The Burrow

Steel grey eyes. Unblinking, on a sallow canvas. I was looking up at him from the cold, marble floor, the same way I did every night, in my dreams – my nightmares. I saw pain smeared across the face of Draco Malfoy as he watched his vicious Aunt cut 'Mudblood' into my forearm. I woke, bolt upright with a lump in my throat, as I did every morning. You'd think the repetition would cause less of a reaction…? No.

Today was exactly a week before we went back to Hogwarts to complete our 7th year and exactly 16 weeks and 3 days since the battle of Hogwarts took place. 16 weeks and 3 days since the destruction of the remainder of Tom Riddle's soul.
Today I planned to say goodbye to my mother and father until Christmas and head off to the Burrow to meet Ron and Harry, whom I had not seen all summer. Being apart seemed to have put a strain on mine and Ron's relationship, but I had to find my mum and dad in Australia, reverse the memory charm, explain to them everything that had happened and bring them home. He was the arsehole who wouldn't come with me. I thought to myself begrudgingly.

I threw on a pair of denim shorts, an oversized woollen jumper, over-the-knee high black socks and some scraggy converse that I couldn't bear to part with. I brushed my teeth, applied a little mascara, brushed my hair, but when that failed to tame the wild mess on my head, I used a simple relaxing charm from the book of hair related spells Ginny got me for my birthday and skipped downstairs to my parents and trunk.

"Ah Hermione I thought you weren't getting up," My mum said from the kitchen. "Come and eat before you go sweetheart." I could hear her tossing pancakes around and tusking herself as they landed funny and she had to sort them out.

I came into the kitchen then and kissed her on the cheek with a "morning mum" then sat at the table and ate a few grapes as I poured strawberry sauce on my pancakes, then added strawberries. Mum always made me pancakes and bought lots of strawberries for when I part because they're my favourite. "Where's dad?" I asked as I tucked in.

"Oh he's just gone out to get the paper, have you got everything set for school?" Before she let me answer she carried on "You promise me that it's safe there don't you? After everything you told me about lord Voldertrots and dark eaters… I'm very worried about you leaving again." She turned to me with her brows furrowed looking worried as ever.

I gave her a light smile "Don't worry mum. Voldemort is dead and if any of his followers are still around they're in hiding. Hogwarts is perfectly safe I promise you."

Just then my dad came in with the paper under his arm and a happy smile on his face. He kissed me on the cheek and said good morning then went over to my mother. Ever since they had come back from Australia they had been much more intimate with each other, and much more open about it. I guess having no child for a while did their relationship some good – wasn't sure whether this was upsetting for me or not.

We talked phatically for a while and then I had to go, it had just turned 10:00am and I was now due in the Weasley's fireplace. Luckily I had enough time to get the fireplace of the new house registered to the flu network in time and had Ron send me a jar of flu powder; My dad was very excited to see how it worked. I kissed my mum and dad goodbye and fitted myself and my trunk into the snug fireplace then grabbed a handful of flu powder.
"I'll write to you both when I can. I love you." And with that, I dropped the powder and said clearly 'The Burrow' and was whizzing around the flu network.
With a thud I landed in the fireplace in the Weasley's living room, and was greeted by the many 'hellos' of Ron, Harry, Ginny, Mr and Mrs Weasley, George and Percy. It was still horrible seeing George without his twin brother by his side, and every time I looked at him I could see that he was only half of himself without Fred.

I stumbled out of the fireplace and gave Ron an awkward hug and kiss, knowing we needed a serious chat, then hugged everyone else.

"Hermione, you've got to come up stairs and see what I taught Arnold to do!" Ginny said excitedly about her pet pygmy puff. I smiled at her, I missed her enthusiasm, and she whisked me off upstairs. We were closely followed by Ron, with my trunk and Harry with Errol's flop of a body in his hands – I took it that the post had just arrived via the closed kitchen window.

My thoughts were confirmed when Molly shouted upstairs saying that the yearly letter and list from Hogwarts had arrived and we would be going to Diagon Alley first thing in the morning. As I walked into Ginny's room I noticed she had redecorated since I had last been here – she had taken down the posters of famous singers and quidich players and replaced them with a wall full of photos of us all. It was incredibly cute, especially the photos of her and harry smiling then turning and kissing each other – of course in the wizarding world the photos move. I turned back to Ginny who had just pulled Arnold out of his cage and he sat with his feet wrapped around her finger.

Ginny grinned childishly and said "Do your dance Arnold!" and right on cue Arnold jumped up, doing a twirl and a flip while making a cute high pitched noise, sounding much like a mouse. He then repeated this several times hoping to cause more laughter, and Ginny spent about 10 minutes chasing him around the room to put him back in his cage.
Just then I felt Ron's arm twist around my waist and I turned to face him. I smiled at him slightly when I saw his hopeful puppy eyes. "Come upstairs with me Hermione, so we can have a proper catch up."
knowing Ron 'catch up' meant make out session and try to grab as much boob as possible, but I nodded and followed him anyway, because I had things to say whether or not he wanted to listen.

He pulled me upstairs giddily and bounced onto his bed like a child. "I've missed you Hermy! I love you." He smiled at me and I pecked him on the lips.

"You too Ronald." I sat next to him delicately and breathed steadily, thinking about what to say first.

"Everything alright angel?" He asked, trying to make eye contact with me, and with that question, all my feelings over the past 2 months came flooding out – a lot louder than intended.

"No! No it bloody well isn't Ronald! I've gone all summer without seeing you because you point blank refused to come with me to Australia even though you promised me you would! And even after I came to terms with that you also refused to visit me every now and then even though you knew it would take me a while to find them! And when I did come back having found them, you wouldn't come and visit me with the most imprudent excuses like 'I need to catch up on sleep babe' (I did a bad impression of his voice) and I couldn't visit you because my parents barely had any money after paying for the flight and house and the house wasn't on the flue network!" I was positively screeching at him by the end and I then bust into floods of senseless tears. I was angry with him! I wanted to scream and shout but I just senseless cried!

He tried to wrap his arm around me but I batted him away and pulled my legs to my chest sat in the corner of his bed, staring daggers at him. He looked down with his brows furrowed sadly "Hermione I'm so sorry, I really am – you don't understand how sorry I am. I'm just stupid and ugh –" he shook his head. "I just couldn't leave – I couldn't leave mum or George or the house! Stuff needed doing and mum and George are never going to be the same again after Fred…" He stopped talking and sniffled.

I feel terrible! I sobbed harder and moved over to him and hugged him tightly "Oh Ron I'm so sorry – How could I be so stupid and selfish ugh! I'm sorry I just hated that you weren't making an effort I wasn't thinking about your situation…" I kissed him on the cheek and kept hold of him.

He looked down at me and shook his head "You're not. I was just busy y'know, looking after mum, spent a lot of time with George trying to fill the hole – its hit him the most but he's tried to be strong for mum, y'know. All that matters now is we're together again, right? Nothing between us now." He smiled at me and kissed my forehead. I nodded slowly but something still didn't feel right – something inside didn't feel right at all.

Later that day, after de-gnoming the garden for what seemed 20 hours as Ron tried to play around with me, being all cute and lovey towards me, we went in for tea.
I don't know why but it seems ever since I got here, everything Ron has done has irritated me far too much, he could be saying something that he says all the time, that I used to love and find sweet, but now it just annoys me. Even when he says 'I love you' to me, I don't get a warm feeling anymore – and it doesn't feel right saying back.
We came inside to find that Molly had prepared a feast fit to feed a small army, though after all the work outside we all ate like a small army anyway – the table was covered by a spread of roast chicken, turkey and beef partnered with all different types of vegetables and boats of gravy. There was also a platter of chicken wings and legs which the boys demolished on sight while Ginny, Molly and I helped ourselves to some meat and veg.

When we were all full to the brim with roast dinner and the ice cream that followed Ginny and I helped Molly clear up.

"So, how are you Hermione my dear? I haven't had much chance to talk to you today." Molly said smiling at me tenderly.

"Oh I'm fine, a little tired is all. I think I'll be getting to sleep early and casting a silencing charm on Ronald so he doesn't snore me back to consciousness." I said smiling as she chuckled. "Oh, Molly, is it alright if we get to Diagon alley a little earlier than usual; I have a meeting with Professor McGonagall and the bank; because of all my subjects and my lack of funds they might be setting up a type of student loan for me" I sighed a little wondering whether I should just drop a couple of them. But Molly smiled and nodded.

"Of course that's fine. It's nice to see you're not lacking ambition. We'll be off for 8 how's that?"

I nodded and thanked her before Ginny and I headed off to bed. I said goodnight to Ginny at the top of the stairs and padded into Ron's room where I changed into pyjama shorts and a vest and climbed into bed next to him.
"Goodnight Ronald." I whispered to him and kissed him on the cheek before turning the other way and closing my eyes.

He mumbled 'night' and started snoring gently.