Me again! Here's the aftermath of the last chapter. It was sad to write not only Ron's, but Harry and the Weasley's reactions to all this. I hope I did it justice.

Enjoy & Review!


He lays there, for Merlin knows how long. And all he wants to do is cry. To breakdown and sob like a child, but he can't. Not when Hermione's brilliant, but absolutely stupid, mind casted this damn stunning spell.

Even the thought of her pains him now, more than it ever did before. This was all his fault.

Time doesn't even seem to be moving because Hermione's gone and that's really all that's resonating in him. Not seconds, not minutes, just nothing.

The fire must've faded away with Bellatrix's exit because suddenly a multitude of footsteps and yells are bursting through the air.

"Ronnie!"

"Harry!"

"Hermione!"

All chorus through the air. But he can't answer, he thinks it'd be that way even if he wasn't stunned silent, because Hermione's gone and he's as good as it too.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Ron hears Harry yell from nearby.

He can make out the sound of his best friends body clambering into someone else's.

"Over here!" George calls out, causing several more people to enter.

"Ronnie have you seen him? Have you seen Hermione?" It's Charlie asking, who seemingly joined the fray.

"No, no," Harry sounds rushed, panicked, "Bellatrix she had Hermione. I stunned Greyback, her and Ron took off running. This is my fault. All my fault." He was heaving.

And as much as Ron wanted to lay there forever, pretending everything didn't just happen he knows he can't. He has to be strong for Harry, for Hermione.

So he tries to speak. The sounds of Harry and his brothers voices weren't that far, he hopes they can hear the pathetic grumbles escaping him.

"Er-my-knee." And he doesn't know why he says it, but it just happens.

And it happens again, "Er-my-knee."

"Did you hear that?" Harry asked hushing everyone.

"Hermione." Ron manages a little stronger, suddenly getting feeling back in the tips of his fingers and toes.

"It's Ron." George says.

"Ron! Ron, where are you?" Charlie calls.

Their footsteps sound closer, he speaks again, "Hermione."

"Did you hear it again? It sounds like he's right here, but there's no one." George whispers.

Then, Harry takes a step and seemingly trips over Ron's invisible form. The movement jostles the ginger, therefore undoing the disillusionment charm.

"Oh thank Merlin." Charlie breathes with watery eyes.

They then notice his arms and legs as stiff as boards. George casts a reviving spell, making Ron sit up with a sharp gasp.

"Hermione." Is all he can say again.

They all exchange looks, "we're looking for her Ron, do you know where she is?" Charlie asks, crouching down to his level.

Tears trickle down his cheeks before he can help it, "gone." Is all he says before meeting Harry's sad eyes, "she's gone."

"What the hell do you mean she's gone?" Charlie dares to ask after a moment as he hoists his brother from the ground.

"Gone Charlie! As in she's not here!" He explodes, then suddenly, his anger melts into something else, "my fault. All my fault. I'm so sorry. Hermione, I'm sorry." Ron's now hysterical.

Charlie has to slide an arm under his arm pit as George does the same from the other side. Quickly, worried he may be hurt, his brothers, followed by Harry usher him to the house.

"Oh Ronnie!" His mother shouts happily at the sight of him, tears streaming her cheeks in relief. However, her euphoria is short lived at the sight of him.

Ignoring Molly, Harry throws open the Burrow door as they set Ron on the couch.

"Have you found her? Have you found Hermione?" Tonks asks stumbling after them.

'Come find me.'

"Won't find her. Never gonna find her." Ron cries.

"Not if you don't start talking we won't!" Lupin boomed angrily as he entered the room.

"Remus." Molly chastised.

"No, he's right Mum." Bill said, stepping forward.

Crouching in front of his distraught brother he spoke soundly, "Ron, can you tell us what happened? Where Hermione's gone to?"

Ron's body continue to shake with cries, "gone. She's gone. It doesn't matter."

"Ron," Bill tried again.

"Told me to find her. Never gonna find her." His tears subsided as his voice grew sour.

Bill had enough. He understood whatever happened outside was a harrowing experience, but they were going to get nowhere if Ron didn't talk. So, he slapped his brother hard across the face.

"William!" Both his Mum and Fleur yelled in unison.

"You listen to me right now Ron, we're never gonna find Hermione if you don't start talking! You can sit here and feel sorry for yourself, waiting around for her to die, or you can bloody well do something about it!" He bit out angrily, knowing the only way to reach him was tough love.

And like the sting on his left cheek, Bill's words, it was like a rush of blood to the head. All of the sudden things became less blurry.

It was no longer just about Hermione being gone, but also working tirelessly to get her back.

'Come find me.'

"She's so stupid. So stupid Harry." He moans to his best friend.

"Why Ron? What did she do?" Ginny stepped forward and asked.

For whatever reason, his mind wouldn't allow him to speak to any of them, not anyone but Harry. It's not just because he's his best mate, but Hermione's too.

"Harry, please just let me tell you." He pleaded like a little kid asking his mother for a new broomstick.

At this, Harry's green eyes cautiously found all the Weasley's. Arthur was the one who nodded first, soon followed by Molly.

"Take Ron to the kitchen Harry." Missus Weasley said in her best motherly tone, doing her best not to cry.

At this, the chosen one grasped Ron's arm as he ushered him away, the ginger numbly following.

"Wait!" Fred called out, the loud noise making his youngest brother jump.

"Is Hermione" he feels his throat close at the thought, "is she alive?" The twin asks, scared for the answer.

Ron stared into nothingness. He heard Fred, but he doesn't know what to say. A 'yes' wouldn't be enough, not when she's probably been taken to hell on earth. He can't think of her as some cold lifeless corpse either, Lestrange did say they didn't want her dead, right?

And maybe he's barking, but deep down he knows she's still alive, that's she's okay. He swears he can feel it deep within him.

'Come find me.'

The words won't stop bouncing off the walls of his head.

"Ron?" Harry beckons him to answer, needing to know himself.

"For now." It's the best he can give before he stumbles into the kitchen, hearing Tonk's voice whisper something to everyone about Dumbledore as he exits.

The Boy-Who-Lived pushed him down into a chair as he pulls one to face him.

"Ron you have to tell me what happened alright? I know it's hard, but this, this is Hermione." Harry doesn't think in all his years, not when he was old enough to understand his parents death, not when Cedric died, hell, not even when Sirius died, did he think he had to be this strong.

Ron and Hermione were the first things he's ever had that resembled family. The fear of losing her, it was almost the worst of it all, but he knew that if he could help her, he first had to help Ron.

"Harry, I'm so sorry, I should've done more." The dark haired boy could see the sob already bubbling up in his throat.

"It's okay Ron, it's alright, I need you to start at the pond, after I stunned Greyback. What happened next?" He tried hoping to distract Ron from becoming hysterical.

After a moment, the ginger took a staggering breath and began, "we started running and Hermione, she told me that," he could feel himself about to crumble, "she told me," Ron couldn't get the words out.

"What did she tell you?" Harry's voice was like a lifeline. Something he was clinging onto, guiding him through this.

He hates himself for even putting Harry in this position at all.

"Lestrange, she, she mentioned something to Hermione I guess about how she didn't come here for you. She didn't come for anyone." He managed, somehow coherent.

"She didn't?" Potter couldn't but ask.

Ron shook his head, "we stopped, over by the oak tree, the one Herm, the one she reads at." He can't find it within him to say her name, "Bellatrix we heard her, thought, she thought we were you." A tear slid its way down his cheek.

"You're doing good Ron. I promise." Harry said clutching on his shoulder.

The touch gives the red head the strength he needs, "Bellatrix and Greyback, they were talking. Said that You-Know-Who didn't want you killed. Under no circumstances were you to be killed, even if they found you." This part puzzled Ron greatly, so much so, his sadness was replaced by sheer confusion.

"What?" Harry seemed to feel the same.

He nodded slowly, "dunno, but she had, she, Lestrange had other ideas."

"Such as?" Ron needed this little interjections, they kept him sane.

"Me, she wanted to ki, to kill me." He stopped to catch his breath, "but they weren't allowed to kill her."

Harry didn't think he had it in him to be sting for Ron much longer. The thought of him dying, the thought of Death Eaters having bigger plans Hermione was a horrendous thought. And it was all because of him.

"She said there'd been talk about, about Her, Hermione." He chokes on her name, "about how she's the brilliant one so she must know the most, that they could get the most information from her."

He stops talking. A whole two minutes goes by and he says nothing.

Impatiently, Harry needs more, "how did you end up on the ground stunned with a disillusionment charm."

And just like that, the floodgates are broken. He's scared if Harry knows the truth, knows why she did what she did, that he'll hate him. The chosen one will blame Ron for her being gone, and he should, but in turn Wealsey will lose both of him. And he needs Harry more than ever right now, he's the closest one to understand how rhis feels. How much Hermione means to him, to them.

"The second LeStrange said it, the second Hermionee looked at me and I knew, I just knew." He manages between sobs.

"Knew what?" Harry shakes his shoulder, hoping to ease him so he'd be more understandable.

"She's so brilliant Harry, too bloody brilliant, fucking stupid too." His cries are becoming hysterical as he heaves loudly.

Both of Harry's hand finds his friends shoulders and gives them a hard squeeze, too hard, but he needed Ron's attention.

"You have to tell me what happened." The dark haired boy did his best to keep his voice strong and commanding, but it was shaking, he was scared for what was to come.

"LeStrange she wanted to kill me she didn't want to kill Hermione, not yet anyway." he can't help but add sadly.

Harry, knowing Hermione as well as he did, began to frantically shake his head, "tell me she didn't Ron. Please tell me." It was now his turn to cry.

With a harsh gasp, the ginger went on, now trying to be strong for Harry, "I wasn't fast enough, I knew, but she's too quick. Stunned me before I could even say goodbye." He had so many things he wish he could've told her, but never mind that, he wish he could've stopped her, taken her place.

"The disillusionment charm?" Harry said sounding broken.

"Right after she stunned me." He sunk his head into his hands, "Bellatrix, she disarmed her. I heard the crack, I heard them apparate away. I did nothing, nothing." Ron spat, disgusted with himself.

"She saved you. She saved your life." Harry sounds breathless as tears fall out of his green eyes.

"She saved me." And just like that Ron broke down with him, this time Harry joining him.

Absently, their hands began clutching to one another. Ron gripped Harry's shirt with fervor as the Boy-Who-Lived clung to his back wildly, burying his head in his shoulder as Ron fell into his chest.

Ron felt so alone, until right now. They both lost Hermione.

Time passed, who knows how long, but it couldn't have been a while because no one has bothered them.

"Do you think," Harry's throat is scratchy from the tears, he slowly pulls away from Ron's embrace, "do you think she does? Know something I mean."

The ginger frantically shakes his head, "dunno, probably," the black book she's been clinging to completely slips the pairs minds, "we weren't exactly on the best of terms."

And just like that, he's reminded of all the mistakes he's made these past few months. He never got the chance to even say he's sorry, and now, he doesn't know if he ever will.

"Merlin, oh Merlin," he moaned in anguish, "Hermione, she thinks, she thinks I hate her. I never said sorry, I don't know if I'll ever say sorry." He begins panting, Harry recognizes this as a panic attack and instantly takes Ron's face in his hands.

"Look at me," Ron's eyes remained closed, "Ron look at me!" Harry roars, fierce determination etched onto his features, "don't talk about her like we're never gonna see her again, do you hear me?"

The ginger said nothing and continued trying to catch his breath.

"Ron do you hear me!" Harry yells.

This surprisingly seems to anchor Weasley back to reality.

"We're going to find her." The chosen one states.

'Come find me.'

"She told me to find her." His voice doesn't come out strangled or shaken, instead it's strong, speaking with such fervor. He was determined to do just ask she asked.

"And we will. But first we need help."

"We need Dumbledore." Ron finished Harry's thought.


I hope you guys enjoyed. I really liked writing the Ron/Harry interaction, I hope it's accurate. Please let me know what you think as we've gotten to the main plot!

Here's a preview for next time:

Arthur lurched to the window, ready to strike, when he stopped.

Breathing a sigh of relief he turned, "it's your owl Harry."

"Hedwig?" He asked suspiciously as he stalked toward the bird.

Tied to her leg was a rolled up piece of parchment. Giving her a nice pet first, he soon untied the contents and noticed it was addressed to Hermione.

Any theories? Let me know!