The war is over, turn around

Lay your weapons on the ground

The smoke is fading, before the light

They had been awake for over 32 hours. They had never felt so drained and lifeless before. Everything was moving so quickly yet so slow at the same time.

They were standing in the Gryffindor common room just staring into the fire place. There wasn't a fire going, but they were just staring. It had been 6 hours after Harry had defeated Voldemort. 6 hours after sitting in the Great Hall trying to keep it together and console Ron's family in the death of Fred and helping clean up what they could.

Molly wouldn't let Ron go for anything, but he finally explained to her how he wanted to check on Hermione and just have a moment alone. She hesitated at first, not knowing what he meant by "alone", but he assured her, he just wanted to make sure she was okay. His mom didn't know about all that she had endured in the last 48 hours. Hermione felt the same way about Ron. She was telling Harry and Ginny, who were inseparable at the moment, that she wanted to check on Ron and make sure he really was okay.

She knew he was masking his emotions for the sake of his family. She knew he felt he had a duty to them after being gone for a year and specially since Fred died. She was hurting, too, but all she cared about was checking on him. All Ron cared about was checking on Hermione.

They were standing in front of the couch, just staring ahead. Hermione went to grab Ron's hand and he immediately fell into the couch, sobbing. She jerked her head around and sat down beside him, pulling him closer to her chest. Her body was aching and she wanted to wince in pain, but she needed to take care of Ron. He took such great care of her at Shell Cottage, she just needed to do the same, no matter how much she was hurting in the moment.

Uncontrollable sobs started pouring out of him. She was shaking from trying to hold him.

"Ron.. I am here.. it's okay.. Just.. just let it out. You don't have to hide anything with me"

Hermione, with one arm around his shoulder, holding him to her, took her other hand and pulled his chin up to her so she could look into his eyes. She wanted to make sure he not only heard her, but could see that she was not going anywhere. That he was it for her. Ron felt sparks by the way she caressed his face and felt immediate relief, but it was once again drowned out by the grief.

Ron looked up at her and could see so much unspoken love, admiration and pain in her eyes. He felt his heart explode a million times over at how she was looking at him. Him. Ronald Weasley was being adored and taken care of by Hermione Granger right now. Keeping eye contact, he rested more on her shoulders.

"Ron.. I am here.. you don't always have to be strong.. not for me.. I admire you and your strength. Your love for your family.. but all of this? It's going to catch up and the pain.. Just know you are not alone and I want to take ca- care of.. of you."

Hermione began stuttering and tears began falling uncontrollably. The weight of the world immediately fell on her and everything she was pushing in was getting to be too overwhelming. Her words were ringing in her own ears and she couldn't hold it in anymore. She felt awful. She was trying to comfort Ron. She had her turn. Ron had taken care of. She was supposed to be focusing on him. Ron's eyes widened and he shifted so he was sitting up beside her and leaned her into him.

"Hermione.. hey.. what's wrong? I me-mean.. I know what's wrong, we just went through a war and a year on the run.. Just.. just talk to me. Are you okay?"

"I am supposed to be taking care of you right now.. not crying... not..."

She stopped speaking for a moment because the weight and reality was kicking in. She was tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange. She was almost taken by Greyback. She felt sick at her stomach. She saw what he did to Lavender and immediately felt so awful. That could have been her. It was Lavender. Ron was about to speak up when Hermione felt an immediate pain in her arm, almost like it was purposely trying to remind her of her pain. She lost it even more, falling into his chest.

"Oh God.. Ron.. I.. I can't breathe.. I... my arm..."

Hermione winced at the pain and her words. She didn't want to show anyone or tell anyone right now. She didn't want anyone to worry about her. She just wanted to get through all of this first. She felt Ron push her away a little bit so he could see her better and looked into her eyes with so much worry and love.

She looked into his eyes while tears poured out of hers and felt a lump form in her throat. She'd never had such an intense intimate moment with him before. She felt his arm move out from behind her and grab her arm gently.

He hesitated before pulling her sleeve up, eyeing her for permission. She swallowed the lump and nodded her head. Ron slowly lifted her sleeve up. She closed her eyes as Ron hissed in grief and anger at the sight of the scar. He just held her arm right below where Bellatrix carved "MUDBLOOD" into her soft, fragile skin. He ran a finger ever so gently over it and she winced in pain.

"S-sorry, Er-mione... I.. are you okay? Is it hurting? Ha.. Of course it is.. Um.. Do you want me to try and heal it? I mean.. I don't think it will go away, like, it'll probably scar.., but I can try to make you more comfortable?"

Hermione gave Ron a soft smile. She loved the way he just rambled when he was nervous, worried or just anytime he was with her really. He wanted to take care of and she didn't want to deny him that, even though she really wanted to cover her arm and just tend to his wounds.

"The bag... there's some dittany.. and.. the only wand I have... is.. hers"

They both looked down at their wands. Well, Pettigrew's and Bellatrix. How messed up is it to heal her scar with Bellatrix's wand? She felt Ron tense up staring at the pieces of wood on the common room table.

"We can just use the dittany and I might have some healing lotion in there as well. It'll provide a cooling sensation... it is feeling rather hot and itchy" Hermione spoke up, bringing him out of his thoughts.

Ron took a breathe in and looked at her arm and then her. Her face was red and blotchy. He could tell she was holding back and he just wanted her to let go. They both needed to let go.

He took the dittany and applied as much as he could. The redness was fading, but the words were still clear as day. He took the lotion and applied a good amount to her arm. She winced in pain and then the cooling sensation came and sighed in relief. She hadn't realized how much it was hurting until she slowed down. Ron gently kissed a spot near the scar and she let out a small, but noticeable gasp.

He looked up at her to make sure that was okay. They hadn't kissed again since their moment down in the chambers. He worried he might have overstepped, but the look in her eyes were reassuring to say the least. He felt his heart jump at the smile that crossed her face. He doesn't know what prompted him to do so, but he slowly leaned in, his hands cupping her neck and softly kissed her lips. He felt her return the kiss and with just a little bit more passion, they continued kissing, more like snogging, relaxing into each others arms.

Hermione leaned back into the couch so Ron was laying more on her. He rested one hand on her waist and the other still on her neck. They snogged for a good 2 minutes before Hermione slightly gasped causing Ron to reluctantly pull himself away. She was flushed and couldn't help, but giggle. Hermione was not a giggling type of girl, but Ron made her the type of girl to giggle at such affection.

"That... that was really good, I promise..." Hermione could see the worry on Ron's face when she pulled away. "I just... I started feeling..." Her face turned redder than Ron's and she felt his hand slowly sit on top of her thigh causing an unnoticeable moan escape her lips.

"Me, too... it's okay... let's.. let's just slow down. I didn't come up here to make you think we had to do... that... I just wanted a moment with you... to make sure you were okay"

"Oh Ron.. I know... and I would love to keep doing... that... I just, I wanted to check on you, too.."

They both let out chuckles when they realized they both just wanted to make sure the other was okay. Ron felt caught up in the moment and more confident than ever which is what prompted him to suddenly shout, "I'm sorry..." Hermione looked a bit confused and taken back. About to tell him he didn't have to be sorry for what she assumed was going to be about the sudden snogging, he grabbed her hands and began crying again.

"I'm so sorry I left you in the woods. I heard you calling for me, but I was so angry... I just... I just left and the second I was away from you and in some random town, I regretted it. I regretted it the moment I wasn't able to find you anymore. I will never forgive myself for leaving you. I just feel like if I hadn't, things would have been different. You wouldn't have been tortured. I know it doesn't make sense, I just have to believe that, y'know? I have to make myself suffer and believe that if I had just stayed, it wouldn't have gotten that far"

Tears running down his face, Ron looked away from Hermione, too embarrassed that he let himself get emotional like this. He doesn't realize that Hermione loves how real and vulnerable he can be with her. She feels honored.

"Ron.. Stop torturing yourself, okay? That's not... that's not what I want for you. I am not going to lie and say I have completely forgiven you, y'know? I mean, I have in a sense, I know you are sorry and it was the horcrux that made you feel whatever it made you feel, but I also feel scared... scared that you might leave again. I've never felt worthy for you, good enough and you leaving? It felt like a confirmation to me that you.." She hesitated because she didn't want to hurt him anymore than he clearly already was, but they were already talking about. There was no reason to stop.

"It just felt like a confirmation that you didn't love me the way I loved you... because see, I don't know what the horcrux did to you, I know it effected you, but to me, it was you that left... How was I supposed to know wether it was you or the horcrux?"

Ron felt the lump in his throat grow bigger. He felt himself shrink down and immediate guilt took over. Before he could begin apologizing, Hermione grabbed his face and spoke once more, "but I know you won't. I know you won't leave again. The horcrux is gone. Voldemort is gone. It's over. It doesn't suddenly make it easier and mean that I will forget, but we can move forward. We can move forward to a better life and... if you want, we can move forward, together."

Hermione let go of his face and grabbed his hands. She was hoping he would agree to being together. This would be the confirmation of their new relationship. She just needed to hear him say it and suddenly, Ron knew exactly what to say. This wasn't the same Ron, oblivious to Hermione's cryptic way of talking to him. He wasn't blinded by ignorance and he could actually figure out what Hermione wanted

"I want forever with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. However long magic gives us, I want it all with you. I want to figure it all out with you. I want to marry you, take care of you, have a family with you, have all my firsts with you... I want to love only you for the rest of however long we have"

Hermione was staring blankly on Ron. Her heart was exploding at his confession. She never knew Ron loved her. I mean, she had somewhat of an idea when he returned in the woods, but like this? She never thought she'd ever be with him and here they are, post war and confessing their love to one another. She couldn't help, but smile so big, pushing away any worry Ron just had at his loaded confession and they both leaned into one another in the most passionate, mind blowing kiss. Yes, even better than the chamber of secrets. It had every confirmation and ounce of love the other needed. Hermione slowly pulled away and they both exhaled and breathed each other in.

"This is the beginning of the rest of our lives, Ron.. I want everything with you. All the highs and lows. As long as I have you to love, I'm happy. This is our beginning"

"I love you, Hermione..." Ron rested his toward against Hermione's.

"This is our beginning"