Running

Chapter 2

Hermione headed back upstairs to the bedroom. She remembered when they first came to this small house, it was a much better time in her life, she was alive and aware and not completely obsessed with the man she married. She was pregnant with Rose and though she was pretty sure she loved Ronald he could get angry. Really angry and have uncontrollable fits of rage. She had been ready to run then so she stole some of his money and hid it under a floorboard. It was just a case of remembering which one. She was feeling dizzy now. She never normally remembered things. She was taking in so much, so suddenly. The world began to spin and she fell to the floor.

"Hermy. Hermy! HERMS!" Ron was screaming at her. "What are you doing on the floor?" Hermione tried to sit up, groaning as she did so, she looked outside and saw that the sun was just starting to set, she must have been out cold for hours.

"Hellooo?" he said, waving his hands in her face, "I asked you a question, how ditzy are you?"

Hermione barely heard his insults, she had just woken up. Properly. Her head was clear, she could remember so much, all of the past few years of her life that she was constantly wandering around in, barely alive were playing like a movie inside of her head. The parents she never saved, the friends she never spoke to, the kids she never cared for - all of it came rushing back to her in a flood of memory.

Suddenly she felt Ron slap her. Hard. Her face began to sting and her eyes began to water.

"I asked you a question. Never mind, just take your medicine and get ready to go."

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Hermione was ignoring the idle chatter that was had around the table while she prodded at her bland potatoes and peas. She noticed that Harry wasn't at the table. Then she remembered he hadn't come to these dinners for a while. Was he ill? Was he working? Where was he? Why didn't she know?

"Where's Harry?" The words fell out of her mouth before she could stop them. She had to be more careful. If they noticed she hadn't been taking her "medicine" she didn't know what they'd do. Conversation around the table came to a halt as all eyes fell on Hermione.

"Ron, did you not tell her?" Ginny asked glaring at Hermione.

Ron, seemingly too engrossed in his dinner began to cough and splutter, clearly surprised at the topic of conversation. "He's dead. It was an attack from some werewolves, we tried to save him..." Hermione didn't hear the rest of Ron's speech. Her heart felt like a drum bashing against her ribs over and over. Tears started streaming down her face and she could feel her hands shaking. Her best friend was dead, and she hadn't even noticed. Her head pounded dully in time with her heart, the stress of the day clearly catching up to her.

Suddenly she rose from the table.

"What are you doing?" Molly said, staring Hermione down.

"I think I want to head home, it's a short walk." Ron grumbled, rising to leave with her "I'll be fine on my own," she said as she headed towards the door, wiping the tears off her face.

"Where did you get the dress?" Ginny said abruptly. For a moment Hermione considered ignoring her and just bolting out the door, but she was sure that she probably would have normally answered. She was acting suspicious enough already. "It was on the floor of my wardrobe, I thought it was pretty."

"I thought she looked better than normal," Ron said startling Hermione. Normally that sort of comment would have sent a hint of pink rushing to her cheeks, instead, she simply walked out of the house, ignoring the glares of Molly and Ginny who had clearly taken offence to Ron's attack on their choice of clothing.

The moment she was out of view of the Burrow she rushed home, went to the 6th panel on the floor of her bedroom and tore it open. Inside was a small sack of Sickles and Knuts and a photo of herself, Ronald and Harry soon after the Battle of Hogwarts. She picked up both of her belongings and stood up letting the tears fall freely down her face. She wasn't sure if she was ready but she knew she had to do it. Closing her eyes Hermione attempted to apparate for the first time in years.

With a bang, she found herself in what appeared to be a rather lavish room, but she didn't have much time to take in her surroundings as stood opposite her was a man aiming his wand directly at her.

21/02/2022 - Again just some small tweaks that I think help the story flow a little better, let me know if you enjoy it! I do try to respond to as many comments as possible!

Also, I changed Lavender's letter from calling Hermione a mudblood to just calling her Hermione - I think it felt a bit too out of character to make her a blood purist...