-1TO HONOR

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Jo; the story is mine!

Summary: "He sacrificed his life for you! And this is how you honor his memory?"

Harry made the ultimate sacrifice in the final battle and left his friends to deal with the consequences. Now, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville are just going through the motions, hiding form the pain and memories. Can they learn to honor Harry's sacrifice as it should be honored?

Chapter 2

Three Years Earlier

"You two are just a bunch of party poopers," Hermione accused , sticking out her tongue as she walked arm-in-arm with Ginny down to the pond for a swim.

"Do you think they know?" Harry sniggered as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Hmmmm?" Ron asked absentmindedly. "Know what?" His eyes were busy following one particular girl's trek down to the lake.

"Do you think they know…that we'd rather watch." Harry groaned as Ginny tore off her T-shirt to reveal a tiny black string bikini. "Hey! OWWW!" He rubbed his sore spot where Ron had thumped him on the head. "What the hell was that for?"

"That's my sister you're ogling, Potter!"

Harry snorted. "Yeah, well, that's my best friend whom I love like a sister you're ogling Weasley!"

Ron didn't deny it. "Damn, Harry…when did she get those curves? And that bikini…. She should always wear red Harry. Always!"

Harry laughed, and cleared his throat. "You really love her, don't you?"

Ron shifted a bit. "I haven't told her. I don't know, mate. I mean, do really think a girl like Hermione could ever really love a guy like me?"

Harry didn't miss the quiet desperation in his best mate's voice. He looked at Ron unwaveringly. "I'm sure she already does."

Ron smiled sheepishly and nodded.

"Ron, look…you know what she means to me. I mean you guys are my family…the only one I've ever really had. When I said she's like a sister to me, Ron, I meant it. She is my sister."

Ron smirked. "Is this where I get the big brother speech?"

Harry didn't laugh. "Ron, where we're going, what we're up against--"

Ron cut him off. "We're going with you, Harry."

"I know. I accept that. I realize I need you both…I can't do this without you."

"Then what is it? What's up?"

"They know how powerful we are together, Ron. They'll try to divide us, separate us--"

"They won't succeed." Ron answered firmly.

Harry took a deep breath. "I need you to make me a promise." He met Ron's gaze unwaveringly, his eyes fierce. "If you have to choose--"

"HARRY!"

"IF you have to choose between my life and Hermione's life I want you to promise me--PROMISE ME--you'll save her."

Ron stared at him with wide eyes. "I-I can't do that--"

"You have to Ron. Neither of us could live if we sacrificed her. She's my sister and the woman you love. We have to protect her."

"But you think I could just go on merrily about my life if I sacrificed you instead?"

"She's always taken care of us Ron. She's been a better friend to us than we have ever

been to her, but now…", Harry sighed heavily. "They know, Ron. They know how bloody clever she is. They know what we need to do will be impossible without her."

Ron looked taken back. " You think she's in more danger than we are?"

"In a way, she is more vulnerable. I mean, Hermione is amazing and brilliant, but think about it Ron. Will she kill to protect herself? What will happen to her when she has to?"

Ron viciously plucked a handful of grass form the ground. He'd been pushing away these thoughts for weeks. It was so much easier to think of the coming months as some sort of grand adventure instead of the life and death journey it actually was. He watched the girls for a moment splashing joyfully in the water. He tuned to Harry's anxious eyes. "I protect Hermione at all costs."

"If you have to choose?"

"I choose her."

"If I die?"

"I take care of her…always."

Harry nodded and offered Ron his hand. He shook it firmly, holding on tightly as Ron broke the handshake. "And you, Ron. No regrets, no guilt. EVER."

Ron returned Harry's hard gaze. "No regrets. No guilt. Ever."

Harry nodded wordlessly as they went back to watching the girls, both knowing Ron's last words were a lie.

Hermione paused outside the ministry ballroom to check her appearance in the mirror. After muttering a simple charm to tame her curls and applying some clear gloss, she smiled weakly at Viktor. "Let's get this over with."

He held her arm back. "Hermione, are you sure you okay?"

She smiled sadly at him, caressing his cheek lovingly. He took such good care of her, loved her so. Life would be so much simple if she could just…. "I'll be fine. Let's go."

She took a deep breath as she entered the ballroom. The Victory Ball was in full swing. It was still hard to believe it had been three years since that fateful night. The rebuilding of the Ministry of Magic had been intense. Mr. Weasley had been appointed interim Minister and had gladly resigned six months later to an advisory post. Mrs. Longbottom had been a vocal proponent of change, leading the campaign to elect the first muggle-born minister. She'd then 'convinced' Neville to turn down his dream job of teaching at Hogwarts as McGonagall had offered and accept a position as an assistant to the Minister. It had been her idea for Neville and Ginny to announce the engagement at the Victory Ball. Interestingly enough, she'd also been the one prodding their relationship along the whole time, despite Ginny and Neville's apparent hesitation.

Viktor's grasp on her arm tightened as they approached the table full of redheads. "All right?"

"No," Hermione muttered. "Let's get this over with."

"…some fierce dragon, she was!" Charlie was chuckling as she approached. Ginny jumped up from her seat. "Is he?"

Hermione shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry Gin. He's-he's not coming."

Ginny sat down and covered her face with her hands. Hermione knew she was struggling no to cry. Neville patted her on the back looking extremely guilty. Hermione couldn't help but feel a little vindicated, on Ron's behalf.

Percy Weasley, who'd reconciled with his family somewhat after the war , tutted maliciously. The twins shot him a scathing look, obviously on Ron's side. Hermione smiled at them appreciatively.

Bill rose from his seat. "Where is he? I'll try to talk to him."

Hermione held up a hand. "I already tried Bill. He is no condition to be here anyway."

"He's drunk?" Molly spoke , frightened and angry.

Hermione was fast becoming agitated. Where the hell had these people been for the last three years?

"He always gets drunk today, Mrs. Weasley. And every other damn day in between. It's the only way he can deal with the guilt of being alive when Harry is dead." Her voice was much harsher than she intended, and her words had earned a whimper from Ginny. "I'm sorry," she muttered quietly. "I shouldn't have--"

But she was cut off by an inattentive Mrs. Longbottom.

"Well, that's a fine way to deal with things, isn't it? As if we all haven't experienced loss--"

That was it. What the hell was wrong with these people? Oh, that's right. They weren't there.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Hermione bellowed, glaring unabashedly at Mrs. Longbottom.

"Hermione." she heard Viktor mutter from her side, but she continued, unscathed.

"NO! DAMMIT VIKTOR, NO! ENOUGH! IT'S BEEN LONG ENOUGH! THEY SHOULD KNOW THE TRUTH!"

The Weasleys' were staring at Hermione with shocked and stricken faces. Ginny looked up at her, tears finally falling down her face. "Hermione?" she questioned softly.

"YOU HAVE THE GAUL TO SIT THERE AND BAD-MOUTH RON! YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO STAND UP AND MAKE SPEECHES AND CLAIM VICTORY IN A FIGHT THAT YOU NEVER EVEN REALLY UNDERSTOOD. YOU MADE HARRY'S MURDER INTO SOME GLORIOUS LEGEND --THE LEGEND OF THE BOY WHO LIVED --AND RODE IT'S COATTAILS ALL THE WAY TO THE ELECTION OF YOUR BOUGHT AND PAID FOR NEW MINISTER. YOU'VE STRONG ARMED YOUR GRANDSON AND THE GIRL HARRY LOVED INTO A LIFE NEITHER OF THEM WANT. BUT YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT…NOT A GODDAMN CLUE WHAT WE LIVED THROUGH--NONE OF YOU. WE DO! HARRY GINNY, LUNA, NEVILLE, RON, AND I! DID YOU WATCH LUNA FALL AND DIE? DID YOU COMFORT NEVILLE WHILE THE WOMAN HE LOVED BLED TO DEATH IN HIS ARMS? I MEAN, LET'S SEE? HOW MANY TIMES DID THEY HIT YOU WITH CRUCIO, MRS. LONGBOTTOM? HOW MANY DEATHEATERS DID YOU KILL? WELL, THAT WOULD BE NONE, I SUPPOSE. BECAUSE WHILE WE WERE OUT THERE FIGHTING FOR OUR LIVES YOU WERE TUCKED SAFELY AWAY AT YOUR MINISRTY MAKING PLANS!!!"

"Hermione, that's not fair, " Bill said softly.

Molly walked over to the young woman and laid a hand on her shoulder. The gesture seemed to bring Hermione back to herself. She lowered her voice and leaned across the table, her eyes boring into theirs. They needed to know. They need to understand what kept Ron apart from them all. Why he'd turned away from them all. Why he couldn't seem to move on. "They made him choose."

"What?" Molly's was frightened. "Choose?"

"They tortured us both and they made him choose between Harry and I. And they'd made some promise…some stupid promise to save me first. So Ron chose me and Harry died, but Ron died too. Because it killed him. He can't live with the pain or the memories…the guilt."

Viktor's hand in hers brought her back to her senses. She looked at his tear-filled eyes and gave a little whimper. He caught her in a firm embrace, and they turned to leave the table of gaping Weasleys and Longbottoms. Amazedly, Mrs. Longbottom was not done.

"You can't leave. What about the ceremony?"

Hermione spun around, her eyes flashing. "Mrs. Longbottom, you can take your "ceremony" and stick it up your fat, pompous, self-righteous arse."