Chapter Two

When they reached the room that Ron stayed in when he…when he left Harry and Hermione, he took another look at Hermione. She looked better, but she still looked mighty beat up though.

He looked around. The room somehow seemed different than he remembered. The walls still had a green tint to them and there was the window with a view of the sea; white curtains hung around it. There was the twin sized bed and the armchair by the window. Everything was still there, but for some reason it was different; more warm and welcoming.

Ron pulled back the covers on the bed and Hermione propped up the two pillows so that when she got into it, she was sitting up.

"Tell me, how did you all escape the basement?" Hermione asked him with tired eyes.

"Later, you need to get some sleep."

"Oh, come on Ron, do you really think I'll be able to sleep with what just happened?" Behind the exhaustion in her eyes, he could see the curiosity, the thirst for knowledge that could never be quenched.

"Alright, but then you're going to bed." Ron said, pulling up the armchair to the side of the bed.

She smiled and said, "Fine, but you sound should know that you're sounding a lot like your mother."

"Well you do need to rest!" Ron said defensively. "Where do I begin..." He took a minute to gather his thoughts, "You ready?"

"Yes."

"Okay. So after the rest of us were taken down the stairs, which were bloody steep-Harry and I almost broke our necks-we were in this really dark room, it was almost pitch black. Then right after the door closed that evil woman started…she started torturing you." Ron stopped, afraid to go on.

"It's okay Ron, you can continue."

He took a deep breath, "Harry and I didn't know what to do, we, well mostly I, started shouting and then we heard Luna's voice in the darkness. She went and got some rusty nail to cut our ropes, along with Dean and the goblin, that is after we got out my Deluminator. Oh, and Ollivander was there of course, but I could barely recognize him he was so beat up. But after that we didn't know what to do or how to get out of there, I tried to apparating, but that didn't work. Luna said that Ollivander already tried everything and he'd been locked down there for a while. Then Harry started going through that pouch thing that Hagrid gave him for his birthday. He pulled out this piece of glass or something, I don't know what exactly it is or why he has it, but he started shouting 'Help us! We're in the basement of Malfoy Manor! Help us!' Then, a minute later we heard a loud crack and who is but Dobby! So Harry had Dobby take Dean, Luna, and Ollivander here-" Ron stopped when he saw that she had fallen asleep, which was a good thing because she was obviously exhausted and he didn't really want to continue anyway.

He decided there was nothing else for him to do, so he gave her hand a final squeeze and went downstairs to go get Dean to help Harry with Dobby.

Once Ron reached the bottom of the stairs, Bill walked up to him and asked, "Ron, We're happy that you all are back and safe, but what the heck happened? I asked Luna and Dean, but they couldn't tell me what you, Harry, and Hermione were doing before you met up with them."

"Yeah, thanks for letting us all stay here and everything but I'm afraid what the three of us have been doing is confidential, I already told you that last time."

Bill sighed and said, "Oh, come on Ron, why not?"

"I'm sorry Bill, but Dumbledore left Harry and us this task and if we tell anyone, we might not be able to complete it then."

Bill just gave up and walked away, not wanting to start an argument and driving them away after finally seeing them again and knowing they were all alive.

Ron then went to the living room and found Dean sitting on the couch, "Hey, do you wanna go help Harry now?"

"Sure."

They got a couple of shovels and went outside. They spotted Harry over by some flowers, he already started on Dobby's grave. Once they reached Harry, they saw Dobby's lifeless body. They also saw his bloodstained chest and Bellatrix's knife lying next to him on the grass.

Harry didn't look up from what he was doing, but asked, "How's Hermione?"

"Better, Fleur's looking after her." Ron answered.

Then, Ron and Dean got down into the hole and helped Harry finish the grave.

When they were done, they climbed back up and tossed their shovels aside. Harry gave a sad sigh, took his jacket, and wrapped Dobby in it. Ron sat down, took off his socks and shoes, and put them over Dobby's own feet. Then Dean took off his hat and put it on the elf's head.

By now, Bill Fleur, Luna, and Hermione had made it to the spot. When Hermione came up next to Ron she gave him a faint smile and he put his arm around her. She felt so light and frail, he was afraid she would collapse at any moment.

Ron whispered to her, "Are you well enough to be out here?"

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with tears, "I could never miss this; D-Dobby is the reason we all made it here."

"He was pretty brilliant." Ron agreed. "Damn that vile woman. If I ever see her again—"

"Please…stop." Hermione's voice was quivering.

He was making her more upset than needed, "Course, sorry." He shut his mouth and rubbed her arm.

Luna kneeled down next to the tiny body and put two fingers over Dobby's eyes, "We should close his eyes. There, now he could be sleeping."

Now that all of the preparations were finished, Harry took Dobby and laid him in the freshly dug hole.

Luna spoke up, "I think we ought to say something. I'll go first, shall I?"

Everyone looked at her, but none of them objected, so she continued, "Thank you so much, Dobby, for rescuing me from that cellar. It's so unfair that you had to die, when you were so good and brave. I'll always remember what you did for us. I hope you're happy now."

Luna turned to Ron, it was his turn to say something. He took a few seconds to think about what to say. They lost a dear friend today. One who helped prevent him from loosing someone else who is even dearer, and he will be forever indebted to the elf, but at the moment he only managed to clear his throat and say, "Yeah…thanks Dobby."

"Thanks." Dean added.

"Good-bye Dobby." Harry finally said.

Bill took his wand out and the mound of dirt rose and fell evenly onto the grave.

"Do you mind if I stay here a moment?" Harry asked with his head down.

They shook their heads and offered words of comfort before leaving Harry alone and heading inside.

Hermione didn't move at first, but Ron said, "Come on, let's leave him be."

She turned to Ron and nodded. As they walked back to the cottage, he kept his arm around her in case she was still wobbly on her feet. At least, that was the excuse he used.