A/N Happy New Year! Thank you for all the reviews, follows, and faves! I wrote this on PC instead of mobile so there should be less instances of autocorrect craziness :P Enjoy!

Harry and Hermione returned from their shopping excursion to find the Burrow quiet and empty. Molly had left a note saying she was taking lunch to George, Ron, and Ginny at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. She had left some sandwiches for them as well.

"Any other plans for the day?" Harry asked her as they sat down to eat.

"Nothing planned. I might do some reading. I also have some letters to write that I've been avoiding as well."

"Who are you avoiding writing to?" Harry asked.

"The Ministry," she answered with a sigh, "Kingsley has asked me to take a position again."

"And are you going to take it?"

Hermione lifted her eyes to meet his, "No. I am quite content where I am at the moment. I do hate to turn him down after all he's done for us, but I can't work with them."

She felt relieved to see him nodding at her words. He understood who she meant. Deatheaters who had escaped punishment. The ones who claimed being imperioused or otherwise forced, or those without enough evidence to convict. Harry would not be working with any directly as an Auror but he would still have to deal with some of them occasionally. Hermione wished they'd at least been stripped of their jobs.

"I'll do my best to make it right," he said with a touch of anger.

Hermione shook her head.

"No, Harry. Nothing can make it right. It's not about making it right. It's about making sure something like this never happens again. Making sure no one like him is ever able to gain traction again. It's about making the world a better place. And you don't have to promise me that you will, because I know you will. Even if it kills you. So promise me you'll stay alive instead." she finished, waiting for his response.

Harry smiled back at her.

"I don't plan on dying Hermione," he joked lightly.

Hermione rolled her eyes sighing as she replied.

"None of us did Harry. But you already died once, you're not invincible." She could feel herself getting louder as she spoke. "You can't tell me you wouldn't do it again because we both know you would," she stated, frustration leaking through her voice.

"Yes, I would. I'd do it ten times over if it meant saving lives. It's part of the job Hermione, I can't promise not to get hurt. I don't control that," he said stubbornly.

"I know you don't control it. But you can't save everyone."

"Don't you think I know that by now?" he retorted, getting angry now as he grabbed his wand and jacket and headed towards the kitchen door.

"That's not what I meant Harry and you know it," she countered.

"This is what I want to do Hermione and I'm not changing my mind," he said opening the door.

She turned to gather her own belongings and go after him but the sound of the door slamming made her flinch breaking her will to move. She sighed and sat back down heavily at the table contemplating how to convey what she actually meant to him. A few moments later she heard the door open again and she spoke as she turned towards the sound.

"I'm only asking you not to throw your life away so readily. You're worth saving too," she said, the last word lingering in her mouth.

Charlie stopped mid stride as she spoke.

Embarrassed by the mistake Hermione quickly added, "Oh, Charlie, sorry I thought you were someone else." She turned away from him.

"Is that someone else Harry?" he asked, walking towards the table where she sat.

"How'd you know?" she answered as she grabbed her things again.

"He almost knocked me over on his way out. Do you want to talk about it?" he inquired slowly.

Hermione stood up and shook her head as she answered.

"I should go talk to him."

"It won't do any good at the moment," he said sympathetically.

"I have to try," she stated with a shrug as she stepped towards the door.

"Let him calm down first at least," Charlie said as he reached to stop her.

Hermione paused as his hand connected with her arm. She looked back prepared to say no but he spoke first.

"Let you calm down first."

Their eyes met and she sighed. His words hit her hard and again she felt the will to run after Harry drop. She didn't know what to say to him. How to explain how she felt. Going after him now she'd probably make things worse.

"Come on," he said with a nod towards the living room.

He reached for her hand and she allowed him to guide her to the sofa in the living room. She sat, lost in her own thoughts until he returned with two cups of tea. He sat down beside her, offering one of the cups to her.

Her tea was half gone by the time she spoke and finally broke the silence, staring out at nothing as she did.

Quietly she started, "I don't want to stop him from doing what he loves. Or Ron for that matter. I know it's selfish, but I don't want them to risk their lives anymore. I don't want to lose them. They've done enough and they shouldn't have to do any more."

"They don't have to Hermione. They want to."

"I know that, really I do. But I also know the obligation they both feel." Hermione gestured to herself with a mocking laugh, "And yet here I am, the one of us to do the least that day, and I'm doing nothing. Out of the three of us it's me who should be out there chasing down deatheaters while they kick up their feet and do nothing."

"Do you really feel like you haven't done your part Hermione?"

She looked down at her cup and spoke so low he could hardly hear her response. "How can I Charlie? We lost so many people. I know I could have done more to help them."

A heavy silence followed her words. After a few long minutes Charlie set his cup down on the table and then leaned forward resting his arms on his legs. After wringing his hands for a moment he spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I saw you that day. When I got there so much had already happened. It only took a moment to realize the scope of the damage and take in the looks of despair I saw everywhere. It was chaos and death no matter where I looked. I fought my way into the Great Hall and my heart nearly gave out seeing Ginny fighting Bellatrix. You and Luna were fighting fiercely at her sides but still, Bellatrix was winning. I tried to fight my way to the three of you but couldn't make it before Mum stepped in and shoved you all out of the way." He shook his head as he continued.

"Only once all the other fighting died down and it was only Mum with Bellatrix and Voldemort with McGonagall, Kingsley, and Slughorn I was able to make my way through the crowd. When Harry appeared, I saw you and Ginny clinging to each other. Happy he was alive and yet terrified it wouldn't be for long. You comforted her even though you had no comfort of your own and so I moved on to help my mother."

"Later, after everything was over, I watched you help with the wounded. I watched you comfort my brothers, cry as you hugged my mother, and I watched you carry the bodies of your friends. Even though you were as broken and beaten as anyone you refused to stop until it was done. You even cared for the wounded house-elves before you allowed yourself to eat." Charlie looked up to see that she was staring at him now. He gave her a small, sad smile before he spoke again.

"I came too late to help many of the ones who fell. There are times that I've struggled with that. But I know that had I not followed orders and brought more fighters with me and instead rushed to the battle on my own like I wanted to that there would have been more casualties in the end." He put a hand comfortingly on top of hers as he finished, "We all feel the guilt of surviving when our friends and family did not, Hermione. But we don't have to let that consume us. It only makes their sacrifice worthless if we don't live the life they died to give us."

Hermione now understood how it was Charlie that got finally through to George. She felt the sincerity in his soothing voice. She had never thought that he too might struggle with his actions that day, and she could tell that he didn't admit it easily.

"But Charlie, the defenders you brought helped turn the tide of that battle. If you hadn't-" she started.

He cut her off before she could finish, "I know, I know. That's what I'm telling you. It's hard to see the value in your own actions when you think about what-if. Hermione, you saved us all helping Harry hunt horcruxes. You defended Hogwarts with as much strength and courage as anyone and you did it brilliantly. You showed kindness to those who were grieving and hurt all without second thought. You did more than your part and it's so obvious to everyone but you."

She sat for a moment and let everything he said sink in. She knew he was at least partially right on one hand, but it wasn't that easy to let go of the guilt she felt or forget all the mistakes she'd made. It did help to hear Charlie's view of events though and she could feel the pit in her stomach easing away.

"Thank you," she said.

He gave her hand a tight squeeze.

"Thank you Hermione."

He gathered up their dishes and headed towards the kitchen. The fire flashed green before he returned and Mrs. Weasley stepped through brushing off her cloak. She greeted Hermione cheerily before going into the kitchen. Within a few minutes Hermione could hear Mrs. Weasley setting dishes to wash and preparing supper.

Hermione took the opportunity to go upstairs. As she passed the kitchen she saw Charlie leaning against the sink chatting with his mother. He looked up and raised a brow as his eyes found hers. She nodded in response and he seemed satisfied to let her go.

As she lay curled on her bed she thought about how to approach Harry to reconcile and, after a while, decided her best option to do it quietly would be during dinner. With that decision made she could feel some of the tension uncoil and she didn't even feel herself fall asleep.