Lament
by Jengrrl

Hand in hand they walk through the vestibule of the church, fingers tightly intertwined. The palm of Ron's hand is sweaty but Hermione holds on. She thinks if she lets go she'll fall apart at the seams.

Ron has never been in a church. Hermione has, of course, although her family isn't religious in the strictest sense. Petunia, it turns out, is very Christian, though the only charity she ever showed Harry came too late. It angers Hermione to know her friend will be buried in this sham ceremony. The wizards Harry fought with will attend, no doubt, and later they will gather to mourn in their own way, but Hermione cannot help the resentment that brews within her. The Dursleys have no right to Harry.

They take a pew near the back and the service begins with a song. Beside her, Ron is humming along; his lips begin to move and Hermione hears him awkwardly attempt to follow along with the choir. His eyes are red, his face splotchy. Earlier, Hermione'd tasted sweet alcohol on his breath and knew he had discovered the bottle of rum she kept in her cupboard. There is is a songbook lying next to her; Hermione opens it to the appropriate page and hands it to Ron, who seems grateful.

Hermione does not sing. She folds her hands in front of her and waits for the service to be over. When Ron sings, "death has lost its sting" she flinches and closes her eyes until she knows the tide of tears has subsided. The minister begins his sermon. No one will speak for Harry. Wizards will not rise to the pulpit and say what a good, brave lad he was, how really he saved them all. That will come later, apart from the Muggles, perhaps gathered informally at the Leaky Cauldron they will cry into their mugs of mead about The Boy Who Lived and died so that they would live.

Once it is all over, the church empties slowly. Hermione and Ron remain seated, the only two in the building, save for Petunia. She sits at the very front, alone, head bowed as if in prayer. Hermione thinks to go to her, but dismisses the idea. Ron's hand beckons and they too head out of the church, out into the crisp grey evening.

 

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