ALL WAS WELL

CHAPTER 2: First step of the Staircase

Rated K+

English

Family, Hurt/Comfort

Ron, Ginny

Words: 2178

Ron Weasley was tired. It's been 6 weeks since the final battle and You-Kn… Voldemort's death. He sighed. His best friend defeated the darkest wizard of the century and he still has difficulty saying that bloody name. Shaking those thoughts out of his mind, he resumed straightening up the paddock.

After the battle, Kingsley who had been named the interim Minister decided for everyone from the Order to take shelter in Hogwarts until the situation outside is stabilized. Yo-Voldemort may have been dead but damage control was yet to be done. So groups have been divided and tasks were assigned accordingly. Kingsley and Ron's Dad and Percy took a team of members of the Order and Ministry to flush out the Death Eaters from the Ministry. Ron, his other brothers and their friends were busy doing damage control Diagon Alley, St. Mungo's and other such public places which took the wrath of the war. Professor Flitwick, Hermione and other muggle-borns were trying to contact other muggle-borns and tried to bring them out of hiding. Ginny, Neville and rest of the DA were busy cleaning up and restoring castle and Hogsmeade to its former glory while the teachers took the responsibility of the funerals and to inform the families about their losses. Harry, on the other hand, was trying to cope with the fact that no one wanted to kill him.

It was a very busy month. Especially after a year of wandering around and treasure hunt. Everyone would do their given jobs in the day time, returned exhausted to death, spent the evening with friends and family talking about their day and then retire to their selected common rooms or chambers. It was tiring as hell but also helped them cope with grief, guilt and losses.

Everyone agreed not to stress Harry with the restoration but Ginny called them idiots if they thought he would merely sit aside. Then it was decided to let Harry help Bill and Fleur to deal with the goblins. It wasn't a very hard job, Hermione said to him one day, the goblins supported the wrong side and paid for it. But they were also very stubborn and would not easily let the Wizards off the hook. It was nothing life threatening, she concluded, but messy enough for it to take a long time and keep Harry busy.

She was right, again, but underestimated Harry. It took him merely a week to resolve the matter with goblins. With Kingsley and McGonagall's permission, he handed the Founders' Relics, all of which were made by goblins, to be displayed in the Gringotts Main Hall, protected by wizarding enchantments. Then the goblins agreed to work with the ministry again and let them access the money. With the access to vaults, the Ministry seized the money of the vanquished Death Eater families like the Lestranges for the stabilization of the MoM, restoration and other charitable work in both Muggle and wizarding worlds. It sped up the restoration so fast that within two weeks, the Wizarding World was proclaimed safe enough for the refugees to come out and the official end of the Wizarding War was declared. That was when the Weasleys returned to the burrow.

The sight of their beloved house in shambles was heartbreaking but the devastated look on his parents' face, Ron can never forget. Hence they were now picking up pieces of the shambles and forming a home around them. Ron, Bill, Charlie and Harry were the only ones who worked daily. Percy and Dad were still busy with the Ministry and Fleur had fallen sick all of a sudden so Mum was taking care of her and feeding the rest. Ginny helped but also assisted Luna and Neville as their homes were destroyed too.

Today she was here, but Harry wasn't. He was overseeing the construction and cleaning of Grimmauld Place. Ron didn't know what was going on with those two. They were together and not. They always sat together, sought each other out, trailed each other with their eyes but never did any of the… couple stuff. No hand holding or kissing and stuff… Not that Ron ever wanted to see that.

While things between Harry and Ginny were a bit complicated, he and Hermione couldn't be more wonderful. He didn't wanna sound like a sap but Hermione had been a silver lining for him since the battle. And to think he thought it would be awkward between them. Well, it kinda was but once both of them stopped overthinking it. And then it was just wow. Now he wanted the same for his best friend and sister because if they don't work it out things will be complicated around and he had enough complications to last a lifetime… so had they.

He sat down in the shade and rubbed the back of his neck. He missed Hermione. She was now busy trying to work and learn everything about memory charms from the Unspeakables to bring back her parents. As soon as Kingsley declared the war over, Hermione had only one major priority, i.e. bringing back her parents. Ron has been as supportive as he could but more time the procedures took, more freaked Hermione got. Apparently, deleting memories is easier than restoring them. It has a lot of stuff which basically flew over his head. He still had to talk to his parents about leaving with Hermione to Australia. He really wasn't looking forward to that. Nor he is looking forward to the talk he had to do now.

Taking a deep breath, he walked towards the shed. Ginny was on her toes, struggling to put something on the top shelf. He lightly chuckled to himself. She jumped, startled.

"Ron, Merlin you scared me." She panted clutching her chest, she did love to exaggerate sometimes. "what are you doing here? Done with the paddock already?"

"Nah. I am just taking a break. You should too, you have been up since the morning." He whipped out his wand and levitated it on top of the shelf. He turned towards her and blew the tip of his wand. (Hermione had been showing him muggle films.)

"I hate you." See, an exaggerator. "Just two months now, then I could do magic too. Enjoy your showing off while you can." She resumed her work of clearing the mess. Since she was the only one who took Muggle Studies, Mum thought it would be best if she cleaned Dad's shed for him.

"Actually I… wanted to talk to you, but you're busy… I'll … I'll just go and …urm…go." He Mumbled out, turning to go. Ginny stared at him, noticing his nervous tone.

"Ron, wait up. I'm gonna take a break. Come on, I got some lemonade. Mum did a cooling charm on them." She said, grabbing two bottles of lemonade from the table and giving one to Ron and dropped down with her back against the wall, in Indian style. Ron sat up next to her, taking a long sip of the drink. Ginny was staring ahead, silently drinking.

"last year, when we were gone, we had to some… things to make sure You-… V…Voldemort dies. It was kinda cursed and…"

"Horcrux." She smirked because she knew without looking that Ron must be gaping at her. "why do you keep forgetting I'm friends with Harry and Hermione too? I know you guys were hunting Horcruxes like the diary."

"Wait, so, you know everything about last year. The hunt. Horcruxes. Living in the tent. Everything."

"un-uh, yeah, yup, yes."

"Sooo, you know about the … thing … that I did, then, and what happened and what I did and all of that." Is it possible for his Mum's lemonade to taste so choking?

"yes, Ronald. I know. And Mum and Dad know. And Percy knows. And George knows. And Charlie knows. Yeah, we all know."

"How… wha… how… did you know? I thought Harry and Hermione never said anything to anyone."

"They didn't. Bill told Mum and dad, and George overheard them and he told Percy and Charlie heard them."

"Okay so everyone knows. Uhh." He swallowed another mouthful of his drink which seemed to get thicker and thicker by the second. "So, you wanna say something, no one said anything. I mean, are you mad at me or… Will you look at me?"

"What do you want me to say, Ron?" She faced him and her voice borderline yelling. "That I'm disappointed in you, That I'm mad at you or that it wasn't your fault and it's okay. Because frankly, I can't say any of those. You were stupid, but you always have been an idiot. Am I disappointed? Maybe a bit but frankly you, no, everyone was going through rough. It was a war and you guys were like fugitives. And no matter what you guys have been through, you were… seventeen. To crack under that pressure, it's not fine but it's okay… expected. Yes, you abandoned your best friends in difficult times but you are influenced by the darkest object belonging to the darkest wizard of the century. I wouldn't have tried to kill half of the school if it weren't for the diary. I'm not saying you were completely innocent because it was your fault, you did make mistakes. But nothing will, nothing can change what happened. So you get your head out of your arse and move on."

With that, she finished her drink, stood up and picked up the rag cloth and started cleaning. Ron, on the other hand, had yet to move. He honestly didn't know what to expect but this wasn't it. But it really wasn't he wanted to ask her.

"But you were just eleven and I was seventeen…"

She cut him off before he could say anything. "I was nervous about starting in a school, you were helping to defeat a dark lord. But you're right. I'm better at resisting possessions, you can run faster with your 5 feet long legs. We all have our strengths and weaknesses."

"How did you … move on? After the chambers. How did you get over it?" Her hand stilled. "I always feel so… guilty. Whenever I'm around Harry or Hermione, they trust me. Even after everything they trust me. And our family, they're proud of me. That's what I always wanted for them to be proud of me. So why does it feel like I don't deserve it? Their trust, respect, I feel like crap like I cheated or something. When does it get better, Ginny? When do I stop feeling guilty? When will I forget it"

"you don't. it was a part of your life, Ron. Dark, but an important and life-changing part of your life. You never forget it, because it made you what you are right now. But eventually, memories fade out, the guilt lessens, you focus on other stuff. It's never gone. It just becomes a part of your past, an important lesson to never forget."

Ron nodded. He suddenly realized something and abruptly stood up. He walked towards the door and stopped.

"I'm sorry." Ginny turned, her face puzzled. "not for the talk or leaving. I mean I am sorry I left but that's not I was saying." He stopped his ramble and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for being such a lousy brother. You were eleven and my lil' sister. I should have been though more… nice. And later, you went through a scary and life changing experience and I never gave a damn. You were going through so much and I just ignored you all over again. Fighting over cats and rats instead of talking to my sister. I know I'm not your favourite brother, I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'll do better. I'll try to be a better person, a better brother. And I'm sorry I never tried before. So yeah. I'm sorry."

With a red face and ears, Ron tried to duck out when he heard Ginny call his name. He turned but avoided looking at her.

"You are not a lousy brother. Lazy, definitely, but not lousy. And you do deserve everyone trust and respect, even mine. You feel like it or not, but you earned it. Do enjoy it." she said with a bright smile. Then she threw a plug at him. "Now get out. Just 'cause I'm proud of you doesn't mean you don't have chores to do. I bet I can finish this before your lazy self can do yours."

"5 chocolate frogs. You're on, midget." He ran away before she could throw another plug at him.

Damn, Hermione was right again, he does feel lighter after the whole talking thing.

Well, he will just tell her thanks by his way. He grinned.

AN: Hey. I'm back. Sorry for the delay, but exams had to come first.

Anyway what do you think of it? Ron and Ginny bonding over their horcrux experience. Just something I noticed none of the after battle fics have. I hope you like it.

There's a new 'What if' situation on my bio. Check it out and give your answers as reviews.

Echo