This is going to be my new little collection of war drabbles, which I'm going to add to as inspiration hits me. They'll be short lil things- not all of them will feature couples, but I'm guessing the first few will. The first one's Ron/Hermione. Enjoy, and tell me what you think and if I should continue.

"I'm so tired," she murmurs, pale tear streaks standing out against her grimy skin. And he can feel his heart break.

"Shush," he whispers, and it feels strange to speak so softly, so tenderly. There isn't much room for tenderness when one is fighting in a war. "Just sleep, okay? Okay, honey? Just sleep."

He curses inwardly as she sniffles again and gingerly lays her cheek against the starchy hospital pillow and closes her eyes. With his right hand, he brushes her curls away from her face cautiously. He leans down to kiss her cheek and his eyes involuntarily well up with tears. "This wasn't supposed to happen," he mutters hoarsely to himself, but she hears anyway.

Her eyes flutter open, and meet his. "What?" she asks with effort. "What wasn't supposed to happen?"

"This war, the killing, you lying here hurt." It hurts him to say it, hurts to see her lying here in pain, and he would do anything to end this.

"I'm not dead, Ron." And even with broken ribs and suffering from exhaustion, she still manages to admonish him in the way that only Hermione can. "And this was supposed to happen. It was always supposed to happen. It's selfish to just think of ourselves."

"But I only want to think about you," he whispers, holding her hand to his cheek and kissing it lightly.

"But," she counters, closing her eyes again and sighing tiredly, "The world's in a complete mess right now… what's going to happen if we don't try to do something?"

"What's going to happen if we do?"

"We don't know, do we?" Her voice is quieter now, and her hand is limp in his. "But Harry's out there, and I think we're going to win. Because our side cares, and even when hell is right before us, we're still prepared to fight."

"You're so brave," he says admiringly. "So selfless. You don't worry about dying, do you?"

She smiles wryly. "Well that's the easy part," she murmurs, and her face becomes serious. "It's much harder pushing away your worries about those you love."

"Have you been able to do that?"

She opens her eyes and gazes steadily at him. "No," she says softly, and it is all that needs to be said.

"I'll be here."

She closes her eyes again. "I know, Ron. If need be, you'll be by my bedside until the end of time." She laughs softly.

"Until the end of time."