Everyone was gathered in the living room - Ron and Harry were about to leave for their 2 month 'mission'. Hermione was holding Ron in what seemed to be an ever-lasting hug. "Be careful, Ron. I love you and I'd never want to lose you." She wrapped her arms even tighter around him.
"I will be, 'Mione. Harry can always look after me." The entire room laughed. "Make sure you look after yourself, now. Don't miss me too much, and make sure you don't work too hard." Ron squeezed Hermione with a huge hug. He let go and picked up his suitcase. "Thanks for putting that undetectable extension charm thing on it, 'Mione. You're the best." Hermione smiled, and watched Harry and Ginny say their goodbyes to each other. Ginny had been crying pretty much all day, no one even heard a peep out of her.
"Ready, Ron?" Harry walked over to Ron.
"I think so. Ready as I'll ever be." Harry nodded, and the two apparated out of The Burrow. As soon as they left, the house felt so empty. Ginny and Hermione stood next to each other in silence, feeling each other's pain.
"We'll be alright, Gin." Hermione looked over at Ginny, who still had tears pouring out of her eyes.
"Yes we will, Hermione. We'll be fine." She smiled, and went back upstairs to 'hibernate' in her room.
The next few days were all a blur to Hermione. With no Ron around, nothing was the same - and it didn't feel like it ever would be. Hermione never knew what to do with herself. She'd talk to George, she'd talk to Mr & Mrs Weasley, and she'd talk to Ginny... it felt like Ginny was the only person she could trust and confide in with Ron gone. Most of the time, Hermione was so distracted that she couldn't focus on a book. So instead, she'd lay in her bed for days at a time. Both her and Ginny practically lived in their rooms - much to the dislike of Mrs Weasley.
It had been 4 days since Ron left - Hermione couldn't concentrate on anything. She slapped her book shut and threw it next to her on the bed. She stood up and crossed another day off the calendar. "57 days to go." she sighed to herself and lolloped back to her bed. Hermione looked up at the ceiling. "I miss you." She whispered, as if talking to the ceiling was any different than talking to the wall to her left or the wardrobe in front of her. She rolled onto her front and buried her face into the pillow, letting her tears pour out. There was a soft knock at the door. Hermione sat up , wiped her eyes as best she could and pretended to be reading. "Come in." she yelled. Ginny walked into the room and shut the door softly behind her. Her face was just as red and wet as Hermione's.
"I heard you crying." Ginny sat down on the end of the bed. "I thought I'd come and keep you company." Hermione put her book down and stopped pretending that everything was okay. Once again, she burst into a waterfall of tears.
"I just don't know what to do, Ginny!" Hermione sobbed.
"I know he's only gone away for work but still! I can't focus on anything, and I can't bring him back - I'm stuck like this for the next two months." Hermione didn't hold anything back, letting it all pour out of her. Ginny rubbed Hermione's back in an attempt to comfort, which Ginny found it difficult to do because she was going through exactly the same as what Hermione was. "We'll pull through, Hermione. Remember? That's what you said." Ginny sniffed and let the tears roll down her rosy cheeks.
"I know I said that, but now I know that's not true."
"When they come back, you'll wish they'd stayed away for longer. You'll get used to things, we both will." Ginny pulled Hermione into a friendly hug, and the two cried together. "How about we start on some wedding plans? Maybe that'll take our minds off of things."
"Sounds good to me." Hermione nodded, and the two girls walked downstairs to start planning a wedding.
Hermione and Ginny sat around the table, facing each other. They each had a notepad and several muggle 'leaflets'. "So," Ginny picked up her pen. "Muggle or wizard?" Hermione thought for a moment.
"Wow, well that's the biggest decision of all. Could we do a half and half? Maybe the ceremony could be muggle and the reception could be wizard."
"Yeah," Ginny started taking notes. "I think that's what Ron would want."
"This is so exciting, Ginny!" Hermione squealed with excitement. "I can't wait!"
"I know - me either! Now you just have to spend a lot of time and money, then it'll be your special day." Ginny chuckled. "So, I'm guessing we're having the reception here? There shouldn't be any Death Eaters to gate-crash this time."
"Well I'd hope not! And yeah, that sounds good." Hermione scribbled down a few things, then continued to doodle hearts on her page. "We'll have to be careful, though. Most of my family don't know about wizardry - just mum and dad I think."
"That's a good point..." Ginny paused in thought. "Mum'll take care of that." Ginny jotted down some more words. "Food, then."
"Hmm..." Hermione looked around the room in hope of inspiration. "Lots. Ron would want lots. Maybe just a good old Hogwarts-style feast, we can find ways of hiding the magic."
"Sounds good to me! When were you thinking of having this, by the way?"
"Well, it's the middle of October, Ron and Harry come back just before Christmas..." Hermione looked out the window at the autumn leaves littering the floor. "I think June. It isn't much time, but we don't need much, right?"
"Well, Hermione, weddings usually take ages to plan..."
Hermione sighed. "I suppose. In that case I can't really say 'when' until Ron's back."
"Okay. Fair enough." Ginny glanced at her watch. "I have Quidditch practice in two hours, I should really get going. Sorry, Hermione." Ginny stood up and grabbed her jacket, apparating almost instantly. Hermione read over her scribbles.
"This is going to be difficult without Ron." She whispered to herself.
