Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Harry Potter and I do not profit from the song Let the Flames Begin or from the band Paramore.

Summary: Harry suffers from PTSD. Ron has no emotion and can't look Harry or Hermione in the eyes. Hermione can't stop crying. What really happened in the basement of the Malfoy Manor?

Warnings: Rape. Abuse. Torture. Language.

Year: Post-final War.

--x--

Let the Flames Begin

Song: Let the Flames Begin

"what a shame we all became, such fragile broken things"

--x--

What happens when you can't stand yourself? What happens when you look into the mirror all you can see is the pain that you have suffered?

"Ron," Harry whispers into the darkness, "Are you awake?"

"Yeah," Ron says in a mono-tone voice, "What's wrong, Harry?"

There is a long silence and the shifting of sheets and the movement of a matress.

"I think I am going to take a walk," Harry says standing up and walking over to his wardrobe, "Lumos."

He pulls out his invisibilty cloak and a regular cloak for warmth.

"Where are you going, mate," Ron asks sitting up in his bed and looking across the room.

"Everywhere," Harry says and walks out of the door. Harry walks down the stairs of the small condo that the Golden Trio purchased with their money pooled together.

Looking around, Harry notices how little they have; just a two bedroom, one bathroom home with only enough to barely survive. How did his life get like this, Harry often asked himself.

He hears a noise in the kitchen. He jumps and draws his wand.

"It's just me, Harry," he hears Hermione sniffle at the kitchen table.

Slowly Harry pulled his invisibility cloak off of himself.

Cautiously Harry crept to the table and sat down across from Hermione.

"What's wrong," he asked looking at her in the eyes.

"Same old, same old Harry," Hermione says smiling gravely, "Listen, don't worry about it. Tomorrow you have therapy and so do I. You don't have to worry about me."

"Do you want to go for a walk with me," Harry asks standing up and heading towards the kitchen door leading to suburban London.

"No thanks, Harry," Hermione says standing up and hugging her purple robe around her body, "Raincheck?"

"Most definately," Harry says opening to door and allowing a gush of August night heat into the condo, "See you late, Herms."

"Don't call me that," Hermione snaps.

Harry runs out of the door, slamming it. A mistake.

--x--

Ron sits in his bed, crossing his long gangly legs. He stares out into space. Feeling nothing, yet thinking everything. His heart his stone and his soul battered.

Some days Ron wishes he had completely abandonded Harry and Hermione but most days he wishes that he had been able to defend himself and protect himself.

Standing up, Ron heads to the bathroom for a shower. Ever since that fatefull night in the basment of Malfoy Manor Ron cannot stand to take a shower, or even look down at his body. He is disgusted by it, he believes it to be a monster, an unknown species.

Ron can't go home. His family would hate him for what he has done. For what has happened to him. Percy would tell him, "I told you so!" Mum and Ginny would cry. And Dad would be embarrassed. Ron didn't want to do that to them. He deserved everything he got but they are innocent bystanders in the whole situation.

--x--

A/N: I know that it is extremely short but I cannot write a longer chapter without giving everything for the second chapter away. Please review, I mean you have gotten this far. D