A One-Shot
Hermione gazed at the letter in her hands. How? It couldn’t be true, yet there it was in her mother’s fine, curly handwriting.
Dear Hermione,
I hope you get this soon, as I sent it with the owl that you got your father and I.
I know that you are just ending your Healer program, and I am sorry to tell you this, but your dad is very ill. He had a heart attack on Saturday night. He was in the hospital on cardiac arrest. I am writing to you to tell you that he may die soon, love. It’s hard to face, and as I write this it is hard to write and it is hard to think.
He is asking for you, and I know that you would want to good-bye if…you know…
Please come soon, Hermione. I know you would want to see him.
Love Always,
Mum
The letter started to turn blurry. Cardiac arrest? Death? They all sounded all too familiar. The Wizarding World had just finished their war against the reign of Lord Voldemort. And it wasn’t to long ago that so many people had experienced the acrimonious word and feeling. Death. It was so bitter and it was too familiar for Hermione. She had lost many Hogwarts friends: Susan Bones, Neville Longbottom and so many more. She was just getting over those deaths, and yet here another one graced her with its unwanted presence.
She quickly bustled around her apartment, trying not to wake Ron, who was still asleep.
Ron and Hermione had been dating since their sixth year. They had broken up after their seventh but quickly got back together, not wanting to be apart for another reason.
They loved each other, and she had a feeling that Ron would propose any day now. She had told him that she always wanted to be proposed on Christmas Eve.
She glanced at the calendar on her wall. December twenty-second. Only two more days ‘til Christmas Eve, her much awaited day. Tears filled her eyes once again.
She tore her eyes from the calendar. No, her father was dying and she had to go and see him. She couldn’t wait two more days. He could die any day now, any hour, any minute…she would never forgive herself if she never said good-bye to her father.
She started to through her clothes haphazardly into her suitcase, to upset to use magic.
Her tears were coming more instantaneously now and she swiped her cheeks in trying to clear her damp face. But as she did that, her tears came even more.
She zipped the suitcase. She walked towards her bedroom door. She looked back at the calendar. She set her suitcase down, she walked over to it; she took down the calendar and placed it gently in her drawer. She picked up her suitcase again and she walked into the kitchen.
She sat down and wrote Ron a note:
My dear Ron,
I am leaving. But not forever, just for a while. My father is gravely ill. He is on the verge of death. I don’t know when I will be back. Please…don’t come. I would not be able to handle it.
I am sorry for leaving so abruptly.
I love you dearly.
Love Always,
Hermione
She folded the note and she set it upon the table next to the plate of food and piping warm cup of tea. She quickly placed a heat charm on the food and mug of tea. She stood up and walked into the foyer. She grabbed hold of her suitcase and she took a look around. She then disapparated with a POP.
Ron woke up to the smell of waffles wafting through the house. He got out of bed and dressed groggily. He pushed through his room and down the stairs. He lit the fire so it erupted fire more furiously.
He went into the kitchen, hoping to see Hermione standing using her wand to make her delicious food. But he didn’t find that at all. He saw a plate and mug of tea…and a note.
His face paled. He walked over to the note and saw his name written in Hermione’s loopy cursive handwriting. He turned it and broke he seal. He read the note. As word after word flowed from eye to eye, his face paled even more.
Hermione’s father…dying? He knew how much she loved her father. She always told him. And now…he was dying? He sat down in his seat, pushing the plate away, his appetite quickly running from his body. He pulled the cup of strong tea towards him and drank a large gulp of the scorching hot liquid.
He stared down at the handwriting that spelled out death. It wasn’t right. He stood up and walked into his room. He opened his sock drawer. He removed a small velour box and opened it to expose the diamond ring he had hidden for nine months…that was supposed to be exposed in two days…less than two days now…
Hermione appeared in her blithesome house. As a child she used to run through the halls, and she used to sit outside under the large white willow tree in the back, writing in her diary, in books, or simply just sitting and reading. She would daydream under that tree. And yet now she looked at it out of the window.
It waved at her mercilessly in the cold winds, under the gray skies. Predicting the heavy snowfall that was yet to come. She sighed. She looked around at the white walls, and oak floors; the clean furniture and luscious antiques that dined her house.
She gripped her suitcase tighter and walked upstairs. She set her suitcase down in the hallway. She rapped softly on her mum’s door. She entered to see her mum crying on the sofa in their bedroom.
“Oh, mum,” Hermione whispered.
Hermione’s mum looked up, and smiled tearfully. “Hermione…you’re home. I haven’t seen you in three years since your last day at Hogwart's.”
Hermione smiled guiltily. “I am sorry. It’s school, mum. I am so sorry. Why didn’t you write sooner?” She walked towards her mum and embraced her warmly. She let go and sat down next to her.
Mrs. Granger wiped her eyes with a lace handkerchief. “I only found out last night, dear. The doctor called. They are shipping him to the America’s, Hermione. They have something over there for him. An experimental drug. We are leaving today.”
Hermione’s heart fell. The America’s? She looked out the window as snow began to fall softly. She couldn’t leave her beloved England. Hermione looked her mum in the face. “I am going with you, mum. I will not leave you or dad.”
Mrs. Granger smiled. “What about your friends? What about Ron?”
Hermione’s heart lurched at the name, but then ached in love. “He knows. He understands, mum,” Hermione said. She placed her hand on her mum’s knee and patted it.
Mrs. Granger nodded. “If this doesn’t work, Hermione, I don’t know what I will do.”
“You will have me, mum. Don’t speak so pessimistically,” Hermione whispered lower.
Mrs. Granger nodded again. “You’re right.”
Hermione forced a reassuring smiled. “Let’s go see dad, please.”
“He’s been wanting to see you, you know,” Mrs. Granger said. “I think he misses you.”
“I bet he does.”
Hermione and her mum arrived at the hospital. They left their bags in the car and they entered her dad’s room.
He looked up from his untouched food tray. He smiled at the sight of his daughter. “Pumpkin…” he said softly.
“Hello, daddy,” Hermione said, hugging her father as tight as she could. His thin frame could be felt under the hospital gown that adorned him.
“How have you been?” he asked her.
“I have been good. And how have you been feeling?” Hermione asked in a whisper.
“I’m fine. How’s school?” Mr. Granger said, digressing quickly.
“I am doing well.”
“I am proud of you, you know that don’t you?”
“Yes, daddy. I know that.”
A nurse walked into the room. “Your lift is here, Mr. Granger.”
“One minute. I love you, you know that too, right?”
“Yes. I do. I will see you in the America’s, daddy,” Hermione said breathlessly. She hugged him as tightly and as for as long as he would allow her. He patted her back and she released him.
Ron sat on the couch. Hermione hadn’t been at her house that day when he went. The house looked ghostly.
He sat in his house, staring into the fire, watching as each ember popped and hissed.
He heard a POP from the kitchen. He didn’t even flinch or even move. He just sat there with the bottle of beer, staring into the fire.
“Ron? What are you doing?” Harry asked, staring at Ron.
Ron stared into the fire still. “Nothing,” he said monotone.
“Ron! What’s wrong? Where’s Hermione.”
Ron looked up at Harry, his eyes seemed slightly red. “Hermione’s gone.”
Harry’s eyes widened. “What?” he exclaimed.
“Her father is dying. But he’s not in England. He was shipped to the America’s for some experimental drug of some sort.”
“How do you know this?”
“The nurse’s told me.”
Harry sat down and sighed. “She’ll be back, mate. Owl her.”
Ron shook his head. “She left this,” he said, handing Harry the note.
Harry took the note. “There’s nothing more that Hermione loves than you and her dad.”
Ron nodded in agreement. “I know, Harry, I know.”
Mrs. Granger placed her hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Love, go shower and freshen up.”
Hermione shook her fiercely. She wouldn’t leave her father’s side. When they had gotten to the hospital, her father had been to weak to even sit up. They couldn’t use the medicine protocol. The doctors had told her and her mum that he had very little time. His heart was weak, and even if he could have a transplant, he would be too weak. “No, mum. I can feel it…”
“Hermione…”
Hermione turned; tear filled her eyes. “Mum, no. I can feel it. I can…just…”
Mrs. Granger put a hand on her daughter’s shoulder and sat next to her. “Than, let’s sit here with him.”
“Ron, than what are you doing here still?” Harry asked.
“What do you mean, Harry?”
“You bought that ring for a reason. Go get her…”
Ron peeled his eyes from the fire. “What are you saying, Harry?”
“Don’t sit here, go get her.”
Ron laughed. “I may have let you go after my sister, Harry. But you cannot tell me to go after her”
Harry stared at Ron trying to construe what he had just said. “Uh, Ron. Just go after the bloody girl!”
Ron looked at Harry hard. “Think it would work?”
Harry smiled devilishly.
Hermione had her head laid down on her father’s bed. Sleep had overcome her an hour ago.
A shrill sound awoke her rudely and she jumped as she heard it.
Her father had flat lined. A nurse ran into the room and checked for a pulse. The nurse shook her head sadly. “I am sorry Mrs. Granger and Miss. Granger.” She eased her way out of the room.
Hermione just stared at her mother, tears in her eyes. “Mum…” she whispered.
“Hermione…it’s ok,” Mrs. Granger said.
The two crossed the room and they hugged. Mrs. Granger patted her daughter’s back. “It’s ok, Hermione, it’s ok.”
Ron stood in front of the house that he had followed the owl to. It was a small stone cottage in Pennsylvania.
On the mailbox was engraved: The Granger’s
Ron looked at the box. It had been two months since Hermione had left. She had received her diploma, but it had been mailed to her, according to her professor’s.
He finally took Harry’s word for it. He was going to use his Auror advantages and he was going to go looking for the woman of his life.
He had been depressed without her. And he couldn’t live without her.
He shoved his long red hair out of his face and started up the cobble stone walk.
He knocked on the wooden door. He heard someone bustling around inside. A lock unlocked from the inside and the door opened.
“Ron?”
Ron stared at the woman inside. “Hermione…”
Hermione looked as if she was heading off to work. “Ron, what are you doing here?” she asked in a thick voice.
“Hermione, where have you been? How’s your father?” Ron asked, stepping closer.
Hermione shielded her face. “Ron…he’s gone.”
Ron’s heart fell. “Oh…Hermione, I am so sorry.”
He walked towards her and hugged her. It felt good to hug her again. “Thanks, Ron.”
“When did it…”
“On December twenty-third, Ron.”
“But that was two month’s ago, ‘Mione. How come you never came back to England?”
“I just couldn’t, Ron. I just couldn’t. There was nothing there for me.”
Ron looked down at his feet, hurt. “You’re wrong, Hermione.”
“What do you mean, Ron?”
Ron looked up, hurt filling his eyes. “Me. You had me…”
“Ron…I am so sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“You just left me a note and left, Hermione! And so close to…” Ron stopped.
“So close to what, Ron?”
“Nothing.”
Hermione ushered him in. “Tell me.”
“Where are you going?”
Hermione blushed. “To work.”
“In robes?”
“Ron, England isn’t the only place with a Ministry of Magic or St. Mungo’s.”
“So, you are a Healer then?”
“Yes…I am a Healer.”
Ron shuffled his feet then said, “Why didn’t you come home, Hermione? Or at least tell me you were ok? I have been waiting for you for two months.”
Hermione sat down on a sofa. “Ron, I just couldn’t come home. Seeing all of you and just knowing that that was were my dad used to live. And just…everything reminded me of him, Ron.”
Ron lifted her chin up. “Hermione, I love you. I would have taken care of you.”
“I know you would have. Just…I couldn’t, Ron.”
“Yes, you could have.”
“Ron, why did you come all this way?”
“To tell you that I love someone.”
Hermione’s eyes misted. “Who?”
Ron tilted her chin further up so he was looking into her sparkling brown eyes. “You.”
“I love you too, Ron.”
Ron fiddled with his pocket. He removed a small velour box. “Well then, if you love me so. Than,” he got down onto one knee, “will you marry me, Hermione Granger?”
Hermione’s eyes misted and she shook her head. “After all I have done to you and yet you still want to marry me?”
Ron smiled. “Love has its ways.”
Hermione glanced towards the calendar in the kitchen. February 24th. “Two months late…”
“I know you wanted to be proposed to on Christmas Eve. But you left before I had a chance.”
Hermione smiled. “Yes, Ron, I will marry you.”
Ron smiled. He extracted the white gold band with small diamonds on it and he placed it on her slender finger.
“Will you come home with me?”
Hermione glanced around the cottage she shared with her mum.
She looked at Ron and than forced a smile.
“We can start a life together, Hermione. Just the two of us…”
Author’s Note ~ I hope you enjoyed it. Sad, yes. I have a sequel to it. This is going to be either a 2 or 3 part series…depending on whether I find the third part necessary.
Part I - A Rude Awakening
Part II - Love Is Worth Dying For
Part III “ Not yet named.
So, keep your eyes peeled!
Love Always,
CassandraTrelawney