A/N: I am not, nor have I ever been J.K. Rowling. With that said, I want you guys to know that I don't know what I'm doing with this. I like the way it is so far, but I don't know where to go with it after the battle. I was thinking about a story that uses a bunch of headcanons from tumblr and Pinterest? Anyways, penny for your thoughts, REVIEW, and I hope you like this little chapter.

Hermione looked at Harry, tears in her eyes. She started to sit up, Harry and Ron jumping to keep her lying down so not to aggravate her wounds. She quickly wrapped her arms around both of them, and they hugged her back. The three of them would make it through this, they had to.

"I love you both," she said, "so much."

"We love you too Hermione." The boys spoke in unison, and they all hugged each other tighter. That was all they needed. They each supported each other, taking support from the other two, keeping each other strong.

*EARLY MORNING, THE NEXT DAY*

Hermione walked down the creaky wooden steps of Shell Cottage, using the railing to keep herself steady. At the last step, Hermione paused and took a deep breath. She knew the boys were going to argue with her, tell her to go lay down, not to wear herself out. But damn if she was going to spend one more bloody minute in that god forsaken bed. She was Hermione Granger! She had survived worse… right?

The second she stepped through the doors of the tiny, rustic kitchen, there were two sets of arms supporting her, and at least three other people rushing to her side.

"Oh, honestly!" Hermione cried, exasperated. "I am perfectly capable of making myself a cup of tea!"

"Hermione-"

"Yes Ronald, I know I'm still healing, I know I've been through a terrible ordeal and all of that, but please, Ron, if I don't do something other than sleep and eat, I'm going to scream!" Hermione huffed, pushing around Ron and Harry to reach the stove. She hated the feeling of being watched. It set her teeth on edge. She was already paranoid enough, they were in a war for goodness sake!

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you." Ron whispered. Harry nodded and reached to hand Hermione the teapot from a tall cabinet.

Hermione completely ignored him. "Fleur, where do you keep the teacups?" The half vela looked nervously at the trio, unsure if she was the only one aware of the tension in the room.

"They're in the cabinet just to your right. Yes, that's the one." She said, before working around Ron and Harry to pass Hermione the sugar bowl.

"Thank you. And thank you for letting us stay in your home." Hermione said, looking up at her. She then turned to address the entire room, including Bill, Dean, and Luna, who had been sitting in silence until this point. "I'm sorry to ask this of all of you, but could you give Ron, Harry and I a moment?"

After they had all filed out of the room, Fleur checking on Mr. Ollivander while the other three went into various rooms in the house, Hermione turned to the boys. "You know we can't stay here another night."

Harry took a weary step forward, eyeing the witch in front of him. "I know that, but… and I know you don't want to hear this, but you don't need to keep on fighting, Hermione. No! Let me finish. Please. You've done so much already, you've been fighting since day one. No one would think badly of you if you stayed here."

"Harry's right, Hermione." Ron said, stepping around the Boy-Who-Lived. "You don't need to put yourself in that situation again."

"I know," Hermione said quietly, taking a seat with her tea in hand, "that I don't need to fight. I understand that, I really do. But I never needed to go after the Sorcerer's Stone, I never needed to spend all those years fighting. Hell, I never needed to come to Hogwarts in the first place! I could've stayed home, gone to muggle school, never knowing the true… horrors of the magical world. But I chose to get on that train, and I chose to stay by both of you through it all." Hermione looked up from the table to look into Ron's eyes. "This war needs me, not the other way around. And I want to end this war. I want this word," she cast a look to her bandaged arm, "to be forgotten. Shunned, like it should've been long before I received that letter seven years ago." Here Hermione stood from the table, and dumped her untouched cup in the sink. Bracing her arms on the counter, Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I'm coming with you. And wherever we're going, we need to go today."