Chapter 1 The Party.

From his place at the window of his bedroom, Ron Weasley could see everything that was going on in the back garden of The Burrow.

The twins, Fred and George, were spinning their girlfriends Angelina and Alicia around on the dance floor. Mr and Mrs Weasley were stood, proudly watching their eldest son Bill and his new wife Fleur dance slowly to a tune that consisted of several, rather difficult and upbeat dance moves, they must have been so happy and in love that they hadn't realised the change in music.

Harry was sat watching Ginny. It had been 2 weeks since he had ended their brief relationship. He didn't want to. Ron had the distinct feeling that Harry had fallen for the youngest Weasley, but, Harry being Harry, had decided that it would be in her best interests if they broke up. That way, Voldermort wouldn't go after her just to get to Harry.

Harry had been quiet ever since, but then he wasn't just pining after Ron's sister, he was also grieving for their late Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. They all were. The loss of such a powerful wizard had rocked their world. It was huge tip in the scales in the fight between good and evil.

Of course, the loss had been worse for Harry. He had been with Dumbledore that night. He had seen Snape, their former defence against the dark arts professor, kill him, and Harry couldn't do anything but stand binded to the spot, unable to use has wand or make a sound, and watch it happen. Dumbledore had made sure of that. He had made sure that Harry was safe and out of sight from Draco Malfoy and the other death eaters.

Harry of course shouldered the blame, he couldn't help it. He always found some reason to convince himself that every death in the wizarding world was his fault because Voldermort wanted him.

Ron thought back to the funeral. It had been held in the grounds of Hogwarts, by the lake. He had sat next to Hermione Granger, held her while she cried, and he had cried too. He had stroked her hair, whispering assurances into her ear. They were empty promises, he knew that.

They were preparing to embark on a journey that could ultimately lead to their deaths. But he had to tell her something, he couldn't bear to see her in pain, and he needed to make it better, somehow, but just being there, allowing her to cry on his shoulder while she gripped at his shirt, was all he could do.

He looked around the garden again, trying to spot her. She had been talking to Viktor Krum earlier. It was why he had retreated back to his room. But Viktor was now talking to Tonks and Remus Lupin. He couldn't see Hermione anywhere.

Then, as if on cue, there was a light tap on the door followed by someone softly calling his name.

He stood up and walked to the door, only opening it a tiny bit. There she was, the love of his life, only he was too much of a coward to tell her.

"Hey, I saw you come in. is everything ok?" she asked.

"Fine. I just needed some time alone" he told her. It had angered him to see her with Krum, but he couldn't let it show, not today. The family had been through enough already, they really didn't need him going off on one of his jealous outbursts again. And he was trying to work through his issues over the Bulgarian Quidditch player.

"Oh, ok. Do you want me to go?" she sounded slightly disappointed. She needed him as much as he needed her, and he wasn't going to deny her that comfort.

"No, please, stay." he said as he opened the door wider and stepped to the left to allow he entry to his room.

He closed the door behind her and leant against the door. She stood in the middle of the room, the hair she had so elegantly piled on top of her head for the wedding now falling in ringlets, framing her face, her full length lilac gown now had creases and traces of dirt where she had been sitting in the grass with him and Harry.

She was wringing her hands together and biting her bottom lip.

"You ok?" Ron asked, the worry evident in his voice. She didn't answer. Instead, she began to nod her head, only to change her mind and shook it instead, her face scrunching up in the process.

Ron was there before the first tear fell, gathering her up in his arms.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. He traced slow soothing circles across her back and waited for her to calm down before leading her over to sit down on the bed.

Once they were sitting, he took hold of her hand and laced their fingers together. She still wouldn't look at him, so he raised his hand to her chin and gently raised her head so their eyes met.

"All better?" he asked hopefully. She smiled shyly.

"Yes, thank you. I'm sorry for breaking down on you again" she said with a slight laugh.

"Don't worry bout it. Do you wanna talk?"

"I'm just so scared Ron" she began shakily, "What if we don't all survive this. I couldn't handle it if I lost you or Harry"

"You're not going to lose us Hermione. I won't let that happen" he promised.

"You won't have a choice Ron. Harry has to kill Voldermort, and who knows what we'll have to face" her voice broke at that point and she fell back into Ron's embrace.

"Whatever we have to face 'Mione, we'll survive it. I'll protect the both of you, and I'll always be there no matter what. I am not going to lose you…either of you" he pulled her closer and gently guided her head to his shoulder. They sat there like that for another few minutes when the door creaked open.

Ron looked up just in time to see Harry silently apologising and began to close the door. Ron shook his head once and motioned for him to stay.

He sat down on the other side of Hermione and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione, everything will be ok. We'll survive this" Harry said comfortingly.

"That's if we can get through telling everyone what we're doing. I'd rather face you-know-who than my mum. She can be right scary" Ron cut in, trying to lighten the mood. It worked for a little bit, Harry and Hermione did laugh, and seeing Hermione smile was enough to cheer Ron up anytime.

"My parents already know. I told them before I left" Hermione informed her best friends.

"The Dursely's helped me pack, so I think they wanted me out straight away" Harry nodded. Ron suddenly paled.

"Right then. So I guess it's just me left then" Harry grinned at him.

"Don't envy you much mate"

"No, we'll tell them. We're in this together" Hermione stated, squeezing both their hands as if to emphasise the point. She then laughed about how ridiculous she must look with her make-up running all down her face and her hair all over the place, and excused herself saying that she would see them later.

As she stood, she turned to look at her 2 boys, and summoning as much Gryffindor courage as possible, she leant down and gently kissed Ron on the cheek, just missing the corner of his mouth, and whispered a thanks. She then turned to Harry and smiled gratefully.

She didn't need to say anything or explain why she had kissed Ron and not him.

Harry understood the deeper connection between his best friends.

It actually gave him hope to see the love they had for each other, it didn't matter that neither of them had admitted it to the other. He watched Ron watch Hermione leave, then propped himself up against the head board.

"Have you spoken to Ginny yet?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head, "Oh, I saw you watching her today". Harry blushed.

"Yeah well, don't think I didn't see who you were watching" he teased, causing Ron to blush as well.

"Get used to it mate" he mumbled.

"Why don't you just tell her Ron?" Harry asked. He couldn't understand how they could sit for hours, be as close as they were, stealing glances at each other when they thought no-one else was watching, go through everything they had been, and still be too afraid to say they liked each other.

"You know I can't. Not when we're about to set out on the most important thing we will ever do. It would be too weird. And the last thing we need is me feeling sorry for myself"

"You think she's going to say no? Mate, there is no way that is going to happen" Harry replied encouragingly.

"She might do. Or if she does say yes and it goes wrong, it would create an even bigger problem. And as scared as I am of mum, telling Hermione the truth is scarier" he answered with a chuckle.

"And if something happens and you never get the chance, what then?" Harry tried, "At least think about it, please?"

Ron nodded and said that he would, then told Harry that they should get back to the reception before anyone started worrying.

The party lasted hours into the next morning. It had been such a perfect day full of love and hope for the future. All the couples had danced for the entire evening, only breaking away every now and then to rehydrate themselves.

Hermione had eventually convinced Harry to ask Ginny to dance. She had secretly hoped that by sending Harry off, Ron would ask her. Of course, Harry had known this was her plan and wanting to push his 2 best friends together, had willingly gone ahead with it.

And so she had sat alone, waiting for him. She had seen Harry throw the occasional glare in Ron's direction.

Unfortunately, Mad Eye Moody had him cornered. She had to swallow the laugh she felt coming.

It looked as though Moody was talking to him about spiders and describing in great detail their biological system.

He must have sensed her watching him because he glanced over at her and smiled one of his famous lop sided grins at her. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt the familiar stirrings in her stomach, which was the usual reaction she had whenever Ron was around her.

"I'm pathetic" She moaned to herself 'Here I am, acting like a doe-eyed lovesick puppy, when he continues to only see me as his best friend' She thought.

Hermione was very confused about what was happening between them. After the events of the last year; he going out with Lavender, her trying to make him jealous, him being poisoned and her keeping a constant vigil at his bedside throughout his stay in the hospital wing.

They had rapidly become closer. Always comforting each other, finding some way to touch the other. She had made it obvious enough how she felt, and she had been sure he felt the same way. But then, why wasn't he saying anything.

"Hermione, hello?" Hermione came out of her daze to see Ginny standing in front of her, waving her hand in her face. "Finally. Are you ready to go up to bed yet? I really need to get away from Harry". Hermione nodded and stood, smoothing the layers of her dress down, then followed Ginny back into The Burrow.

When they reached their shared bedroom, Ginny turned on Hermione.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were leaving?" she hissed.

Hermione stood confused for a moment until it dawned on her that Harry must have told her. "Not only am I losing my boyfriend, but I'm losing my best friend and brother as well".

"Ginny, please. We have to do this, it has to end" Hermione said softly.

"I know why you're going, and I understand why you think it's up to you three. But please stay. We can work all this out together, then send out the Aurors to destroy the Horcruxes"

"Harry is continuing on with Dumbledore's mission. Dumbledore trusted Harry to go with him. Gin, we've always known that the day would come when Harry would stop waiting for Voldermort to attack. That day has come, and Ro and I are not going to let him go alone" she explained. But Ginny was as stubborn as the next Weasley, and she had already made her choice.

"Fine, I'm coming with you!" she stated, standing stock still with her arms folded over her chest.

"Ginny, you are not coming with us. Harry broke up with you for a reason, to keep you safe" she winced at the pained expression Ginny now had in her eyes.

"If you joined us, it would completely defeat the purpose".

"So? At least I'd still be with you all" her voice cracked and she slumped on the bed. Hermione understood her. She was scared of being left behind. She sat down next to the red-haired girl and put her arm around her.

"Ginny, Harry needs to concentrate fully on what we're doing, he needs to know that you'll be safe. If you're there, he'll be distracted".

Ginny nodded and muttered that she understood. Then the two girls sat and talked about the evening, before they finally grew tired and got into their own beds.

"Hermione. Before you go, do you want me to kick some sense into that brother of mine?"

Hermione giggled. "Ginny, as persuasive as you are, you are not a miracle worker"

"I'm threatening violence here Hermione" Ginny joked.

"It's ok. I'd rather him do it of his own accord"

"Ok, but let me know if you change your mind"

Hermione laughed one last time and promised that she would. Then she extinguished the lights and snuggled in, at least hoping for one good nights sleep.