Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Characters are pure JKR ... I'm just playing around with them. The plot, is mine. "I Turn to You" is by Christina Aguilera, off of her first album.

'Ships: Ron/Hermione, Ginny/Neville, Harry/Luna

A/N: One shot. I like it though :) One of my favorite songs. Character death in here too, just so you know, and 'Phoenix' spoilers. If you read, please review. It only takes a minute :)

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When I'm lost in the rain
In your eyes I know
I'll find the light to find my way

"Ron!" Hermione called out into the deserted street. "Ron, where are you?"

She was standing outside of the building that she lived in with her fiancé, Ronald Weasley. It was pouring rain, and Ron still hadn't returned from his trip across town to the Burrow, where his parents, Molly and Arthur, lived. She had been at work, sitting at her desks translating ancient Arithmantic texts when his owl had arrived - He was going to walk over to help Dad with a leak in the roof. That was hours ago, and it had begun pouring a short while after she'd sent the return owl.

"Oh, Ron," Hermione sighed. "Please come home to me, please," she whispered, looking up into the sky, silently praying to God that he would come home to her. Voldemort and his Death Eaters had risen again, after another defeat at the Ministry, and the members of the Order of the Phoenix had to be extra careful. She was worried sick about her husband-to-be; why hadn't she insisted she take the car? He could have Apparated home by now ... No, that wasn't true, he couldn't apparate home. The area around their building had been protected with anti-Apparation wards to help keep them safe. She paced the porch, wondering what on earth could have kept him so long; soaking wet the entire time.

"Hermione? Hermione, love, what are you doing out here?" Ron nearly shouted as he got out of Harry's old Thunderbird. "How long have you been out here?"

"Oh Ronald! I've been worried sick," she said, running to him and hugging him. "Where have you been?"

"Let's just go inside, Hermione, I've got something to tell you. Come on," he said gently as he led her inside the building up to their small, 4 room flat.

When I'm scared, losing ground
When my world is going crazy
You can turn it all around
And when I'm down you're there
Pushing me to the top
You're always there giving me all you've got

They came into their home and Ron summoned towels ["Accio!"] while Hermione sat on the couch, nearly in tears.

"Oh Ron, I was so scared," she cried, sobbing into his chest. "I thought they had taken you, and, oh, God, I thought I might never see you again."

"It's alright, love, I'm here, I'm safe here with you now," he said softly, stroking her hair as he kissed her on the forehead. "Everything's going to be alright," he reassured her.

"Yes, yes, you're right," she said, looking up into his eyes. "I was silly to worry, you were just over Mom and Dad's, fixing their roof," she said and he grimaced. "What? You weren't over---" she suddenly put it together and stood up."Ronald Weasley you lied to me!" she nearly shouted.

"Hush, honey, I only did it to protect you," he said, standing up [at an extremely tall six foot two]. "There was an attack at the Longbottom's, and they needed help."

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have come with you," she interjected. "I'm a part of the Order too!"

"They were looking for you, Hermione," he said and her angry tone disappeared.

"What? They couldn't have been," she said, confused. "I'm not going over Ginny's until tomorrow."

"Yes, but you only changed plans this morning, love."

"Then how? How did they know? And why? Why do they want me?"

"We don't know, yet," Ron said, opening his arms to her, pulling her into a hug. "But I just couldn't tell you; I couldn't risk you dying, not now."

"Yes, I understand," she said, "but I don't like you fighting without me there."

"I know, I don't like it either, but I had to. I had no other choice."

"Yes, I guess so. Who else was there?" Hermione asked. Ron's gaze dropped to the ground, exactly the same way it did when someone died. "Ron, who else was there?" she asked again, after he was silent for a few moments, pulling away from him and looking at him.

"Charlie. It was Charlie this time," he said, picking up his head to look at her.

"Oh God, Charlie." Hermione sat down on their couch, only-half aware of her surroundings. "It's my fault," she said in a monotone. "I'm the reason he's dead."

When I lose the will to win
I just reach for you
And I can reach the sky again
I can do anything
'Cause your love is so amazing
'Cause your love inspires me

Hermione was dressed in a long, sleeveless floor-length black gown with a black shawl draped over her shoulders. Her usual bright, shining young face was replaced by a sad, mournful, seemingly older woman. Next to her was the same Ronald Weasley she'd known since she was 11; trying to make her happy. Living to make her happy.

But somehow that day Ron just wasn't able to lift Hermione's spirits. It was the day of Charlie Weasley's funeral; April 15th. He had been murdered by Lucius Malfoy, but he was not the first to have died in the war. First was Percy Weasley, then Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Seamus Finnegan, Padma Patil, as well as other numerous wizards fighting for the Order. Draco Malfoy had also been tortured before being brutally murdered after he had refused to become a Death Eater and follow in his father's footsteps. They had all died at the hands of a Death Eater within the past eight months.

"I can't do this, Ron, I can't keep living while all these people are dying," Hermione said unsteadily, stopping before she entered the funeral parlor. "First Percy, Seamus, Malfoy, Padma ... Not to mention Cedric and Sirius ... How do I know you or ... Harry or Luna or ... Ginny or Neville won't be next? We just can't win, Ron. How can we possibly win?" She began crying; sobbing softly into Ron's chest, just like she had the night Charlie died.

"By not giving up, Hermione," said Ron soothingly, pulling her into a hug. "You've got to remember that they died for a cause. They died so that we could keep living, so that we wouldn't stop fighting Voldemort." He paused and pulled away from her, wiping the tears from her pretty brown eyes. "You've got to be strong, Hermione. We've all got to be strong, and not give up hope."

She swallowed and nodded. "Yes," she said, looking up into his eyes. "I'm being silly," she said, wiping another tear from her face as it rolled down her cheek. "What would I do without you, Ron?" she asked before kissing him softly.

"You'd do the same thing everyone else does," he replied, pulling away to take her hand and lead her inside the parlor to the room where Charlie's service would be held. "Run to Harry and bother him with it." Hermione's face broke once more into a smile as they sat down next to Harry and Luna, waiting for the Dumbledore to begin.

"Charlie Weasley was not simply an ordinary man. He was extraordinary, in more ..."

For a shield from the storm
For a friend
For a love to keep me safe and warm
I turn to you
For the strength to be strong
For the will to carry on
For everything you do
For everything that's true
I turn to you

fin