Chapter 2. Questions answered and stories told.

I woke up later and the room was dark, but I had enough strength to sit up. I looked around the room and saw that I was alone. I pulled the covers off my body and saw my legs, and stomach. My body was pale and my stomach too flat. I pulled my legs off the bed and put them on the ground. I put some weight on my legs and found that even though they were so small, they could hold my body up. I stood, shakily, and took a few steps. By the time I got to the door, I was completely out of breath. I took a moment to catch my breath and opened the door. I looked around and saw mediwitches and mediwizards all around. I saw a group of about eight people, all with red hair.

"Hermione? Hermione! It's Hermione! She's awake!"

They all came rushing towards me and I recognized their faces, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Ron, and Ginny holding hands with Harry.

Mrs. Weasley pushed everyone aside and pulled me into a strong, but gentle hug. Everyone immediately backed off.

"Oh dear, how are you? Are you in pain? Are you hungry or thirsty? Do we need to get a mediwitch? I'm sure we can get you some pudding if you'd like it. Oh Hermione, we've been so worried about you. I am so happy you're awake. So how about that pudding?"

I looked around and everyone had concerned looks on their faces. I opened my mouth to respond, and found that no words came out. I couldn't utter a sound.

"'Mione?" said Ron, sounding very worried.

I looked up at him, and I couldn't see anyone else. His big blue eyes filled with tears, looking down at me. All I could do was cry. I collapsed and he caught me before I hit the ground, as the tears poured from my face. I didn't care, though, this meant I was alive, I was feeling and I was responding.

He carried me into my bed and tried to leave but I wouldn't let him go. I held onto his famous maroon Weasley sweater, soaking it with my salty tears. He picked me back up and climbed into my bed. His armed wrapped around me lovingly, and also protectively, and I knew I was safe. I cried and cried, until I was only whimpering, and he was whispering sweet nothing's in my ear, soothing me.

I opened my eyes for the first time in a while and looked up at him. He felt me shift, and looked down at me. I studied his face, looking at the way his nose was shaped, his lips, how his eyes looked at me like I was the only girl in the world. His freckles spread across his face, I tried to count them, but I lost count.

"'Mione." He whispered to me.

"Speak. Please, just try and say something so I know you're still with me. I need you. I need to hear your voice, I've missed it. I miss you."

I opened my mouth, hoping, praying and willing sound to come out.

"Ron."

I gasped and closed my mouth. He looked at me and smiled, he smiled so wide he started laughing. His eyes closed and I felt his body shaking. I started to smile as well. His laugh was so contagious; I couldn't help but start laughing as well. Tears started falling once again, but this time they were happy tears. They flowed freely down both of our faces as our laughter filled the empty silence.

The rest of the Weasley's and Harry came in, with curious looks on their faces. I saw the confusion leave them, as they saw us laughing on my bed, and soon they were all laughing as well. Bill ended up with his father, sitting against the wall, Harry was sitting in a chair with Ginny on his lap, and Mrs. Weasley was with Charlie, holding onto each other. But the only person who wasn't laughing was George. He had a weak smile on his face, and he was still standing in to doorway.

I realized in that moment, that no matter what happened in the past seven years, we were still a family. Those who were dead were with us in spirit, and even though destruction had hit our path, we still had each other. We didn't, and have to worry for our families, we didn't have to hide anymore, and that was a reason to laugh.

Once we had stopped laughing, everyone pulled out chairs and surrounded my bed, except Ron, who stayed on the bed with me.

"You must have many questions, right 'Mione?" asked Ginny.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

"Okay, well first, we'll do a re-cap, and if you have anymore questions, we'll answer them then okay?"

I nodded again.

"Maybe Harry should tell the story, then we can all know what happened for sure," suggested Mr. Weasley.

"Alright," said Harry, and he began.

He told them about their entire year, hunting horcruxes, Godric's Hollow, Malfoy Manor, he told them everything, well almost. He told them about how he died and met Dumbledore, and Dumbledore explained everything.

"Harry, you left out Snape," said Ron, quietly.

"What about Snape?" asked Ginny, looking at Harry.

"Well, Ron, Hermione and I went to the Shrieking Shack, and heard Voldemort call for Snape. Snape and Voldemort talked, and Voldemort told him about the Elder Wand and how he believed it belonged to Dumbledore, and when Snape killed him, Snape became the rightful owner. Snape looked frightened, and Voldemort told Nagini, in parseltongue, to kill Snape. Nagini attacked, but didn't kill him straight away. Voldemort and Nagini then left, and we went in and saw Snape. He gave me his memories and died before our eyes. The last words he said to me were "Look at me." We then went to the Great Hall, and we saw most of you. I snuck away and went to Dumbledore's office. I found the pensieve and poured his memories in and saw them all. I saw him and my mother as children, playing; they were best friends. I saw him being teased at school, I saw him talking to my mother and she was mad at him that he got into the dark arts. I saw him go to my house the night my parents were killed, and he screamed my mothers name and held her dead body. He was always in love with her. I saw him talking to Dumbledore about me, about how I had to die at the right moment, and then Voldemort could be killed. I saw that Snape's patronus was a doe, like my mothers, and he was the one who led us to the sword. He was on our side the entire time."

It was silent for a few moments, as they were taking everything in.

"Any questions?" Harry looked around the group.

Everyone stayed silent.

"Well, now that THAT'S cleared up, Hermione, dear, would you like some tea?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

I nodded.

"Mrs. Weasley?" I asked quietly, my voice was raspy and it felt like I hadn't spoken in weeks.

"Yes, dear?" Everyone's faces looked shocked, except for Mrs. Weasley.

"Where am I?" The first words I had uttered in a long time, it felt good.

"You're in St. Mungo's."

"How long?"

"One week. You were brought here directly after the Final Battle."

"Oh."

An awkward silence fell as Mrs. Weasley is getting tea. So I decided to break it.

"Harry and Ginny. Together?"

"Yes. Absolutely. Finally. Mhm." said Ginny happily.

"Great."

I could feel Ron looking at me, but I didn't look up at him, I was too scared of what I'd see.

Mrs. Weasley brought the tea over and we all started drinking.

"Could you all leave and let me and 'Mione talk for a little while?" asked Ron.

His family agreed, begrudgingly, and I can tell they didn't want to leave, but they did anyways.

"'Mione? "

"Yes, Ron."

"I know this has been really hard, and I don't want to pressure you too much, but whenever you're ready, if you'd like too….well I know it's really soon, but it was hard thinking I might have lost you, and I don't want to feel that ever again, so maybe, whenever you're ready, I'd like to…well I was wondering if…"

"Ron?"

"Yes?"

"Say it."

"I want you to be mine. I want to have you forever. Will you go out with me?"

"Of course, Ron."

"Oh. Oh! Wicked. Brilliant. Bloody hell, that was hard. Okay. Perfect."

I smiled up at him and saw his eyes, big and bright, and his mouth in a wide smile. His lips were teasing me and so I leant up slowly and pulled him towards me. He was reluctant at first, but he complied. I felt his lips against mine, and I started to blush. I pulled away and looked at him, and I had never seen him so happy. I snuggled against him, after we finished our tea, and I fell asleep almost instantly.

"Tell me where you found it!" she screamed.

"I don't know! I don't know!" I replied, feeling tears streaming down my face.

"I don't believe you! Crucio!"

I screamed louder than I had ever before, my body writhing on the ground. But I could hear someone, someone was screaming my name, and that was all that was keeping me sane. When she finally stopped I looked up at her, and she was bent over me, holding my limp arms in place. I felt something dig into my arm and screamed even louder.

I started screaming, "It's a fake! It's a fake! I swear to you! Please!"

She stopped hurting me and turned around.

"Pettigrew! Get the goblin. Greyback, you can have your way with her over there for a while."

"Yes madam." Greyback said.

I felt him drag me across the floor, and he ripped my shirt apart. I felt his claws all over my body, as well as his mouth. He bit my neck, but never hard enough to break through the skin and clawed at my stomach, leaving scars. He started to roughly kiss me and I squirmed beneath him, trying to push him off but I knew I was too weak.

"Ooh, feisty." He whispered into my ear.

He ripped my jeans off, and I was left in only my bra and knickers. I looked at my arm and saw where Bellatrix had written the word mudblood. Suddenly, Greyback was shaking me and yelling my name, but he didn't sound like himself.

"'Mione!"

It was Ron. Pulling me away from the darkness, my newfound enemy.

"'Mione! I'm here, I'm right here. Wake up. Wake up!"

I shot out of bed and felt tears on my face, and I was drenched in a cold sweat. It was dark, and I was still lying in bed at St. Mungo's with Ron.

"Time?"

"One in the morning. 'Mione, what's wrong? What did you dream? You were screaming and shaking, I had to put a silencing charm on the door."

"Malfoy Manor."

"Oh, Hermione. I'm so sorry. He's gone, and she's gone. They can't hurt you ever again, I won't let them. They'll never lay another hand on you, I promise."

He held me close and rocked me back and forth, soothing me back to sleep. This is when I knew I needed this boy more than he would ever know.