AN: I know, I'm finally back! Sorry it took a bit longer than usual.

Thanks to my reviewers: Firedarkness, GinnyGin, Ms. Sakura Moon, PrincessLuckyCML, Shadowed Rains, Slytherin Beauty, Gryfindor260, Goku-lover21, -RWAR-, dork1147, kevsgirl98, maraudersrock77, and nobody! To be honest, the reviews for last chapter were among the most enthusiastic ones I've gotten yet.

Keep it up people!

Chapter 14: Facing the Truth

"Malfoy… why did you bring us here?" asked Hermione.

"I figured you'd want to see it and just reflect back on it," said Draco. "Pay a tribute to the lost lives or something…."

"We've seen it. We saw it get blown up, and we saw what it looked like afterwards," said Harry shortly. "We'd really like to see our friends."

"I figured as much," said Draco, and he pulled out a clean sock from his pocket. "This is a portkey that will take us to St. Mungo's." He checked his watch. "It will activate in about thirty seconds, so grab it and wait."

Harry and Hermione did as they were told, Harry looking warily at Hedwig.

"You better let her fly away, Potter," said Draco, following Harry's gaze. "She'll catch up with us at St. Mungo's later." Hedwig, hearing Draco's words, hooted softly and flew off of Harry's arm. He watched her get smaller and smaller in the distance until he heard Draco counting.

"Three… two… one…"

And then Harry, Hermione, and Draco were again spun into a whirl of color.

They landed in a corridor of St. Mungo's, and they all managed to stay on their feet this time.

"Who would you like to see first?" asked Draco uninterestedly. "Everyone from the castle is in this corridor."

"Ron," said Harry and Hermione at the same time.

"He's two doors down on the left," said Draco, pointing. Harry and Hermione started walking when Draco continued.

"I haven't told anyone about you surviving, so he might be a bit surprised."

"Oh, that's just lovely," said Hermione, and she and Harry made their way to Ron's door, still hand in hand. Harry knocked on it several times, and they heard Ron's voice say, "Come in!" Harry and Hermione shared a look with the same meaning: "You don't know how glad I am to hear his voice."

Hermione slowly turned the door handle, and then she and Harry both walked in.

"Ron?" said Hermione. The redhead was lying in the bed sitting up, turned away from them. He had been doing something on his bedside table, but when Hermione spoke, his hands stopped moving.

"Hermione?" he said hoarsely, not turning around.

"Yeah, Ron, it's her," said Harry. Ron whipped around at the sound of Harry's voice and saw his two best friends standing there.

"Oh God…" said Ron faintly. "It's… I mean… you two… you're… you're here…" he stammered. Hermione let go of Harry's hand and rushed over to Ron, enveloping him in a hug.

"Ron, you have no idea how glad we are to see you!" she said to him, as she let him go.

"Well, I think it must be something like what I'm feeling," said Ron with a laugh. He then looked over at Harry, who was walking over to the bed.

"Harry, mate, where have you guys been all this time? It's been, what, two and a half weeks? We all thought you guys didn't make it," said Ron.

"Well, apparently, Malfoy thought differently. It seems that he kept it a secret from all of you so he could surprise you with us or something," said Hermione.

"No kidding? Remind me to thank him next time I see him," said Ron casually. Harry and Hermione both looked shocked at this statement.

"What, didn't he tell you…? Well, judging by the looks on your faces, I guess not. Anyway, we've all pretty much forgotten our differences because of what happened," said Ron.

"Wish we could say the same," said Harry. "Malfoy's still as bitter towards us as always."

"Shame," said Ron. "So, tell me, what have you guys been up to?"

"Well, we've been in Dufftown for pretty much the entire time," said Hermione.

"Dufftown?" said Ron. "But how did you get there?"

"We walked," said Harry bitterly. "An adventure I won't soon forget."

"Wow, that must have taken some endurance," said Ron. "How did you guys live there?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other.

"You can start," said Harry, pulling up a chair for himself and one for Hermione.

Nearly an hour later, as Harry and Hermione were concluding their story, there was a knock on Ron's door. Without waiting for an answer, a nurse stepped into the room.

"Oh, Mr. Wealsey, you have visitors!" said the nurse. She turned to Harry and Hermione. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave for the moment while I check up on your friend here."

"Certainly," said Hermione to the nurse. "We'll see you later, Ron."

"See you," said Ron, as Harry and Hermione walked out of the room.

"I cannot possibly put into words how happy I'm feeling right now," said Hermione.

"That's all right, because I know the feeling," said Harry.

"We have to send an owl to my parents, Harry," said Hermione.

"Yeah, you're right. Let's go up to the tea shop and see if they have an owl we could use," said Harry.

"Good idea," said Hermione, and she followed.

Harry and Hermione arrived in the teashop a few minutes later and were greeted by an elderly lady behind a counter.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully. "By any chance, do you know who this owl belongs to? She arrived here a few minutes ago without a letter," said the lady, pointing to the corner. There, sitting on a perch, was Hedwig.

"Oh, she's mine!" said Harry. "I let her fly to catch up with Hermione and I when we left to come here. This is very convenient, actually, because we needed an owl. Do you happen to have a quill and parchment we could borrow?"

"Why, yes, right here," said the lady, reaching under the counter, and handing Harry and eagle-feather quill, ink, and a piece of parchment. "Can I offer you two something to drink?"

"We'd love to accept the offer, but we don't have any money at the moment," said Hermione, as Harry sat down at one of the tables.

"Well, glasses of water are free, if you'd each like one of those," said the lady.

"That sounds fine," said Hermione, as she joined Harry at the table. A few moments later the lady walked over to them and placed two glasses of water on the table.

"Anything else I can get for you, just let me know," she said, and walked back behind the counter. Harry and Hermione sipped their waters while they composed a letter to Hermione's parents:

Mum and Dad,

Harry and I have been through so much that we can't even begin to explain it in a letter, but in short, we are no longer at Hogwarts and will be staying at the Burrow until you get home. I'm sorry to make this so short but I'm low on time. I miss you and I love you,

Hermione.

"That's good enough, don't you think?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, that's fine," said Harry. "Let's send it off." At this statement, Hedwig gave an indignant hoot.

"Yes, Hedwig, you've got more flying to do, but this is very important, okay?" said Harry, tying the letter to her leg. "Take this to Hermione's parents, they're in Ireland," he finished. He then brought Hedwig over to the window, opened it, and let her fly off.

"So now, we get permission to use a fire to go to the Burrow…" said Hermione.

"There are floo fires down in the lobby, dears," said the lady behind the counter.

"Thank you," said Hermione. "And thanks for the waters, we really needed them," she added.

"Anytime," said the lady, as Harry and Hermione walked out of the shop and down to the lobby.

Once they arrived by the front desk, they looked around for a fireplace that wasn't busy, spotted one, and walked over to it.

"Oh, I really hate traveling by floo powder…" said Harry.

"I'm not too fond of it, either, but we don't exactly have a choice," said Hermione.

"Ladies first," said Harry with a smile. Hermione rolled her eyes and then grabbed a handful of the fine powder. She threw it into the flames, which promptly turned green, and then stepped into them.

"The Burrow!" she said loudly, and she felt herself spinning around in tight circles. She clamped her eyes shut and waited for it to stop. When it finally did, she stepped out of the Weasley's fireplace, coughing and sputtering. When she caught her breath, she looked around.

"Mrs. Weasley?" she called.

"Hello? Yes? Is someone there?" said Mrs. Weasley hurriedly as she rushed into the living room where the fireplace was. She noticed Hermione and gave a scream of joy.

"Oh, Hermione, you're alive! Arthur and I were so worried about you…" she said, wrapping her arms around Hermione. Once she let go of her she started asking questions, starting with "What about Harry?"

"Harry should be on his way, now," said Hermione. "He's coming right behind me from St. Mungo's."

"Oh, you two went to see Ron?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"Yes, he's doing fine. He was overjoyed to see us, and we were likewise happy to see him," said Hermione.

"Oh, that's good," said Mrs. Weasley. Just then, Harry appeared in the fireplace, coughing worse than Hermione had been.

"Oh, Harry!" said Mrs. Weasley, hugging him as well. "You two must have quite a story to tell!" she said.

"Yes, it's definitely worth hearing," said Harry.

"Well, come on, come in the kitchen and enlighten me!" said Mrs. Weasley. As Harry and Hermione followed her into the large kitchen, they both just smiled.

AN: And that's the end of chapter fourteen! The next chapter is the final, and is merely the epilogue. I promise it'll be up before the end of the week!

-xXx SpicySugar xXx-