Chapter 27

It was a day that Hermione always reckoned but like always she had to come to terms with it. It was a special trip that Dumbledore agreed to take with her.

Flashback

Knock, knock, knock

"Come in!" someone called from behind the door.

Hermione stepped in, closing the door behind her. "Ah, miss Granger. Come on in, I have been expecting you. Please take a seat" he said as he magically drew a chair to the front of his desk.

Hermione quickly walked to the chair and sat down.

"Now, Professor McGonagall told me that you have a request this Christmas" Dumbledore said, with a twinkle in his eye.

"Yes, sir, my mom isn't available to take me. It's a trip we both usually take but then after a while, it was just me making the trip" she said, nervously.

"Now, you realize that I cannot allow you to go alone" he said. Hermione nodded her head with a look of disappointment.

Dumbledore then smiled "Which is why, I will accompany you personally on this trip". Hermione's head shot back up, a look of surprise and happiness mixed on her face.

"Now, the question I would like to ask is, how long has it been?"

End Flashback

She enjoyed his company but really this was something she really wanted to do alone. She was glad that Dumbledore respected her wishes for today and was even gladder that he arranged for her to be here today.

She walked up the place which made her cringe deeply and simply stared for a moment at the man who was standing there, smiling. She continued to stare for a moment and then she took a deep breath and broke the ice.

"I see you're looking as fine as ever" she said.

"Aw well thank you sweetie. I was about to say the same thing" a man said "Though I must admit, those clothes that your mum got you do make you look quite…dashing"

"You have to stop spoiling me" Hermione said, laughing.

"I'm sorry princess" the voice said "How's school going?"

"School is fine. Actually it's perfect, definitely better than the ones I've been to. It's so magical" she said, grinning

"Well at least you're happy, right?" the man asked.

"Yes, I'm happy there. It's like a second home. I remember how grandma used to say that home is where the heart is. Though right now, my heart is somewhat conflicted" she said.

"Uh oh, what is it?" the man asked.

"It's nothing, really just a bit of boy trouble" she said.

"He isn't giving you any trouble is he?" the man asked, a bit angry

"No, he isn't giving me any trouble. I'm just conflicted about my feeling for him, but let's not make this about me. It's your special" she said.

"Every occasion is special once my princess comes to visit me" the man said, grinning.

"45 years, eh" she said

"You make me sound really old sweetie" the man said, a little bitterly.

"I'm sorry mom couldn't come today, or for the past five years" she said, sniffling.

"It's okay sweetie you don't have to apologize for your mother" the man said.

"I just wish that she could have been, that we all could have been…" she choked. Tears started forming in her eyes.

"I wish so too sweetie, but we have to move on eventually" the man said, sincerely.

"I know we have to move on but I can't help but blame myself for what happened. I mean, I keep asking for a chance for everything to go back to the way it was. I keep asking for a chance to bring you back" she was crying, she wiped some of her tears "I mean does that make me greedy?"

The man walked over to Hermione and grabbed her arms "No, no sweetie, it's not your fault, and it's not greedy. In fact to want such a thing is good, it just makes you…human".

Hermione wiped her tears with her hands, hoping that the winter's chill doesn't freeze them.

"I know right now you would be comforting me but, I want to actually feel your comfort. I want to feel your arms on mine or your embrace once more. It keeps making me feel sadder every time I imagine you standing here talking back to me…" she said, crying

The man that was once standing had disappeared.

"…and knowing that it's not real, that it's not really happening and it makes me miss you even more each year" she fell to her knees on the snowy ground and started sobbing for a long moment. Once she began to calm down she pulled out her wand and said an incantation. On the ground next to the array of flowers a nice bouquet of lily's appeared.

"I've been practicing that for this occasion, I hope you like them" she said

She wiped her tears and then said "Happy birthday, Daddy".

She then leaned forward and kissed the cold marble stone which read…

'R.I.P – DARYL RICK GRANGER'

Hermione sat by the icy lake which was frozen over by Christmas snow that still remained but the weather was a little warm though. She often needed this time alone after she visited her father's grave.

She didn't want to recall the accident, but every year the memories just happen to resurface.

Hermione Granger was at home five years ago during this time on Christmas. It was her father's birthday and for today her father and mother had taken her to their clinic. Hermione's father wanted to have a special lunch so he asked Hermione what she wanted. She really loved having ice cream at the time so she really demanded it.

"Hermione dear, it's too far away. Why don't you pick something that's closer" her mother said.

"Nonsense, we should have something we can all enjoy. I'll just take a few minutes with the car" her father said, while giving her a wink.

Hermione was anticipating her ice cream for over four hours when Mrs. Granger received a call from the hospital.

"Yes!" she said, listening to the phone "Yes I am, I'm his wife" she said, listening again. Then her expression changed from worry to sorrow. This made Hermione worry a lot, she knew that something bad must have happened to mommy. She knew that it was her's and her father's mission to make her better.

Mrs. Granger then said "Okay, we'll be over soon" before hanging up the phone. Suddenly she broke down crying on the clinic floor. It was another two hours later that Hermione and Mrs. Granger went to the hospital. It was then that Hermione found out that her father had gotten into a serious crash and had died from fatal wounds.

She sat by the lake remembering the awful events which had caused her father to be taken from her. She also remembered how she could never eat ice cream anymore because they made her think of her father. She wanted to laugh because she found it ironic but then at the same time she wanted to cry. In effect nothing really happened, she just sat and stared at the lake.

She then heard slight shuffling in the snow behind her. She whipped her head around and found an unlikely source. Harry Potter had followed her footsteps all the way to the bottom of the lake and he was standing a few feet away from her.

She stood up and walked up to him. Neither spoke to the other, they just simply stared at each other for a short moment. Then Hermione unexpectedly hugged him with all her might. Harry did the same thing, and stroked her back. Hermione began to sob in Harry's shoulder. All of her emotions were being poured out, in this simple embrace and she was glad that he was here. Though he didn't know it, Harry Potter's hug did so much for a one Hermione Granger.

The two of them stayed like that for a long time.

AN: I like to think that, this was one of the more emotional chapters out of all of them. I wonder how you guys felt about this one. Please REVIEW!