Live Forever

3: Half The World Away - Part 1

His daughter had been all smiles in front of the boy but once she'd kissed his cheek and sent him off with his relatives this new awful look appeared. She'd done her best to put on a brave face whenever she spotted him looking at her in the rearview on the drive home...but the look kept stubbornly returning. It made her look so old...so weary. Fifteen year olds should never have to look that burdened.

"When were they thinking?"

"As soon as I'd like to go..."

He was all set to point out that she'd only been home for three days when she continued.

"They aren't sure when or if Harry will be able to join us so I said no. So how is it going with-"

"Forget the computer," he interrupted before she could change the subject. He was tired of her changing the subject. "Is Harry not being there what's causing you to look so miserable?"

"Not exactly..." she continued cryptically. "They said if I went that I wouldn't be able to tell Harry anything that was going on."

David waited. He desperately wanted her to finally start saying more.

"It's not fair," Hermione finally blurted, "after everything that's happened Harry shouldn't be left alone and ignored. It's the last thing he needs..."

"He has his aunt and uncle," he offered hopefully.

She scoffed. "You saw them at the station. Did they look like they were happy to see him?"

Hermione was right...they had looked like they wished to be anywhere else and greeting anyone else instead of their nephew. Jane had asked her about their frosty reception on the walk to the car but Hermione had quickly changed the subject. She always changed the subject.

"It's nothing...just me worrying too much," she eventually replied, her voice now falsely bright. "You're only on installation disk three?"

He was tired of her changing the subject. He turned off the computer.

"Dad! You aren't supposed to do that! You'll have to start over now and-"

"Janey," he interrupted kindly, "tell me what's going on. Tell me what happened and why Harry shouldn't be alone."

And suddenly...inexplicably...the old Hermione returned. She lurched forward and clung.

"The tournament he was entered in ended badly," she eventually mumbled through her tears. "One of the other champions died and Harry blames himself. He always blames himself..."

He and Jane had always suspected that Hermione's reluctance to share more about her activities at Hogwarts was due to the dangers she had faced. It was jarring to have their suspicions confirmed far beyond anything they had speculated. David forced himself to stay calm and not blurt out the thousand additional questions now whirling in his brain. Questions about the unfortunate incident on Halloween in her first year and Hermione's extended stay in the hospital wing in second year.

"Was it his fault?"

"No!" she muttered fiercely. "He did something kind- and it led both of them into a trap that had been set- to kidnap him. Harry was able to escape- but Cedric was killed." He could barely decipher the words through Hermione's heaving sobs.

As Hermione continued to cry David mentally started making plans. Plans to sell the practice and move to another country...away from the wizards that had so thoroughly fucked up his daughter's chance at a happy and peaceful future. But those sorts of thoughts were most likely why Hermione had been so afraid to share much about Hogwarts. He forcefully pushed them out of his mind for now.

"I want to go visit him," she eventually continued in a much calmer voice, "he lives in Surrey so it should only be about a forty five minute ride on the train. I've already sorted out the route. I'll only have to make one transfer ..."

That sounded like the worst fucking idea imaginable but David held his tongue. Hermione had always been responsible and of course she had planned it out.

"Would it be safe?" he forced himself to ask calmly. Why was he forcing himself to be calm?

She nodded into his shoulder. "He's not restricted to his house so that means there are protections in place for the neighborhood," she replied, a bit of hopefulness now peeking through, "I can go during the day and make sure I'm home before nightfall."

"When were you thinking?" he asked. What the fuck was he doing?

"As soon as possible. Tomorrow if it's okay."

David took a breath. He couldn't believe what he was about to do. Jane was going to throttle him. But Hermione had finally decided to trust them with a bit of what was happening...and as much as he tried he couldn't shake the vision of the lost boy in the tatty clothes that looked far older than his years.

"I want you to ring us when you get there so we know you've made it safely...and you need to be home by seven," he informed.

He was so fucking stupid.