Their first night out of the hospital Harry, Ron and Hermione weren't quite sure where to go. They'd been living on their own, just the three of them, for so long that to be parted seemed wholly unreasonable. Mrs. Weasley, of course, insisted that they should stay at the Burrow and so they followed her to place that in another lifetime had been home, in one way or another, to all three of them. It was strange being back, having someone fuss over the state of their clothing or cook them dinner, it was almost…
"Unnatural! That's what it is. We've been living in abandoned homes and caves for so long, we've reverted to some kind of wild-animal-type-thing. My own mum serves me dinner and it's like I'm having a bloody out of body experience. Bloody hell…I've become raving mad!"
"You mean there was a time you weren't?" asked Ginny walking by the doorway. Ron dropped his voice.
"Even my baby sister feels like a total stranger. My mum, my dad, my brothers..., it's like I don't know anyone anymore."
"It's the same thing with my parents, it's why I couldn't go home. I thought my mother was going to cry. I almost made my mother cry," said Hermione. Harry looked at them sadly.
"It's to be expected. We knew that when we cut ourselves off, we'd have to deal with it sooner or later. Considering what we've been through, I think we're handling it rather well wouldn't you say/"
"Well we did sustain massive head trauma," said Hermione thoughtfully.
"And we have been severely underfed the last couple of years," added Ron. Harry shook his head, smiling
"Bloody hell mate, do you only ever think about food? We're talking psychological trauma and you're complaining about what we've had to eat."
"I'll give you psychological trauma!" yelled Ron and taking aim carefully he hit Harry with a pillow nearly knocking him off the bed. Harry threw one back and before they knew it, they were involved in a full out pillow fight.
Later that night, Ginny snuck in and pulled Harry to her own room. Ron and Hermione pretended to be asleep as he followed her out-those two had two years to figure out, two years and the rest of their lives-and then Hermione crept over to Ron's bed. He lifted the covers and she crawled in.
"Nothing like a little pillow fight to lighten the mood, eh Ron?"
"I'll say. What do you think those two are doing?" he asked.
"Same thing we are: just being together, talking."
"Must be weird." Hermione yawned.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I can't imagine having to stay away from you these two years. Not being able to talk to you every day."
"Neither can I. I can't even imagine sleeping without you to keep me warm." Ron's arms tightened around her
"Yeah, I know what you mean…but we better not let my mum catch us or she'll accuse you of stealing my virtue."
"Don't worry, no chance of that happening," she said with a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"Of what? My mum catching us."
"No, of me trying to steal your virtue." Ron tickled her until she could hardly breathe she was laughing so hard and then he kissed her firmly and gently.
"I'm a gentleman you know," he said as sleep began to overcome him. She turned around to face him and smiled. Their faces were drenched in moonlight which reflected off their hair and made them look like children again.
"My night in shining armor," she breathed, putting her forehead against his chest.
"And don't you ever forget it," he mumbled.
Three floors beneath them, falling asleep to the sound of their children's sweet whispers, Molly and Arthur Weasley smiled contentedly. The dark times are over, they thought. There were obstacles to be overcome to be sure, but things could only get better from now on.
"We're so lucky Arthur," Molly sighed. "We've got some of the best children under this roof that a parent could ever hope for."
"That we are," he replied, blowing out the candle, "That we are."