Starting To Cope
Sadly it's not mine.
I hope you enjoy reading it. It's set right after the last chapter of DH.
The common room fire blazed before her. She could feel the heat seeping through her skin; yet her heart felt ice cold. What do you do when your goal has been fulfilled? How are you supposed to carry on when you don't know what you're living for? For so long all Hermione had ever had to work towards was: Voldemort, Deatheaters and Horcruxes. But now it was over, what was her purpose?
So many things had changed. So many lives lost. Memories of screams, bodies and blood stained her closed eyelids. Tears welled and began streaming down her face. Hermione was glad the common room was empty; she didn't want an audience to her despair. Hermione tried to lift the sadness and loneliness which cloaked her, tried to feel the freedom and triumph which, Harry, Ron and she had helped to secure. But flashes of Fred, Tonks and Lupin froze her, stopped her from moving on. Hermione thought of the orphaned Teddy and the twin without their other half; and the tears swelled again.
Silent tears merged into sorrowful sobs which racked Hermione's body. Overcome with grief, she slumped down on the couch. Slowly the tidal wave subsided, and Hermione was left weak but feeling lighter. She swore to herself that, that would be the last time she lost control of herself. There were people she needed to be strong for, and she would try her hardest not to let them down.
Hermione didn't move from her position on the couch for quite some time. She was still lying face down, with her legs pressed to her chest; when she felt the couch sag. Someone was sitting next to her. See knew who it was; she would have known him anywhere. His smell and his warmth washed over her. Neither of them moved for a while they just stayed sat; wrapped in their own thoughts, relishing the relief that came with the others presence.
Then she felt his hand press against her back. The heat from his touch seared through, right to her heart. She sat up slowly and turned to face him. Ron's bright blue eyes were missing some of their sparkle and they were rimmed with red. Hermione knew that he had done the same as her: gone somewhere alone to try and expel some of his grief. The two sat staring at each other, just looking. It was an exquisite comfort, to look upon each other without any fear that they wouldn't get the future they so desperately wanted.
Ron brought his hand up to Hermione's cheek and cradled her face. He did the same with his other hand and softly caressed each cheek with his thumbs. In that moment Hermione felt no despair. She felt utterly and completely right. True happiness would come later, it wasn't the time now. Everyone had to mourn and begin to pick up the pieces.
Ron lent forwards slowly and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was firm and intense; but at the same it was chaste and simple. It wasn't a frenzy of passion that would happen later; when passion wouldn't switch into desperation. If they gave into to the heat, they wouldn't be able to cope with the emotions it would bring. They had felt too much in to short amount of time. Right now they just needed to feel the others love, needed to know they weren't alone.
Ron's hands stayed cradling her face; whilst Hermione's hands grasped the back of his neck and the front of his t-shirt. They pulled apart slowly, eyes still closed, faces an inch apart. Their breathing was quick and short. Opening their eyes, they surveyed each other, the pink stain across their cheeks, and the vibrant glow in their eyes. Words weren't necessary the love between them was obvious. Hermione lent forward and rested her head against her chest. The steady thrum of his heart acted like a lullaby to a child and soon her eyes fluttered closed.
Hermione could feel Ron's arms wrapped around her. His grip was firm as if afraid to let go, he rested his cheek against the top of her head. The despair which had suffocated her earlier slipped away. Sadness remained, but she could cope; she wouldn't ever be alone again.
I'm thinking about doing a sequel; let me know what you think. I hope you liked it, please review!