Title: Screaming on the Inside
Rating: R
Summary: Tragedy strikes Hermione. How will her friends react?
Disclaimer: The characters of this story were created by the genius that is JK Rowling. This fic was not written to make money of any kind but merely for the enjoyment.
Authors Note: Thanks to all my lovely reviewers. You make me feel really special. I don't think I've mentioned it before but check our my site - http://feedthesoul.hyperboards.com
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Ginny's POV
I watch silently as Harry throws his arm around Hermione, whispering something in her ear before kissing her on the temple. The worried look stayed painted on Hermione's face. I couldn't really blame her; Quidditch was a dangerous sport, especially the way Harry played it. They acted like a married couple at times.
Harry was infamous for his talks to any male who even expressed the slightest interest in Hermione. On more than one occasion I had seen Harry corner some guy and threaten him that if he ever hurt Hermione he would personally inflict them into a whole new world of pain. Of course the whole school knew about these talks but had somehow managed to keep Hermione from knowing about them. On the same token Hermione gave any girl who even looked at Harry with interest a vicious third degree. All without Harry knowing of course.
"So what's everyone's plans for the weekend?" I ask desperate to get away from the topic of Quidditch before the boys started being ridiculous about it. Best speak now before being human gets overshadowed by a stupid game. When I see the look on Hermione's face I immediately regret opening my mouth. You'd think I'd learn but I still manage to put my foot in my mouth at the worst times.
"The funerals' are on Monday. We leave after breakfast." Harry answered quietly.
As silence seems to consume the table I notice the rather surprised look on my brother's face. It became all too obvious that he was not included in Harry's "we" and knew nothing of the funeral plans.
The silence started to stretch out no one knowing what to say. The talkative ones in our group were silent, not wanting to put their foot in it. Surprisingly it was Draco Malfoy who saved the day. Draco smirked, "You two are beyond sickening, you know that?" As he spoke he gestured to Harry and Hermione; ignoring any conversation since he had last spoken. Sheepishly Harry let his arm slid off Hermione's shoulders. Hermione pouted slightly at Harry and he gave her a lopsided grin.
"You two are so cute," Lavender squealed giving me a slight ear ache. As I looked at Harry and Hermione blushing I realised how inappropriate it was to be teasing them about their non-relationship. However, Hermione seemed slightly more cheerful than she had been for awhile so I kept my mouth shut.
"Jealousy is not a good look on you, Malfoy," Hermione quipped and got a smirk in return. That smirk was enough to turn most girls' knees to jelly but Hermione didn't even waver she just shrugged and turned back to her toast. She succeeded in her goal and Malfoy bit back.
"It's a better look than having Potter as my permanent appendage." Malfoy pretended to be deep in thought. "Now I know why you haven't had a date in years?" His voice held none of the edge it would have a couple of years ago and Hermione smiled sweetly back at him before letting out a snort that couldn't be mistaken for anything but laughter. Harry was soon to follow, laughing whole heartedly at whatever the pair had suddenly deemed hilarious. The look on Draco's face was nothing short of classic and it sends me into a fit of giggles. As we continue to laugh Ron looks at us like we're all mad. I abruptly stop giggling realising he's not the only one giving us weird looks.
The entire Great Hall is looking at us surprised. Hermione's parents just died and we're giggling like a group of twelve-year-olds. The thought strikes me as entirely ludicrous and unresentful. As if preordained Harry and Hermione stop giggling at exactly the same time. As Hermione looks around at the baffled faces of Hogwart's students I can almost see the reality of the past twenty-four hours hit Hermione. Her face immediately becomes sombre and tears well in her eyes.
"Harry," she whispers, her voice croaking like she's about to cry, which she probably is. Immediately Harry grabs her hand and begins to lead Hermione from the Great Hall, saving her from the embarrassment of breaking down publicly.
A deathly silence fills the Great Hall and everyone seems afraid to move, staring at the couple as they leave. The heavy doors bang close the noise causing a few people to jump. The door closing seemed to signal the end of the spectacle and people seemed to turn back to their breakfast conversation.
"Jesus, you would think people didn't have a life of their own," I hear Lavender mutter. No one says anything but I know they all agree with her. Harry and Hermione had inadvertently become the Hogwarts soap opera and nothing anyone did seemed to be able to change that. Believe me we tried everything.
We continue to eat our breakfast in silence, Draco still at the table with us. He seemed reluctant to leave for some reason. Shrugging I turn back to my breakfast, there wasn't much I could do about it was there.
We all finished our breakfast without a word at a leisurely pace. Silently we all got up from the table and headed towards the Gryffindor common room; nodding our goodbyes to Draco or in Ron's case glaring.
The trip to the common room was silent; we were all too lost in our own thoughts, not knowing exactly what to say. We reach the common room, Ron giving the password to the Fat Lady and curl up on the soft couches by the fire. Lavender crawled into Ron's lap and seemed contented to just sit there, apparently needing the comfort. I curl myself up in one of the armchairs barely noticing that I wrap my arms around myself. I guess we all need a bit of comfort at the moment.
I'm not sure how long we sit there for, enjoying each other's company, finding a strange comfort in the silence. We hadn't been sitting there for long when Dean, Seamus and Parvati came to join us. We all just sat there staring into the fire our own thoughts washing over us.
Our silence was broken as Harry and Hermione entered the common room both carrying an overnight bag and dressed in Muggle clothes. Looking at Harry dressed in a black what appeared to be silk shirt and beige dress pants topped with a black leather jacket I gain a sudden appreciation of Muggle clothing. Out of the corner of my eye I see Lavender and Parvati appear to be thinking the same thing.
The boys are not excluded from this sudden Muggle appreciation meeting. I see them eyeing Hermione off. She wore a simple pair of hipster jeans, a pale blue spaghetti strap top, which revealed just a bit of her stomach. Her coat was to die for, suede lined with a shaggy fake fur of some kind. Her feet clad in a pair of black leather boots which disappeared under the leg of her jeans so there was no way of telling how high they were.
"We're off," Harry announced unnecessarily, shaking us all from our thoughts. Harry gestures to Ron, he obviously wants to talk to him. As they wander slightly away from the group to give themselves some privacy I notice the tears shinning in Hermione's eyes.
Not know what else to do I walk over to her and pull her into a fierce hug, offering her all the comfort and support I can give. As we pull back I notice Hermione cock her head to the side, biting her bottom lip, looking me up and down. It's the same look she gives Harry when she's trying to figure something out that he's trying to hide.
"You're so much like you're mother," she finally states simply. I smile at her. Usually a statement like that would have me in a flurry but I know she means it as a compliment. I smile slightly at her.
"'Mione," Harry calls, grabbing her attention and pointing to his wrist. Obviously they have to leave soon. Hermione hugs me again before she moves to say goodbye to Ron. As they hug I walk over to Harry.
"Look after her," I tell him quietly. Slowly Harry turns and gives me an incredulous look. He simply raises an eyebrow at me, surprised I even had to ask him that. I nod shortly. Nothing was going to happen to Hermione if Harry could prevent it.