AFTER ACTION REPORT 2

Author's Note: I don't own any of the characters, as if I did then Ron/Hermione would have started far earlier.

Hogwarts

Harry called a break for a few minutes to allow everyone to get something to eat and stretch their legs a bit, though he was glad that Ron and Hermione stuck close to him. He knew that they were very far from completing the whole story of their last year and they hadn't even gotten to the messy parts yet. Harry knew that he'd need their help to get through them and he feared what the reactions of some of the others would be. When they got started again the crowd listening to the story had grown a bit.

"So then how did you get the horcrux," Bill asked softly with a fair amount of concern in his voice as he slipped an arm around Fleur's waist and pulled her close.

"I took it from Umbridge after Harry stunned her," Hermione answered with a small smile as she still got shivers every now and then when she remembered how they had finally gotten the horcrux from Umbridge.

"Hermione even made a copy of it so that…so that Umbridge wouldn't know that it was even gone, brilliant thing to do," Ron added with a proud smile as he gave Hermione a quick hug, and given how close the two were Harry could see that Ron took the opportunity to give her a quick kiss on the cheek, earning him a warm smile in return before she spoke again.

"Thanks Ron," Hermione replied softly, mostly to Ron, though the clear blush on her cheeks caused Harry to feel a sense of great happiness for his friends suddenly well up within him. He would probably have said something to them but Ginny lightly elbowed him in the ribs just then and he knew that it was time to move on and not draw any more undo attention to himself.

"Then the real fun began," Harry stated sharply even though he tried his best to keep any fear or bitterness out of his voice as he caught Ginny giving him an odd look before he was interrupted from across the room.

"Who's having fun," Charlie wondered aloud with a curious look on his face as he hurried forward and sat down next to Percy, elbowing his younger brother just far enough to the side to make room though he was scowling heavily.

"It wasn't really fun, more like several minutes of nerve wracking absolute terror," Hermione announced strongly as she kept herself from shuddering again at the nightmare of their escape and what had happened to Ron afterwards.

"Everything went wrong the second that we tried to leave the Ministry, one of the Death Eaters managed to get a hand on Hermione and unfortunately he was left at Grimmauld Place breaking its protections…so we couldn't go back there," Harry explained with a rather sour expression and tone to his words as he slid back in his seat a bit before he smiled sweetly at Ginny, hoping to bolster her spirits somewhat if he could.

"So where did you go," Dean asked as he started to crack his knuckles seemingly just for something to do before he stopped when he noticed Professor McGonagall lightly glaring at him from over the top of her glasses.

"Same place that they held the quidditch world cup a few years ago," Ron answered before Harry or Hermione could get a word in edgewise as he finished speaking he couldn't help but begin to laugh nervously and turn to both for help.

"So then you got away unscathed...terribly lucky," Kingsley commented with a deep sigh of relief, as he seemed to have been on the verge of getting an ulcer from worry even though the trio were sitting across the room from him and looking just fine given the circumstances.

"No…not exactly, Ron got splinched pretty badly," Harry countered as he hunched his shoulders a bit and tightly gripped the edge of his seat, almost to the point of his knuckles turning white, before he spat out the truth and waited for the explosion that he was sure was to come. He didn't have to wait very long.

"What…Ron," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as she exploded up out of her seat and was halfway across the gap between them in the room before Bill and her husband could wrangle her back into her seat.

Harry expected to go on but was interrupted then by first McGonagall and then oddly enough Percy who both wanted to check on Ron's arm. Soon they were both joined by Mrs. Weasley, who had finally broken free of her husband's grasp after giving him a rather stern look and she hadn't seemed to be satisfied that Ron was truly alright until she had closely inspected the scar top to bottom for herself and decided that her youngest son would live.

"Still got a bit of a scar, Hermione tried her best but…," Ron finally remarked softly after several mostly silent moments as he pulled his hand from Hermione's side and set it on his arm where he had been splinched those long months earlier, fully accepting that he'd always have the evidence of that day to remind him of how bad things had gone for the trio.

"It was horrible…there was just so much blood," Hermione agreed with a very solemn expression as she sat hunched over with her hands in front of her before, after several silent moments of just staring at them, she noticed that they were shaking just like they had on that terrible day and she quickly clasped them together in the hope that no one else had seen.

"And that's saying something…after that…we started taking turns wearing the locket…one of the worst bloody decisions I've ever made…things only got worse after that," Harry hurried onwards in an attempt to try and help Hermione cover up the fact that her hands had started to shake as he kept his own hands tightly squeezing his seat to keep them from doing the same.

"Terribly worse," Hermione added so softly that Harry and Ron only barely heard her because they were both sitting so close to her before Ron cut in.

"It was my fault, neither one of you forced me to wear the bloody thing, I'm the one responsible for…," Ron stated plainly, as if he were telling someone that water is wet, as he sat up straight in his seat and pointed back at himself with his thumb, looking very guilty.

"We all made mistakes, none of us are completely innocent over that Ron…we both said things that we didn't really mean…," Harry shot back, more out of a feeling that he didn't want Ron to get on a roll of putting himself down again than any actual anger, and he was glad to see that although Hermione flashed him a warning look she seemed to understand his intentions, at least in part.

"The locket affected us all in the worst way," Hermione explained softly before biting her lip and seeming to have to do that to keep her eyes from watering as Ron started to slide an arm around her but stopped halfway towards that end and seemed to descend into a funk before speaking.

"But why me most of all, I know I'm not the strongest and all…I don't need any reminders," Ron started to wonder aloud with a very depressed scowl before he glanced briefly over at George, acting as if for a moment he expected another bit of sarcastic humor from his older brother before he realized what he was doing and went on, "never thought that I'd be that weak and…."

"Stop it Ron, not another word…you are not weak, I didn't fall…I mean maybe there was a good reason that the locket affected you more than Harry or me," Hermione cried out so loudly that everyone in the room jumped a bit in their seats as she balled up her hands into fists and got halfway up to a fully standing position before she caught herself and finished through a very deep blush just as Harry sought to move the discussion forward as quickly as possible.

"Maybe it was the brain that attacked you," Harry offered up with an unsure but hopeful smile and shrug of his shoulders as he could feel the growing tension in both himself and the room as he knew what was coming up in their story and wasn't happy about getting to that point or how exactly to talk about it without causing a massive argument.

"Hmm…Madam Pomfrey did say that thoughts could leave deeper scarring than almost anything else…," Hermione interjected with a very deep in thought look to her as she tried in vain to fully take her emotions out of the picture and just think logically before she very nearly jumped out of her seat again as her favorite teacher spoke up.

"Will one of the three of you please answer us…just stop talking amongst yourselves and tell us what happened…please…," McGonagall demanded with a clearly irritated tone to her words and very cross expression as she scowled at the trio, who all quailed underneath her intense glare before any of them could find the nerve to speak up.

"Alright…the locket was a horcrux so it fought against us each and every time that we wore it, with Ron it made him…see things, hear…think things…dark things, things that weren't true…then he and Harry got into a really bad fight and before any of us knew what was going on Ron he…he…," Hermione struggled with each and every word of her answer as everyone in the room could tell that as she went she was building up to a truth that seemed to be literally causing her physical pain before the tears came fast and furious and she couldn't go on, dropping her head into her hands as Ron tried his best to help her without making things to obvious.

"He got the wrong idea about…things…and…he left, disapparated away and was gone…Hermione she tried to stop him but she didn't understand why he was so angry and she…she cried…a lot…for weeks…," Harry quickly tried to get out even though with every word his confidence in his answer began to ebb away as fast as a table full of food in front of a ravenous Professor Slughorn. Harry could only cringe in fear and anticipation of what was to come before the dam broke around him.

"RONALD WEASLEY…YOU…YOU…YOU…," Mrs. Weasley screeched out so loudly and angrily, Harry almost expected her to go instantly hoarse from it all, as she bolted up out of her seat and began to storm across the room towards her youngest son before once again a very red faced Mr. Weasley and Bill flung themselves onto her and kept her from going any further than halfway across the room.

"YOU LEFT THEM…YOU…YOU…YOU…," Ginny shrieked almost as loudly as her mother as she caught Harry off guard and had rushed past him before he knew that she was even standing.

"HOW COULD YOU," Percy growled from his seat beside George before he began to furiously fumble through the pockets of his robes in most likely a search for his wand.

Harry wasn't sure who seemed to be more angry at Ron, everyone in the room but he and Hermione seemed fully intent on tearing Ron apart. Ron, for his part, seemed fearful but almost resigned to his fate as he stood up and took a step forward, looking like he was fully ready to accept his punishment for his crimes. He looked like a man walking calmly and deliberately to his own execution without the slightest hint of self-preservation. Harry knew that things could get out of hand fast if some peace wasn't restored and he had just opened his mouth to try to get everyone to calm down as he rose up to his feet before Ginny set herself upon her closest brother. With a flurry of movements like a woman possessed she began to punch and kick every square inch of Ron that she could get to, with Ron flinching under the assault but not really even bothering to put up a fight. Harry decided to wait a few moments, thinking that she'd get it out of her system and sit back down, but when she reached back for her wand he sprang into action.

"Ginny no," Harry exclaimed loudly in alarm as he threw his arms around her and tried his best to drag her away from Ron, who looked like he'd probably be sporting a few fresh bruises the next morning, before he saw George physically restraining a fuming Percy.

"I'm sorry…I…," Ron could only mumble back as Harry knew that he was trying to find something to say but his taller friend was understandably struggling to find anything to say that would actually help the situation.

"Sorry will not be enough this time Mr. Weasley, I cannot believe that you would ever do something so…so…so…," McGonagall stated with such venom in her words and fire in her eyes as she began to walk across the room towards Ron, whipping her wand out in the blink of an eye, that for a moment Harry wasn't sure if his tall friend was going to burst into flames or be struck down from poison. He was sure that either he or Hermione would have to step in and do something before things got out of hand but Ron trumped them all first.

"Foolish, stupid, idiotic, unconscionable, vile, evil…please Professor go on, I don't think that you or anyone else here could possibly come up with something to describe what I did that I haven't already thought of and decided that they were all…," Ron suddenly spat out loudly but sounding as if he was saying it under his breath as he locked gazes with his old Transfiguration professor and said every word while fighting the urge to either cry or hit something before he instantly went silent as he felt Hermione's fingernails begin to painfully dig into his shoulder. He just hoped that she hadn't drawn blood.

"That's ENOUGH," Hermione exploded with such a shrill voice that for a moment Harry was transported back to the night in the tent that Ron had returned, though with the obvious difference being that this time Hermione was not angry at Ron, but rather angry in his defense. Harry hadn't even noticed that she had leapt up to her feet and suddenly positioned herself in between Professor McGonagall and Ron, almost daring her old teacher to make the next move.

"Miss Granger I…," McGonagall gasped back as she recoiled a few steps more out of shock than any actual fear as everyone else in the room also looked stunned, especially Hagrid, who very nearly dropped his large tankard of mead with his eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"Don't know the whole story and are jumping to the first possible conclusion that came to mind, you all are…yes it was wrong of Ron to leave, but Harry and I have long since forgiven him and moved on…and I for one won't hear anything more on the subject…understood…understood…and Percy, you don't want to talk about abandoning people in their time of need…do you…," Hermione finished for her teacher looking just as determined as Harry had ever seen her and he was glad that for once such a look was not aimed at himself or Ron, though if he were to be honest he would have to admit that he did feel sorry for his old teacher. Out of the corner of his eye Harry could see Hagrid almost have a heart attack at Hermione's sudden outburst. Harry watched Hermione carefully as she sat down and couldn't help but grin like an idiot at the look that Ron gave her and her reaction to it. Her toothless smile stretched almost from ear to ear and her face shone as red as Ron's hair for a moment before it was interrupted.

"Totally Hermione, but I have a question…when Ron left he…couldn't go home and he couldn't come here to Hogwarts so…," Dean immediately relented with his hands raised in defeat as McGonagall slowly sat back down, still trying to understand Hermione's actions, though Harry saw Fleur beaming happily at the act. It was strange to Harry to see all of the angry glares that had been cast straight at Ro to suddenly turn to fear and be aimed at Hermione instead.

"I've been wondering the same thing, where did Ron go after he left," Mr. Weasley said softly as he was clearly trying to move things forward and not let anyone else be given enough time for an emotional outburst.

"Sorry Mum…Dad…he came to stay with us," Bill very nervously announced while looking very anxious as he slowly raised a hand up to shoulder level and turned towards his parents, Fleur ducking back behind him so that she didn't have to see her mother-in-laws reaction.

"Bill…what…," Mrs. Weasley gasped out unhappily in total surprise and shock as she looked back and forth between her oldest and youngest sons, trying in the span of a few seconds to figure out if she had missed something during that time.

"Sorry Mum, but he gave us a good reason to stay at home, I doubt Aunt Muriel even missed us," Bill apologized again as he looked very guilty and sheepish before Fleur gave him a smiling hug and then turned back towards the main group as the discussion continued.

"So then our dear brother just loafed around all day, a burden to…," Percy offered up softly, his voice still full of disdain, as he glared as lightly as he could at Ron for fear that Hermione would explode at him again and not stop at just using her words.

"Not really, he was even more sullen than usual…and that's saying something…sorry…he barely touched his food most of the time…read through every book in the house to before he suddenly disappeared on Christmas morning, he was there when we all went to sleep and gone by the time that we woke up," Bill calmly answered after letting out a deep breath and giving Fleur's hand a strong squeeze as Ginny looked on with concern before she cut in.

"But then how did…he…find his way back to Harry and Hermione," Ginny snarled out loudly as it was clear that she had far from forgiven Ron right there and then and sent a glare towards her big brother that strongly reminded Harry of some that Mrs. Weasley had sent after the twins.

"Long story that we'll get to after a bit Ginny…promise, but first like I said after Ron left it felt like a death in the family, we barely spoke most nights…," Harry tried to get across to her without causing any more problems as he pressed forward into a timeframe of which he really had no interest of ever talking about again if at all possible.

"Harry actually kept taking out the Marauders map and watching you walk around here at Hogwarts Ginny, I think that he was looking for Ron as well but he never saw his dot…we finally resorted to taking out Phineas Nigellus' portrait that I put in my bag while we were planning for the Ministry…just for someone different to talk to, he told us about what was going on here, your efforts against Snape," Hermione said as she slid herself as close to Ron as she could without sitting on his lap, though to Harry she looked quite tempted to, and finally contented herself with sliding her hand down Ron's thigh before she tucked her fingers under his knee and held firm.

"Then we decided that it was time to go to Godric's Hollow and look around…so we did, placed some flowers on my parents grave, met Bathilda Bagshot…we should have known that something was wrong but I think that…we just wanted…no…we needed…something…to go right that we were desperate and didn't listen to our fears…the snake…Nagini, was inside Bathilda…," Harry continued before any of the others could ask more questions as he tried to momentarily squeeze his eyes tightly shut and not see flashes of that whole ordeal that he still felt very silly and guilty about.

"Kinds of magic that no one thought possible," Kingsley breathed out softly as he reached up and lightly scratched his head, with many in the room feeling more than a bit sickly at how dark Voldemort and his followers had gone in their quest for power.

"We barely got out of there in time before Voldemort arrived, Nagini bit Harry just before we left and I had to use a Severing Charm to get the locket off of him…it left a mark…Harry's wand was broken as we left so we then had to share mine, then we ended up in the Forest of Dean, I went camping there once with my Mum and Dad when I was younger and…it was the safest place that I could think of on such short notice," Hermione interjected more to get off of the topic that Kingsley had started than the idea that she actually wanted to talk about their flight from Nagini's attack and their near miss with Voldemort before Harry spoke up again.

"We were at our wits end…then I saw the doe…," Harry practically mumbled out so softly that most of those assembled could barely hear him, causing Ginny to prod him to say it again and he did, though all without sounding very convincing or looking up.

"The what…doe…," Hagrid blurted out as he looked totally confused but also very interested because of the mention of an animal, all the while looking like he was struggling to find something, anything, pleasant to talk about. Everyone turned to look at Harry as they eagerly awaited his response before his immediate reaction was to blush as his stomach growled loudly.

"What I'll start with after we eat…I'm starving," Harry announced with a slightly in pain expression as he stood up, took Ginny by the hand, smiled at everyone and then left them all staring and gawking as he hurried out of the room with Ginny trying to keep up and not trip over his feet.

END OF AFTER ACTION REPORT 2

Author's Note: Thanks again to everyone for reading and reviewing this and the other chapters. As always reviews, comments, and questions are always appreciated. Harry is wanting to eat supper at the end of this chapter, using meal times to break up the story just works for me. Still can't read Harry and Hermione or Draco and Hermione stories, also hate pairing Ron or Hermione off with random people that they really had no interaction at all with in the books. I hate it when writers change who Rose's father is and make it Harry instead of Ron, the books already often seem to cut any accomplishment or achievement that Ron gets down as quickly as possible like him being a prefect and winning the quidditch cup where Harry and Hermione didn't see him do it. I find it funny that people forget that Ron knew how to pick a lock with a hairpin at the tender age of twelve, could drive a flying car by himself for hours on end, knew what airplanes were and what they were called, had the idea that Lockhart was making all of his accomplishments up long before Harry and certainly Hermione did and figured out that something was up with Hermione in third year before finding out about the time turner unlike Harry who had no clue until he found out at the end of the book.

I still wish that we could have seen Lupin and Sirius finding out why Snape really hated James, also wonder how James and Lily would have taken it. In school James and Sirius would have been described as bullies with Lupin either a coward or an enabler, not wanting to say anything lest they stop being friends with him or out him to the teachers and students. Ron can be abrupt and rude at times but much of the ways of dealing with people that most of us learn in school Ron didn't as growing up pretty much the only people that he had to interact with were family unlike Harry and Hermione who had gone to school for several years. In this chapter I had Hermione stand up to Professor McGonagall and others who were understandably angry at Ron and I had her show more affection towards Ron and he to her.

The next chapter will pick up after the meal and have what comes next. This story will probably be about four chapters long or maybe five, depending on how things go with the next chapter. Still also wonder why in the fifth book McGonagall didn't wake Hermione as well when Ron's dad got attacked, and I like a bit of Hermione liking to get a bit racy with Ron after they got together, nothing overboard but fun to see that she has that side to her, though a side that she'd only share with Ron. Thank You.