Disclaimer: They are mine! All mine! (not really - beating away the lawyers with a big stick )

Author Note: Here be Character Deaths – lots of 'em. If you don't like the fact that certain people are dead, move your pointer to the top right-hand corner of your screen and click the X button. Remember – it's summer, therefore it is far too hot for flames! Constructive criticism is fine, idol worship will be unexpected, but more than welcome ;-)

Brief Explanation: After reading HBP I realised that I haven't attempted to write anything particularly dark in the Potterverse (of course, as with all my fics, there will be romance, it's kind of a given!) so this is my imagining of the aftermath of the final battle. Ron/Hermione shippers may want to relocate – but hey, if you're open to a new fanfic experience, please stay, give it a try, you never know!

Chapter 1 - Aftermath

It wasn't what she'd expected. There was no pain, no relief, nothing. The screams that surrounded her sounded distant, as though she were submerged in water.

As the baking sun beat down on her she marvelled at the irony. 'It should be raining.' That was the only thought she could muster. 'It should be raining.' Death surrounded her, but the rain hadn't come to wash it away. Instead, she lay on the hard ground, where she'd fallen.

A few more moments passed.

'Get. Up.'

She told herself once more.

'Get. Up.'

Slowly she pushed the heavy cloak off of her and raised her head. As her eyes surveyed the battleground through the thick Brown hair that covered her face she felt them warm.

'Don't cry. Get up!'

She managed to push herself to her knees. Every muscle in her body screamed with pain. There it was. Feeling. Pain. That made sense. She'd been hit with one of the most vicious curses known to wizard kind. She should feel pain.

She blinked as the sunlight half-blinded her. In the distance she heard a strange sound. She'd heard it before, somewhere. It was a song. But there were no words. Just sweet sound. After a moment it came to her.

Birds. The realisation seemed incredulous. Birds were singing.

Suddenly the sun disappeared. 'That's more like it.'

Strong arms enveloped her, pulling her to her feet.

Fear fell upon her and she struggled against the arms.

"Hermione stop."

She struggled blindly one moment longer. She couldn't let them hurt her. There was something. Something she needed to do. Somewhere she needed to be.

"Hermione please. Please stop." The voice broke as she realised she recognised it. That tone… She knew this person.

She felt hands on her. Pushing the hair back from her face.

Red Hair. That meant something. Why couldn't she remember? Red hair was important. Somehow.

The voice spoke again. Slightly more controlled than before.

"Hermione. Can you hear me? It's Charlie. Charlie Weasley."

Weasley. Weasley. Then, in a sudden burst she remembered. Ron Weasley. Her best friend. He'd held her, whispered in her ear. 'It'll be okay Hermione. You'll see. After this is all over, we can go away somewhere. Just the three of us. A holiday. I'd say we deserve one! Just You, me and Harry.'

Harry.

The battle had been storming around her and she'd looked across the grounds. Suddenly the world had disappeared as she'd stared into those calm Green eyes. Then he'd smiled gently at her, and turned towards the door. The entrance to the house. Where Voldemort was.

"Harry." She didn't realise that she'd said the word aloud, that it had come out as a question. But she received an answer anyway.

"He's okay. He did it. It's over."

Blinking again – damn that sun – She looked into Charlie Weasley's eyes and saw something new. Something she'd never seen there before. Pain. Loss. Grief.

"Ron?" She didn't want to ask. She didn't want to hear the answer. In a way, she already knew. But she wouldn't believe it.

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Charlie could barely speak at that. He didn't want to think on it. That's why, when the fighting had ended, he was one of the first to search for the wounded.

Keep moving, don't stop, don't think, don't let it in.

When he'd seen her, fear had gripped him. She wasn't moving. As he'd rushed towards her, he saw her head slowly look up, her face covered by that ridiculously long hair.

He'd slowed slightly, letting the relief wash over him. She was okay.

As she'd struggled to her knees he'd sped up again. The agony on her face had been clear as the day.

After he'd managed to calm her down, and explained that Harry was okay, she'd said the word he'd been refusing to think. Ron.

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They stared at each other. The moment seemed endless, dragging slowly past as he tried to find the words. Words that he knew would never come, because once he spoke them, they'd be true.

Hermione gasped as she realised she'd been holding her breath. The soft sound jolted them back to the battlefield. Suddenly the screaming and crying assaulted their ears like a jackhammer. Then she realised she didn't want to know. Didn't want to hear it.

"We." She paused, clearing her throat, wincing at the pain that accompanied the action. "We should go help the others."

He didn't reply, simply moved his head slightly to signal his agreement.

She stepped out of his arms and was quickly reminded of the reason he'd been holding her in the first place. She looked up at him, blinking away the tears that had arrived with the pain that wracked her body. How had she ended up on the floor?

Gently, he lifted her again.

"I can walk." She muttered, as he lifted her into his arms, one behind her back, one beneath her legs.

He made a sharp bitter sound. A laugh? No, none of them would be laughing any time soon.

The sun was dimming. She whispered this observation to Charlie. He didn't reply. Then the world disappeared.

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