Healing the Broken

Chapter 13- Hermione Finds Her Parents

"Have you seen Hermione?"

"No, sorry."

"Have you seen Hermione?"

"Granger? Not since last night."

"Do you know Hermione Granger? Have you seen her?"

"Can't say I have, sorry."

"Bloody hell, where is she?" Harry demands, running his hands through his hair and making it even messier than usual, jet black locks flopping everywhere. "Don't tell me she- she couldn't have gone after her parents, could she? It's much to dangerous, Hermione of all people would see that." Harry asks.

Ron looks up at him after successfully shoveling down three pancakes with bacon, now moving on to a side of scrambled eggs and a slice of buttered toast. He had started eating as soon as they sat down, though Harry had left his plate of toast untouched, worried about Hermione. "Harry, ee wa erious ast ite. Ee eant uisness."

Harry frowns. "What?"

Ron swallows. "She was serious last night. She meant business. I mean, Hermione wouldn't joke about going to get her parents."

"But it was so stupid for her to go after them like that! It's probably a trick, even I know that!" Harry says, exasperated.

Ron shakes his head. "Imagine if someone gave you the opportunity to get your parents back. Don't tell me you wouldn't have done what she did- gone for that chance. And don't tell me that you wouldn't have asked your best friends for help, and wouldn't have been ticked when they refused to come with you, saying you shouldn't go because it was too dangerous. We both know you would have acted the same way she did."

Harry sits in stunned silence. "Ron. That was probably one of the deepest things you've ever said."

Ron grins. "Oh yeah. High five to me!" He holds up an arm and gives himself a high five.

"I was such a jerk to her! I told her that I didn't think she should go and I said she was stupid to think she should- or at least implied it, and... Merlin! Ron, I shouted at her for doing something I would've done! Something that anyone would have done!" He bangs his head on the table, and Ron pats his shoulder.

"It's alright mate. We'll find her, and we'll get this all straightened out."

"If she gets hurt-"

"She won't, I promise you she won't."

~~~~~

"This way."

Hermione nearly tripped over the grave that stuck up an inch from the ground, and she slowed down just enough to read the name carved into the stone. Theodore L. Johnson. Died October 2nd, 1984.

Narcissa's long black cloak billowed around her in the wind, her Malfoy like blonde hair blowing back behind her. Hermione's own hair flew behind her, likely getting large and windswept unlike Narcissa's glossy locks, and when Hermione glanced at her, her face was pale and fear stricken. Hermione frowned and turned her gaze ahead instead- she didn't need her guide's fear unsettling her nerves.

Up the hill that they were climbing sat an old run down shack, one that didn't look like a good place to be holding her parents. However, since when were Death Eaters good judges on the word 'good'? Hermione suddenly stopped walking. She heard whispering coming from the shack.

"What's wrong?" Narcissa asks sharply.

"I hear whispering."

Narcissa frowns. "I'm sure it's nothing. Let's keep moving- we're almost there."