A/N- Alright all, I am planning on keeping my two chapters a week streak (don't quote me on that). So here is part two of the memorial ball. Again, I want to thank everyone for their reviews, and a special shoutout to be11atrixthestrange, who has reviewed every chapter!

Enjoy!

~Dot

Hermione knew that people were staring, she could hear cameras flashing, but she didn't care - all she could focus on was Ron's hand on her back. When he first led her to dance, his fingers had lightly grazed the skin of her back. Now, his hand was firmly placed as low as it could go, just barely touching the top of her dress. He shakily twirled her and almost stepped on her feet too many times to count; no one could say they were good dancers, but they were having fun.

It had taken some time to recover from the memorial portion of the ball. The pianist kept playing a mournful melody as the guests recuperated. Their food had long been magicked away, with only their wine glasses still on the tables. Hermione surmised that the never-ending alcohol played a large part in the rowdiness that soon overtook the crowd.

When the musicians began to play lively music, throngs of ball guests teemed the dancefloor like a group of ants devouring a crumb. The first song they played was a Weird Sisters song, one Hermione recognised from the Yule Ball. Her memories overwhelmed her from that day, mostly good, but others not as good.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and shook away her thoughts. Ron had his hand out; inviting her to dance. This wasn't the Yule Ball - this time she was with Ron. Her grin intensified as she and Ron joined the already-dancing Ginny, Neville, and Luna. She wondered whether Neville and Luna were together, though their dancing was no help for trying to figure out their relationship; Luna was in her own world, dancing wildly on her own, just near enough to Neville and Ginny to be considered part of their group.

"Welcome," Ginny said enthusiastically, her cheeks blushed from wine and dancing. "Glad you guys aren't too cool to dance." She motioned to Harry, who was sitting alone at their table, slowly sipping his wine with his gaze directed to the ground. Hermione hoped that he wasn't brooding, as he tended to do when reminded of the losses from the war.

She went to check on him, but Luna caught her, spinning her wildly until she fell into Ron's arms. She quickly forgot about Harry, as Neville began teaching them the dance moves that went to the song playing. They all laughed and giggled at their incompetencies trying to copy Neville; Ron couldn't stop tripping over his feet; Ginny was harsh and stiff, her face twisted in concentration; Hermione was one beat off of the rest, and Luna was attempting to do each step upside down.

When the song ended, they were all red-faced and huffing, still laughing from the high the dancing caused. The musicians began to play the next song, and the tonal change was abrupt. They were now playing a soft melody, much calmer and slower than its predecessors. The dancers around them began pairing off, and it only took a moment for Ron to offer his hand.

They had been glued to each other since. Hermione didn't know how long they had been dancing together, though, from the aching in her feet, she could tell it had been a while. Ron spun her around again, this time a bit more gracefully, and Hermione could see that there were only a few people still dancing. Luna was by herself on the dance floor, appearing to be dancing to an entirely different, very upbeat, song. Ginny and Neville had since left the dance floor, and Hermione wasn't sure that Harry had danced at all.

As soon as Hermione returned from her twirl, Ron pressed his body flush against hers. She could feel the heat he was emitting and knew that she was no better, after all, they had been dancing for a while. The mix of wanting to be closer to Ron and her tiredness creeping in caused her to point her head to the exit when the latest song finished. Ron understood what she was trying to say and they attempted to sneak out of the ministry.

The chill of the cold London night hit Hermione brutally as soon as she stepped outside. She immediately began shivering and regretted not grabbing her robe. Ron seemed to notice this, as he pulled her closer to himself, warming her up instantly. They walked for a bit, hand in hand, not looking any different than the other carefree, young couples wandering the London streets. Though their intentions (or at least Hermione's) weren't all that innocent; she was looking for a good, secluded spot to snog.

They turned a corner and Ron was about to pull them into an alley when they heard voices. Ron instinctively grabbed his wand and gave Hermione a pointed look. He pressed his finger to his lips and turned to enter the alley, wand drawn.

"Ginny?", Ron questioned and Hermione turned the corner to see what was going on.

She was surprised to see that the noises they heard were actually coming from Ginny - and Harry. Hermione had been so focused on Ron, that she hadn't noticed them leave the ball. Though, if they had planned to sneak away and snog, like Ron and Hermione had been, they weren't successful; Harry was currently being sick into a pile of rubbish while Ginny rubbed his back.

"He had a bit too much," Ginny explained unnecessarily, as it was quite obvious what was going on with Harry. In flashes, visions of Harry drinking flowed through Hermione's brain. She couldn't remember how much he had, but he had clearly drunk quite a bit. In fact, the only time she could think of him without a glass in his hand was when they received their honours.

A pang of guilt hit Hermione when she couldn't recall him dancing or having fun. The only time she could remember him smiling at all was before dinner, when they were gathered with their Hogwarts friends. Come to think of it, he was chugging wine even then.

"We should get him home," Hermione said with concern.

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "as soon as he's done," he added under his breath.

Ron shot Hermione a look, and she could tell that he was feeling as guilty as she was. How did they manage to miss this? It was as much Harry's night as the two of there's, if not more so. Hermione resolved that they needed to spend more time with Harry; they needed to mend their "golden" trio. However, that would be difficult, as she and Ron were headed to Australia in a couple of days. Harry had wanted to stay with Ginny. Or at least that's what Hermione thought. She couldn't remember asking him.

Harry seemed to have stopped vomiting, at least for the moment, and Ron went to help get Harry upright. Harry swayed between his two friends, barely able to stand even with Ron propping him up.

"I'll get our things and tell the family," Hermione said. "Do you think you're able to side-along?", she asked Harry.

Harry grunted something unintelligible.

"He'll be fine," Ginny replied for him.

"Alright," Hermione replied. "I'll meet you three back at the burrow." Hermione checked her watch, it was half-past twelve, more than late enough to leave the ball without question.

She was right; when she said her goodbyes to the Weasleys and her friends no one was surprised that they were headed back. As a matter of fact, most of them had already left, including Mr and Mrs Weasley.

Hermione apparated to the burrow and tiptoed quietly to Ron's room, which was challenging to do with all of their robes and bags in her hands. Harry was in his camp bed sound asleep with a rubbish bin by his side when Hermione opened the door. Ginny had already changed into one of Harry's shirts and was sitting on the edge of Harry's bed, looking over him with an expression of love and regret.

Hermione barely noticed Ron was in the room, as he was pressed against the wall, looking as though he wanted to be anywhere but there.

"I'm going to stay with him," Ginny said. Hermione expected a half-hearted excuse from her, such as Ginny needing to keep Harry on his side or to clean up the rubbish bin, but there was none. She didn't need one, not really. Even if Ginny hadn't told Hermione they were in love, Hermione would have been able to deduce it- it was plain to see and, right now, Harry needed her.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered as she put Harry and Ginny's things down.

Ginny shook her head, but Hermione wasn't sure that Ginny understood what she was apologising for. She was sorry for not noticing Harry at the party, for not spending more time with him, for making all of his stress and anguish fall to Ginny. She knew that he wasn't coping, and she hadn't done a thing to help him.

Hermione turned to leave and felt a presence behind her. If Ginny was staying in Ron's room, Ron didn't have a place to sleep. Sure Harry and Ginny could squeeze into his cot, but Ron wasn't likely to want to be there too. She opened the door to Ginny's room and kept it open for Ron to come in.

Wordlessly, she went to her wardrobe and began taking off her jewellery and releasing her hair from the pins digging in her scalp.

"What's the matter?", Ron asked while watching her from her bed. He did know her well.

"It's just," she started, "I feel so guilty letting Harry get like that. He should have been having fun like we were. Instead…"

"If there's one thing I've learned from being Harry's mate over the years is that you can't force him to do what he doesn't want to do," Ron stated.

"I know," responded Hermione. "Still, we should have included him more."

"What, we should have had him dance in between us?", he asked incredulously. "I like the man, I really do, but not like that."

"That's not what I mean," Hermione said, chuckling in spite of herself.

"I know," he said more seriously. "We should have done more. It's been so bloody hard with Gin always there, and then there's you."

"Hey," Hermione playfully objected.

"I just mean you're a distraction. A good distraction," he added before standing up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. "We'll do more from now on," he said. He began to kiss the back of her neck and then trailed kisses down her back.

"I love this fucking dress," he said. "You should wear it more often."

Hermione laughed. "Oh yeah, it's the perfect outfit for getting groceries or going for a walk," she said sarcastically.

Ron began to kiss back up her back, his warm breath causing her to sigh. Then he stopped in the nook of her shoulder to suck and she couldn't help but moan. She flipped around and planted a kiss on his surprised lips. After his surprise worn down, he reached his arms around her bare back and began to guide them to her bed.

As soon as the back of her knees met her bed frame, she faltered, plopping onto the bed.

"Sorry," he said, nervously pushing his hair off of his face.

She shook her head and pulled him down by his tie, desperate to continue their snogging. She had managed to rid him of his jacket and unbutton his waistcoat when they were interrupted by the sounds of footsteps in the hall. Charlie was staying the night and seemed to have just arrived back.

The interruption reminded Hermione that they were not alone. Even with a silencing and locking spell, they were still under the Weasleys' roof, and the thought stopped Hermione from continuing her pursuits.

Ron must have had the same thought, as he stopped too.

"I have an idea," he whispered as he picked up two extra blankets that were on the bottom of Hermione's bed and grabbed her hand. Soon they were whooshing through the air- apparating to wherever it was that Ron planned to take them.