Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
His hand grabbed hers as they walked the familiar halls from Dumbledore's office to Gryffindor tower. Everything was terrible, but she pushed it far from her mind. It was surprisingly easy to do since she was exhausted. She gave him a warm smile and meant it as they trailed behind Harry.
They emerged into the tower to find Ginny waiting there, not crying, just waiting. Hermione smiled. Harry had been so alone since they had gone on the run. She and Ron had tried to hide their changing relationship from him, but she saw the pain in his eyes sometimes when they weren't quick enough. Ginny took his hand, and he smiled, really smiled, for the first time in months and allowed her to drag him up the stairs.
Ron had disentangled their hands and was rubbing his neck, looking awkward and lost. A sharp pain tore through her heart. Of course. He had lost a brother tonight. "Well…goodnight." He said and turned to go. She grasped his arm, and he turned to face her in surprise. She extended her hand.
"Come on." He didn't say a word as he allowed her to pull him into his old dorm room. There was no sign of life inside it, but it hadn't been demolished during the battle so at least there was that.
"Hermione…" He said roughly, emotions raw.
"Shhh." She reassured him, pulling pajamas for both of them out of her beaded bag and performing a quick switching charm. She pulled him down onto the bed with her and extinguished the lamp that some Gryffindor student had lighted before they had been thrown out of bed into hiding or battle.
She wrapped her arms around Ron and breathed him in. He was safe. They were safe. It was over. She wasn't sure which of them started crying first, but soon they were clutching each other like lifelines in the dark, both of them murmuring reassurances and needing the comfort themselves at the same time. Eventually, they fell asleep in each other's arms.
She awoke a few hours later, his snores the only sound echoing around the room, and she smiled to herself, barely awake but amused. The door jiggled, and her body went still on instinct. Ron murmured in his sleep as if the change in her posture had woken him.
But it was just Harry and Ginny and Hermione let herself sag in relief as she feigned slumber to give them privacy. She sank into sleep almost immediately, not even noticing the flash of a camera and a soft giggle.
She woke to the faint light of dawn seeping through the curtains. She was hopelessly tangled in Ron, who was still snoring lightly. She snorted softly and looked over him to see Harry and Ginny, similarly intertwined on the next bed. She smiled softly and turned her head, nearly screaming as she found Ron's eyes open.
She would have huffed angrily, if it weren't for the charged emotions bouncing between them as their eyes met. "Morning." He said hoarsely and the sound was so alluring that she felt her face heat up.
"Morning." She managed to whisper.
"Are we dating?" He blurted out and then his ears turned bright red and Hermione waved a silencing spell over them, shutting the curtains around her best friends on the other bed as she began to laugh uncontrollably.
"Only…you." She managed through laughs, but her smile was real and warm. The left side of his mouth quirked up in a half-smile begrudgingly. Eventually she got a hold of herself enough to answer him. "I would love to be your girlfriend." She said honestly.
He smiled a real smile then, crooked and delighted. He was the most beautiful person she had ever seen. "And I would love to be your boyfriend." And then they were kissing for the second time and Hermione, for once, forgot to think. They emerged some time later, breathless and exhilarated.
"I need a shower." Ron announced and Hermione giggled. He fake glared at her and she covered her mouth with her hand, shoulders shaking. He pursed his lips and shook his head at her. "I don't know what you're laughing at. You need one too." Her eyes latched onto his and she could barely breathe. Was he suggesting…
"I didn't…that came out wrong." He mumbled. "I mean if you want to but I would never pressure you. I haven't either and I" whatever he had been about to say was cut off as she pulled her shirt off her head.
His eyes darkened and she sucked in a breath, terrified at her own daring. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she wondered if doing this so soon after the battle, after the war, when their emotions were a mess, was a good idea. But she needed him.
"It would be a shame to waste water with so many people in the castle." She said with a vulnerable smile. He exhaled slowly and then he was everywhere. They'd been dating for a day but it felt like she had been in love with him her whole life. She remembered his voice crying and pleading as she was forced to stay with Bellatrix and she kissed him harder.
A very long time later, they both emerged clean and refreshed. They found Harry and Ginny just stirring, so they got dressed quickly. The other two stayed in bed, murmuring things to each other, before they emerged.
Harry pushed open the curtain just as Hermione tripped over some books that had fallen out of her bag last night. She was caught by strong, warm arms and she blushed thoroughly, unable to help the sappy smile she gave Ron as his hands rested on her hips. He returned the smile and Harry looked extremely uncomfortable, as if what they had just done was written all over their faces. Ginny was smirking, but Hermione ignored both of them and threw herself at Harry, enveloping him in a hug.
"Harry James Potter how dare you sacrifice your own life! Don't you ever to that to me again! Do you know how much seeing you looking like you were dead, thinking you were dead, killed me?!" She scolded him as she pulled away and he grinned warmly at her.
"I love you too Sis." He said quietly and she felt warm tears spill over her face.
She hugged him again. "I do love you, you insane, brave man. My brother." Neither of them was dry-eyed when they released each other to find Ron and Ginny wrapped in an embrace. The hollow look had leeched back into Ron's eyes as his sister reminded him of their brother. Hermione met his eyes over her shoulder before they released each other and tried to convey her sympathy.
Hermione hugged Ginny tightly as Ron and Harry hugged each other. "Hey Gin." She said and the other girl laughed through tears. Eventually they all detached from one other.
"I guess we should go back to the Great Hall." Ginny's voice stuck a little and everyone sobered. Hermione knew that none of them wanted to go back there, to the place that felt like death. But they had to. She grabbed Ron's hand and the four of them walked side-by-side through the oddly deserted corridors. They all paused at the rubble that used to be the magnificent doors to the Great Hall to collect themselves before walking in.
Hermione made to release Ron's hand as his parents' eyes found him but he gripped hers tighter. "Stay with me, please." He said softly and she nodded, wrapping an arm around his waist. Hardly anyone paid them any heed as they made their way over to the Weasley's. Everyone else's attention was on Harry.
All of the dead had been moved, and the Weasley's were no longer gathered around Fred's broken body. She squeezed Ron's hand harder in support and he gave her a sad, distracted smile.
"Ron." Mrs. Weasley said as he approached and he let go of Hermione's hand and wrapped his arms around his mother. She looked strangely small in comparison to him and Hermione looked away. She found herself next to Mr. Weasley.
"Hi Mr. Weasley." She said softly and he seemed to startle out of his thoughts. He looked older than she had ever seen, and exhausted, but he smiled at the sight of her and, to her surprise, hugged her.
"Hermione. I'm very glad you're alright."
"I'm sorry." She whispered to him and it didn't feel like nearly enough. He nodded resolutely and released her.
"Hermione dear!" Mrs. Weasley fussed over her. "You've gotten much too thin."
Hermione smiled. "It's wonderful to see you Mrs. Weasley."
"You too dear." She saw Mr. Weasley embracing his youngest son out of the corner of her eye and smiled.
"I am very sorry." She said softly, and Mrs. Weasley's mouth turned up in a brave attempt at a sad smile.
"Thank you." She whispered, and turned away so Hermione wouldn't see her cry. Hermione walked away slowly and found herself next to Bill and Charlie. Bill was sitting on a bench, Fleur on his lap, staring at the air but seeing nothing of his surroundings. He seemed to snap back into himself as Hermione approached.
"Hermione." He said strangely, as if her name was foreign to him. Fleur rubbed her hand up and down his arm and he tightened his grip on her and said nothing more.
"Hi Charlie." She said quietly. She and him had become fast friends last summer when he had come home for Bill and Fleur's wedding.
"Hermione." He said warmly. "So, tell me. When did you and my brother finally pull your heads out of your arses and admit how you felt?" She was shocked into a giggle and even Bill was smiling.
"Well, being on the run is lonely and Harry wasn't cutting it so…" Their mouths dropped open in horror for a second until they released she was kidding. She laughed so hard there were tears of mirth flowing onto her cheeks. Bill and Charlie were laughing just as hard and she smiled as she caught her breath.
"Who knew Hermione Granger could be so funny?" She glared at Charlie and he chuckled.
"Seriously though. Will you tell us the story?" He asked. George had ambled over to them and sat listening. She wanted to say something to him but his expression made it clear that she should not.
"Please." He said softly, startling his older brothers.
"It's not all pleasant." They all shrugged and she nodded before drifting into the tale. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had been convinced to get some rest, and Percy was passed out asleep on the floor. Harry was over talking to Kingsley and McGonagall as Ginny and Ron wandered over to them.
"What's this?" Ron asked as he threw himself down none-too-gently beside her on the bench and casually put his arm around her.
"They want to know how we, and I quote, 'pulled our heads out of our arses'." Ron smiled and Ginny giggled.
"Go on then." Ginny encouraged her and she began. They were all fascinated, and eventually Harry managed to tear himself away from well-wishers to join them. Ginny's brothers raised their eyebrows when he put his arm around their sister but a look from her quelled them. Ron interjected his point of view here and there but largely let Hermione tell the story. They were a rapt audience and she made some of it humorous for them. She left out the part about him leaving, but Ron told them anyways.
They had all laughed heartily when they found out Hermione had kissed him because he had wanted to save the house elves and their laughter doubled as Ron described Harry's annoyance. Harry just shook his head and earned himself an amused glance from Ginny.
"I can't believe it's all over." Hermione admitted. They all nodded in agreement and her eyes met Harry's. She wondered if he was stunned to even have a life. She leaned her head against Ron's shoulder, thoroughly uncaring of anyone's opinion, and drew strength from him. There would be much cleanup to do in the weeks that followed, but for now she was unbothered. For now, she was in the present. Everything else would come after.