The Granger Chronicle

Hello!!! first of all Happy Holidays Everyone!!



Now, I know I\'ve disappeared for the longest time (six moths is enough right?) and believe me I didn\'t want to but it happen, first my laptop broke down and left me all alone after my birthday , and then it was my muse she just went away and I found myself in dispair for a long while, I still read on the site but couldn\'t do much more than that, and then just like I found the right path to finish the chapter which now I present to you, my most humble apologies for the waiting, enjoy and again Happy Holidays!



This chapter is dedicated to my newborn nephew Angel and his mommy, my sis Lifvared (I love you both) and also to my friend Pebbles.





-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------







The Granger Chronicle



Chapter Seven: Our Farewell





The omnipresent silence in the kitchens was broken by Albus ‘The Odd Ball’ Dumbledore, once more.





“I must say Severus, you did a remarkable job there, I don’t think I could have done it” Severus scowled at this, he made him look like a hero.





“I always said you would make an incredible healer but it seem it fell on deaf ears” Poppy injected and the potion’s master scowl deepen.





“I do not like people, contrary to popular belief” he settled to clarify, tuning out the other two, he returned to his drink ‘Besides it’s not certain she will survive this, I only did what it had to be done, the Dark Lord will surely have a fit if she walks out on her own two feet’ he snickered darkly at this thought.





Dumbledore and Pompfrey looked at him wandering what they have said that it was so funny.





*-*_*-*_*-*_*-*





“Tell me I’m wrong” Draco dared her, but still Hermione Granger hadn’t move an inch since he spoke, it was like the truth had left her frozen on the same spot save her eyes, the fat tears rolling down told him, he had said something he wasn’t supposed to.





She shook her head, slowly and her voice was hoarse when she spoke “I won’t”





Her misery stirred something inside him, this wasn’t just it “Why did you left in the middle of the rounds, Granger?”





“None of your bloody business” she stood and turned to her room again, dashing up the stairs.





Five minutes later she came out with a fat worn book in her arms; she stood behind him the look of angry resignation of her face, dropped the book on his lap and disappeared out the portrait before he could react.





The book cover said in big colourful letters “HERMIONE’S MEMORIES”





She just gave him her book of memories, ‘was she crazy?’





When he opened the books had two paint printed hands in the first page and inside those were two more but littler painted in different colour:





\'By: Kali S. Granger,

To: My little Sister Hermione

Happy Christmas, I Love You’





Draco couldn’t stop after this, the pages were full of pictures, with little writing under them, like dates or comments on the pictures, Granger was laughing, and her wild hair always loose in the pictures like the other girl, who was obviously older, her hair was darker and her eyes lighter; mischief written all over them. They were in the park, eating ice cream, wet to their bones, or muddy even inside the ears but every single shot showed how happy they were.





The last picture was in a lone page, they were the same four faces he has seen for the past fifteen minutes, in this book of happiness; behind them was a big Christmas tree with twinkling lights and a roaring fireplace, the four occupants on the frame were smiling; a tall man with brown reddish eyes and curvy dark hair, next to him a more petite woman with long curly hair with the colour of the shiniest copper and pixie like features, then was the girl with wild dark curls and golden eyes, her arm draped around the smallest one on the picture who was smiling radiantly at the camera, her red brown eyes sparkling like stars as they were deviating upwards.





Below that picture read ‘December 24 1990: Our Christmas’





There the book ended, ‘what happen after that?’ He thought and was answered immediately; right by his feet was a tiny book in comparison with the one still resting on his lap, he reached it and quickly opened.





This was sombre and sad by a long run, there was only Hermione and her parents there, the smile never reaching their eyes and she was older, before coming to Hogwarts he deduced, in very few pictures she was truly smiling...





Draco lasted no more than two minutes with that one, it was depressing.





“What happen with them?” he asked out loud, only received the roaring of the fireplace.





*-*_*-*_*-*_*-*





Hermione have gotten into the Infirmary in less that she expected, maybe it was because her head was to get there and forget about Malfoy.





‘He knows my secret, what if he tells the school, and Harry, Ron? They will feel so betrayed...gods stupid Malfoy, stupid git and his conclusions, stupid arsehole he had no right to be right’





She opened the door and sneaked inside after been sure she wasn’t been followed and no one else was on the Infirmary, it was dead silent. So she tiptoed her way through the Hospital Wing and whispered a soft ‘Lumos’





She found her cot in no time, she was hidden behind the thin screens, she looked so weak Hermione wanted to weep; the metal tubes were no longer connected to her skin, now rosy marks were the only evidence, she was sickly pale and cold to the touch, her breathing was laboured, a thin sheet of sweat covered her face, Hermione’s eyes soften at the vulnerable sight.





“Hell?” she whispered Kali’s old nickname, and her interlocutor’s eyes snapped open.





“Chaos?” her voice was hoarse and weak, Hermione’s eyes water at this “Leave Hermione, I don’t want you to see this”





Her already ragged breath became erratic, “Leave”





“No” it was an angry response “calm down Kali”





The other shook her head frantically and her breathing got worse “You can’t see these, not like this, not you Chaos” tears were streaming down her pale cheeks “Leave”





“You are going to be okay, Kali” Hermione was no longer touching her “calm down”





Kali shook her head once more “Forgive me Chaos, I didn’t know, forgive me, please forgive me” she was breathing slower now, but still her tone was urgent as if she needed her peace as she was saying goodbye.





“You are going to be alright, you’ll see” Hermione said with conviction “You just need rest, rest now”





“No, no, no. Chaos please...”





“Kali” Hermione whimpered.





“Sing to me Chaos” she said with a weak smile “Sing to me”





Hermione didn’t dwell on it and nodded “What do you want me to sing Hell?”





“Mum’s Lullaby” she said.





A huge lump took residence on Hermione’s throat but she evicted it by force when she willed herself to swallow “My voice is not like mum’s”





“Sing to me Chaos” she pleaded on more time.





Hermione closed her eyes, and prepared herself, and then her soft voice started the melody of their childhood...



“If I tell you

Will you listen?

Will you stay?

Will you be here forever?

Never go away?



Never thought things would change

Hold me tight

Please don\'t say again

That you have to go



A bitter thought

I had it all

But I just let it go

Hold your silence

It\'s so violent

Since your gone



All my thoughts are with you forever

Until the day we\'ll be back together

I will be waiting for you”





Kali’s tears fell freely much like Hermione’s, she felt around her bed for her little sister’s hand and when she found it the magic around send shivers down her spine, she closed her eyes and let Hermione sweep her away with the soothing melody.





“If I had told you

You would have listened

You had stayed

You would be here forever

Never went away

It would never have been the same

All our time

Would have been in vain

Cause you had to go



The sweetest thought

I had it all

Cause I did let you go

All our moments

Keep me warm

When you\'re gone



All my thoughts are with you forever

Until the day we\'ll be back together

I will be waiting for you”





Hermione’s voice faded and she opened her eyes to find Kali’s boring into hers, with a peaceful smile on her lips she whispered “Beautiful”





And her eyes closed again but her hold on Hermione’s hand went limp, panic stroke Hermione and she shook her.





“Kali? Hell? Kali? Wake up Kali” but there was no avail, she did not moved and Hermione’s voice roused, the lump came back and it cracked her “Don’t do this! Kali! Don’t do this! Wake up!”





Nothing.





Hermione’s anger swell up in her system, same as the hurt, threatening to make her explode “You can’t leave me, you can’t come back just to leave me again, you egoistical bitch!”





She was punching the bed in frustration “You can’t leave me Kali, I can’t take it, please” her voice was a weak whisper now “please”





‘I’m not strong enough’





Just silence met her back.





*-*_*-*_*-*_*-*





Even if the night looked endless, dawn broke in and the chirpy sun settled comfortably up in the firmament.





The Great Hall filled with students, slowly and steady, but it was Gryffindor’s table the one with the interesting panorama.





“Hermione?” the girl kept her head down looking at her untouched food “Hermione!”





She didn’t even jumped at the forceful tone in which her name was called “What?”





Ron was looking at his wits end already, so it was Harry who talked “What it’s going on, Hermione?”





“What do you mean Harry?” she asked but her voice dripped with fake confusion.





Then Ron exploded “Oh hell I don’t know, the fact that yesterday you disappeared all day and didn’t even came to dinner or is it the fact that today you haven’t even touch your food and your eyes are red and puffy and you are wearing your bloody pyjamas?”





Hermione looked at him with blank expression but didn’t answered “Ron is right you know, you are not acting like yourself lately, ‘Mione”





She looked at Ginny and took a sip of her now cold tea “I just feel under the weather”





“This is so creepy, even Malfoy it’s looking at you with concern, Malfoy!” Muttered Ron at Hermione’s right.





Hermione’s head shot up and found his eyes looking for her, when their eyes clashed he frowned and went back to his food.





Hermione left her mind to wander back to a few hours back in time...







Hermione’s sobs suddenly stopped when a hand touched her shoulder, she jumped back, to find herself with Headmaster Dumbledore’s face.





“I’m sorry, sir. I...I” she tried to speak, but what she was going to apologize for, watching her sister die?





“No need to be sorry my child, after all blood is thicker than water” Hermione gasped at this, her swollen eyes wide with surprise.





“Sir...how?” she shook her head and another sob left her pained throat “It doesn’t matter...she...she”





She held Dumbledore’s robes and cried with all her might, the pain, the anger, the grief, he told her to let it all out, and when she did he gave her...hope, dim hope but hope nonetheless.





“She is just sleeping, Miss Granger” Hermione’s eyes lit at the words that left his mouth.





“Are you sure?”





He nodded with a small smile, he explained to her “Ms. Kali’s body had shut down, she is alive indeed but know this my child...”





Hermione’s hope dimmed a little more after what he said “Now go and rest Miss Granger”









‘Yeah right’ she thought.





“So are you going with us or not Hermione?” asked a very impatient Ginny.





“Pardon, what?”





“We are planning on spending the morning by the lake and we were wandering if you wanted to come” rephrased Harry with a tranquil demeanour, he noticed how her eyes were full of tears “’Mione, what is it?”





Harry hugged her to him “I’m sorry, I just can’t right now”





Ron looked lost, Ginny’s face went red with remorse at the realization, and then whispered just to her brother “We are so inconsiderate! Her birthday is days away, her first birthday without her parents, remember Ronald?”





Ron’s face paled to turn a bright shade of red and he scooted close to the girl to add himself sheepishly into the hug “it’s okay ‘Mione, we are here”





She only got out a pained and muffled “I know”





*-*_*-*_*-*_*-*





Kali found herself in a place she could only define as a princess dream come true, well not really hers.





She liked flowers alright, not just this many, in all colours, sizes and shapes, oh and the smells, they all smell different. She had to get out of there!





A delicate hand came into her line of vision, instead of taking it she searched for the owner of the hand, too bad the sun was shining directly behind the person and it was blinding Kali.





“It’s not polite to let someone’s hand outstretch for so long, young lady” Kali’s jaw fell and her eyes were about to budge out of their sockets “Kali Soleil Granger how unbecoming”





“Mum?” she choked out and without thinking took her hand, coming into a standing position she met the pixie face of her mother, Jean Grey Granger.





“Come with me Kali” she left her mother lead them away from the flower batch were she opened her eyes. They came to a stop under the shade of a big tree, his branches full of pretty colourful flowers; orangey red, like a sunset.





They sat in a big swing tied to a strong branch; Kali was yet in a daze with the surreal predicament.





“Am I dead?” she asked, it came out very childish, very innocent. Her mother looked at her and shook her head.





“No but you are close” she said truthfully, Kali snapped.





“Mum, I didn’t know, why? Mum, how?” one question tailed the other, her mum squeezed her hand gently “Mum I’m sorry”







Jean embraced her daughter and Kali melted, it was so soothing. She had forgotten how calming her mother’s arms could be, so long she has gone without them Kali sighed.





“So how America treated you?” her mother asked casually into her hair, Kali pulled back, they were rocking back and forth, and that added to her mother being here was making her very dizzy.





“Let’s sit on the ground” she suggested, her mum smiled





“Dizziness?” Kali just nodded, they moved to the ground and subconsciously Kali’s head rested on her mother’s lap





“So?”





“America treated me kindly, great indeed even if I caught a couple of bad habits back there” she answered





“Bad habits?”





“Drinking coffee instead of tea, junk food, and the like” she said off handily “So it’s true then?”





“What?” she asked while combing her older daughter’s hair with her fingers





“That you are...” Kali swallowed loudly before saying the word “gone?”





Jean looked into Kali’s eyes; her mystifying golden orbs, and spoke softly “Yes, we are” but her sad eyes sparkled suddenly “but you came back, now Hermione won’t be alone”





“Hermione hates me, my chaos hates me” she whispered, Jean shook her head making her copper curls catch the sunrays as they danced with the wind; her hair came alive.





“Hermione is hurt Kali, she looked up to you, and when you left, it devastated her, she cried for days and waited for you, but you didn’t came back, Chaos doesn’t hate you”





“How do you know?” Kali challenged her mother





“Because Hermione loves you too much for that, you’ll see”





“Where is father?” Kali asked reluctantly





“It’s just you and me today” she answered





Kali contemplated this for a second and then spoke carefully “I saw him, last night, I just couldn’t believe Hermione’s words, quite frankly I still can’t and then when I went into the lines I saw him, just for half a second before he pushed me back into my body and well now here I am” she finish sarcastically signalling her body with her hands.





“My little Hell, I’ve missed you so much!” she exclaimed, and then kissed Kali’s temple “You are so grown up!”





Kali laughed at this “Mum! I’ve been the same height since I was fourteen; five foot and six inches, nothing less, nothing more”





Her mother’s hearty laugh warmed her up inside “I’ve missed you lots mum”





The cool breeze was the only thing that was heard for a short while; they sat there under the shade of the tree into each other’s reach, just content with the moment.





“Sing to me mum” she requested suddenly





“Was it so expensive to have music in America that you are asking everybody to sing?” Her cheeky grin made Kali grin like old times





“Please” Little pout always worked.





“Aren’t you a little bit old for that?”





“You are never too old to blackmail your parents into doing what you want, now please mum”





Jean didn’t replied but nudged Kali to stand, opening her legs, she patted the open space and Kali moved to be cradle by her mother’s legs, once relax into that position, Jean started:





In my hands

A legacy of memories

I can hear you say my name

I can almost see your smile

Feel the warmth of your embrace

But there is nothing but silence now

Around the one I loved

Is this our farewell?





Fleeting moments of their past together started to play like a movie...



Jonathan reading to her while she was on his lap. The first day of school; they have cried dropping her off.





Sweet darling you worry too much, my child

See the sadness in your eyes

You are not alone in life

Although you might think that you are





Jean yelling at Jonathan for letting Kali fall from the bicycle she was learning to ride, Jonathan tickling her on the carpet where they had been wrestling; Jean attacking Jonathan in vendetta.



Kali raging havoc among friends and relatives, her parents laughing, Jean’s big belly and Kali talking to the baby resident inside:



“You will always be safe, I promise”



Blowing off the candles of her birthday cake with 2 years old Hermione clinging on her back, screeching her unintelligible version of the birthday song in Kali’s ear.





Never thought

This day would come so soon

We had no time to say goodbye

How can the world just carry on?

I feel so lost when you are not by my side

But there\'s nothing but silence now

Around the one I loved

Is this our farewell?





Stormy nights when little Hermione came to her bed and Jean sang lulling them to sleep, the first time Kali went to witching school, the teary goodbyes, them eating ice cream, preparing the house for the holidays, camping on the backyard, their visit in America one Christmas holiday...





So sorry your world is tumbling down

I will watch you through these nights

Rest your head and go to sleep

Because my child, this not our farewell.

This is not our farewell.





The empty feeling of being completely alone, the angry tears each holiday, each birthday, the teary letters that came in the mail, the painful words that have broken her heart...the pang of hurt that attacked her on the stormy nights, the yearn for the familiar faces that she could only see in the still frame of their Christmas; The last Christmas, together, smiling happily.





Jean’s soprano voice faded into a musical whisper and they went entirely silence, until it dawned on Kali...



“Will you go away?” She asked the question almost chocking, fear gripping her by the throat.





*-*_*-*_*-*_*-*





“Have you seen Hermione today Luna?” asked a very worried Harry as he walked by looking for his missing best friend.





“Well Harry now that you mention it I haven’t seen Hermione around much, she must have caught Kramostopian’s Demetertitis. It’s in season you know.” Harry wanted to keep looking for Hermione but Luna said something else and he stopped “You know it’s well-known for heightening people emotions, mostly sadness and regret. Bye, Harry”





Luna disappeared behind the grand doors of the Great Hall, leaving Harry partly clueless. Ginny’s voice pulled him out of the Luna-induced daze.





“Did you find her?” Harry just shook his head and Ginny let a frustrated groan out.

And there came Ron, hoping to find a positive answer but there was nothing.





“Where the hell is she?” said Ron. He was as annoyed as they were. “It’s been almost three days and no Hermione!” They all sat on the floor, and just sulked.





Minutes past, maybe hours when Ginny suddenly broke the deafening silence.





“And it’s not like she lives on the other side of the castle or something” added Ginny.





Harry, who was silent abruptly said, “Maybe Luna was right...” cutting off from finishing his thought.





“About what?” both Weasleys asked at unison.





“Don’t mind me” dismissing his suspicions.





“What about Malfoy?” Ginny asked, the boys raised their heads so fast she thought they might have splint their spines “he is the only one who is in constant contact with her, and just because he is not a Death Eater does not mean he doesn’t hate us still”





Since the almost tragic episode in the Sixth year, Harry and Ron had ruled out Malfoy by default. How could they be so stupid?! Rising to their feet they went off to look for the bloody ferret.





*-*_*-*_*-*_*-*





Severus was walking through the hallways, half lost in his musings, thinking that it have been almost three days since “the girl”, as he had nicknamed her, fell into a coma.



Since then, Severus constantly checked for venom residue in her bloodstream. The bloody girl was clean as new shoes but still, she was completely gone, and every time he thought to himself, “All I wanted was DADA and I ended up as a medi-witch’s apprentice. Next thing you know I’ll be senior attending at St. Mungo’s.”



‘Die if you going to, already’ he thought all the while contradicting himself ‘Wake up bloody hobbit, wake up and redeem me”.





An alarm went off in his head as he found the tightly closed door of ‘the girl’s’ room ajar, – they have moved her to a room so the nosey dunderheads wouldn’t be asking around – who the hell was here? Couldn’t be Poppy, he had just left her in the Great Hall.





Wand in hand, Severus opened the door silently ready to blast anything. What greeted his spy persona was nothing like he expected.





In a chair, half falling was the rightful menace with legs also known as Hermione Granger sleeping, right by ‘the girl’ side, her head resting on the bed and her limbs hanging loosely save her right hand, with that one she hung to an invisible rope.





What really shook Severus out of his cool was the battered, single eyed and stitched back light brown teddy nestled on the girl de-poisoned arm, which wasn’t there last time he checked on her.





‘Who are they? Who are they really? What bond do they share that makes this stuck up goody two shoes behave as a short tempered Weasley?’ Those conundrums and many more plagued Severus’ head in a millisecond.





The bellowing of his robes made the puppet like girl stir, and black cold orbs clashed with the warm red-brown eyes that widened with shock.





“What, if it pleases you to inform me, are you doing here Miss Granger?” the poisonous drawl chilled her where she sat.





*-*_*-*_*-*_*-*





Hermione knew, gaping like a fish would get her nowhere, she got caught and that’s was that. How would she explain, just why was she there without exposing her secret?





“I’m sorry sir, I got curious and well I came in” the lie had to be well weaved if she wanted to get out of the situation alive “In the muggle world we talk to ill people you know to keep them connected, and I decided...”





“You decided? Since when students decide over the staff’s business, Miss Granger?” The over grown bat sneered at her, cowering her but she couldn’t back down, not now.





“Sir, I’m...” she tried once more but no avail





“You know Miss Granger, I would know if you are lying” her nerves went high wire, like if he would see right through her in any second like she knew he could. “Just a drop will suffice”





“Oh Severus!” a voice exclaimed and the conscious occupants of the room turned around, to face no other than Albus Dumbledore. Snape’s scowl deepened and Hermione sighed inwardly in relief. “Am I glad you found Miss Granger, been looking for her”





Snape looked at Hermione as “What in Hades are you waiting for to get out of here, an invitation?”





Hermione knew it was time to part, so she walked along side Dumbledore as they exited the Infirmary, once out of Snape’s jaws of doom she really sighed.



“Thank you Professor Dumbledore”



He looked sideways, just to smile kindly at her “There is nothing to thank me for child” Hermione smiled at him, that man was truly as the American will say ‘Awesome’. “But alas, I do require your presence”





*-*_*-*_*-*_*-*



On the other side of the castle, a raven haired boy and to ginger heads have seem to find the source for their answers.



“Oi Malfoy!”





-----------------------------------------------------------------------------



There you go, my fellow readers and writers...after all this long

I hope it is to your liking, anyways you know how it is Read and Review...



This Chapter features songs from Within Temptation:



"Bittersweet"



"Our Farewell"





Now I must leave but have yourselfs a Merry Little Christmas or a Happy Yule or a Happy Hanukkah. Either way take lots of care.



All my love



Lola