Brand New Day

Brand New Day

Chapter 1: Moving On

Never thought I'd say I'm sorry

Never thought I'd be the one to bring you down

Now when I look out my window

But there doesn't seem to be anyone around

Hermione sighed as she gazed longfully out her window. She imagined the ocean water slapping against the rocky cliffs somewhere below her and she wished for a moment that she could just swim out into the sea passed the sunset, passed the horizon, passing through to forever. But the sea wasn't the path to eternity. She couldn't swim her way through pain. She couldn't run away from pain. She could. But it would get her no where but deeper in the whole she dug for herself. It would get her no where. Oh, how she wished for that horizon. Even if she knew there'd be another horizon waiting for her on the other side.

Her hands shook as she opened her eyes and realized there was no ocean for her to swim to. Only snow sliding down the window pane like a slush. It was a blizzard. Odd weather for this time of year. It was still early into Fall but it never snowed this hard, usually.

She clasped her hands together to cease the quavering of them and placed them in her lap.

Decisively, she got from her chair by the window and exited Ron's bedroom. It was so empty now. Without him inside it. He'd been gone for a while now.

"Come on, Crookshanks," she whispered. "It's time we leave here."

And I, I think I'll change my ways

So all your words get noticed

(Show me now, oh yes)

Tomorrow's a brand new day

Tomorrow's a new day

She slowly and quietly walked down the old stairs of the Weasley home. They squeaked and cracked and made all funny noises as she descended them. Her soft, cold hand held onto the smooth wooden rail that was a faded and aged light-brown.

Crookshanks lept down the stairs quick and easily, waiting for her at the bottom. she closed her eyes as she reached the last step, knowing soon what she would see. But what made her open her eyes was not her readiness or knowing but what she didn't hear or see. The house seemed to have emptied itself. There was no one around as she called. And more she realized, everything inside was gone; the picture frames, the furniture, everything.

When she reached the kitchen she almost fainted in shock. There Ron stood quite still. He smiled his lopsided grin. "Hermione."

"Ron? No, no, you can't be-- You're--"

"You should leave here, Hermione. You've been here too long," he said.

Hermione pinched herself to find she wasn't dreaming. Then what on earth was she seeing? Was she having an out of body experience?

"You've been mourning over me for too long. You need to move on."

"Ron, what are you doing here? You-- you're--"

"People need you, Hermione. Harry needs you. You must leave this place. Everyone else has left here. You must too."

"No. I can't leave here. It's my fault you're gone."

"Don't blame yourself. You must."

Hermione shook her head, tears rimming in her eyes. "No," she whispered. "I can't. I loved you, Ron. You were my best friend."

He nodded. "Yes, you can. Just open your eyes and swim to that horizon."

She shook her head mentally this time. "What?"

But Ron disappeared. In fact, her surroundings disappeared around her and she seemed to be falling in a swirl of color and memory.

We said we'd take a little time

For both of us to see

And wonder what it'd be like to carry on

Ya, I know I got crazy

Well, I guess that's just me

If I could turn back time before the wrong

Hermione found herself sitting up in bed, crying. She couldn't help it. She threw her pillow against the wall and the buzzing of the alarm went off. She stood up angrily glaring back at the flashing red numbers. She yanked the cord from the socket and smashed the metal alarm against the floor.

She didn't want Ron to be gone and she didn't want to leave the Weasley home. Though she found she was no longer there. She had never been. She was in Grimmauld Place with Harry, most of the other Weasleys, and the Order.

Hermione was to be Head Girl this year but she didn't care. Not if it meant Ron wouldn't be with her. She knew that she had to finish any packing she hadn't done for they would be leaving for the Hogwarts Express in a few hours.

And what hurt worse was that everything she had just experienced had been a dream. What did he mean by "swim to that horizon"? She knew that he was right though. She knew she had to move on. But it hurt. A lot.

She ran from her room without making her bed and went down the hall opening the second door on the right. It was Harry's bedroom and he had apparently been dressing. He was only wearing a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. He barely got her name out before she threw her arms around him, knocking him into a sitting position on his bed with her crying silently in his sturdy arms.

He didn't bother to ask if she was all right. He wasn't that ignorant. "Oh, Hermione," he said quietly. "I know. It'll be okay. Sshhh..." He just held onto her, stroking her hair, not attempting to calm her. He knew she needed to let it out. He knew why she was crying.

"H-He came to me in my dreams last night," she told him hiccuping.

"Ron did," Harry said. It was almost a question.

"Yes. He told me I had to move on because you -- because everyone needs me." She told him about the dream leaving out when he said Harry needed her and about the horizon. She didn't quite understand that part herself. "...He was just standing there in the kitchen. And then I woke up."

Harry nodded.

They were lying horizontally on his bed with their legs dangling off the edge of the bed.

"Well, I think he was right."

"About what?"

"About not blaming yourself and that we all need you. That we should move on no matter how hard it is."

She looked over at him sideways. "I miss him."

"Yeah, me too. But Ron wouldn't want us moping around all over the place like this."

"Now, I know what it's like, Harry," she said simply.

"Know what what is like?"

"How it was when you lost Sirius. I never really understood before but now I can relate."

She saw a tear slip down the side of his face to his hairline. He blinked it away. "We should get some breakfast before we leave," he said awkwardly, quickly changing the subject.

Harry got up but Hermione hesitated before standing up. Ginny was laying fast asleep on the bed next to Harry's and Crookshanks was laying against her back purring in his sleep. It was Ron's bed. "Wait. Shouldn't we wake her?"

Harry nodded. He went over and shook her shoulder gently. "Gin, come on, get up," he said hoarsely.

She rolled over, her eyes tired, and yawned. She gathered up the cat and followed Harry downstairs. Hermione, however, halted at the doorway.

She went back and fixed his bed sheets where his sister had been resting. "Good-bye, Ron," she whispered. "Thanks." She lingered for a moment longer yet smiled as she shut the oak door.

And I, I think I'll change my ways

So all your words get noticed

(Show me now, Oh yes)

Tomorrow's a brand new day

Tomorrow's a new day

Ya I, I think I'll change my ways

So all your words get noticed

I think I'll change my ways

(I think I'll change my ways)

Ahhhh, ahhhh

I think I'll change my ways

Never thought I'd say I'm sorry

Never thought I'd be the one