Chapter One

The End

Harry smiled at Ron and Hermione, then looked over at Ginny . She looked so beautiful even today when she was weighted down by such misery and despair their beloved metor and headmaster Dumbledore was dead. He loved he and he knew it their was no other way around it he couldn't stand it but he knew he needed to protect her from all the dangers that lie ahead in anyway that he possibly could. He loved God only new how much. He didn't want to do this but he had to even if it meant breaking her heart and his own. He had to brerak up with her and protect her . He looked over at her looked her in the eye and gave he a week smile. Then he leaned over and whispered in her ear : " Lets go for a walk we need to talk" Ginny looked into his eyes they were filled with sadness and fear and welled with tears. She took his had in hers and the walked away from the crowd. He looked herr lovingly in the eys and tenederly brushed the hair out of her eyes as he began to cry he kissed her. Then he went on ; "Ginny I love you and I always will but I don't want you to get hurt so we can't see each other any more , I love you and I want you to be safe hopefully someday you can forgive me for this" Harry kissed her on the cheek and walked away. He saw Ron comforting Hermione .Just looking at Ron made him think about Ginny. Get a grip on yourself! You've only been away from her for five minutes! He needed to get out of here. He decided to head towards the forest, and hoped the others wouldn't follow him. So, he walked away from them, comfy in his solitude and went away to be alone. He broke the heart of the one girl he loved his metor and teacher was dead and it was all his fault the people he loved kept getting hurt because of him, If only I hadn't been the boy who lived , if only I was normal maybe the people I love wouldn't always get hurt , its all my fault and I cant deal with any more. He thought to himself as tears began to flow freely from his eyes.

Hermione looked concerned. Ron didn't like it when she got that look. It normally meant he would get into trouble. What had he done this time? He liked her so much maybe even loved her he couldn't bear the thought of them fighting again.

"What is his problem?" she demanded furiously, stamping her foot.

Ron shrugged, and Hermione shook her head. She cast around the lake, at the people still mourning the loss of the great headmaster Dumbledore, killed by their very own Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Severus Snape, at the Battle of Hogwarts. Then, she saw something that almost broke her heart. Molly Weasley, Ron's mother, was consoling a weeping Ginny, who was crying like there was no tomorrow. With a flash of insight, she realized what had happened.

"Oh Harry!" she shouted.

Ron turned to look at her.

"What?"

"He broke up with her. Harry broke up with Ginny!"

Ron's face went scarlet.

"He broke up with my sister!? Is he mad!?"

"He thinks he's protecting her."

"Physically! He's just broke her heart though! He broke my little sister's heart into two! The stupid idiotic prat! How could he?"

Hermione looked at Ron in surprise. He head always been and unemotional idiot and now his her went out to his sister understanding her pain? That boy never stops amazing me.

"What?"

"I take it back"

"Take what back?" he asked, a stupefied expression on his face.

"What I said in fifth year. About you having the emotional range of a teaspoon."

Ron blinked. Hermione started to laugh.

"So, you don't think I'm an insensitive wart?"

Hermione looked him up and down, as if sizing him up.

"No."

For some reason, Ron went scarlet. Maybe he had a chance maybe she liked him to maybe just maybe they could get together like had dreamed all these years.

"However, if you had said that to me earlier in the year, I would have had to say yes."

Ron hung his head in shame. Yes, he had been horrible to her this year. More horrible than before. I had been fine until fourth year. Then, that bloody git Krum appeared, and swept Hermione off her feet. Which was more than he would ever be able to manage. What did he have to offer the brightest witch off the age, who was also, in his opinion, one of the prettiest? Answer: nothing. He didn't deserve her friendship, not one bit.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm really sorry."

Hermione was taken aback. He rarely said sorry, especially to her. Why couldn't he just come out and say what he felt? She had picked up on it the moment he had looked at her on the train in first year. She remembered it well. She could see in his eyes that he had already thought of the odd girl a lot differently than most people. True, he could be horrible to her, but she gave as good as she got normally. And anyway, she returned the feelings. The moment she had seen him she had had a crush on him. It was one of the things she just knew were right.

"Sorry for what?"

"The way I treat you. I treat you like dirt. Worse than that. You are better off with Krum." He then looked mortified.

"What do you mean, I would be better off with Krum?" she asked, her eyes flashing like McGonagalls.

"I didn't mean that." He said, starting to walk away.

He actually wanted to run. He never wanted to talk to her again. All because he had slipped his tongue. What an idiot! Why couldn't he keep his mouth shut for once?

"I know you didn't. "

She grasped his arm gently, and turned him to face her.

"I know you can be horrible to me. Harry can be too, but to a much lesser extent."

"Then why do you keep coming back?" he asked curiously.

Hermione laughed, despite the fact that he was being dense.

"Probably the same reason you keep being horrible to me."

Then, abruptly, she started to cry. Ron pulled her close.

"What is it?"

She looked up at him, smiling through her tears.

"You still don't get it? O God! Ron! I love you! I always have that's why I put up with you I know you never mean the idiotic things you say and I guess I hoped one day you would open your eyes and see that I loved you and maybe you would love my back"

But he did. He knew what she wanted. She wanted him to treat her properly, like a proper human being. He did try to do that. Sometimes he was just horrible to her. He couldn't explain why.

Ron looked into her eyes and kissed her.

"I love you to and I guess I always have its just I never know how to act around you and I always end up making a complete fool of myself. I am such a prat. I don't deserve you"

"I really appreciate it when you stick up for me. Against Malfoy, Parkinson, Snape, Umbridge. I don't deserve it."

"Hey," Ron snapped, "You do deserve it. No one should get treated that way. Least of all you. You're special."

This time, he wasn't embarrassed by what he had said. Bending down, he wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"Thank you. You always make me feel better, even when I'm mad at you. Normally I want to either hug you or throttle you. I still cant decide."

Ron thought it was unbearably hot. He couldn't handle upset girls. Harry really wasn't much better. And his with Lavender weren't exactly a resounding success.

"You are different. In a good way. You don't deserve what I put you through. Or what any stinking Slytherin puts you through. It's me who deserves it."

"You do not. You're a good person. And you prove that every time you stick up for me. I just want you to know, I really appreciate it."

She was still crying though. He didn't know what to say.

"What did you say that about Krum for?" she asked, sobbing quietly.

"No reason." He said simply.

He let go of her, and started to walk away. This was driving him insane! The knew that krum didn't deserve nobody did not even him.

"What's got you so worried about him anyway?" she asked tearfully.

He couldn't take it anymore they both confessed their feelings and they were about to get into another argument over some stupid insignificant prat.

So to stop her from saying anything else he kissed her again.

He tried desperately to get away from her, to escape, but she held him fast. She had a calculating look on her face.

Ron looked at her in amazement. After all this time, it was all working out. She had figured out his interest. How could he have totally missed hers?

"You want me?"

"Yes." Hermione said in amused exasperation.

"And I want you."

He went back in for a kiss, and he had no more doubts. His heart was dancing to victory in his chest.

"Me? Not Krum?"

"Not Krum." She answered.

He went back to kiss her, but she placed a hand on his chest.

"Me? Not Lavender?"

He shuddered.

"Hell no."

He went back and kissed her again, and his heart roared in triumph. He and Hermione were together at last!

Harry shook his head. That was it. He was going to kill Voldemort, and Snape, and Bella, and Pettigrew, and all the other Death Eater scumbags. They had ripped apart his world talken away so many thingts that he held near and dear to his heart and he couldn't stand it he would get his revenge no matter what. McGonagall was one of the strongest people he knew. For her to cry, things were bad. He looked happily to where Ron and Hermione were kissing, pushing thoughts of his upset teacher from his mind. Then, a bell tolled. Time to go back to the place he hated the most. And from then, who knows? Taking one last look at his home, he shook away tears of his own, and made his way towards the station.

The journey on the Hogwarts Express was silent. Harry told Hermione and Ron about McGonagall, and that had been it. They were all just looking out of the window. Harry was content that he was with his friends this one last time. He would rather they wouldn't come. Everyone who cared for him, ended up either hurt or dead. His mum and dad, Cedric, Sirius, Dumbledore, and now Ginny. He struggled against the tears. He had a strong suspicion that Ron knew he had broke up with Ginny, and that he would dearly love to beat his best friend to a pulp, but he had relented for the moment. Harry supposed Hermione had warned Ron that this wasn't the best time.

True, he had broke up with Ginny. It was the right thing to do. He needed to protect her. But telling himself that didn't make it any easier. His heart was broken. He knew it needed to be done, and had known it would hurt, but he hadn't known it would affect him like this. He missed her above all else. When had things gotten so complicated? He promised himself, he would make it up to her one day. If she would let him. He had broke her heart too, along with breaking his own. Hell, why was this so difficult?

Getting away from thoughts of Ginny, he thought about Voldemort. He must be practically skipping. Dumbledore was dead. His last opposition was finished. Voldemort would be on the move. He would forgive Draco for not killing the Headmaster by the simple fact that Malfoy had got Death Eaters into Hogwarts. He would be backed up by that traitorous murderer Snape, and the insane killer Bellatrix. Voldemort thought no one had the strength to stop him now. Harry's eyes flashed, and he promised he would fight Voldemort until the bitter end. He knew it wouldn't be long however. Voldemort would be gathering the Dark Arts to him. He would gather the captured Death Eaters from Azkaban, utilise the Dementors, join forces with the giants and persuade more and more to take up arms. Professor Trelawney had been right. He was greater and more terrible than ever before now.

The train pulled into King's Cross Station. The three debarked the train, and headed through the barrier to the muggle world. The Weasleys were waiting there. They had come on ahead, to ensure security. Mrs Weasley was there with Mr Weasley, Bill and Charlie. Tonks and Lupin were there too. Harry smiled at them, but the Weasleys ignored him. What? Then, it dawned on him. Ginny. They hated him for breaking up with Ginny. Lupin and Tonks gave him pitying glances. Hermione hugged him tightly, as he tried to stop the tears. He had been rejected by the best family he had ever known, by the closest thing to a real family he got. Fine. He turned, letting the tears flow freely and headed to where Vernon Dursley was waiting. He sneered at Harry, then went to the car. Harry followed miserably. Hermione glared at the Weasleys, then went to her own family. Ron looked miserably after them. Mrs Weasley looked mortified.

"Well, hurry up boy! I haven't got all day!" Vernon snapped.

Harry ignored the beefy man and got into the car. He didn't even look back as the car left the station.

Hermione watched as Harry climbed miserably into his horrible uncle's car. The Weasleys should know better. Especially Ron. She sighed. He hadn't done anything. That however didn't stop her being furious with the rest of them for their treatment of her friend. The look of total rejection on his face haunted her thoughts. She was about to climb into her mother's car, when Ron came bounding up to her.

"They shouldn't have done that."

"Really? Did you see the look on his face?" she asked angrily, though, for a nice change, it wasn't directed at him.

"Yeah. Mum's already wailing, but the others don't seem to care. They hate him for breaking her heart." He said sagely.

Hermione looked at him sadly.

"We need to get this sorted out. Is he still allowed to come to the wedding?"

Ron looked uncertain.

"Mum will let him come, and the others will relent eventually. But it wont be easy. I'll see you at the Dursley's on Wednesday."

Hermione shook her head. He would get there an entire day before she did.

"Do not hurt him." She warned.

"I'm not going to. Not much anyway."

She gaped furiously, but he winked at her.

"Kidding. I think I understand why he did it. I wont hate him for it, but I wont be too chuffed with him for it either."

He kissed her on the cheek and went back to his family. Hermione sighed in exasperation. Harry had no girlfriend, his best friend wasn't going to be talking to him, and the closest thing to a family he had ever known had just rejected him. Add on that the fact that he had lost his mentor and the greatest dark wizard of all time was trying to kill him, Harry was about to have a really rough time. And Ron would be with Harry a day more than Hermione would. With those horrible muggles… With a shake of her head, and a slight jump, because her mother had just honked the horn, she got into the car. What a jolly holiday this was going to be.