Death Eaters were swarming all around as flashes of light, green mostly, lit up the sky. Jets of the same acid green barely missed his head. He was unable to do anything as he watched friends be injured, die, be tortured.
And there his brother lay motionless on the ground in front of him, as he looked down on him in shock. Unable to move away or to move closer. Unable to pay any attention to the curses that were only barely missing his head. Just able to stare at him, willing him to rise. Tears started streaming down his already dirt-streaked face, and he cried out in pain as he realized that Fred's face would never light up at a joke again.
A thump above his head brought Ron back to the present, where he was sitting on the couch. Shaking his head slightly, he looked up, wondering what could possibly be going on. As yet another thump sounded, he suddenly understood. Above the living room where she shared Ginny's room temporarily, Hermione was packing everything she was not taking on her trip, including her books.
The trip.
Ron had been trying not to think about it. Hermione had to go, he knew that, but it was still dangerous. Somehow he needed to convince Hermione that it would be safer to let him come with when she went to find her parents in Australia. Work could wait, the ministry had told him to take his time before he started as an apprentice auror. It was hard to believe that only two months ago, the wizarding world had defeated Tom Riddle, the darkest, most evil wizard in their history. Hermione and Ron had stayed at Hogwarts for almost a month with many of the other survivors of the Battle of Hogwarts to repair the massive amount of damage to the school. Now there was still a lot to do, but they had sent the majority of the helpers home, including Ron and Hermione. Harry still remained there, as the Ministry and Order of the Phoenix were worried about his safety with Death Eaters still on the loose.
It had been easy for Ron, to forget everything and put all his effort into the reconstructive work. But now, there was too much time to sit and think. That's why he needed to go on the trip, really. He needed to be busy, but mostly if he was honest with himself, he needed Hermione.
Ron slowly picked himself up and walked upstairs, knocking on the slightly-open door. Ginny was sitting on the bed folding clothes while Hermione sat on the floor and went through what looked like hundreds of books. Ron smiled, thinking of last summer when Hermione had last looked through these, and how much of an ordeal it had seemed. He loved it though. He loved everything about Hermione. As far as he was concerned, she could have every book in the world if it would keep her happy and smiling.
When she looked up and saw Ron, her face lit up. "Hi, would you want to help?" Hermione looked back at the books, and the flattened boxes in front of them. "You could put the boxes together if you would like." He nodded, smiling, and walked over to sit across from her on the floor. He started opening the boxes and putting them together.
After a while of comfortable silence, he decided to ask.
"Hermione, I have to talk to you about something." Out of the corner of his eye Ron saw Ginny hastily launch off the bed towards the door but he waved her back down. "Gin, you can stay, it's nothing you can't hear." Ron wanted Ginny there in the hope that she would take his side. She smiled cautiously at him and sat back down. Then both of the girls looked at him expectantly.
"Well, 'Mione, I just, I think I should go with you. You know, on the trip. Just wait, don't say anything yet!" He responded to the look on her face, knowing she was about to object, and put his hand over hers. "I know you want to go find your parents, and that you're worried about me missing work, and you're worried about, um. Me and the family. But, I don't think you should go alone. There are still unaccounted-for Death Eaters, and it isn't ever a good idea to travel alone anyways. And honestly, I don't want you to leave me." He looked at her with desperate eyes, begging her not to leave him alone here. Hermione knew what he meant, though he had tried to keep away from it. She saw when he would sit in the living room, or at the kitchen table with his eyes glazed over. Hermione knew exactly what he was thinking about. Without her, Ron could sink into depression, like George. Ron needed her.
All of her previous reasons for him to stay flew out of her mind, and she knew she would say yes. She needed Ron anyways; Hermione couldn't imagine being gone for however long it would take without him. Not when both of their worlds had been so recently torn apart.
While she was thinking, Ginny spoke up. "I think it's a good idea, 'Mione. I'd like to go with to keep you company, but since I can't do much and you wouldn't let me anyways, it would be good for Ron to be with you. And my brother is good company sometimes, I guess." She laughed. "You'd get lonely all by yourself. It's going to be a long trip."
"I know, Gin, thanks." Hermione looked at Ron. "I wanted you to go before, I was just worried that you shouldn't. I still am a bit iffy. Your family needs you, and I think you need them. But I think even more than that, you need to get away from here, need to have something to do. So…You need to go with me. I'd love for you to come with." She smiled at him shyly, understanding what this meant. It would take about a month to get to Australia, even by apparition, since it was dangerous to travel by apparition too far, especially now with the need to steer clear of the scattered remnants of Death Eaters. And Hermione planned on taking her time and enjoying her time off.
This trip was going to give her, and now Ron as well, time to heal. And once they got to Australia, who knew how long it would take to find her parents. This meant at least a month, probably longer, with only Ron as her companion. They needed this, she realized. It had been so hectic since they had kissed at Hogwarts, and they had barely had a moment alone together. Ron grinned back; he was thinking the same thing.
"Well, I suppose I should get ready, then, eh? You're planning on leaving at the end of the week, right?" Hermione smiled at him and agreed. Ron had finished with the boxes, so he kissed Hermione on the cheek and left for his room, to start packing.
"It'll take him the entire week to pack, that boy. My brother can be such a girl sometimes." Ginny giggled, and resumed folding. Hermione was still smiling and looking at the door where Ron had just disappeared from, which made Ginny yearn for Harry. He was still out at Hogwarts with Kingsley, surveying damage still left over. Harry still needed protection from any remaining Death Eaters. And his being gone kept his family, including the Weasley family and Hermione, safe as well. Harry was an amazing guy to Ginny. He even sent her an owl every night, and a long letter at least once a week. Ginny was just excited for when she could see him in two weeks.
"Ginny?" Hermione had finally noticed Ginny staring at her, and was looking back in confusion. "What's up?"
"Nothing," Ginny quickly replied. "Just waiting for you to remember there are people other than Ron in the house." She winked at Hermione and they both laughed. "I'm going to miss you, Hermione."