A/N: Okay. *breathes deeply* I just saw DH2 and I'm like freaking out! At the opener I was freaking out, trying not to scream like a freaky first year…

Dedication: A huge thanks goes to my newest helper: Oh-My-Dead-Wizard-Gawd! She has agreed to be a beta-reader for this lovely story… *raises eyebrows seriously* So You Had Better All Thank Her… GOT IT?

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but if I did, the kiss scene would be done properly ,and Fred's death scene too… Teddy would be more than a mention… Plus the explanation by Harry to Voldemort, and the asking for remorse! I mean come on, Kloves and Yates! You're killing me! *huffs* I'm gonna stop ranting now… okay the giddy feeling is back… probably 'cuz Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls are playing… "And I'll keep on smilin' from the times I had with them…" But I have to give Kloves credit for McGonagall being all B.A. , and Neville's speech, and Draco... I mean I'm still gonna have him cause a little stir up, but I think the way he did things were very meaningful… But Yates could have made Ginny's scream upon find out Harry was dead (personally one of my most favorite parts which shows so much emotion in a small act) much more evocative…

When we last left our beloved characters: "We really should get to the meeting. Lots to discuss."

~rAndOM sQuIRrel~

"Ron. Did you just here what I said?" George asked.

Ron flushed a little, "Uh…no."

"And why would that be?" George questioned. All the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes staff was look at him, with the obvious exception of himself.

Ron felt the automatic response to lie to his brother, but felt something nudge him to tell the truth. "Well, I was imagining what its gonna be like a few years from now. If Hermione and I were married, as well as Harry and Ginny. Harry would be a world famous auror, and we'd all have kids and-."

"I see that there is still a bit of Loose Lips Lozenge in your system… That's nice, but we have business to attend to, now pay attention." George now turned his attention back to the meeting. "Now with our new line of Dynamic Desserts and several new sweets almost ready for sale we should be opening about a month before the new term starts, meaning opening day is August 1st…"

George faded into the background as Ron began to daydream once more.

"Ron!"

"Huh?"

"Show some intelligence, mate. Maybe I should feed you a Chatting Churro next time, just to keep you on your toes."

"Sorry, George. I'll listen."

"Okay, now Lee I want you to start on the Butterscotch Boxes. Make sure to put in two of the regular, bleating, balding, baby talk, baboon, and babbling butterscotches. Mix them up a little so they don't know what they are getting…"

The meeting went by slowly and was quite boring, but Ron used all of his will to stay awake. You'd think that working at a joke shop would be a bit more exciting, he thought.

George addressed the employees individually about their jobs the next few days. Lee was in charge of packaging, Angelina stocking, and Verity (the shop helper) spiffing up the shop.

"Now, Ronnie. I have an idea for a new line, but I am going to need some assistance on your part," George said, turning to him.

"What's that?" he asked, suddenly interested.

"I need you to observe Harry for me."

"What?"

"I need you to observe Harry for me."

"I got that part, but why?"

"With Harry being so popular, more than he used to be, here at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes we want to take advantage of that."

"I won't let you exploit Harry-."

"You're taking this all wrong, Ronnie. I-."

"No, George. He's going through a hard enough time as it is, you don't need to make the situation worse."

"Ronald," George said seriously. "You never let me finish."

Ron gritted his teeth, "Continue."

"I need you to ask for Harry's permission first. And possibly have him sign some paper work. Then you can study him. By study I mean I want you to report his favorite style of clothing. What t-shirts does he wear? How does he like his trousers? Heck! Tell me about his pants! His personality and attitude is key. Everything and anything about him."

"What if Harry doesn't give permission?" Ron said. His anger had calmed considerably, but he glared a little at his brother.

George sighed, "Well then we are out of a large money maker, but we'd respect his privacy, we- I would owe him that." Ron gave his brother a small nod.

~rAndOM sQuIRrel~

The month of June had passed. Hermione had been thoroughly enjoying her internship at the ministry and Ron had received a nice paycheck from his brother, which was now sitting in a new Gringotts vault.

July had begun. Two months. The only person taking it harder than George and Mrs. Weasley was perhaps, Harry. He had taken to staying most of the day in his room, or out exploring the woods. Hermione, Ginny, and Ron began to worry as Harry distanced himself more and more.

While many in the Wizarding world were celebrating the two-month anniversary of Voldemort's death, Harry was secluding himself.

"Harry?" Hermione knocked on his bedroom door. No response. She slowly entered the room, "Harry?" The bed was unmade; Bill's old brown comforter crumpled at the end of the bed, the white sheets half on the ground. His wardrobe had clothing hanging halfway out and many more clothing articles were strewn on the floor.

Harry sat at his desk, his wand resting just to the right of his hand. A quill was in his right hand scrawling lazily on a piece of parchment. He didn't look up as he spoke, "Hey, Hermione."

"Harry, are you okay? I know you're probably tired of hearing that, but we're all really worried about you."

Harry put the quill down. "I don't want to-."

"Harry, we understand that it's been rough-."

He turned and looked at her, "No, Hermione. You don't understand."

"Then help me too! Harry, you're my best friend. I can't stand to see you moping about."

"But that's just it! Your can't understand, you won't understand. Everything is changing for me! There are shadows in places that I once found light! The place I once called home, is no longer home. Every time I see you, or Ron, or Ginny, or George, anybody, is a constant reminder of my past. A past I want to forget about. I want to look to the future, but I don't know where to start! I don't know who I am anymore, Hermione! Everything I knew or was, was based on that piece of Voldemort inside me! I was who I was because of it."

"You know that's not true, Harry. You are who you were born to be. You have qualities that You-Know-Who never had. You are capable of love and remorse. You care for others and want to protect them, when all he wanted to do is use them until they no longer provided him with what he wanted. You are most of all brave. You were able to face death, when he couldn't," she said. "But so what if you don't know who your are? So what if everything was based on the fact you were a Horcrux? You can be who you want to be! Be the man you wanted to become! Show the world that you don't have to live the life that was predetermined for you. The past is going to be there no matter how far you run, Harry. Don't run from it, embrace it. Use it to better yourself and others."

Harry sat down on his bed and ran his hand through his hair, with a sigh.

"I know you've been through a lot. We all have. But you don't have to face this alone. You were never alone in your past struggles, you don't have to be now. We don't expect you to be better by tomorrow, either. We'll be better off someday, but not today. Everything is a process. We have to start over and it takes time," she said. Hermione gave him a weak but meaningful smile.

As she turned to leave she heard him say, "Thanks, Hermione."

"Anytime."

Hermione left the room and went down the two flights of stairs to the sitting room, where Ron and Ginny were playing wizard's chess (Ron winning of course). Hermione sat down next to Ron as he used his queen to take Ginny's bishop. "Check."

Ginny bit her lip and frowned in frustration. She reached out to move a pawn. "Can't do that," Ron corrected. Ginny glared at him. She began to move a knight, but Ron shook his head. She huffed, then moved her king in the only remaining spot with a sigh. Ron moved his rook with a, "Checkmate." Ginny rolled her eyes as he gave her his infamous lopsided grin.

Hermione spoke, "I talked to Harry." Both Weasleys looked at her.

A concerned look crept across Ginny's face, "How is he? He hasn't said anything the past few days, to anybody. He just stays in his room."

Hermione sighed and leaned against Ron, "He feels lost. And I think he feels guilty about everything."

"Why should he?" Ginny asked. "He did what he had to. Yeah, we lost Fred and Remus and Tonks, but that's not his fault," she said quietly. "We were risking a lot, but we knew it."

"I know," Hermione said. "Just watch what you say. He's doesn't know what to do now that its all over." Ron gave a small nod, gazing down at his feet, his hand shifting in hers. "I know we're all struggling in some way right now, but we have to gather all of our strength."

"Right," said Ron. He glanced up at the Weasley family clock.

It now possessed only eight hands, to which the family had discovered when Mrs. Weasley had gone to check if the hands were no longer facing 'mortal peril'. This caused Mrs. Weasley to burst into another fit of sobs, Mr. Weasley holding her closely.

Bill, Mr. Weasley, Charlie's, and Percy's hands were pointing at 'work', Mrs. Weasley, Ron, and Ginny's at 'home', and George's was hovering between the two as he lived and worked in the same building.

Ron stood and rubbed his neck. "I think I'm gonna pay George a visit. He's been working really hard on opening the shop and…" he trailed off.

Hermione gave Ron a sweet smile, "Okay." As he leaned down and kissed her, Ginny rolled her eyes. He walked down to the property line and disapparated.

~rAndOM sQuIRrel~

A/N: Review! I'll try and post more than I have been, but lately I've had a REALLY busy schedule. Review!