Harry and Ron walked into the kitchen to find the long, rectangular table covered in platters of steaming, mouthwatering food. The aura of the room brought back memories of days before, when Harry was young and foolish, having no care in the world but great times with his friends ahead.

Mr. Weasley sat at the head of the table, examining a Muggle battery, the look on his face on of pure curiosity as he rolled it between his fingertips. Although he looked entertained and content, Harry noticed dark circles under the rimmed glasses, as if he had lost many hours of sleep.

Ginny sat to her father's left, twirling a strand of fiery-red hair around her wand carelessly, her eyes unfocused like she was somewhere else, lost in an ocean of thought. Hermione sat next to Ginny, a smile on her face, although the smile looked forced. She too had bags under her eyes from apparently losing sleep. Harry wondered why.

Across the table was George, looking down at the tablecloth. He had taken his twin brother's death with quite a shock; everyone had. Harry assumed that losing Fred to George was just like losing Hermione or Ron to Harry.

Percy was still bustling about in the kitchen, sending spells everywhere, enabling dishes to wash themselves and counters to be wiped down without anyone doing so.

Ron and Harry took the seats next to Hermione while Mrs. Weasley and Percy sat down next to George across the table.

"Well, then" Mr. Weasley announced, stuffing the battery swiftly into his pocket (his wife was quite against him having Muggle artifacts at home, especially at the dinner table). "Dig in!"

The sound of chatter and utensils clanking against plates and bowls soon filled the kitchen as the eight helped themselves to the savory dishes.

"This is brilliant, Mrs. Weasley," Harry noted between mouthfuls.

"Quite," Mr. Weasley added. "Thank you, Molly." Thanks and compliments ricocheted around the table. "Of course, dears." Mrs. Weasley replied with a smile.

"Mum," Ginny chimed in. "When will we be going to Diagon Alley?"

"Oh, I almost forgot!" said Mrs. Weasley. "Tomorrow would be the only time to do so. Friday we'll be going to help Harry fix up Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, and Bill and Fleur are coming on Saturday."

"Um, may I join you?" Harry asked, deciding to take the opportunity. "I need to pick something up at Flourish and Blotts."

"I should be heading down there myself," Percy added. "I need to start looking for a job."

"You ruddy well should be," Mr. Weasley said sternly.

"And Harry, are you sure? I'd be more than happy to go pick it up for you,"

"Oh, thank you, but it's all right. I don't mind going myself. After all, I could do with getting out for a while."

"If you insist," Mrs. Weasley said. "And George, dear, you should really be getting back to the joke shop. It would do you good to get you're um… Mind off things."

The corners of Mrs. Weasley's eyes welled with tears, obviously thinking about her son, but she blinked them away as quickly as they have come.

"All right, everyone who's going. I want you up by seven o'clock. Ne exceptions. Am I clear?"

Harry nodded.

"And does anyone need anything while I'm there, because now is the time to speak up. Hermione?"

"I'm fine, thank you," said Hermione quietly.

"Arthur?"

"No, Molly."

"Very well." Mrs. Weasley said, ending the conversation.

When everyone had finished eating, stomachs full enough to burst, they all retreated upstairs for an early bedtime.

"Goodnight," was all that Hermione muttered as they headed their separate ways up the stairs.

Once Harry and Ron had dressed into their pajamas and got comfortable in their beds, Ron asked through the silence, "Did you notice Hermione?"

"Yes," Harry replied. "She seemed… different."

"So you think we should talk to her?"

"I don't know," wondered Harry aloud. "She might be in bed already."

""I'll talk to her tomorrow." Ron decided. "When you're in Diagon Alley."

"Sure," Harry replied. "I'll ne right back, okay?"

Harry slipped out of their bedroom, and quietly walked to where Hermione and Ginny were sleeping. Harry heard Ginny and her mother downstairs; their muffled conversation about her school supplies, from what Harry could decipher. Hermione was alone, which would give Harry the perfect opportunity to speak to her in private.

He knocked twice on the door quietly, then turned the rusting know and opened the door a crack. The room was dark, and Hermione was in her bed, asleep, her figure rising and falling in time to her breathing.

Harry stood there, watching her for just a moment, wondering what she was going through. Harry didn't know how he could cope with what Hermione did. Harry closed the door silently, hoping not to wake her. He made his way back upstairs to he and Ron's bedroom, where he found Ron playing with his Deluminator, absentmindedly turning the lamp on and off, sending the ball of light to and from the lamp.

"Where did you go?" Ron asked sleepily.

"Err… bathroom," Harry easily lies. He lay down in his bed and removed his glasses, causing his surrounding to go automatically fizzy. Ron turned out the light for the last time and quickly fell asleep, while for Harry, things weren't so easy. He couldn't stop thinking about Hermione. If she was okay, how she was doing, how she was coping. Did she need any help? Hermione had seemed a bit disconnected from the others ever since she had been blinded. The first few weeks after the battle, Harry remembered Hermione hiding in her room for hours, claiming she was learning to read Braille, but no Harry wasn't so sure that's all that was on her mind in those endless times she had locked herself upstairs. Harry hadn't seen her with a real smile in what seemed like ages.

Harry worried for hours, thinking of what he could do. But he finally concluded that what he was already doing was the best that he could. As he realized that, he also became more determined to make Hermione happy, whatever it would take. He thought of plans for the following day until he could stay conscious no more, and finally drifted off, his thoughts reminding him of the days in the forest, and Harry found himself partially missed the day hiding, just him and her…