Enough Said
It was the night, tomorrow was going to be the mass funeral of all the fallen. The decision had been made to have everyone buried alongside Dumbledore in the grounds of Hogwarts. The Weasleys had gone to bed leaving the two youngest members of the family and their partners sitting in the Common Room enjoying each others company. Hermione was sitting in front of Ron; he was brushing her mane of hair delighting at the freedom he now had to do this.
"What did you guys want to talk to your Mum and Dad about?" Harry asked.
"Nothing really. We just confirmed that we were now together and it wasn't just a fling. Then informed them of our intensions to share a bed when we get back to the Burrow." Ron said very blasé about the whole matter. Ginny laughed.
"Boy, I would have liked to be a fly on the wall when Mum hit the roof."
"Actually, she gave her consent as did you Dad." Both Ginny and Harry looked like they could be knocked down with a feather.
"What!! How did you manage that?"
"We were just honest with them. They said as we had been so mature about telling them the truth and that we BOTH were adults they would agree as long as we continued to behave maturely."
"Yeah that should last all of a week with you Ron." Ginny glared at her favourite brother. Hermione decided she was going to put a stop to this before it started into a huge fight. They had only just got back together as a family for goodness sake. Well most of them.
"Just stop it right now Ginny. You're just jealous that Molly and Arthur won't let you share a room with Harry. All you have to do is wait a couple of months until you turn seventeen then ask them but no you have to try and bait your brother. That just shows you haven't learned your lesson. The last time you did that you used something I had told you in confidence nearly doing in reputable damage to our relationship." Ginny looked on in shock. "Yes Gin, Ron told me what you said to him. At the time I was furious but with everything that has happened, I don't want to fight no more. Can we please just get on?"
"I'm sorry!" Ginny dived on the sofa and engulfed both Ron and Hermione on a hug. Ron looked over Ginny's shoulder at Harry.
"Come on mate, join in with the love-fest that's going on here!" Smiling Harry joined the three people he loved most in the world. Laughing and joking the four of them enjoyed the freedom they now had.
Sunset lit up the Burrow the following evening when everyone returned to the haven they all loved. The family gazed on their home from the orchard. It looked just the same as it always did, rickety as if it would fall down with a large gust of wind, it was home. Arthur Weasley took a large breath then began to organise his family.
"Okay troops, it looks good but don't let that deceive you. We don't know it was ransacked or not. There could be traps. We are going to have to check for dark magic room by room. Molly, Bill, Fleur and I will go in first. We'll do a sweep of the ground floor. When we shout clear I want Charlie and George, Ron and Hermione to sweep the attic, the top floor, then work your way down. Percy and Harry, you stay with Ginny and do a sweep of the third floor down. Ginny don't look at me like that you still have the trace on you, just stick with your brother and Harry or do I need to confiscate your wand till your birthday?" Ginny shook her head. "Any other problems? No. Good. When you have cleared a floor shout location and clear. Off we go."
Molly, Bill, Fleur and Arthur marched to the back door. Bill went first, casting a charm as he entered the house with the others following close behind. Harry looked around the group that remained outside waiting.
"George, can I ask you something?"
"Cause you can Harry? You know that. What is it?"
"Well, considering that it stands a good chance one of us here is going to be sweeping your room did you or Fred leave any surprises in there for unexpecting Death Eaters?"
"Emmmm. Let me think?"
"GEORGE. It's not the time to blow up half the house with one of your experiments!" Charlie glared at his younger sibling taking charge.
"Alright. God Charlie lighten up. There's just a few wards up that's all. It was all Fred's idea. If anyone who isn't a Weasley walks in there, they'll get painful boils all over their bodies and some especially painful ones in some very private areas."
"That's just great George. What is Harry, Hermione or Fleur going to do they're not Weasleys by blood. You idiot!" Ron looked furious. The vein in his neck looked like it was about to pop.
"Seriously I should be really offended that you underestimated us like that. Of course they won't be affected. Fleur married Bill so we made sure she was covered, we knew Harry would win so he's covered, and we knew eventually you would get your head out your ass so Hermione's covered as well." George looked at Harry and Hermione. "We both always considered you guys as family so would never had had it any other way. When you go in just say "pictus" and the wards will be lifted."
Just then they heard Bill announce clearly "All clear". They all scurried off to carry out their assignments.
Later that night Ron and Hermione were curled up together in bed. Ron was fidgeting. His old bed had been transfigured into a double bed so that Hermione could comfortably fit in as well as himself but he still couldn't get comfortable.
"We're going to have to burn these sheets. I can still feel the slime from the ghoul all over them."
"Just try to relax there's nothing on them. We've scourgified then twenty times." She leaned up and kissed him carefully.
"You're in a good mood. Is it because you're finally in bed with the man of your dreams?" Ron asked cheekily.
"Well … partly. It's what George said earlier about always considering me as family."
"You've always been part of my family, you always will be. The twins used to have a bet going on to see which of them could get the biggest rise out of you by break the rules in the most outrageous ways. They did it because they love, loved you. Sometimes I used to think they loved you and Harry more than me but then I realised that they were making such a fuss over you as they felt like they needed to make up for lost time. Neither of you had siblings so they felt they had to catch up with all the years you missed out on them teasing you."
"It feels really strange not having Harry here with us."
"He's fine Hermione. George will keep an eye on him and visa versa. It will be good all round. George will stop him from blaming himself for what happened and Harry will provide the companionship George needs."
"You're right. Now give us a kiss."
The next day saw a visit from Kingsley. He had come to speak to the trio. The four of them had gathered around the kitchen table discussing what was to be done about their many indiscretions while they had been on the hunt while the rest of the family made themselves busy elsewhere.
"So the dragon has been returned, all damage repaired, as long as next time you go to Gringotts you make a formal apology everything should be good."
"What about my parents? When can it be arranged for me to go get them?"
"I'm sorry Hermione you can't go."
"What! Why not? I told them I would come get them when it was all over that's why they let me alter their memories. Ohhh my god! Something has happened to them hasn't it? It wasn't enough and he found them."
"No, no Hermione they fine. It's just not safe for you to leave the country at the moment. There are still supporters of the Dark Lord out there in other countries and currently you three are on their most wanted list. I'm sorry. We've got some people from the Australian Ministry tracking them down. They should be back in a month at the latest."
Hermione stood up, screamed then ran as fast as she could up the stairs. A few seconds later her bedroom door could be heard slamming shut.
"Guys… Ron, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset her. Maybe I should try and talk to her."
"Seriously, you don't want to do that. I've been where you are now more times than I care to remember. She just needs to cool off a bit. Hermione has been so focused on the fact once everything was over she could get her parents. She needs to get her head round there's a change of plan."
After that Kingsley left. Ron went to check on Hermione. When he entered their room she was in the middle of a complete frenzy. There were hundreds of books open all around the room. She was obviously researching something but what he couldn't tell.
"Honey … Kingsley is just looking out for us. He wants us safe that's all."
"I know that Ronald. Now will you please leave me alone for a bit I've got work to do?"
"Under one condition, you'll eat some diner later; I'll even bring it up for you so you can continue working."
He had gone back downstairs to join Harry in a game of chess. He'd told Harry about what he had found when he'd gone to speak to his girlfriend, they both agreed to let her be for a while and if she wasn't better by the next day they would speak to her.
Slowly the rest of the family rejoined them in the house. At dinner time Ron made a plate up for Hermione along with his own and went up to their room to eat together.
He entered the room carefully. Thousands of pieces of parchment now joined the hundred of books scattered around the room.
"Mione, I've brought you some dinner."
"Thanks Ron." They sat together on the bed eating for a while.
"Honey, do you want to tell me what you're working on? You don't have to but you know I'm always interested in whatever is important to you."
"I want to but I'm scared. I'm scared that if I tell you, you won't love me anymore."
"That's ridiculous. Nothing will ever stop me loving you. You are the other half of me. I can't live without you."
"I came up here to blow off steam. I decided to do some reading to calm down. I'd been meaning to look into something ever since we went to Shell Cottage but hadn't had the chance. I've been researching the effects of the Cruciatus curse. I should have talked to you about this the other night, I was just so happy that the fighting was finally over and that we were together. It causes internal damage, with Neville's it damaged their brains but at Malfoy Manor Bellatrix targeted my stomach." Hermione began to sob. "She could have damaged my uterus. I might never be able to have children. Ron I'm so sorry. Please don't leave me."
Ron gathered her up in his arms, rocking her gently. She seemed so fragile as if she could be snapped like a twig.
"Hermione, please listen to me. I love you. I have since we were eleven. Nothing will ever change that. I love your spirit, your passion, your energy. I'm not going anywhere. At Malfoy's, all I could think about was that I had to get to you. I would rather have you alive and unable to have children than any other woman in the world that could have children. Yes I would love to have children with you but that is not the most important thing to me. You are. We could always adopt but we've got years before we need to consider that. I think all three of us need to go to St Mungo's tomorrow for a check up. I mean we all got pretty banged up in the last year and patched ourselves together maybe we should see a professional healer to check we're okay."
Hermione moved closer.
"I love you too. Thank you."
"Lie down. I'll get you some herbal tea to help you sleep then I'll read your notes."
"That sounds heavenly. Thank you for taking care of me."
"That's my job."
Picking up their empty plates Ron walked to the kitchen. The house was quiet as everyone had gone to bed. He hadn't realised they had been talking for so long.
When he returned to Hermione he stayed while she drank her tea and made sure she had gone to sleep before he gathered up her notes going back to the kitchen so he wouldn't disturb her.
He decided to put the kettle on and have his own cup of tea when his Mum appeared at the door way.
"Ron…is everything okay?"
"I'm not really sure Mum but hopefully it will be tomorrow."
"Do you want to talk about it? A problem shared is a problem halved, you know."
"Thanks Mum but it's quite a long story."
"Ronnie, don't you know I have all the time in the world for you. Sit down and I'll find us a proper drink. We'll see if we can sort it all out before dawn." Molly reached into one of the wall cupboard pulling out two glasses and a bottle of firewhiskey. She sat across the table from her youngest son pouring a generous measure into both glasses.
"What do you know about Horcruxes?"
"Not a lot. It takes extremely dark magic to do but they are objects that contain fragments of a person's soul. What on earth has that got to do with what's got you so upset?"
"Tom Riddle made seven. He was trying to make himself immortal. The diary that Ginny had that Harry destroyed was one. Dumbledore found another, Marvolo Gaunt's Ring, destroying it but not before it cursed him. Before he died he told Harry to find the others and destroy them as Riddle couldn't be stopped while they still existed. That was what the three of us were looking this last year." Molly gasped.
"After the attack at Bill's wedding we hid out at Grimmauld Place. With help from Kreacher, we found out that another horcrux, Salazar Slytherin's Locket, was stolen by Fletcher from Number 12 but he had already given away the amulet to Dolores Umbridge. We used Polyjuice Potion to impersonate three Ministry employees then infiltrate the Ministry and retrieved the Horcrux from Umbridge. When we were escaping I splinched away part of my upper arm and we had to go on the run because our hideout had been discovered. We decided to take turns wearing the locket to keep it safe. It was horrible Mum. Every time I wore it I felt worse. It made me feel so negative and suspicious. It made me doubt Hermione loved me, making me think she wanted to be with Harry instead. It made me do something that I'm not proud of…I left them Mum. I abandoned them. We had a huge fight and I left. As soon as I was away from the locket I regretted it but I couldn't find them again. I went to stop at Shell Cottage. I'm sorry I didn't come home, I just didn't want you to be disappointed in me."
"Ohh Ronnie." Molly refilled their glasses. She could tell there was a lot more to tell.
"So how did you find them?"
"With the deluminator Dumbledore left me. One night I was playing with it and I could hear them talking. I used it to guide me back to them. I found them just in time. Harry was trying to get Gryffindor's sword from a frozen lake. I managed to get him out before he drowned. I stabbed the locket with the sword. At first it showed me all my insecurities all over again, it was only Harry shouting that Hermione was his sister that gave me the strength to do it. Harry forgave me for leaving but it took a lot longer for Hermione to. What I didn't know was they had been attacked by Riddle and Nagini in Godric's Hollow, they could have died and I wasn't with them. After listening to a broadcast of Potterwatch one night, Harry accidentally broke the Taboo. We were captured by a gang of Snatchers led by Fenrir Greyback and taken to Malfoy Manor. Greyback took Harry and me to the dungeons where Dean, Luna and Ollivander were being held. Bellatrix tortured Hermione with repeated use of the Cruciatus Curse. It was the worse moment of my life; I could hear her screams and couldn't help her. Dobby came and saved us but not before he was hit with a knife in the chest. We went to Bill's where we recovered and buried Dobby. From there we broke into Gringotts with the help of a goblin called Griphook where we stole the next horcrux, Helga Hufflepuff's Cup. Harry had a vision as we were leaving Gringotts where Riddle said one of the horcruxes was at Hogwarts. That's when we arrived at Hogwarts and the battle started. During the battle we found Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem in the Room of Requirement. It was destroyed by a mishandled the Fiendfyre spell that Crabble cast. Hermione and I had entred the Chamber of Secret to retrieve some of the Basilisk's fangs. Hermione used one of them to destroy Hufflepuff's Cup. The next horcrux was Nagini which was destroyed when Neville killed her.
"That's only six horcruxes which is bad enough but you said there were seven."
"Riddle had only intended for there to be six but the night he killed the Potters he unintentionally created another. Harry. That's why he had visions. When Harry went into the forest Riddle destroyed it with the killing curse thinking he was killing Harry instead. By freely giving his life Harry did the same for us as Lily did for him, we were protected from harm. That's why Harry could finally defeat the Dark Lord."
"Oh, that poor boy. You've all been through so much. I couldn't be more proud of all of you. I know you've always felt inadequate compared to first your brothers then Harry but you have always made me the most proud Ron. You remind me so much of your father. Always choosing what's right not necessary what's easy. You didn't have to return to the hunt but you knew it was the right thing to do so you did it. Is this why Hermione is in a frazzle?"
"It started with Kingsley telling he she couldn't go get her parents herself because there are still prices on our heads but it evolved into her researching herself into a whirlwind about the side affects of being hit with the Cruciatus Curse. She thinks that she's now infertile and I won't love her if she can't give me children. Its complete rubbish, I could never leave her again. I've convinced her to get checked out at St Mungo's tomorrow so she will know if she's okay or not. Harry and I could do with being checked out anyway. We patched ourselves up this last year and should probably see if there's any lasting damage."
"You'll work it out Ronnie. Just keep showing her that you love her."
"Thanks Mum. I'm going to try and get some sleep."
"Good night."
Ron turned just before he started climbing the stairs.
"Mum, I love you."