Arthur and Molly check up on the trio sleeping in Gryffindor tower after the battle and have a talk with Ron and Hermione about their time at Shell Cottage and their newfound relationship.
Chapter One: Waking Up
"I just want to make sure they're okay," Molly Weasley whispered as she climbed the boys staircase of Gryffindor Tower.
"Neville said they're fine. They're all sleeping," Arthur reminded her as he followed his wife. "We shouldn't disturb them."
"I need to see it for myself."
Evening had fallen on Hogwarts. Those who hadn't left were carving out their own spaces in the aftermath of the battle. Dorms were crowding and even classrooms were being cleared to house the weary, however, the three sleeping in the circular room at the top of the boy's side of Gryffindor tower were left alone without disturbance.
Molly pushed the door open and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her three charges sound asleep. Harry was sprawled across his bed, one hand flung above his head, the other resting to his side. On the night stand, beside a plate that was empty but for a few crumbs, lay his wand and glasses. A few feet away, in the bed next to Harry's slept their son, having not even removed his shoes before collapsing into exhaustive, deep sleep. Molly's relief quickly turned to concern of a different kind, though, by the presence of a second body occupying her son's bed. Hermione rested on her side, hands pulled under her cheek. They lay together like a pair of spoons snug against the other.
"Molly," Arthur warned quietly as his wife gazed upon the scene, knowing what was going through her head. "Leave them be. They're exhausted."
"We can't just allow them to stay like that," she muttered in a hushed tone.
"We can and we will," Arthur gently commanded as he pressed his hand into the small of his wife's back, trying to steer her toward the staircase. "Let them sleep. They're exhausted. If you wake them up, you'll only aggravate the situation. You know Ron is like a bear when he's disturbed.
"But…" Molly tried to counter as she left the room.
"We'll talk about this downstairs," Arthur finished.
They descended the stairs in silence and headed to a couch set before a lit fire. Despite the number of people still in the castle, the common room was empty. Most, including her children, were in the Great Hall, attempting to restore some semblance of order in order for the house elves to serve the dinner they'd insisted upon making for those choosing to remain at the castle. Molly picked up a pillow as she sat and rested her head upon her husband's shoulder as he settled against her. Arthur sighed, knowing what he was about to say would not be what his wife wanted to hear.
"They're not children anymore, Molly. They've see untold horrors in their short lives. They've experienced more than most people in a lifetime. We can't expect them to stay like they were in their first year."
"They're just so young," she began.
"Yes, they are," he agreed. "And they're also just sleeping. You heard what Bill told us. From the time they left the cottage to the reports out of Gringotts and then their appearance here, they've probably had no rest for days. I'm shocked they were able to go on as long as they did."
Molly sighed, "I know…it's just…I don't want them to make any mistakes they'll regret later on."
"I don't want that, either," Arthur agreed. "But we have to let them make their own choices. They've been on their own for almost a year, doing things no child-no adult-should ever have to do. It's going to be difficult for them to adjust to a normal routine. I hope you're not going to give either of them a difficult time over this." Arthur loved his wife dearly, but he also knew she could react harshly at times.
"Of course not. Hermione's become a daughter to me," she exclaimed, lifting her head to look in her husband's eyes. "I have to admit I'm relieved they've figured out their relationship finally. They've been dancing around it for so long. I fully expect all three of them to return to the Burrow when we leave here."
"I'm sure they all will appreciate that," Arthur said, kissing his wife's forehead as she settled back into the crook of his arm. "This doesn't mean there won't be rules. We're going to have to set some parameters since I suspect Harry's and Ginny's reunion won't be far behind."
They sat in silence, the relief of a family reunited balanced with the mourning of one of their own. In the chaos of the day, it was nice to just sit and do nothing. Time passed and they took comfort in the quiet. It was only when they heard pair of soft footsteps that Molly sat up and turned her head around. She sprung from the couch as she saw Hermione descend the final step of the boy's staircase with a small beaded bag clutched in her hand.
"Oh, my dear girl," Molly cried as she rushed over and enveloped Hermione in a hug. "How are you doing?"
Hermione smiled, her arms coming up to return the embrace. "Better now that I have had some rest, Mrs. Weasley."
"Are you hungry? Still tired?" Molly asked, clutching the younger girl's hands.
"Uhmm…I thought I'd head up and get a shower." Hermione pointed to the girl's staircase.
Molly stepped back and studied the girl's appearance. Her clothes were dirty and ripped in places. Dust was trapped in her hair. She was also much skinnier than she been last summer, a sad clue about the difficulties the three had faced on their own.
"Go on then, dear," Molly said, smiling at Hermione.
Clutching her beaded bag, Hermione turned toward the girl's staircase, but stopped momentarily. Turning to the couple tears began as she said, "Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, I'm so sorry about Fred."
"Hermione," Mr. Weasley said in a calm voice. "You three were wonderful. I don't want any of you over thinking about what you could have done differently. Fred was an adult. He knew the consequences and was happy to fight for what he believed in. We will mourn him and honor his memory."
"Thank you for your concern." Molly reached up and brushed tears away from her eyes. "Now, go get cleaned up. We'll be here when you get back."
Hermione turned once again and walked toward the girl's stairs as Molly returned to her spot on the couch. The couple whispered quietly, reminiscing about their time as Gryffindors themselves. When they once again heard footsteps enter the common room, both assumed it was Hermione returning from her shower. They were surprised to discover, though, that this time it was their youngest son. A panicked Ron reached the landing, calling out Hermione's name and looking frantically around the empty common room.
"Ron, she's fine." Arthur assured his son. "She'll be back soon. She just went to the girl's side to get cleaned up."
"Come," Molly motioned to her son and slide over on the couch, making room for him. "Sit down, here. Tell us what is going on."
"Sorry. Bit skittish, I guess." Ron walked over and sat between his parents. "This is the first we've been apart since we left Bill's. Even during the battle she was in sight. Hard to break the habit now."
"What happened, son?" Arthur asked, stretching his arm across the couch behind his son. "Bill said she was hurt at Malfoy Manner."
"Snatchers caught us," Ron explained as he stared into the fire. "Took us to Malfoy's. Hermione did some quick work and jinxed Harry so they didn't recognize him but they knew who Hermione was. They took her for questioning while we were locked into the cellars. That's where we met up with Luna and the others."
"Oh, my boy," Molly cried, pulling him into her embrace.
He slid down on the cushions and rested his head on his mother's shoulder. Something he hadn't done since he was a little boy. "I can still hear her screaming. I couldn't get to her. It was Bellatrix. The Cruciatus Curse. It was Dobby, the house elf, who saved us. He was able to use his elf magic and apparate us out of the cell and we escaped. We reached Hermione an fought them off. By the time we apparated to Bill's, she was unconscious."
"Bill told us you were there for a time, but wouldn't go into detail," informed Arthur.
Ron continued, "Dobby didn't make it. He was killed as he was apparating out of there. Also, the handiwork of Bellatrix."
"What happened at Bill's?" his mother asked.
"We got to the cottage and got Hermione inside. She wouldn't have made it without Fleur's help." Ron looked at his mother and continued, "She was wonderful. Me or Harry wouldn't have had the first clue on what to do for her, but she stepped right in and took over,"
"It seems the women in this family are strong and resilient," Arthur smiled sadly. He reached over and grasped his son's hand in his own. "I'm proud of you, son."
"But we lost so many, dad." Ron said. "Fred, Tonks, Lupin. If…"
"No, I'm talking about you right now," Arthur interrupted his son. "I'm proud of you. I already told Hermione for you to not blame yourselves for what happened. You did things that should never have been asked of you. You are brave and courageous and I am proud. I know you don't hear that often enough."
"Thanks," Ron mumbled, uncomfortable with the praise and at a loss on how to respond. It was only when Hermione reappeared in the Common Room a few moments later that he once again spoke up.
"Why didn't you wake me?" Ron asked her, pulling out of his mother's embrace and standing as Hermione walked across the room toward them.
"Sit back down, Ron." Hermione answered as she sat down in an overstuffed chair next to the fire. Her clothing, although still a bit big for her frame, were clean and free of dust and debris and her hair was now held back in a braid in effort tame it. "I needed to take a shower. I set some things out for you and Harry along with a note. You should have taken one, too."
"I didn't see it," he mumbled and sat back down between his parents. "Harry's still out of it. Didn't even flinch at me tearing around the room."
Arthur cleared his throat. "I think you might like to know our immediate plans. I probably should wait for Harry to come down but since you two are here and he's still sleeping it's probably for the best to go over them now."
"Where's Ginny and the others?" Ron asked.
"They are down in the Great Hall eating," Molly answered. "You three have slept most of the day. It's seven in the evening."
"Sorry we didn't stick around to help out," Hermione said.
"No need for apologies," Arthur answered. "You three have done more than enough. We're all shocked you lasted as long as you did. "
"Adrenaline" Hermione sighed. At the blank look all three Weasley faces the younger witch explained, "It's a hormone that Muggle doctors have discovered that is produced in stressful or scary situations. It allows you to keep going despite impossible circumstances."
"Fascinating." Arthur looked as if he'd be delighted to continue the conversation on Muggle science, but knew this was not the time. "Whatever it was, you three do not need to feel guilty for disappearing on us. There are more than enough hands to pitch in while you rest. As for tonight, we'll all be staying here and then tomorrow Kingsley is sending a few Aurors along with Bill and Charlie to Burrow to make sure it's still standing and remove any jinxes or curses left behind. We set protections before we left for Aunt Muriel's but we don't yet know if they've held up."
"And all three of you are coming home," Molly commanded. "You're not racing off anywhere. There are still death eaters about and it's not safe."
"My parents," Hermione uttered, the unspoken question hanging in the air. The Weasleys knew the Grangers had fled to Australia. She'd admitted that much when Arthur suggested the Order begin protecting them last summer. They weren't, however, privy to the fact that she had modified their memory in an effort to convince them to leave. "I know they're in Australia, but I don't know where they are living?"
"I know this isn't what you want to hear right now, Hermione, but give it a few weeks," Arthur suggested. "Right now, everything is still a bit chaotic. Things might not be instantly safe, but we'll talk to Kingley about it. I think the Ministry owes you a great deal of gratitude. The least they can do is help locate and bring your parents back after all you have done."
Hermione tried to hold back tears that were forming at the thoughtfulness of the Weasleys including her parents in their future plans. "Thank you, Mr. Weasley."
"What about Fred?" Ron asked. "What's going on?"
"We'll discuss it later in more detail when we're all together," Molly sniffed.
"We're going to hold a family meeting to make a decision," Arthur explained. "We have a few options…cremation, interred here at Hogwarts, or buried in the family plot. We'll all talk about it later."
Ron shook his head in agreement, holding back the tears that were threatening escape.
"There is one more thing we need to discuss," Arthur said, looking over at Molly for her support. At her silent nod, he continued. "It has come to our attention that you two are now together. Molly and I thought we should have a talk with you both concerning this development."
"Ahh, dad, didn't we have this talk a few years ago," Ron mumbled, his ears turning bright red.
"Glad you remember that specific talk, son, but this won't be a refresher course. I'm sure your brothers talked about it enough."
Hermione's blush rivaled Ron's and turned her gaze toward the fire to hide her own embarrassment.
"Don't worry," Arthur assured the teens. "Harry will get the same talk as I suspect he and Ginny will be getting back together soon."
"What your father is getting at is we need to set some ground rules," Molly explained. "There is no arguing about you and Harry coming back to the Burrow with us, Hermione, but we need to set some parameters. The major one being there will be no sharing of bedrooms between couples."
Hermione realized immediately that Ron's parents had spied them sleeping together upstairs. She was torn between explaining their actions and keeping quiet during this embarrassing discussion.
"We realize you've been out on your own for almost a year and you are technically adults, but we expect our rules to be obeyed," informed Arthur. "We didn't permit Bill and Fleur to share a room before the wedding and we are not going to change the rules for our two youngest children and their partners, either."
"We understand," Hermione answered, eager for this discussion to be finished.
Ron caught Hermione glaring at him and mumbled, "Yeah, sure."
"I think that's enough for now," Molly concluded. "And we are both extremely happy about you two. Don't mistake our talk for disapproval."
Hermione was secretly glad Molly wasn't upset with her or Ron. She'd seen firsthand just how Ron's mother could treat someone she did not like. Her initial reactions to Fleur being a prime example.
"Now, why don't you go get cleaned up Ron and meet us all in the Great Hall," Arthur suggested.
"I think I'll head down with you, if that's okay. I didn't get to talk Ginny earlier and it would be nice to be around some girls for a change," Hermione joked.
The group broke up a few minutes later and Ron climbed the dormitory stairs, eager to get cleaned up and return to his family gathered several floors below. Sure enough, when he reached the room he glanced at the foot of the bed and spied a stack of clothes with a note on top explaining Hermione's absence. A similar pile lay on Harry's bed, also. As he walked to the washroom, Ron smiled as Harry snorted in his sleep. Against all odds, they completed their mission. Yes, there were casualties, as in all battles, and they would be mourned, but for now Ron was happy to once again be with his family and friends.
Please read and review. I own nothing
Next chapter: Hermione and Molly have a heart-to-heart after Hermione reveals her insecurities about returning to Hogwarts in September.