Weighted Secrets

Chapter 2

3294 Words

"How's everyone doing?" Hermione asked Ron as they - and Harry - sat in the living room.

"Some of them are doing better than I thought they would. Ginny's only had a couple nightmares and George has spoken a few words to me but he hasn't left his room since the funeral. But dad has thrown himself into his work and whenever mum looks at a photo of Fred or George she starts crying."

"What about Bill, Charlie, and Percy? How are they handling it?" Harry asked.

"Percy hasn't left the ministry and while Bill and Charlie are putting on a brave face I can tell it's eating away at them on the inside. I think with them being the two older siblings in the family they feel the need to act brave for the rest of us." I sighed and leaned back in my chair as silence enveloped us.

"Oh, and thanks for coming to the funeral."

"You saw us?" Harry asked, shocked.

"Yeah. And I appreciated you keeping your space. And even though George hasn't talked about the funeral at all I can tell he's also grateful you came. I saw him glancing at you two a few times."

"We thought that you guys wouldn't want to be bothered but still wanted to make it to the service. We came early so that we could bring flowers to his grave before anyone else got there."

"Harry! Hermione! I didn't know you were here! You should have told me Ron!" We all turned to the staircase to see Ginny jogging in. I took a second glance at her because I could've sworn I saw her wearing a black crop top with puffy see through sleeves dotted with black stars and baggy jeans.

"Oh my God Gin!" Hermione got up and ran over to Ginny engulfing her in a hug. "I love the new shirt!" Hermione said excitedly, completely changing the gloomy aura hanging around the room.

"Really? Thanks! I'd gotten it about a year ago but I never got a chance to wear it. I figured I'd better wear it now or else it'd go to waste!"

"I gotta admit. I've never seen you in black before the funeral but now that I see you in the color now I have to say that you should wear it more often!" Ginny's smile left her face at the mention of the funeral but with a blink of an eye it was back. As if it had never disappeared.

"Why thank you Mione! Maybe we could stop by a muggle mall and find something similar for you! I know it's not really your style but wouldn't it be fun to match for a day?" The automatic smile that appeared on Mione's face said that she definitely agreed.

Suddenly Hermione's face perked up even more.

"Oh I almost totally forgot! Did you also get a Hogwarts letter?" I nodded. "Well we have to go!"

"Do we?" I asked.

"What do you mean? Of course we have to go! You have to graduate from Hogwarts to become an author and I thought that that was what you wanted."

"I mean. It was. But I don't know anymore. Ever since the war the thought of dealing with death eaters again doesn't sound so appealing anymore."

"What do you want to be now?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know Gin." Hermione and Harry nodded but I knew they didn't understand. Harry has wanted to be an author ever since he first found out about the wizarding world. Hermione has always wanted to become a professor at a muggle university. Graduating from Hogwarts would automatically earn her a spot at a university once her grades turn from wizarding standards to muggle. And Ginny has always had an affinity for Quidditch.

"Well, can you please return? For me? I don't know what I'd do if I went to Hogwarts without you." I looked into her pleading eyes and already realized I'd be returning to Hogwarts.