kitten ⌁ dramione

I

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"You can't live here forever, you know." Lavender said callously. Hermione scanned the fridge for a milk jug, tapping her fingertips on the door handle.

"Lavender," Ron sighed and looked at Lavender with a warning look, "she can stay as long as she needs to." He turned to Hermione, who had just grabbed the half-empty milk jug from the last shelf of fridge door. "You can stay as long as you need to."

Hermione nodded, "it's just until I get on my feet, alright?" She unscrewed the purple lid from the jug. "And I do appreciate your hospitality. I'm leaving soon, I promise." Hermione poured the creamy white milk into the deep glass.

"Better be before Octavia comes..." Lavender sneered and stuffed half of a pancake in her mouth. Octavia Jessabelle Weasley was Ron and Lavender's soon-to-be-born infant.

Hermione had been staying with the couple for a few months: specifically five. Hermione was successful: she had a steady job and an alright apartment; she was happy. It was after her mothers passing when her downfall came. Hermione wouldn't go to work half of the week, she would slam the door in her landlord's face when he would ask for the rent, and so on. She was locked out of her apartment one night after visiting her father and so she came to call on the loyalty of Ronald Weasley.
~
Hermione sat in her car outside of her childhood home; she wondered if comforting her broken father was worth enduring the broken memories that the house kept. She let out a sigh as she opened the door of her car and stepped out. She closed the door with force and clicked the button on her keys, initiating the beep of her car that notified that she had, indeed, locked it.
As she drew nearer to the front door, she could already hear her heart beat faster. She closed her eyes before knocking her knuckles against the wood.

"I don't want your damn lasagna." A raspy voice said. Hermione tried to block out the sting of hurt that was caused by her father's broken voice.

"Dad? I-It's Hermione." She spoke loud enough to get through the door. She heard footsteps and then the unlocking of the wooden, white door. Her father's figure appeared behind the wood. A broken smile transfigured onto his unshaven face.

"Hi honey." He said, trying to clear his throat; he welcomed her into the home. She saw seven empty bottles (and one half empty one) on the table and looked back at her father. He noticed her hesitation and he shook his head. "The overall of the week. Don't worry, I can control myself."

"Two a night then?" She asked, raising her brown eyebrows. Her father gave her a shy smile, yet nodded.

Hermione nodded slowly and continued through the house. Her hands ran across almost every item. She hadn't been there for ages.

Suddenly she heard sobs from behind her back. Hermione turned to see her father crying and trying to muffle his noises with his large hand. Hermione's eyebrows furrowed together; she felt depression rush over her. She hurried to her father and wrapped her skinny, pale arms around his body. His arms flapped around her like eagle wings protecting her.

"I miss her so much, honey." His sobs were muffled in her shoulder. "Why'd she leave us?"

"I..." Hermione's voice got caught in her throat.

"I loved her so much. How could she leave me?" He pulled away from Hermione and screamed. He shuffled back to the kitchen table, grabbing his bottle of whiskey roughly. Hermione chewed on her bottom lip.