Hermione took a deep breath before knocking on the door to Ron's bedroom. Today was the day. The day that she would finally tell him how she really felt about him.

Gathering up whatever courage she had, she knocked on the door's smooth, wooden surface and waited. It was not long before someone answered the door; however, the person was not Ron. It was Harry. His hair was more unruly than it usually was and his eyes were puffy from sleep.

"Sorry, Harry," Hermione started. "I didn't realize you were still asleep."

He quickly brushed off her apology. "It's no big deal," he said, stifling a yawn. "Needed to get up anyways."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. It seemed that Harry was getting less and less sleep everyday. She had lost count of the number of times that he had fallen asleep in the middle of doing something. In fact, he had nearly crashed on his broomstick the other day as he had fallen asleep during a game of Quidditch in the Weasley's back garden. It was beginning to worry Hermione.

"Harry, why haven't you been sleeping?"

"Oh, you know?" he asked, trying to hide his surprise. "Always been a bit of a night-owl. Just can't seem to get my mind to relax," he laughed dryly.

It was a lie, and Hermione knew it. She was always able to tell when he was lying. Especially when it was about how he was feeling. "You want to try that again?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow up at him. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, she added, "No cock and bull excuse this time."

He sighed. "Well, I guess I'm a bit of a hypocrite," he told her, looking down at his feet.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

His green eyes shot up and met her brown ones. Hermione was surprised to see the vulnerability in his eyes. And, she was surprised to see a sort of fear flash through them.

"I'm afraid of my nightmares too, Hermione," he told her quietly.

"Oh, Harry," she whispered, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "Why haven't you told anyone?"

"Because... because I know they're not real." His eyes suddenly had a far away look about them. "For once in my life, I know they're just dreams. I don't wake up with my scar burning or a splitting headache. Yeah, I'm a bit shaken up by them and it's awful reliving those memories, but that's all they are: bad memories."

Hermione just stared at him. Her heart had swollen with so much admiration and empathy that it had caused her to fall speechless.

Admiration because of how wise Harry had grown to be. He had spent a good majority of his life fearing his nightmares, not because they were terrifying, but because they were real. They were Voldemort's thoughts and feelings. But, now that he was gone, Harry was able to decipher reality from illusion.

Empathy because she knew that despite knowing the nightmares were in fact fiction, they were no less horrific.

"It'll it get better, Hermione," Harry told her, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "For all of us." He smiled softly at her. A smile that she happily returned.

"Anyways," began Harry, changing the subject. "What did you need?"

Hermione drew back her hand from his arm. "I was looking for Ron. Have you seen him?"

"I think he's helping Fred and George with the shop repairs."

At the mention of Fred's name, Hermione felt a blush creep up onto her cheeks. She was remembering how she had kissed him on the cheek the other day. It was completely unlike her. She had only every displayed such acts of affection with Harry and Ron, who were like her brothers. Yes, Fred and her were good friends, but they had never been real close. She had no idea what possessed her to do such a thing.

"Hermione?" Harry questioned, breaking her from her thoughts.

She cleared her throat before speaking. "Did he say when he would be back?"

Harry shook his head. He seemed to be completely oblivious to the scarlet coloring that burned Hermione's cheeks, which she was grateful for.

"Alright, then. I'll just read in my room till he gets back," she decided, turning to leave.

"Or, you could spend the day with Ginny and I," Harry suggested, grabbing her attention. "We were going to do some shopping for Molly."

It wasn't long after the war that Mrs. Weasley had told Harry and Hermione to start calling her Molly. "The two of you are family, and family doesn't call one another by their surnames," she had told them. It had taken them a while to become accustomed to calling her by her first name, and every now and then, they would fall back into the old habit of calling her Mrs. Weasley. However, it was becoming more natural to say 'Molly'. They had even been asked to call Mr. Weasley Arthur as well.

"I don't want to intrude," Hermione told Harry. "You and Ginny should spend the day together with just the two of you."

"Don't be silly, Hermione. Ginny would love to have you join us. In fact, she was the one who suggested that I invite you."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Her and I agreed that it would be good for you to get out of the house more." His gaze soften as he spoke the next few words, "You can't stay inside forever, Mione."

Hermione thought this over for a second. Harry and Ginny were right. She did need to get out of the house more. This fear of leaving the house, especially alone, needed to be faced. She figured that this particular outing could be another stepping stone leading up to being able to leave the Burrow by herself.

"Alright, I'll go," she agreed. "Let me just get some things from my room and I'll meet you and Ginny downstairs." Harry nodded, then, she went to her room.

She pulled on a blue jumper that was folded neatly on her bed, then she put on a pair of tennis shoes. Making her way to the cupboard in the room, she pulled out a black traveling cloak and slipped it on over her shoulders and placed her wand in one of the inside pockets.

When she arrived downstairs, Harry and Ginny were waiting for her. They both we wearing cloaks similar to hers.

"Ready?" Ginny asked.

Harry and Hermione nodded in unison.

The three of them then joined hands and apparated to Diagon Alley.

Once the uncomfortable, jerky sensation was over and the world was once again in focus, Ginny pulled out a long shopping list from her pocket. She read over it for a few seconds before speaking. "Alright, the first thing Mum needs is a new cauldron, so off to Potage's Cauldron Shop we go!" she said rather enthusiastically, grabbing Harry's hand and linking arms with Hermione, ushering them inside one of the shops.

Potage's Cauldron Shop was just how Hermione had remembered it from her first trip to Diagon Alley. Shelves were lined with cauldron of various sizes and metals. Brass, copper, pewter, gold, and silver glimmered and shined all around her. The shop's distinct smell of smoke and polish filled her nostrils as she made her way about the place.

"Okay, Mum says she wants a medium sized cauldron, preferably pewter, that self-stirs," Ginny told Harry and Hermione. "I think the three of us should split up and look for one that'll satisfy her."

They all agreed, splitting up and going off in different directions. The search for the ideal cauldron frustrated Hermione as there seemed to be no specific order to the set up of the cauldrons. They were just placed at random about the shop. It felt like hours before Ginny finally found a suitable cauldron.

The next few items on the list were found rather quickly compared to the cauldron search. They went from shop to shop, finding what they needed in a matter of minutes. Finally, after about an hour and a half later, everything had been checked off the list.

"Fancy an ice cream?" Harry asked the girls, who quickly nodded their answer.

"That sounds lovely, Harry," said Ginny. "Afterwards, we can go and pay a visit to the boys down at the shop." Both Harry and Hermione knew that she was talking about Fred, George, and Ron. Hermione managed to not blush this time, as she was thinking that this would be good time to tell Ron that she needed to talk to him about their relationship.

Harry, Hermione, and Ginny made their way to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. They sat at table just large enough for the three of them and ordered their ice creams. Harry ordered chocolate, Ginny ordered butterscotch, and Hermione ordered coconut. The three ate their ice cream whilst engaging in a bit of light conversation.

When their ice cream had been finished, the three of them walked down to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. As they walked inside, they could not help but notice how quiet it seemed to be today. About ten people, including themselves, were in the shop. The lack of customer made it quite easy for the three of them to be spotted by George.

"Well, if it isn't three of my most favorite people," he said walking up to them. "How can I help you lot?"

"We were in the area and decided to say hi," said Harry, shaking George's hand.

"Fred and Ron are around her somewhere. I'll go tell them you're here." George walked off in the other direction in search for his brothers. Harry, Ginny, and Hermione took this as an opportunity to look around the shop.

Harry and Ginny went off in the other direction while Hermione looked at the daydream charms. She was suddenly reminded of her first visit to the shop. Just like this time, she had been looking at the daydream charms and talking about what a wonderful bit of magic they were. Fred, who had enjoyed the praise as he usually heard scolding from her, had told her that she could have one for free. She smiled at the memory.

"BOO!" a voice from behind her shouted.

She screamed, and before she could stop herself, she whipped out her concealed wand, spun around, and pointed it directly at the face of the person who had snuck up on her. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was.

Fred stared back at her, eyes as wide as hers. His hands were raised at eye-level in surrender.

She lowered her wand shakily. "I'm...I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I'm sorry." Her breathing was now ragged.

"No, no, I'm sorry," Fred started. "I shouldn't have snuck up on you."

"I could have killed you," she whispered, not looking at him.

He placed his hands hesitantly on her shoulders. This time, she did not fluch away from him. "Hermione, look at me." She did so, slowly. "I'm okay, really. I'm fine."

She only nodded. Still, she shook and breathed heavily, so Fred enveloped her into a hug as an attempt to calm her down.

They stood in that position for several minutes. Hermione clung to him as though she would fall if she let go, and Fred rested his cheek on her head, which she had buried in his chest. He didn't dare let go of her until she stopped shaking and her breathing was even.

"Are you okay?" he asked once they had released their hold on one another.

She only nodded up at him.

"Well, I think the others are upstairs. Guess we better go join them before they come looking for us themselves."

Again, she nodded before Fred and her made their way up the shop's stairs. Almost as soon as they reached the top floor, they were met by the others, whom seemed to have been almost completely oblivious to their absence... Almost.

"There you two are!" George exclaimed, walking up to them. "I was about to send a search party."

"Pity," replied Fred. "It would have been such fun sending them red-herrings about our whereabouts."

The two of them shared a laugh. Even Ginny and Ron had joined in on the laughter. However, the laughter was short lived by Harry's interruption.

"Are you all right, Hermione?" he asked her, looking slightly worried.

She looked up at the group, who now had all their eyes fixed on her. "Oh, I'm fine," she told them, forcing a smile onto her face. "Actually, I was wondering if I could talk to Ron for a minute," her gaze shifted over to Ron as she said this. It's better if I just get this over with.

Nodding, he said, "Alright. Would it be okay if we used the backroom?" These last few words were directed in Fred and George's direction.

"Yeah," they said together.

"Just keep off the furniture," said George, giving them a suggestive smirk.

Hermione felt herself turn red, and she noticed Ron's ears had done the same. "GEORGE!" she scolded, but all he did was laugh at her. She shook her head before following Ron back down the stairs and to the backroom.

Ron opened the door for her and she thanked him as she walked into the room. She took a seat on the sofa and he soon joined her there.

"So, what is it you want to talk about?" he asked her.

Hermione was silent for a moment. She was trying to come with the right words to say to him. Honestly, she didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she was not sure how to go about it without doing so.

Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke, "Ron, you know I care about you, right?" He furrowed his brow in confusion, but he nodded. "And, you know I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you?" Again, he nodded.

She once again fell silent, not sure where to go from there. God, this was so much easier in my head!

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ron asked, beginning to worry.

She took another deep breath. "Ron, I don't think...I don't think this is going to work."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't think that this thing we have going on between us is working. I love you, Ron. I do, but I'm not in love with you. I love you the way I love Harry. Like a brother."

Ron sat quietly for a moment, looking down at his feet. The silence and uneasiness was so thick in the room, that Hermione was almost certain that it could have been cut with a knife.

Finally, after several minutes, Ron spoke. "Okay, then. Let's end this."

"Don't be upset, Ron," said Hermione, who had noticed the hurt in Ron's expression. "I'm sorry!"

"You're sorry?" he asked, venom coloring his tone. "I love you, and you don't even feel the same way. Do you know how stupid that makes me feel?!"

"I know, Ron. I know," Hermione said, tears now sliding down her cheeks. "I wish-"

"You wish what, Hermione?" his voice was now very cold and it shook with anger. "God, I should have known!"

"Known what?" her own voice was shaking now. Not from anger, but from the attempt at holding back her sobs.

"I should have known that I'd never be good enough for you. That there would always be someone that you would choose over me in a heartbeat! I should have bloody known!"

"Ron, th-that's not what I m-meant at all!"

"Save it, Hermione! I don't want to hear it anymore." He rose up from his spot on the sofa and walked to the door. Before he walked out, he said, "I hate you. Don't even bother trying to talk to me when I get home because I never want to hear what you have to say ever again!" With that, he walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

Hermione now let the tears flow freely from her eyes. In her mind, she had just ruined whatever friendship she had with Ron. She could never take back the things she said because they were all true, and no can take back things that are true. No one can take back feelings. So, she cried. She cried until she was unable to cry anymore.

Once she had finished, she walked out the backroom, and began her search for Ginny and Harry.

It wasn't long before she found them. They were chatting with Fred and George about some new products she was sure. She walked up to the group, who turned their heads in her direction upon her arrival.

"Are you ready to go, Hermione?" asked Harry, who could tell that she was upset about something.

"Yes, but if the two of you want to stay, I can just apparate home by myself."

"Nonsense," said Ginny. "Harry and I were just about to say good-bye anyways."

She hugged Fred and George tightly. After she was done saying her farewells to them she asked where Ron was.

"I think he said something about needing some air," Fred told her.

"But, he told us to tell you and Harry good-bye," said George.

Both Harry and Ginny nodded their understanding, whereas Hermione did nothing. She knew she was the cause of his absence, which she felt rather guilty about.

Harry shook hands with Fred and George, saying farewell. Hermione was about ready to join hands with Ginny and Harry in preparation to leave, when George interrupted her.

"Now, now, Miss Granger," he said, smirking. "It's very rude to leave without giving Fred and me a good-bye hug." He spread his arms out, waiting for her to come and hug him. She rolled her eyes and gave him a quick hug. "See, that wasn't so bad," he laughed out and she rolled her eyes again.

She then walked over to Fred. She smiled at him softly before giving him a hug, which he happily returned.

"Thanks again, Fred," she whispered in his ear before pulling back.

He smiled down at her. "No problem," he whispered back.

Hermione then joined hands with Harry and Ginny. The three of them gave Fred and George one last wave before apparating back to the Burrow.

Once again, the uneasiness of apparation filled Hermione's senses as the world moved passed her in a blur.

Upon arriving in the front garden of the Burrow, Hermione unclasped Harry and Ginny's hands, and made her way inside the house without saying a word to anyone. She walked up the staircase and immediately went to her room. She flopped herself onto her bed and stared up the ceiling.

She lied in that position for several minutes before there was a knock on the door. Before Hermione could answer, Ginny walked in and sat at the foot of Hermione's bed.

"What happened?" she asked.

Hermione couldn't bring herself to look at Ginny as she spoke. "I broke up with Ron."

She told Ginny about the whole conversation that she had had with Ron. How he told her that he hated her and that he never wanted to speak to her again. She was surprised to find that no tears were shed during her tale. Well, I've cried over Ronald Weasley enough to last me a life time already, she thought to herself.

"At least you don't have to pretend anymore, Hermione," Ginny said.

Hermione said nothing.

"Look, it would have been cruel to continue with the relationship. Yes, he loves you, but you don't love him. You both deserve to be with someone you love, and that someone should love you back. He'll see that and come around eventually."

Hermione nodded. "Perhaps you're right."

"'Course I'm right! Now, why don't you put your cloak away, and you and I can go help Mum with supper?"

AN: So far this has been my favorite chapter to write. It did take me forever because my computer kept deleting all the stuff I had written, which was extremely frustrating! Anyways, I obviously don't Harry Potter. If I did, Fred would have lived and Fremione would have been canon. Please leave a review as I love reading them. Also, thank you to those who support this story. Much love and appreciation is sent your way.