"What the hell is this?"
       ALL WAS NOT WELL. If you told Hermione Granger, the bright eyed and brightest witch of her age, what her life would look like twenty years later⌠She would have personally committed whoever dared to utter it to St. Mungos herself. There had been suspicions over the years, minuscule little thoughts that didnât make sense, that would come to the forefront of her mind, taunting her to dig deeper. Thoughts sheâd deemed herself insane for even considering. Thoughts that would have aided her in standing her ground when Harry had left them to join Voldemort.Â
       It was him that killed Albus Dumbledore, it was him that lead them astray, him that strung them along under the guise of âsaving the worldâ, but all theyâd truly helped Harry James Potter with in that time was making him stronger. It was worth noting that there had been close calls over the years. Not with Harry himself, but with the Death Eaters. Close calls where theyâd been fighting the GOOD fight and should have died, but it seemed as if they had some sort of immunity, though Hermione had considered it a fluke. She didnât trust it.Â
       The battle of Hogwarts had left no more than a handful of order members. A few straggling members of Dumbledoreâs army. The Weasleys hadnât just lose Fred, but Ginny as well. Hermione suspected sheâd taken after Harry herself in search of answers and⌠She hadnât survived. Ron and Hermione had found solace in one another though in hiding, there was only so much they could take. Each day was a battle in THE DARK LORDâS WOLRD, and eventually, they were fighting themselves.Â
       Neither side was wrong, though they had both been misguided. Theyâd both been misunderstood. Communication falling short because hadnât actions always spoken louder than words? And of course, because it was RON AND HERMIONE, their wires got crossed. Things were interpreted differently and it seemed only fitting that in a world where Harry had joined the very man who had ruined his life, that theyâd suffer at the hands of their own fate. They couldnât save the wizarding world and they certainly couldnât save themselves, nor whatever shambles remained of their relationship. Â
       Voldemortâs world was of blood purity and power and though they had been in hiding, the moment Hermione walked away from Ron, she walked away from the wizarding world as well. The muggle one wasnât much better. Voldemort bled through and his reign of torturing muggles had started a war of itâs own. Viktor had assisted her in finding a small safe house in a quaint little Bulgarian town and it went without saying that sheâd brought her parents with her. THE MAGICAL WORLD was left behind, especially now that the Ministry was tracking every single usage of magic and she dared not give herself away.Â
        It was ONE MONTH after the final fight with Ron. The one where theyâd finally let it all out. Irreversible words spilling out from either sides sealing their fates. Theyâd stupidly thought at the time they had nothing left to lose, but oh if only theyâd known. Ron was vacant, and Hermione had suspected he hadnât loved her for years. It was more of a COMFORTABLE FAMILIARITY than it was anything else. In a moment of weakness, theyâd end up tangled up in one another trying to act as if they still truly loved each other as wholes. Resentment had bubbled up because there was always a reason to be anywhere but with her. But she had no grounds to argue, not when FAMILY ALWAYS CAME FIRST.Â
        Evidently, she no longer made the cut.Â
    And to Ron. Well. Hermione had driven him away years ago.Â
        So when sheâd found out she was pregnant? With his child? Well, he wasnât fit to parent anyone. He couldnât even take care of himself in her eyes, and surely she couldnât take care of two children. Not in this world, not now. Hell, even bringing someone into this world was terrifying but⌠she didnât have the heart to end it. Eight months later, Madeline was born. Bright red hair, freckles, and the sweetest girl to ever exist. She was like Hermione just as much as she was like him. Her father. The one sheâd lost in the war. The ongoing one that was seemingly won by Voldemort, Harry and the rest of the Death Eaters.Â
       Point was, Hermione really never talked about him. And if she had, it was vague. A small memory from THE GOLDEN YEARS, void of all mentions of magic and madness. Madeline was home schooled, always kept tight to Hermione and her parents. They lived a comfortable life, and it should have been enough. It wasnât ideal of course, but it was the best she could do at a time like this. When the world was like this.Â
        There were so many enchantments set in place, thanks to Viktor and herself. Sheâd learned a lot over the years and refused to stop, still one day hoping to beat them. To let the worlds rest and go back to the way they were. To heal and finally find peace.Â
       Keeping Madeline happy was her main concern. Away from strong emotions that might trigger the slightest bit of magic. But at some point, Hermione had failed. Another unanswered question about her father. Another conversation aching to leave their STUPID, SMALL VILLAGE WHERE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENED. She was just as well read as Hermione, though the books had taken heavy censorship and always were rooted in the Muggle world. But of course she wanted to see more, and Hermione wanted nothing more than to show her. Keeping everything under lock and key was just as isolating as one could imagine and when it had at one time been such an incredible world to be apart of? She felt horrendous. The frustration bubbled down to nothing more than an exploding vase, one sheâd filled with sunflowers this morning in attempts to brighten things up. Not even seven seconds later a loud crack filled the room andâŚ
      Hermione hadnât had her wand. It sat in the locked drawer of her bedside table because the fear was always them coming in the night. And given the enchantments theyâd had set up about NOT being able to apparate? Well, there was no way, but the six Death Eaters standing in the living room and dining room surrounding the pair said otherwise. Hermione had screamed for Maddie to run but⌠So much had happened in such a short time. Hermione couldnât process it, and though capable of wandless magic, theyâd had the element of surprise. Sheâd taken two down but four remained andâŚÂ
       And she was showing up in Romania, still sobbing with her wand feeling foreign in her hand, parents staying with Viktor whileâŚ. While she tried to fix this. Tried to get her back. As it was, half-bloods didnât have the best reputation with Voldemortâs regim and given her parents, she was in trouble. Why theyâd even taken her, Hermione hadnât known. Perhaps to torture her? Still remained to be seen why they hadnât ended her then and there but⌠Harry.Â
     Hermione was still bloody and pale when Ron opened the door, doused in sleep and confusion.Â
                      âWhat the hell is this?â
       âHelp me, please.â After all these years, she was finally at his mercy. Finally standing there telling him the truth sheâd kept hidden for sixteen, almost seventeen years. âTheyâve got her. THE DEATH EATERS â theyâve got our daughter.â She had no right to impose upon Ronâs NEW LIFE. The one where he stood alongside Charlie and Daenerys with all the dragons. The one where heâd made the best of everything and pulled himself back together. âIâm sorry.â For turning up, for not telling him? âYou can hate me all you want, just⌠Please, Please help me.â She couldnât do this alone.Â
      âI didnât know where else to go, I donât know what theyâre going to do with her, but with them, it canât be good andââ She was a blubbering mess falling apart at the seams, the startling realization of what happened finally kicking in. âHâher name is MadelineâMaddie and,â She looks just like us? âPlease help me. I canât do this alone.â Not anymore. Hermione finally swallowed her pride, and for good reason. âIâm s-so sorry.â










