Summer Writing Series Challenge (August 5)
Challenge: Harry. Hermione. Rain.
Title: When It Rains, It Pours
Word Count: 1,071
"Hermione, why don't you come inside where it's warm?" Robert Granger called from his daughter's bedroom window.
"I'm fine, Dad," Hermione droned as the rain buffeted her slender frame.
"You're soaked to the bone, Pumpkin," he said as he climbed out onto the roof to sit next to her. Robert wrapped an arm over her shoulders in a fatherly fashion. "Come inside before you catch your death."
Hermione's gaze remained upon some distant point that was hidden far beyond the horizon as she drew her knees to her chest as if she were a frightened little girl once again. "I'm fine, Dad," she repeated mechanically.
"First of all, you're sitting out in this deluge staring at nothing," her father said in a barely controlled irritable growl. "Then I call you Pumpkin, which you usually get upset when I call you that. Now you're in your nightmare, knee-hugging mode. It's alright, Hermione, you can tell me what's wrong."
She continued to stare straight ahead for several silent minutes. Robert had begun to lose his patience when she tore her gaze from her unseen study and looked to him with hauntingly sad eyes.
"What is it?" He asked worriedly when he realized the water streaking down her cheeks wasn't from the rain. For the first time, he noticed her haggard appearance. There were dark circles under her eyes. Hermione's once vibrant skin was pale and lackluster. With her wet hair plastered to her face, Robert could barely recognize his daughter. Before she could speak, he pulled her into a tight hug that she returned with shaking shoulders and trembling hands.
He slowly helped her to her feet and the two of them climbed over the windowsill into her bedroom. The air inside seemed startlingly warmer than what they'd experienced on the roof and with a quick hand, he wrapped his shuddering daughter with the duvet from her bed. Kneeling beside her, he hugged her once again and held Hermione until he felt her sobs abate.
"What's happened to make you so upset?" he asked again, placing a tender kiss on her forehead.
Hermione looked her father in the eyes, her terrifyingly sad gaze sending shivers down his spine. "Harry," she whispered and her tears began to fall again.
Robert gently cupped her face with his warm hands and pulled her into another hug. "I see," he said gently, trying to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "I know you miss him..."
"I love him, Dad," Hermione whispered suddenly. "I love him so much that it's tearing me apart..."
"Hermione, he's been missing for three months..." Robert said softly.
Hermione hadn't heard what her father had said and continued talking. "It was raining when he caught the snitch. It was raining when the Portkey the snitch was activated. It was raining when he left. I feel him when I'm in the rain, Dad," she whispered.
"How can you feel him in the rain?" her father asked gently. "Your headmaster said they'd contact you when he was found... are you even sure he's..."
"For the millionth time, he's alive, Dad!" Hermione growled and pulled away. "I can feel it! He's out there somewhere and he needs me! HARRY NEEDS ME!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, pulling out of her father's embrace and standing defiantly before him.
"Hermione..." Robert pleaded as he stood to face his daughter.
"NO! HE'S ALIVE! He's..." Hermione fell to her knees and began to sob once again. "He has to be alive... He has to..."
"Hermione," her father said suddenly. She looked up and saw the look of shock on his face. Hermione followed his gaze and felt her heart lodge in her throat.
"HARRY!" she shouted at the top of her lungs and ran to the window where a very bloodied and worn Harry Potter collapsed into her room. She swept him into her arms and after a brief hug waved her now wielded wand over his body. "He's in bad shape..." she whimpered as her father helped her lay him on the bed.
"Her-Hermione..." Harry croaked as his eyes flitted open.
"Shh... don't talk, you're in bad shape, we need Madam Pomfrey..." Hermione stuttered, trying to quell the hysteria that was building within her.
"Had to... see you one... last... time..." he wheezed as he weakly took her hand. Robert had already dialed a specific phone number that Dumbledore gave him for emergencies and moments later Albus Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey apparated in Hermione's room.
The school nurse immediately went to the bed and began her analysis as Dumbledore and Robert pulled Hermione kicking and screaming from the room. A well placed sleeping charm from the old wizard made their task easier and she woke up several hours later on her parents' bed. Her heart skipped a beat when she remembered that Harry was in her room and she immediately headed for the door.
"He's gone then?" she heard her father's muffled voice from the hall.
"Madam Pomfrey couldn't do anything -" Albus Dumbledore replied when Hermione opened the door so quickly she startled both of the men.
"WHAT?!" Hermione yelled hysterically before running to her room to find her bed empty and stripped of its coverings. "Where's Harry?!"
"He's gone -" Robert tried to explain.
"NO! He can't be gone!" she shouted desperately.
"Hermione, calm down!" her mother said as she entered the room.
"They've taken him to St. Mungo's," Robert said quickly before his daughter went completely off the deep end. "Your school nurse helped somewhat but Harry needed better care."
"W-what?" Hermione asked bewildered.
"Miss Granger, Harry will be quite alright," Dumbledore said with a soft smile and a twinkle in his eyes.
"H-he will?" she asked dumbly. "When can I see him? When will be released?" Hermione asked in rapid succession.
"You can see him now, but not for long," Albus said with a soft chuckle, "and he's going to be in the hospital for a few weeks."
Hermione insisted they waste no time and with her wand in hand, she and her headmaster apparated directly to the lobby of St. Mungo's. Dumbledore led the way and they stopped at an open door.
Tears came to Hermione's eyes when she saw a pair of bloodshot, green eyes twinkling as their owner smiled at her entrance. Harry opened his arms, beckoning for one of her trademark hugs, and Hermione didn't let him down.