Hermione watched the Weasleys mourning Fred. They'd just buried him in the backyard and now everyone was in the sitting room of the Burrow. George looked beyond tears and Ginny was in Harry's arms shaking violently. Bill was sitting in a chair with his face buried in his hands and Fleur was stroking his hair, tears sliding down her own cheeks. Percy stared at the ceiling as if he was going to find an answer written up there. Mr. Weasley and Charlie, who had left Romania to be with his family, were comforting Ms. Weasley, who was quite a mess with used and unused tissues spread out all around her.
Hermione was crying too. Her eyes were wet and she couldn't stop sobbing. Yet, through all of this she'd noticed one Weasley, other than Fred, was missing. Ron. She saw him walk up to his room right after the funeral had ended but she hadn't said anything because she hadn't wanted to disturb him. It had been almost an hour now so Hermione decided not to ignore him any longer. She stood up, unnoticed by the others, and trudged upstairs to his room.
She paused at his closed door. There were no sounds coming from inside and she couldn't tell whether that was a good thing or not. Hermione knocked on his door confidently, determined to get him to open it. Surprisingly, he flung it open the moment she knocked. His eyes were puffy and red but other than that there was no sign of tears.
"Oh Ron!" Hermione ran at him and hugged him. He took a sharp breath. She sobbed into his shoulder. He held her tight for a moment never wanting to let go but reality struck him and he pushed her gently away. She looked at him puzzled. "Is something wrong?" she asked and immediately thought that was a stupid question to ask because of the fact that she'd jumped on him while he was still getting over his brother's death.
He started shaking his head then stopped reconsidering. "Listen Hermione. I can't be involved with you anymore." She took a step back away from him.
"Are you breaking up with me?' she asked shocked. After all, they had only been dating since yesterday.
Ron looked at her with a pained expression. "Look this is not easy for me. I really really like you, I do. But… Hermione. I don't want to be crushed if you…" he hesitated, "If you die." When she said nothing and merely stared at him, he continued.
"Hermione you are the most amazing person I have ever had the pleasure to meet, but I've decided that if I don't get attached to anybody or avoid it, then I won't be horribly sad when they pass away or something. I mean I can't handle anymore pain." Hermione stared at him for a moment trying to figure out if he was being serious or not and before she could stop herself she burst out laughing.
His eyes widened in anger. "Oh, so you think it's funny, do you? Well you aren't the on who just lost a brother!" he yelled. She stopped laughing.
"Ron. No, no, no. I was laughing because you're being thick. Honestly, Ronald do you actually think shutting yourself from society is going to stop you from experiencing pain?" He nodded. She groaned in frustration.
"Ron you need people. You need to love. Your acting like, you are going to make me say it, Voldemort. Wasn't he completely against love? So you want to be like him?" Ron looked at her like she was mad.
"Hermione I never said that. All I said was that I need to stop getting attached to people. I mean I love someone and they go off and die. I don't want that to happen to you. I could never live without you," he replied color creeping up his cheeks at his confession.
Hermione was caught off guard. "Wait, you love me?" The thought made her feel somewhat special.
Ron's ears turned red. "Well yeah, I-Er was- I thought that it was obvious." He nervously scratched the back of his head.
"Thanks, I guess. Can you please stop this nonsense, Ron? Please because I love you, too and I promise I'll be there for you and I'll stay safe. Please?' she pleaded him. He saw her eyes were filling with tears.
"I hate how you are always changing my mind," he said in a mocking tone and putting a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Does this mean that we're back together or do you still supposedly hate me?" she questioned. He leaned in closer to her.
"Does this answer your question?" he answered by pressing his lips against hers. For a moment, there was never a funeral and everything was happy. For a moment, there was never a Battle. For a moment, there was Ron and Hermione.
