Cry Because You're Living

Lanni Weasley

Story Summary:
"She sits in her cell and hears laughter ringing in her mind. She thinks it's just another voice in her head when she realizes that it's not—it's Ron Weasley. She smacks into a sad realization: She is the last one alive. But here, Hermione is never alone." This is the companion/sequel to my story Laugh Because You're Dying!

Chapter Summary:
She sits in her cell and hears laughter ringing in her mind. She thinks it's just another voice in her head when she realizes that it's not—it's Ron Weasley. She smacks into a sad realization: She is the last one alive. But here, Hermione is never alone. F.Y.I.-This is the companion/sequel to my story
Posted:
11/07/2004
Hits:
345
Author's Note:
The opening of this story starts out just minutes before the opening of


Cry Because You're Living

By: WeasleyGirl-Yeah

Hermione Granger sat on her little cot with her legs pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her legs and hands clasped together. She rocked back and forth, constantly staring at a crack in the gray wall ahead of her. She never blinked--never talked--just stared at the crack for hours at a time. Sometimes, she would stand up and pace around the room, but usually, she just stared at the wall.

Tears were continuously slipping out of her eyes and staining her cheeks, which were red from rubbing off the tears so much. They burned along with her eyes, which were also red and puffy. Her brown hair was limp and oily; it was so messy. But she didn't care. She didn't really care about much nowadays.

A Death Eater, McNair, always stood near Hermione's cell just in case she got too loud or started to cause trouble, but he usually napped when he was down here. The only thing she did was stare at that wall, pace around the room, or chat. He was normally awake when she started talking.

He looked down at his watch and saw that it was about to become one in the morning in ten seconds. Ten seconds later and the talking started like routine.

"Hello, Ginny, I'm fine," Hermione said calmly, turning to the empty cot that sat ominously in the empty cell next to her. She smiled at the cot through the bars that separated the two cells. "What about you, Gin? Oh, not too well; that's too bad. I guess you didn't get any good sleep? No, well, if it makes you feel any better, I didn't either."

McNair was very curious to why this girl did this. Nobody else had done this. Nobody else had completely lost their minds--except the Frank and Alice Longbottom, but he didn't do them. And it was odd how that every time at exactly one in the morning, she would start talking to people that no longer existed like they were still very much alive. He peered into the cell and watched her get into a comfortable position on the cot so she could face the other cot in the other empty cell next to hers.

"I know, I know, I miss Ron, too, but he's going to be alright. He's a tough boy; stubborn as heck, too, as we both know." At this, a grin slid across Hermione's face, but tears were still pouring out of eyes like she couldn't stop them--like she didn't know she was crying at all. The grin soon disappeared. "No, please, no, Ginny, don't cry. You shouldn't cry. I know you miss them! I know you want to see Ron! I want to see him too! Harry is not--dead. Please, Gin, don't cry. You--you're going to make me cry."

It was ironic because she was already crying. Hermione stood up and wrapped her bruised hands around the cold, metal bars that separated the cells. She was frowning and pressed her face against the bars. She reached into the other cell and then closed her hand like she was grabbing something that wasn't there. Even though he'd seen her do this many of times, it still caught the interest of McNair.

"Ginny, don't cry. I know you love Harry an-and I do, too--not in that sense, but--he's alive and he knows that you love him! He's not going to die not knowing that!" Hermione sobbed, her hand still reaching out for something in air. "We're going to live and we're going to get out! There are still people out there and they are going to come rescue us! Ginny..."

Hermione's hand dropped and smacked against her leg, her head drooping down as tears fell to the stone floor. She looked over to another empty cell and glowered at the cot. McNair looked at the cell, but saw nothing. What was she seeing that he wasn't?

"Fred, we're not all going to die. Show a little sympathy for your sister! Just because you're miserable doesn't mean everyone else has to be!" Hermione admonished angrily. "Just because George died--"

Hermione's eyes suddenly widened in horror and she slowly sunk to the ground with her hand over her mouth. Still, she was silent. She was shaking. McNair looked at her more closely. The silent tears had just stopped for no reason at all.

"I--I can't believe I just... I just said that! Fred--oh, heaven--Fred, I'm so, so sorry--I didn't mean--I just couldn't--Ginny, she--" She began to cry and cry, tears splashing on the cold floor. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned forward, her face hidden by her brown hair falling down to touch the floor. "Oh, no, I don't think I can do this anymore, Fred; I don't think I can show Ginny and you anymore strength. I think I'm all out."

She wailed out in pain and McNair straightened back up. She usually did this. Every time she mentioned George Weasley's name, she'd spiral off into incoherent sentences and remorseful sobs. And then, she'd whisper a name so softly that he would have to strain his ears to hear her.

"Ron... Where are you, Ron? I need a refill of faith. I need you here with me. I miss you too much; it hurts too much," Hermione spoke in a soft voice, her brown hair kissing the cold, stone floor. "All I have left of us is a ghost of you now. Please, come back to me; find your way back to me. Where are you? Where are you, Ron?"

And then, she stopped sobbing and she sat up. She stood up like a robot and sat back on her cot. She leaned against the wall and pulled her legs up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs and clasped her hands together, staring at the wall. And then, she smiled and unclasped her hands, laying her left on the blanket.

"Ron, I love you," she murmured.

"I love you, too, Hermione."

And Ron was sitting on her bed next to her, giving her his trademark lopsided grin. He had his hand over hers on the bed. He lifted his other hand up and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and she closed her eyes, still smiling at him.

"You know I'll never leave you. Just say my name and I'll be there. I'll be there for you. If you need a raise, I'll pick you up. Just call me and I'm there."

"Ron, I knew you'd come. I was just... afraid, that's all. It's scary down here, you know. And it's been a long time. Thank you."

"Hermione, you know I love you more than life itself, right?"

"Of course I do; you've told me a thousand times." Hermione giggled and beamed at him. "I love you more than life itself, also."

"Well, I'm not going to be here much longer. I have to go soon. That's why I wanted to tell you that I'll be waiting for you in Heaven. I love you, Hermione."

He kissed her on the forehead. Her smile immediately flipped into a frown and she jumped to her feet, eyes wide with terror. The tears came to her again so quickly that it was like a damn had been broken. Ron stood up and started to walk away. She ran for him and reached out for him, calling his name.

"Ron, don't leave me! Please, don't leave me!" Hermione bemoaned sorrowfully, reaching out for him. He turned around and stopped her. He held her and leaned in. He gave her one last taste of him and she grabbed his hand and looked him one last time in his blue eyes.

Ron faded away, disappearing from her grasp. Just like that, he was gone. Right before her eyes, he had vanished in thin air. Her head fell and she collapsed onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. She was silent again--for now. She slowly closed her eyes. She was falling asleep.

A door swung open to McNair's left and he whipped his head around in that direction. Bellatrix Lestrange walked in through the door. She gave him a twisted smile and he inclined his head. She looked in the cell at Hermione and gave the young girl a contemplative look-over.

"How is she holding up?" Bellatrix asked calmly without any compassion. McNair looked at her sideways. He may have been a Death Eater and he may have hated all Mudbloods, Muggles, and Pure Blood Traitors, but he felt a little bit of pity for this girl. She had been through hell and had gotten herself lost somewhere in there.

"She's been talking to herself--at exactly one, of course--but she thinks she's talking to Ginny Weasley and Fred Weasley. Then, she starts talking to Ron Weasley," McNair replied uneasily. Bellatrix gave the girl a twisted smile and then gave him one. He fought the urge to gulp out of nervousness.

"Well, I just thought I'd let you know that you have to come up to the Meeting Room," Bellatrix sighed in a manner that told him that the fun had yet to begun for her. She was a warped one, he always thought again and again. He was always proven to be correct, too. "The Dark Lord is going to question little Ronald Weasley in a few minutes. I'm going to get him now."

Hermione's eyes snapped open at the name and she was staring at the ceiling again. She was wide awake again. Someone had said the wonderful name that was always on her mind--always on the tip of her tongue to cry out at night. But she laid still and didn't move a muscle. Bellatrix left and McNair followed her out of the door. She heard it close and locked. She sat up straight.

"Did you hear that, Ginny? Do you hear? Ron is really still alive! See, I told you, Ginny--" Hermione cut herself off when she looked over at the cell again, only to see that it was empty. She blinked, but there was no one there. She looked over in the other cell and saw that it was empty. She began to shake.

"Fred? Ginny? Where did you go...?"

"Is there anything else you'd like to say before you die? Any last requests, kid?" Rodolphus Lestrange was not the brightest bulb, but he was colder than ice. Fred was bound up and had a wand pointed in his face so rudely. He was looking furious and glared at the Death Eater.

Ginny was in her cell, rocking back and forth and sobbing like mad; she had a blanket pulled up over her legs on the concrete floor against the bars. Hermione was holding her hand through the bars. She was also holding her breath, looking on in terror.

"Go to hell," Fred growled heatedly.

"I'm sorry, but that would be you that's going there for all of eternity," Rodolphus replied coolly. Fred gave the two girls one last look and when Ginny and he connected eyes, she broke down even more. She dwindled into nothing against the metal bars between her and Hermione.

They all knew that this was his end, but the two siblings knew that they loved each other.

"Avada Kedrava!"

"Fred, please, don't leave me here! I need my big brother!"

Hermione stared at Fred's old cell in horror. She walked over to the bars and grasped them. She pressed her face against the cold metal and looked in at the cell that was across the hall from her. The chair was still there and so was the cot. But Fred was not there anymore.

She felt as if there was something inside her that had been erased. Something was missing from her mind. She spun around very quickly and let her hair slid across her face. Hermione stared into the cell next to hers--the cell that was so very empty. Ginny was not there.

"Miss Ginny Weasley, my how it has been a long time since I have seen you personally." His voice was like ice, freezing the blood in her veins and chilling her to the bone. It sounded more like a snake and she had never been too fond of the reptiles.

"HERMIONE!" Ginny was screaming bloody murder. Hermione opened her eyes and sat up straight. She whipped her head around and saw Ginny hiding under the blankets of her cot in her cell and Voldemort standing near her with his wand pointed at her. She was still screaming.

"Ginny!" Hermione yelped, jumping out of her cot and running for the bars. Right before she grasped them, someone grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back. She fought back at them and kept trying to get to Ginny, who was still shrieking. "Let go of me, prat! Argh, get away from her, you freak! Get away from her!"

"Oh, please, do be quiet, Mudblood," Voldemort sighed, merely dismissing Hermione. She glared at him heatedly and elbowed her attacker. She ran to the bars and grabbed them. She reached into Ginny's cell, trying to reach for the younger girl. It was of no use; the cot was too far.

"Please, don't hurt me! Please, leave me alone! Hermione, Hermione--I don't want to die! Fred, please, I don't want to go yet! I want to see Ron again! I want to see Ron! I want to see my big brother! Hermione, I'm scared! Please, Tom, leave me alone!"

A hand went over Ginny's mouth and she was silenced, though her muffled screams were still heard. His laughs were mixed in with her screams of fury and of pain. Hermione shrieked out of horror and fell to the floor abruptly when her knees gave out from such the horrible sight. Now, she was still screaming.

"GINNY! GINNY! GINNY!"

Again, there was that same feeling of losing something. There was a chill in Hermione's heart. Shivering, she found her way back to the cot and sat down, considerably saner than she had been a few minutes ago. She clasped her hands together and began to cry.

"God, why--why--did you let all of that happen to her?" Hermione asked quietly. For once in a long time, she didn't get an answer and she looked around the room that was her prison. And suddenly, she heard this laughter.

At first, Hermione rolled her eyes. She thought she had defeated her insanity, but here it was, coming to haunt her again. She supposed you could never get rid of it completely. She guessed that she would always have a little taste of it. But that laughter--it sounded so familiar. It was ringing in her cell, bouncing off of the walls.

And that's when she knew. It was Ron's laughter! He was laughing for some unknown reason. She jumped to her feet and sprinted to the metal bars. She grasped them and saw no one. She stared at the door and the laughter was still there. She smiled. It was giving her hope! It was so beautiful. He always had such wonderful laughs.

She couldn't explain it, but his laughter was lifting her spirits up so much. Her breath was erratic and she was bouncing on the balls of her feet. If Ron could find something to laugh about, then she certainly could do the very same. Her smile was still growing. How she had missed his laughs.

But that's when Ron's laughter had abruptly stopped.

Hermione's heart dropped into the pits of her stomach and her smile fell into a frown. The laughter was no longer ringing in her prison and it was slowly fading from her mind. She grasped the bars tighter, her palms getting sweaty, and tried not to think about what might have happened. She stopped breathing because in all reality, it had finally happened.

"RON!" Hermione screamed out painfully. "Ron! No, Ron... Ron..."

Hermione knew that she was the last one; she knew that Ron had been killed. No one could stop laughing so abruptly--it was impossible. And perhaps that was the last straw for Hermione. Perhaps now, she wanted to die, too. She dragged herself over to her cot and threw herself on it, sobbing madly into her already wet pillow.

All of the hopes--all of her dreams--were lost and pointless. Ron was dead. Harry was dead. Ginny was dead. They all were dead... except her. She was the last one; she was the only one alive. And she was never going to escape this place.

She asked God why again and again, but she never got an answer. Her chest shook from another sob. She had seen so much pain, yet here she was, still alive, but an emotional and mental wreck. No one cared for her anymore. Her parents were dead, all of her friends were dead, all of the people she cared about were dead, and most especially, the one she loved was dead. Ron was dead.

"Hermione, it's alright, I'm here for you!" Ron told her firmly, holding her in his arms closely. Hermione still had tears dripping out of her eyes. She had just had such a horrible nightmare; she had dreamt that Voldemort had killed Harry and him. Now, Ron was keeping her safe in his arms.

"It was so sc-scary," Hermione sobbed, her head on his chest. "I was s-so scared that it really happened!"

"But it didn't and we're both still alive," Ron whispered softly, his chin on top of her head.

"I know now. Thank you." Hermione sighed and opened her eyes to look into Ron's blue eyes. She smiled at him. "I love you, Ron."

"Yeah, I know you do."

Hermione pulled her head out of her pillow and sniffed, wiping the tears out of her eyes with the back of her hand. Ron used to wipe the tears away, but he was here no more. She reached underneath her pillow to look at the last thing she had from the outside world--from the life she once had.

Hermione pulled out a small picture. There was no frame with it--just a picture. It had been taken at the Seventh Year Graduation Ball. In it were Hermione and Ron. She was wearing a light purple dress and he was wearing blue dress robes--to match his eyes. They were dancing together, standing so close.

The real Hermione smiled when Ron--in the picture--kissed the Hermione in the picture on the lips. She held the picture close to her heart and then looked at it again. The tears welling in her eyes began to slip out and she began to cry again. She missed those days. She wanted them back. She wanted them all back with her.

"I--I don't want to die alone. I'm scared, Ron; I'm so scared," Hermione cried softly. "I don't want to die alone, Ron."

"You'll never be alone, Hermione."

Hermione sat up and stopped crying. She looked over to her left. And there, leaning against the gray wall with a lopsided grin was her Ron. She smiled at him through the tears and stood up. She walked over to him. He held out his hand to her and she grasped it. And just like she had done before, the two of them danced--danced the tears and fears all away.

So maybe, even though she was the only one alive, she would never be left in ominous silence. Perhaps here, Hermione would never be alone.


Author notes: Thanks for reading and please review!