Disclaimer: I own no part of this story except for the plot and spell work. J. K. Rowling owns everything else, including the dozens of hours of my life that I am dedicating to this story.

Chapter 3: Unbreakable Bonds

Hermione spent the next few days at Harry's side. Even though his condition showed no improvement, she rarely left for any reason, even for food or sleep. Harry still hadn't spoken and now he didn't even respond to any questions you asked him. If you set food down in front of him he would eat, but his eyes still remained glazed over as he did it. Hermione knew that Harry would speak when he was ready, and she wanted to be here for him when he was ready, as he had been when her parents had been killed. The only time she left the Harry's bedside for any considerable amount of time was to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley about their son Ron's death.

Hermione fought back tears as she remembered her meeting with the Weasleys in the dining room at Grimmauld Place. Mrs. Weasley had not been able to get out a sensible word through all of the tears pouring down her face. Mr. Weasley, though able to talk with Hermione, had not been much better. Hermione could tell that he had put up a careful facade to try and support Mrs. Weasley, but it was not a very effective one. Mr. Weasley had spent more time staring at his shoes than he had actually looked at Hermione.

"At least he didn't suffer Molly, and he died so that Harry might be able to live a full life…that Harry might be able to defeat Voldemort." Mr. Weasley said trying to comfort her.

At this Mrs. Weasley began crying even harder at the reminder that it was the prophecy of Harry and Voldemort that had caused her youngest son to die.

"Hermione, I know that you and Ron were rather—close. I am sorry that this turned out the way it did, but I hope that you realize we will always consider you a member of our family. Please remind Harry of this as well."

"Thank you Mr. Weasley—I—I just wanted to say that what Ron did was unbelievably brave. I am proud of his unselfish decision and you should be too. I just wish that I had been able to do something that might have kept him from being killed."

"Don't we all Hermione—don't we all." Mr. Weasley said as he steered Mrs. Weasley from the dining room.

Tonks peeked in the room that Harry was staying in.

"There she is again. It looks like she hasn't moved since I brought breakfast to her this morning. Harry really is lucky to have such a loyal friend like Hermione." Tonks thought to herself as she approached Harry's bed.

As she got nearer she realized that Hermione was asleep sitting in the chair next to Harry.

"Good, she finally went to sleep. I haven't seen her sleep since two nights ago when I came to check on Harry."

Tonks felt sorry for the poor girl who had been in agony over Harry's condition. Tonks had known that Hermione was going to be struck hard by Ron's loss, and it surprised Tonks to see her here, at Harry's side, rather than alone feeling sorry for herself. That kind of dedication to a friend is hard to find nowadays and it gave Tonks hope in fighting this war.

"Friendship and loyalty…two of the things that we are fighting for in this war. Hermione's dedication to Harry has helped everyone see that we all go through losses, but how we take them is what determines our character. It's gotta be tough to lose someone you love, but it looks like Dumbledore was right. Hermione can certainly handle her load of things and then some."

Tonks had to give Dumbledore respect at the way he had handled the situation. He had been able to get Harry, Ron, and Hermione away from the scene fast enough to keep Fudge from knowing what had happened. The Ministry had no idea what had happened to Harry, and Dumbledore seemed prepared to use this as an advantage.

That thought triggered a sudden memory. "Oh shoot! We have a meeting tonight to discuss what we should do about Harry. Damn my horrible memory!"

Tonks ran from the room towards the dining hall where the members of the Order were gathered.

Hermione awoke the next day feeling quite refreshed. She looked at Harry to see if he had improved any, but like the days before, she was disappointed yet again.

"Harry, what should I do for you? What can I do for you?" Hermione said in a pleading voice.

"You could quit sitting here moping over me." Harry said opening his eyes and looking at Hermione's shocked expression.

"Harry James Potter, how dare you do that to me! I'll give you what you deserve after all the hell you've put me through these past few days." Hermione said with a smile playing on her lips.

Harry, though shocked by Hermione's reply, was even more surprised when she wrapped him up in a tight hug.

Harry gave her a quick smile and started to pull himself out of bed.

"Harry! What do you think you're doing! There is no way that you are going to leave this bed. You haven't got a decent night's sleep in over a week and have barely eaten enough to survive. You aren't leaving that bed until you get a decent amount of sleep and a good hot breakfast.

"I'm afraid that I happen to agree with Miss Granger on that one Harry," a voice behind her said.

Hermione turned around to see Dumbledore sitting comfortably in a chair against the wall behind her.

"Professor—I mean Mister—Er—now that we are out of school, what should I call you sir?" Hermione said in a timid voice.

"Professor will be fine Hermione, or Albus if you would prefer." Dumbledore said with a knowing smile.

"Very well—Professor—I apologize, I didn't know that you were in here."

"That's quite alright Hermione. Although I have not been with Harry as much as you have these past few days, for I do leave on occasion to go to the bathroom, I still like to check in on him."

At this Harry looked at Hermione with a quizzical smile and raised an eyebrow in response.

Hermione only smiled as a response to the unstated question.

"Well, now that I have seen that Harry is fine, I will leave you two alone. Harry, please don't get out of bed. You do need your rest." Dumbledore said with a smile as he walked from the room.

"Yes Albus," Harry said enjoying his new permission to call Dumbledore something else.

Dumbledore just gave a fatherly smile at Harry. The two exchanged a knowing look and Harry felt his spirits soar a little bit higher.

"Well?" Harry said pointedly while smiling at Hermione after Dumbledore had left.

"Well what?"

"Are you going to tell me what you have done since I have been lying here feeling sorry for myself?"

"Well—like Dumbledore said—I haven't really done that much. Aside from leaving to go speak with the Weasleys about Ron, I really haven't left your side."

Harry's happiness suddenly drained as he suddenly remembered Ron's death. The expressionless mask that had settled over Harry's face for the past week again surfaced and Hermione began to worry that she was going to lose him again.

"Why? Why did he have to try and save me? It's not like it did any good, Voldemort is only going to come after me again." Harry said with anger flashing in his eyes. His mouth started to twitch in response to the tears that were forming to quench the fires in his bright green eyes.

Hermione was filled with compassion and anger at the sight of Harry's expression. "Harry, you don't know that. You can't believe that, otherwise his sacrifice was for nothing. He sacrificed himself so that you might be able to live on and defeat Voldemort. He knew of the prophecy and did what he had to do in order to protect you. It is a disgrace to his memory if you believe what you just said." Hermione knew that she let more anger into her speech than she meant to, but it hurt her to have anyone think any less of Ron.

Harry seemed rather taken aback by the iciness of Hermione's voice.

"I'm sorry Hermione, you know that I didn't mean it that way. I just wish this had never happened. That there was a way for me to change it all. Ron wasn't supposed to die; it was supposed to be me. I am tired of everyone dying because of me. First my parents, then Sirius and Hagrid, your parents were killed because of your connection with me, and now Ron is dead. Why can't I just die and let everyone else live on without me? Why is it that I have to carry this burden?"

The tears were now freely running down Harry's face, and Hermione just held him while Harry cried tears that seemed as endless as the gaping hole in his heart. Suddenly Harry stopped crying and looked Hermione in the eyes.

"You're the only friend I have left Hermione." Harry said plainly.

"No you have Dumbledore, Remus, the Weasleys, and all of the rest of the Order."

"No they are just parental figures. I can't really come to them with the problems that I came to you and Ron with."

Hermione hesitated in saying what she was thinking but decided to chance it. "You still have Ginny Harry—"

"No—absolutely not! I will not put her at risk the way I have everyone else. She is the most important thing in the world to me and the one thing that Voldemort has not taken. I love her and I may feel like I can't live without her any longer, but I cannot and will not put her into danger. I will not let Voldemort take the last thing that I hold dear in life away from me. She understands this. She knows why I can't be with her."

"Does she Harry? Have you really taken the time to explain what you are feeling to her?" was all that Hermione said.

"Of course she does—" Harry's voice drifted off as he began to think to himself.

"Does she really know? She knows that I love her, but does she really understand that I cannot and simply will not risk her life because of the prophecy made against me?"

Harry suddenly found that he wasn't sure of the answer. Was that because he wasn't sure of his choice himself? Could he have been wrong in thinking that they had to be apart?

Harry realized that he needed to sit down and sort out what was going on in his life. Hermione must have realized it too because she gave his hand a quick squeeze and got up off the bed.

"I am going to go make you some breakfast Harry, I won't be long."

As Hermione turned to go, Harry caught her hand and as she turned around she saw a sparkle in his eyes that she had never seen before.

"Thanks Hermione—for everything. I know that this has to have been difficult for you too, but you were stronger than I was. You stood up and faced the challenge that life had thrown at you. You took up both your load and mine and I am truly thankful for having such a great friend, and I know that I couldn't ask for a better one."

Hermione gave him a smile and gave his hand one more squeeze before leaving the room.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. I had a regional UIL competition this weekend and didn't get to work on this as long as I'd hoped. I'll try to update later this week.