Author's Note:Yes, indeed, this story WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS. So if you haven't read book 6, DONT READ IT. But hurry up and finish it because when you're done you can read my story.

Disclaimer: Characters and setting aint mine...they're Ms. Rowling's...blah de blah, went through this already. Plot is though so don't steal it. Please.

Chapter One - Ron
The Beginning of the End

There was something about the way that Harry had said goodbye that made me realize just how deeply cut he was by this whole experience. It was like we were saying our last goodbyes before being taken to the gallows to be hung. No words were said at first as we heaved our bags off the train. The whole ride had been quite silent – no one spoke for fear of making one of the girls cry again. Instead of the usual excitement about seeing our families again, instead of bubbling chatter and obnoxious games of Gobstones and Wizard's Chess which usually resulted in an argument but in the end would just be another thing to be happy about, everyone was dreading going home. Because at home, there would be questions, people fawning over you, constantly asking if you were hungry, even though you had already been stuffed with food.

Despite my feelings, however, I couldn't help but wonder how horribly Harry must have felt.

The kid hadn't said a word since we'd left the station at Hogwarts. He was sitting alone on his side of the coach, staring absently out the window as the rain pattered down against the glass. Somehow I felt that even if someone had punched him in the face, he'd have been too far away to feel the pain.

Ginny, Hermione, and I were seated on the other side of the coach. Ginny was just as bad as Harry was, only she was staring at her knees; every so often she glanced up at Harry, only to look quickly down again, as though she realized that that's not what he would have wanted and only wanted to please him.

To tell you the truth, I wasn't too thrilled with the whole idea of them going out to begin with. My sister was only fifteen. I didn't want to see her hurt so young. But if anyone were to date her, I would have chosen Harry.

Hermione was a wreck. When we were packing our stuff up to leave earlier that day, I had heard her footsteps coming up the stairs to the Boy's Dormitory. I had been too tired and depressed to acknowledge her at first, but when I'd heard her knock on the door, I couldn't help but turn to look at her.

I hated seeing her like this – her red eyes, her turned-down mouth, her shaking hands. I spoke softly.

"Oh, Hermione."

She ran to me, the tears freefalling again. I held on to her soft body, stroking her hair and wiping her tears away. She soaked the shoulder of my robes, but I didn't care – these robes were covered with the memories of a horrible night. I was going to burn them the second I got home.

As we sat in the coach on the way back to Platform 9 ¾, I was still holding her. She wasn't crying anymore, but she had her head on my shoulder, her hand on my chest, my arms around her. She was still shaking. I hated her shaking. I wanted to hold her and hold her like there was no tomorrow. If my holding her helped her the slightest bit, I would have held her forever.

But I was only a small comfort to her, something she knew she could find but wouldn't cure her.

Finally, we arrived at King's Cross. I didn't want to let go of her, but I knew I had to. I was just about to get up when I realized that she had fallen asleep.

I touched her cheek softly. That was enough. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, looking me straight in the eye.

"Did I fall asleep on you?" she asked after staring at me a few seconds, not comprehending who I was.

I smiled weakly. "Yeah, you did."

"Mmm," she mumbled. "You were comfortable."

I was taken aback. She laid back down on me again, a smile on her face. She must have still been mostly asleep. That was something she would never have said in her right mind.

"Hermione, we have to get off the train, we're at King's Cross," I said gently.

"We are?" she murmured, fatigue dripping off her words. "That's too bad. I was getting the best sleep I had gotten in a long while."

She stood up and took her trunk, letting it drop down on the floor with a huge thump. She also proceeded to get my trunk down, as well, and Pig's cage.

"Hermione, it's alright, I can do that," I said hurriedly, rushing to help her.

"No, no, it's okay, I slept on you the whole train ride, it's the least I can do."

I took her hand and said quietly, "You don't have to be perfect all the time."

She looked down at our hands, then back up at me before saying, "It's the only way he'll notice me."

Hermione was looking right into my eyes as she said it. I was looking right into hers. There was something there, something I couldn't pinpoint, something I was afraid of.

"Of course he notices you, even without your perfection," I whispered. She smiled and looked away, fiddling with the drawstring of her sweatshirt. I proceeded to get down the rest of my stuff, all the while with her playing with the drawstring. My heart was pounding in my chest. Whatever had just happened, it meant more than just a friendly compliment. I didn't know why I had said that. I didn't even know who he was.

Maybe I did know, but I was just afraid.

As I was walking out the door, trailing my luggage behind me, I felt her soft hands on my face. She turned my cheek and kissed it.

I touched the spot where she'd kissed me and wondered aloud, "What was that for?"

She smiled. "You've done more for me than you can possibly know, Ron."

I smiled back. She followed me out the door to the platform.

There they all were – Fred and George, Bill and Fleur, Mom, Dad, even Charlie. Percy wasn't anywhere in sight. Ginny was already in her arms, still silent. When she saw me, she let go of Ginny and ran to me, squashing me in a rib-cracking hug.

"Oh, Ron, my dear, I'm so glad you're safe!" she cried, tears streaming from her face. I looked over my shoulder to see Hermione hugging her own parents.

"Hi, Mom," I said, hugging her back. I could tell that this summer would be the worst I had ever experienced.

Fred and George, dressed in new black robes, were more sullen-faced than I had ever seen them. They each grimaced at me, and I grimaced back, unsure of what to say to each other. Dad came over and hugged me too. Ginny stood and watched – she had already been through the ritual. Hermione was now walking over to us. Harry stood alone.

When I was finally able to break away from my mother, I went over to Hermione.

"At least we have the wedding," I said, shrugging.

She looked confused. "To do what?"

"To see each other again."

Her face brightened slightly. "Didn't you know? I'm coming to stay at the Burrow. Your parents were worried about protecting me, since Voldemort most likely knows that I'm connected to Harry, so they want me to be in a home where there are wizards who can help me out. The Burrow was the perfect place."

I smiled. "That's a good thing. Otherwise, I might not have been able to take waiting that long to see you. Because we're so close, I mean, and we wouldn't be able to write letters or anything," I added hurriedly.

She grinned. I loved her grin.

"Come, Ron, we're going to go home," Mom said to me when she was done fawning over Harry.

"I have to say goodbye still," I said, walking over to Harry.

He was still far away. Conciously, he saw the Muggles coming, but he wasn't moving.

"It's gonna be alright, mate," was all I had to offer.

"It will be once I can get away from the Dursleys," he said bitterly. "I swear, the second I turn seventeen, I'm out of there."

"You know you're always welcome at the Burrow," I said.

"Of course."

There was a silence for a moment, broken only by my pathetic, "Good luck with the Muggles. If you need me, you know where to find me."

"Alright. I guess I'll see you at the wedding."

"Yeah."

It was very stiff. I knew that had we been girls, we probably would have hugged. Instead we just gave each other frosty smiles and turned away.

Who ever thought that the death of one man could cause so much sadness, so much awkwardness, so much difference in so many ways?