When the Smoke Clears

Hermione Part 1

A/N-Disclaimer: So, I feel horrible for starting a bunch of new stories without updating the ones I already have, but I will not abandon them, promise. This idea just came and wouldn't leave until I let it go. There will be two chapters for each chapter. One directly after Harry's death and one set ten years later. I will be requesting suggestions on which characters to do. Please don't be strangers.

There is silence as everyone waits for the smoke to clear. Voldemort had shouted the killing curse. Harry had shouted Expelliarmus, as he always does. I don't know how long everyone stands there. No one dares approach while it is so uncertain.

In the moments before the screams begin, I feel very calm. As I see both Voldemort and Harry on the ground, there is the moment when I feel strangely void of emotion. Then I hear a blood-curling scream and the world starts to move. My throat hurts a moment later.

The scream was mine.

I had begun running towards Harry.

All eyes were on me. I hear the other screams start as I collapse on Harry. Ginny, Cho, even ever calm Luna were screaming.

There is another body on mine and I feel Ron's tears and hear his murmurings of nothingness. He seems to be trying to calm someone down, but whether it is himself, me, or maybe even Harry, I'm not sure.

I'm not precisely sure how long we are there. I'm aware of people moving around us. I'm aware of Voldemort's body being moved three meters away from us. I'm aware of all the stares pointed at us.

I don't care.

I've gone numb.

The tears are still rolling down my cheeks, my heart is aching, Ron is warm against me, but I am numb.

Harry is gone. After the past year, I had been almost sure we would win.

Well, scratch that. We won. But, I was sure all three of us would live to see it.

I don't know how long I am there, on Harry's body, but I do fall into a sacred silence of my own. My tears don't stop, though; in my oblivion between sleep and facing the real world where Harry is dead. I shy away from sleep because I know even my subconscious would not let me forget Harry is gone.

So I close my eyes as the tears fell, and I fall into my own oblivion.

o.O.o

At some point, I must have fallen into a dreamless sleep. Or, someone gave me a Dreamless Sleep draught. I find I don't really care.

When I open my eyes, the ward in the Hogwarts infirmary is dark. It is lit by the moon well enough for me to see Ron in the bed next to me. Though I didn't exactly see Ron's face yesterday after… it happened, I can tell he had also cried in his sleep. The red rimmed eyes look eerily out of place in his peacefully sleeping face.

Without a second thought, I slip into his bed, his arms immediately wrap around me in his sleep.

I close my eyes in hope that being in his arms will fend off the nightmares while I am not under the Dreamless Sleep draught.

O.o.O

The next day is Harry's funeral.

It is open casket.

The tears that had not quite stopped come back full force as I look at Harry more cleanly dressed than he ever was while alive.

I hear the sobs of the other Weasleys throughout the ceremony. Fred's funeral is tomorrow. Molly, Arthur, George, Bill, Charlie, and George all sob as Headmistress McGonagall and Minister Shacklebolt speak about Harry's bravery. The whole room is completely silent as Ron and I speak about the friendship. The love. Everything about Harry that made him, not perfect, but human. We talk about how we always only saw our best friend.

At the reception, we receive more condolences than anyone else. At some points, and some people, I just want to shout that they never knew Harry. I want to shout in utter despair that no condolences would make it better unless they could bring Harry back.

I stop myself because those utterances wouldn't make me feel any better. They would only make me more upset.

I square my shoulders and survive because I would shut down if did anything else. I tell myself that Harry wouldn't want that.

The group present for his actual burial in Godric's Hollow is much smaller. Only the Weasleys, Hagrid, Andromeda and Teddy, and I are present. Teddy's eyes are green and his hair is black. I'm sure he doesn't understand why I nearly collapse as I see his face. Harry was his godfather, and now he was gone as well.

I cry at every part.

I drop the dirt as he is lowered into the ground.

I cry as someone comes and shovels the dirt into the grave manually, as Harry would have wanted it.

I cry as we Apparate back to the Burrow, knowing that was the final time I would see Harry's real face.

I cry as I am finally able to collapse on Ron's bed and return to my oblivion. I know I will slip into sleep.

I know I will not be able to keep away the nightmares again like last night, even with Ron's comforting warmth.

The thing I know the most is that Ron never let go of my hand.

All day.

Forever.

A/N: I hope that was alright. Tell me anyone else you'd like to know reactions from. One more Hermione chapter up next. Until next time…