Chapter 2

"The great hall looks beautiful." Ginny said to Harry as they walked through the giant doors hand in hand.

"It looked better last year." Harry replied as they walked toward the empty Gryffindor table.

"It's only cause they're trying to make us forget." Ron grumbled from behind them. Ginny turned and frowned at him.

"Such a Scoorge Ron. You think you'd be happy that it's Christmas." Ginny said as she took a seat next to Harry on the bench.

Ron glared down at her. "Happy? How can you be happy Ginny? People that should be here aren't. Dean, Colin, Lavender, Luna, Dad! How can you be happy when mum is at home trying to make a good Christmas for the family without Dad and most of her children not coming home?" Ron shouted at her. His voice echoed in the empty hall.

"You're a hypocrite Ron. I don't see you going home either!" she yelled back. "Besides this is the time to be thankful for what we have, not what we don't."

"Bloody hell Gin. Do you even care that dad's gone?" Ron exclaimed, his face heating up with his anger.

At this Ginny stood up. "Of course I do you idiot. I miss him too. But I've shed my tears. I'm trying to continue with my life. I'm trying to forget." She screamed at him.

"How can you forget Ginny?" Ron shouted. He didn't wait around for Ginny's reply but turned and stomped off, fury in his blood shot eyes.

"Hey Ron aren't you going to eat?" Harry called after his friend. Ron did not flinch but kept straight on walking.

Ginny sat back down on the bench and sighed. "Who does he think he is to criticize me? I don't see him going home to be with mum." She said frustrated and still heated from the argument with her brother.

Harry glared over at her. "Ginny take it easy on him. He's having a harder time of it then you are. He encountered scarier things then you did. He saw people die, saw Death Eater almost kill me and Hermione. Things like that are not easy to forget. I still see them too." Harry said as a memory shot passed his vision and he saw the scenes he talked about.

Ginny sighed and took Harry's hand. "I know Harry. And I'm sorry. I know he still has nightmares and doesn't sleep." Ginny said feeling ashamed for her yelling. She looked up at Harry as she slipped her hand into his. "But why is it that you can forget easier then he can? You don't have nightmares anymore."

Harry looked at her, a strange glaze to his eyes. "Of course I do. But not as many as I first did. And with Ron, he doesn't have the girl that he loves by his side like me. You helped me Ginny but Ron doesn't have someone like that. He's got me and Hermione but he can't seem to let it all go. Either he can't tell us or he doesn't want to. Either way we have to be there for him, not yell at him." Harry said. He kissed her hand.

Ginny sighed. "I know Harry. I'll apologize as soon as we've finished dinner." She said seriously. Harry gave her a small smile and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Okay Ginny. Let's eat." Harry said grabbing a bowl of mashed potatoes.

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Ron climbed through the portrait hole steaming a little less from his ears but still mad. He pushed across the common room toward the dormitories like a train on a track.

"Ron."

He stopped dead in his tracks, almost staggering, when he heard his name and turned to find Hermione on the couch hugging her knees.

"Shouldn't you be down at dinner?" She asked in a quiet voice as if she were in the library.

"Shouldn't you be?" He replied still in fight mode. Hermione looked away and he instantly regretted it.

"Why'd I yell at her? She didn't do anything." He thought to himself.

"Well I just thought..." she said squeezing her knees tighter. Ron sighed as he dug his hands into the pocket of his jeans.

"Sorry Hermione." He muttered looking down at his feet.

"Are you okay Ron?" she asked as she let go of her knees and got up from the couch. Something in her voice was anxious as if it was hoping he would tell her something was bothering him.

"Just tired. That's all. I think I'm just gonna go straight to bed." He said as she walked over to him. "I'm not really hungry."

Hermione looked at him, hoping he would still open up. "Are you sure?" She asked not really convinced. She could tell that something was bothering him. After years of being friends it was hard for anyone of them to hid things from one another. As she spoke, she heard the rumble of his stomach.

"Yeah. I'm just tired. That's all." Ron said defensively. "I'll catch you later." And with that he side stepped her and jogged toward the stairs to the male dorms on the left. Hermione turned and watched him go, feeling somewhat disappointed and let down.

"I'll listen Ron." She whispered to his back. She thought she saw him stumble but he continued on his mission to be gone from the room. She sighed and hung her head.

She could tell he was having a hard time. They all had when they had returned to Hogwarts. Ginny had been haunted by visions of Harry dying, Harry had couldn't help but see that maybe the battle wasn't over yet, Ron seemed to be fighting demons inside

himself, and she could not stop the nightmares. Harry and Ginny were slowly forgetting and get on better. She could tell Ron was still battling inside. He just didn't seem like he could adjust back to everyday life. She assumed he was having more difficulties then she was, having lost a parent along with friends. It was hard for everyone who had lost someone in the war. Especially now that it was almost Christmas. The holiday season was the worst for missing a close person because it was about being with family and friends and with that one person missing, it just wasn't the same.

AN: Chapter edited 5-31-07