A/N: Thank you everyone, for sticking with me. I'm sorry my updates are so slow, but I promise I am working on this. I probably won't update in November because of NaNo. In other news: I'm pregnant! Jellybean is at 10 weeks and I'm so excited! I have my names picked out, and they're both Harry Potter themed names! (I mean, I found out Sept. 1…. It's fate!)

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE LEAVING?"

Ron shrunk away from his mother's fury.

Oh, Merlin, thought Hermione as she entered the sitting room. She knew that this wouldn't go well at all, though, she had encouraged Ron to tell his mother about the plans the trio had. Or, at least, that they wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts. She was right.

Molly was ferocious. Her hands on her plump hips and her stern eyes indicated they were in for it. Arthur stood beside her, looking concerned. Ron coward in front of his parents. Ginny and Harry sat on the couch. The twins and Bill stood by the fireplace. Charlie… Charlie's blue eyes pierced hers, leaving her feel unsettled.

Molly's eyes turned to Hermione.

"Thank goodness, dear. You seem to be the only one with sense. Ronald seems to think the three of you are skipping your 7th year, but can't tell me why."

Eight pairs of blue eyes and one pair of green eyes were on her. She avoided all of them, training her chocolate ones to the ground.

"Dumbledore gave Harry a mission. We're going to end this war."

Hermione looked up into Molly's eyes, her voice unwavering.

"Ron and I refuse to leave him alone in this. We're going with him."

"Oh really, you're so important that you can't let the adults handle this?"

Hermione could feel Charlie move beside her.

"Molly, I'm sorry, but Harry, Ron, and I are of age, and Harry and I are not your children, you can't tell us what to do."

"But…"

"No, Molly, stop. We can't leave him alone in this and he's the only one who can stop You-Know-Who. I'm a mudblood," she heard the protests at the term. "No, stop. I am. I'm a target. When I don't go in and register, they'll put a bounty out for me. If I go to Hogwarts, they'll find me. Besides, Ron and I are Harry's best friends. They know this. We. Are. Targets. Please, we have to run. There's no other choice." Tears filled Hermione's eyes as she faced down the woman who practically raised her, though, it didn't feel any worse than wiping the memory of her actual mother, deleting herself from their lives. Permanently. Hermione shook, tears cascading down her cheeks. She felt a warm, strong hand grab her shoulder.

"Enough mum," Charlie said.

Molly dropped it after Arthur gave her a look.

Charlie turned Hermione and directed her out of the house. With an arm over her shoulder, they walked to the tree. The silence engulfed her, and she could feel a shift in the atmosphere, knowing that soon, everything would get worse. She wasn't ready for it, no matter how prepared she tried to be.

"That's why you didn't want to talk about the future…"

Hermione nodded.

"I'm coming with you," said Charlie.

Hermione turned to face him.

"No, Charlie, you can't. I won't let you."

"It's not up for debate. I need and want to be there for you. Period."

Charlie sat down, his back against the tree, and pulled her down next to him. She collapsed into his side, her cheek pressed against the light fabric of his shirt, only slightly softening the muscles of his arm.

"You could've told me," he said, his voice soft and smooth, a sound that quickly vanished her anxiety.

"I didn't want you involved," said Hermione, lacing her fingers with his, running her thumb along the calluses on his hands. "Charlie, I want you to go back to Romania. I want you safely out of this war."

"Yeah, that's not happening. My whole family is fighting. I can't sit back and watch, safe and sound on the reserve. I thought it'd be best to be with my family."

"But if you come with me, you won't be with them. Just Ron."

"I'd be with you. I can't let you go without me."

Hermione gave him a small, sad smile. She admired his bravery. She loved his reckless nature. She loved him. He could not follow her into the fray, blind. She had to protect him.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The summer sun was high in the sky as the Burrow residents lazed about. They had just finished a game of Quidditch, minus Hermione, who laid on the grass in the shade of a big oak tree, reading. She stifled a yawn, put her book down, and stretched, turning over onto her back. She nestled her arms beneath her hair, pillowing her head against the hard ground. Hermione love the Burrow. It had become her first home. She felt like a stranger at her parents house; she had done since her first summer home. They didn't understand her or her world. They didn't understand how she'd changed. Of course, now, it didn't really matter. For them, she didn't exist. She softly sobbed into her arm, lamenting the loss of her family. The war had already taken so much from them, and she knew they would lose more. She rubbed her eyes, hoping they weren't too puffy. She couldn't handle the pity in their eyes.

The boys and Ginny walked up the hill from the match, talking about how hungry they were. As they passed the tree, Charlie broke away. He sat down next to her and pulled her head into his lap. She snuggled against his leg. It didn't take long for her to drift away into a peaceful slumber.

As she napped, Charlie ran his fingers through her curls. The motion soothed him. All at once, his thoughts bombarded him. He tried to hush them, but they were relentless in their pursuit.

He thought back to all the letters she wrote him. He read every single one multiple times. He thought about his patronus. It's the same as hers… Before he knew it, he too, was nodding off. It wasn't until Bill came to find Charlie that he woke back up. Bill gave him a knowing look and went back to the house. Charlie looked at the mass of curls spread out on his lap and smiled at the sleeping girl. He nudged her.

"'Mione, time to wake up."

She stifled a yawn and stretched out, raising her arms and twisting her body back and forth.

"What time is it?"

"It's four in the afternoon."

Hermione bolted right up.

"Oh Merlin, why'd you let me sleep so long?" She frantically stood up, running her hands through her curls.

"Because you needed it. It's okay, we didn't miss anything. Lazy afternoons are meant for napping."

Hermione nodded, though Charlie suspected that she didn't believe his words.

"Here, let's go back up to the Burrow. Mum will be done with dinner in a bit, and a shower might help wake you up."

"Yes, showers do help with that."

They walked back up to the Burrow in a comfortable silence.

They parted as Hermione walked up the steps to the bathroom, and Charlie entered into the living room to find Bill sitting on the couch, waiting for him.

"Thanks a lot," said Charlie.

Bill studied him with an intrigued look.

"She's just my friend," Charlie said, squirming under his older brother's gaze.

"Mhm…"

Charlie looked away, his pinks lightly tinted with the red of embarrassment. In that moment, he could allow himself the truth. She wasn't just his friend. She hadn't been just his friend in a long time. He loved her, and one day, soon, she would know it.