The Seventh Year Soap Opera

RECAP OF CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN-Crellionia: Harry explains to Ron that Hermione's in a coma and the kids are missing. Ron goes with Harry to Hermione's home in Bulgaria, which is burnt to the ground. Ron sees some Order members after all this time, and many school mates as well. The book pendant and Hogwarts, a History come into play while finding Katarina and Charlie. Harry finds out that Hermione had a miscarriage, Katarina cries when she realizes her dad is dead, we have another scene with Raven, and Ron goes home in Florida only to find that Christine has left him.

Chapter Twenty-Eight- The Chapter with no Name

Weeks had passed, Ron mused, since he had come back home. Home.

Ron's entrance back into the wizarding world had been an emotionally draining one. He had never been so unhappy in all his life. His first two weeks were spent in the guest bedroom at Harry and Ginny's house, staring at the ceiling. But then his family had arrived.

Many hugs and kisses and tears had been shed at Ron's return, and Ron was only glad his family didn't hate him. Fred and George's shop was in full bloom, Percy was a teacher at Hogwarts, Bill was engaged to Fleur Delacour, and Charlie was still riding dragons. His mother and father were still the exact same; his mum still liked to fuss over her children and his father still had an obsession with Muggles.

This acceptance and the job offer for being assistant manager to the Chudley Cannons lifted Ron from his slumber slowly, but surely. The first thing he did was officially "move out" of his apartment in Florida, and thrown away anything that reminded him of Christine. He supposed it was all his fault for not telling her he was a wizard, but honestly! It was painful to think about what she had done to him, and Ron always found himself thinking that how he felt afterwards was probably how Hermione had felt after he had walked out on her. He tried not to think about it at all.

The day Katarina and Charlie had been found, Ginny had gone to Gringotts, taken out a whole lot of money, and purchased clothes and toys for them. Ginny had given Charlie the guest bedroom, and Katarina shared a room with Raven. Raven had seemed very disgruntled about this at first, but she had gotten used to it.

At first shy, Charlie and Katarina's personalities had come out a lot. Katarina was like Viktor, sulky at times, but she was mainly just shy and serious. She was an avid reader, just like Hermione, and Ron had been startled to learn that she could read at five. She also seemed to like Quidditch, and she and Raven talked about that a lot. Charlie had come over his wariness of Ron and was teaching him sign language, slowly but surely. Charlie only used sign language when he needed to; most of the time, he and Katarina just exchanged a look and Katarina would translate. The two seemed to share an unbreakable bond, and were much stronger together than apart.

Ginny was so excited to have a lot of people in her home. Like her mother, she loved to be busy and she loved caring for others. She had a maternal instinct that could not die out.

The six of them went to visit Hermione every single day. Harry would go into the room, holding Ginny's hand firmly and just stare at Hermione, his face impassive. Ginny would shed a few tears and crack a few jokes and tell Hermione how everyone was holding up. Katarina couldn't go into the room, because if she did, she'd burst into tears and sob as though under the Cruciatus. The nurses had advised Harry that bringing her into the room was not a good idea, so she and Raven stayed in the waiting room. Charlie did not scared by his mother's state; when it was turn to visit her, he walked in, signed the same thing every day ('I love you and I hope you get better'), kissed both of her clammy hands, and walked out as though he had never gone in.

Whenever Ron went in, a cloud of emotions engulfed him to the point where he thought he might cry at any moment. Ron had never been an emotional person, but it seemed ever since he had found out that Hermione had been pregnant with Charlie, he cried more often than other men did. When he walked into the room and stared at Hermione's limp body, he thought the world might end. He loved her with everything in his being, even though he had left her, even though he tried to deny it, even though he had had Christine.

He would draw up a chair by her bedside and hold her hand, telling her all of this. Telling her he was sorry for everything that had happened between them, and telling her what he had been through, and how much he loved her. He was reminded of the time when they were twelve and she had been Petrified. He had been horrified and scared for her safety. Almost every night, he had stolen Harry's cloak and gone to the hospital wing by himself and done the same thing. Once he had even kissed her to see if it would wake her up. Of course, she hadn't known, and he had never told her, but sitting here day after day brought back all those memories.

Ron also felt very sorry for her. Life had been so hard for his Hermione. She had to live up to the expectations of her parents and then Harry left her in 5th year...then Ron had gotten her pregnant at the end of 6th year, marrying at 18, having another child at 19... Then, just as life had probably settled down for her, she lost her husband and her unborn baby all in one horrible night. Ron almost wished she wouldn't wake, just so she could escape from the pain.

After a month, Ron found out that the Chudley Cannons were going on tour for two weeks, and that he'd have to join them. He was reluctant to go, but it was his job, and he couldn't change it. So, he packed his bags.

Unfortunately for him, in the first week he left, Hermione woke from her coma.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Hermione's eyes fluttered open, but she closed them immediately. It was too bright, way too bright, and it hurt her eyes. It felt like small needles were being poked into her eyelids. Her neck had a horrible cramp and she raised her head slightly, but that only increased the pain. She also was dimly aware that her left leg was more stiff than was normal. Grunting, she opened her eyes again. Her vision was blurry and she couldn't quite make out where she was. She could, however, see that needles were protruding from her skin and she was hooked up to various machines.

Where am I? What happened to me? She thought desperately. Her eyes darted across the room, and her vision cleared up a bit. I'm in a hospital wing...but why am I in a hospital wing? She shut her eyes again, and tried to think, but all that came to her mind was an image of a boy with dark hair and glasses and a boy with red hair. Harry and Ron, she remembered. Why am I here!? All she wanted to do was go back to the dream she had been having. She was with that redheaded boy and they were...well, now she couldn't remember what they had been doing.

A sudden vision flashed over her brain. A vision of men in black robes and hoods, and a small boy and girl slumped on the ground; a man with dark hair and bushy eyebrows calling her name--"Herm-own-ninny!" Her head throbbed so hard she cried out. And then she remembered.

"Viktor!" she yelled, sitting up painfully in bed. "Viktor! Charlie! Katarina! Viktor!" Her head pounded and she rubbed distractedly at her temples. Where was her husband? Where were her children?

A group of nurses and doctors walked into the room. Two of them were by the door, talking about someone who needed therapy. The others were all around her, suffocating her, performing various tests. "Please..." she begged, tears running down her face, "W-Where are my children?"

A stout woman looked down at her and smiled warmly. "Your children are fine."

"Can--can I see them?" Her voice was hopeful and small, and she felt eleven. The stout woman left the room. Probably to send an owl to Viktor, Hermione figured. She lay back down in her bed and closed her eyes, relieved that her family was safe. If anything had happened to any one of them...a tear rolled down her cheek and she brushed it away furiously. Her family was fine; there was no reason to shed tears.

About ten minutes, a group of people burst into the room. Hermione sleepily opened her eyes and searing pain surged through her head again as she sat up in bed again. She laughed and cried when she saw her family: Harry, Ginny, their daughter Raven, Charlie and Katarina.

Katarina ran over to her, crying and gave her a big hug. "Mummy!" she said, and Hermione cried as she hugged her daughter, looking at Harry and Ginny over her shoulder. Sniffing, she just held Katarina for a few moments, and then saw Charlie standing in the corner. Katarina stepped away from her, sniffing as well, and Charlie approached Hermione. His mouth formed a small smile and he took her hands, and kissed them individually. He kissed her cheek and then gave her a hug as well.

Harry and Ginny strolled over to her, smiling and laughing and (in Ginny's case) crying. "We missed you so," said Ginny with a sniff, and Harry sighed and gave Hermione a hug. "Don't ever do that to me again, okay?" he said, and his voice cracked viciously.

Hermione laughed and brushed the tears from her eyes, remembering something else. "You found them, just like I knew you would...I can't thank you enough...you saved them...thank you...did Ron help? Of course he helped, I wrote the charm only for him..." Her mind drifted off as she thought of what Ron might look like now, and she knew her eyes were glazed over. "Where is he?" she said, feeling hurt and full of pain that Ron would not visit her. Then again, why would he? He hates me.

"He's on tour with the Cannons...he's assistant manager."

"He gave up life as a Muggle?"

"We'll explain everything later, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, I guess--where's Viktor?" she said sharply, noticing finally that he wasn't there. Hermione saw Ginny and Harry exchange a look, and her heart sank. A bitter taste formed in her mouth and she looked at the bedsheets. Soon, the tears blurred her vision. Goosebumps pricked into her body, and she felt cold all over. She barely felt Harry wrap his arms around her. She was numb. Shaking with sorrow, and choking on her sobs.

"Why's mummy crying?" Katarina asked Raven in a whisper that was slightly panicked.

"Because Viktor's dead," answered Raven, curling her hair in her fingers. Katarina stared at her, aghast.

The tears continued to sting her eyes like acid as they escaped. Viktor couldn't be dead...he just couldn't. "No, she whimpered, sniffing into Harry's shirt, which she clutched tightly in her fingers. "No...no, he can't be...he isn't..."

A nurse walked in, just then and Hermione withdrew from the comfort of Harry's arms, and stiffened, wiping away her tears madly. "When can I get out of here?" she asked the nurse briskly. Viktor wasn't dead, he was at home, polishing his broomstick...he was there, she knew it.

The nurse looked at her in surprise. "Er, you can leave now if you like, but you'd need to come in every day for various tests."

"That's fine," said Hermione, her voice quivering as she tried not to cry. "Please bring me my things." The nurse obliged and brought her her clothes, and all of her other possessions. Hermione's heart plummeted again as she saw her engagement ring. Sniffing, she slid it onto her finger, and kicked off the sheets. Her feet touched the floor and the cold seemed to sink into her very skin. Whimpering, she stood up, and just as she did so, collapsed.

Harry and Ginny lunged to catch her before she hit the ground, but they weren't quick enough. Charlie and Katarina saw their mother on the floor, trying to get up, but not able to, and they rushed to her as well. Hermione held up a hand to stop them, and, sniffing and grunting at the same time, managed to lift herself back onto her bed. "W-what's wrong with my leg?" she said, staring at said leg in horror. It looked fine enough, but was obviously in a right state.

"Well, miss, you broke it in several places when you...er...fell," said a nurse, a skinny one with dark eyes.

"Fell?" Hermione repeated weakly, the pain in her head mounding again. She didn't recall falling. She could briefly see hooded figures and hear soft chuckles...but she couldn't recall much anything else. "I-I fell?"

"Yes you did. We healed the bone, but the nerves in your leg need time to be able to react properly to commands. It should be better in a week or so, with some therapy."

"Th-th...surely I don't need that?" said Hermione, crossing her arms.

The nurse narrowed her eyebrows. "You do," she said firmly, handing her some clothes to change into.

"I don't want it," Hermione said adamantly. "Damn the therapy."

Harry and Ginny looked mildly confused, but the nurse seemed to have expected this. "Don't go blaming yourself for things you couldn't control. If you're thinking that maybe you should have died rather than your husband--"

"How dare you!"

The nurse pressed on as though she hadn't heard this at all. "--you can stop those thoughts right now, because they won't help you."

Hermione looked away from the nurse's penetrating stare and could feel the tears welling in her eyes again. "I don't want the therapy," she said. If Viktor had suffered, she could bear it.

"We'll bring her in every day," said Ginny, and Hermione fixed her with a look of betrayal.

For a change of topic, Hermione demanded, "How did Viktor..."

Ginny shrugged a bit, and quivered.

Hermione bit her trembling lip, then burst out with, "You don't know? How could you not know?"

"His body wasn't found, Hermione," Harry mumbled softly.

"Well, then there's still chance that..." She trailed off, knowing it was useless. Her sweet, caring husband was dead. Gone forever. She bowed her head, sniffing and twirling the engagement ring on her finger.

Harry, Ginny, and the others stared at her with pity. I don't want pity, Hermione thought bitterly. I want Viktor.

"Are you...er...ready to go?" Ginny inquired.

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, I want to go home."

Harry headed to the door and opened it for her, but she didn't move. "Where's Bridgett?" she said suddenly, remembering something else.

"Bridgett?" Ginny said blankly.

"Bridgett, I need to speak to Bridgett." She glanced at her stomach. "Nurse! Excuse me, nurse! Could you find Bridgett for me?" The nurse looked surprised again, but bustled off to find her. Hermione went back over to her bed and sat on it, waiting anxiously. Soon, the small black nurse entered the room. "Bridgett, how's Joseph?" Hermione asked, looking at her stomach again and patting it. Harry stared at her in horror.

"He's gone, miss," Bridgett said tearfully, clapping her hands to her mouth.

Hermione looked at her in shock, feeling, not for the first time, numb all over. "B-but, no...he can't be gone...I-I don't understand, Bridgett!" A wave of nausea washed over her and tears sprang to her eyes again. This isn't happening...none of this is happening...it's just a dream--I'll wake up and I'll be at home with Viktor and Katarina and Charlie, and then.... "No!" Hermione cried loudly, shaking her head. "No." Bridgett nodded and Hermione looked at Harry. "B-but no...he was supposed to be a surprise! He can't be d-d-dead...h-h-he's alive, just like Viktor, a-a-and I'm going to go home, and Viktor will be there and we'll--we'll go flying, like always a-and..." She sniffed loudly and sobbed uncontrollably.

They're gone Hermione.

No, they're not!

"Come on Hermione, let's get you home," said Harry, as Ginny walked out of the room with the children. "You need to get some rest." Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulders comfortingly and helped her out of the room. She was unsteady on her feet and was now hot all over; sweat trickled down her face and her hair stuck to the back of her neck. Crying was taking all the energy from her.

"No," she whispered, an image of Viktor floating happily into her mind.

Hermione was in the library, studying for her homework assignments, trying to rid herself of the argument she had just had with Ron. She couldn't remember what they had been fighting about, but he had called her an annoying bushy haired know-it-all. Furious, she dabbed her quill into some ink--unfortunately, she broke the tip of the quill in her anger.

"Is this seat taken?" said a heavily accented voice. Hermione looked up into the face of Viktor Krum, but he was not looking surly. He was looking a little nervous.

Hermione pulled some books toward her and made some room for him, even though her eyes inspected him warily. This guy was the source of her frustrations in the library when she was trying to get some work done. Well, that's not fair, it wasn't really his fault. Just the fault of his fan girls. She looked around the library and saw that no giggling girls were in sight, and she was pleased at that. This should actually be fun, she thought. I haven't had much contact with any Triwizard Champion other than Harry and I haven't really associated with the people from Durmstrang. "You're from Durmstrang, are you not?" said Hermione curiously, searching in her bag for a new quill.

"Yes," he said, pulling out some of his own books to study.

Hermione blew some hair from her face and continued to search for a quill. "You did really well with that dragon," she said.

"Your friend--Harry--did better. I cannot believe that I did not think to fly," said Viktor, looking a little flustered to receive such a compliment.

Hermione was a little suspicious. She stopped her quill searching and inspected Viktor critically. "You're not trying to get me to help you with that egg, are you?" she said.

"No! No, I am not," said Viktor, lifting his hands slightly.

Hermione's face softened. "What are you working on?" she said, looking for her quill again.

"Do you--do you--" Hermione looked up. Viktor was looking extremely nervous about something... "Do you--want to just borrow my quill?" he said, drawing a quill from his bag. Hermione gratefully accepted, and felt better now that she was with someone other than Harry and Ron. Ron always got into arguments with her and Harry always took his side.

She inspected Viktor carefully. He was handsome, if you looked closely. Olive skin, deep eyes, rugged features...Hermione shook herself mentally. You like Ron, remember? She reminded herself.

He's famous, and good-looking, and nice. Ron is an ill- tempered prat with too many freckles. Forget Ron--he always argues with me anyway...I bet Viktor wouldn't do that. Wouldn't make a bad ball partner either. After all, Ron doesn't want to take anyone who isn't as beautiful as a Veela so that knocks me from the list completely. Jerk.

Hermione grinned to herself, bit her lip nervously at Viktor, and looked back down at her homework. They worked in silence for about twenty minutes, and then Hermione stood up to leave. "Ver are you going?" asked Viktor.

"I'm finished...why, do you need any help?" Hermione scolded herself for being so superior towards everyone. She'd practically insulted him.

But he didn't seem offended. He smiled nervously. "Vell, actually, I do need help. You know this Yule Ball that your Headmaster has? I vas vondering--vell, if you aren't already going vith someone...if you'd go vith me?"

Hermione was startled. She could hardly believe her ears! Viktor Krum, famous Bulgarian Seeker, was asking her, plain old ugly Hermione, to the Yule Ball!

She couldn't pass this chance up. "Yes, sure...I-I'd love to...why me?"

"You are one of the few girls who doesn't follow me around. It is creepy to be stalked." Viktor shuddered and stood up, also packing to leave. Hermione laughed and was amazed at how tall he was. She felt like a mushroom.

"Okay, I believe you--but only as friends...I like someone else." Good Hermione, let him know your intentions.

"Vell, alright, but I like you. I've been in here all this time trying to figure out a way to ask you."

"You--you have?" said Hermione, feeling quite flustered. He liked her! "W-Wow."

But after Viktor left, Hermione sighed. She couldn't believe that she had insulted Ron's freckles seconds before. She loved his freckles. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he saw her with Viktor. It'll be priceless, I'm sure.

And it was. Hermione sighed as Harry led to her to the fireplace. They had gotten into a huge argument that night, and that was when she decided that she wasn't going to waste her time on Ron Weasley. That night she had dreamt of Viktor Krum. Then, in fifth year, she fell for Harry.

Hermione sniffed as she remembered what a waste of time that had been. Ron had been so hurt by that--Oh stop it! You're remembering Viktor! Viktor Krum! Your dead husband! Not that prat who left you and Charlie once the responsibility became too much! Bastard!

But he saved Charlie and Katarina!

Good for him, that doesn't change anything!

Yes it does, because he's not living as a Muggle anymore. You'll see him soon enough.

Her heart nearly stopped beating in her chest.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Hermione was lying in bed, hearing nothing but the ticking of the clock. It was past midnight. The only light was from the streetlamps outside, and the moon shining in the sky. She turned in bed, sniffing, eyes red, and looked out the window. An idea struck her.

She dressed in silence, and, after placing a jumper over her head, stepped outside her bedroom and out into the hall. She tiptoed past Harry and Ginny's room, whose door was open. Hermione could see Ginny shift in her sleep and wrap her arm around Harry's midsection and sort of half smile.

Hermione checked in the rooms next door and was happy to see Charlie sleeping rather peacefully and uttering a sound between a snort and a snore every couple of seconds. She gazed at him rather fondly, before checking on Katarina and Raven in the next room. Katarina was shifting in her bed, an arm curled around a teddy bear.

Raven, however, was moaning in her sleep and twitching slightly. Hermione's plans were put on hold somewhat as she stepped quietly into the room to hear what the girl was saying. It was only when she was a few feet away that she caught it. "...Tom...T-tom...p-please Tom..."

Instant fear spread through Hermione's bones at these words, as she knew someone whose name had once been Tom. A teenage boy corrupted by power. By evil. "Raven, sweetie," Hermione whispered in an attempt to try and wake her up, but as she did so, Raven suddenly stopped twitching and lay frozen in her bed. Shell-shocked, Hermione rushed to her side and placed a her ear to Raven's chest. She was still breathing, thank Merlin.

Sighing, Hermione headed out of the room and made her way down the steps. She walked through the living room and kitchen and stepped into the fresh air of the night. The breeze pierced her skin comfortingly, and she closed her eyes, reveling in the feel of the wind tousling her hair.

A lump was making its way in the center of Hermione's throat, making it almost difficult to breathe. Tears swam before her eyes and the only thought rushing through her mind was, Not again. Please don't cry again. But she couldn't help herself. Being out here in the brilliant night, underneath a dark, mysterious sky only brought back memories.

"Hermione, is that you?" said a voice.

Hermione jumped slightly as the voice disturbed her peace. She was sitting straight on a bench on the Quidditch Pitch, the stars twinkling above. The distant trees from the Forbidden Forest swayed slightly in the harsh breeze, but Hermione hadn't been moving.

She had been lost in her thoughts. Thoughts about Harry, somewhere far away, fighting Voldemort. Probably injured or worse. And here she and Ron had slept together three days ago, betraying his trust. She felt so guilty, and she knew it would only get worse.

"H-hello, Ron," Hermione said, her voice deceiving her by cracking. "What are you doing out here?"

"What am I doing out here? What are you doing out here? It's bloody freezing, where's your cloak?" he demanded, and in an instant, his cloak was dangling in front of her.

"What time is it?" she asked, not taking the cloak.

"It's about one in the morning, I'd say. Couldn't sleep? Me neither," he finished, not waiting for her to respond.

There was a silence of about a minute before Ron spoke again. "Take the cloak Hermione," he said softly. Hermione, whom had been trying to avoid looking him in the eye, for fear it might make her want to shag him again, took the cloak and wrapped it around herself. He sat down next to her on the bench, hands in his pockets.

"Thanks," she said awkwardly. Images of the two of them were dancing across her brain. She could just see him planting hot kisses down her neck and his hands caressing her cheeks...A part of her wanted to hold onto the thoughts of their lovemaking, but the other part told her to banish them. They were wrong to think about.

"Hermione, I've been thinking..." Ron said slowly, as though he couldn't quite possibly believe he was saying something. "I love Harry, you know I do. We--we both love him, right?"

Hermione nodded.

"D-do you think you...I mean to say..." Ron seemed to have extreme difficulty getting the words past his throat. "After what we--did--do you...er--still lov--like him? In that way? As a lover--I mean boyfriend!" he stammered. By the end of the sentence his voice had reached a pitch that wasn't necessary for speaking to someone right next to you.

"Yes," answered Hermione automatically. "Y-yes I do."

Clearly in the moonlight, Ron's face fell. "Well, that's that then," he muttered, in a defeated tone. "W-when are you coming inside?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "I just want to be on my own for a while." She shivered and from the corner of her eye, she saw Ron reach out, as though to put an arm around her to keep her warm, but he stepped back twice.

"If you're out for longer than ten minutes, I'll be worried. So...er...come inside soon, will you?"

Hermione nodded as he walked away, another sharp breeze smacking her hair against her face. She closed her eyes, feeling tears prickling, tears she didn't want to fall.

Hermione swept her hand across her face, sighing. "Everything could have just stopped there. If I had just told then how he made me feel..." It was useless pondering about him, Hermione decided, since Viktor was the one who had died. Hermione felt instantly ashamed at insulting his memory by thinking of Ron.

She began to pick up rocks and throw them at the trees, forgetting about the past and focusing now on the present. She was bitter and angry at the world, and, now that she thought about it, it was all because of men.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Come on, now! That was a lousy call!" Ron yelled to the referee, who happened to be Seamus Finnigan.

"It was not, now go back and sit in the Top Box where you belong! Don't insult my calls just because the Cannons are losing!" Seamus yelled back, and Ron balled his fists, and walked away.

He sat in the Top Box watching the game anxiously. The Cannons were up 130 to 120, playing against Puddlemere United. Ron glanced at his team and sighed. "Kennington better catch that damn Snitch right now," he said aloud to himself, feeling especially tense.

Ware, a Chaser for Puddlemere United, made a score just then. "Argh!" Ron yelled and the man next to him grunted disapprovingly. "What, do you have a problem with it?" Ron said angrily.

The man said nothing, but then his eyes widened and he pointed to the field, where the two Seekers were racing for the Snitch. "COME ON KENNINGTON!" Ron bellowed hoarsely, making himself hoarse, and he didn't even notice the white snowy owl coming toward him until she started to nibble at his fingers.

"Hedwig? Blimey, you could have been hurt," Ron said, just as Kennington caught the Snitch. "YES!" he yelled, as he grabbed the letter that Hedwig was holding.

The crowd was cheering happily around him as the Wasps did their victory loop. Ron opened the letter, grinning. A short message was scribbled on it in Harry's handwriting.

Hermione's awake. She's doing alright, but is shut off kind of. She says she doesn't remember what happened, except that Viktor and the kids were involved. She knows about Viktor and the miscarriage as well. See you in a week. She's awake!

Harry

Ron reread the letter several times and let out a whoop. Hermione was awake. She was awake! Ron climbed down the Top Box steps as quickly as he could, and ran over to Seamus Finnigan to show him the letter, nearly being collided into by Kennington. Seamus looked at the letter, grinned, and he and Ron exchanged a (brief) hug. "That's great!" Seamus yelled over the crowd of noise and he clapped Ron on the back.

Ron let out another whoop and his heart beat rapidly in his chest. Then, a bitter taste formed in his mouth as he thought, I'm going to see Hermione. I will have to talk to her. I will...oh Lord, what am I going to do?

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Well, Hermione and I just found a house!" Ginny exclaimed a couple days later. "It's right by the water, and boy is it beautiful! Now, the crowd tried to recover most of the items from the old house, but not much was able to be recovered so we'll have to go shopping tomorrow to buy new things..." Harry tuned her out as she jittered on and on about the things they needed. She didn't really notice--she just left the room and began making lists.

Harry turned his attention to Hermione, whom had followed Ginny into the kitchen and sunk into a chair. She was looking quite pretty in a pair of light purple robes that she had bought, but Harry knew she was thoroughly depressed. A sunken look, similar to the one Sirius used to get, had blossomed in her eyes overnight, and they had lost the sparkle that Harry knew so well. For the first couple of days back, she had denied that Viktor was gone, but it had sunk in, and since it had, she kept herself locked in the guest bedroom, coming out only for meals and the therapy sessions she had to attend, now only twice a week. When she had agreed to house hunt with Ginny today, Harry had been surprised.

"How are you doing?" he asked her, setting a pot of tea in front of her and sitting in the chair next to hers. She turned her head slowly toward him, as though just acknowledging that he was there, and gave him the blankest look he had ever seen. It frustrated him a little. "I know you're hurting Hermione...I know you've been hurting ever since we were fifteen...a-and you've kept that inside yourself for a very very long time and I'm tired of that, Hermione, I don't like seeing you in pain. No one does." He let out a breath and felt slightly better. "Now, I want you to tell me how you're feeling. Don't hold back." He felt very nervous and awkward doing this, acting so sensitive, but he was tired of seeing his best friend looking as though she was in contact with dementors 24-7.

Hermione's eyes didn't leave his, and they began to brim with tears. She didn't answer, but busied herself by pouring herself some tea and drinking it slowly. "Hermione," Harry prompted sternly. "It's not healthy...now--now tell me how you feel."

"Do you really want to know?" said Hermione in a choked whisper, and it was the first sentence Harry had heard her say in nearly two weeks.

"Yes I do," said Harry firmly, but that didn't keep his nervousness from his voice. "And I want to know if you remember anything about that night--who came in to your house, and why they might have..."

"I don't remember anything about that night Harry! I've told you that already! Not a bloody thing...I-I don't even know how I wound up in the hospital. How I fell, that's what happened, wasn't it? Are you and Ginny afraid to tell me? Afraid that if you do, I might just lock myself in that guest bedroom forever?" Her tone was bitter, and Harry didn't like it.

"Well, that's what you have been doing, isn't it?" he said coolly. "And if you really want to know how you got in that coma, I'll tell you...you jumped off your balcony."

"I jumped...that's so ridiculous..." She shook her head, took a sip of tea, and choked on it.

"Not of your own free will, I don't think. You're an Auror, Hermione. Lots of people, dark wizards, have grudges against you. I think you were put under the Imperious and couldn't break it." Harry didn't want to say that another reason for an attack on Hermione was because she was friends with The Boy Who Lived.

"Well, that's great isn't it? Death Eaters came into my house, killed my husband, tried to kill my children, and me...actually, they did kill one of my children! Harry," and here she lowered her voice to a dramatic whisper, "Are you sure that you want me here...in your home? I mean, the Death Eaters haven't been caught, have they? They're probably still after me, waiting for when we least expect it. Next thing you know...well, with my luck anyway, they'll come in here and finish everyone else off. Bye bye Harry, bye bye Ginny, and Raven, and Charlie, and Kat--"

"That's enough," Harry snapped. "You're not the only one with problems Hermione."

"Interesting, isn't it? Don't people normally say that to you?" She furrowed her brow, as though thinking hard, and gave a tiny chuckle. Harry, unable to restrain himself, banged his fist on the table. Hermione's face grew hard and she finished her tea. "You can't help me Harry," she said, standing up and she looked sad. "I can't even help myself...you know, it seems that whenever things are finally going right in life, they go wrong. Like in fourth year, when I had the biggest crush on Ron, and I was almost ready to tell him...and then he had to go and act like such an ass at the ball and I gave up on him completely. And then in fifth year, when things were going smooth between you and I and you left...then I felt happy with Ron and you came back, not that that was bad...but at the time--then there was that whole thing with Ron's jealousy of you and me, and then I realized that I loved him, but was too thick to admit it to myself...and then Viktor came along--you know what, I don't feel like doing this! I don't want to talk!" She grabbed her teacup from the table and threw it across the kitchen. Her face was rigid with anger as the china shattered, and Harry stared at her. She glared at the ceiling. "Why the hell did you have to die! Huh? You were my escape, Viktor, and you just left! You left! Some father you are, leaving Charlie and Kat all alone! And me! Thanks a lot!" She ripped off her engagement ring and threw it too, as Harry just looked on in horror. Ginny had come and was standing in the kitchen entrance, bewildered.

Hermione rounded on her. "You wait until I see your brother, you just wait! Boy, I have a lot of stuff to say to him too! Lousy, bloody prat! I-I am so sick of men! They just leave you...Harry did, Ron did, and Viktor too!" She started fumbling with the collar of her robes and Harry realized that she was taking off the golden book pendant. She threw that too, and turned to Harry again. "That enough for you, Harry? Did I give you enough of my feelings? Funny, you never did that, remember? When you came back, I asked you almost every day about what happened when you were in hiding and what did I get? Nada. Nothing! You told me nothing! And I still don't know! So...so..." She trailed off sadly and stared at the ceiling again, in tears. "Amazing, all the bitter feelings one suddenly feels when under pressure," she laughed, and then she left the room, shoving into Ginny as she passed. A few seconds later, a door slammed.

"What did you say to her Harry?" said Ginny, her hands covering her mouth.

Harry could only mouth wordlessly.