Sunflower. [F. W]

61. Take care

Harry and Ron had made a list of all the places Hermione had mentioned she wanted to visit over all their years of friendship in hopes that they would find her somewhere. They knew it was a bad idea that she left, but she didn't want anything bad happening to her parents. To Ron it was losing the girl he had loved for years in silence, and he was not going to let Mione's pride win this one. 

Their first stop was Toulouse, France. They thought that since the girl had learnt French in muggle school, she'd be there so she could communicate with other people. They spent a week there, looking for her everywhere, even the closer wizard towns. But nothing. They had slept in a little hostel they found who hosted wizards, and when you are Harry Potter anyone will let you in. Usually he would feel bad but Bee wasn't waking up anytime soon and Harry was worried about his best friend too. 

Next, they checked Berts. Hermione had once told Ron she was really interested in art, so it made sense to him that she could be there. They checked every museum, library, book store and monument for two weeks, and still nothing. Ron thought they had seen the girl, but nothing. It was just an Italian woman with curly hair, not his Hermione. He did really enjoy the food, and he couldn't help but think that maybe, and just maybe, he could take her there. Show her every spot that made her name appear in his mind. 

The next city they visited was Oslo, Norway. Hermione had mentioned to Harry once during breakfast in third year that she loved Norwegian folklore. They were the most lost there. In Italy and France Harry could try and speak the little broken Spanish he had picked up from Bee during the years in hopes the similarity in languages would help somehow. They just resorted to locals who'd speak English to them. Nothing. Zero. They had been looking for a month and nothing. 

Harry hoped they'd find her for her birthday, but October was almost there and there was no sign of Hermione Granger. The letters from Romania weren't helping either. At first, they were long, now it was just one liners from Fred saying that there have been no progress. At all. They were getting restless, until one windy night, Ron's light bulb lit up. 

"What if she never left?" 

"What? Are you mental Ron?"

"No, hear me out. We should check her house. Because if she is there, we find her of course. And if she's not, we can find a clue, something. We shouldn't dismiss her home, Harry!" 

"Why would she still be there?" 

"Think about it, Death Eaters know we are on the run, so it would make zero sense for them to check a muggle home. Plus they'd be exposing themselves. If I got there, Mione for sure got it before us." 

"That's actually bloody brilliant Ron!" Harry cheered. 

The two made their way, partly apparating, partly the muggle way and in a couple of days, they were finally in front of Hermione's house. It looked a little deserted from the outside, but that did not made the guys loose courage. Not when it came to their best friend. Much to their surprise, the door was open, and they carefully took a step inside. 

Ron smiled at the baby photos of the girl, thinking just how cute she had been as a baby. As they walked, they noticed the first floor was in fact, empty. The kitchen seemed used, but they didn't think much of it, it could have been mice eating the food in the cabinets anyways. 

"Should we check upstairs?" said Ron. 

Harry nodded, and the stench as they got upstairs was visibly noticeable. Harry placed his arm over his nose. When they saw the bushy haired girly they almost ran to her, almost, because when they saw just how numb Hermione looked, they stopped on their tracks. They took in her appearance. She was wearing a red Gryffindor sweater and some pijama pants, on her head there was a little birthday hat. Hermione Granger had been in a state of shock for a whole week.

"Mione? It's us." said Ron softly, approaching the girl.

"They're dead" she whispered. 

"What?" 

"My parents, they are dead. I just-" she cut herself as she started to cry, the touch of Ron bringing her the comfort she had needed. "They came in on my birthday. I suspect it was Lucius and a woman, but I couldn't recognise them. They killed them as they were setting up my birthday cake. It's my fault." 

"Mione no it's not," said Harry, not knowing what to say to the girl. "As much as we should give them a proper burial, we are in danger, we are taking you with us to Romania, okay?" 

Hermione said nothing. She simply couldn't. She had never felt this much pain before, ever. In a sense, those Death Eaters had killed a part of her too. They apparated back in the little cabin in Romania, Ron taking the girl to Bee's room before anyone could ask questions. 

"She is in state of shock." simply said Harry. "Lucius killed her parents in front of her during her birthday, she has been in a state of shock ever since. So go easy on her. Ron will tell her now what happened to Bee, but it's a shitty situation to be in." 

The lot nodded, waiting for Ron to come back. 

"Well the time I read to Bee is approaching soon, so maybe she will enjoy it too." said Fred softly. 

The Weasley clan had made a little routine to keep busy so they could take care of Bee. Every two days, first thing in the morning, Fred would bathe her, washing her hair they way she liked it. Then he'd put clean clothes on her, mostly his because she looked heavenly with them in his eyes. Then Lee would check there was nothing further wrong with her, and him and George would do "gymnastics" with her body, just to keep the blood flowing and helping with her mobility as she'd wake up. Molly would bring her her meals and do her motherly magic so the girl could eat, and then, in turns (everyday someone different) they'd talk to her. About anything and everything. For Charlie it was dragons, for Arthur it was muggle things, Ginny would tell her about all the gossip she had missed and Quidditch, Remus would tell her stories about the Marauders, Lee would retell their pranks with the twins... Everyone had something to say. And then, at 8 pm sharp, Fred would read to her her favourite books. 

He'd lace his fingers with her's like they had done so many times back at Hogwarts, only then she'd be the one reading to him. That particular night he had gone back to her copy of Romeo and Juliet, the book he had memorised since fifth year in order to impress her. 

"Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." he said softly, Hermione having already left the room. 

And just like that, Fred noticed a little pressure on his hand. She had lightly squeezed it.

"She moved!" said the man bolting out of the door. 

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The story is getting so much support lately, thank you! You are all lovely, and it seems a good moment to remind you all that if anyone needs to talk to or someone to hear you out, my messages are always open. It's okay to ask for help. <3