Everyone wants to see the boy-who-lived. Harry just wants some space.

Character(s): Harry, Ron

'Maybe when the summer is over...Maybe after Hermione finds her parents...maybe in a year or two then I'll go. Then I can leave...it'd be appropriate to go th-'

"You don't have to stay in here, mate," Ron's solemn voice interrupted Harry's thoughts.

Harry's head snapped up to look up at his best friend who sat on a cot across from him. Ron had tired eyes, and a sad look about his face, even as he smiled wearily at Harry.

"I know...it's not...it can't be easy to still be sleeping...in this tent," Ron began.

"No...it's not the tent Ron!" Harry immediately interjected, not wanting Ron to begin a long guilty apology.

Ron had been unable to step foot in the Burrow since the fall of Voldemort, and that had been over three weeks ago.

Ron had told his parents at Hogwarts, just before they were all supposed to finally head for home, that he couldn't face going to sleep in a warm bed. Mrs. Weasely had been very upset, and almost slipped into hysterics, but Author had reacted with more calm. He took his wife and calmed her with firm hands, and with a commanding but gentle voice, coaxed Ron to talk. Ron couldn't explain it, or at least wasn't ready to name it, but Ron just couldn't sleep inside the house yet. He wanted to be with his family, but Ron was not ready to go to the Burrow and sleep in his own bed. Ron and his parents were at a loss for what to do.

Mr. Weasley had then quietly approached Harry and Hermione and revealed the predicament. Force had been suggested by Harry, but meekly. Hermione had burst into tears at the thought of Ron too uncomfortable to go home, and she sobbed, "This is because I got so cross with him after..." She did not finish, wishing not to speak to Ron's father about Ron leaving them for a time. If Mr. Weasley was to know, Ron should tell his father-not her. But it would be her job ( Hermione had decided ) to tell the Weasleys just how bad off Ron had been injured, and how intense the pressure from the locket Ron wore around his neck had been. She wouldn't let Ron perpetually blame himself for something Voldemort has caused, and neither would Harry.

"You're not to blame! If anyone's to blame it's me! When he was hungry and injured I told him he just...that he just wanted to go home to his mum-"

"No," Arthur Weasley said firmly, hands falling on Hermione's and Harry's shoulders.

"No..." he said again shifting his fatherly gaze between the two, "What ever happened out there-none of it is your fault. Neither of you are to blame...you three did an amazing selfless act that forced to be without a lot...and...and Voldemort and his followers..." Mr. Weasley stopped unable to speak further. Harry caught his elbow, and Hermione clasped both of her hands on top of the older man's hand.

Mr. Weasley took in a breath, "You were hunted down by death eaters and Voldemort, and I know terrible things must have happened. One day we'll all speak of it...but not now. Right now...lets find a way to bring Ron home...and then alert his brothers and sister. They mean well...but I understand how my children work, and they might do more harm than good if they try to talk with Ron about this. We just...need to put our heads together."

In the end, it was agreed trying to force Ron inside was not the answer. Everyone was needing to adjust and cope in light of the past year's events, and this may just have to be Ron's way. But Ron couldn't just stay in a hotel or something, his family would go ballistic to have Ron be absent from them. How could the Weasleys support each other with one more missing family member? One more Weasely brother... son... friend... gone. Gone like Fred.

No... no, it couldn't be done.

It was Molly Weasley, who surprisingly suggested that Ron camp out in the tent the trio had been using for so long already.

The thought seemed to make everybody cringe, but when it was suggested to Ron, he'd ducked his head and thanked everyone sincerely. Ron's problem wasn't revealed to his siblings until they all arrived at the Burrow. Arthur and Molly then told the rest of the family that Ron couldn't come in the house. There'd been an explosive uproar at first, but it was Ron who demanded silence.

"No one is keeping me outside-it's me! I don't want to go inside! I...I CAN'T! Just stop...stop shouting. I just...I can't bloody go inside," Ron hissed, cheeks blotched with color, as he turned away from his family. Ron's shoulders sagged, and he broke down again, just like he had when Fred passed.

It had been a terrible sight to see Ron's shaking shoulders, and hear him whimper out apologies, "I just...can't go inside. I can't explain it right now. Please...please understand."

"And you don't have to come inside until you're ready love," Molly whispered wetly, smiling at her son. She approached Ron gently and rubbed her son's back, "Take your time sweetheart. You are home now. The house isn't home...we are. And we'll support you in whatever you need from us," she sent a sharp eye at her children with her last words. She placed her hand gently at his back, and Ron turned on the spot and flung his arms around his mother, whispering shaking apologies in her hair.

"My precious boy! No...no... you don't need to apologize!" Mrs. Weasley sobbed and hugged Ron tight.

Ron's break down had led to a Weasley family hug, plus one Granger, and one Potter.

They all at once had descended upon each other, and wept as they clung to each other. George had managed to squeeze his way next to Ron and grip his younger brother tight. Harry had heard George softly whisper, "I get it...I get it Ronnie." Ron wasn't the only one who camped out in the charmed tent that night...or for all the nights Ron had stayed in the tent.

George was the first roommate to bunker down and share that tent with Ron.

Harry couldn't leave his best friend alone of course, and followed suit, followed shortly by Hermione. There was another cot, and that cot had been slept in by every member of the Weasley family, all wanting to share in Ron's grief, and show understanding for his personal battle. They were all grieving...they didn't have to do it alone. The family and friends spent most of their time outside. And after Fred was laid to rest, had all retreated to the tent. With Hermione's help, the tent's charm was adjusted so that the interior had been doubled so the whole family could squeeze in.

George had made his first joke then, saying that Perkin's smelly old charmed tent was quite a lovely space. If it wasn't for the lingering cat piss smell.

Molly swatted him on the head for his language, but it had been half-hearted at best. She was just pleased to hear any of the old George.

Many people visited, and Harry was grateful Kingsley popped by so often to make sure no one disturbed them. It was amazingly kind of him, considering the fact that Kingsley was so busy being newly appointed Ministry of Magic and all. Harry had accidentally overheard Kingsley inform Arthur that there would be therapy available for all of them as soon as they were ready to take it...and it was required for anyone who wished to be an Auror. Harry was sure somehow Kingsley had intended for him to hear this bit of information.

The summer after the fall of Voldemort was now half spent, and both Harry and Hermione had made visits with therapists. For the most part both Harry and Hermione agreed that soon they'd be done... they had had enough mucking through their traumas for now. The word was still under siege of Death Eaters, a full recovery didn't feel possible right now... but as it was suggested by Harry's therapist: " Take it day by day. And on the really bad days, talk. Even if it's to no one at all."

Ron had yet to start therapy with a professional medi-wizard, preferring to talk to Harry and Hermione instead. Ron had been very adverse to the idea, but quiet talks with Hermione, and a nod of encouragement from his siblings and parents were making Ron come around. He had promised to start seeing someone before the month was out.

Things were moving slowly and falling steadily into place...but still they were in this tent.

Ron still needed time.

Hermione still needed to find a way back to her parents.

And Harry needed... he needed peace from wizards who just wanted a statement...

"What is it then?" Ron asked interrupting Harry's thoughts, and bringing him back to the present.

Harry shook his head, holding a hand up, "It's not the tent. It's not. I don't think I'll ever be able to sleep without your snoring now to be honest."

Ron snorted, "Don't tell Gin that!"

The two shared a look, and grinned before sniggering quietly.

But the laughter fell away, and Ron tried again, "...What is it Harry?"

Harry tilted his head, and leaned forward off his cot, on the brink of making a decision. The silence stretched, and just as Ron opened his mouth to talk, Harry got up and took a seat next to his taller friend. Ron lifted and shifted down his cot a little, allowing more room for his best friend. After the two were settled, Harry folded his hands and stared down at his shoes.

"I think...I want to disappear for a little bit. Everyone is...trying to find me. They want an interview. They want me to tell the story. They want a statement. They want this...they want that. And I'm...I'm tired. I've given a statement. Talked to Kingsley. Talked to hundred of bloody Aurors. I'm tired. I don't know what I have left to give, but they still want more..." Harry admitted quietly voice deflating more as he spoke.

Ron pursed his lips and studied his friend. After a pause he wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders, "...How long would you be gone?"

"...At least a few weeks."

"Do you know where you would go?"

"Away," Harry answered softly, a calm look of peace flickering in his eyes, "Just...away. Be...just me and not the boy-who-lived for awhile."

Ron squeezed Harry's shoulders, "...Would you be against having company?"

Harry's head snapped to stare at his best friend shock in his wide green eyes, but Ron would not meet Harry's gaze.

Ron took a deep breath and began to speak softly, "You're right. The wizarding world is going bonkers...Dad says that Aurors are posted around us just to make sure no one sneaks in to question us. I wasn't supposed to say but..." Ron lowered his voice even further, "Hermione and Ginny got approached by some journalist while out with Mum and Fleur. They asked something...Hermione won't say what, but whatever it was made her burst into tears."

Ron scowled bitterly, and Harry felt his stomach knot up and his blood boil.

'Bloody vultures,' Harry thought, his lip curling with disgust.

Ron eventually pressed on, "Ginny says Fleur and Mum gave the guy such a lashing that he turned gray and fled. Then Fleur hexed some oranges and they pummeled the man as he ran!"

Harry found himself grinning despite the gnaw of anger still twisting in his belly, and then finally Ron made eye contact. Ron broke in to an identical grin, and the two were laughing both hugging each other's sides tight. Tears rolled down Ron's cheeks, and Harry had to remove his glasses and wipe the fog that had appeared on his lenses.

Harry cleared his throat, "Is...is Hermione okay though?"

Ron nodded his smile fading slowly, "Yeah...I think it's about her parents. She says there's too much to do right now...but she needs to go see 'em. I...I think she's scared."

Harry nodded, and Ron let out a sharp breath, "I...It's weird but I never...sometimes its hard to imagine Hermione afraid of anything."

Harry pat Ron's back, quietly agreeing.

Silence followed and Ron asked again, "Would you mind company?"

"...Hermione needs to see her parents. And you need to be with your family," Harry muttered, eyes going to his feet.

"...Yeah. We'll be here with my family for a bit...and then we'll go get Hermione's parents-all three of us. And then together...maybe we could just take a month...to...to be us," Ron suggested his hand squeezing Harry's shoulders.

"I-I..." Harry took a deep breath, "I want you both with me...but I can't ask-"

"You're not," Ron interjected, "I'm offering. And I know 'Mione will agree...some time alone together just...on our own. With no Horcruxes to find, and no reporters to meddle-in contact with our friends and family...I think it would do us some good. We can't disappear forever...there's still a lot to do. But we all earned a vacation."

Harry swallowed and then smiled at Ron, who met him with an equally glowing smile. Harry nodded, "Yes...Yes. Let's...the three of us...go somewhere. Let's...be anonymous for a little while."

Ron sighed looking more relaxed, and Harry too felt a great weight lift off his shoulders. There would be a day when Harry would have to live on his own, and face the world alone. But right now he was not ready, just as Ron wasn't ready to go in his own house, and just like Hermione wasn't ready to face her parents. But one day they'd be ready...and it was nice to think that somehow it still might be with each other.

End