Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter blah blah blah, hibedy hooblar,
It had barely been 3 hours since Tom Marvolo Riddle had directed a Killing Curse at Harry Potter and it had backfired, killing him, forever. There had been much cheering and laughter for most. However in the Griffindor common room two redhead males sat in near silence. They were covered in blood and dirt and had clear tear tracks that had been running through their eyes The taller of the two, Georgy Weasley's eyes were puffy. He sat on a sofa with an almost vacant like stare. Ron Weasley made a movement as if to speak, feeling that it was counter productive to have his brother grieving on his own. But George interrupted him with a hollow laugh.
"He'd be angry you know. If he could see us now, sitting here whilst everyone is downstairs celebrating he'd be downright angry at us for not partaking in the mood." Ron winced. It was true, Fred Weasley was never one to be down in mood. He was always present with a smile or a laugh. However he was gone, and with his departure George felt like he had taken all the laughter with him.
"Come on George, lets go downstairs, I suspect everyone else is wondering where we are." Ron said gently.
"You go on, I just want to stay here a bit longer." Ron frowned. Things weren't going the way he wanted to. He'd never been good at this kind of thing, dealing with grieving people. But he'd also never lost a twin. Never the less he had been closer to Fred and George than any of his other brothers. So he felt it his duty to look after George. So he tried again.
"Come on, lets go down really. You've been up here for an hour now. Don't you think the others want comfort too? You think you're alone. We all lost a brother." George's face twisted at this, Ron braced himself for the incoming bollocking that he was no doubt about to get.
"Just a brother? You think he was just a brother to me? He was everything! He was me!" George bellowed, fresh tears running down his face.
"I know, but that's why you have to put on a brave face. He wouldn't want us like this, bloody moping and stuff. And he certainly wouldn't want you to just stay here, alone. So come on, lets go down. They'll need support too."
It was a good speech Ron thought. Almost uncharacteristic of him. But desperate times called for desperate measures. And in a way these were desperate times. Still something must have reached George because without a word he got up and walked to the door. Ron stared at him, surprised that his words, of all people, had illicited such an action. George opened the door, turned back and looked at Ron.
"Well come on then! You can't give this rousing speech and not follow it yourself Ronnikins." they both smiled. However the smile didn't quite reach their eyes. The wounds created by the war would take time to heal over. And most certainly things would never be the same. But they had to keep on moving forward.
-x-y-z-a-b-c
Hogwarts was a mess. Everywhere you looked there was damage. Rubble cluttered the hallways and the place was still full of dust. However more than this, what was apparent was the abnormal number of activity that was going on inside. People had been steadily streaming in. With Hogwarts defenses down there were even people apparating in to the grounds. Parents looking for their children, officials surveying and others just coming to have a good look at where it had all happened. And at the centre of it all was The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter. From the moment he had walked back into Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione he had been mobbed by people wanting to thank him, congratulate him and gawk at him. It had gotten quite tiring and Harry wanted nothing more than to take a long rest. After all he deserved it. Harry turned to Hermione who appeared to be looking for something and whispered in her ear.
"Lets get out of here." She gave him a curt nod and they made their way through the crowd. As they were walking along Hermoine spotted a familiar red haired face and veered towards it.
"Where did you disappear to?" Hermione asked, hands on hips with a light look of irritation on her face. Any other day and Ron would have taken this as a cue to start a fight but, it wasn't just any day. Ron simply motioned with his head towards George who was knelt over his brother's body. Percy had his hand on George's shoulder and Molly Weasley was crying into the shoulder of her husband Arthur, who had his arms wrapped around her. When Hermione saw this, her posture instantly softened. For Harry, looking at the Weasley family all grieving the loss of Fred was heartbreaking in its own way. He felt partway responsible. But even as that look formed on his face Ron took one look at Harry and shook his head.
"Don't you even think of taking any part of the blame for his death. I can see you want to. But it's not your fault mate. The one responsible for this mess is dead." Ron said with some force. Harry didn't know what to say. He looked at his friend, who's eyes were red, obviously having been crying before and decided there was nothing he could say. So instead Harry just hugged him. "You can let go now." Ron said dryly as Harry held him, but before he could Hermione joined them. It had been a long day, possibly the longest of their lives. But the three of them still had each other.
"So what now?" Ron asked.
"I spoke to Kingsley earlier, who said there would be a memorial held here in a week. But apart from that nothing." Harry answered.
"Well, I spoke to Dad a few minutes ago and he said that he wanted to have a funeral for Fred in a week." Ron glanced at the rest of his family then continued "but I guess for now, it's back to The Burrows."
It was a somber mood in the burrows that night. The normally loud house was abnormally quiet, especially when one considered the number of people that were present in the house. Ron, who was in his room, laughed at the ridiculousness of this, causing Harry to give him a weird look.
"It's just, what do you think Fred would say, if he could see us now? I mean we just beat the greatest threat to the wizarding world and look at us. Bloody miserable." Harry smiled.
"I guess you're right. But you know, these things take time." Ron agreed with Harry, time would eventually heal most wounds, but he felt a bit skeptical about it healing the loss of Fred when it felt more like a gaping sword wound than a small cut.
"Anyway man, all this thinking is making me want desire my one true love." Harry glanced at him, slightly shocked that he could refer to Hermione like that, but before he could comment Ron finished the sentence saying "Food."
"You'd best not let her hear that, don't want to get attacked by a bunch of clawing birds again do you?" Harry quipped, amused. Ron laughed, a real laugh for the first time since he'd watched his brother die.
"For anything else, I'd hush, but for food. You know, it would be worth it."
"You're mad, you are." Ron smiled and walked downstairs. As he was raiding his Mother's cuboards to feed the never ending abyss that was inside him, in the dark, he noticed a small amount of light coming from the sitting area which was illuminating someone sitting on the couch. The thick, bushy out of control hair and book in this said persons hand gave it away. Grabbing two chocolate frogs he quietly snuck up behind the couch.
"You are such a bookworm." Hermione jumped, the book falling out of her hands to the floor. Ron broke out into laughter.
"That's not funny, RONALD." She punctuated his name with a light punch on the shoulder. But she smiled anyway. "What are you doing up anyway?" Hermione asked. Ron held up the chocolate frogs causing her to roll her eyes. "Do you EVER stop eating, I mean ever? It's a wonder you aren't fat! And two frogs as well, plain greedy you are Weasley."
"Actually, I picked this one for you. But if you put it like that, maybe I will just eat both."
"Thus proving my point that you are just a greedy bottomless stomach."
"Look do you want one or not?" Ron said exasperated. He always wondered how things always ended up as a fight between them. But even worse he realised he enjoyed bickering with her. Something about the way Hermione whole demeanour when she was arguing rubbed him up the right way. Perhaps it was the way she'd flick her hair about annoyed, or was it the the way her lips pressed together just seemed so... cute. He couldn't fully explain it, all he knew was that he liked it. "Fine, I suppose I will." Hermione said with mock reluctance. They both took a seat on the sofa and fell into a somewhat comfortable silence eating their chocolate. However for both of them, their minds turned to the elephant in the room, the kiss they had shared in the room of requirement. At the time it felt like they had no time left, but now, now they had all the time in the world. Ron almost wished he had his copy of Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches to hand. He reached for the book Hermione dropped and picked it up.
"Oh thanks." Said Hermione who stretched her hand out to take it. However Ron pulled it away just as she was about to grip the book.
"Don't you think you've done enough reading for one lifetime?" Ron said, feeling a little mischievious. Hermione was not impressed. She tried to take it again, but Ron stretched, put the book out of reach.
"Ron Weasley, you give me my book!" Hermione looked at Ron with fire in her eyes. She crawled up stradddling Ron in order to get closer to her book. Ron suddenly realised what sort of position he was in. Hermione Granger was on top of him, hair all over the place, fire in her eyes and he knew that he was going to kiss her. He just knew it, as sure as he was that the sun would come up the next day. As she struggled on to get her book, Ron waited until her face was inches away from his. He then dropped the book and wrapped his arms around her her frame and brought his lips to hers. Hermione stopped dead almost in shock. But as what was happening went from her subconcious mind to her concious she responded, opening her mouth and deepening the kiss. She allowed herself to go slack, her body flush against his. His hands were roaming her lion's mane hair and her back as she proceeded to feel his chest, wondering when he had developed such a muscled frame. As this continued, Ron moaned as Hermione moved about on him. They had to come up for air though. Hermione started giggling.
"What's so funny then?" Ron asked, wondering how another kiss had turned into such an amusing thing.
"You, me, us. We're messed up you know."
"What?" Ron wrinkled his nose at the idea of being called messed up.
"Rather than flirt like normal people, we seem to just fight." said Hermione. Even in the dim light Ron could see that she was grinning, ear to ear, eyes sparkling. It was true enough though. Ron felt like half his fights with Hermione stemmed from a frustration of not being able to easily convey how he felt and the fact that he enjoyed her focusing her full attention on him.
"I do prefer being able to end fights like this though. Perhaps we should have tried this sooner." Ron replied.
"Perhaps." And with that Ron pulled her down onto him again and they continued where they had left off. Hermione felt like she was in a state of drunken euphoria at the current turn of events. Here they were, not on teh run for their lives for once, safe and here she was finally being able to act on a crush that she had been nursing since her 4th year in Hogwarts. Ron was feeling the same way, he poured as much passion as he could into the kiss as if making up for all the time lost in previous years.
Some time later the two of them surfaced for air again. Hermione rested her head on Ron's chest, enjoying the steady rise and fall of his chest. Ron looked at Hermione, lips swollen, hair every all over the place, her scent wafting into his nose and he felt content, happy even.
"I've wanted to do that for years you know." Ron said softly, absent-mindedly playing with her hair.
"You aren't the only one. But when did you first really know?" Hermione asked.
"Yule Ball." Ron answered instantly. "Till then, I'd never really thought about it, but when I saw... HIM dancing with you," even now, thinking about Viktor Krum made Ron scowl.
"You can't still be angry about that surely? You should have asked me first!"
"I know, I know. But I can't help it. In fact that's the whole reason I started dating Lavender you know." Ron chuckled.
"Ronald... thats... ridiculous." Hermione said shaking her head.
"You're one to talk! What about McClaggen?" Hermione blushed. It was true, the only reason she had even taken McClaggen to Slughorn's christmas party was to try and exact revenge for Ron hooking up with Lavender.
"We really are messed up you know." Hermione said, softly as if almost to herself.
"Well I blame you, it's only you that does this to me." Ron said, however it wasn't in an accusory tone. Rather, it really was the truth. Hermione knew how to drive him crazy.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Hermione sighed whistfully, clutching at his chest again. They fell into a comfortable silence.
"Hey, Hermione?" Ron whispered. But she gave no answer. Ron smiled lightly and kissed her on the head before lying back and let himself fall into oblivion.
Sorry really short, but I promise I'll up the chapter length. As for this story, don't worry. I don't plan for it to become some fluff-fest. And it will most certainly earn its M rating. Anyway, read and review people.