened again. Lastly, Hermione Granger cried into the arms of Cedric Diggory, for people she managed to bring back and again for those who would never return.
A/N: This isn't where I'm going to stop writing for now but this where it seemed like the perfect place to end a chapter. Chapter 4 will up within the hour.
Just a little note here: I tend to write faster when I have reviews. (hint hint)