Chapter 2:
"What's wrong?" Ron said, standing up with a worried look on his face.
"Uh, you know what? Never mind, thanks anyway." She said with a small smile that was clearly forced.
"Hermione, really, what's wrong?" He started walking towards her, grabbing her wrist gently.
"It's- it's stupid… really." She started to lightly tug her arm away from his grip, not actually wanting him to let go.
"I honestly doubt that." He said with a reassuring smile. He started walking back toward the couch, gently pulling her with him.
She sighed. "It's just… I- I feel like I am intruding being here." Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back.
Ron gaped at her. "How could you possibl-"
"It's been so long since I've been here, and I can tell Ginny misses having her room without me and Luna in there. No matter how much she says she doesn't"
Ron put his hand on top of hers. "Hermione, you have no reason to feel this way. We all love you being here. Even Fred and George enjoy you here. Just um- ignore the constant pranks they play on you. They do that to everyone."
Hermione flipped her hand over and wrapped her hand around his to where their palms were touching. They didn't intertwine their fingers, they were both scared of that much intimacy.
"Thank you..." Hermione said in a whisper. "But, I'm also afraid that since I'm here, I'm growing apart from my parents. They're the only family I have."
"No they aren't Hermione, that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard you say, and I never thought I would hear anything dumb come out of your mouth." Hermione looked at him in a scowl, clearly not understanding what he meant, only catching the fact that he said that she said something dumb.
"What I mean IS, we are your family, Harry, Ginny and I." He squeezed her hand slightly. "You know that."
"I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm so emotional, I don't even understand why I feel this way." A tear that she was holding back slipped out and rolled down her cheek. "I didn't feel this way when I spent Christmas here in 3rd year. I don't get it..." More tears slipped out.
"Hermione, you aren't in any way unwelcome here. You are just stressed from the war, you are putting thoughts in your mind, and everyone is going to be fine. Okay?" He said with a smile. "Here." He said as he stood up and pulled her into a hug. She cried into his sweater with her arms wrapped up and over his shoulders. He hugged her close from around her waist and let her cry.
"Thank you, I'm sorry." She managed through choked sobs.
"There is no reason to be sorry, we are all stressed, shhhhhh." He reassured her, he gathered every ounce of courage he had and brought one hand up from his waist to stroke her hair. He was in total shock when she didn't stop him, she didn't even seem to notice.
Her crying slowed and she removed her face from his chest and stepped back. Ron reluctantly released his hands from around her waist.
Her face was red and tear-stained. She still looked beautiful. She smiled a small smile at him before speaking.
"Thank you Ron, really. I appreciate it. You're a really great friend." She hugged him one last time before walking toward the stairs. "Goodnight Ron." She smiled at him one last time before turning around.
"Goodnight 'Mione." He said quietly, knowing full well that she couldn't hear him.
"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way…" He said in a sing-song voice that was barely audible turning toward the fire.
A/N: OMGGG Thank you so much for reading my second chapter! I know it was a little boring, but I needed a chapter explaining how Hermione feels about staying at the burrow this Christmas. I will make the next chapter more exciting! So stay tuned, it will be released tomorrow (Tuesday, June 27). I hope your beautiful faces have a wonderful day/night 3!
