Hermione and Ron stood in their embrace for several moments. Dudley, still shaken and aghast at Hermione's outcry, quickly retreated back up the stairs. Harry had no idea what to do so he sat there, mouth agape, wondering if there was any way for him to help.

"'Mione, you have to calm down," Ron whispered into her hair. "You're going to make yourself sick. Please calm down a little," he begged softly.

Hermione took a couple of shuddering breaths and looked up into hit deep blue eyes. "I'm scared, Ron."

Those three little words tore right into his heart. He was scared too. He wanted to help her but he didn't know how. Harry would know, wouldn't he? he asked himself. But he was only a little baby when Voldemort killed his parents, he argued with himself. Concentrate on her now and HIM later.

"I know, Hermione," he replied, backing away from her a bit so he could look down into her eyes. "I know you are and I am too. I'm so glad that you were here and not there."

"If I were there I could have saved them," she argued, her voice tinged with anger. How could he be glad my parents were defenseless?

"If you were there they would have killed you too. I won't sit back and not thank every god I can think of that you were safely in the bed last night," Ron said vehemently. "I can't and I won't. Yes, I am torn up that your Mum and Dad were killed, but I'll be damned if I'm going to shed tears that you weren't there with them."

Taken aback by his outburst, Hermione pulled further away from his embrace and locked her eyes on his. "I would have died to save them."

"That's why I'm glad you were here."

"I wish I could have protected them. They didn't do anything wrong."

"I know, 'Mione. And we'll get him back for this. I swear on everything I am that we'll pay him back."

Ron and Hermione both moved into the parlor and sat down in the chairs. (Harry simply turned his seat to face them.) After a few minutes of silence, Hermione stared into space and said softly, "The last time I saw them … we took a walk through Abingdon … that's why I … and Dudley ..." she trailed off. "Oh, Harry!" she wailed as she flung herself from her seat and into Harry's arms, "I'm so sorry I threw your aunt's good silver. Please … please apologize to her and Dudley for me."

"Hermione," Harry said, her voice muffled from her hair, "don't worry about it. And if you insist on someone apologizing, you can do it yourself later."

"I won't be here later," she said as she backed away, sadly shaking her head.

"What!" Ron cried. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I've got to go home, Ron. I have to tend to my home and my parents' funeral," Hermione said.

"You're not going anywhere, Hermione. Not on your own, actually, not with anyone either. You and Harry are not leaving this house. I'll be damned if you two end up dead."

"Ron," Harry tried, "you can't hold me prisoner. Nor can you hold Hermione prisoner."

"I may not be able to but Moody can."

"Shite," Harry swore under his breath.

Just then, several pops and cracks sounded from behind them and they all whirled around to see the Weasleys – Molly, Arthur, Bill, and Fred – along with Tonks, Lupin, and Moody. All were in varied states of distress, Molly being worst, Moody being most composed.

"Hermione, dear, I think you might want to sit down," Molly said slowly.

Hermione looked up at the woman she had begun to think of as a mother even before the tragedy and heaved a heavy, sad sigh. "I got the Prophet this morning, Mrs. Weasley." She paused a moment. "I already know they're dead." Another pause. "What I don't know, but want to know, is who did it."

The adults all looked at one another before Molly gave a slight nod to Lupin. "It was Wormtail, Dolohov, and Voldemort himself."

Harry looked up at Lupin with wide eyes. "Why would Voldemort go after two muggles? He sent Wormtail and Dolohov … shouldn't they have been enough?"

"Symbols …" Hermione muttered as Ron moved to stand beside her.

Bill looked over to the young witch with interest. They had all told him that she was bright, too much so at some times, but he never expected her, through her grief, to end up with the same conclusion he did. "What was that, Hermione?"

"They were symbols," she said again, but didn't say any more.

When the silence overwhelmed them, Bill spoke again. "Yes. You're right. Three of them for three of you."

"Wormtail for Ron …" Fred began. "Just showing that he only knew about Hermione's parents because of when he was your rat …"

"Dolohov for you, Hermione," Tonks continued, "because of the Department of Mysteries. He wanted you dead that night and since you silence him, he couldn't get the deed done."

"And Voldemort for me," Harry finished. "Not that it needs an explanation, but he went to show that even the people who don't know me well at all are in danger." Harry shook his head. "I'm going to kill that bastard."

Hermione shut her eyes and leaned against Ron slightly. He moved his arm up to rest on her opposite shoulder and rested his head on top of hers. He didn't have words but knew he didn't need them. All he had to do was be there for her.

Harry, in the mean time, had gotten up and started pacing. Every few rotations he would mutter something to himself and then just continue on like he didn't say anything at all. Then he stopped and stared Mr. Weasley right in the face. "Does Ginny know?"

Those three small words had every head in the room turned in his direction.

"If not, I want to be the one to tell her," he continued.

"We haven't told her anything. She's still asleep, I reckon," Arthur replied.

"Take me to her."

"Harry …" Bill started.

"Take me to her," he said again, looking at Mr. Weasley.

"Harry, please …" Tonks tried at Lupin gave him an imploring look.

"No! She has to know and I have to tell her!" Harry shouted. "Then maybe she'll understand why we can't be together! Maybe THIS will be a good enough reason for her to stay away from me!"

"Harry, please don't use this to push Ginny farther away," Hermione said softly, lifting her head a little bit. "I know that you want to protect her," she continued, "but please don't use the death of my parents to cut yourself off from her. They were better than a tool for you to keep Ginny away." She paused for a moment to wipe a stray tear that had fallen down her cheek. "She loves you and you her. She needs to be protected, I agree," she said as she saw the look on Harry's face. Especially since I believe SHE'S the Power the Dark Lord Knows Not. "But you have to find another way to get through to her. I don't think you ever will," she added, "but if you're going to go crazy and have a tantrum about being the reason for all the deaths, please keep my parents out of it. They didn't do anything wrong … and they died. She's a target as much as the rest of us." Despite the gasp she heard from Molly, Hermione continued, "Find your own excused to tear your heart and Ginny's out … not my Mum and Dad."

"Hermione," Harry tried, but it was no use. Hermione simply disengaged herself from Ron and swiftly retreated up the stairs and to the bedroom.

Ron gave a significant look to the members of his family and then turned to stare at Harry. "If you use her parents to keep my baby sister away from you, so help me God, Harry, best mate or no, I'll kick your arse from here to next Christmas." His threat complete, Ron turned and followed the same path Hermione had taken.

Harry sighed as he followed his friend with his eyes and then turned back to the family. "I still want to tell Ginny. Someone please take me to her."

After a few second of deliberation, Arthur Weasley stepped over to Harry, grabbed his arm, and disappeared with a crack. The rest of the group followed shortly after, escaping just before the Dursleys made it down the stairs.