::A/N:: I know, I know, I haven't updated for a week. I'm sorry but I had writer's block and I'm sick as well. I don't know how it's possible to get a cold in June but….well anyway, here's SotP 9. I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for the reviews!

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Harry and Ginny sat at the kitchen table in Grimmauld Place, half-heartedly sipping butterbeer. Ron was still upstairs in his bedroom, but Harry and Ginny had grown tired of the waiting and decided they needed to do something. So here they sat, Harry staring into his butterbeer tank and Ginny watching him. The shock of Hermione's kidnapping was beginning to wear off but they both still felt terribly helpless. Harry swirled the straw in his butterbeer and then began to blow bubbles into it gloomily. Ginny smiled weakly at him.

"I haven't seen anyone do that in ages," she said. She too began blowing bubbles in her own glass. Neither of them said anything for several minutes, and then Ginny raised her head from her glass. Her arm twitched for a second and then she reached across the table and grasped Harry's hand in her own. He still showed no signs of life but continued to puff air into his straw.

"Hey, Bubble Boy," Ginny said quietly, "I'm trying to help you."

"I know," Harry mumbled, continuing his fascination with his drink.

Ginny watched him for a second. "We don't even know that we've lost her yet Harry…don't lose hope."

"Don't be so naive, Ginny," he said angrily, raising his head at last. "She's gone, and now I've lost another one of my family members to Voldemort's cause."

"You don't know that for sure."

"Well I'm not going to get my hopes up because then it will hurt even more when we get confirmation that she is dead."

"Don't say that!" Ginny yelled.

"What do you want me to say?"

"I…I don't know." She let go of his hand and stared back down at her own glass, wishing she could drown herself within its depths.

"I don't see the point in hoping for things anymore, Ginny. Hope always screws me over," Harry said bitterly. He got up and shook his stool violently. Ginny watched as he walked around the kitchen with his fists clenched and his jaw set. Then he suddenly kicked a vase over. Ginny gasped as it fell to the floor and shattered. Harry picked up the pieces and began throwing them at various pieces of furniture in the room.

"Harry!" she yelled.

"I—don't—care—anymore!" he said angrily, forcefully throwing pieces of the vase at the wall. He picked up a jar and threw it at the floor, then yelled when the broken fragments cut his feet. He kicked the kitchen table, grabbed his butterbeer, and threw that too. He shook his chair again and sat down panting, thrusting his head onto his arms.

"Harry?" Ginny asked tentatively.

"I—don't—care anymore," he said heavily.

Ginny felt hollow on the inside. Her own pain was horrible enough, but watching Harry suffer just added more to the burden. She swallowed hard to fight back her tears and walked around the table, sitting onto a chair next to him.

"Harry, it's going to be okay," she whispered consolingly, pulling him towards her. He was still panting heavily but she could see more tears forming in his eyes.

He didn't bother to tell her that everything wouldn't be okay. He didn't bother to mention that he'd lost his parents, his godfather, and now one of his best friends. He didn't mention that he would probably be killed soon too, or else have to become a murderer. For a moment, Harry Potter forgot that he was living in Hell and just allowed her to comfort him. His breathing eventually slowed and he closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of Ginny holding him.

Ginny felt Harry relax against her and although most of her was screaming inside, a small part of her felt light as air. In the midst of all the turmoil, here was something that felt right. But even so, a sharp pain still jabbed at her heart, because Ginny realized that she might not be able to share this with Hermione. Tears clouded her eyes as she pictured her best friend's face lighting up when Ginny told her that she had held Harry twice that day. Hermione would have been so happy for her….

A loud thud shook Ginny out of her stupor and she felt Harry jerk awake as well. Both of them turned their heads to see Tonks standing by the staircase. And kneeling on the floor next to her was…

"Hermione!" Ginny screamed. In one instant both her and Harry had bolted out of their seats and rushed down next to Hermione, knocking her over as they both tried to give her a hug.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, his voice cracking.

"I'm fine," she said, sitting up. "I'm just really glad to see you two."

Ginny hugged her again and both girls started crying. Harry tried to inconspicuously wipe away his tears but couldn't stem the flow of happiness welling inside of him.

"Crying over me, Harry?" Hermione teased as she released Ginny and wiped away her own tears.

"I was so scared," he said hoarsely.

"I know, so was I," she replied. She gave him another hug.

Ginny started laughing giddily while she tried to dry her eyes. Hermione and Harry turned towards her and began laughing as well. Tonks stood by and marveled at the happy reunion taking place before her. The three of them were laughing like idiots…but Tonks knew it was from their overwhelming relief to see each other again. She smiled.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione finally asked.

"He's upstairs," said Ginny. "Why don't you go find him and we'll make you some dinner?"

"That'd be great, thanks Gin," said Hermione brightly, giving her yet another hug and dashing up the stairs.

"Well," said Tonks, gazing at Harry and Ginny mischievously. "I'm gonna go check and make sure the Order have rounded things up okay."

"Was everything okay when you were there?" Harry asked.

"Oh yeah, we were totally beating the Death Eaters," Tonks enthused.

"Tonks, thank you so much," Ginny said, sharing a hug with her as well.

"Anytime," she said brightly. Then she disappeared with a pop.

Ginny turned to Harry. "So, do you believe in hope now?"

He gave a shaky laugh. "Yeah, I think the Fates are on my side for once," he muttered, gazing at her. Ginny felt herself go red while they just stared at each other. Then she walked over to the stove.

"Would you like to help me make some grilled cheese?"

"Yeah, I think I would." He grinned. She returned the smile.

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Hermione felt herself shaking as she climbed the stairs to Ron's room. She wasn't sure how he would react to seeing her, but she knew that she desperately needed to see him. She had thought of him more than anyone else during her brief stay in Azkaban. She had to apologize for fighting with him, had to make him understand how much she cared for him….

Sooner than expected, she was standing in front of his door. She took a deep breath and rapped her knuckles on the door.

"Leave me alone," said a weak voice.

Hermione slowly opened the door. There he was, laying on his bed and staring at the ceiling, his vivid red hair visible even in the semi-darkness. All of a sudden Hermione felt like a golf ball had lodged itself in her throat. She wanted to run to him….

"I thought I said—" Ron began, tearing his eyes away from the ceiling. Then he caught sight of her. Without a word he sat upright and stared at her, feeling chills run up and down his arms. She was just standing there staring at him, looking so vulnerable.

Ron was suddenly so overcome with emotion he thought he would choke on it. Before he knew it he had scrambled off his bed and sprinted to the door. He wrapped her in a tight embrace and she threw her arms around him, grasping him like she would fall if she let go.

"Ron," she choked out through sobs, "I'm sorry."

"No, Hermione, don't be sorry…"

"I didn't mean to fight with you, I didn't mean to upset you again, I'm sorry, that's all I've been thinking about…"

"Me too, I'm sorry, I felt horrible all day," he rushed out in one breath, now crying himself.

"I was worried that I'd never have the chance to see you again." Ron felt her body racking in-between sobs. He tightened his embrace.

"I felt the same way. But it's okay, we're going to be okay. You're safe now." Hermione took a deep shuddering breath. Ron was shaking. He let out a sigh of relief into her hair.

After about ten minutes, Ron noticed that Hermione wasn't as tense anymore. She had relaxed and was breathing normally. He let go of her and she stood back to look at him.

"You have tearstains," she whispered.

Ron blushed. "Er…yeah, I guess I do."

"I've never seen you cry before." She bit her lip.

"Well, er, I guess some things are just worth crying over," he stammered.

Hermione smiled.

"Um, listen Hermione, I really am sorry about fighting with you yesterday, and, er, I really do care about you—a lot—even though we bicker a lot." The blush was spreading across his face and down his neck as he spoke.

"I know, Ron. I care about you a lot too." She twisted her hands and stared at the floor.

"Hermione—the Death Eaters—they didn't hurt you at all, did they?"

"No, they didn't hurt me."

He sighed. "Good. I don't think I would have been able to live with myself."

Hermione stood on her toes for a second, hesitated, and then gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Ron turned a shade of crimson for a minute, but he beamed at her.

"Thanks, Ron."

"For what?"

"Just for—umm—being a great friend…and maybe more."

He stared at her. She bit her lip and stared at his feet. Then his stomach grumbled.

Hermione laughed. "Do you want something to eat? Ginny said she would make some dinner."

"Yeah, of course! What's she making?"

"I dunno, let's find out. I'm starving…" she led him out of his room and down the stairs into the hallway. Mrs. Weasley came hurrying up the stairs to meet them and nearly bowled Hermione over.

"Oh thank goodness, thank goodness! Ginny said you were home, oh I can't believe it, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley, I'm okay. Thanks." Mrs. Weasley eventually let go of her, which was lucky because Hermione was about to suffocate. Ron watched in amusement as Mrs. Weasley felt Hermione's forehead and asked her about any injuries.

"Mum, shouldn't we leave this up to Madame Pomfrey?"

"Oh be quiet Ron, I'm just making sure she's okay. Now, you two need some dinner! Down into the kitchen at once, the twins will want to see you too Hermione."

"That's where we were going," said Ron, who normally would have been irritated with his mother but now couldn't stop grinning.

Ron and Hermione walked into the kitchen to find Harry and Ginny having some kind of sword fight with their spatulas.

"Give it up, Harry, I'm going to win!"

"In your dreams, Ginevra," said Harry, brandishing his spatula at her.

Ginny whacked him with her spatula. "That's what happens to people who call me by my first name," she said with a mischievous smile.

"That's not fair," said Ron, startling Ginny and Harry. "When I call her Ginevra, she whacks me with shovels."

Harry and Ginny looked at Ron and Hermione, who both had their eyebrows raised. Ginny lowered her spatula.

"Er—anyone up for some grilled cheese?" she said brightly.

"I'd love some," said Hermione, sitting at the kitchen counter. Ginny put eight slices of grilled cheese on a plate and brought it over to them. Ron practically attacked the plate and immediately began to stuff his face.

Hermione glanced at Harry, who had his back turned to them. She looked at Ginny with raised eyebrows and mouthed, "We're going to talk later." Ginny rolled her eyes but nodded and smiled. Harry turned away from the stove where he was cooking more grilled cheese and joined his three friends at the counter.

Fred and George waltzed into the kitchen at that moment, beamed at Hermione, and rushed over to her.

"Hey Fred, hey George," she said as they took it in turns to hug her.

"It's absolutely spiffing to see you back here Hermione," George said, bowing to her.

"Yes, we were very worried. Very worried indeed," Fred added jovially.

"We were concerned about what would happen to the library without you."

"Madame Pince would be so lonely—"

"Well, not as lonely as Ron—"

Ron choked on a mouthful of grilled cheese. George rumpled his hair and Fred said, "Awww…."

"Sod off," Ron muttered.

"Your wish is our command, little bro." Both of the twins grabbed a slice of grilled cheese and walked toward the kitchen door, laughing heartily.

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::A/N:: I got sick of all the dramatic stuff so I added some light moments at the end. I hope it balanced out okay. I plan to do one more chapter with this fic and then I'm ending it, so stick around till then! Right now I'd like to say Happy Belated Birthday to my good friend Vinny. I'm sorry I didn't call you the other day but I was really sick. Anyway, I hope you had a good b-day!

Review, Review, Review!