Ron followed Hermione through the tunnel as they crawled out from below the Whomping Willow. He glanced behind him and saw Harry emerge into the dark of the night. Crossing the grounds at the front of the castle, they made their way through the unnerving silence. Images of the past few hours flickered through Ron's thoughts. The night's events had begun to feel incredibly surreal, and it had been as long as it was painful. He squeezed his eyes shut in attempt to blink away the images flashing through his mind. Ron looked to his friend in concern. Harry's brow had furrowed under the unwarranted guilt he was carrying. Ron knew Harry was considering offering himself to Voldemort to stop another life from being taken. Hermione's side-glances at Harry told Ron that she had the same concern.

While Ron knew deep down that Harry refusing to surrender to Voldemort's request was what Harry needed to do, he understood Harry's desire to prevent more sorrow. It overwhelmed Ron to revisit thoughts on what he had just seen in the Shrieking Shack. He was so confused about what had happened during the final moments in Severus Snape's life. There were too many thoughts rushing through his mind however, to try to make sense of it at the moment. He only knew that if for any reason he felt the way Harry was feeling right now, he would have probably come to the same conclusion that Harry had, too. He reached over to Harry and squeezed his shoulder. Harry nodded to Ron, acknowledging the gesture.

They were down another horcrux, Ron thought. And although he tried to reflect on their progress optimistically, it was hard to focus on what needed to be done. The strain on his body from the fatigue that rushed over him was a constant reminder of how urgently he needed sleep. Yet Fred's vacant stare continued to break his concentration. A painful twinge from behind his abdomen knocked the air from Ron's lungs. His mind felt cloudy, and his heart weighed heavily remembering the moment he looked up to see his brother, lifeless. Ron closed his eyes again, shaking the images from his head.

"Kill." He heard Voldemort's voice echo in his head, as he was overcome visions of other dead students.

Ron slowed his pace in an attempt collect himself. He frantically searched his mind for a comforting thought just before feeling delicate, cold fingers link into his. Ron opened his eyes to find Hermione watching him intently. She didn't say anything to Ron, but she looked to him as though she knew exactly what he was thinking and that was all he needed.

"Where is everyone?" Hermione whispered as they approached the stone steps to the entrance of the castle.

The entrance hall was empty and silent, but every beautiful inch of it had been damaged. It was nearly unrecognizable in some places. To their right, the quiet murmuring of voices trickled from the Great Hall. Ron looked to Harry and Hermione then began to walk to wards the entrance. When he reached the doorway, Ron felt as though he was paralyzed by what he was seeing. The faculty and students had begun bringing the dead to the Great Hall. They were placed in a line down the stone floor, covered with blankets and surrounded by loved ones. He looked around at the deceased witches and wizards, many whose faces were familiar to him. Then gathered at the far end, Ron saw a group of tearful redheads and knew the rest of his family were now feeling the loss he had been carrying with him. As he glanced behind him and noticed that Harry and Hermione were both frozen in the doorway.

Ron began walking forwards without realized he had meant to. He was surprised to find that his legs could support him. They felt unstable below his weight. Ginny turned her head and saw Ron walking towards her. Their eyes met and Ron felt incredibly distraught when he noticed her swollen red eyes. Her chest was blotchy and her lips had turned a deep shade of red. She took deep heaving breaths and wiped strands of hair away from her tear streaked cheeks. Ron noticed Hermione walk past him and meet Ginny with her arms held open. Ginny's face disappeared against Hermione's shoulder. She sniffled as Hermione brushed back her hair and squeezed her tightly.

Ron approached the rest of his family and Percy turned to him, wrapping his arm around Ron's shoulders. Charlie clapped his hand to Ron's back. Ron's knees became weak and Charlie held him around his torso to keep him from falling. Arthur walked over to his sons and pulled them tightly into his arms. Tears fell from Ron's eyes as Arthur told the boys he loved them very much. Ron peered over his father's shoulders and looked to the ground where George was crying heavily, kneeling at Fred's head. His mother leaned over Fred's chest whimpering, her hand brushing over Fred's hair. Arthur stepped back from his sons and Ron turned to hug Bill and Fleur before walking over to his mother and George. Ron got to his knees and placed a hand on his mother's back. She lifted herself from her fallen child and fell into the arms of her youngest boy. Ron wrapped his arms around her and she held him tightly.

"I love you, Mum." He told her.

Molly sat back and admired Ron's face. She placed a hand on his cheek. "Oh, Ron," she sighed "I love you too, dear. You're a good man." She said smiling through her teary eyes.

She pulled him into another embrace as Ginny kneeled on the other side of her. Molly took Ginny's hand and held Ron's hand with the other. Ron turned to George and hugged him as well. George's body shook as he wept looking down on his twin. It was bizarre to try to conceive of life without Fred. Ron thought it must be impossible for George to try to think of a life without his twin. Their family suddenly felt absent to Ron and a wave of nausea rushed over him. He began to cry harder as the shock of what he was seeing wore off, acknowledging the reality of his departed older brother.

Ron stood up, looking around hazily for a place to sit down. He couldn't bear to look into any more crying faces. Ginny stood up and took his hand. Ron wrapped his arm around her head and pulled her to his chin. They shared a great, heaving cry and Ron told her that he loved her. She nodded her head and told him she loved him too. He kissed the top of her head before letting her return to their mum. All the Weasley's stood over Fred, but Ron caught sight of Hermione standing over a body on the other side of his family. She turned to see him looking at her, the tips of her fingers covering her mouth. She shook her head gently and eyes filled with sadness.

Ron peered passed his siblings and saw that lying on the ground were Tonks and Lupin. He walked slowly towards here and she rushed to him as he tried to move. He swayed slightly on his uneasy feet. Hermione caught Ron's body in a warm embrace. He leaned his head into her neck and cried.

"I'm so sorry, Ron." She whispered as her hands ran comfortingly over his back.

He nodded as he stood up straight, looking back to Tonks and Lupin. Hermione watching him affectionately cradled his hands in hers. She brought them to her lips and kissed them softly. He watched as she touched him so lovingly and felt as though his feelings for her intensified in that moment. Her eyes were bloodshot and watery. They looked more tired than he had seen them all week. Ron pulled her back into an embrace as he gasped for air through his subsiding sobs. Hermione placed her hands to either side of his cheeks and wiped his falling tears away with her thumbs. He leaned forward and placed his lips to hers. Her eyes closed and they lingered together wrapped in each other's arms.

When Hermione finally pulled away she ran her hand over the back of Ron's head. She pulled it down towards her and placed a kiss to his forehead.

"Why don't we go over to Madame Pomfrey? It looks like she's got some hot tea." Hermione offered. "I think your mum could use a cup, too."

"Let me 'elp you." Said Fleur turning to them.

They returned with tea for all the Weasley's. Hermione was helping Ron's mum to her feet and they hugged as she handed her some tea. Ron passed off cups to his dad and Percy before taking one to George.

"Alright?" asked Ron. He handed the steaming cup to George.

George nodded his head. "Just need to sit down, I think."

"Me too." Ron told him. He looked over to Hermione who walked towards him and handed him one of her cups. Ron took the cup in one hand and took her hand in the other. They walked to the side of the Great Hall where they found a spot to sit and drink their tea.

"When did this happen?" George pointed with the cup in hand to Ron's, whose hand held Hermione's. George gave a full wipe to his face with his free hand.

"Tonight." Ron smirked as he looked to the window and realized it was no longer nighttime. He could see that dawn would soon break through the darkness.

"Well, we didn't see that one coming, did we?" teased George. Ron was glad to hear a bit of humor in George's voice.

To his left, Ron saw Neville approaching them looking somber, hands in his pockets and head bowed. He made his way over and glanced between the two brothers.

"So sorry about Fred you two." He told them. The words seemed difficult for him to say.

"Thanks Neville." They both responded.

He took a seat on the other side of George and Ron listened as Neville offered comforting words to them about how great of a friend Fred was. It felt nice to talk about him and he and Hermione listened closely as Neville and George spoke. He listened for a while until his attention was broken by Hermione's voice.

"Ron, do you see Harry?" she whispered quietly trying not to interrupt Neville. Her words gripped his attention. It was strange that Harry hadn't been over to the Weasley's the entire time since they had returned to the Great Hall. Where had he been, Ron wondered nervously. His eyes searched frantically around the Hall. Panicked, Ron stood quickly to take in a better view of the hall.

"What is it?" George asked when he noticed concern on Ron and Hermione's faces.

"It's Harry, we don't see him." Hermione told him. "Ron, you don't think-"

"I don't know." Ron replied, shaking his head. He tried not to think about that.

They all jumped to their feet and began hurrying among the crowd of people.

"You lot alright?" called Arthur when he noticed the shuffle that had erupted.

Professor McGonagall approached them, curious as to what the commotion was about.

"Dad, it's Harry. We don't know where he is." Ron told him.

Ron saw Ginny spin around and look to him. Arthur glanced at them all before turning to Professor McGonagall. Her eyes widened with concern as she looked back to Arthur.

"Oh dear." She exhaled.