Just call on me brother,
When you need a friend
We all need somebody to lean on
You might have a problem that I'll understand
We all need somebody to lean on.
Lean on me when your not strong
Ill be your friend
Ill help you carry on, cause
It wont be long till I'll need a friend,
Till I'll need somebody to lean on.
- Lean on me, Marvin Gay.
A/N: This chapter took a bit longer in coming than I had hoped. I was toying with a few ideas, then the book came out and I was unsure if I should continue but I figured that it would be okay since this is a Post Hogwarts fic and there was enough room for a H/Hr pairing to come about. So read and enjoy! Reviews OPENLY welcome. :-D.
*Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters, merely this plot. Please do not sue!
Hermione sat down hard on a chair in the waiting room, hands shaking. The visit with her parents, however brief, had unsettled her. When she was back at her apartment, imagining the worst, she wasn't too far off from what had happened.
Doctors told her that her parents were both critical but if they survived the night and the next day, they'd be out of the woods. Her father had come out of it worse than her mother. He had a fractured bone in his skull, right above his left eye, a fractured ankle and wrist, a major concussion, several deep cuts on his body and some burns on his hands.
Her mother, Lacey, had a broken leg, burns on her arms, deep cuts on her face and upper body, one of her lungs had to be re-inflated, and the skin on her left fore-arm had been peeled off. For some reason she had been fairing worse than her husband and her condition was hardly stable.
Her father needed surgery for his broken skull bone, and her mother needed several minor surgeries to fix her arms and a major one to re-inflate her lung.
Harry sat down next to Hermione, handing her a cup of coffee. They sat in silence for a minute or two, sipping the steaming liquid.
" How bad?" Harry asked. He had been getting them coffee and calling some friends while the doctor told her of her parents injuries.
" Bad." She went on to repeat what the doctor said, struggling to keep the crackers (that she got from the vending machine) down.
" I'm so sorry… I don't know what to say. I want to say it'll be okay, but-"
" It might not be." She finished, wiping the tears that were forming. Harry put his arm around her and hugged her to him, kissing her forehead.
" Ron and Luna are coming, Ginny said she'd come over as soon as she could. Lavender said Parvati was out of the country, but that she'd stop by with something too eat."
" Thank you, Harry. I couldn't have done this alone…You can go home, your probably really tired after work." Hermione insisted, wincing at the gritty coffee. Harry shook his head furiously.
" Nothing doing, Mione. I told you'd I'd be here for you. If I get tired, I'll ask for a cot to catch some sleep on. Your not going to be alone."
Hermione fixed him with a pleading gaze.
" Harry," she started.
" No, don't Harry me. You were there for me all the time I needed you…Its time for me to start returning the favor." His tone was so final, she dared not argue.
" Okay…"
" Harry! Hermione!" came a voice from down the hall. They looked and saw their red headed friend, racing towards them. He was dressed in a pair of jeans (that looked suspiciously like Harry's missing pair) and a plain white tee shirt. Obviously Luna had helped him get dressed.
Hermione stood up and Ron immediately tackled her in a hug, rocking her from side to side. Luna came walking down the hall, struggling with a bag. Harry rushed to help her and nearly fell sideways with the weight.
" Luna, what's in here?" he asked, lifting it over his shoulder.
" Just some odds and ends. " she answered dreamily before going over to hug Hermione.
" Thank you guys so much for coming…it...it means a lot." Hermione said, rubbing her eyes.
" We wouldn't not come," Ron said, " you're my best friend Herm."
" I think this is the most I have ever cried." She said, wiping her eyes again.
" You have the right to. I would have been in a worse state than you if the same thing happened to my dad." Luna said, all dreamy-ness gone from her tone.
" Well, you should have seen me a couple of hours ago. I was in a right state."
" I found her passed out on my door step, nearly frozen to death." Harry said pointedly and Hermione blushed. Ron hugged Hermione tighter and Luna fumbled through her bag.
" I brought some tea, I figured the muggle hospitals wouldn't have very nice tasting food."
" Thanks Luna, this coffee tastes like dirt." Harry said, gazing into the paper cup reproachfully. Harry and Hermione accepted the tea gratefully and silence fell upon the small group. Finally Ron broke the silence.
" So-er-uh, what happened?"
" I don't know…the police said that another driver swerved into their lane and hit them. They were pinned to a light pole."
" Was the other driver, you know, pissed?" Ron asked.
" Well, they said it was a new driver…I think only 17 or so. They didn't find any alcohol or drugs in the car or on her… She didn't make it…Police said that the girls brakes probably got wet or something and the visibility was really bad...she probably swerved accidentally and hit my parents…the poor girl. Imagine…just getting your license and then getting in a crash and dying. Its awful."
" Dreadful…" Luna sympathized, sitting next to Hermione and rubbing her hand.
Just then the doctor came out and asked for Hermione Granger. He was a tall, strapping man with pepper grey hair and a square jaw. His eyes were dark brown and had the unmistakable stern look about him. Harry could tell that this was a no nonsense man.
" Hermione Granger, please?" he asked. Hermione looked at Harry and stood up, her hand still firmly clasped in Harry's.
" Yes, I'm Hermione."
" Your mother is awake. She's asking for you."
" Can I see her?"
" Yes, but not for long… she needs to rest."
" What about-" Hermione started, gesturing to her friends.
" Just you." Was the answer before the doctor turned and left.
" Its okay, Harry, I'll be fine." She told Harry as he stood up, both to reassure him and herself.
" If your sure…"
" I am." And with that she walked quickly to the room and entered.
The room was very dim and the only noise was the steady breathing coming from her parents and the quiet beeping from the machine they were hooked up too. Hermione crossed the room to her mothers bed quickly, fighting back tears. She had to be strong for her mother.
" Mom…?" she whispered, taking a seat and grabbing her mothers hand. Lacey's face had never looked so worn and defeated, she looked older than she had ever appeared to her daughter.
" Hermione?" came the breathy reply, so soft that Hermione thought she had imagined it.
" I'm here, I'm here, Mum. " Hermione said, grasping her hand a little tighter.
" Oh, I'm so glad…I'm really cold…"
" Want a blanket?"
" No, no…I'll be alright in a little bit. It comes and it goes."
" Mom…what happened?"
" What did the police tell you?"
" That a girl swerved and hit you guys…that you were pinned to a pole-"
" -Tree"
" …Pinned to a tree and that…"
" Did she make it?"
Hermione hesitated. She knew her mom would be upset if she found out the girl hadn't survived the crash. She didn't want to upset her mother any more, she didn't know if Lacey could handle it.
" I don't know." She lied.
" I hope she's okay." Her mother whispered. Hermoines heart gave a painful tug and tears resurfaced. Hermione took a moment to compose herself.
" Are you okay?" Hermione asked and as soon as the words left her mouth she wanted to hit herself. Her mother managed a dry, hacking laugh.
" As well as to be expected. I just wanted to see you. I dreamt of you, you know, and Harry."
" Really?"
" Mhm…you were getting married, in July I think. It was hot and sunny. You looked beautiful, " Her mothers eyes opened for the first time since she entered the room, and she turned her head slowly to look at Hermione " Your hair was down and looked beautiful, you looked so alive…so happy. Harry looked very handsome, too."
" Mom-"
" Ron was the best man, I think" Mrs. Granger continued as if Hermione never spoke. Hermoine looked up at the gentle brown eyes, gazing at her with all the love and admiration in the world. Hermione's heart swelled with pride, she was proud to have parents such as hers. " Yes, he was. His sister was your Maid of Honor. She looked stunning too…Your father was walking you down the isle. You weren't getting married in a church. you were outside in a field…overlooking the ocean I think. That lovely man… Remus Lupin I think, was the Justice of the Peace. Yes, he looked charming. Our relatives, Aunt Rose and Uncle Hector sat in the front row, next to your daddy…"
" Mom," Hermione tried again, tears falling down her cheeks.
" Oh, I wish I could be there…"
" What are you talking about, Mom? Your going to be there, your going to look beautiful sitting next to daddy and-"
" No," Lacey interrupted with a firmness that startled Hermione. The elderly woman clutched her daughters hand firmly." No, Hermione…I'm very hurt. I know I'm dying, no medicine can help me…I'm not afraid of dying, I know I'll get to see my parents again. I don't want you to cry for me, I love you too much to let you worry about me. Hermione, ever since you were little I watched you carefully and I knew you were different…I'm not talking about being a witch. You were the most kind hearted person I've ever met and you were as stubborn as your father. You reminded me of my mother so, so much. I've had many wonderful years guiding you and helping you along, but you've always been very independent. Now, its my time for you to help me…I want you to let me go. I wont rest peacefully if I know you are upset…Don't cry because you'll miss me, Bean. You'll always have me, we have so many wonderful memories…"
" Don't give up mom! I can get the doctor-" yet she was interrupted again.
"Do you remember when I used to tuck you in at night and tell you a story?"
" Yes," Hermione barely managed to whisper. She was crying so forcefully now, that her whole body shook. Hearing her mother tell her that she was about to die hit her like a ton of bricks and the water works started.
" Can you remember your favorite one, about the princess?"
" The Princess and the goat?" Hermione asked, wiping her face with her sleeve.
" Yes, that one…can you tell it to me?"
" Of course mom…" Hermoine agreed, and shifted in her chair. "Ill try to remember it…its been so long.. Once there was a beautiful princess. She lived in a big castle with…her family," Hermione spoke, remembering the words her mother told her a long, long time ago. " and pets. One day she was walking to the market and found a old goat tied to a tree. She walked over to it and started petting it. It tried to bite her so she kept walking. On her way back to her castle, the goat was still there. The princess went over and untied it, even as it tried to bite her, and brought it home. Her parents didn't want her to keep it but she was determined to help it. She fed the goat, despite its bitterness. One month after she found the goat, she walked into the barn to feed it and instead she found an old man. The man said " I am the goat you saved a month ago. I'm a wizard and I'll grant you three wishes because you helped me so much, even though I was mean too you. I have not come across a person as nice as you in many years." So, the girl was given three wishes. On her first wish, she wished that there was no poor, starving people in the world. On her second wish she wished that everyone was happier and there was no crime. On her third wish- Oh dear, I've forgotten what happened." Hermione finished. She knew her re-telling of the story was not nearly as good as her mothers version, but it was the best she could do. During her telling of the story, her mother had closed her eyes again.
" The girl wished the wizard happier."
" Mom…"
" Yes dear?"
" Who was the Princess?" Hermione asked, looking up at her mothers face, feeling for all the world like a four year old yet again.. Her mom looked at her and smiled.
" I think you know the answer to that…the princess was you, Hermione." There was silence after that and her mother shut her eyes, smile upon her face. Hermione knew, even before the steady beeping turned to a loud, continuous wail, that her mother had died. Hermione sat, holding the lifeless hand, in silence. Tears would not come still when she stood up and walked from the room as the nurse's and doctors came in to take over.
A/N: Okay, so the story Hermione told her mother wasn't that great but it was the best I could do. This chapter took longer to write, even though its short, because I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep her mother alive or dead. I decided to go this way because I wanted to incorporate the dream her mother had into the story… a bit of `foreshadowing' I guess you could call it. It gets happier from here on, this isnt an angsty fic. Folks, please review!! Remember, a review a day keeps the doctor away!
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