Other Lives

IX.

Ginny Potter was hovering.

Hermione expected her to be, of course, but she had hoped Ginny had considered that she was an adult and perfectly capable of dealing with her emotions without anyone's assistance. Hermione was, in fact, the most stable out of the lot, but by the way her former sister-in-law came barging into her new house, her office at Flourish and Blotts, or her office in her publishing company, she was starting to think Ginny expected her to have a mental breakdown soon.

"I mean, I don't blame you if you're not all that sad—"

"Gin—"

"He's a right git. I don't know why you agreed to marry—"

"I happened—"

"You know who you should've dated? Oliver Wood. Remember that summer after Hogwarts when you went with me to that party the Harpies had for new recruits? He spent all night talking to you...Yeah, Wood might have been a better choice than Ron. I mean, he ended up owning Puddlemere United. What's Ron got?"

Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "You don't need to bash your brother, Gin. I told you plenty of times it was an amicable split."

"Yeah, all right. I know that's true, but I never can pass up a good opportunity to tear the mickey out of him," said Ginny, grinning into her cup of tea. After she sipped it, she made a face and settled the cup back onto the table like it had offended her. "Merlin, do you have some firewhiskey? I think mine could use a splash."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ginny.

She knew what she was trying to do, after all. Ginny proceeded this same way only three times throughout the years she and Hermione had known each other, but it always ended up the same. With Hermione drunk—drunk and crying, or drunk and yelling. Ginny never minded either reaction so long as Hermione unstoppered all of her emotions to relieve the weight off of her chest.

The first time had been in Hermione's Sixth Year; Ginny had stolen a bottle of Odgen's from the trunk of a fellow Gryffindor and snuck into Hermione's dormitory, offering the bottle and a shoulder for her to cry on after Ron had started dating Lavender Brown. Hermione had cried, but mostly yelled, cursed, and ordered Crookshanks to destroy all of Ron's possessions. The second time had been a few days before Bill and Fleur's wedding; Ginny had taken vodka the twins had left behind in their old room, offering Hermione the first drink and listened as she cried about Obliviating her parents so they would not become casualties of a war started by a monster.

The last time had been in 1999.

You have to tell me what's going on, Ginny had murmured, her arm wrapped tightly around Hermione's shoulders after she found her in the backroom of Flourish and Blotts, buried between crates of new books and mail orders. I can't help you if you don't tell me, 'Mione.

Hermione just shook her head, burying her face deeper into her kneecaps, one hand clutching on to the bottle of bourbon she had summoned from the Leaky Cauldron.

You were so happy a few days ago, Ginny pressed on carefully. What happened, huh? You were all aglow. In love, I'd say. Did you have a row with Ron?

It's not about Ron, Hermione had hissed, finally looking up, brown eyes an unforgiving, swollen red. Please, Ginny, she lowered her voice, hands trembling as she dropped the bourbon to claw at her own chest, Just...Just please take it. Cut out my heart and take it. Please.

Ginny pushed Hermione closer against her side, putting another arm around her shaking shoulders. When the backroom drowned with the sound of Hermione's excruciating sobbing, Ginny could only squeeze her eyes shut before her own tears clung to her cheeks, too.