Long in the Mending

"Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord." The pastor proclaims.

"Thanks be to God. Alleluia." The congregation replies.

I watch Hermione rise from the pew.

How did she rope me into coming to morning Mass with her? Maybe it was when she and I started sharing a house… Oh well. I don't remember things all that well, from when Harry woke me up to about a week ago. I'm getting better though, I think.

She shook her hand through her hair, allowing the chestnut strands to catch sunlight with every movement.

Merlin, she's beautiful. How did I ever get so lucky?

"All right, Ron, time to head home." She maneuvers my crutches into a position where I can reach them.

"All right." I say. I wince a bit at the hoarseness of my voice. Taking the crutches from her, I pull myself to my feet and hobble into the aisle. Hermione's hand on my shoulder helps to keep me steady as we walk (or in my case, stagger) out to her car.

It's a good thing she's a good driver. I can't even keep the various parts straight – like, what is that button for? Oh yeah, air conditioning. We're really going to need it today.

The early August heat has made the temperature inside Hermione's car skyrocket. When the air conditioning kicks in, we both sigh in contentment.

Thank Merlin.

"D'you think we should go to Grimmauld and visit with Harry and Ginny?" I ask Hermione.

"Sure, why not? We haven't been there in a while." She grins mischievously.

"Hermione, you're channeling Gred and Forge. That is slightly scary…"

"Who, me? I was just thinking that Ginny and Harry haven't really planned for anything about their wedding yet – and it's in October, you know."

"I remember – she wanted it on Halloween, because she wants him to have at least one happy memory of that day."

"Yeah, Harry doesn't exactly have very good Halloweens, does he? There was the troll in first year, Mrs. Norris' petrification in second, Sirius breaking into Hogwarts in third, the Goblet of Fire spewing his name in fourth…"

"Yeah, talk about a series of unfortunate events."

Hermione laughs, making me grin.

It's not every day that I can make her laugh. Not anymore, after the War.

I fall asleep in the car, just as we are crossing the border from Surrey into Greater London.

Later…

"Ron? We're at Grimmauld. You're going to want to wake up."

"Meh?" I pull myself back into consciousness. "We're there?"

"Yes. Do you need help getting out of the car?"

"No, I think I can manage." With an effort of will, I move myself out of the car and onto the crutches. "There." Hermione shuts the door behind me.

I shuffle up the stone steps. When we reach the landing, I bang on the door with one crutch.

"Coming, coming!" Bill answers the door. "Hi, Ron, hi, Hermione. It's good to see you!"

"Good to see you too, Bill. What's going on here?"

"Nothing much -"

"WILLIAM WEASLEY! GET UP HERE ZIS INSTANT!" Fleur's voice, obviously magnified with Sonorous, blasts through the air, down the stairway, and onto the front landing.

"Doesn't sound like nothing, Bill." I say, smirking.

"Oh dear." Bill mutters. "Oh dear, dear, dear…"

"Hormones?" Hermione asks.

Bill nods. "Yep. Welcome to the joys of making pickles-and-ice-cream at three AM."

"Ouch." Hermione and I declare at the same time, making us giggle, er, chuckle.

Ginny slides down the banister and lands daintily on her feet in front of us. "I assume you have heard the horn of the Hormone Express?"

This sends all of us, Bill included, into helpless laughter.

Hermione wipes tears from her eye as she asks, "Where's Harry?"

"Harry is… still zonked out in bed, I think."

"How did he get so exhausted?" I ask, bewildered.

Ginny rolls her eyes. "He and Remus decided to ward the Burrow yesterday, with Remus doing the Arithmancy and Harry supplying the power. I don't think Remus has even moved since Harry dragged him in at sundown."

"Merlin, how much power would that take?" I ask the room.

Hermione opens her mouth to answer me, but is interrupted by the arrival of Tonks. "All right, who here has been to the Burrow since yesterday afternoon?"

We shake our heads.

I haven't been to the Burrow since Bill's wedding…

"It appears someone's put up some fancy wards there – perimeter alarms, inner walls, and a ward that mimics solid stone if you try to go through it with ill intent towards someone who lives there. I know for a fact that Remus doesn't have the power to do that kind of warding, and yet Harry towed him in – completely asleep – last night. I know for a fact that Harry can't do Arithmancy to the level that those wards would require, and yet I haven't seen Mr. Original Morning Lark up yet. So, what am I missing?"

"They put up the wards together, as far as I can tell from what Harry told me. Harry gave Remus some of his magical power, and Remus did the actual warding."

"That would explain it…"

"WILLIAM WEASLEY! WHERE IS MY SANDWICH!?!"