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For their reviews!

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CHAPTER 4.

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My Dearest Darlingest Hermione!
You cannot imagine my glee when I received your little packet.
I'm dancing around like Christmas came early and Harry hasn't stopped grinning like a fool since.
I know that it belonged to Ron, and you giving it to the baby means a lot to us.
I am so very happy that my baby will have his Aunt Hermione as his Godmother.
It's a start, Mione!
After receiving empty letters for more than a year, this was just heart-warming.
At the cost of sounding completely greedy, I would really really love for you to write me.
Anything.
Does not have to be anything terribly sad or depressing.
I don't even want to know upfront where you are or force you to come back.
Although, I confess that I really do want you to come back.
We really miss you.
Especially Harry.
Let us visit.
Please.
Send us a blind return portkey if you wish to remain secretive.
But please Hermione.
We want to meet you.
It's been so long.
Please promise me you'll think about it.

I love you and so does Harry and little Ronald!

Ginny.

Hermione folded the letter which exuded Ginny's enthusiasm, with a smile.

She knew that sending her the rattle had been the right thing to do.

Not only had it made Harry and Ginny so happy but also conveyed that Hermione wanted very much to be a part of her nephew's life in the future.

Maybe distant future. Who knew when? But future, nevertheless.

And she hoped she would be ready to meet them soon.

She knew she wasn't grieving in a healthy manner, so she didn't know when she would ever be ready.

But the fact that she actually read the letters that were sent to her was proof enough that she was getting better.

Her first 3 months, she had not even opened any letters.

Then one day after her morning shift, she saw a pretty redhead in the hospital sitting in the waiting area, looking extremely worried.

The receptionist had told her that her friend had burnt herself with severe injuries and currently was being treated.

Hermione looked over at the crying redhead. She greatly reminded her of Ginny.

Her own eyes misting a bit and brain bombarded by memories, she couldn't keep herself away from the letters.

She spent days reading all the letters, and she had to admit that she felt much lighter at the end of it all.

Maybe someday she would have in her to reply properly to them.

She stacked Ginny's latest letter with the others and went to prepare dinner.

She clearly remembered the day she had run away from everybody back home and come to Australia.

At first her parents were shocked to see her. But they were happy.

They had worried about her ever since Ron had passed and now that she was here, they were relieved.

They wanted to take care of her.

"Hermione, sweetheart. I know it's too early, but you need to be strong. Your in laws and friends must be worrying sick about you. I've received 2 owls from Molly and Harry already. Why won't you just let us tell them that you're here safe with us?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"Mum. I can't deal with them. Not right now. When they'll hear where I am, they won't waste a second in coming here to take me back. And I don't think I can do that." Hermione sobbed.

"But it's very unfair to them, sweetie. You should let them know. It's been a month. You have to face them and your life sometime or the other." Mr. Granger said kindly but in a firm voice.

"I don't have to. I don't want to. I just want to be. Why can't you just let me be? I'm not coming in your way. I do my job, I come home, I cry. If you want to get rid of me just say so. I will leave. You don't have to push me into going back to Britain." Hermione yelled, totally misinterpreting her father's concern.

Mr. And Mrs. Granger looked shocked at her insinuation.

"Hermione! We never... Never think of you that way. I can't believe you just said that dear. Don't take your fathers words the wrong way. He's just looking out for you." Mrs. Granger tried soothing her.

"If he was looking out for me he would respect my wishes." Hermione said dejectedly and left for her room.

Mr. And Mrs. Granger gave each other worried looks. They knew their daughter would never behave in this manner normally.

She was having trouble adjusting and they wanted to be supportive. If she didn't want anyone to know where she was, that's how they would keep it.

Hermione woke up the next day feeling miserable.

She knew she had been unfair to her parents. They had only her interests at heart, but she had hurt them by her allegations.

True, she was vulnerable but she still felt bad for lashing out at them.

She decided that day that she would not subject them to her pain.

She wanted to be alone at this point for some time. She hated using magic on her parents but she had been a brat and they were hurt because of her.

Besides, she really wanted to stay incognito for a while. And she was worried that her parents might cave in and tell Harry where she was.

So she packed her belongings in the morning and apologized to her parents, she slightly confunded them so that they would be unaware of her whereabouts but would know that she had visited them and was fine. Somewhat. She also wanted them to forget their argument.

She had hurt them enough. She left them with enough memory so as to not worry them but also they wouldn't be able to trace her or remember that she had planned on staying in Australia.

She hated meddling with their will again, but it was for the best.

On retrospect, she shouldn't have come to her parents. But the comfort that their familiarity offered was tempting.

But she had to leave. She hated to leave. But she would come back when she was ready.

That's what she kept telling herself.

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I'm so sorry for the long gap!

My phone got screwed so I couldn't type etc on it and it's been kinda a hectic couple of days!

I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, don't know why. Maybe coz it's sad and all and today was an extremely dull Sunday! :(

But I'm going to hope to write a better chapter 5!

Review and let me know your thoughts! Even if you didn't like it!

I thought this chapter cleared Hermione's present whereabouts and how she came by!

Thanks for reading!

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