A/N Dedicated to my friend Peter, because I miss him most at Christmastime.

3 years later

Christmas

The Burrow

" Merry Christmas, Ginny," Hermione said, coming downstairs on that Christmas morning. She said Merry Christmas to everyone else, kissed her godson Andre (Harry and Ginny's son), and sat down to unwrap presents. The presents were piled under the tree, but the pile had been getting smaller throughout the years, as more of the Weasley's went off to Hogwarts.

Bill's four kids were there, two of Percy's, and Charlie's two kids were all there. Fred had a one-year-old named George, and a two-year-old named Adrianna. George also had a one-year-old and his name, amazingly, was Fred. Hermione sensed a definite conspiracy going on there.

The Weasley family had grown for sure. There were now 12 grandchildren, and 6 in-laws. For those who can do fast math, you realize that Hermione and Ron were not married. The rest of the day was spent opening gifts, and helping prepare for the party they were having. Hermione helped cook the food, then went upstairs to change.

She came back down in a red dress that tied behind her neck. Her hair was up in a bun and she had put glitter that changed from red to green, to gold. The party was already in full swing. People were dancing and laughing, drinking and talking. Hermione took a cup of punch and headed over to where Ginny was by the fireplace.

"Hey Gin," she said, jumping out of the way to avoid being crushed by Fred and his wife, dancing nearby. Ginny laughed.

" Hey Herm," she replied.

Hermione took a second to look around her. The fire was dancing merrily in the fire, the 18 stockings hung above it. There was candles and holly on the mantel, and a picture over it. Hermione stared at the picture. It was one of her, Ron, Harry, and Ginny, taken while they were at Hogwarts. Ron was grinning and waving at her, and Hermione smiled sadly back, wishing it wasn't only a picture. Hermione saw Ginny look at the picture, at her, and then back at the picture.

" I miss him most at Christmastime," she whispered, pulling out a battered letter from her purse. It was the second last one he ever sent her, three years ago, inviting her for Christmas. She glanced at it then crumpled it back up and put it in her purse.

" I know you do. But you have to realize something Herm. He was very brave. He gave his life for the one we know today. He died very-"

" He didn't die, Ginny," Hermione interrupted. " He's not dead! I know it! All of you, you're just getting on with your lives quite fine, it seems. How can you just forget!? Can you really give up hope that easily?"

" Hermione, we've been over this before. He went missing. The Death Eaters probably caught him and killed him. He's missing! Gone! Dead! God, Hermione! Do you not think that I had a hard time accepting it too? Do you think that I enjoyed the fact that I suddenly had to go to my brother's funeral because they couldn't find him!? Well, I didn't! And sometimes I wish I could be like you, to be so sure of yourself. But I couldn't live in denial, and that's exactly what you're doing!"

And it was true. There had been a funeral for Ron. Because the last words anyone had heard from him was the letter Hermione had gotten, the What I Miss Most letter.

On the Auror trip, they had been separated from the rest. Ron and Dean Thomas. They had both never returned to the group, and they couldn't find them. The Aurors had come back, and Ron hadn't. They had even had a funeral for him. The casket had been full of memories of him, each person had put one in. Hermione had put in the What I Miss Most letter and her Yule Ball dress, so that it would be like he was actually going with her. She had also put in a Chudley Cannons card of Ron's that she had found in her Care of Magical Creatures book. Those type of things.

Everyone had cried so much, but Hermione had not ever cried. Not a tear, not a whimper, not a sob. Perhaps she was in shock, which's what many people said. The spark from her eyes had gone, and she rarely smiled. The doctors said this was normal behavior, but it continued for three months. Too long, said Ginny. For she had been very worried something would happen. And it did.

Hermione became very weak and pale, and they had finally hospitalized her. On her third night there, Hermione had gone into a coma. Her fourth day into the coma, she had a very vivid dream. It was about Ron. She could see and here everything that was going on, and could somehow tell that he was being tortured in a Death Eater-run prison. It went something like this:

Hermione woke up on a cold stone floor. It was cold and dark and damp. She pulled her robe tighter to her and realized she was in a prison cell. One small window gave little light, and the thick stone door on one wall would have blocked any that came from the hall beyond. There was a young man in a bed, in the corner, huddled under a grey wool blanket. Only his face could be seen, until he moved and his red hair became visible. Hermione gasped when she realized who it was.

" Ron! Oh, Ron!"

She ran over to him. His face had become thin and rough, his eyes dull and pained. The blue that so many girls had fallen in love with was gone, and had become an eerie grey.

Ron sat up slowly and started to talk to a hole in the wall. A face suddenly appeared. It was Dean Thomas!

" How long do you reckon it's been now?"

" About three months, I suppose," replied Dean, his voice hoarse. Silence from Ron. Suddenly, the door opened, and a Death Eater stepped in. Hermione gasped, and pressed herself against the wall, but the Death Eater didn't even glance at her. It walked up to Ron and looked down on him.

" So Weasley, how are we doing today?"

" As if you would care, " Ron replied, glowering at the Death Eater.

" You know Weasley, you're not being very nice. Look at this from my point of view. I rescue you from that terrible forest, I bring you here. I give you a place to sleep, and food to eat. Surely this is better than that dump your family lives in. And all I ask, is that you tell me who has the Mirror of Erised!

The Death Eater who's voice sounded oddly familiar, kept shouting." So! Are you going to tell me who has it, or not!?"

Ron glared back.

" I wouldn't know," he said calmly.

" Weasley! I know that you have connections concerning this! You do know! I know it!"

" Well, Malfoy, you're obviously wrong."

Hermione gasped again. Malfoy!? Draco Malfoy!? She couldn't believe it. Sure, he had always been mean to them at school, but she never thought he'd become one of- one of THEM! But there he was, standing right in front of her, his ugly mask covering his face that she knew was wearing a scowl.

" Do not talk back to me! Crucio!"

Ron started to scream in pain, writhing under his blanket.

" Stop it! Stop it, please," Hermione cried, covering her ears to block out Ron's screams. Malfoy only smiled down at Ron. Hermione pulled out her wand to curse him, but nothing happened. She tried to pull on him, push on him, kick him, but nothing worked. He never reacted. Oh God, she thought when she realized where she was. I'm in a dream.

" Finite," said Draco, and Ron was silent. " We'll talk about this later."

And he left.

" You okay, man? You look bad," Dean asked.

"You know what Dean? I think it's Christmas," Ron replied.

" God. You're right. Merry Christmas, Ron."

"Happy Christmas Dean."

Then they lapsed into silence again. Hermione wanted Ron to be able to hear her, so she could talk to him, make him know she was there. But Ron, who was softly singing a Muggle Christmas song that had always made Hermione cry, broke her thoughts. Ron started to sing softly.

"I-----i'---l be ho----ome for Chri---istmas, yo--ou--u can co--ount on me-------e.

I------i'l----l be ho----ome for Chri----istma--as-s, if only i-in my dre---eams."

Hermione started to cry. She took one of his hands in his and held it, even though she knew he couldn't feel it and sobbed pitifully.

" Ron! Oh, Ron! They think you're dead! They think you're dead," she mumbled over and over. "You have to come back! You need to escape! Please Ron!"

But Ron was asleep.