Hero of the Story || James Potter x Hermione Granger Fanfiction

46 | but still they lead me back to the long winding road

Chapter Warning: I'm not sure if I should be putting a warning but this fic is rated 'Mature' for a reason lmao so yeah.

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xxxxvi.

but still they lead me back to the long winding road

(The Long and Winding Road by The Beatles)

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November 4, 1979

The rain had become torrential. Hermione found herself materialising a few blocks away from the Snapes' House. Tears steadily streamed down from her eyes as she tore through the empty streets until she was standing in front of their lovely, wooden door, drenched to the bone and very much distraught.

She loudly rapped her knuckles against the door, mentally berating herself at the same time for not thinking this through. Lily and Sev may still be away for work, making this whole visit a waste of time.

But then, she heard the quiet shuffling of footsteps from the other side of the door, before it was yanked open to reveal a disgruntled Lily. There were still remnants of sleep on her face and her hair was dishevelled, and Hermione felt guilty all the more.

"Hermione!" she cried in surprise, her disgruntled face morphing into unadulterated shock upon seeing her best friend. "What in Merlin's name are you doing out in this bloody storm?"

"I-I'm sorry," she sobbed, lifting her hand to haphazardly wipe away the tears and rain on her cheeks. "I didn't know where else to go. This was the first place I thought of and—" She trailed off as more tears slipped down from her eyes.

"Oh, Merlin, what's wrong? What happened?" Her deep concern only prompted her to cry harder.

"James," she whispered. "It's James. He proposed to me and... and... why did he have to do that?"

Lily's emerald eyes widened in shock. "You didn't—"

"No," she said, cutting her off as she glumly shook her head. "I didn't."

She could see the numerous questions running inside the redhead's mind but Lily swallowed them all and ushered Hermione inside. The older witch then pulled out her wand and spelled her dry and warm, then brought her towards the squashy couch in their living room to sit her down.

Lily took the seat beside Hermione and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, patiently waiting as Hermione continued to cry. She hadn't said a peep, even when Hermione jumped onto her feet and started to wear their carpet down, murmuring words faster than a flying snitch in between terrified sobs, until she was shaking and quiet and very much tired.

Lily disappeared into the kitchen, only to return with a steaming cup of tea. Hermione murmured her thanks and accepted the hot beverage and laid it on the coffee table.

"Why?"

She directed her red-rimmed, watery eyes towards her best friend, noting the confusion on her face. "Why what?" she rasped, voice raw and scratchy from her constant sobbing.

"Why didn't you accept the proposal?" she gently asked. "Why did you run away?"

Hermione closed her eyes and quietly shook her head.

"Everybody can see that James Potter would give you the world if you asked for it, Hermione," her best friend continued. "And I thought... I thought you'd do the same for him."