When Hermione Died

Chapter Two

It's ten years after Harry defeated Voldemort, and Hermione had died, and her friends and former teachers remember some times they spent with Hermione.

Harry Potter was sitting at his kitchen table, reading the Daily Prophet. His wife, Ginny Potter, was also sitting at his kitchen table, but she was writing in a small notebook.

"What are you thinking about?" Ginny asked.

"Hermione," Harry said simply.

Ginny nodded, then went back to her work.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were at Hagrid's cabin in their third year. Harry was reading the letter from the school governors. After he read it, Ron had said: "Oh. But you said Buckbeak isn't a bad hippogriff, Hagrid. I bet he'll get off---"

"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee for the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures!" Hagrid had said. "They've got it in fer interestin' creatures!"

Then Hermione had said "You'll have to put up a good strong defense Hagrid. I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe."

Then Hagrid had said that it wouldn't make a difference and that Buckbeak would get killed anyway.

Then Harry had said, "Listen, Hagrid, you can't give up. Hermione's right, you just need a good defense. You can call us as witnesses---"

"I'm sure I've read about a case of hippogriff-baiting, where the hippogriff got off. I'll look it up for you, Hagrid, and see exactly what happened," Hermione had said.

Yup, that was Hermione, always trying to help Hagrid. Harry smiled.

It was the Christmas of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's sixth year. It was in the morning, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the only Gryffindors staying over Christmas vacation. They were all in their pajamas down in the Common Room, opening presents. Hermione had picked up a small black box with a white bow on it, and read the tag: To Hermione From Harry. Hermione opened the box and pulled out a bracelet that had these stars on it and they each had something written on them. They said things like "Hope", "Love", "Wish", "Dream", "Believe"-They would change everyday to make her feel better.

**********

It was the tenth anniversary of Hermione's death, and Ron Weasley was driving on the highway, headed to the cemetery that she was buried in. Taking the exit to the cemetery, Ron felt the tears coming. As he pulled into the cemetery parking lot, he felt a couple of tears roll down his cheeks. He got out of his black car, and closed the door. Huge pine and maple trees lined all of the paths through the cemetery. He walked down the middle one; his black shoes crunched over the crisp yellow, brown, and red leaves on the path.

Every since Hermione had died, Ron had worn dull colors like black, grey, and white. That was it. He would mourn her until he died himself. He was never going to marry. He was never going to have children. He would die unmarried because he could never love anyone like he had loved Hermione. Never. In his whole life.

Turning down a smaller path, Ron decided that he would tell Hermione everything that had been happening to him. Finding her gravestone, he sat down next to it, and read the engraving over and over again.

Then he decided to talk to her. "Well, Hermione," he started, "It's autumn. Your favorite time of the year. I guess you liked it because you were born in September. Right about now, we would usually be at Hogwarts. Just settling in." He paused. "What's it like to die? And from an evil curse, too. I don't think it would be bad to die from a natural cause. You know, like old age, or something." Another pause. "You know, if you were still here, things would be very different. You and I would be married, and maybe we'd have kids by now. And I'd be happier. But if you didn't go after Harry, maybe he would have died from Voldemort. And then Ginny would have married Draco." Ron sighed. "Voldemort. You know, if you were still here, you'd say his name too. I'm scared of him anymore. He's dead now. Just like you."

Then the tears came. A whole river of them. Once they had ceased, Ron took a small photograph book out from his pocket. He opened the book, and looked through the photographs: one of Ron, Ginny, Percy, George, Fred, Bill, Charlie, Molly, and Arthur; one of Harry, Ron, and Hermione; more of Ron's family; more of Harry, Ron, and Hermione; and more of Ron and Hermione. Ron took his time looking through the ones of him and Hermione. He smiled through his tears when he saw the one of Hermione and him kissing. It almost looked like a wedding day picture. Almost. It was just missing the wedding dress, and tuxedo, and the ring, and the guests. All it was was Ron and Hermione kissing on the top of the Astronomy Tower, with the stars, Moon, night sky, and the outline of the Forbidden Forest behind them.

Ron put the photograph book back in his pocket. Then he started to talk again. "Why did you have to go after Harry, Hermione? I know Voldemort had killed your parents, but didn't you have me to live for? I still don't get you Hermione." He stopped, running out of things to say. Then he smiled, and started talking again. "Remember all those times were we would spend the night up in the Astronomy Tower. You would wake me up early, and we'd watch the sunrise. Yeah. Those were the days. The good old days at Hogwarts." Ron stopped talking again.

It was getting late. The sun was setting. So Ron stood up, brushed off his pants, then started walking away from Hermione's grave. After walking a couple of steps, the wind blew around him, and he thought he heard Hermione's voice in the wind. It said: "I love you, Ron." Ron spun around, but no one was there.