Welcome to The King's Chronicles Book 7: The Deathly Hallows

This took forever to get to, but at last we made it.

This is going to take a long time to complete, maybe even longer than OOTP did because I want to get in as much of Ron's mindset as possible, especially during the hunt, and even more when he left. Plus, my source material for the book has quit on me, so I need to find another. So please bare with me.

These first few chapters won't be about Harry at all, as Harry isn't going to be around for awhile. They will focus mainly on the Weasley family, especially Bill, and Romione as well.

Let's dive right in!

This chapter contains dialogue from my fic Twelve Kisses.

Chapter 186: My Brother's Keeper

The train ride home seemed lonely, even though Hermione and Harry were in the compartment with me. Harry sat across from me, while Hermione sat beside me. All three of us were quiet. Harry had let Hedwig out of her cage and was stroking her feathers absentmindedly from time to time. Hermione kept her eyes glued to the window, watching the changing scenery as we sped towards King's Cross.

Ginny dropped by for a spell, but didn't stay long. She came and checked on Hermione and I only, which I found odd. She didn't even look in Harry's direction and vice versa.

Eventually, Harry stepped out, saying he wanted to look in on Neville, leaving Hermione and I alone. The two of us said nothing as we sat and watched the world rush past them. Soon, Hermione leaned onto me, her head on my shoulder. I lifted my arm and put it around her. She moved her head so that it was now resting under my chin.

"Things aren't going to be the same are they?" asked Hermione.

I sighed. "Nope. We aren't safe anymore. Its funny how I used to think that Dumbledore was invincible. Only to be taken down by Snape, that greasy haired bitch."

"Language Ron...though I will agree with you. Dumbledore seemed more than a mere wizard. And now..."

Hermione turned her head and started crying into my chest. I put my other arm around her, holding her and stroking her hair as she cried.

At 17 years old, I felt as if I had the entire world on his shoulders. This wasn't supposed to be happening. The only worries I was supposed to be having was whether or not I would make Head Boy or Quidditch captain. Weather or not I would graduate.

Instead Harry, Hermione, and I were going to be going on be going on a wild Horcrux chase going Merlin only knew where. I didn't know how long we would be out doing this. Could be days, weeks, months. Hell, even years.

"What do you think is going to happen?" asked Hermione, wiping her tears away.

"Well, we are going to start off by having an amazing summer, I think. Swimming, chess, Quidditch, and then Bill and Fleur's wedding."

Hermione smiled. "You know I'm not going to play Quidditch, Ronald."

"Oh, but you will. You're getting on a broom, Mione. I'll make sure of that." I laughed, brushing Hermione's nose with my finger.

"We shall see. And after this amazing summer, then what?" asked Hermione, sounding as if she was perking up.

"We are going to find all the Horcruxes in a week, destroy them, stab Voldemort with a quill killing him instantly, be worshipped by the wizarding world, and then go back to school and be real teenagers." I said confidently

Hermione laughed. "That sounds wonderful. If only it would be true."

"You never know, it might happen. I for one would love it to. I would love to have a year with nothing but regular wizard teen problems."

"What about us?" asked Hermione.

I looked down at her, confused as to what she meant, seeing as just hours ago she had said we couldn't start anything. "What do you mean?"

"Would we be able to do normal teenage things together?" asked Hermione, blushing.

I smiled. "I would hope so." I said. "I would like to."

Hermione smiled and then shifted her eyes back over to the window. Soon, she had fallen asleep.

When we got to the platform, Harry came back in and sat down. He sighed as he looked at us as if he had something heavy to tell us.

"I need for you two to go home." said Harry in a low voice. "You can't come to the Dursleys with me."

Hermione and I looked at each other and then back at Harry. "But that's not part of the plan." exclaimed Hermione. "We are going with you, you're not doing this by yourself."

"It's not that!" said Harry sharply. "Don't you want to see your families before we just up and leave? Especially you, Hermione."

Hermione looked stunned, as if she hadn't even thought about it. I nodded, agreeing with Harry.

"Alright. So I guess we don't see each other until your birthday, yes?" I asked him. "That's when the trace will be broken."

"Oh Harry!" said Hermione, lunging for Harry and embracing him. The action caused a small twinge of jealously, but I suppressed it. She was only comforting him.

Harry left with his disgruntled looking relatives. I didn't want to see him go without us, but I knew it was going to be okay. Besides, Harry was right. Especially for Hermione, who needed to see her family the most.

"Do you think we should have went with him anyway?" asked Hermione as we watched Harry walk off.

"No, he'll be alright." I said. "We will see him soon enough."

I felt Hermione shake slightly beside me. "Something wrong?"

I looked over at Hermione. Her eyes looked as if they were looking off into the distance at nothing in particular.

"Nothing's the matter, I'm fine." said Hermione. I could tell that she was lying. "Look, there are my parents..."

I could tell just by the way she had said that last part that something was really amiss with her. However, I didn't want to pry, she would tell me eventually.

"Can you call me in a couple of days, Ron?" she asked. "There's something I think we need to talk about."

"We can't talk about it tomorrow?"

"No. Not yet. Plus, you need to focus on Bill, right?"

Her reminding me of my brother made me cringe inside. "You're right, as usual. Bill needs me, yeah?"

Hermione smiled and kissed me on the cheek. "He's gonna be okay, Ron. Madam Pomfrey said so, remember?"

I nodded. Hermione gave me a quick hug and another kiss on the cheek and walked off with her parents. A few minutes later, Ginny had joined me along with Dad, and we took a portkey back to The Burrow, which I found pretty unusual.

"Dad, why a portkey?" I asked when we touched ground outside the path leading to home. Before Dad answered, he did a few fancy wand waves and mumbled what sounds like various spells.

"Safest way to travel right now as you two don't have apparition licenses."said Dad after he was done.

"Is Bill at home, Dad?" asked Ginny quietly.

Dad sighed. "Yes Ginbug, he is. He's done alright so far, considering. Madam Pomfrey has giving him as full of a recovery as he can soon enough."

Ginny looked at me, worried. I didn't know what to say or do, I was just as frightened as she was.

When we made it to the house, I levitated Ginny and my trunks to our rooms. Afterwards. I popped into Bill and Charlie's old room to check on my brother.

Fleur was in the room, sitting in a chair next to Bill's bed. She gave me a warm smile as I walked in.

"Bill, it iz your petit frère to see you, merveilleux!" said Fleur in what I felt was an unnecessarily excited voice. "Oh Ronald, come see, 'e is 'appy to see you!"

Fleur got up from the chair, walked over to me, and have me a kiss on each check, which to my surprise, didn't make me swoon like a git.

"He is there, Ronald. 'e 'as been asking for his siblings." she said kindly, nudging me towards Bill. I walked over and sat where she had.

I looked over at Bill, whose face was bandaged up, except for his eyes, nose, and lips. One of his lips were split, but you could tell that it was healing. The gash that was on his eyelid still looked fresh. I felt like I was going to break down and cry.

Bill, on the other hand, smiled at me as if there was nothing going on.

"Alright there, Ronnie?" he said in a low, hoarse voice.

"I should be asking you that, Bill." I said, trying my best to hold in my tears.

"Oh I'm in a state, but I'm fine." said Bill, trying to look like everything was okay. "Been through some shit, can't said that it's been like this, but I've pulled through just like I will this time."

"Yeah, you...you will."

"Come on now Ronnie, none of that. Pomfrey and Lupin said other than a taste for raw meat. I'll be fine. There so t be any transformations at all. Lupin says I may feel a bit weak and sick during the full moon, but other than that, nothing is going to happen."

I nodded. His words had reassured me. It still bothered me to see him like that, but to know that he wouldn't become a werewolf was more than great news to me.

"Does it hurt, the slashes?" I asked. I immediately felt stupid. Of course my brother was in pain.

"Bit of a sting, but nothing I can't handle." said Bill, shrugging it off. "I'm more worried about what they will do to my handsome mug. If Fleur will ever find me attractive again."

I couldn't help but laugh. " you're more worried about if you'll still look lovely? You sound like fucking Malfoy. Speaking of that fucking git-"

"I know, I heard. So Dumbledore's really dead? And ol Snape killed him?"

I nodded.

"Prick." scoffed Bill. "I always knew he wasn't up to snot."

Suddenly, Bill started to cough. I was frantic, not knowing what the bloody hell to do. I took a couple deep breaths, grabbed a cup from the window sill, and performed Aguamenti to fill the cup with water. I helped Bill managed the water down, which calmed his coughing.

"I thought you said you were fine!" I found myself snapping.

"I am fine, it was just a bit of-"

"Fuck that, what do you need me to do?" I said, filling up his cup once again.

"It's not your job to worry about me. Ronnie." said Bill in a weak voice.

"Like hell it isn't, you're my brother! Stop being fucking stubborn!" I yelled, feeling myself getting both scared and angry.

Bill smiled, which annoyed me even more. "I never thought I would be on the end of my baby brother taking care of me. I can see why Harry and Hermione stick by you so fiercely."

"What do you mean?"

"You're a nurturer...like Mum."

I didn't know if I felt proud, humorous, or insulted.

"Shut up and tell me what to do, git." I said, chuckling.

Over the next two days, I spent my time taking care of Bill. I helped feed him, I changed his bandages, cleaned and treated his slashes, and did more for him that even Mum and Fleur. I felt as if a circle had been completed. Bill was always the one helping and taking care of me, now I was doing the best that I could for him.

I had called Hermione a few times. We didn't speak on anything too serious, and every time I would ask her what was the important thing she needed to discuss with me, she would put it off and say she hadn't had the time to think it all through yet.

Her apprehension made me nervous. Was the conversation going to be about us? Was she just stalling for time to tell me that she just wanted to be friends? Was even our friendship messed up because of my feelings?

I was beginning to get nervous. I didn't know what to say to get her to talk. And I didn't know how I would be if she were to reject me.

The thought of a life without her in it was truly driving me insane.