The Journey Never Ends

A/N. This is a very short chapter I originally decided to cut from the beginning of the story, so I thought I’d add it in here as a flashback. That’s why it’s so short- like a rush of memories. It will be relevant later.

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Flashback

Whilst running, long lost memories flooded back…

Hermione sat in her home, surrounded by pieces of parchment covered in her neat handwriting. She’d started this letter so many times, but couldn’t find the words to tell him this unexpected news.

It was a week since Harry had left, and Hermione had been fighting a losing battle of trying to keep herself occupied. She found it difficult to know what to do without Harry by her side.

Ron had been to visit her, but most of the time they both sat in silence, Hermione simply taking comfort in Ron’s presence.

Earlier that week, Ron had cooked dinner for her.

“Do you love him?” Ron had said suddenly. Hermione looked up from her salad, startled. Ron usually avoided talking about their relationship.

“Yes,” she’d replied, “with all my heart.”

Ron could hear the emotion in her voice. He wasn’t jealous of Harry, he’d always seen Hermione as a friend, but he found it difficult to accept. He couldn’t help but feel he was losing his best friends.

Hermione glanced down at the letter she had started, letting out a long sigh.

Dear Harry,

I miss you. I know it’s only been a week, but it seems like forever. I keep looking at that ring and reminding myself we’ll be married- I can’t wait.

Anyway, the thing is, I realised a few days after you’d left that something about my body was changing. At first I just assumed I was missing you, but it turns out we’re going to have a baby. I’m pregnant! Can you believe it? Dumbledore says that our love for each other must have overridden the contraceptive spell.

I’m so happy. I never expected to have a child yet, but now it’s happened it seems so perfect.

I hope this helps you. I know you need a break but…please come back. I need you, and so does our child.

Love, your Hermione

Fed up of altering the letter she decided that the simple truth would work best.

Flinging open the windows to let the sunlight illuminate her home, she called Hedwig. A minute later she saw the snowy owl circling, and finally landing on her windowsill.

“Hey Hedwig,” she whispered, “I’ve got a letter for Harry, so you can go visit him.”

Hedwig nibbled her finger affectionately. When Harry left, he told Hermione to look after Hedwig for him. That way he wouldn’t have another thing to worry about, and he would still see his owl whenever Hermione wrote.

Hermione attached the letter to Hedwig’s leg, and before she flew, said, “Take him my love, ok?”

Hedwig took off, and Hermione watched her soaring ascent into the clouds. She wondered where Harry was. Hedwig was flying north, but that didn’t guarantee Harry’s location.

After a few minutes Hermione shook her head to clear it of daydreams and decided she ought to think about making lunch. Mrs Weasley had helped her learn how to cook, and as with anything, Hermione was showing promise. Her good skills in charms meant she could easily apply magic to the kitchen. She wondered how her muggle parents ever managed without.

Getting out the ingredients, Hermione started cooking. She felt the need to eat healthily now she was with child, so she made sure to cook plenty of green vegetables. While she was leaning against the kitchen counter, she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in the region of her abdomen.

“Ow,” she said aloud, but dismissed the pain, thinking that she had been leaning a little to heavily on the corner of the kitchen counter. The edges weren’t smooth yet, it was a job Harry had planned to complete.

However, half an hour later, she felt the same pain, and realised that it felt a little like period cramps. That’s odd, she thought, I’m pregnant!  But again, she ignored it.

Suddenly, the pain was intense, like someone stabbing needles in her gut, and Hermione doubled over and cried out. Sinking to the floor her vision blurred with pain and she tried not to panic. Gradually it eased a little, and she tried to steady her breathing and racing heart. Placing a hand on the floor to help herself up, she felt a sticky substance underneath it. Looking down she realised she was sat in a puddle of blood. A lot of blood.

The coppery tang seemed to fill her senses as her head whirled. Her eyes couldn’t focus as it seeped across the tiled kitchen floor. This was no period.

She tried to stand, but only succeeded in spreading the blood further, and then the pain returned and she was doubled up in agony.

In the midst of the pain, something clicked in her mind. My baby…Our baby…

Why was she being punished? She was losing her reminder of Harry: her world, her everything…

In desperation Hermione tried to cling to the blood, as if it contained some life force that she could save.

With a loud crack, Albus Dumbledore apparated next to Hermione, looking sombre. In a flash he realised that Hermione was miscarrying and knelt beside her as she cried, her tears mixing with the blood.

“No!” she gasped through her pain.

No!...