Ron sat quietly, a row over from where George and his mum sat beside Fred's body.
Tears were coursing down his cheeks, unchecked and unheeded.
Hermione sat beside him, holding his right arm, pressed against his side, head resting on his shoulder.
Before them lay the body of Lavender Brown. Someone had pulled a sheet up under her chin. An attempt to mask the total devastation Fenrir Greyback had unleashed upon the once beautiful teen.
Both Ron and Hermione looked up as Luna approached.
Tears sparkled in her eyes as she looked at the bloody sheet.
"Oh my. Poor Lavender."
Resting her hand lightly on Ron's free shoulder she squeezed it gently.
With that she sat next to Hermione. Tears trickling silently down her cheeks, as she looked at the body of tiny Colin Creavy.
Ron lost track of time, lost in grief and guilt.
He had treated Lavender abominably. Yet she had never once chastised him.
About the only part of her body not touched by the monster was her face. In death she looked serene, still. Nothing like the bubbly active girl Ron had known.
The three friends sat vigil, waiting for someone who loved Lavender and Colin to arrive. It just didn't seem right to leave them alone.
Ron glanced up at where the doors to the great hall had been blown off, there stood tiny professor Flitwick and Charlie.
The professor had a list and was checking off names as grieving family were admitted to the hall.
An impossibly small blur ran toward where they sat.
Dennis Creavy threw himself upon the body of his brother. A keening wail, disproportionate to the size of the small boy could be heard.
Instantly Ron was kneeling at his side, all his attention was focused on the grieving child.
His large hand was rubbing circles on Dennis' back.
If you asked him later, he couldn't tell you what he said or did. All he could say was here was someone else who had lost a brother and he had to help.
Not long after, Harry stumbled through the door.
Ron almost pulled his wand when he saw who he was with. The formidable witch was the carbon copy of Bellatrix Lestrange. Except Bellatrix would never have been seen in the slightly worn, comfortable outfit this witch wore. Nor could he imagine Bellatrix crying in public.
Harry was carrying a small bundle of blankets, clutched tightly to his chest.
Hermione was first to reach where Lupin and Tonks lay. She had an arm wrapped around Harry as they watched Molly stir from the almost catatonic state she had been in, she leapt up to wrap the other witch in her arms.
Ah, so this was Andromeda Tonks, disowned Black sister, mother if Nymphadora Lupin.
Ron could not help it. Fresh tears fell as he contemplated what all this woman had lost to this war. Her husband killed by snatchers. Now her only child and son in law lay dead.
A small pitiful cry could be heard from the blankets. Harry was trying his best to comfort and quiet the baby. Little Teddy Lupin, perhaps sensing the grief around him or, more likely missing his mum, would not be soothed.
Ron may have only been one year older than Ginny but he had picked up some child care knowledge.
He guided Harry and Hermione toward the riser where the head table once stood.
Gently he took the baby and laid him down on the platform. A sniff, then a quick search of the diaper bag and he had what he needed.
The baby was now in a clean dry diaper. "Hermione do you see a bottle in there?"
Her search came to naught.
By this time Ginny had joined their group.
He listened as his sister called out "Winky?"
With a pop the former house elf of the Crouches appeared.
"Winky, if we get Mrs. Tonks permission, would you please go to her house and gather up bottles, diapers and clothes for her grandson?"
"Winky would be glad to do this Miss Ginny."
Ron gently bounced the baby on his shoulder and watched as his sister approached the grieving woman.
In next to no time the elf was back. Ron showed Harry how to hold the baby and the bottle.
Teddy drained the bottle. Harry was having a hard time getting a burp out of his godson. Ron took the infant and did what he had seen his mum do with baby Ginny. He laid him across his lap, stomach down, and gently patted his back until a very loud burp was heard. Picking up the baby for a cuddle Ron smiled for the first time that day. "Now there, you should be feeling much better."
With his free hand he rubbed his face. He was completely exhausted. Hermione was wilting in on herself and Harry looked horrible.
Ginny took one look at the three of them and hearded them out of the great hall and to the Gryffindor tower.
Ron wasn't sure how, but soon he found himself curled around Hermione in his old bed.
Harry had refused to join them, instead he and Ginny were in the great room with the baby.
As he held the love of his life he began to cry. They clung to each other, their tears mingling until they finally fell into a deep sleep.
