"Har...Harry?" stuttered Bill as he looked at The Boy That Was Supposed To Be Dead.
"NO TIME!" screamed Harry. "YOU NEED WARDS UP FAST! AND HERMIONE NEEDS HELP!"
"Harry? What in the-"
"Please!" spoke up Parvati. "We need to floo to Grimmauld Place! Now!"
"But Grim-"
"NOW!" yelled Parvati and Harry in unison.
The group acted quickly. Bill, with the help up Blaise and Lee, threw up as many protective wards as they could around the Burrow, while the rest of them quickly flooed two by two to Grimmauld Place.
"KREACHER! MEDICAL SUPPLIES QUICK!" yelled Harry as soon as he got out of the grate with Hermione. The old house elf acted quickly, popping away.
Harry swiftly but gently carried Hermione up the stairs, followed by a confused Ron and Draco, whom were arguing with Parvati over what was going on. When he reached the bedroom that Parvati was using while she stayed there with him, Harry placed Hermione on one of the beds.
"Parvati, go and get a basin and fill it with some warm water. Get a rag so we can get this blood off her, please!" said Harry, panicking.
Parvati rushed out to do what she was told, leaving Draco and Ron in the room with Harry and Hermione.
"Harry..." said Ron. "How-"
"There isn't any time to answer anything right now, Ron!" interrupted Harry. "She was hit with Sectumsempra, and I need to-"
"Shit, Potter why didn't you say anything?!" yelled Draco as he pushed Harry away from Hermione. "I was taught the bloody counter spell, I can heal her!"
Draco ripped Hermione's shirt open, revealing deep and long gashes, as if she had been sliced by a sword multiple times. He then quickly took out his wand and waved it in small, slow circles and repeated the same incantation over and over. Slowly, the gashes stopped bleeding.
Kreacher had popped into the room with potions and gauze. "Any chance you have Dittany on you?" asked Draco.
Kreacher handed him a small bottle. Draco took off the top and let a few drops drip onto the wounds, somewhat sealing them. Parvati came into the room with everything Harry had asked for. She and Draco cleaned off the blood that had dried on Hermione’s body. He then took a roll of gauze and gently wrapped it around Hermione's torso and back.
"There. She should be okay." said Draco. "Parvati, as soon as she wakes up, have her drink some of that blood replenishing potion Kreacher has on the nightstand. She is going to need it."
Parvati nodded as she wiped Hermione's face.
Draco turned and eyed Harry as if he was the plague. "You...we all need to talk."
"I don't have to explain anything to you." growled Harry.
"But you do have to explain to me." said Ron, viciously as he took Harry by the arm and pulled him out of the room.
Harry sighed as he had the others follow him into Sirius's bedroom. As soon as he closed the door, Ron blew up.
"WHAT IN THE FUCK HAPPENED TO HERMIONE?!" boomed Ron. "AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!"
"Apparently not..." mumbled Draco as he leaned against the wall.
"Look Ron, I'll explain about me later." said Harry. "Right now, we have bigger problems on our hands. They know we are here."
"Who knows?"
"Riddle. Don't say his name. It's taboo again." said Harry.
"Fuck, Potter why didn't you say shit?!" yelled Draco. "Let me tell the others before we're all fucked. Dammit, you're still fucking useless!" Draco ran out the door to warn the house.
"Nice to see things haven't changed completely." said Harry, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah he's still a bloody git, who cares? What happened to Hermione?!" asked Ron impatiently.
"Right. Sorry. Well, we had gotten word from Padma about traveling to England through the Tunnel Of Light. We had a guide, a friend of Parvati's dad, to help us get from where we were to here. For a couple of hours, things seemed fine. But when we got to the border of England, the guide was speaking and he said Riddle’s name. We were instantly ambushed by at least 10 Death Eaters. Parvati got a bit roughed up, as did I, but I think that their sole aim was for Hermione. One of them hit her with a Sectumsempra. Then they tried to use a killing curse on Parvati, but her mum stepped in the way of it, causing it to hit her instead. We managed to kill the other ones, but we think one got away and probably reported back to Riddle. We got to the Burrow as quickly as we could. Had to apparate, which was risky, seeing as Hermione was in a right state."
Harry then went on to tell his story. Ron didn't know what to think. He didn't know how to feel. In a matter of minutes, he had seen the mother of his child sliced and bleeding, and had also been reunited with his best mate whom he thought to be dead. As he listened to Harry go into detail over him not dying and what had been going on with him for the past seven years, he didn't know if he wanted to be angry with him, or happy that he was indeed alive.
"I'm so sorry, mate."said Harry when he was done with explaining. "I should have said something. I should have came by, but-"
"You're right. You should have. Why didn't you?" asked Ron.
"By the time I got back here, things had changed. Ginny was married off to that wanker, and I didn't know how to come back to that. That and I was focusing on finding that bloody python, which I've probably fucked that up too coming back. Riddle probably sent her halfway across the world by now."
"I would have helped you, you know." said Ron.
"If I knew about what had happened to Hermione, I would have revealed myself then. But I didn't know until years later, mate." said Harry, feeling terrible.
Draco came back inside the room. "Told everyone. They floo called over to the ladies and let them know not to return to the Burrow, and I practically had to beg Ginny not to come. She's worried about Granger."
"Ginny..." mumbled Harry, not realizing that Draco heard him.
"Yes. Ginevra Malfoy, my wife in case you didn't know Potter." snapped Draco.
"I heard of that horrible situation for her, Malfoy." sneered Harry.
"Good. Then you'll know not to try anything barmy with my wife." said Draco, clenching his fists. Ron sat on the bed, eager to see how this would play out.
"Stay away from her? Like hell! She's my friend!" yelled Harry.
"I don't give a fuck. Be her friend for all I care. That’s all it will be." said Draco.
"It'll be what Ginny wants it to be."
"Which is nothing because she is over you, Potter. Been over you for years actually. I'm her husband. I'm the one she loves. The ones she has a son with and is currently pregnant now!"
Harry scoffed. "Loves? Right. How could she love someone she was forced to be with? Ginny knows who really cares for her. She's always been mine!"
"So you truly believe you can waltz your high and mighty ass back from the dead and expect for my wife to fall back into your arms? Laughable. I would even go as far as allowing you the chance, just so you can end up with egg on your face!" yelled Draco, leaving and slamming the door.
Harry stared at the door, rage building behind his emerald eyes. "Fucking son of a bitch!"
Ron decided not to say anything about it. He had much more important things to worry about. "I'm gonna go check on Hermione." he said as he left the room.
Ron peeked into the room that Hermione and Parvati were in. "Can I come in?" he asked.
Parvati smiled warmly at him. "Sure Ron. She just drifted back to sleep. She only managed to stay up long enough to drink some potion. She's somewhat delirious."
Ron pulled up a chair beside Parvati and stared at Hermione's face. Minus some cuts, she was still just as beautiful as the day he had last seen her. Her body looked a bit thinner however, making Ron feel uneasy. She looked like she did during the horcrux hunt. Fragile and venerable. Two things Hermione was not.
He lightly brushed his finger against her cheek. Still as soft as he remembered. He felt butterflies fluttering in his stomach, a feeling he hadn't felt since Bill's wedding, when he saw her dressed up coming from his house. He wanted to scoop her up and hold her until his arms fell off.
"How does it feel to see her again?" asked Parvati as she watched Ron twirl a strand of Hermione's hair around his finger.
"Like Christmas came early." whispered Ron.
Parvati smiled. "She is the strongest witch I've ever met. She went through so much and still stayed strong for her daughter, even when she felt like she couldn't go on."
Ron chuckled. "That's my girl." he said. "I just wish that I could have been there for the both of them. I wish I would have known something."
Parvati nodded. "You were there for her in spirit, Ron. You were always on her mind, she would talk about you all the time to Tatiana, and would whisper your name in her sleep. You may not have been physically there, but you were there."
"It's not the same though, Parvati. If I would have gotten to Krum, I would have killed him. Hell, now that I know what happened, I still want to kill him. All of them."
"Hermione wouldn't want to you become a murderer." said Parvati.
"I killed during the war."
"That's not the same. You had no choice."
"Well if it comes down to that situation again, I'll have no choice but to do it then, will I?" questioned Ron stubbornly.
Parvati shook her head. "You and Harry truly are best mates. Always looking for loopholes to justify your bullshit."
Ron sighed. "I'm angry with him, but I'm also happy to see him. It feels like he betrayed us though. He should have said something."
"I felt the same way. When I saw him, I hexed him a couple times, actually. It took me a day or so to forgive him for playing dead. With you and Hermione being best friends, I know it will take you two longer. Hermione hasn't forgiven him. But she has accepted him. And if you care about your friend, you will too."
"I'll be able to forgive him quicker than Ginny will." laughed Ron. "I see a Bat-Bogey hex in his future. She may save it until after the baby is born though."
"She's pregnant again? How is Harry taking it?"
"He and Malfoy got into it. Harry is going to have to move on. I don't have the heart to tell him, and he was too stubborn to listen to Malfoy. He's gonna have to see about it himself." said Ron as he kissed Hermione's cheek and got up.
Parvati nodded. "I'm sure with time, he will. Once he gets everything sorted out."
"I'm going to to go check on Tatiana. I still don't know how to tell her."
"I wouldn't yet." said Parvati. "She doesn't need to see her mum like this. She has seen her beaten before, but this is really bad."
Ron ran his hand swiftly through his hair, trying hard not to get frustrated. He thought about saying something, but quickly stopped himself, and rushed out the door.
Hermione once again woke up to the sound of Parvati's gentle coaxing. She looked weakly at her friend, who was once again smiling at her as if she was five. It annoyed and amused her at the same time.
"Ah, you're waking up.' said Parvati, picking up the potion bottle.
Hermione groaned weakly. "Do I have to take that horrid concoction again?"
"I'm afraid so." said Parvati. "Along with this one for pain. I wish I could give you the strengthening one like last time, but your injuries wouldn't be able to handle it. So you'll have to heal the old fashioned way."
Hermione drank both potions with the help of Parvati, almost gagging at the tastes. "I tried to imagine they were butterbeers. It didn't work." she whispered. "Where am I?"
"We are in Grimmauld Place. We made it, Hermione." said Parvati, happily.
Hermione managed a smile. "Where is Harry? And your mum?"
Parvati's smile disappeared. "Mum got hit by a killing curse. She didn't make it." said Parvati, her voice cracking.
Hermione let out a gasp. "Par...I'm so sorry." she whispered.
Parvati wiped a tear that had made it out of her eye. "She died defending me. Something she always said she would do. She would say during the war that if ever she died defending her girls, she would die a happy mother. Our guide managed to get her to my dad's."
"Why didn't you go with them?"
"Well you were hurt, and Harry needed me more. I'll go and see my dad and sister soon." said Parvati as she wiped another tear away.
Hermione tried to sit up, but suddenly she felt intense pain in her chest. She cried out loudly, the pain almost on the level of the cruciatus curse.
"Hermione no!" yelled Parvati as she tried to fan Hermione frantically. "Oh shit, hold on, you tore!"
She grabbed the Dittany off the night at and and put a couple drops over the gauze, sealing the wounds once more. Hermione started to calm down.
"You got hit with Sectumsempra, Herm." said Parvati. "You have to take it easy for a couple days, okay? No sudden movements. Ron and I will-"
"Ron?" said Hermione suddenly. "Ron's here? Where is he? He doesn't have Tatiana with him, does he? Oh Parvati, she cannot see me like this!"
"Calm yourself hun, please. Tatiana is with her cousins at Shell Cottage. She is safe and she doesn't know what's going on. Ron went to check on her a couple hours ago." said Parvati soothingly.
As if on cue, a soft knock came at the door and it opened. Ron peeked his head in. "Hey Par? Mum sent some food over and-"
"Ron?" Hermione gasped as she lifted her head up to see him.
Upon hearing his name, Ron immediately walked in and over to Hermione. Their eyes met and it felt like in that instant, the seven years they were apart had never happened, and he found himself falling in love with her all over again.
Parvati got up and slowly backed away until she was out of the room, closing the door quietly after her. She didn't want to ruin the moment.
Ron sat down on the chair beside Hermione's bed. Hermione reached out to him, hand trembling. Ron grabbed it, and placed a loving kiss on the back of it, eyes still locked on hers.
"I wanna...I..." stuttered Ron breathlessly. His mind felt as if it had shut off, he had no clue what to say.
Hermione smiled, licked her finger on her other hand, and reached for Ron's face. "You've got dirt on your nose by the way. Did you know? Just there." she said as she took her finger and tried to wipe away the small bit of soot that was on the side of his nose.
Ron grinned widely as he rolled his eyes. "It's been seven years since we've seen each other, and the first thing you comment on is the dirt on my nose?" he said laughing.
Hermione laughed as much as her aching chest allowed her to. "I thought you ought to know. You wouldn't want to walk around with dirt on your nose like you did on the train first year, would you?"
"Maybe I wanted it to be there." said Ron, his face getting closer to Hermione's.
"So you like to walk around with your face dirty these days?"
"Are we really about to argue about my face being dirty, Mione?" laughed Ron.
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed happily at the mention of the name that only Ron called her. "Come here." she said as she put her hand on his chin and brought Ron's lips to hers.
It felt as if they hadn't skipped a beat. How they both missed the love and passion transferred to each other through their lips. Ron gently ran his fingers through her hair, while she lovingly caressed his cheek. The world around them was quickly forgotten. It felt like old times when they were at the Burrow, just the two of them, enjoying each other's company.
That lasted until Hermione felt a sharp pain in her chest, causing her to wince and break the kiss.
"Oh shit!" said Ron, panicking. "Bloody hell, I hurt you! Are you okay? I didn't tear anything did I?!"
Hermione smiled at Ron and shook her head. "I see your language hasn't improved, Ronald Weasley." she said.
Ron calmed down quickly and glared at her jokingly. "Merlin I missed you, and your incessant nagging to try to change me."
Hermione smiled as she reached up and ran her fingers through Ron's hair, enjoying the fact that it still felt thick and silky, just like she remembered. "I missed you too."