A/N: I thought i would bring attention to one review someone left me. They said that "if u don't find Hermoine by end of chap 3, i will not read it anymore, nor will much anyone else, i'm sure!" I don't want to embarrass them but i want to point out to them that there is a reason why i haven't put Hermione straight into the story. I wanted to show you what life was like after the war and how Ron is dealing with her dissapearance. She WILL be making an appearance in this story very shortly. I am sorry if you do not want to read it if i haven't put Hermione in where you wanted, but please don't speak for everyone else.

Well that's my rant over and done with:)

On a lighter note i am updating in quite a good mood:) Thanks to all who have reviewed or have put this on story alert or on their favourite list:) Would be nice to hear from you:)

Oh and a BIG shout out to my beta:D (Forgot to mention you in previous chapters) couldn't have done this without you:)

Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will.

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Broken Dreams

Chapter Three

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Ron had been walking all night, not wanting to go home to bed because he didn't want to have that dream again. Images still haunted his mind as Hermione was left helpless, with no one there to help her as the cruel Death Eaters took her. He kicked an empty can that was left on the pavement by a careless muggle, hearing it clutter along the ground before falling onto the road. He sighed; his life was like the can, empty.

His heart ached knowing that if someone had noticed, if someone had helped Hermione, then she might be here with him. He wondered why he had the dream now and not earlier. He didn't want to think of what Hermione could be going through, just the thoughts of Hermione being tortured made him feel very sick.

He refused to give up, although he knew that he wasn't doing himself any good doing so. He had lost a fair bit of weight and his expression seemed to have changed to a frown. He knew he had changed but he couldn't help how he was feeling. He couldn't bring himself to smile for too long knowing that Hermione could be somewhere where she may be in a lot of pain. He was no longer the cheerful, cheeky Ron that everyone knew and loved.

He wondered what was going through Hermione's mind right now. He hoped that she had not given up hope and faith in him, he wanted her to believe that he could and will find her and bring her home. He hoped that she wasn't in too much pain, and most of all he hoped, he wanted her to still be alive.

He looked up to the night sky and saw that there was no stars shining. Dark clouds had covered the glistening stars, covering their light of hope. Ron sighed, how much he needed his North Star tonight to point him in the right direction to finding Hermione.

He looked at his watch, not that he cared what time it was it wasn't as if he was planning to go home any time soon. He hated living alone, wallowing in loneliness and self-pity was too much for him. He knew that he was always welcome at his primary home, the Burrow but he didn't want to have the pity and sympathy. All he wanted to escape from his solitude and for someone to help him find Hermione.

He shivered, the cold winter air soaking into his clothes. He pulled his coat closer to his body and crossed his arms hoping to keep warm. He could feel the cold air sting his eyes, making them sore and tear up. He closed them as tears began to fall down his face. He was not sure whether it was him that was crying or the fact that his eyes were stinging.

He knew that he had to go home at some point, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He felt so alone without Hermione, and no matter how much he wanted to find happiness he knew that he would never be complete without Hermione.

He sighed, and continued to head towards his destination of no-where, desperate to be lead anywhere but home.

Arthur sighed as he dropped his quill on his oak wood desk. He ran is fingers through his slightly grey hair and rubbed his temples, trying to rid the headache that was slowly coming to taunt him. He had been going through some documents that needed his approval.

He was worried about his youngest son who had not turned up for work this morning. He was also worried because he had heard about his dream about Hermione, and how much it had affected him.

After Hermione's disappearance Ron had changed, which didn't surprise Arthur at all. He remembered the exact moment that Ron's heart broke on learning that his girlfriend had been lost in the war. It was at the point where he had found him and Harry in the battlefield after the Dark Lord had been defeated. He remembered the panic stricken faces as they soon began to realise that Hermione was no where to be seen. It pained Arthur to see his youngest son like this, so depressed and alone.

He wanted so badly for Ron to be happy again, but he knew that wasn't an option without Hermione. He just wanted to hold his child and tell him everything will turn out right, that everything will fall into place, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to his son. He knew that there was an unlikely chance that Hermione would return, but he kept that hope for Ron, he kept it because he knew Ron needed his family to have hope that she will return.

Arthur looked at the clock on the far wall of his office and sighed. Ron was meant to start work three hours ago and he hasn't turned up or given any indication on where he is. Arthur couldn't bear to think what might have happened to his son; despite knowing that Ron can protect himself when needed to he still held concern for his youngest son, especially when he is in a state like he is now.

He wondered what the Grangers must have gone through upon finding that their only daughter was missing. He dreaded to think of the pain they must have been going through, and possibly still feeling at the loss of their daughter. He remembered that day clearly, the day that Hermione went missing, the day that he was the one who had to be the bearer of bad news to their household.

He remembered the look of panic as Hermione's mother opened the door to be greeted by him, looking devastated and grief-stricken. He could tell instantly that she feared the worse for her daughter, he knew that Molly would have done the same if it were one of their children out there.

He remembered telling them, and he still hated being the one to break her parent's hearts, telling them that their daughter is missing in action. He reassured them that the aurors and the order were doing as much as they could to find Hermione and bring her back, but he knew that was a lie. After several months he could see the Granger's faith in the aurors finding their daughter fading. He physically flinched at the memory of that night when they had finally lost their faith in the magical community.

"We mean it Arthur, we want nothing more to do with your world!" Mr Granger stated firmly, trying to stay strong for his wife who was staring out of the kitchen window with a lost look upon her face.

"You can't mean that, not after everything our world has done for your daughter, all the friends she made," Arthur defended, although he knew that this point was a lost case.

Mr. Granger scowled, "You mean everything your world has taken from her! She would still be here if it weren't for magic! I wish I never sent her to that bloody school!"

"John…"

"What? You can't tell me that you don't feel the same way! Our daughter is gone, and she will still be here if it wasn't for people like them!" He seethed in anger as he pointed at Arthur.

"With all due respect, we have been searching hard for Hermione, despite what you may think my family; my son cares deeply for her and we will stop at nothing to get her back safely," Arthur explained calmly and despite the situation he was in and the accusations from an angry John he wasn't going to give up.

"Well you obviously haven't been searching hard enough! Do you have any idea what we are going through? What pain we are feeling, how my wife' heart is breaking at the loss of our only child?" Mr Granger asked through what seemed to be tears of desperation.

"We have been trying our best, and that's all we can do, and I know what you are going through, believe me," Arthur said softly as he looked down at his hands.

John simply scoffed, "How could you possibly know what we are going through?"

Arthur looked directly into his eyes, "Because my son loves her, and every time I see him his heart is breaking, he can hardly eat without wanting to bring it back up again! He can't sleep and he hasn't smiled since! He loves her so much, more than any of us can imagine!" Arthur couldn't believe his temper, he had promised himself before he went to see the Grangers that he would not raise his voice, but he broke that promise. He couldn't bear to sit there with Mr. Granger telling him he has no idea how he feels.

"I think it would be best if you just left," John said silently as a single tear slid down his cheek.

"John…"

"I mean it Mary, I can't take this anymore. I can't handle the fact that with all the magic in the world and they still can't find her, they can't find my little girl!"

"I know, but there is still no need to be rude to Arthur," Mary stated calmly.

"Why the hell not? Ever since Hermione went to Hogwarts her life has been put into danger! Several times she was almost killed, so you can't stand there and tell me I am being out of line. If magic is so great, why isn't Hermione here?" John expressed angrily as fresh tears slid down his face.

"Arthur and his family are only trying to help, but you are making it hard on everyone," Mary cried through clenched teeth.

"You know what? Magic has been nothing but trouble for Hermione from day one! I'm not having it anymore, I can't take it! If magic can't bring her back NOTHING will! I don't want to be waiting for your kind to find her all my life,"

Mary paled as more tears fell down her face, "What are you saying?"

"Exactly what I mean! I want nothing more to do with magic! I don't want your kind coming round here anymore and that goes for your son! I can't be dealing with it!" John demanded, as Mary looked devastated at her husband's declaration.

"But John…surely you don't mean…"

"I can't be waiting forever, I'm not strong enough," And with that he stormed out of the kitchen slamming the door behind him.

Mary turned to Arthur and gave him an apologetic look, "I'm sorry, he's just…"

"Don't worry about it Mary, I know I would feel the same in his position. If you ever need any of us, please, you know how to find us," Arthur offered as Mary simply smiled through her tears.

"Thank you…"

Arthur just nodded as he apparated out of the Granger's kitchen, for what would be the last time.

Arthur never heard from the Grangers after that evening. He assumed that Mr. Granger was serious when he said he couldn't take it anymore, which saddened him. He wondered how they were coping after two years; he hoped that they were coping well with the loss of their only child.

He couldn't begin to imagine what they had gone through over the years that Hermione wasn't with them. He knew that he couldn't possibly come near to feeling their pain, but he could relate. He had to watch his youngest son go on a journey that could have killed him. His youngest son had fought in the final battle with no promise of survival, and those times when he was parted from his son were hard. Having no idea what he might be going through, what pain he is feeling or whether he would return to him in one piece. He was relieved to know that his son had survived the war, but even that came at a cost.

On discovering that Hermione was not on the site of the battlefield, he felt that he had lost a daughter. He treated Hermione as if she was a member of the family, which proved how much his family cared for her. He knew his son's feelings for Hermione and knew that they would not change, despite having spent two years apart with no indication and proof that Hermione is still alive.

That is what he admired about his son, the fact that he held the determination to keep Hermione alive. Ron had always shown courage and strength, something that made him stand out from the rest of his brothers.

A knock on his door startled him out of his trails of thought; he muttered a "come in," indicating the person who was at the door to make them known.

"Dad?"

Arthur instantly looked up and his eyes widened upon seeing his son. Relive over took him as he stood up and greeted him with a tight embrace.

"Ron…"

"Dad, I'm sorry I'm late, I just lost track of time," Ron said in a quiet voice as Arthur pulled away.

"That's all right son, did you manage to get any sleep at all last night?"

Ron looked up at his father and sighed, "Too be honest, I didn't bother going home," He replied, feeling rather guilty.

Arthur saw the pained expression on his son's face, "Why not?"

"I don't like being alone…" Replying softly as a single tear slid down his cheek, "I hate it, I should be with her dad, she should be with me"

Arthur didn't know what do say nor do, what was there to say? Arthur sat Ron down in the nearest chair and knelt down beside him, "Ron, you're always welcome at the Burrow, you know that. If you're not happy, you could always…"

"No," Ron replied hastily

"Why not?"

"Because," He replied weakly, "I can't, I just can't…"

Arthur was puzzled, he did not understand what is son was trying to say, "What do you mean you can't?"

Ron sighed, "I can't sit there and watch everyone get on with their lives, that's why," Ron answered, "Not whilst Hermione is not with me, it wouldn't feel right…"

"Ron, Hermione wouldn't want you to be like this. She would want you to…"

"Don't you dare say 'move on and be happy'," Ron snarled, having had enough of people saying or implying it in the past.

Arthur held his hands up defensively, "I wasn't going to say that, I wouldn't. What I was going to say was that I think you should at least try to live your life the best you can. Hermione wouldn't want to see you like this; she wouldn't want it for you. I know I am sounding as if she is gone, and it's not the way I want it to come out. You have to understand that we only want what's best for you"

Ron took a deep breath, "The only thing, the only person that I want is Hermione back safely," Ron said as he wiped the tears forming in his eyes, "That's all I have ever wanted"

Arthur saw that his son's heart was breaking, shattering everyday he his apart from his loved one. He knew that Hermione was the only person who could bring his son out of his state of depression.

"I know Ron, I know," Arthur replied quietly. He feared that if Hermione didn't return his son, his youngest son would remain trapped in his depression for a long time and that is what pained Arthur the most.

A/N: Well that's another chapter over and done with:) Hoped the Ron and Arthur scene went well:)Please leave a comment about what you thought, try to be nice:)

Until next time:D

BluebellField:)