Disclaimer—I own nothing but Avery. That's it. Please don't sue me.

************************************************************************

"Goodnight, daddy." The little redheaded girl looked up at him, smiling before losing herself in a yawn.

"Goodnight, love. Sleep well." He gave her a small kiss on the forehead before turning to leave. He flicked his wand at the candles and they all went out but one. He looked back at his daughter and sighed as he closed the door.

He felt the familiar emptiness as he walked down the hall, the same emptiness he had felt every night for two years now. He couldn't believe it had been two years, two years since he had lost the most important thing in the world. Two years since half of him had died.

He kicked off his shoes as he reached his bedroom, waving his wand slightly to light some of the candles. Looking at the bed he inwardly debated to himself. He had only slept on the bed that she and he had purchased together, what seemed like ages ago, in the past year. And even now it was hard, especially when he rolled over, expecting her to be there, and always being confronted by cold sheets and nothingness.

"There's no bloody way I'd get any sleep if I tried it in the bed tonight," he thought to himself, turning to his dresser to get his pajamas. "Not that I'm going to sleep anyway."

He quickly changed and grabbed a pillow off of his bed, heading out into the living room.

He found his way to the sofa without thinking. This had been his bed for more sleepless nights than he cared to remember, and he had almost come to see it as a friend. It had caught his countless tears, offering a never wavering "shoulder" that he was too proud to accept from anyone else.

He lay there thinking about her, not able to help himself. During the day he kept himself busy enough that he didn't have time to think about her…but at night, there simply was nothing else on his mind.

The familiar sting of tears came, as he drifted into the past.

***

"What could possibly be taking so bloody long?" Ron looked impatiently at his watch, for what felt like the hundredth time, wishing Hermione would get done already. "It's just a bloody dance, honestly. I can't imagine what she could be do-- " His voice caught in his throat as he looked at the stairs.

He'd never seen anything more beautiful in his life. Even Fleur couldn't hold a candle to Hermione right now. Her hair had been tamed into loose curls that had been piled on top of her head. She had put on a bit of make-up, though not much. She didn't really need it, but he noticed that her lips seemed to be more moist than usual. His eyes traveled downward as he took in the lavender dress robes she was wearing. They hugged her in all the right places, which was probably another spell or two, but he didn't care. At that moment she resembled an angel climbing towards him out of heaven.

He didn't realize that he had been staring until Harry elbowed him in the ribs, hard. "Get your arse over there, mate. She isn't going to wait all day."

Ron looked over at Harry who was scanning the room for his own date. Harry had refused to reveal whom he had asked to the ball, and for the first time in two weeks Ron didn't care. Ron turned back to his girlfriend, crossing the room in three long strides.

"Hermione, you look…" He couldn't seem to find the right words to tell her just how beautiful she was. He noticed her blush and look down at herself, straightening her already straightened robes nervously.

"I know, it's not great, but it's all I could-" Ron cut her off with a kiss.

"No, you look amazing, love. Really. I was speechless. I think…no, I know, you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Hermione smiled at his stumbling speech, but didn't look away this time.

"You look very handsome too, Ron. I must say, that blue really looks great on you. It brings out your eyes."

Ron couldn't help but grin somewhat sheepishly at that. "Are you ready then?" he asked, holding out his hand.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

***

That was the night that he had known he loved her. And not because of how beautiful she was, but simply because something clicked inside him, inside his soul, that said there would be no other for him.

This was how it was every night, a slew of memories would come over him, and he never knew which ones it would be. Not that there was a lack of them to choose from. They had been together for four years, beginning in their sixth year, before they married four years ago. He realized with a start that it was their anniversary. He wondered what it would have been like if she had been there, what he would have gotten her, what she would have gotten him. He didn't often associate this day with his marriage anymore, as it was the day that she had left as well. But he couldn't help the memories that flowed from the remembrance of his anniversary.

***

"Are you nervous, mate?"

"What the bloody hell kind of question is that, Harry? Of course I'm bloody nervous." Ron tugged at the sleeves of his black dress robes, wondering why he looked like someone had died. This was the happiest day of his life, and he was certain that he was doing the right thing, but he still looked like he'd lost his best friend. Which wasn't true at all, as one of his best friends wiped some lint off of his shoulder. The other was waiting, probably just as nervous as he, in a room on the other end of the hall. "Do I look alright?"

Harry laughed as he patted his friend on the back. "Ron, you look fine. Besides, I hate to tell you this, chap, but nobody's going to be looking at you."

Ron shot Harry a dirty look, but knew he was right. But he still worried, because "She will. At least I hope she will. And I'd hate to have her memory of our wedding to be me looking bad." He looked in the mirror one last time, taking a deep breath. "I can't believe we're doing this."

Harry grinned at Ron. "Yeah, well…better get used to the idea. Because in," Harry looked down at his watch, "twenty minutes, there's gonna be a ring on that hand."

Ron glanced down at his now bare left hand, before grinning back at Harry. "You're one to talk. A few months there'll be one on yours too."

Harry merely shrugged, straightening his own dress robes. "Well, I guess we should head out there. If I remember right there's a lot of standing around for the groom to do."

"So I hear," Ron mumbled, heading to the door. He opened it to find his father just about to knock. "Hey, Dad."

"Hey! They're ready for you two. You look nice, son."

"Thanks, dad." Ron almost said more, but just then an overwhelming urge to lose his breakfast overtook him and he thought it best to keep his mouth closed.

He didn't really remember much from that point until the ceremony was about to begin, though his next memory of that day was one of the clearest anywhere in his mind.

She stood in the doorway, surrounded by the sunlight of the nice day outside, on the arm of her father, wearing a white Muggle wedding dress. And she was perfect. He felt his breath catch in his throat as their eyes met when she began walking down the aisle. The rest of the room faded as they stared into each other's eyes, and Ron didn't realize that he had stopped breathing until Harry nudged him, causing him to take a loud, deep breath. Normally he would have turned crimson in embarrassment but he didn't even realize that had done it. Hermione smiled at him as she reached him, looking him in the eye.

Ron was fairly sure he had spoken at some point in the ceremony, but looking back all he would remember were those brown eyes staring straight into his.

***

Gods how he missed those eyes. The looks she would give him, the one of surrender when he talked her into doing something that would inevitably turn out to be great fun, even if they got caught. The one of passion they blazed with every time they made love. The look in her eyes as she held their daughter for the first time.

The tears flowed freely from his eyes as he sank back into the past.

***

Ron watched her as she slept, naked beside him, her soft brown hair falling around her shoulders and on the pillow. He reached out and ran his hand through it carefully, not wanting to wake her, but knowing she would wake soon anyway. Just as he let go of her hair her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him with that look that had been in her eyes ever since fifth year. The one that always took his breath away. You're staring again, Weasley, he thought to himself, just as she leaned up and planted a soft but firm kiss on his lips.

"Happy Christmas, Ron."

"Happy Christmas, love."

It was their second Christmas as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ron knew he had never been happier. They were as in love as the day they had gotten married, if not more so. He knew that they would have to get up soon if they were to open their gifts from each other before having to start getting ready to make their "rounds" as Hermione liked to call them. They were expected at the Weasley's at noon, and at the Grangers at six, but Ron wouldn't have minded spending the day in bed simply staring at his wife, who was smiling at him at the moment.

"We need to get up at some point, Ron."

He nodded and leaned in for another kiss, which she happily gave him. He heard her moan and knew that if they were going to get up at all that day that they would have to stop this, so he pulled back, keeping his forehead on hers. He gave her nose a kiss before turning over and getting up.

He padded into the living room, yawning slightly and glancing at the presents under the tree. They had never been big on giving each other lots of gifts, and had gotten each other just one gift each Christmas they had been together. This year was no different, at least from his end. He made his way to the kitchen and nearly jumped as Hermione Apparated right in front of him.

"Hermione! You've got to start warning me when you do that."

She just laughed, like she did every time she scared him like that, which was quite often. He'd never quite gotten the hang of Apparition, but she had mastered it quickly and loved it. He just shook his head and moved to the stove, where he began attempting to cook breakfast. His mother had made a few attempts at teaching him how to cook before he got married, but the only things he'd ever really gotten good at were eggs and spaghetti.

"Ron!" Hermione laughed as she looked at the mutilated pancakes he seemed to be producing before taking the spatula from him. She quickly produced several perfect pancakes, smiling all the while.

"Sorry 'bout that, Mina."

"Oh, Ron, don't worry about it. I like cooking pancakes."

"That's rubbish and we both know it," Ron said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Hermione shrugged, flipping a pancake onto the plate. "I like cooking them better than I like eating yours."

Ron laughed loudly at this before bending to give Hermione a kiss.

They ate quickly, forgoing the usual morning activities. Ron was anxious to see Hermione's reaction to his gift. He had chosen something that he felt was perfect for her and couldn't wait to see her with it on. From the looks that she was sending him as they shoveled down their food she felt the same.

"You open yours first," he insisted as they made their way to the living room. She sighed exasperatedly, but smiled as she sat by the tree. Ron handed her the package, suddenly nervous. He watched her face as she quickly, but carefully, removed the gold wrapping paper to reveal a mahogany box. She looked up at him with a questioning look in her eyes.

"Well, go on, open it," he urged her.

She looked back down and her eyes got wide as she opened the box slowly, revealing a sliver and garnet vanity set, complete with combs and a brush and mirror. She looked up at him with a mixture of love and surprise on her face. "Ron, this must have cost a fortune!"

Ron only shrugged. "Not really. And besides, you're worth every knut of it." He smiled at her as she leaned in for a short kiss.

"Now it's your turn." She handed him two boxes, one large, one small. He looked at them, curious, wondering why she had gotten him two things.

"Open the big one first," she insisted, bouncing impatiently on her legs.

He laughed slightly as he ripped into the paper. When it was opened it was all he could do to keep from shouting in excitement. He looked from the Cannons Fan Pack in his hand to Hermione, aghast. Hermione grinned at him and took the box gingerly. "This ultimate fan pack contains season tickets, figurines of all seven players, hats, buttons, and a full set of robes, to assure that everyone in the stands will know that you are the ultimate Cannons fan." She looked up at him, happiness in her eyes.

Ron couldn't tear his wide eyes off of her face, unable to speak. When he found his voice finally "Hermione…" was all he was able to croak out. No other words came to his mind, so he decided to do the next best thing. He leaned over and kissed her. Hard. It was a few minutes before they broke apart, and Ron had completely forgotten about the second gift by the time they did.

"Mina" he growled, as she moaned when he began trailing kisses down her neck.

"Ron, wait," she said, breathlessly, pushing him away. Ron was confused until she handed him the second gift. "Open this first."

Ron looked down at the gift and grabbed it. He ripped it open, intent on opening it as quickly as possible so he could get back to thanking Hermione. However, when he opened the small box to reveal a white stick he looked up at Hermione, once again confused. She was grinning, almost glowing, as he looked up at her.

"Hermione, what is this?"

"Oh! Umm…it's a Muggle pregnancy test. More scientific than wizard tests. And easier to show you."

Ron looked back down at the box in his hand a noticed a pair of lines towards the end before it hit him what she had said. His head jerked up as it hit him what she had just said. "You're…?" She smiled, nodding, and Ron felt his heart swell as he swept her into another kiss.

***

That kiss. The power those lips had when they touched his had been unimaginable. There was nothing that he wouldn't do for just one more kiss.

Ron sighed and rolled over onto his side, clutching a throw pillow as if he would die were he to let it go. The tears had not slowed, still coursing hotly down his face. It surprised him that he still had tears left in him after all these months. He wished that he would run out of tears, hoping that the pain that brought the tears would leave with the tears. It seemed like all he had done was cry since…well…

***

"Oy! Harry!" Fred bellowed across the living room of the Burrow. Harry and Ginny had just arrived, Ginny glowing at seven months along.

Harry grinned at the familiar greeting. "Hullo, Fred. I do believe that your kids will be born deaf if you talk like that often."

Angelina's hand went to her very pregnant stomach at that and Harry saw Fred glance at it, the grin on his face widening. Harry laughed and shook Fred's hand before turning to hug Angelina. "I'm sure your twins will be just as loud as Fred here, Angie."

"God help us all," Ron said, grinning at his best friend, who turned and grinned broadly back.

"Ron." Harry hugged him hard, slapping him on the back. It had been almost a month since they had seen each other, Harry off at Quidditch practice, Ron in the office. Almost a month since Avery had been born. "Where's my kid?" Harry asked, pulling back.

"Hermione hogging her? Or your mum?"

"My mum's spoiling Avery. Hermione's not here yet. Something at work. She should be here any second though," he said, looking down at his watch. "She better be. It is her party after all."

"I'm sure she's lost in a report on cauldron bottoms or something important like that," Harry said, grinning.

Ron shrugged, smiling, before hugging his sister. "I still can't believe you married this git," he said, as the baby kicked against him.

Ginny pulled away and smiled the mischievous grin she had somehow acquired her last year at Hogwarts. "It could have been Malfoy."

Ron suppressed the choking feeling that he felt every time she said that. "I'm so glad you married this git," he said, getting laughs out of everyone.

A short while later, after passing the red-haired, hazel eyed Avery to Ginny, Harry looked worriedly at Ron, who was staring out the window, hoping to spot Hermione. He though about calling her, but he knew that she would be annoyed that he bothered her if she was busy with her work.

"Ron, I'm sure she'll be here in a minute, you know how she can get."

Ron sighed, turning from the window. He plucked his daughter from the arms of his sister, careful not to wake her. "I'm sure she is too, but it's not like her to be late to anything. She's still as mental about it as she was in school."

Harry opened his mouth to say something just as something crashed from the fireplace. Ron instinctively protected Avery from the soot that came out, coughing on the black ash that invaded his lungs. "Her-Hermione?" he coughed out, trying to open his eyes.

"No, Weasley." Ron would recognize that drawl anywhere. "But you need to come, now."

Ron could see as the soot cleared and he knew something was wrong by the grave look on Draco's face. "Here, Harry, take Avery." He pushed the now very awake, and very upset baby at Harry before turning back to Malfoy. "Where is she?"

"Her off--"

Ron didn't hear the rest of the sentence as he Disapparated with a pop.

He saw her as soon as he appeared, sprawled on the floor and looking paler than Ron had ever seen her. "Mina?" He rushed to her side, reaching for her head as he fell to her knees.

Her eyes fluttered open and she gave a weak smile as Ron's heart broke as he looked at her, not noticing the blood pooling beneathe her head, or the various cuts all over her body, but the look of peace in her eyes. That look terrified him, as he knew that it meant that she had already accepted that she would die and that there was absolutely nothing he could do.

"Ron." She said weakly, reaching for his hand. "I love you. Tell Avery that I love her."

Ron choked back the sob that he felt forming in his throat. "I love you too, Mina. Avery will know, I promise. I love you." He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss, feeling the tears drip from his eyes. He held her to him and he felt her sigh as she slipped from him. Ron was prepared to die right then, if the voice that came after the small pop that came a few seconds later had not belonged to who it had.

"How touching." The coldness in the voice ran a chill through Ron as he had never known. He turned, laying Hermione down and stood to face Voldemort. An anger stronger than any he had ever felt overcame him and in a flash he had his wand out and pointed directly at Voldemort's head.

"Go to hell." Ron shouted the killing curse and watched as a bright green flash of light came from the tip of his wand and struck a shocked Voldemort. When the light cleared Voldemort's body lay on the ground, still.

Several pops went unnoticed behind him as his family, minus Ginny and Angelina, Apparated behind him, with Draco. He looked down at Voldemort and spat on him, the anger subsiding. It completely faded as he knelt by his wife's limp form. He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath, fighting the tears he knew would come anyway. In one swift movement he lifted her lifeless body and stood, and faced his family before Disapparating.

***

Her memory had haunted his dreams and thoughts for two years now, and he knew that there was no likely end in sight. He loved his daughter, but he knew that he would never love another like he had loved Hermione. And he knew that he would never fully heal from her death.

He closed his eyes as he felt exhaustion begin to overtake him as dawn touched the edges of the horizon. "I love you, Mina," he whispered into the darkness as he drifted into a sleep that would be filled with dreams of her.

Fin.