Chapter 5
Ron woke up with a sudden jolt. He sat up and looked around, blinking, trying to remember where he was. It took him a second before all the horrors from earlier that night sunk in. He lay next to Hermione in the corner of the Dursley's living room. He could see Harry asleep with Ginny on one of the couches. Ginny's face was red and streaked with tear marks. Harry was holding onto her like if he let go she would vanish. Ron wasn't bothered. He knew Harry was just comforting her. Harry too looked different. His face was pale and his glasses we bent from lying on them.
Fred sat in the same position Ron had seen him in before. His knees pulled up to his body and his head in his hands. His face was hidden from view but from the steady breathing Ron knew he was asleep. George was lying down flat on his back next to Fred, his face staring up at the ceiling. His eyes were closed but Ron had a sneaky suspicion he was still awake.
Ron glanced now at Hermione. She was curled up beside him. Her breathing was heavy but steady. Her hair fell in her face, bushier then ever. Ron liked it though. It was who Hermione was. Ron carefully brushed the hair out of her face. She murmured something but stayed asleep. Ron sighed.
Last night must have been the worst night of Ron's life. When he first got to Harry's all he could do was think. Think about how he had left his parents. Had he left them to die? He could have stayed and helped. The pain in his parents eyes, in his brothers' and sister's eyes, even the pain in Hermione's eyes had ripped him to shreds. Now, they were alone. He knew it. Last night was last time he would ever see him parents, Bill, Charlie. Hermione told him that they weren't alone. That he wasn't alone. He had her. Did he have her though? This beautiful girl he had been in love with forever. He couldn't even bloody tell her that he loved her. Last night he came close. She sat with him all night, talking to him, begging him to talk to her, let her know he was o.k. But he couldn't. He wanted to say it right then and there. I love you Hermione. But he couldn't. There was so much else to think about. They were all each other had left. They had to look after each other now. He'd have to take care of Ginny now, help support his family, help Harry and fight in this war. How could he make it work? How could he be good enough? How could Hermione even love him?
He closed his eyes. His head throbbed with pain. Is this what Harry felt like when his scar hurt? He wondered. Ron knew that the war had started. It started a long time ago. A couple years ago Ron would have been scared at the idea. He would have shuddered at the thought. Now, how did he feel now? He was ready. He wasn't scared he was ready. He was ready to fight. He was ready to bring this damn war to an end. He was going to give everything he had to help Harry, help protect his family, Hermione.
Suddenly there was a loud bang at the door. Everyone woke up instantly. Aunt Petunia, who was sitting in the kitchen, hurried to the door.
As she passed the living room she whispered to them. "Don't move, any of you. Stay in here and stay quiet."
Hermione blinked her red eyes trying to clear her vision. Ron noticed her hand clasped tightly to her wand. He too had his wand firmly in his hand. As he looked around everyone had their wand in their hand, waiting for the moment they had to use it.
Aunt Petunia opened the door.
"Where are they?" a growling voice demanded.
