A/N: If you read, please review! I don't care what you have to say about it, I just want to hear it. Also, you should read "Life After Death" first.
Disclaimer: As always, all of this belongs to J.K. Rowling, except for the plot, which, who knows, she may think it's so marvelous that she'll buy it from me, so then she will own it.
Learning to Live Again
Ron stared down at his butterbeer. His long fingers were clutched so tightly around the mug that the knuckles were turning white. All around him were the raucous sounds of students celebrating. He seemed to be the only one not completely giddy with happiness. Hermione glanced over at him, and noticed his depression. She lay her hand on his arm.
"Ron." He didn't look at her, still engrossed with the foam in his mug. "Ron. You need to relax. You need to let yourself get over it. Grieve for him, yes, but don't let it ruin your life."
This galvanized him. He glared up at her. "Ruin my life? My life? You don't understand. I've already ruined his. Maybe if I hadn't let him go himself, he would still be alive! And now I'm supposed to be happy, and get drunk and loud just because I've graduated?" He looked at her with eyes far too old for his face. "You don't understand! He's supposed to be here! Sitting next to me. And just because of my, my cowardice, he's dead. How do you expect me to celebrate this night?"
Hermione sighed. They had been over this many times since the night, nearly two months ago now, when Harry had defeated Voldemort once and for all, and been killed himself. "You can't blame yourself for it, Ron. He was determined to go by himself. Don't you remember what he said? 'It's my battle.' You didn't fail him." Ron stared at her for a minute, then fell, sobbing, onto her shoulder. As Hermione comforted him, she felt a familiar tug at her heart. She didn't know how long she had liked Ron. At least since their third year. But now, freshly out of Hogwarts, and with Harry gone, the pull was stronger than ever. At last, she submitted to her desires, and gently kissed him.
Ron started. "Herm! You-I-this isn't right."
"Why not?" Hermione snapped. She was tired of everyone mourning her for Harry. They hadn't been all that close, at least not romantically. The romance was over by the sixth year, but they just stuck together out of habit. "I'm not going to enter a convent just because a boyfriend died! I'm more sad about the friend aspect than the boyfriend. I would have thought that you, at least, would have realized that we weren't meant for each other."
Ron sighed. "Look, I know that in my mind, but my heart is saying 'She's Harry's! She's Harry's!' And much as I want it not to, it still will."
"Look at it this way, Ron. If we try to keep everything the same as when he was around, if we never change anything, then his life will have ended for nothing! By avoiding me, by trying not to mention it, you mock his sacrifice. The only way we can help him is to honor him by living. I know that he throws a shadow over everything that you do, that you ever will do. But, try to let it be a comforting shadow to remember him by, not a cold 'Big Brother' type shadow!" Ron looked confused at the Muggle reference. "Never mind. Just, don't feel you just have to live for him. Live for yourself too. It—"
Hermione was cut off mid-sentence as Ron grabbed her chin and kissed her. She let herself go, and as she lay cradled on his chest, she finished the sentence.
"It's the only way."