(A/N) Ok here is the second chapter. I forgot to put an author's note in my first chapter so here it is: This fanfic is dedicated to all my friends; Maz, Colesy, Dod, Stuf, Hannah, Izzy and all the rest of you. You guys were my inspiration. And thank you to stuff for pushing me to post this fanfic. Please enjoy and R&R.

Harry still dazed with the arrival of Sarah shook his head quite violently in an attempt to wake up.

"And why can't you ever visit me at decent hours?" joked Harry in response.

"I'll get back to you on that one but we should step back, some of the others should be coming through, there's something we have to tell you" It had been almost three years but Sarah still retained a hint of her Swedish accent.

Harry stepped back and watched as two figures appeared in his fireplace surrounded by green flames.

Nat as usual gracefully breezed out of the fireplace, while Ron took a few moments to get his bearings before proceeding into the room.

Although Sarah and Nat were acting as usual he could tell something was amiss, without even looking at the dreadfully pale face of Ron.

"Why isn't Hermione here?" asked Harry after a few minutes of awkward silence, in which he had awaited her arrival.

"Ron? Should you tell him or one of us?" Nathaniel asked in a totally neutral voice, he had lost the very slight accent he once had and was beginning to sound more and more British.

"Ha…Har…Harry…" stuttered Ron. He was shaking violently, clearly in shock.

"Its ok Ron" Sarah gently took him by the shoulders and steered the distraught Weasley to the nearest chair.

"I think you should take a seat Harry," said Nat in a grim tone.

Sarah sat on the arm of the chair attempting to sooth Ron, she looked up at Harry and Nat in anticipation.

"I'll be fine, …what is it Ron?" asked Harry in a worried voice.

Ron took a deep breath and stared out in front of him as if he was in another world. "Something has hap…happened…ter…to Her…Hermione…" Ron looking a little green, apparently unable to go on, continued to stare at the same spot.

Sarah stroked Ron's back and looked up at Nat expectantly.

Nat wondered how he should put it. He figured the harsh truth would be best.

This was going to be just like the time he had confessed to his friends the complete horror of Sarah and his pasts.

He hadn't enjoyed that speech any more than the rest of them had. And he wasn't particularly too thrilled about this one either. Still he owed it to Harry to tell him the truth. After all, Harry and the others had stood by him when the press had gotten hold of what had happened to him back home.

No wait this is my home now! Thought Nathaniel to himself. I need to do all I can to keep this home safe I won't let all of that happen again!

Nat walked over to the two-seater couch and sat down, motioning for Harry to do the same.

Harry just stood rooted to the ground staring at Nat.

"There was an attack last night Harry; death eaters everywhere, total confusion…" Nat looked at Sarah for support. She nodded signalling him to go on.

"It happened at about 11 o'clock, Hermione was at one of her training courses, nobody expected anything. She tried to fight them off but…" Nat was cut of by a loud sob from Ron.

"I think I might take Ron back to the Burrow,"

"Wait! Why didn't anyone come and tell me sooner? Why didn't the Ministry contact me? I'm an Auror for crying out loud!"

"We didn't find out until 3 am Harry; when Hermione somehow made her way home…"

"Wait a minute? She's still alive?"

"Yes but she's not too good Harry. She was so unstable they weren't able to take her to St Mungo's. Ginny and Molly and looking after her now; she's still unconscious," Sarah was looking grave the usual smile she wore was now completely absent from her face.

"Listen to me Harry, it was a massacre, carnage of both wizards and muggles… the Ministry is focused on clean up they will probably call for you in a few days," Nat was now standing helping Sarah to support Ron.

Ron still looking green was totally focused on the silver promise ring on his finger.

"We would have come and told you sooner but it was chaos at the Burrow and we thought it best not to wake you,"

Harry walked over to Ron's side lifted Ron's arm from Sarah's neck and placed it around his own.

"I'm going back to the Burrow with you,"

Sarah and Nat nodded in unison.

Sarah walked over to the fireplace.

She stepped into it and drew some powder from a purse at her waist.

"Harry Ginny really needs your support now she's in shock. I'll go first and tell them that you're coming,"

And before anyone could say another word Sarah was gone in a vortex of green flames.

"Harry just before we go; so you know Ginny had been at the same course just before it happened she was lucky to have gone when she did. She's not coping too well,"

Harry looked even more determined. "Let's get Ron back," They both hauled a limp Ron into the fireplace. They drew some Floo Powder from their purses and shouted "The Burrow!"

There was mass commotion in the Weasley household.

Ginny didn't notice any of it she had moved out of the bustling downstairs and up to her room.

She was sitting in the window just staring outside at nothing in particular when she heard a voice that sounded like Sarah's.

So they were back.

She heard Sarah talking to some of the others downstairs. Ginny didn't really care she just sat there staring out the window.

"Why did I have to leave without her? It's all my fault…" Ginny muttered to herself.

A few minutes later Ginny heard an excited shriek from downstairs.

"'Arry! You 'ave come! It iz so gud to zee you again! I am so sorry about 'Ermione. Bill is 'elping ze ministry at ze moment…"

Ginny didn't hear any more of Fleur's monologue she leapt from the window and raced to the top of the stairs that lead into the kitchen.

She stood there staring at the black mess of hair that she loved so much.

Harry sensing someone staring at him turned to face the stairs.

Everyone in the kitchen stopped talking Fleur had to be silenced by the twins.

"Ginny…"

Ginny burst into tears. Harry raced up the stairs to her and engulfed her in a hug letting Ginny weep into his shoulder.

"Come on Ginny let's go into your room," Harry steered the hysterical Ginny towards her bedroom.

Nat signalled for help from George. They both took Ron over to a kitchen chair and made him sit down.

Nat collapsed onto a chair beside Ron. Ron had recovered somewhat and instead of looking green was back to his usual freckled colouring.

"I'll get you something to eat then shall I boys?" asked Mr Weasley.

"Yes please!" shouted Fred and George in unison.

"I meant Ron and Nat,"

"But we are your favourites!"

"Don't count on that you two. Well Ron? Nat? What will it be?"

"Oh anything would be fine thank you Mr Weasley,"

George stood there, arms crossed in mock anger, while Fred was taunting Fleur saying that he had forgotten the counter curse for Silencio.

When Ron didn't answer George walked over to him.

"Come on little bro! Cheer up she'll be okay. What do you want to eat?"

After no response from Ron George continued with humour in his voice "Have you suddenly become a mute? Don't tell me you are so stupid you actually performed Silencio on yourself?" The twins burst into laughter.

Ron looked angry.

"How can you laugh? Hermione might die!"

"Whoa there Ronnie. Calm down we didn't mean…"

"Shut up Fred! I'm going up to see Hermione." And with that Ron stormed out of the room and up the stairs.

Nat stood up "You two really did it this time". He shook his head and followed after Ron.

"I know you didn't mean to upset him boys but please try to be more sensitive your brother is going through a very tough time,"

The twins just nodded. Fred was trying really hard not to burst out laughing at Fleur. She was going red in the face yelling at him but no sound was coming out.

"So sorry mon petit fleur but we just can't seem to remember the counter curse," giggled George.

"Gasp, yes…ever…so…sorry…hahahahaha," blurted out Fred.

Fleur made a rude gesture.

"Come on boys cut your sister in law some slack,"

"Sorry daddykins but we just can't seem to remember,"

"Honestly I'm glad I don't have to deal with you two as much anymore," and with a shake of his head he undid Silencio on Fleur.

"Sankyou Mr Weasley. Zeez two are just so immature," and with a flick of her blonde hair Fleur strode out of the room.

"Awwwwww dad. Did you have to spoil our fun?"

"That was pathetic and you know it boys,"

"Yeah it may have been but it was still funny!" Fred highfived George.

"Go and make yourselves useful and clean up the back shed,"

The twins shrugged and walked out into the backyard.

Harry steered Ginny onto the bed and sat next to her his arm around her shoulders.

"Oh Harry! Its all my fault!"

"Ssh its isn't your fault and you know it. There was nothing you could have done,"

"Bu…but…if I hadn't left straight away I could of helped her; I could of fought against them,"

"Ginny listen to me. You didn't know what was going to happen ok? And even if you had stayed back…"

"Yes?" asked Ginny with a sniff. She stared up into his bright green eyes and saw sadness.

Harry looked into Ginny's face and was filled with relief, joy and sorrow. "…If you had stayed back, you and Hermione would both be hurt or even dead now…and I couldn't bare it if anything ever happened to you," said Harry with a weak smile.

"Oh Harry I love you so much!" Ginny's eyes filled with tears and she wrapped her arms around Harry.

Harry pushed Ginny away from him slightly and lifted up her chin so she was looking into his eyes.

"Now we can't have you crying can we? Hermione needs all of us to be strong alright?" Ginny nodded.

Harry cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply, never wanting to let her go.

Ron blazed up to Percy's old room where Hermione was now. He heard someone following him but he didn't care.

When he got to the doorway he just stopped and stared at her in the bed. She looked so pale and vulnerable. Not at all like the Hermione he knew and loved.

Molly looked up from her position beside the bed. "Oh Ron,"

Ron barely registered his mother's presence; he just walked over to the other side of the bed and conjured a stool. He picked up her hand and just sat there with it encased in his two, staring at her.

His mother looked worriedly at him. This had been hard on all of them but Ron and Ginny had taken it the hardest. Molly hated to see her children in pain she also hated seeing Hermione so devoid of life. It made her feel sick.

Just then Nat walked into the room with Fleur close behind him.

Nat just looked at Ron and walked slowly over to him "I'm so sorry mate.."

"Agh! Mrs Weasley your twinz are just so impossible!"

"Ssh! Fleur, Nat I think we should leave,"

Nat nodded getting the hint.

Fleur however didn't get the hint and protested, "I don't zee why we should leave…"

"Just come along dear," Molly ushered Nat and Fleur out of the room leaving Ron alone with Hermione.

Ron didn't notice them leave he just sat there holding Hermione's hand and staring at her pale features.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered to her.

"I love you more than anything please don't go, I can't live without you," Ron started crying. He had finally said it to her and she wasn't even able to hear him. He felt so terrible, he shouldn't of let her go without someone else there; he had had a bad feeling about it but he had dismissed the thought as him being paranoid. He now regretted not listening to his instincts.

The closest he had gotten to telling her his true feelings was in Spring when he had given her the promise ring.

She had worn it everyday since.

It was now mid July, 5 months since he had given her the ring. Ron had been planning to propose to her in September but he was beginning to doubt if that was ever going to happen.

Hermione murmured in her sleep and clenched his hand.

Ron was startled, he held onto her hand tighter. "I'll never leave you"

Harry and Ginny both finally surfaced for air.

"We should probably go down and see if we can help with anything,"

"Yeah mum will probably have something for us to do no doubt,"

They both stood and walked hand in hand down towards the kitchen.

They didn't quite make it that far because they met Nat, Fleur and Molly in the hall.

"Shouldn't you go and check on Yvette?" asked Molly trying to get rid of Fleur.

"No I sink she iz okay for zee moment," Molly was getting frustrated. Nat had moved over to stand with Ginny and Harry. The three of them watched with amusement.

"No dear I think I would be best if you go and play with her for a while. I'll call you if I need your help,"

"She iz my daughter I sink I know if she needz me or not,"

Nat seeing that Mrs Weasley was at breaking point stepped in.

"Come on Fleur she must be about due for a feed don't you think? She is probably missing her mummy, you've been so busy helping out, I think it might be time for a little mother daughter time don't you?"

"Well when you put it like zat…" Nat gave Fleur a gentle push in the direction of the nursery. Fleur wandered into the nursery that Arthur and Molly had set up for their grandchildren.

"Thankyou so much Nat dear,"

"No problems Mrs W anything to help," he flashed her one of his killer smiles. Sometimes Molly thought he was rather like a mixture of the young Sirius and Remus.

Molly looked over to Harry and Ginny. She smiled. Ginny was looking so much better than she had before Harry had come, and they were holding hands.

All may not be lost. Molly thought to herself.

"Come on the three of you I'm sure I can find something for you to do,"

They all followed Mrs Weasley into the kitchen.

Hermione's Dream

She was standing in the street walking towards the community centre for her course. She had just said goodbye to Ginny.

Suddenly there was screaming and fire in the distance.

Hermione spinned around and looked up and down the street. There were black clad figures everywhere.

Bright streams of light were flying everywhere.

People where falling to the ground all around her.

Hermione drew her wand ready for battle.

"Well, well, well…what do we have here? Smells like a mudblood," Hermione was staring at a tall figure with his was pointed at her chest.

"Bombarda!" Hermione yelled, and the figure was shot backwards through a shop window.

She began running up the hill towards the wood, shooting hexes at black figures right left and centre.

Suddenly there was a bright flash and the dark mark appeared above the small village in all its hideous green glory.

Hermione gasped.

Suddenly Ron appeared in front of her.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered to her.

"I love you more than anything please don't go, I can't live without you,"

"Ron…" Hermione reached out to him but before she could touch him he disappeared into the wood.

She ran after him but she got hit in the back by a jet of light.

Hermione screamed in pain and fell to the ground.

Everything swirled around her, blackness…

"I'll never leave you,"

"Ron…"

How was that? I'm not particularly sure what you guys think so please hit that little button down the bottom that says GO and submit a review.