Scorpius woke up on Sunday morning to find his mum asleep on the couch. She hadn't been getting much sleep lately and she hadn't been eating either. He felt it was only going to get worse because she started work again tomorrow and would have more on her plate to deal with. He tip toed into the kitchen to get something to eat but he wasn't watching where he was going and bumped into a side table and knocked the lamp over. Hermione woke up instantly and looked around. She saw Scorpius looking guiltily at her. "Sorry, mum. I didn't mean to wake you or break the lamp."
"It's alright, honey," Hermione smiled before pulling out her wand and muttered a 'reparo' spell. "Are you hungry, darling?" She stood up and walked into the kitchen.
"Yes, but I can just have a tart," he mumbled as he climbed onto the bar stool.
"Nonsense, Granny Molly would have my head if that's all I fed you," Hermione laughed as she started to make breakfast.
"But we're going over for brunch anyway," Scorpius spoke, "I'll eat a lot there."
"Just some eggs then," Hermione compromised and cooked the eggs.
Once she was done she put them on a plate and set it in front of him. "I'm going to trust that you brushed your teeth," she spoke after she kissed his forehead. He nodded, already with a mouth full of food. She smiled and went upstairs to change and brush her teeth and hair. She came back down and did the washing up once Scorpius finished eating.
"Aren't you going to eat?" He asked.
"Oh, I'm not hungry," she spoke.
"But mum, you're barley eating," he protested.
"I'm fine, hon," she reassured. "Go on and change and get ready to leave." Scorpius sighed but complied and went upstairs. He came back down in his brunch button up shirt that Grandma Cissy bought him. "Don't you look handsome," Hermione smiled and picked him up. "Ready to go?" He nodded and she apparated them to outside the Burrow.
Hermione knocked on the door and Mrs. Weasley opened the door. "Hermione, dear, and Scorpius. It's so wonderful to see you both," she smiled as she let them in.
"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione smiled.
"Oh, please, Hermione. Your son calls me Granny, just call me Molly," she insisted.
"Ok," Hermione smiled as Mrs Weasley led the way into the living room where the whole Weasley gang sat. They all greeted each other but Scorpius made sure to stay away from Ron. They all sat on the couches while Molly cooked in the kitchen.
"So, Hermione, how was America?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"Oh," Hermione spoke, surprised by the random question, "it was fine."
"Where'd you go?" Percy asked.
"Just this small town. It was quite boring," Hermione mumbled.
"Well you must have liked it there. You got a job, didn't you? You must have been planning to stay longer than you did," Harry spoke.
"Yes, I guess I did, but there weren't any houses for sale and I couldn't continue to be a burden to the people we were staying with," Hermione said.
"Who'd you stay with?"
"The bookshop owners," she said. "Meg, who was Rose's mother, and Sue, who was Meg's mother."
"Well that's sound nice," Ginny spoke. "Perfect for you, living in a bookshop." They all laughed and started a different conversation.
Scorpius, who was sitting next to his mum and Teddy, knew that she was faking her laughs. She was getting paler and there were bags under her eyes no matter how many conceal spells she put on them. Molly called for brunch and everyone stood up to go eat. Scorpius walked over to Ginny and asked to speak to her. They stayed behind as everyone filed into the kitchen. "What's up, squirt?" Ginny asked.
"I'm worried about mum," he spoke honestly.
"What's wrong?" She asked as her smile faltered.
"She hasn't been eating or sleeping much. Only a few bites of food a day or a half hour nap. She isn't happy," he said and took a deep breath before continuing to speak. "Something happened in America. Something I'm not really supposed to tell anyone about. Something that I think only Uncle Blaise knows about. But it really upset her. She acts like she's fine and she's over it but I know she's not. I wouldn't have been if it had happened to me."
"What happened?" Ginny asked urgently.
"I- I can't tell you," he mumbled.
"Scorpius, dear! Come eat!" Hermione called.
"You too, Ginny," Harry and Molly called.
"Will you help her?" Scorpius asked, ignoring the calls.
"I'll do my best," Ginny smiled. They both walked into the kitchen and sat down to eat. Ginny glanced at Hermione and noticed that she was only taking a couple bites. She was talking quite a bit to avoid eating and now Ginny grew worried.
After everyone ate, Ginny asked to speak to Hermione in her old room. They walked up and sat on the bed. "What's up, Gin?" Hermione asked.
"Hermione," Ginny started off nervously, "have you been getting bad dreams again?"
"No, why?" Hermione slightly laughed.
"Well- it's just- Scorpius said you weren't eating or sleeping much," Ginny confessed.
"I'm fine, Ginny," Hermione said and stood up to leave.
"What happened in America?" Ginny asked abruptly. Hermione hesitated.
"What?"
"Scorpius told me something happened to you there that he's not supposed to talk about," Ginny said. "He told me you're pretending to be okay."
"Why would he say that?" Hermione asked as she turned around to face Ginny.
"Because he's worried about you," she spoke and stood up from the bed, "and frankly so and I."
"What else did he say?" Hermione asked and crossed her arms.
"Not much," Ginny said. "You know you can tell me anything, Mione. I'm your best friend. You can talk to me about it if you'd like."
"There's nothing to talk about," Hermione spoke, getting a little frustrated. "What happened, happened. I'm over it. I'm fine. Besides, what happened in America is between me and those involved."
"And Blaise," Ginny added, getting angry also. "That's why you two disappear at Malfoy Manor for an hour. You were talking about it, weren't you?"
"So what?" Hermione spat.
"How could you tell him and not me?" Ginny asked. "We've known each other longer, told each other our darkest secrets. We've never kept secrets til now, so why haven't you told me?"
"The only reason Blaise knows was because he knew someone involved," Hermione confessed.
"Blaise knows someone in America? Who?" Ginny asked.
"I can't tell you," Hermione said firmly.
"More secrets then!" Ginny yelled. "Why won't you tell me anything? Why are you hiding things?"
"Because it doesn't concern you!" Hermione yelled back.
"I'm your best friend! We're practically sisters! Anything that happens to you concerns me!" Ginny protested.
"I don't have to tell you everything, Ginny, so back off!" Hermione yelled. "You're being clingy and overly concerned! I'm fine!" Hermione then stormed out of the room and back downstairs where Scorpius was telling those who weren't at Malfoy Manor about Rose. She took a deep breath and smiled before sitting on the couch, acting like nothing happened. Ginny came down a few minutes later after calming down in her room. She sat next to Harry and listen to Scorpius ramble but kept glancing at Hermione.
