HI! This is my second story. My first one was on my InoShika24 account, but I forgot the password, so...yeah... This is a Harry Potter-Lord of the Rings crossover. It's been in my mind for a while so I finally sat down and wrote it. (During Biology actually. Heh heh, oops, maybe that's why I'm not doing so well…)

Lavender, Mint, and Roses

Chapter one "Without Her"

December 25. One year. One Year since Hermione Granger left, one year since she had been seen by anyone in the wizarding world. Twelve months. Thirty-one weeks. Three hundred and sixty-five days, and no sign of her. They had all given up on finding her, even Ron. Now, as he sat at the Gryffindor table, picking at his breakfast with his fork, he could almost hear her. Her shoes tapping on the floor of the Great Hall, the smell of her light perfume that she wore. It was lavender and mint. Breathing in slowly, he closed his eyes, and remembered.

"Hey."

A voice snapped him out of his reverie. He looked up to see Harry's green eyes looking at him worriedly behind smudged glasses. He blinked a few times as the smell faded.

"Oh, hey. What's up?"

"Um, nothing."

Harry watched as Ron continued to push his food around with his fork.

"I'll, uh…be right back." Harry said as he got up and walked over to Ginny. Ron merely closed his eyes and breathed.

"Hey Ginny." Harry said as he sat down next to his red-haired angel.

"Hey." She looked at his worried expression. "What's wrong?"

Harry glanced over at Ron, who was sitting with his head in his hands, his eyes closed.

"I'm worried about Ron. You realize what day it is?"

Ginny also looked over at her brother.

"Yeah." She said sadly. "It's been one year hasn't it?"

Harry nodded. Ginny wrapped her arm around his neck.

"I'm sorry."

Harry leaned into her arm.

"It's alright. Ron's worse than I am. I think I'll walk with him when he goes to the stone."

"Alright. I'll probably be out there later." Ginny said, as she let go of him.

Harry stood up, kissed Ginny and walked over to Ron. He tapped his best friend on the shoulder and Ron stood up. Slowly they walked out of the Great Hall, catching no ones eye.

When they arrived at Hagrid's Hut, Ron walked behind his house and stopped at a large stone. The stone was smooth and white and around grew flowers. There were tulips, Sunflowers, daisies, and roses. Lots and lots of roses. By the stone was a jar filled with folded sheets of paper. Ron pulled a similar piece of paper out of his pocket, opened it, and read it to himself.

Dear Hermione,

Well, it's been a year now. I hope you're alive and well. It's not the same without you. I actually have to do my own work for once. I'm actually doing pretty well. (Amazing, isn't it?)There's no one to keep me and Harry out of trouble anymore, although, we don't get in to much now that your gone. Hagrid is doing well. He's here with Buckbeak, or Witherwings, or what ever the hell his name is. He's still teaching Care of Magical Creatures, and we're not doing Flobberworms anymore, which is good. Ginny is doing well. She and Harry are back together. She's still got Arnold, who is beginning to miss Crookshanks. Come to think of it, so am I. Harry's doing well. He still has Hedwig, and she's tried to send you letters, but I guess you never got them. I hope to see you soon.

Love you,

Ron

He re-folded the piece of paper and placed it in the jar. Sighing, he stood up and looked towards the forest. He saw the shortest glimpse of something running through the trees.

"Harry! Did you see that?"

Harry, who had been standing back, looked to where Ron's hand was pointing.

"See what?"

Ron saw it again.

"That!"

This time Harry saw it, a flash of brown, and a glimpse of brown, bushy hair.

Ron took half a step forward.

"Hermione?"

"Oi! Weasley!"

Ron turned at the sound of the drawling voice he hated so much. There, in front of him, stood Draco Malfoy.

"You know what day it is, Weasley?"

Ron was silent.

"One year, isn't it? One year since the Mudblood left you."

Still, Ron was silent.

Malfoy, unable to get a reaction from insulting Hermione, instead moved to hitting the Gryffindor at his weakest point.

"You know what Weasley? I don't think she ever really loved you. I don't think she loved you one bit!"

Malfoy couldn't finish taunting him, because an arrow, shot from the forest, landed right in front of him.

"What the…?"

"Don't you ever say that my lady never loved that man."

A man rode out of the forest on a white horse. His hair was the lightest blonde Ron had ever seen, and the sun shining off of it made it seem lighter. His eyes were the clearest, brightest blue, and his skin was pale. But the thing that struck the three boys was not his hair, not his eyes, not even his skin. It was his ears. They were pointed. This man was an elf.

Malfoy was so afraid of the man, that he ran away screaming, Crabbe and Goyle not far behind him.

"Cowardly boys." The elf muttered to himself.

He turned to Ron, who gulped, and smiled.

"You seem to be doing better than Elrond expected, without her."

A very familiar scream caused the elf's eyes to widen in confusion, and he turned his horse to the forest and prepared to run and help, but it was Ron's hushed whisper that stopped him.

"Hermione."

YAY!!!! First chapter! Tell me what you think.

Laters!

Mizu