When All Else Fails, Follow Your Heart... (Book 2)

Moly Venus

July 28th, 1988. Granger Home, Hermione Granger's Bedroom. Hermione Granger. 5:22 AM.

I sat on my bed, my head throbbing in pain. I stared at the photograph clutched so tightly in my hands I was afraid it would break. What had gone wrong? When had things changed?

I turned and put the photograph, the last happy photograph that we ever took, on my bed. I got up and threw my clothes into a backpack I had lying around from the last time I went to public school. I took a last look at the photograph and laid it on the pillow. I grabbed a small suitcase and stuffed it with my books before looking around my room and seeing the things I'd gotten for Christmas. I grabbed a second backpack and gently fill it with the gifts before I covered them with stuffed animals. I took one final look around the room, seeing nothing else that I really wanted. I smiled and slipped out the window, first the bags then I lowered myself out of the house. I frowned, patting my pockets before quickly rummaging through my bags.

I climbed back into my room and reached under my bed, I pulled out an old shoebox. I took it out the window with me, recollected my bags and started walking.

I had made it out of the cul-de-sac and raised my left arm in the air. I felt the Knight Bus rumble to a stop next to me. I smiled at Ernie and Stan, the driver and conductor.

"Where we takin' you, little lady?" Ernie asked as I climbed aboard. "You runnin' 'way from home?"

I nodded and looked at Ernie. "Can you take me to the Tonks house?"

He nodded. "Of course little lady." We climbed onto the bus and got situated. I handed him £1.79 and sat down.

"Thanks, Ernie. Thank you, Stan." I held my stuff close to me and we reached Nymphadora's parents' house soon enough.

"You call us if you ever need to get out of anywhere. We'll be there for you and those boys," Ernie put a gentle, concerned hand on my shoulder, "just remember to put your wand arm in the air whenever you need us."

I nodded and smiled at them. "You take care now. Both of you." I got off the bus and went to the house. I saw a light on inside and knocked on the door.

I heard a boy's voice call out "I got it!" before the door opened to reveal Draco. He stared at me, wide-eyed.

"Guys? You're going to want to see this." He called over his shoulder.

The other people in the house, the Tonks and Harry, came to the door and gasped.

"Hermione? Honey? What happened?" Andromeda asked, pushing around the children to wrap her arms around my shoulders. "Sweetheart. What happened?"

I looked into Andromeda's eyes and felt the tears well up and cascade down my face. I dropped my bags and threw my arms around her. "It was so much worse than I had ever thought it could be."

July 28th, 1988. Tonks Family Home. 5:48 AM.

Andromeda must have moved the two of them back into the house and motioned to one of the others to grab the bags. She rubbed her hands up and down the much smaller girl's sides, trying to comfort the child. She hadn't seen anyone that distraught since the boys and even they hadn't cried until they were both at the house. She remembered that look from when she was a child, with her own sister. It was the look of a child who'd been hurt in the worst possible way, psychologically.

"Hermione? Sweetheart?" Andromeda asked her voice level and caring. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Andromeda had been through a lot of things herself, she and her sisters hadn't exactly had the easy life growing up and she hated seeing any kid in a situation that reflected her own in any way.

"It just, all happened. Happened so fast." Hermione broke down in a fit of sobs. "It- was- like- a- switch was- flipped."

Andromeda pulled back just enough to wipe the tears away from Hermione's eyes. "Oh, sweet girl."

Nymphadora leaned on the doorframe between the living room and the kitchen. "Mom? Is she going to be okay?"

Andromeda looked up at her daughter and gave her a sad smile. "Come here, baby. Come sit with us."

Nymphadora walked over to the couch and sat on the other side of Hermione. "I'm here for you Fairy." She rested her hand on Hermione's shoulder before wrapping her arms around her.

Hermione sniffled, the tears finally starting to dry. "Thanks, Nymph." She threw a smile at the older girl, a real smile not like the ones she used to throw at her housemates.

Nymphadora smiled back, a genuine smile before she stilled. "Nymph?"

Hermione sniffled and rubbed at her eyes. "Yeah. You don't like it?"

"No, it's just been a while since I last heard someone call me that." Nymphadora smiled at Hermione.

"Who was the last one to call you that Nymphie-poo?" Andromeda asked.

"You wouldn't know them." Nymphadora shot a smile at her mother. "Come on Fairy. You can bunk with me, just so you're not alone."

"Okay Nymph." Hermione smiled and looked at Andromeda. "Thank you, so much for taking me in. I didn't know where else to go. I don't really know anyone else in this world."

Andromeda smiled at the two. "You two go, get Hermione settled in. I'll call you down for breakfast."

The girls took off to Nymphadora's bedroom, Hermione's bags in their arms.

Harry and Draco poked their heads around the wall separating the living room and the dining room. "Is she okay?"

"Oh, boys." Andromeda schooled her features into a smile and nodded. "Hermione just needs a little while to figure out who she is now that she's unsure about where she stands in the world." She looked at the two small boys who cared so deeply about their friend.

The two nodded. "Is it okay if Harry and I go and help the girls, Aunt Dromeda?" Draco asked.

Andromeda nodded. "Of course."

The boys headed up to Nymphadora's room at the same time Ted walked into the living room with two cups of coffee.

"Cream and sugar my love." Ted smiled and passed his wife a cup of coffee. The two shared a brief kiss before Ted sat down on the couch next to Andromeda. "What's up Meda?"

Andromeda took a sip of her coffee and made a face before switching cups with her husband. "I love that Nymphie-poo is making friends and that those friends feel comfortable enough around us to come to us when they don't feel safe at home."  She looked at her husband and frowned. "I just wish it didn't feel like we were harbouring fugitives."

"We could go to Gringotts," Ted suggested. "See what they can do, since the Ministry isn't in your brother-in-law's pocket."

"We'll go later today. After everybody has eaten and gotten dressed." The two took a sip of coffee. "You wanna help make breakfast? Nothing extravagant, just eggs and toast."

Together the two made breakfast for their evergrowing family. They loved every second of it.

"Kids! Breakfast!"