dursley [h. g.]

••dursley•• || something's coming

{tw: homophobic language at the end of the chapter as well as some gaslighting, not ok touching (not super graphic but very yuck), and generally very creepy and disgusting behavior (like very disgusting) }

The past few weeks had been both relieving and infinitely more stressful than the months before for Hermione Granger. While the stress she had felt in her dreams had certainly eased, life had become more and more difficult living off the land.

She knew it was going to be a mistake going to Godric's Hollow the second she stepped into the village. And of course, she was correct. Bathilda Bagshot was dead, possessed by Voldemort's snake. They had left only seconds before their inevitable death with nothing to show for it but a fever-riddled and wandless Harry Potter. 

He recovered and seemingly brushed off the fact that his wand had been broken. Shortly afterward, the doe appeared. Harry, of course, followed the patronus into the woods, found the sword of Gryffindor, and almost drowned in the process. Had Ron not come back right at the opportune time to save Harry's life, get the sword, and destroy their first horcrux, the Boy who Lived's story might have gone quite differently.

It didn't mean Hermione forgave Ron for leaving. 

The months seemed to whirl past. They had gone to visit Xenophilius Lovegood, only to find that Luna had been kidnapped from Death Eaters, and Xenophilius was quite willing to hand them over to Death Eaters in exchange for his daughter. Hermione had, once again, saved her two friends. The near-death experience gave them nothing but insight into what the symbol that had been chasing them meant--it was the symbol of the Deathly Hallows.

Harry became obsessed. Ron and Hermione desperately tried to continue the search for horcruxes without his leadership and more often than not without his help at all. The days were filled with thinking of places that Voldemort could have hidden horcruxes, occasionally moving out to search for them. The evenings were filled with attempts to find something to eat, often involving sneaking into town and stealing (though Hermione always left a bit of money behind if she took something). Ron would sit, night after night in front of his radio, tapping his wand in different patterns and muttering different passwords in an attempt to try and get access to the radio program Potterwatch, which was being run by Order members. 

It wasn't until March that Ron finally got the password. Hermione had been sitting in the tent, legs tucked beneath her in one of the chairs, staring off into space in thought--she was thinking about Kendra again. Ron practically jumped up with excitement, breaking Hermione from her train of thought. 

"I've got it, I've got it! Password was 'Albus'!" Ron called out, making sure Harry, stationed outside of the tent on watch, would hear. "Get in here, Harry!" 

Harry hurried back inside the tent. Hermione had already moved to the floor in front of the radio and was staring open-mouthed in amazement at the speaker, recognizing the voice of Lee Jordan. 

"...apologize for our temporary absence from the airwaves, which wasdue to a number of house calls in our area by those charming Death Eaters." 

"But that's Lee Jordan!" Hermione said, excited just to hear someone's voice other than Harry's or Ron's. 

"I know!" Ron was beaming with excitement. "Cool, eh?"

"...now found ourselves another secure location," Lee was saying, and I'mpleased to tell you that two of our regular contributors have joined me here thisevening.Evening, boys!"

 "Hi." 

"Evening, River." 

"'River' that's Lee," Ron explained. "They've all got code names, but youcan usually tell ---"