SHEO: A HAPPY FAMILY.

chapter 35

~Hermione~

My phone starts ringing just as I zip up my black dress. Never in a million years would I have ever imagined that I would have to go to George's funeral while I was in high school. The thought makes me sad. It hasn't even been a full day yet. I pick up my phone from the bed and check who it is.

It's Hazel. I press answer and hold the phone to my ear.

"Hermione! Did you hear about his death?! It's so tragic!" She exclaims, her voice sad just like I am.

"I know. I found a long time ago." I reply.

"I'm sorry." She tells me softly.

"Me too." I just sit on the bed holding the phone to my ear saying nothing and neither does Hazel.

I speak up after a few seconds. "Are you going to his funeral?"

"Yeah. Should I call Augustus?" She asks.

"You should I mean he wasn't good friends with George or anything  but still they were on the team together. So yeah, you should." I reply.

"Do you want me to pick you up?" She offers.

"Thanks but mom and dad are driving me." I explain.

"That's alright. I'll ask Gus to pick me up. See you at the funeral." She says.

"See ya." And I hang up.

I pull out my black pumps and put them on. I go stand in front of the mirror. I didn't brush my hair after I took a shower. It's all tangled and looks like a bird's nest.

I pick up the brush, take a deep breath and start doing the impossible task of restoring my hair to its original state. After five minutes of pulling and shrieking, my hair finally hangs straight aournd my shoulders. I choose a black hairband with a small bow on it. After I've pushed it through my hair, I looks at myself in the mirror.

And then it strikes me.

This was exactly how my hair looked when we went out to Oranjee for dinner. Also, that was the first time he had ever noticed me. The thought brings tears to my eyes but I refuse to let them spill. I grab my phone and shove it into a blach purse. With this I go out of my room and slowly make my way downstairs.

Dad's not there yet but mom is. She's wearing a black dress just like mine. Her hair's loose and she's wearing black pumps too!

"Ready?" She asks me shifting her coffee from one hand to the other and gesturing me to sit down next to her on the couch. I sit down and she hugs me close to her. And I let her beacause she hasn't hugged me in such a long time.

I was hungry for my mother's love.

"You two ready?" Dad asks coming down the stairs.

"Yeah." Mom says letting go of me and getting up. I get up too. When I look at at dad my heart skips a beat.

I know he's my father and that I shouldn't say this but he looks so hot and handsome! The atmosphere's grim but I can't help smiling at the stupid thought.

"It's good to see you smiling again." Mom says to me making us all smile.

-Time Lapse-

Dad parks the car outside the church and we get out. There is a graveyard behind it where the service is going to be held. There are only a few cars parked outside. Besides that it's just 3.50 now, still ten minutes to go. I get out and my legs feel as heavy as lead. I force myself to follow mum and dad.

Ruth and Miles are there standing where the rows of seats start. Mom hugs Ruth and softly says "I'm sorry." Dad does the same with Miles.

Ruth squeezes my shoulders lightly before saying. "You have to make to make a speech for him."