Chapter 1:

The silence seeped through the cracks in the walls and the piles of rubble that had once made up the most magnificent castle she had ever seen. The silence was eerie, like a stark reminder of all that had been lost, a sudden contrast to the loud battle cries that had flooded the castle only hours before. The tumbled pillars and broken staircases, the dust that still filled the air and the stench of sweat and blood, all mixed together to form a horrifying memento of the event which had just occurred.

Then again she thought, as the dust began to fill her chest and make her splutter, it wasn't as bad as what she had just left behind. The great hall. Once filled with laughter and happy memories, would now and forever, be associated with the rows upon rows of dead. Those she had known and those she had not, either way it was terrible. And the tears. The loud sobbing of the friends, the families. She couldn't face it anymore, she had to leave.

And leave she did. Out of the battered great hall, and into the crumbling entrance hall. Up the staircases, past blood stains and rubble, past wand blasts and the occasional small fire that still blazed here and there. But she just kept walking and walking and walking, keeping her mind blank the whole while so as not to allow the deluge of horror that she felt in the pit of her belly, to grow and to spread. So as not to let in the memories...

But then it happened. Just as she turned a corner into an unlit corridor and took in the sight of the rubble that lay across the passage and the charred hole in the right hand wall. Fred. It hit her at once. Fred was gone, and this was where he died. She had just left his body, just five minutes before, surrounded by his family. Mrs Weasley, weeping into the soaking wet shoulder of Mr Weasley, clinging to him as their world shattered. Bill, who had a tight hold of Fleur. Percy standing with Charlie, both trying to be strong, if only for their mother and little sister, who clung to Harry's arm with silent tears rolling down her face. And George, who knelt by his twins head, his face contorted in grief as he stared at the shockingly red hair of his dead brother, but not crying, never crying. Then Ron, Ron whom she was now certain she loved. The pain in his pale blue eyes, the scratches that adorned his face and the dirt that stretched from head to foot. Ron.

She turned quickly and hurried to the nearest staircase and there she sat as she waited for her chest to stop pounding and the dizziness in her head to slow. She had nearly lost him. Just when she realised how much he meant to her, she nearly lost him. It could have been him crushed by that wall, blasted by that explosion, he was so close when it happened. She began to sob her shoulders shaking violently. She sobbed for everyone, Fred, Tonks, Lupin, even Collin.

'Monie?'

She looked up and there he was. The tall, gangly red headed man now covered in so many bruises and so must dust that it was almost impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. He looked terrible, but then again, she probably did too. But he was alive and that was all that mattered.

Ron sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms. He smelt like sweat, blood and that familiar, comforting Ron smell that he had somehow managed to maintain even though he hadn't washed in days. They stayed like that for some time, Hermione curled into his lap as he gently stroked her hair, both of them gently crying, taking comfort in each other's presence.

'We should get some sleep.' Ron finally spoke

Hermione nodded starting to stand. Then she paused. Where were they going to sleep? She wasn't going to pitch the tent on the sweeping grounds of Hogwarts, not on the battle field. The Room of Requirement was destroyed, Crabbe had seen to that. But now Ron was standing too and he reached out for her hand and began to lead her up the staircase.

'Everyone's in Gryffindor tower.' He said 'no-one wanted to go home and their all exhausted.'

They slowly began to wind their way up to Gryffindor tower, it was slow going, as they had to scramble over fallen rocks and take a detour or two because of the destroyed staircases. When they reached the portrait of the fat lady she simply swung open.

'No need to worry about the password tonight.' She said to them solemnly as they clambered through the hole her portrait had reviled.

Gryffindor common room was mostly unchanged. The walls still bore the same scarlet and gold banners. There were still desks pushed up against the windows of the circular room and the comfortable sofas and armchairs still crowded round the roaring fire that sat in the grate. It was bizarre, to enter this room, still so cosy and perfect after the dark, dusty wreck that was the corridors of Hogwarts.

Mr and Mrs Weasley were lying together on the sofa, they could still hear Mrs Weasley's weeping but Arthur looked up as they entered the room. His face was worn and the tear tracks were evident on his cheeks while his eyes were puffy and red.

'Go get some sleep you two.' He said quietly

Hermione grasped Ron's hand tightly as they made their way over to the doors that would lead them to their separate dormitories.

'Ron.' She whispered 'I don't want to be alone tonight.'

'Me neither Mione.' He whispered back clutching her hand even tighter.

They looked at each other, she saw the fear and desperation in his eyes and led him over to the door to the boys dormitories. She pulled it open and led him up the stairs into the 7th year boys dormitories. She was surprised to find it empty. Harry must be with Ginny and Neville might have gone home, but she thought this unlikely, he was probably still down in the great hall, helping anyone who needed it. It was funny, Hermione thought, that the small chubby forgetful boy who carried around a toad for most of the years she had known him, had become such a warrior, so brave and determined, such a leader. They had all changed since first year though. She no longer had rabbit teeth, studying wasn't her everything and she had friends, best friends and a... what was Ron? Her boyfriend? Maybe. But now wasn't the time to work out these things. Instead, she pulled Ron over to his bed and sat down on the edge.

Ron half smiled. Pulled off his shoes, pulled back the bed covers, and watched as Hermione tugged her ripped jumper over her head and hauled off her shoes. She then turned around and snuggled under the bedclothes herself. He held her tightly to him, kissed her lightly on the forehead and slowly drifted to sleep.