This is my first try at a real story since I've been back... I've hit a few one-shots out which I see as a little easier because there's little commitment and you don't have to work to keep the story going. But I've had an idea burning about this for a while and wanted to see where I could take it... I hope everyone enjoys it! I will keep my R/Hr one shot collection (Quick Quotes Quill) going, as I love the freedom of writing a one shot, so I'll be splitting my spare writing time between this and my oneshot collection!
Basic Storyline: After the war, life isn't as clear as everything seems. There's still darkness and danger out there, how will our trio cope with it? Post DH. Hermione/Ron centric. Harry/Ginny with Draco/Ginny themes.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter. If I could, I'd much prefer to own Rupert Grint.
The sun rose slowly over the skyline of Hogwards providing a new vision of the broken castle in the harsh morning light. Most of the survivours were inside, weeping for their dead, sleeping peacefully for the first time in months, or simply sitting, wondering what would come next.
Over the ruins sat a small witch, the morning wind whipping cooly against her cheeks as her curly hair flew back in the breeze. Her skin was cut and bruised, her clothes torn and dirty but all of this seemed to mean little to her. Her gaze stared blankly over the ruined grounds she sat upon, the burnt trees of the Forbidden Forest, broken boulders from the castles once grand turrets lay strewn over the muddly, trampled grounds. But none of this seemed to regiester with her as she stared out over the red morning sky. Red sky at night, shepard's delight. Red sky in morning, shepard's warning. She thought absent-mindedly to herself, the muggle quote giving her small comfort in the horrors of what the wizarding world had become.
If the rhyme were true, the sky truly was a warning of what could be to come. Surely the worst was over? But she wasn't as niavee as that. She knew some would remain loyal, do whatever they could to continue their leaders work. The last of the Death Eaters would do their best to reign over the Wizarding World, and they couldn't let that happen. At first, they might think their work was over, but they would realise it wasn't, it wouldn't be for a long time.
Lost as deep as she was in this thought, she hadn't noticed the figure approaching behind her.
"Hermione?" A hoarse voice tentatively called out from behind her, causing the witch to stand from the broken stone she'd made her seat and spin around to face the speaker, even though she'd recognise his voice instantly, even in a crowd of a thousand others.
"Ron" She replied simply as she took him in, staring for a long moment. His eyes were as red as his hair, both of which were in perfect sync with the sky behind him. He'd obviously been crying, and for a long time at that. He held a scabby blanket in his hands, holding it up in vauge offering he mumbled awkwardly "It's all I could find, I thought you might want it, cold outside.." As he spoke the tips of his ears reddened through his hair, a sight so normal it gave her hope, perhaps things could be ok.
Taking the blanket in one hand, and his in the other (an action, Hermione noticed with an irrpressable smile of self-satisfaction, which caused the tips of Ron's ears to burn even deeper) she sat herself back down on the boulder, pulling him down to join her and wordlessly wrapping the blanket around them both. Silence reigned for a few minutes, the pair both lost alone in thought, yet happy to be in each others company. After a few moments, Ron offered speech again.
"I went to look for you, but your bed was empty.. Charm on girls dorms musta broke in the.." He tailed off uselessly, his hands flapping with the blanket on his lap. "Harry and Ginny are.. Well they're sorting things out.. Lots to think about and.."
"It's ok, Ron." She smied, taking his ramblings as the apology for intruding her alone time that they were intended to be. She hadn't minded at all, she was glad to see a familiar face, a face that meant more to her than any other. The pair desecnded into silence once again, knowing they had plenty to discuss, but the wounds still too fresh to talk about.
"How are they?" She asked eventually, breaking into the conversation with the easiest of starts.
"Ok, s'pose.." He answered with a shrug, staring out at the grounds before them "Sad, but happy. Can't say I blame 'em. Gin's.. Well, I could hear crying.."
Hermione could sense the fustration in Ron's tone, the fact that he could hear his youngest and only sister crying and wasn't able to do anything about it. "Harry will be taking care of her" She soothed, only now realising his hand was still in hers, it had felt so natural she'd not thought to move it – and she still didn't.
"I know" He nodded, his thumb slowly rolling over the skin of her hand, sending shivvers over Hermione's spine. Such simple contact reminded her of everything, the love she'd burned for years, her secret passion for her flame headed best friend which had errupted into a desperate kiss in the middle of the roaring battle. There was so much to ask about it, but she reminded herself not to be selfish. There were so many more pressing matters to discuss, her love for him had waited 7 years, surely a few days or even weeks wouldn't matter all that much. "It's good for them, seeing each other again I mean." Ron said, waking Hermione from her daydream of thoughts "He'll treat her good, I know. It's just…"
Knowing Ron all too well, Hermione knew this was the protective older brother role kicking in, she'd seen it all too well when Ginny had been dating Micheal Corner and Dean Thomas. "They only broke up because he wanted to keep her safe, he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Gin's a big girl now, Ron." She said softly, to which her best friend nodded in agreement.
Turning to face him, Hermione lifted their hands above the warmth of the blanket and placed them in her lap. "And you.." She started, the care and emotion visable in her expression. There was no need to finish her question, there was only one thing she could possibly be hinting too.
"It's weird seeing George" He started, his gaze finally dropping to his feet "He's just sitting, he won't talk. Mum's hysterical, won't leave him.." He said, referring to Fred as his voice trailed off.
"I asked about you, Ron." She said gently, her gaze following his head as it dropped.
Perhaps for the first time since the battle, Ron thought about how he felt. Not George, not his mum or dad, not the rest of his brothers or Ginny, but him. And with that, he began to cry again. The tears were fresh and new, the sobs racking his tall frame as he bent over, Hermione quick to act as she wrapped her arms around him.
"It'll be ok Ron." She said, knowing even he wouldn't believe that. "Not now, and not for a long time. But we'll always remember Fred."
Wiping his eyes Ron nodded, pulling himself up from his slump. "Only thing George'll say is that he's gonna carry on Wizard Wheezes when everythings sorted. Said its what Fred woulda wanted." He told the witch beside him.
"Of course he would have, I think it's a lovely idea." She replied truthfully as their hands slipped back into place again.
"You can go and get your parents, too.." He told her, to which she firecly shook her head. "What? Why?" He asked in confusion "I thought you'd want to see them as soon as you could?"
"Of course I want to see them Ron." She sighed, now Hermione's turn to look at her feet. "But its not safe yet. He wasn't the only one that wanted the Dark Arts to rule. He wasn't the only one who will want to get rid of muggle-borns. It won't be safe for them to come back, I won't bring them back 'til its safe." She said firmly.
"I'll keep you safe, Hermione." Ron promised, his voice so sincere it caused her heart to skip a beat. "I promise you, I'll keep you safe until its over for good. Then I'll help you bring them back."
There was no verball thanks, none were needed. Hermione simply squeezed his hand, offered him a smile and rested her head against his shoulder. The two had each other, and although no words had yet been exchanged, they knew they always would have.
So that's the start! Bit short, but I promise to work on the length!
Thoughts/Reviews? Please! Comments or criticims of any kind are appriciated. It's nice and fluffy for the start, but I promise its going to get a lot darker from here..
I'll continue this story as quickly as I can, I'm busy but I'll stay commited. (Shamlessly pointing out - if reviews ask for more, I might just be more convinced to write quicker! ;]) I hope to write at least 2 updates/chapters a week..
Thanks for reading guys. x