It all happened so fast. They were fixing to set up enchantments and then all of a sudden, death eaters were chasing them through the woods. They had just entered the dark sanctuary at the Malfoy house. It was as dark as they'd imagine. They were all blindfolded, but could feel each other and held tightly to one another.
"Hermione... please... stay behind me." Ron whispered near what he assumed to be Hermione's trembling ear and held tightly to her hand, never once imagined letting go of her. She tightened her grip on his hand, sending chills down his spine. Not the good kind. He knew she was terrified and that pained him even more.
Ron, Harry and Hermione were entering into the worse place for a muggle born. He was out of his mind terrified of what would happen to Hermione.
He just wanted to leave. He wanted to pick her up and just disapparate anywhere else, but Greyback breathing down their necks made that impossible. Ron held onto Hermione like his entire life depended on. Like her entire life depended on it.
They weren't sure where exactly they were at, everyone was quiet and they all could feel the hair's on their arms standing. They weren't sure what was going on. Until Bellatrix comes across the sword of Gryffindor and lost it. She starts pulling at the three, yelling,
"Where did you get this sword? Where?! Have you been in my vault?! What else have you taken?!" She spat at Hermione. He could feel Hermione tense and back up trying to get away from her. Her anger filled the entire room with such fear and anxiety. Ron broke the terrifying silence.
Ronald Weasley, who never felt an ounce of confidence before in his life shouted at the witch, blindfolded, not even sure where or who he was around. He somehow felt more confident since he returned to their tent and wanted to protect Hermione. And Harry, too, of course. He already left them once, he wasn't going to abandon them again. Specially Hermione.
"We did NOT steal this from your vault! Back away from her!!"
Bellatrix, not caring for the blood traitors tone, ripped the blind fold off of him and pulled at his face so he was forced to look directly at her.
"What was that, blood traitor?! YOU DARE SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT?!"
Ron would be lying if he said he wasn't out of his mind pissing right now, but he had to protect them. He could feel Harry behind him trying to break free, but he couldn't budge.
"I said... we did not steal anything from your bloody vault!!"
He spat back, rolling his eyes at the death eaters among them. She backs up, anger filling her eyes and Ron can feel every nerve in his body tense up.
"Liar!!!" She comes charging at the three of them, ripping Ron and Harry from Hermione. Ron still held onto Hermione's hand, not letting go. He couldn't let go. This enraged Bellatrix even more and she kicked Ron and Hermione's hands latched together. They both let out blood piercing screams as they fell to the floor and Ron could see Bellatrix picking Hermione up throwing her against the wall with her arm against her throat, making it harder for her to continue screaming.
"Disgusting, your love for this mudblood!! I mean look at her!! What is there to love?!"
Ron felt the pain in his wrist and the anger within his soul worsen by the second. He couldn't breathe. He looked up as Bellatrix was forcing her arm into Hermione's throat and he wanted so badly to get up and yank her out of her arms, but he couldn't.
"No! You can have me, keep me! Just leave her alone!!!"
Bellatrix kicked him across the face; the blow echoed around the room. He fell to the ground. Harry crawled beside Ron and grabbed a hold of him, checking on him. Ron, holding his face with his better hand, he looked up as he saw tears fall down Hermione's face and look of fear he's never known to come across her beautiful face. Please. Stop. Please. Just leave her alone.
"You'd die for her?! Well... If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next. Blood traitor is next to mud-blood in my book. Take them downstairs, Greyback, and make sure they are secure, but do nothing more to them- yet"
She gave out a grin that could kill. She spat towards them and turned around grinning at Hermione. He saw Hermione try to back up.
"No! Please!! We didn't take anything... I swear!!"
Hermione cried out. Ron felt shivers run down his spine at the sound of her pleading for mercy.
Greyback stopped them at the top of the stairs leading down to the cellar and Ron saw Bellatrix push Hermione against the wall and hit her across the face. He felt his bones twinge with anger and fear.
"Only speak when you have been spoken to!!!"
"STOP!! JUST LEAVE HER BE!!"
Greyback punched him in the gut and threw Ron and Harry into Pettigrew who escorted them down to the cellar.
Ron then knew what it felt like to truly want to die to protect someone you love.
—
Ron had ran and screamed himself into the ground yelling for Hermione. He now sat against a pillar in the cellar listening to her blood piercing screaming and felt every nerve in his body shot. He was shaking with anger and worry.
"Harry... what the bloody hell do we do?! She is going to kill her!!! She can't handle this much longer... I... I can't handle this much longer" He felt selfish for wanting this to end so he didn't have to endure it anymore knowing she's suffering a million times more, but he did also want it to stop for her. She didn't deserve this. Nobody did.
"I know, Ron.. I know... I... I can't handle this either... I just, don't know what we're supposed to do right now" and at the same moment a loud crack echoed inside the cellar. Ron clicked the deluminator. A ball of light flew into the floating lantern, revealing Dobby the house-elf, who had just apparated into their midst.
"Harry Potter?" The tiny house-elf spoke in the finest quiver.
"Dobby?!" Harry smacked Ron on the arm to get him to stop screaming. Ron looked terrified of his mistake. He could hear shuffling upstairs and hoped no one was coming down here.
"Dobby has come to rescue you, sir"
"But how did you-?" Hermione's screamed drowned out the rest of the question and Ron ran to the cellar doors. "Bloody stop it!! Please!!!" Ron could hear Greyback laugh and slammed his fist into the bars of the cellar.
"You can disapparate out of this cellar?" Harry spoke over Ron's screams. "And you can take us with you?" The house-elf shook his head with a grin. "Dobby can sir"
"Okay Dobby... we need you to take Ron and I upstairs. Now. Before they kill Hermione."
"Oh dear yes sir. Poor Hermione. Yes"
Dobby quickly walked across the cellar to the door and unlocked the door. Before they went up, Dobby handed Ron and Harry their wands. Before they could ask how he managed to get those, Hermione was no longer screaming, but she let out the most pitiful moan that caused Ron to run to the top of the stairs. Harry ran after him, slowing him down to not do anything stupid... just yet.
"Ron! Hold on, okay!?"
"Bugger off!! Alright? Help me get Hermione. Please. I don't care WHAT it takes!!"
The sight before Ron and Harry was enough to knock them down the stairs again. Hermione was laying on the floor of Malfoy Manor and she was so weak, pale and covered in blood. He could see "mud-blood" carved into her arm and started crying. For a second he could see life in her eyes. He had a glimmer of hope that she was going to be okay, if he could just get to her. In that moment, It was like he was frozen to the stairs, not able to move as he saw Bellatrix raise her wand and she shouted "AVADA KEDAVRA!" causing Ron to immediately grip to reality and find movement in his feet. He ran up the stairs and screamed, "EXPELLIARMUS!! NO!! HERMIONE!!!"
He pointed his wand directly at Bellatrix and sent her flying across the room, but he wasn't there in enough time. Her curse had already hit Hermione. He saw her body shoot up and back down on the ground and he could see her eyes, but this time, lifeless.
"HERMIONE! NO!" He ran as fast as he could, even though it felt like it took ages to get to her and scooped her up in his arms. His life just flashed before his eyes. He looked down at the girl who had been the love of his life for the last six years. He looked down at the girl who was supposed to be the love of his life for the rest of their lives. He looked down at the girl was supposed to be his wife, mother of their many children, and someone he grew old with. He now looked down at a girl that had all of those things taken away not just from him, but herself. She had her entire life stolen from her.
The breathe was taken out of Ron. He couldn't find any room in him to breathe.
He looked around, looking for what, he had no idea. He needed someone to tell him Hermione would be okay. He needed someone to tell him it was just a bad dream and he was going to wake up at the Burrow with Hermione beside him. Heck, he'd even take waking up in the tent if it meant it never got this far. He couldn't hear much between his uncontrollable sobs, Bellatrix's evil laugh and Harry shuffling beside him.
He heard shouting from the death eaters to grab Harry, but Dobby disapprated them across the room and then he felt Harry and Dobby's hand land on his shoulder.
He was sucked out of the air and found himself with Hermione, Harry and Dobby at the Burrow. They had disapparated out of hell, thought Ron.
He thought the day he'd see the burrow again would be the greatest moment of his life, but under these circumstances, he felt grieved and pained.
Harry didn't know where else to go. He didn't know where they would be safe. Hermione always decided where they would go next... and to be honest, he just wanted to be around family. He knew Ron agreed.
Ron had not moved off the ground, clutching Hermione close to him. He felt the waves of sob vibrate through Hermione, but they were coming from him. He was shaking terribly. This can't be real. He kept touching her face, pulling at her arms and trying to find any ounce of life within her pale, small body.
"Hermione.. wake up, please. Bloody hell, this can't be happening. Please wake up. Be mad at me. Correct me for saying something stupid. Tell me I'm a brainless git. Anything. Just breathe, Hermione. Breathe so I can know you are still here with me"
Harry stared down at his two best friends, wondering how they would move. He felt the weight of the world and he couldn't find it in him to walk to the Burrow. He felt Dobby grab his hand and he looked down to see the tiny elf sobbing into Harry's leg. They stood for what felt like forever when Harry saw Ginny running to him, with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley right behind her.
"HARRY?! RON?! HERMI-..." Ginny stopped right in her tracks when she noticed Hermione laying in Ron's arms, sobs running through Ron and tears falling from Harry's eyes.
"No.. she's not.. she can't be.." Harry couldn't find himself to look at Ginny because he knew he couldn't handle seeing her cry.
Ginny immediately grabbed Harry and held him as sobs come pouring out of him as she embraced him. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were standing off to the side of Ron, comforting him. Nobody spoke for a long time one of the reasons being, what could they say?
Hermione was dead. Nothing could bring Ron back right now. There was no word of encouragement that could fix it. A second reason being, the Weasley's had so many questions and yet, they had no energy or willpower to make Harry and Ron relive the last 24 hours right now.
Molly lifted Ron up off the ground and Arthur try to pick Hermione up, but Ron wouldn't let go and just continued walking toward the Burrow with Hermione bundled up to his chest. Ginny, Harry and Dobby right behind them. As they stepped inside, Fred and George, shocked to see them, were about to greet them like their usual selves until they noticed Hermione and Ron's pale, almost lifeless face.
"Ron?! Harr-... What's going on..."
Ron spoke for the first time in what felt like hours, his voice dry and head so heavy. Molly jolted a little fully expecting anyone else to speak as she held him close to her on the couch, Hermione still in his arms.
"Hermione's dead." Ron said looking down at the floor of the Burrow. He heard a few gasps, but was unsure who it was. "Bellatrix Lestrange tortured her and then killed her. Right in front of us."
Molly was now a full on mess, but hugged Ron tighter, bringing his head down on her chest. Arthur got Ron to at least let him put Hermione comfortably in a room. Ron try to protest arguing she was dead and couldn't even be comfortable anymore, but Arthur insisted and Ron finally obliged, falling into his mother's lap. He might as well have had no life in his eyes.
He stared, not blinking, towards the fire that was going in the room, his focus going in and out. He saw a figure get down in front him and realized it was Ginny. He locked eyes with her and saw the tears falling.
"Ron..I am so sorry.. I.. I don't know what to do..." "Me neither, Gin.. I.. I don't know how to live anymore"
Everyone sniffled and all crowded around Ron as he laid on Molly and just let the emotions run over one another. Arthur had come back from laying Hermione down and he was the first to speak in a long time.
"I am going to cast a spell over Hermione to preserve until we get everything figured out, okay?" He put his hand under Ron's chin and brought his face up to his. "I have no words that can make this better, okay? I wish I did. I'd be the first to say it, but I think I'll need help and I am sure you don't want anyone, but you to do this, right?"
Ron felt a sudden weight on his chest. His father was right. He didn't want anyone else touching Hermione right now except him. He wanted to honor and take care of Hermione, even if she wasn't here anymore. He'd do it for the rest of his life.
Flash forward to Hermione's funeral
It had been a week since Harry, Ron and a lifeless Hermione returned to the Burrow. Ron dreamed of the day he'd be returning home, but definitely not like this. He felt broken and shattered and had not left his room since then. The only time he did so was when his father and him did a preserving spell over Hermione's body the day they returned.
Flashback begins
Ron entered the room his dad had placed Hermione and he felt immediate grief. He promised Hermione he would keep her safe. He promised her when he returned to the tent that he would never leave her again. He couldn't believe how much of an idiot he had been to ever leave her. He vowed in that moment, to himself, that he'd do everything in his power to keep her safe and get to the end of this war.
Arthur had walked up to Ron and had begun going over the spell and how they needed to go about doing it. He gave Ron a minute to collect himself than started speaking enchantments over her body.
Ron watched in amazement as his father was walking back and forth over Hermione. He could see the bruises, scarring and even the discoloration all leave her perfect, beautiful body. Ron lifted us his wand to begin his part of the enchantments. It took about 20 minutes and Hermione was laying there and looked so beautiful... for someone who would never get to wake up.
Arthur left Ron to have some time alone with Hermione. He heard the door click indicating his dad had left. He looked down at Hermione's hands and brought his up to cup her hands into his. He brought her hands to his lips, kissing them through shaky tears.
"Hermione, I am so sorry. I failed you, again. I failed you when I left you and I failed you in keeping you safe. I didn't do enough... I.. I can't do this without you.. Herimone... please come back. Wake me up from this nightmare..." He laid his head down on top of his hands holding Hermione and let the sobs and tears wave through his body.
Flashback ended
Ron rolled over in his bed so that he was on his side and glanced out the window. The sun was shining and he let out a groan as he lifted out of bed. Today was Hermione's funeral. He was dreading this day all week. He wanted to make all the arrangements himself, but he just could't do it. His mum took over. He was okay with it because it helped him to just wallow in the pain he felt. He didn't have the energy to do anything else. He specially didn't have the energy to think of her parents. They had no idea Hermione was dead, but at the same time, they had no idea who Hermione was.
Ron explained to his father how Hermione obliviated her parents memories and he explained to Ron how with Hermione dying, there would be no way to restore their memories. The magic went away when she died. Ron felt so much grief for her parents, but at the same time felt immense envy. He hated himself for it, but he wished he didn't have to feel this pain.
He was immediately brought back from those thoughts when he expressed them to Harry one night and Harry said, "Mate, I know it's hard.. having to feel this pain and let her go, but you don't have to really, y'know, let her go. She's always here. In your heart. She's always going to be the voice in your head talking you down from doing or saying something stupid. She's always going to be the voice in your head correcting you or throwing some piece of history at you."
He and Harry finally laughed after days of crying and he felt a tiny, very minuscule, weight lift off his shoulders. This wasn't going to be easy, but he was going to get through. He just didn't know if he wanted to.
Ron headed downstairs to see his mother at the sink, washing dishes, oddly enough without magic and he made his way to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Hermione, and Harry, was just as much as another child of Molly and Arthur as the other seven. This was not easy for Ron, but it wasn't easy for anyone else as well.
"I'm sorry, mum... for not being here for any of you guys and just staying in my room... I just-" Molly immediately dropped the dishes, turned to Ron and cupped his face into her soapy, wet hands. "Don't. Do not apologize, Ronald. I'm... I am just so sorry you are having to go through this kind of grief at such a young age. I am so sorry.."
She choked up on trying to say Hermione's name and closed her eyes to focus herself and looked back up at Ron "I am so sorry Hermione was taken from you far far too soon" Ron now was crying once again. He didn't understand how he still had tears to cry. He firmly believed his body would forever grieve and cry over the loss of his favorite bushy brown haired girl.
"I love you, mum... so much" He wrapped his arms around Molly for what felt like ages and they just used the comfort of each other to lift themselves back up.
"Alright, hon... let's make this day as memorable as we can. I know it hurts and life won't be the same, but she would want us to remember her for the amazing woman she is, she would want us to laugh and honor her in all we do. So. Let's have at it!"
Molly let go of Ron, patting him gently on the shoulders and continued about the house, preparing for Hermione's wake. Ron stood there, staring out the window at the spot him and Hermione would go to to spend time together. Mostly snog and laugh. He just closed his eyes to gather his thoughts.
"Hermione, I am doing this for you. I am living for you. I want to bring justice for you... I will take today, I will remember you in all of the good. I won't let grief consume me today, but tomorrow? Tomorrow it begins. I will help Harry bring down those who wronged you and took you away from us. I will live for you. I will breathe for you."