1

Exhaustion

Hermione watched as the Weasley family huddled together in the Great Hall, a mass of red hair and freckles. Percy and Charlie flanked George, whose face was hidden. Ron stood with one long arm wrapped tightly around Ginny, his face masked with dirt and blood, and streaked with sweat. The sight of Mrs. Weasley nearly broke her heart. She was no longer crying, however the expression she wore was one of complete heartbreak. Mr. Weasley's face was an unreadable mask, as though shell- shocked. Bill held tightly to his mother and Fleur, his heavily scarred face pale and ghostly. Hermione wondered if they would ever really recover.

Deciding to give them time to grieve alone, Hermione turned and walked in the direction of the hospital wing. Harry, she knew, had retired to bed, but Hermione was sure she would not be able to sleep. Not until she had a chance to speak to Ron alone. Not until she had touched him to reassure herself that he had, indeed, made it through this alive. Rather than wait listlessly for him to return to the Gryffindor Common Room, Hermione decided to make herself useful and offer to help in any way she could.

When she arrived in the Hospital Wing, she found it nearly bursting with patients. Madam Pomfrey was desperately trying to separate those who she could treat on site, and those who needed to be taken immediately to St. Mungo's.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her tattered jumper, and began to help.

"Don't worry, it's just a little gash. I think I can set you to rights." Hermione soothed a blond-haired Ravenclaw. She pulled a large bottle of dittany from a nearby shelf and poured a small amount onto the bleeding wound. Within moments it was stretched over with new flesh, looking days old.

She moved from person to person, able to help some, and determining others were beyond her skills to help. She came to a young woman with black hair kneeling on the ground. Hermione felt as though she had been punched in the stomach when Parvati Patil looked up at her, her faced streaked with tears, Lavender Brown a bloody mess at her feet.

"Greyback." She said simply, motioning to the unconscious Lavender. Hermione noticed Parvati holding a bloody rag against Lavender's right thigh.

"How bad is it?" Hermione asked, indicating the wound.

"I can't let go of it or it gushes blood. She keeps getting more pale." Parvati seemed dazed, and Hermione sensed that she too was in shock.

"We have to get her to St. Mungo's right away," Hermione said, noting that Lavender was indeed a ghostly white. "Whatever you do Parvati, do not let go of her leg." Hermione performed a simple levitation charm and escorted the duo to Madam Pomfrey's office where a small line of injured were waiting to utilize her fireplace. Hermione noted that Hannah Abbot was unconscious and being supported by a fellow Hufflepuff. Michael Corner, Ginny's ex, was conscious, but was also being supported by a friend. He too, appeared to be in shock, and was gingerly holding his left arm, which was nearly severed at the elbow.

After nearly two hours of sorting and caring for the injured, Madam Pomfrey ordered Hermione out of the Hospital Wing and off to bed. Hermione left, her feet leading her to Gryffindor Tower on their own accord. In her mind's eye she saw the faces off all of those she knew were dead. Then, worst of all, she saw Hagrid holding Harry's lifeless body. She heard the anguished screams that had echoed over the grounds, loud and terrible. She still was not sure which had been hers, and which had been Ron's and Ginny's. Hermione found suddenly that her knees had turned to jelly, and she sank heavily to the ground. She pulled her legs to her chest and began to rock, fighting the waves of nausea that were washing over her. The fear, sorrow, uncertainty, relief, and utter exhaustion of the last year seemed to have caught up with her at that moment, and Hermione feared that she might black out.

"Hermione? Are you alright?"

She looked up into the grey-blue eyes of Seamus Finnigan, and had never been so happy in her life to see him. She opened her mouth to assure him that she would be all right, but to her absolute horror a sob escaped instead. After a year of constant fighting, Hermione could fight no longer, and she gave herself over completely to the tears.

"Don't cry now, don't cry." She heard him say as she was pulled in by strong waves of hysteria. She felt his hands clumsily pat her back, as she cried until she gagged. She was not sure how much time had passed until her sobs had subsided to silent tears.

"Sorry," she said finally, swiping at her swollen eyes and attempting to stand.

"Don't be," Seamus said, helping to pull her to her feet. "I was about to have a good cry me self before I realized this hall was taken." Hermione laughed, still feeling on the edge of hysterics. "Come on, I'll walk with you to Gryffindor."

"Have you seen Ron?" Hermione asked, as they began to navigate the familiar stairs.

"Not since they moved Fred. Awful, that. Doesn't seem real." Seamus shook his head, and Hermione noticed several deep scratches on the side of his neck.

"Have you seen Madam Pomfrey about those?"

"Nah. They're not bad. She had enough to be getting on with." Seamus touched his scratches gingerly. They walked in silence for a few moments, each lost in their own thoughts. "Dean may have lost his eyes," Seamus finally spoke, his jaw tight. "Took a curse right in the face. He's gone to St. Mungo's. I'm only nipping to Gryffindor to get changed before I go fetch his Mum. I didn't want to show up to get her like…well like this."

Hermione took Seamus in completely for the first time. In addition to the scratches on his neck, he was also covered in a copious amount of blood, his pants torn and his t-shirt singed.

"You do look a sight," Hermione said, surprised that she could still joke. "But then, I'm sure we all do."

"We've reason to," Seamus nodded, coming to a stop in front of the Fat Lady. "But for the record, you look good to me."

Hermione stood for a moment, her exhausted mind unable to process what Seamus had said. Her heart fell when she saw that the Common Room was completely abandoned, not even a fire burned in the grate.

"Seamus," she called, as he began to climb the stairs.

"Yeah?" He said, appearing once again at the bottom of the boy's staircase.

"If Ron is up there, will you let him know that I'm looking for him?"

"Sure," Seamus turned and began to climb once again.

"Seamus!" Hermione called again.

"Yeah?" He said, appearing once again at the bottom of the stairs.

"Unless he's sleeping. Don't wake him, then." She bit her lip. "Will you just let me know if he's up there sleeping?"

"Sure, no problem."

Twenty minutes later Seamus reappeared in the Common Room sporting clean clothes and a slightly cleaner face.

"Weasley wasn't in his bed. Harry's sleeping though. Out like a light."

"Good," Hermione nodded. "He really needed a rest."

"Looks like he's not the only one," Seamus said as Hermione stifled a yawn. "When's the last time you got some shut-eye?"

"I…I don't remember." Hermione shook her head, her mind refusing to work properly. "Before Gringotts I think."

"So it's true then?" Seamus asked, his face reflecting shock. "You lot really broke into Gringotts?"

Hermione only nodded, all of her thoughts focused on Ron and not falling asleep. At that moment the Portrait Hole opened and Neville climbed through, Ginny at his heels.

"Ginnny!" Hermione cried, not knowing why she was once again fighting back tears. Ginny didn't seem to mind as she rushed to Hermione and threw her arms around her in a tight embrace.

"It's over," Ginny whispered against Hermione's hair. "It's really over."

Hermione found that she could not speak, and simply nodded. Finally the girls released each other, both laughing lightly.

"I have so much to tell you about the last year," Hermione said, thinking about her very recent kiss with Ron. "Later," she added, remembering that they were not alone.

"I've got to go," Seamus announced, making his way to the portrait hole. He stopped for a moment and gripped Neville's shoulder. "You did Gryffindor proud today, Longbottom. I always knew you had it in you."

Neville only nodded, his face flooding with color.

"I was scared," Neville admitted to Ginny and Hermione after Seamus had left. "When he put the Sorting Hat on me." He shook his head, his face quickly losing the color that had stained it only moments before.

"Of course you were," Ginny said kindly. "That's what made it so brave. That's why you're a hero."

Neville hung his head and began nervously scuffing his shoe against the stone floor. "Don't say that, Gin." When he looked up his eyes shone with unshed tears. "I'm not a hero. Fred. He's the hero."

Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but seemed unable to find the right words. After a moment she simply gave Neville a watery smile that he returned before fleeing to the sanctuary of the boys' dormitory.

"I'm exhausted," Ginny announced after Neville had gone. "Is Harry asleep?"

"Yes," Hermione answered, her eyes on the still portrait hole.

"Ron should be here soon," Ginny said as if reading Hermione's thoughts. "He was helping Charlie and Bill." Ginny closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them they shone feverishly. "They left about an hour and half ago. They were going to try and get Fred home to the Burrow. Mum wants him buried in the family cemetery."

"Ginny, I-" Hermione began, but Ginny shook her head wildly.

"I know, Hermione. I…I just can't talk about it any more tonight. I'm going to go and try to get some sleep."

Hermione watched her climb the steps of the girls' dormitory with an aching heart. Every thing had changed. In the span of one night, they were living in a new world.

There was so much to be done. Hermione's mind reeled with it all. Hogwarts would have to be repaired. The Ministry as well. And that God-awful statue had to be torn down.

Then there was the matter of her parents. Thinking of them was enough to send Hermione into a fresh spasm of tears. As much as she loved the Weasleys', and as much as she knew they loved her, at that moment all she wanted was her own Mum and Dad. She would have to make arrangements to get to Australia as soon as possible.

"You're still awake?" Hermione jumped three feet in the air, completely startled out of her reverie.

"Ron!" Hermione's hand flew to her heart, which was beating wildly.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." He made his way over to the sofa and sank heavily into it, closing his eyes. "Why haven't you gone to bed? I can't remember the last time we slept."

"I was waiting for you," Hermione said, her eyes gliding over his profile.

"I was…" He didn't seem to know what to say.

"I know," Hermione assured him. "Ginny told me." She took his hand which was crusted over with blood in some spots and filthy in general. Ron opened his eyes and surveyed her carefully.

"You look like hell," he said finally, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

"Oh? And you look like a million galleons?" Hermione tossed back, glad that he had it in him to joke.

"It's strange," He said, staring out the window at the sun-drenched grounds.

"What's strange?" Hermione asked, following his gaze outside.

"It's sunny out. It doesn't seem like it should be. With all that's happened, it ought to be raining." The eyes he turned on her were dry but brimming with sorrow. "I always knew there was a big chance, you know. I didn't know it would be Fred specifically, but I knew it could be one of us. There's just so many of us, and well, we're the biggest blood traitors around." Ron gripped Hermione's hand, his jaw clenched painfully tight. "I don't want to go to a funeral for one of my own brothers."

With that Ron's face crumpled, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes. Hermione pulled him to her, and he gratefully wrapped his long arms around her waist, hiding his face in her lap. As his body convulsed with quiet sobs Hermione rested her face on his back and cried along with him. After some time the storm seemed to pass, and Ron sat up looking somewhat embarrassed.

"You need some sleep," Hermione said, before he could apologize.

"Hark who's talking," he replied, his hand touching her face bashfully. Hermione reveled in the touch, and felt her face grow warm.

"Ron-" she began, but was quickly cut off.

"We should really get to bed," Ron said, standing abruptly. "I reckon I could sleep for a week."

"Alright," Hermione agreed reluctantly. "See you in a few hours then."

"Hermione!" Ron called as she began to make her way up the stairs.

"What?"

"There are still Death Eaters on the loose. Maybe you should sleep in the boys' dormitory with Harry and me. It's not a good idea to be on your own."

"Don't worry, Ron, Ginny's up here too, remember? We'll be fine."

"Yeah. Right."

Hermione watched Ron disappear up the stairs before she turned and headed for her own bed. She had never felt more completely exhausted, and each step presented a personal challenge. She paused momentarily and wondered how uncomfortable it would be to sleep on the steps.

At long last she made it to her bed, and collapsed onto it gratefully. She shuttered for a fraction of a moment as she observed how dirty her hands appeared against the crisp white sheets, and then she was gone.