Chapter 5

"So umm… I guess for all this to make sense I should probably start at the beginning of our sixth year."

Harry started the long and emotional story of how he defeated Voldemort by recounting the lessons he had with Dumbledore, getting Slughorns memory and the night he went to the cave with Dumbledore to retrieve the fake locket.

"But I don't get it, what is a Horcrux?" Ginny had asked when Harry explained Slughorns memory.

Everyone in the room had the same confused expression on their faces, all but Kingsley, he had a look of complete mortification plastered on his. I took over from Harry with the explanation because he seemed to be struggling to describe the magic.

"A Horcrux is an object that someone has concealed part of their soul inside of, by doing this that person can achieved immortality."

Everyone was staring at me with their mouths hanging wide open trying to take in what I had just told them when Kingsley spoke. "Yes but it very complex and dangerous magic, I've never actually heard of anyone successfully splitting their sole without…."

"He made seven." Harry simply stated.

"I-It's not possible."

"It is. He intentionally six and… well I'll get the seventh later." Kingsley was sitting in his chair and looking as though he might go into cardiac arrest while Harry was speaking. "Didn't you ever wonder why he looked the way he did?"

"So that's what this mission was that Dumbledore left you three? Go find and destroy seven Horcruxes?" Asked Mr Weasley

"Yes… and no. Originally we thought that it was only four that we had to get but it turned out to be five."

"I still don't get it, you just said there were seven." Asked a still baffled Ginny.

"First off we didn't realize there was seven until much later on and secondly, two had already been destroyed." When everyone stopped asking more questions Harry continued, "Dumbledore had already destroyed one, the ring that I told you about from the Gaunt house. The second I actually destroyed years ago without realizing what it was. A diary." Harry had made eye contact with Ginny as he said this last part and I could see the horror slowly spreading across her face. The whole room went silent and stayed that way for some time so I decided to break the silence and continue explaining.

"That's why you couldn't destroy it Ginny, you see there are not many ways to destroy a Horcrux."

My voice seemed to wake Harry and Ginny from their trance and spurred Harry onto keep talking. We continued by explaining what we did to prepare for the task Dumbledore had left us.

"I made my parents go to Australia"

"That was a brilliant idea, I'm glad they listen…"Kingsley began before I continued.

"I made them go by altering their memories."

After a few moments of silence McGonagall spoke, "What did you alter to make them go abroad?"

"Everything."

"Everything?"

I nodded.

"I'm so lost, can someone explain?" asked Ginny.

I looked to Ron and he new I was telling him to explain for me.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger now believe that their names are Wendell and Monica Wilkins, they also believe that they have always wanted to live in Australia and they also b-believe that," Ron looked back to me for confirmation and I gave it to him in a the form of a quick nod, "they also believe that they have never had children."

"What do you mean never had children?" asked an obviously agitated Mrs. Weasley.

"They have no idea that I exist, let alone that I am their daughter."

"Hermi…"

"There was no other way!"

"We could have put them in hiding as we did for the Dursleys." I heard Kingsley say.

"They don't belong in this world, by doing what I did I kept them safe and happy." I had managed to keep my eyes dry but I could feel the lump building in my throat and I'm sure everyone could hear it in my voice.

"I will ensure your parents are found Hermione, we will bring them back to you and have their memories restored. I promise."

"I have to do it, it won't work if someone else trys to, I made sure."

"You really are a brilliant witch Hermione," I had heard it before but hearing it from Kingsley meant so much more, "we will bring them back and you can perform the spell."

"But how would you bring them back?"

"Why don't you come see me at the ministry tomorrow and we will discuss the details?"

"Thank you so much Kingsley."

After sorting out that little dilemma Harry continued the story by speaking about how we had been attacted in Tottenham Court Rd and everything that occurred while we were at Grimmauld Place, including Kreachers drastic attitude change. Mrs. Weasley picked up on the fact that Harry had mentioned spare clothes somewhere along the line and questioned where they come from, the boys beamed at me as they told everyone what I had done to the bag. Harry then told them all about our disastrous day at the ministry and how we only just managed to escape. I recalled how Ron had been splinched, how we couldn't for the life of us destroy the locket and ended up wearing it around our necks to keep it safe and described the spells used to keep us hidden.

Harry was just telling everyone how we had heard Ted Tonks, Dirk Creswell, Dean, Griphook and Gornuk talking about Ginny, Luna and Neville attempt to take the sword or Gryffindor and how we had realized that the sword could destroy Horcruxes when his voice started to get softer and softer and he started to mumble I realized what Harry was trying to avoid mentioning. Looking between his hands and Ron, I understood what was happening, Harry didn't know if Ron wanted everyone to know that he had left. Bill and Fluer obviously new and who was to stop them from saying something? Ron was turning red and it seemed he was not going to say anything so Harry began trying to make something up. Harry didn't get very far though before Ron interjected. "I left."

I heard many confused voices at Ron's random statement but I was too busy focusing on Ron to notice who had said what.

"We got in a fight and I left," he continued to explain. "When Harry and Hermione were talking about the sword I got angry and left them." He was looking down at the floor refusing to make eye contact with anyone when his mother got his attention.

"Ron dear, what are you talking about? What do you mean you left? What was there to be angry about? It sounds like Harry and Hermione were ecstatic." Asked Mrs. Weasley.

She was throwing a number of questions at him and it seemed he didn't know where to start. He slowly lifted his head to look at her then even slower gazed at everyone else in the room before stopping at Harry and I. "I'm so sorry. I know I've said that already but it just doesn't seem like enough." He then looked directly at me as if he had forgotten the entire room was full of people and began to speak, "I left you, I could hear you calling out to me but I still left you." I realized that this was the first time we were actually talking about this since the morning he came back and I tried to beat the shit out of him. I was trying to formulate something to say when someone brought us out of our little world.

"You left them? Where did you go?" It was Charlie

"Our place. That's why we didn't come over for Christmas." Bill said as he looked at Ron sympathetically.

"WAIT! WHAT!" Mrs Weasley was on her feet and screaming at her eldest son.

"HE WAS WITH YOU AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME. YOU DIDN'T BRING HIM HOME? YOU KEPT HIM FROM ME!" Bill was staring at he floor obviously petrified of his mother.

"Mum its not his fault, I begged him not to say anything. It would have just put you all in danger. I wasn't going to do that…especially after I had already made the biggest mistake of my life."

"Ron I…" I began but Ron cut me off.

"It was Hermione. It was the stupidest thing I've ever done. I was so mad because of that bloody locket and then you and Harry were so happy talking together and I just lost it. You chose him."

"What are you talking about?"

"I asked if you would come with me and you said no. You said you were staying with Him." Ron said as he indicated towards Harry.

"I tried to tell you its not like tha…"

"I think I need a loo break," someone said and I heard a number of agreements and Mrs. Weasley mention that everyone must be getting hungry. Before I new it the room was empty but Harry, Ron and myself. Ron and I were breathing heavily and Harry was trying to sink into the couch.

"Ron I told you it's not like that, it never has been," Harry explained, "don't get me wrong, I love Hermione, but as a sister."

"and Harry is like a brother to me."

"That's not the point. I left the both of you, I'm the biggest prat ever."

"Yer you were." Harry stated, "But I think you made up for it. You saved me."

"I hated myself for what I did. I just want you guys to know how sorry I am."

"I missed you." I said as I laid my head on his shoulder.

Ron put his arms around me while Harry placed an arm over me and around Ron's shoulders bringing the three of us in for one hug. It wasn't an awkward silence; silence was rarely awkward between the three of us. It was like we actually communicated better without speaking.

"Are we really all good?" Asked Ron

"Yer, I think we're better then good." Harry said and I nodded against Ron's chest.

We stayed huddled together on the couch for a few more minutes before I felt Harry pull away. I looked up and seen why, everyone who had left had come back and where crowded around the doorway. Mrs. Weasley and McGonagall both had tears in their eyes, I don't think they heard anything that we had said but were just looking at us huddled up on the couch. We pulled away from each other completely and sat back on the couch normally. Everyone took this as there invitation back into the room and they began to take up their previous places.

Once everyone seemed comfortable Ron continued the story with how he had abandoned us, escaped the snatchers, stayed at Bill's and then how he made is way back to us. Harry then talked of how he had followed the doe patronus into the woods and came across the sword in the frozen lake, how he jumped into retrieve it but the Horcrux strangled him and if it weren't for Ron he would have drowned. Ron quickly described stabbing the locket and I noticed that Harry and Ron had looked at each other with knowing looks I their eyes. I'm definitely out of the loop on something.

I then took up the story telling everyone how much happier we were without the Horcrux but was quickly interrupted by Ron who thought it necessary to tell everyone how crap I had treated him. Harry had laughed at the memory and Ginny had piped up and stated that she thought he had deserved it, I agreed and continued speaking as though there had never been an interruption. I skipped the part about visiting the Lovegoods and before long I was recalling how Harry had used the tabooed name 'Voldemort'. I looked up and noticed that Harry already had tears in his eyes, I new how horrible he felt about the whole incident. I explained that I hit him with a stinging jinx so that we wasn't as recognizable and recalled how the snatchers didn't buy our story and recognized me very quickly. I was struggling to continue talking and I could feel myself shaking as the memories of Greyback touching me and what his filthy breath smelt like as he breathed down my neck came back. Ron could see I was struggling and decided that he would tell the rest for me. Surprisingly no one interrupted as Ron told everyone about us being tied up with Dean and Griphook and then being taken away to Malfoy Manor. He mentioned how Bellatrix noticed the sword and then lost her mind, I was crying, Harry was trying to discreetly wipe away the few tears that were escaping down his cheeks and Ron was trying to steady himself by taking large shaky breaths. Luna being the perceptive type realized that the three of us were having difficulty speaking and helped us out.

"I was in the cellar down stairs." She spoke which grabbed everyone's attention. "That's where they took me from the train, I was down there with Mr. Ollivander." Everyone in the room but Ron, Harry and I were looking at her like she had grown a second head.

"You were in that place that whole time?" Asked a discussed McGonagall.

"Oh yes but Mr. Dobby came and rescued us."

"I'm confused." Charlie said

"Well you see I was in the cellar with Mr. Ollivander when Harry, Ron, Dean and Griphook were locked in there with us. That's when Mr. Dobby came and saved us all."

"And Hermoine." Percy thought he was correcting Luna.

"Oh, no. Hermione was never in the cellar with us but Mr. Dobby and Ron saved her too."

"I'm still confused." It was now Ginny who spoke.

They didn't take her down with us," Harry was now on his feet, though he still had tears dripping down his face he was obviously getting angry, "Bellatrix kept her up stairs for interrogation."

"Interrogation?" asked a very concerned McGonagall, she seemed to know full well what that would have included

"It really was terrible, I'm actually surprised you're ok after that. I heard her use it on other people while I was there but whenever she used it for that long they ended up comatose." Luna stated simply as though she were speaking about Nargles or some such creature.

"Bellatrix Lestrange tortured you?" Asked a clearly distressed Neville.

"I need some air." I said as I got up and left the room. I was half way through the yard when I heard Ron calling out to me.

"Hermione. Hermione please wait?

I stopped but didn't turn around to face him, "Ron please go back and keep telling the story," I whispered, "Just finish the story so I don't have to think about it."

"Are you sure, I could stay out hear with you."

"No it's ok, really," I turned and faced him so that he could see my dry eyes, "I just want some air, ill be back inside in a few minutes."

"Ok, but if your not back inside soon I'm coming back out."

"Deal." I said as I smiled up at him.

I watched him walk all the way back into the house and as soon as the door closed I took of as fast as I could out to the pond. When I got there I fell to my knees and let sobs rack my body. I just want forget that night, there's nothing wrong with that. I swear I can actually feel a dull ache through my entire body when I let myself think back to that night. I know I'm imagining this, as it's just not possible, it's over, I'm fine and the bitch is dead. Thinking about happy things is the only way I manage to drive away the memories. The best ones are thoughts of Ron and Harry while we were school help, particularly memories of us sitting in the common room at night, me curled up in my favorite chair with a book while Ron would annihilate Harry in wizards chess or listening to them ramble on about quiddich as though it was the most important thing in the world and of course my newest memory to play over and over in my head, snogging Ron in his bedroom. My favorite memory of all.

I finally composed myself enough to perform a charm on my face to remove the redness and puffiness from around my eyes and stood up to walk back to the house. The walk back helped calm me and by the time I walked back into The Burrow I could hear Harry speaking about Aberforth saving us in Hogsmead. I must have been outside longer than I thought; I've totally skipped everything to do with Shell Cottage and breaking into Gringotts. Harry noticed me standing in the doorway and motioned for me to join them on the couch again. I sat back down and listened to the story trying to ignore the looks everyone kept throwing me when they thought I wasn't looking.

I was thankful that Harry didn't feel it necessary to recount what I did inside the room of requirement as he skipped that and went straight on to explain what happened while we searched for the lost diadem.

"That little ferret," commented an angry Neville, "trying to turn you over to Voldemort."

"Yer we'll his dumb ass side kicks ruined that," stated Ron, "decided it would be good to start sending killing curses at Hermione and me. But that was the least of our worries when Crabbe decided he would try and torch us with fiendfyre. Too bad he didn't know how to put it out, the big oaf couldn't even stop his own curse from killing him. Destroyed the diadem though."

Harry went on to explain what we seen and heard in the shrieking shack with Voldemort and Snape, Then told us what Snapes Memories were. This really was interesting as Harry hadn't fully told Ron and Myself either, however my interest soon to turned to horror and disgust when Harry told us how he found out that he must die and then therefore bravely walked to his death. There was not a dry eye in the room as Harry finished the long emotional tale by explaining that he didn't die because he didn't defend himself resulting in Voldemort killing the part of his own soul hidden within Harry. The horcrux he didn't intent to create.

Neville beamed with pride when Harry told him that he was the one to destroy the last horcrux and how the chaos that ensued the death of Voldemorts beloved snake gave Harry the perfect opportunity to make his move.

"And well, I guess you all know what happened after that." Harry lamely finished.

Everyone was sitting in awe at what he had just told them all and it took a few minutes before anyone moved. It was Ginny who was the first one to get to her feet and walk over towards us, she hugged Ron and I, then slowly turned to Harry. Ron sighed in defeat realizing that he was going to have to witness another public display of affection between his best mate and sister. He was highly mistaken. Ginny reached back her hand and swung it forward with impressive force straight into Harry face.

"What…"

Before Harry could respond Ginny had already stormed out of the room. Harry was still rubbing his cheek when Ron cracked up laughing.

"T-that w-was g-gold." Ron managed to get out.

Harry was looking at Ron baffled when Mr. Weasley stood and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, "You should probably go find her son, I have learnt over the years that if you hide from a Weasley women then you only make things worse."

Harry stood up and headed out the door mumbling something about how he would rather face Voldemort again.

Hi everyone, I know this is a Hermione/Ron story but I thought it would be good to add in a little of Harry and Ginny, there wont be heaps but I love Ginny too much not to put more of her in here.

Thanks everyone for the reviews, please keep them coming.