[harry potter] insanity/sanity // hermione granger/neville longbottom Title: Comfort Author:aaronlisa Rating: FR13 Pairing/Characters: Hermione Granger/Neville Longbottom Disclaimer:Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and company. Prompts:fic_variations – sanity/insanity Notes: Set post-Deathly Hallows, epilogue compliant. However, I’ve used Hermione’s old middle name instead of her new one. Summary:It seems as if she’s slowly sinking into insanity as each day drags by.
It seems as if she’s slowly sinking into insanity as each day drags by. Rose and Hugo are staying indefinitely with Harry and Ginny, and there’s been talk of sending her to St. Mungo’s. If she had the energy, she’d hex them all into the next year. The well-meaning Weasley family can’t quite seem to grasp why Hermione is so distraught. They can understand that she’s devastated that a stray bludger killed Ron during a game (she’s heard their whispers of how he died doing what he loved the best) but they can’t understand her complete break down.
Only Harry hotly defends her and her inability to move forward. Perhaps it’s because he alone understands what she’s feeling the most. He was the one who has managed to keep the well-intentioned Molly away, but even Harry can do so much. She’s moved back to her parents’ house to avoid her in-laws and so that she can spend the day in bed without them pestering her to eat or to bathe or to do a million other things that she doesn’t feel capable of doing.
The days and nights pass by in a blur and she’s aware that she should have a shower, but Ron’s old pajamas still smell faintly of him. And having a shower just seems to be more of an effort than what it’s worth. Hermione rolls over onto her stomach and closes her eyes.
“Hermione?”
The gentle voice comes from the doorway of her childhood bedroom. It’s unobtrusive and easy to ignore, but the speaker doesn’t go away despite Hermione hoping that he will. Instead Neville Longbottom moves deeper into the silent room.
“Hermione?” Neville says her name again, this time stronger and louder. “Go away,” Hermione mumbles as she pulls the covers over her head. “Hermione Jane Granger Weasley!” Neville practically shouts her name this time.
Hermione ignores him even though her head seems to be pounding from his shouting. If she managed to ignore Harry, she’s confident that she’ll be able to ignore Neville until he gives up and leaves. However instead of leaving, the bed dips down as he sits beside her.
“It’s time you got up,” Neville states. “How’d you know?” Hermione waspishly asks. “Your children need you.” “They’ve got Harry and Ginny.” “They do but they need their mother right now more than their aunt and uncle,” Neville counters as his hand touches her back. “I know it hurts Hermione, but they need you”
The pillows muffle Hermione’s response and Neville doesn’t ask her to repeat it. Instead he rubs soothing circles on her back. For the first time since she’s received the owl carrying the news, Hermione doesn’t feel like sobbing her heart out.
“I just can’t do this,” Hermione states as she turns over to face Neville. “Yes you can.” “He’s been in my life since I was eleven years old.” “I know Hermione but Ron wouldn’t want you to give up like this.” “Every where I look I see him.” “I expect that you always will.” “It hurts too much, Neville.” Hermione states, her voice wavering. “I expect that it will always hurt, but the pain will lessen.” “I can’t.” “Yes, you can, Hermione. You must.”
She nods at him because she knows that he’s right. When he holds out his hand to her, she reaches out and lets him gently pull her upright. The words that she’s been selfish are unspoken and she doubts that Neville is even thinking them. Instead he gives her an encouraging smile.
“It won’t be easy,” Neville tells her, “But you have friends and family who will help you.” “I don’t deserve it.” “Of course you do.”
She bursts into tears and Neville holds her as she cries. He rubs her back and whispers soothing words as he lets her cry her heart out. When it’s over, he wipes her face dry with his handkerchief, and he remains silent on how she needs to shower and get up right that instant. Instead he goes downstairs to make her tea, allowing her the privacy to get up and tidy herself.
When Hermione makes her way downstairs, she finds Neville at the kitchen table reading a Muggle newspaper. Her parents are at their practice for a few more hours, and she wonders how he got into the house in the first place.
“How’d you get in?” Hermione asks as she sits down. “Your mum gave me the key when I went to your parents’ practice this morning.” “Oh,” Hermione replies.
Neville moves over to the stove and ladles some soup into a bowl before bringing it over to her. He watches her as she eat and Hermione doesn’t feel pressured to eat a certain amount as she had under Molly’s watchful eye. She knows that she still has a long way to go, but for the first time she feels as if she can actually start living again.