"Zere, zat looks much better already. I left as much as I could, but ze burns…"

"Oh, she looks adorable," Ginny gushed from the bed of the master bedroom of Shell Cottage, where the girls had retired to clean up after their return from Hogwarts. With layers of grime scrubbed away and clean clothes, it was much easier to feel human, but the battles at Gringotts and Hogwarts had left sections of Hermione's hair beyond repair. Fortunately, an effect of having gone to a girls' school like Beauxbatons was that Fleur was quite experienced in the art of hair design.

"I don't know…" Hemione looked hesitantly in the mirror.

"I know zat eet's a big change."

"I suppose that it had to be done," Hermione conceded "I've just never worn it this short before."

"It really does look cute, Hermione," Ginny encouraged. "Come on, let's go show Mum." She opened the door, which was off of the kitchen of the small house. Mrs. Weasley and Harry looked up from the cups of tea they'd been drinking at the table. Harry looked quite different than Hermione had been accustomed – his hair was now neatly (for him) trimmed – a far cry from the longish style that he'd adopted after Hermione's trims had seemed to do more harm than good – and the scraggly beard that had grown while they were on the run that he had never bothered to deal with in their previous sojourn at Shell Cottage was gone. To his credit, he did try to hide his surprise at Hermione's transformation, but much like on the night of the Yule Ball, his reaction made her self-conscious.

"Stop it, Harry." Ginny poked him.

"You look really nice, Hermione, really." Harry declared. Hermione shot him a dubious look. "No, really, it's just different."

"I suppose, you look different that I'd gotten used to as well," Hermione conceded. "More like yourself."

"Well, the others should be back soon, and we'll know better where we stand as far as returning home," Mrs. Weasley declared. "Not that we don't appreciate your hospitality, dear," she addressed her daughter-in-law.

"I understand. Eet will be good to be home and get back to normal."

"Whatever that is." Mrs. Weasley poured mugs of tea for the girls, needing to keep busy.

The sound of pops in the garden interrupted the girls from finding seats around the small table. Bill and Arthur led the way, followed by Percy and Ron. Ron stopped short just inside the door and stared at Hermione. She hesitated for a moment before pushing past Percy out the door. Ginny started to follow, muttering about her brother being an oaf, but he shook his head and pushed her back. "I'll go," he said.

The crowd left behind held various expressions of confusion, worry, and amusement, before Mrs. Weasley demanded a report on the condition of The Burrow.

Outside, Ron caught up with Hermione at the sea wall that separated the garden from the beach. "Hermione."

She kept her shoulders hunched, facing the wall.

"Hermione," he repeated, reaching out and turning her by the shoulder, "look at me."

"I know that I look awful, Fleur had to cut so much off because of the burns."

Ron shook his head, "That's not why I was speechless back there. It's because you're so… so beautiful."

"Really?" She looked up at him hopefully.

"Really," he assured her, reaching out and taking a curly lock in his fingers. "Not that I didn't think you were pretty while we were on the run, but … well, you clean up well." He grinned down at her and stole a quick kiss on her cheek.

She reached up and rubbed his cheek. His hair had been cut, but he'd left the beard that he'd grown over the year, though now it was neatly trimmed. "I can shave it if you like it better that way," he offered.

Hermione shook her head. "No. I think it suits you."

He leaned over so that their foreheads touched. "You'll always be the most beautiful girl in the world to me."

She reached up and met his lips in a kiss.