Chapter One

Hermione, Ron, and Harry stood with their fingers intertwined. They looked at the horizon with their backs facing the wreckage of Hogwarts. Hermione thought of what was to come next. She put her head on Ron's shoulder and he kissed her forehead. Harry's eyes welled with tears as he stared into the forest.

"Now what?" Harry spoke up, his voice cracking.

"It's about damn time you asked us that question!" Ron's remark caused the trio to burst into laughter. Hermione let go of their hands and turned to face Hogwarts.

"I didn't even finish school," She spoke sadly. They began walking back towards the school. Professor McGonagall had begun the charms to rebuild Hogwarts but it was going to take time. The other remaining Professor's were helping her. It was going to take time. Lots of time.

They walked through the entrance hall and into the Great Hall. Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and squeezed it before walking towards Professor McGonagall. She let him go and turned to Harry who had found Ginny. He embraced her into a huge hug. This made Hermione smile but it faded when she thought about her education. Ginny had two more years left. What did this mean for her? With two more years left she could get no decent job. Hermione couldn't either. She couldn't work for the ministry like she had planned. She pushed that thought out of her brain for now. She had time to sort things out. She gazed over at Ron and Professor McGonagall. They were deep in conversation. Professor McGonagall had her hand on Ron's shoulder and Ron was nodding his head, almost in tears.

"Professor, I know Hermione can work out the logistics of it. You can focus on rebuilding the school to its forming physical glory. I promise Hermione and the rest of us can handle this," She slid her hand off Ron's shoulder and pulled him into a hug.

"Mr. Weasley, you are truly a noble character. I am not going to ask that much of your friends after what they just went through, including you loosing you brother. I will see what I can do and send you an owl within the next few weeks. How does that sound, my boy?" Ron smiled at her. She pulled him into a hug and he cried. He remembered Fred's last laugh and looking at George gazing at Fred's lifeless body and shrieking. He shut his eyes tighter pushing the tears out and away. He trusted Hermione to make him feel better but she had just been through a lot too and he didn't think she was ready to have the burden of Ron's sadness and grief on her shoulders. Professor McGonagall pulled back and walked away to gather the Professors to map out a plan. Ron walked back to Hermione and Harry who were now joined by Ginny. They all looked broken and burnt. Why should they not?

"Hermione, why don't we go back to The Burrow and see if we can fix it back up for my family? They'll need a place of comfort now more than ever," She nodded her head and turned to Harry and Ginny.

"Why don't you guys meet up with us back at what's left of The Burrow when you're ready?" Harry nodded in agreement.

"We need to figure out what's next anyways. I'll let your family know," He pushed his lips together in a thin line and watched his two friends nod in agreement. Ron and Hermione joined hands.

"The charms are fallen, 'mione, we can aparate here," She closed her eyes and focused on The Burrow. When she opened her eyes she saw a fallen house. It still stood but its' adventure and homeliness was missing. It was no longer a place of comfort and safety, not after the loss of Fred and the Death Eaters invasion. Ron knew he was going to have to take initiative. He was not the most skilled wizard but He didn't want Hermione to have to do this herself. If she could give him a verbal hand, he knew he could do it.

"Can we rearrange it? Make it different looking?" Ron questioned.

"I don't know, Ron. I will have to think on that but I can cast a Disillusionment Charm on it so we don't have to look at it. We can draw a circle around it so we know exactly where it is and it's still fully accessible, we just don't have to look at it," Ron nodded and saw Hermione beginning to mutter incantations.

"No, 'mione, I can do this one," She nodded and sat quickly on the ground. She needed a breather anyways. Ron started out with drawing the circle, which varies from Hermione's chosen path.

"Good choice, Ron. I didn't thin to start with that!" She was surprised. She wouldn't have been able to remember where The Burrow even was, let alone create a circle around it.

"Always a tone of surprise," Ron muttered smiling. He continued with the Incantations and Hermione laid herself on the ground, looking at the sky. Everything was changing. Everything was different. Everything was scary. The sky was bright and seemed to be mocking the mood of the past year. She wished it were darker and stormier.

Ron finished 20 minutes later and came and laid next to her. She moved in closer to him and grabbed his hand. She didn't know what to do about The Burrow but she didn't want to worry about that now. She didn't want to worry or even think about the future anymore today. Her and Ron both just wanted to exist for a second; and so they did.

They had fallen asleep but were woken up by a loud crack. Harry appeared with them.

"Where did The Burrow go?" He asked sitting on the ground next to them.

"It's there, mate, you just can't see it," Ron informed him sitting up. Hermione's eyes blinked open. She sat up in between Ron and Harry, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her head on her knees.

"We can all stay on Privet Drive. The Dursley's have moved but they won't be back for a while. Let's all camp out there until we figure out what to do here," They all three nodded.

"I will go tell the rest of them. We will meet back there when you're ready,"

Harry began walking away and aparted away.

Hermione sat up, "Ronald, I have an Idea," She quickly cast a spell

"Exorior Lymphatus" A pile of wood appeared before her and Ron. He stood up and started at it.

"Hermione what are you thinking?"

"We are going to build your family another home, Ronald," She grabbed his hand and he squeezed it.

Hermione began moving around, muttering incantations. I followed her listening to what she was saying and repeating her words with his wand pointed at the wood. The wood was arranging itself, forming a floor and walls. There was a box shape on the ground where it once was grass. The new Weasley home was closer to the creek that was there than the former Burrow and hadn't quite taken a homely shape yet. It was currently just a wood box. Hermione conjured a door and it fastened itself to the shape. They walked in and it looked like a living room. There were no other rooms yet but it looked like a fitting shelter for now. Ron pulled Hermione into a very tight hug, kissing her head.

"I have to stop for now, Ronald. I just don't have enough energy," Ron pulled her even closer, looking around the baron shelter.

"It's absolutely perfect, 'mione," He held her there for another moment before taking her hand.

"I can get us to Privet Drive, we can rest and come back tomorrow. How does that sound?" Hermione nodded and Ron took them to privet drive.

They arrived outside of the home and knocked on the door. A distraught Molly Weasley answered the door and ushered them to the living room to sit.

"Mom, Hermione and I are taking care of the Burrow," He placed her hand on his mom's shoulder and she cried.

"Thank you, Ronald," She cried even harder.

"You can stay here until then, Mrs. Weasley. The Dursley's won't be back until I personally tell them to come back. They have made it very clear that they don't want to be put in harms way by me," He sighed and Ron placed his hand on his back in a brotherly way.

Ron leaned into Hermione, "You should get some rest, 'Mione. We will have to go back in the morning to make more headway on the new home,"

He kissed her cheek and Hermione made her way upstairs to find Ginny.

"Hey mom, can Harry and I have some time alone?" Molly got up and went to the kitchen.

"Harry, I spoke to Professor McGonagall. She's going to make sure the school is ready to open again next year. I don't want to tell the others yet, I don't want to add to the stress, but I do want to make sure that we all get a proper education," Harry smiled weakly.

"It's going to be hard to return to that school but I know I have to finish. We should tell Hermione. Her future is weighing on her pretty heavily right now. You can tell," Harry looked ahead.

"I know, but I don't want to tell her until everything is set in stone. I don't want to promise her anything I can't deliver on,"

"I can see the merit in that. You're very good to her," Ron's ears turned red.

"And you better be good to my sister," he said clapping Harry's shoulder and standing up. "I'm going to bed, mate, I'll see you in the morning,"

"Wait Ron," Harry stood up and grabbed Ron's shoulder "Why don't you let Ginny and I take care of the new home for the week. We'll let you and Hermione take over when you get back," Ron looked up in confusion.

"Get back from where?"

"Remember her parents Ron?" Harry bowed his head; "We'll be sharing my room when you're ready for bed. I think Ginny set up another bed in there…" He trailed off as he walked upstairs. Ron followed fast, pushing Harry to get out of his way.

"Hermione!" Ron bellowed. Her headed shushes from around the house. How many people were staying here? George had gone with Fleur and Bill and Mr. Weasley was staying behind to help at Hogwarts.

Ginny opened a door and let Ron in.

"Can you give us a minute, Gin?" She nodded and left the room. Hermione was sitting on the bed in there with a book in her lap. Her eyes were red and swollen.

"Let's go to Australia tomorrow instead. Is that okay?" Hermione started crying and got up, hugging Ron.

"Thank you, Ronald. Thank you so much!"