Dearest Readers,

This is, in fact, my first fanfiction. PLEASE don't be too harsh in the reviews. LOVE YOU ALL!

-ForeverRomione

Silence. That's all there was to hear in the Burrow. A year earlier, the house would have been alive by now. Hermione and Harry would be visiting, Ginny would be helping Mrs. Weasly with breakfast, Ron would have been pigging out on any food he could get his hands on and Fred and George… Fred. Fred was half of the reason for the uncanny silence. The war was over and one too many lives had been lost. Yes, Hermione and Harry were visiting, but Hermione didn't have much of a choice considering her parents were… well who knows where they could be? And Harry… the boy who lived… why would he want to be anywhere else when any other person he had ever cared for was dead. Ginny would let him out of her sight anyway, after she had almost lost him again. Mrs. Weasly was making breakfast, but without the usual gossiping and laughter. Ron was sulking. He didn't have much of an appetite. Then there was George. His life had been turned upside down and nothing could make it right again.

"Ronald! Come eat some breakfast!"

Ron slowly descended the stairs into the kitchen where his mother was calling him.

"I'm not hungry mum."

"Ron, eat something. You'd never turn down a meal before…"

She caught herself just in time. Seeing the need in his mother's eyes, Ron started to nibble on some eggs. They lived in quiet for a few moments, Mrs. Weasly pretending to read a recipe Ron knew she had memorized and he himself forcing down bits of food. Finally, not being able to take it anymore, Mrs. Weasly hustled off to her room leaving Ron staring after her in despair. Why did this have to happen? Why did any of this have to happen? There was no way Ron could finish what had always been his favorite breakfast. He stood up and made his way towards the stairs, wandering aimlessly.

"Ron?"

He only barely heard it- a whisper from a voice that would be forever etched into his mind… his heart.

"Ron…"

When he turned to face her, there was nothing he could do to hide his suffering from her. All she wanted to do was to hold him and never let him go. So, she did. As she threw her hands around his neck, his strong arms circled her waist and held her as if it was all that was keeping him alive. He cried into her neck as she tried her best to be strong.

"What am I supposed to do 'Mione?"

She quieted him and they just stood there for what felt like eternity. Eventually, Ron cried himself out. As parted Ron slid his arm around her shoulders and her head, as if it was as natural as drinking water, rested against his shoulder.

"'Mione?"

"Mmmmm…"

"Thanks."

"Anything for you, Ron."

With that, they looked at each other as if they were just two normal teenagers in love that had never had to deal with the knowledge that survival would be a miracle, that had never been deprived of a brother. Slowly, they made their way down to the living room and sat on the couch. With the hand that wasn't on her shoulder, Ron grabbed Hermione's hand. Both their eyes traveled down to look at their fingers, intertwined together. Suddenly, Ron became tense. His breathing quickened and he started to tremble.

"Ron…?"

Hermione was confused. What was wrong? She looked into his eyes and saw where he was looking. Her arm. Her damn arm. Her sleeve had shifted and the letter 'M' was now visible. With a shaking hand, Ron pulled back her sleeve further until the whole scar could be seen. 'Mudblood'. His hand lingered on the ugly word before he pulled away. He stood up carefully and walked… practically ran, out the door and into the sunlight. Hermione cursed under her breath. This always seemed to happen right when they started to get somewhere. She quickly stood up and followed him.

She found him standing in the middle of the yard. She walked up and hesitantly placed her small hand on his forearm. He looked down and she could see he was in pain.

"I'm… I'm sorry 'Mione. I just…"

His eyes once again traveled down to her arm and he quickly looked away.

"Ron it's okay. I'M okay. It's just a scar. I'm lucky to have gotten off with nothing worse than it. Everything is o…"

"NO! IT'S NOT OKAY! NONE OF THIS IS OKAY! YOU NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THAT."

"Ron…"

"IT'S JUST NOT…."

"RON! LISTEN TO ME! There was NOTHING you could have done to prevent this!"

"THAT'S THE POINT! I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! I HAVE NEVER FELT SO HOPLESS IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO LISTEN TO YOU SCREAM WHILE I DID ABSOLUTLY NOTHING. NOTHING, HERMIONE! I…"

He couldn't go any further. By this time, both their faces were drenched in tears. Hermione threw herself into his strong arms and had never felt for protected.

"Ron, I'm alive. WE'RE alive. We don't have to worry about Rookwood or Bellatrix or ANY of that. Ron. LOOK at me. We're here. TOGETHER. We've been through some pretty crappy times, but now we have each other."

"'Mione?"

"Yeah?"

"I… I love you."

"I love you too Ron."

Hermione didn't think she had ever seen him smile so big. She had always loved his smile, but she felt like this smile was just for her. She had never felt luckier.