The room was warm, the sun was shining, a little breeze was coming through the window. Harry lay in the bed beside Ron, fast asleep, a small smile forged on his face, he was obviously having a good dream.

Ron lay still contemplating everything, his eyes staring down at Hermione, who was lying on his chest fast asleep, her fingers still gripping his shirt, her legs still snaked around his. All was well. She looked happier than usual, and was wearing a smile that matched Harry's, it was as if something had changed during the night. His eyes remained glued to her as his mind wandered, thinking about the letters he had sent, the enquiries he had made, the chat he had with Kreacher, all of his thoughts landing on Fred, who he would never see smile or laugh or breath again. The funeral would be in a few days' time, he couldn't stand the thought of putting him in the ground forever, it was too horrible to imagine.

"Good morning." Hermione said her brown eyes staring into his blue ones, the smile she wore in her sleep, broadening now she was awake.

"Morning." Ron answered slowly drifting out of his thoughts.

"Did you sleep well?" Hermione asked making no attempt to sit up, her head still tilted she could watch Ron's face as she spoke.

"Yeah. You?"

"Amazingly so." Hermione replied thinking of the conversation they had had whilst Ron was sleeping, his mutterings making her heart explode inside of her chest.

"How do you always look so beautiful?" Ron asked, his glazed eyes now sharp and focussed on Hermione, who blushed and looked down without replying.

"I.. uh.. thanks." Hermione muttered, raising her eyes again, the pinkish tinge still in her cheeks, the smile still shining out of her eyes.

"Hermione." Ron said quietly not taking his eyes of her.

Hermione fell silent, sensing a strong wave of déjà vu washing over her, forcing her smile to widen, her mouth almost hurting from smiling so much. The room seemed exponentially brighter as Ron smiled back at her before taking a deep breath.

"I love you." Ron said, his voice still low and not wanting to wake Harry. Hermione shrieked, surprising both herself, Ron and Harry who rolled out of his bed in his half-awake attempt to locate the sound, and grab his wand in one motion.

"Harry?" Ron said, failing to suppress a laugh, unlatching himself from Hermione he got out of bed and extended his hand out in front of Harry, passing him his glasses and then pulling him up off the ground.

"What was that all about?" Harry said, grumpily, wiping the sleep out of his eyes and half-glaring at Hermione, for waking him.

Hermione ignored Harry, it seemed that she only had eyes for Ron. Launching herself off the bed she lunged at Ron, who caught her with a look of surprise, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips. Getting over his surprise Ron passionately joined in, wrapping his arms around her waist as she snaked her legs around his, letting Hermione pry his lips open, as her tongue locked with his.

"I love you too." Hermione said as she pulled away, and gasped for air before leaning back in and continuing their kiss.

Despite having already heard Ron saw it only hours before, it still elated her more than she thought was ever possible. After years of dreaming of him saying those three words, it was still a surprise to her how much she loved to hear them come out of his mouth.

"I'm still here." Harry yelled, as their kiss deepened further, their passion not subsiding but growing as the seconds turned into minutes.

"Honestly mate, I'm not sorry." Ron said to Harry after placing Hermione onto the floor and smiling at Harry.

"I can see that." Harry said, pulling Ron into a hug, partly congratulating him and partly hugging him good morning.

Hermione sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at Ron and Harry, blushing slightly as she remembered what Harry had just witnessed but her overwhelming joy embed away at her touch of embarrassment in a few seconds.

"Ron you're my best friend as you are Hermione but you're practically my sister. I'm glad you're both happy but I don't want to see that." Harry said.

Letting go of Ron he looked longingly at his bed before picking up his shoes and untying the laces as he sat down next to Hermione, who was still smiling up at Ron.

"I get it, it's the same as you and Ginny." Ron said, kissing Hermione, quickly this time before he grabbed his shoes and sat down next to her, putting them on.

"It's not even 7! Where are you two going?" Hermione exclaimed as they both stood up, slung their rucksacks over their shoulders and walked towards the door.

She had never known either of them to wake up early without some form of protest, let alone look happy at being up before 9, and be ready on the way, eagerly putting space between them and their beds.

"We're going back home today." Ron said, as they both stopped to look back at Hermione. She noticed that Harry's smile grew as Ron said 'home', Hogwarts had always been his home, but in his head the Burrow was his other home, and Ron saying it out loud, announcing that it was Harry's home as well. Made Harry as happy as Hermione when she had heard Ron saw 'I love you'.

"I know that." Hermione said rising from the bed and walking towards them.

"We have to get all the stuff back from Muriel's." Harry replied, smiling before adding, "to take home."

"And why aren't I coming?" Hermione said stiffly, this wasn't man's work, why couldn't she come.

"Because you're helping Mum, Ginny and Fleur. Were you not listening yesterday?" Ron said, kissing Hermione softly before smiling down at her.

"I zoned out a bit. Have fun, both of you, see you later." Hermione said, waving them goodbye as they turned away laughing, it wasn't like Hermione not to know things. Shaking their heads they headed down the stairs and out of the common room, leaving Hermione to pack all their stuff before heading down to the Great Hall to eat breakfast.

It was strange walking through the castle alone. Watching the morning light fall on the cracked walls, the debris had vanished, but holes remained in the walls and doors, the windows all repaired. The castle was quiet, not silent, but the usual buzz of activity, of life was gone.

Except for the sun high in the sky and the lack of wind, snow and rain pelting the sides of the castle, it could have been the Christmas holidays. Barely anybody stayed for the Christmas holiday so that was the only time that Hermione had seen the castle as still as this.

Only the staff remained behind at the castle now, most families like the Weasley's were leaving today, if they had not already departed and simply popped in to help. Breakfast in the great hall was uneventful. It seemed strange not to have Ron and Harry and a few hundred other students surrounding her, with owls swopping in and dropping packages, and dishes upon dishes appearing in front of her. She sat alone at the familiar Gryffindor table eating her cornflakes, looking around at the newly repaired walls, and smiling up at the ceiling, which was properly enchanted, the holes and cracks now fixed.

Ginny and Fleur had joined her a few minutes in, chatting merrily, which Hermione joined into without hesitation. All three of them wondering what they were going to be helping Molly with today as all of those indisposed were already at St Mungo's and most of the work was seemingly done. Their chatting ceased as Molly briskly approached the table smiling down at all of them, a cup of tea in her hand.

"Morning." Molly said breezily, plonking herself down next to Ginny. She looked from each of their curious faces, then up to the ceiling, the bright sun shining down at them.

"What are we doing today?" Ginny asked as she grabbed another piece of toast and dropped it on her plate, spreading jam over it.

"Not much really." Molly answered. Leaning forward she grabbed an apple, felt it for bruises, then took a large bite.

"But…" Ginny started staring up at her mother.

"I'm not doing anything but relax." Molly said glancing around the empty hall.

"But I thought…" Hermione begun, remembering her conversation with Ron and Harry not so long ago, and stared at Molly in confusion.

"We were going to, but Minerva insisted I had a day off, and Hagrid has some jobs for you." Molly cut across her.

Ginny and Hermione exchanged looks, if they were spending time with Hagrid it could be quite enjoyable. But then again, Hermione had not forgotten the Blasted-end skrewts, they were no fun what so ever. Ginny and Hermione had a fierce loyalty for Hagrid so they had exchanged hopeful looks, however Fleur did not feel that way and remained slightly hesitant, but all the same smiled at the rest of them.

"Eet will be fun." Fleur said airily, smiling at them all and raising from her seat. Walking over to Molly she hugged her, straightened up and beckoned to the others.

Taking one last piece of toast with her Ginny rose from the table and followed Fleur, with Hermione right behind her. Knowing that they needn't rush to Hagrid's as it was unlikely he was awake and ready to receive guests at this hour. They wandered around the castle first, with Ginny reminiscing about last year, filling Hermione in on things that she already knew and some things that she didn't.

As Hermione passed her old classrooms, they felt so familiar but also so strange. On one hand it felt just yesterday she was in there bickering with Ron but on the other hand it felt that that was years ago, and was shocked that she could remember things so vividly.

An hour later, they headed off down the grassy slope to Hagrid's place, that looked as though it had long since been abandoned, the only clue that it was occupied was the steady stream of smoke coming out of the chimney. As they approached they could make out Hagrid sitting on the edge of the forest, a bow in one hand and a plate in the other.

"Hello you three." Hagrid bellowed as he looked up. Placing his plate on the ground he stood up, patted Fang on the head before walking towards them.

They were close enough now to truly see his hut, cabin, home, thing. It still had scorch marks after the Death Eaters had left their mark upon leaving the school after the death of Dumbledore. Part of the roof had since collapsed and the whole structure was emitting weird smells.

"What is that smell?" Ginny asked, covering her nose and mouth with her sleeve and backing away.

"Incense." Fleur replied, taking a deep breath in. "Eet is burning in ze fire."

Hagrid nodded at Fleur who walked away from the them, peering into the forbidden forest, and turning to stare at the place where she had once spent many months in a house on the outskirts of the forest with her sister and a few students from her school.

"Don't you like it?" Hagrid asked Ginny as he turned towards her. In answer, Hermione had covered her mouth and nose also, and had joined Ginny in edging away.

"So what are we doing today?" Hermione asked, attempting to change the subject.

"I thought you guys could fix my home, before we headed into the forest. I could do it myself, but you're much better at magic than me." Hagrid stammered looking at the ground while he spoke, his face flushing red behind his matted hair and beard.

"Let's get started then." Ginny said.

Fleur reappeared from the outskirts of the forest and strode towards Ginny and Hermione, pulling her wand out of her pocket as she did. They raised their wands in unison ready to begin.

"Bloody hell." Hagrid exclaimed from behind. Turning they saw his arm cut open, blood soaking through his shirt and forming a puddle beneath him.

"I can fix…" Hermione started but Hagrid waved her off.

"I'll do this, you do that." Hagrid commanded, sitting back down and riffling through a pile placed at the bottom of his feet.

"I will do eet." Fleur said, strongly and clearly, reminding Ginny and Hermione of Molly. Turning away from the house she walked across to Hagrid, flicked his ginormous hand away as he tried to interfere and stared at him stonily.

Ginny and Hermione raised their wands again, as they turned back to face the house. First extinguishing the fire, and vanishing the incense, they then cleaned up the outside of the house, repaired the roof, secured the floorboards and entered the house.

Ginny focussed her efforts towards the little kitchen in the corner, first cleaning the surfaces, and eliminating the dust and grime. Hermione set to work on the rest of the room, vanishing the dust, the rats, the mould and anything else unwanted by Hagrid, but left the carcasses hanging from the ceiling.

"What are… oh of course." Hermione exclaimed as she followed Ginny out the front door.

On the outskirts of the forest came Thestrals, that Hermione could see, and judging by Ginny's face, this was the first time she had seen them too. Fleur jumped a little as one approached, but braced herself, and patted it on the end quickly before finished off Hagrid's arm.

Ginny and Hermione walked slowly towards them, marvelling at their skeleton bodies and their leather skin, or whatever it was. Hermione reached out to place her hand on the one closest to her when a shout from the direction of the castle startled her.

Turning she saw a white faced Molly running down towards them, a crumpled piece of parchment in her hand.

"RON!" She screamed her whole body shaking as she ran towards them.

"RON!" She yelled again as she got closer.

"Ron!" She exclaimed when she was less than a hundred metres away.

"He's not.. Mum?" Ginny started, then looking up she saw her mother's worried expression and a matching one formed on hers.

"Molly? What iz eet?" Fleur said, running towards Molly, her normally pale face unusually white.

"It's Ron. He's on his way to St Mungo's now." Molly said, new tears running down her face. The piece of parchment in her hand, was now understood to be letter that she had just received from Arthur in transit to St Mungo's.

Hermione's face was white with shock. It seemed hours ago now that he was telling her he loved her, for all she knew he could be dead already. He couldn't be dead. He simply couldn't.

"Bloody hell." Hagrid sighed dropping onto the ground, his face held in his hands. He thought the bad news would be over by now, he wasn't expecting this.

"Let's go." Fleur said firmly grasping Molly's arm and slowly pulling towards the boundary, so they could all apparate out of here and rush to Ron's side.

Hermione and Ginny stood still, not knowing what to do, not believe the news. Neither of them could think.

"We'll keep you posted." Ginny said as she shook herself and turned to face the weeping Hagrid, who looked up smiled gratefully then took a swig of what she assumed was Firewhiskey.

"Get 'ermione." Fleur yelled back, walking briskly with Molly.

Ginny wrapped her arm around Hermione's and pulled her forward. She resisted a little at first, but slowly her legs moved as if independent from her body. She walked ahead her eyes glazed over, repeating 'he's fine' over and over again, taking slow deep breaths. Trying to block out her internal screaming, shutting down her brain, not wanting to overthink this.

"Hermione?" Ginny had her hands placed on either shoulder looking into Hermione's brown eyes. "You have to take me, I can't apparate alone."

Hermione looked up and noticed that they had moved, they had reached the boundary, they were able to apparate from here. Fleur and Molly were already gone, having reached here seconds before them, they had left in a hurry, to go and see Ron.

"Right of course." Hermione said, her voice cracking slightly as she spoke. Pushing everything out of her mind, she cleared it and focussed her thoughts.

Crack!

XX

I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, please make sure you review! And also check out my Bite Sized Christmas Drabbles, which I will be publishing a chapter a day for until Christmas :)