Ch 4: Hermione's Funeral
Ginny flopped down on her couch. Her sister-in-law, Ron’s wife, her schoolgirl friend, was dead. No one would have ever guessed this would happen. She sighed, rubbing her aching forehead. She needed to make a headache potion. She headed to the kitchen, remembering the events of the previous night. She groaned. She really should apologize.
She grabbed a quill and a piece of parchment from her desk and began to write.
Draco,
I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. You have been so kind to me since I saw you at the Longbottom’s wedding. I have had a horrid day since and not because of the alcohol. Hermione died this afternoon, after giving birth to her and Ron’s son. Her funeral will be on Tuesday at 11AM. What a way to spend my vacation between training and residency. I wish she were still here. I knew you would want to know about her. Again, I am sorry, for everything.
Sincerely,
Ginny Weasley
She fetched her owl, Mildred, from her cage and sent her off with the letter.
*
Draco was surprised to see a tawny owl he did not recognize outside his window at the late hour. He opened the window with a flick of his wand and reached out to take the parchment tied to the owl's leg and to give it a treat.
He knew instantly the message was from Ginny. The handwriting was neat and controlled. He’d heard that Healers had horrid writing, but he should have known Ginny’s would be perfect. He saddened as he read her note.
He had never been what one might call 'friends' with Ron’s wife but he had known Harry and Ron both much better since fighting with them in the war. He’d known Ron was completely loopy for the girl even early on at Hogwarts- everyone had seen that.
It was late and instead of owling her back, he came up with a better plan. He had known that last night was a fluke. She had… over-celebrated with the alcohol. He could forgive her for that. She was obviously attracted to him- that had not just been the alcohol. She was just unsure of him when they were alone and she was sober. All he wanted was take her to dinner, have an actual date with her.
*
Ginny awoke somberly on the day of Hermione’s funeral. She had stayed at the Burrow that night with Ron, baby Sirius, and the rest of her family. Ron would be staying at the Burrow indefinitely, learning how to take care of a child and getting help from his mum.
She ate, showered, dressed, and waited quietly in the living room for the rest of the family to descend the stairs to go to the funeral. They needed to be there at least an hour early.
Nobody really talked on the way to the Muggle funeral parlor where Hermione’s parents and Ron had agreed to have the service. Hermione had been cremated and was going to remain with Ron for a while and after some time he would spread her ashes over some of her favorite spots on Hogwarts’ grounds.
Ginny hugged everyone who came in before the service and spoke softly to Hermione’s parents. Luna Lovegood-Goyle and Pansy Longbottom were keeping Sirius at the Burrow. He was much too little to be out yet.
Ginny found a corner in the large home that served as a funeral parlor and sat in an overly stuffed armchair. She wasn’t avoiding anyone; she was just depressed. And, although she’d never admit it to anyone else, she had been fretting over the incident with Draco and the fact that she’d not heard back from him.
*
Draco found the Muggle funeral parlor without any problems. He held the bouquet of lilies awkwardly. He was partially through the doors when he spotted her. Ginny’s red hair was tied back and she as wearing simple black robes. She looked radiant despite the sorrow he knew she must feel. She hadn’t seen him, so he approached her cautiously.
“Ginny,” she heard a whisper. She had been off in her thoughts and was surprised to hear the voice and even more surprised to look up and see the gray-blue eyes looking back at her with concern.
“You…” she breathed.
“Me.” He nodded. “I got your note and I wanted to be here. For you,” he stated, handing her the flowers. “In remembrance of your friend.”
Ginny’s eyes widened. The flowers were beautiful. She tried to hold back the tears, but they came so easily as they had been doing the past few days. “Thank you!” she gasped, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.
Draco knelt down to her, handing her the bouquet. She accepted them and took in their fragrance.
“I’m going to go in and pay my respects to Ron and Hermione. Shall I catch up with you after the ceremony?” Draco asked. Ginny nodded. He knew exactly what she needed.
*
The ceremony was filled with tales of Hermione’s days as a top student at Hogwarts and her accomplishments at the Ministry of Magic in the Muggle-Born Relations department, which she had helped build in her short four years there.
Draco sat in the back, watching the redhead and her family cry over their lost daughter. Six, even five, years ago, he’d have never thought he’d be at the funeral of a muggle-born witch, trying to woo a Weasley. But people do change. He reflected on the day he had decided Ginny Weasley was the one for him.
He’d always noticed her. She was hard to miss- beautiful, popular, intelligent, and seemed to always have fun. After his sixth year, he’d been taken in by Snape and the rest of the Order and had fought alongside his former enemies. He’d watched Ginny from afar since the day she’d hit him with that nasty bat bogey hex. He’d really admired her courage and ability, though he was on the bad end of it at that particular moment.
*
Ginny approached Draco, who was standing outside on the porch of the funeral parlor, leaning against a post.
“Shall we go have some coffee or something?” she asked softly.
“Whatever the lady would like,” Draco smiled.
He offered his arm and she took it. They strolled down the street in silence. They found a small café and ordered their drinks. They sat outside in silence for what seemed like ages. Ginny finally broke the ice.
“So I do owe you an apology in person for my behavior-”
“Nonsense. We both said things that we didn’t mean. Water under the bridge.”
Ginny shook her head. “Why are you like this?”
“Like what?”
“Like how you are!” Ginny blurted out, frustrated.
Draco chuckled. “Really, I have no idea what you are-”
“This… this perfect man… this even-tempered, forgiving, kind…”
“And this is bad because…”
Ginny sighed. “It’s not bad, Draco. It’s just… weird! I never expected to-” she cut herself off.
He leaned forward, his interest peaked. “To what?”
Ginny frowned. “To like you.”
Draco grinned, pleased with himself. Ginny buried her head in her hands. “Why me?” she shuddered.
Draco laughed out loud. “If I am really that bad, just ask me to go away and consider it done!” he said, throwing up his hands dramatically. Ginny had to laugh at this.
“I’m sorry! I just make a right fool of myself around you lately, don’t I?”
“No Ginny, you don’t,” he reached for the hand that lay before him on the table. She flinched but didn’t remove her hand from his grasp. “Just have dinner with me. Let me get to know you and vice versa. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Ginny flopped down on her couch. Her sister-in-law, Ron’s wife, her schoolgirl friend, was dead. No one would have ever guessed this would happen. She sighed, rubbing her aching forehead. She needed to make a headache potion. She headed to the kitchen, remembering the events of the previous night. She groaned. She really should apologize.
She grabbed a quill and a piece of parchment from her desk and began to write.
Draco,
I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. You have been so kind to me since I saw you at the Longbottom’s wedding. I have had a horrid day since and not because of the alcohol. Hermione died this afternoon, after giving birth to her and Ron’s son. Her funeral will be on Tuesday at 11AM. What a way to spend my vacation between training and residency. I wish she were still here. I knew you would want to know about her. Again, I am sorry, for everything.
Sincerely,
Ginny Weasley
She fetched her owl, Mildred, from her cage and sent her off with the letter.
*
Draco was surprised to see a tawny owl he did not recognize outside his window at the late hour. He opened the window with a flick of his wand and reached out to take the parchment tied to the owl's leg and to give it a treat.
He knew instantly the message was from Ginny. The handwriting was neat and controlled. He’d heard that Healers had horrid writing, but he should have known Ginny’s would be perfect. He saddened as he read her note.
He had never been what one might call 'friends' with Ron’s wife but he had known Harry and Ron both much better since fighting with them in the war. He’d known Ron was completely loopy for the girl even early on at Hogwarts- everyone had seen that.
It was late and instead of owling her back, he came up with a better plan. He had known that last night was a fluke. She had… over-celebrated with the alcohol. He could forgive her for that. She was obviously attracted to him- that had not just been the alcohol. She was just unsure of him when they were alone and she was sober. All he wanted was take her to dinner, have an actual date with her.
*
Ginny awoke somberly on the day of Hermione’s funeral. She had stayed at the Burrow that night with Ron, baby Sirius, and the rest of her family. Ron would be staying at the Burrow indefinitely, learning how to take care of a child and getting help from his mum.
She ate, showered, dressed, and waited quietly in the living room for the rest of the family to descend the stairs to go to the funeral. They needed to be there at least an hour early.
Nobody really talked on the way to the Muggle funeral parlor where Hermione’s parents and Ron had agreed to have the service. Hermione had been cremated and was going to remain with Ron for a while and after some time he would spread her ashes over some of her favorite spots on Hogwarts’ grounds.
Ginny hugged everyone who came in before the service and spoke softly to Hermione’s parents. Luna Lovegood-Goyle and Pansy Longbottom were keeping Sirius at the Burrow. He was much too little to be out yet.
Ginny found a corner in the large home that served as a funeral parlor and sat in an overly stuffed armchair. She wasn’t avoiding anyone; she was just depressed. And, although she’d never admit it to anyone else, she had been fretting over the incident with Draco and the fact that she’d not heard back from him.
*
Draco found the Muggle funeral parlor without any problems. He held the bouquet of lilies awkwardly. He was partially through the doors when he spotted her. Ginny’s red hair was tied back and she as wearing simple black robes. She looked radiant despite the sorrow he knew she must feel. She hadn’t seen him, so he approached her cautiously.
“Ginny,” she heard a whisper. She had been off in her thoughts and was surprised to hear the voice and even more surprised to look up and see the gray-blue eyes looking back at her with concern.
“You…” she breathed.
“Me.” He nodded. “I got your note and I wanted to be here. For you,” he stated, handing her the flowers. “In remembrance of your friend.”
Ginny’s eyes widened. The flowers were beautiful. She tried to hold back the tears, but they came so easily as they had been doing the past few days. “Thank you!” she gasped, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.
Draco knelt down to her, handing her the bouquet. She accepted them and took in their fragrance.
“I’m going to go in and pay my respects to Ron and Hermione. Shall I catch up with you after the ceremony?” Draco asked. Ginny nodded. He knew exactly what she needed.
*
The ceremony was filled with tales of Hermione’s days as a top student at Hogwarts and her accomplishments at the Ministry of Magic in the Muggle-Born Relations department, which she had helped build in her short four years there.
Draco sat in the back, watching the redhead and her family cry over their lost daughter. Six, even five, years ago, he’d have never thought he’d be at the funeral of a muggle-born witch, trying to woo a Weasley. But people do change. He reflected on the day he had decided Ginny Weasley was the one for him.
He’d always noticed her. She was hard to miss- beautiful, popular, intelligent, and seemed to always have fun. After his sixth year, he’d been taken in by Snape and the rest of the Order and had fought alongside his former enemies. He’d watched Ginny from afar since the day she’d hit him with that nasty bat bogey hex. He’d really admired her courage and ability, though he was on the bad end of it at that particular moment.
*
Ginny approached Draco, who was standing outside on the porch of the funeral parlor, leaning against a post.
“Shall we go have some coffee or something?” she asked softly.
“Whatever the lady would like,” Draco smiled.
He offered his arm and she took it. They strolled down the street in silence. They found a small café and ordered their drinks. They sat outside in silence for what seemed like ages. Ginny finally broke the ice.
“So I do owe you an apology in person for my behavior-”
“Nonsense. We both said things that we didn’t mean. Water under the bridge.”
Ginny shook her head. “Why are you like this?”
“Like what?”
“Like how you are!” Ginny blurted out, frustrated.
Draco chuckled. “Really, I have no idea what you are-”
“This… this perfect man… this even-tempered, forgiving, kind…”
“And this is bad because…”
Ginny sighed. “It’s not bad, Draco. It’s just… weird! I never expected to-” she cut herself off.
He leaned forward, his interest peaked. “To what?”
Ginny frowned. “To like you.”
Draco grinned, pleased with himself. Ginny buried her head in her hands. “Why me?” she shuddered.
Draco laughed out loud. “If I am really that bad, just ask me to go away and consider it done!” he said, throwing up his hands dramatically. Ginny had to laugh at this.
“I’m sorry! I just make a right fool of myself around you lately, don’t I?”
“No Ginny, you don’t,” he reached for the hand that lay before him on the table. She flinched but didn’t remove her hand from his grasp. “Just have dinner with me. Let me get to know you and vice versa. What’s the worst that could happen?”
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