The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione were standing in a circle around Fred's lifeless body. It was over, the war was over and Voldemort was gone. Ron felt numb, he felt like his chest had been ripped open as he stared down at his dead brother. Hermione was crying silently next to him, tears streaming down her face. Ron could feel her shivering violently. Suddenly he couldn't stand here in the Great Hall any longer.

Ron looked up for the first time in hours and caught his mother's attention across the circle of his family members. Her face was white and her eyes were glassy. Seeing her like this ripped the hole in his chest a little larger, the pain was unbearable. When their eyes met, Ron let his gaze flash down to Hermione before returning to meet his mother's eyes. Ron tried to convey all of his emotions through one look. His mother gave a small nod, so small he almost missed it, then she looked back down at her dead son.

Ron was satisfied that nod meant his mother's permission. He put his arm around Hermione and steered her out of the great hall, ignoring Harry's questioning gaze. No one else noticed them leave.

Hermione drifted along as Ron lead the way. She didn't know where they were going and she didn't care. As she had been standing with the Weasleys mourning the loss of Fred she had wished she were anywhere but there. She had always felt like the Weasleys were a second family to her, but tonight she felt like she didn't belong, as if she were invading on their grief.

She felt Ron come to a stop. Hermione looks around confused, they were in the fifth floor corridor. There was debris everywhere and chunks of the wall were missing. The corridor was eerily silent. Hermione looked up at Ron for an explanation.

Ron muttered, "Pine fresh" and the door to the prefects' bathroom swung open. Ron was thankful the password hadn't changed in their absence. Hermione followed him inside as he began to draw a bath. As the tub filled with steaming hot water and bubbles, Ron pulled Hermione's beaded bag from his trouser pocket. It felt like years ago when Hermione asked him to hold it.

He plunged his arm deep within the enchanted bag and rummaged around until he found what he was looking for. Next to the rapidly filling tub he placed Hermione's pajamas, dressing gown and slippers in a neatly folded pile. From the shelves at the edge of the room he grabbed a fluffy white towel and wash cloth which he lined up next to her clean clothes.

Hermione was stunned into silence. Ron turned off the spigots and looked up at her with an expression that shattered Hermione's heart into a million pieces. He looked at her as if taking care of her were the only thing he needed in the world right now. Ron's eyes were imploring if he had done well, searching her expression for a reaction. Hermione couldn't help herself, tears started falling again with a vengeance.

Ron looked at Hermione. She had several cuts and scrapes that were bleeding, her hair was singed, and she was covered with dirt and grime, but she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Ron crossed the room and wrapped her in his arms and held her tightly as she cried. Once the sobs subsided Ron said, "I'll be just outside, ok? I won't go anywhere I promise," and punctuated his promise with a kiss on top of her head.

As he turned to leave, Hermione finally found her voice. "Please don't go," she hiccoughed as she wiped the tears from he face.

Ron turned to protest, but closed his mouth when he noticed how small she looked. She had her arms wrapped tightly around herself and she was still shivering. Ron nodded, "I'll just turn around while you get in."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Her whole life she had fought against the stereotype of the damsel in distress. Proving time and time again that she didn't need Ron or Harry or any other man to rescue her, in fact she had even rescued them a few times. Tonight was different, she felt completely lost and vulnerable. For the first time since she was a little girl, she wanted-no needed- someone to take care of her. She especially, didn't want to be alone.

Once Ron turned his back she quickly took of her clothes and left them in a pile on the floor. They were completely ruined. She didn't even think magic could restore them, not that she'd ever want to wear them again. She stood naked only a few feet away from Ron, it gave her a strange twisting feeling in her stomach. Her mind flashed briefly to the kiss they had shared only hours before, but it might as well have been a lifetime ago.

She lowered herself into the hot water. She hadn't realized how cold she had been her whole body screamed in protest as the water touched her. It was like coming inside after an afternoon out in the snow and running your hands under warm water.

Once Hermione was sure the thick layer of foam floating on top of the water was covering her, she said "Ok, you can turn around now."

Ron turned and walked to the edge of the bath and sat cross-legged beside her. She was covered up to her collarbone with bubbles. She was looking at him with such an intensity that a shiver went down his spine.

Ron watched in silence as she pulled the elastic from her hair and let her messy curls fan out behind her, floating in the water. He watched her scrub her face and arms, occasionally she would wince when she rubbed over a tender spot. She ducked under water to wet her hair before applying shampoo from one of the pumps on the side of the tub.

This was the stuff of Ron Weasley's fantasies and on any other day he wouldn't be able to control himself if Hermione were bathing in front of him. But, today his body burned with one singular desire, keep Hermione Granger safe, at all costs. So, he sat guard at the edge of her bath like a centurion soldier, hand gripping his wand tightly, ears pricked for the slightest sound. All other desires and emotions had been pushed down and locked away.

"I'm ready to get out now," Hermione said quietly. Without a word Ron rose and turned away from her. Hermione got out of the bath and began to dry herself and realized the towel was coming away red. Some of her deeper cuts were still bleeding a bit. She wrapped the towel tightly around herself and began to examine her wounds for the first time. She couldn't help but gasp when she noticed a particularly nasty cut on her leg that was bleeding and had a slight greenish tinge.

At the sound of her gasp Ron turned, wand at the ready. He saw her injury and grabbed for the beaded bag. "Accio dittany," he said pointing his wand at the bag. The small vial flew into his hand. He began to apply it to Hermione's wounds, watching them knit back together.

Only when Ron was satisfied in his healing did he notice how little Hermione was wearing. The towel that was wrapped around her stopped just below her bottom leaving what seemed like miles of damp, glistening legs exposed. He gulped and hastily turned around. Chastising himself for forgetting, even just for a second, everything that had happened.

Hermione has seen the flash of longing in his eyes and it had made her heart flutter, but he had turned away so quickly she wondered if she had imagined it. She quickly finished drying herself and put on her pajamas.

"Ready" Hermione said.

Ron turned again. Her face was pink and clean from all the scrubbing and her curls hung damp around her face. She was wrapped tightly in her sensible, navy blue dressing gown. Ron was pleased to see the shivering had stopped.

"Are you going to..." Hermione asked indicating the now empty tub.

Ron shook his head, "No, I'll just grab a quick shower in the dormitory once you're all settled in."

Hermione realized now that Ron was filthy and he had piece of once white cloth wrapped around his upper arm, now it was dark red and sticky with blood. Hermione moved to touch it but he jerked it away from her.

" 'S fine," he said wrapping his uninjured arm around her waist leading her out of the bathroom.

The two began the long trek towards Gryffindor Tower. It was slow going because they had work their way around and over rubble. Several times they even had to reroute entirely as an entire corridor was blocked off. Both tried not to look too hard, or too long at the destruction around them.

When they got to the portrait, the fat lady was gone. Ron reached out and grabbed the edge of the frame and pulled, he was shocked to find that the painting swung easily opened revealing the Gryffindor common room.

The common room was empty, but neither of them had wanted to talk to anyone any way. Ron guided Hermione towards the girls dormitory. He figured Harry, Neville and the others would eventually return to the boys dorm if they hadn't already. Ron vaguely remembered seeing Lavender at some point in the Great Hall, but he had a hard time believing she would return to the girls dormitory alone.

Ron was pleased to see that the charm on the stairs was no longer trying to keep him out. Maybe McGonagall had turned of the charm so people would have somewhere to sleep, or maybe it was just the old magic of the castle knowing that he and Hermione needed to be together that night.

Once inside, Hermione drifted towards her old bed out of habit and sat down on the edge. There was no truck at the bottom and looked as if it had remained unused in her absence. She watched as Ron locked the door with a wave of his wand and began to walk around putting their typical protection charms around the room.

When Ron was satisfied that the room was well protected he turned to Hermione, "I'm going to take a quick shower, I'll be right back. Stay put ok?"

Usually Hermione would have protested being told what to do, but she heard the panic rising in Ron's voice. She nodded and scooted further back onto the bed.

Once in the bathroom attached to the dormitory, Ron unwrapped the bandage from his arm. Blood began to pour out of his wound and drip onto the floor. He suspected that whoever had wrapped his arm during the battle had enchanted the bandage to stop the blood flow. He pulled the dittany out of his trouser pocket and uncorked it with his mouth. He grimaced as he poured it into his arm and watched the cut knit back together.

He took off his clothes and turned on the shower. The hot water felt magnificent on his aching body. He watched as a gruesome mixture of blood and dirt ran of his body and swirled down the drain. He felt the emotions of the day rise up and tears pricked the back of his eyes. He forced the emotions back down reminding himself, he couldn't become distracted from taking care of Hermione. He'd already been apart from her for too long. He quickly washed himself and got out of the shower.

He dried himself and changed into pajamas before heading back into the dormitory.

Ron realized for the first time how dark the dormitory was. He heard sniffling coming from Hermione's bed, so he followed the noise to her.

Hermione was wiping her tears trying to regain composure when Ron sat on the edge of her bed. He pointed his wand at the candle on her bedside and it lit.

"Are you ok?" Ron asked, concern etched on his face. Hermione nodded, even though that was a lie.

Ron pulled back the covered and Hermione scooted under them. She pulled Ron with her tucking the blankets around both of them. The surprised look on Ron's face showed that this had not been part of the plan. He had been planning on sleeping with her. Well he was out of his mind if he thought he could sleep anywhere else tonight, Hermione thought.

After the initial shock of being in bed with Hermione Granger wore off, he breathed out a contented sigh. He pulled her close to him, her head landed on his chest. He breathed in the scent of her hair and thought it was the most intoxicating smell in the world.

" 'Mione," he murmured as he pulled her closer, burrowing his nose further into her messy curls. He felt a pang of guilt, for being alive, for being in bed with Hermione, for being absurdly happy in the midst of all this destruction.

Hermione's breath caught in her throat when she hear Ron's sweet term of endearment. Heat flooded her body as he pulled her closer. For the first time in a very long time she felt safe. With that thought in her head she let exhaustion take over her body.

AN: I hoped you liked the first chapter. I plan on continuing, I'm not really sure how long it will go. Thanks for reading, please review.