Hello all! Here is my story, I hope you enjoy. It's Hermione/Ginny so if you don't like it, don't read it. It is also really, really long but it's almost done.

Oh, and one more note: Harry Potter and the lot are not mine (just in case you had doubts).

Chapter One

Voldemort was dead. As his body fell to the ground, the only thing Hermione could think was finally.

'Harry!!!'

She raced to Harry's side with Ron right beside her. When they reached him, they engulfed him in a hug before the rest of the Great Hall's occupants crashed in on all sides. Never had Hermione been so happy…and so tired. It was over, it was all over. She could live her life happily with her family, friends, and Ron.

Ron.

So many had died: Fred, Tonks, Lupin…but Ron was still there, still in one piece. Even as they mourned and celebrated the fallen victims of Voldemort's second war, she couldn't believe her luck that Ron was standing beside her, tired, but alive. After some debate with Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Ron and Ginny made their way to the Gryffindor tower (Harry having already left). Ginny made her way over to the girl's dormitory and quietly exited when she realized Hermione wasn't joining her.

That night, Hermione and Ron curled up on the couch in the common room, not caring who saw them. Nothing more physical than a goodnight kiss occurred (okay, maybe some mild snogging) but it was heaven. She fell asleep lying on Ron's arm as it stuck out off the edge of the couch. When she woke up with Ron's arm lying protectively across her waist, Hermione thought she was dreaming; she didn't want to wake up. But as the sun came up and the other occupants of the tower began to stir, she sat up and watched Ron sleep for a few minutes.

'How am I this lucky to still have you with me?'

She woke him up with a light kiss on the lips, which he deepened once he realized who it was and what they were doing.

'Oi! As happy as I am the two of you finally figured out you belong together, I still don't want to see that!'

Hermione broke apart from Ron to see Ginny jumping the last few stairs of the boy's dormitory with a smirk on her face. Hermione beamed back at her and the smirk turned into a genuine smile.

'And I don't want to know what you're doing coming down from the boy's dormitory.'

At this comment, Ron, who had nearly fallen asleep again, sat up so quickly in order to look at his sister that he nearly knocked Hermione to the ground while Ginny's grin only widened. But suddenly it was replaced with a look of sadness as tears sprang to her eyes.

'Fred was the one who told me about the boy's staircase back in my 2nd year.'

Hermione quickly jumped up from the couch and embraced Ginny. As Ginny cried into her shoulder, she looked over at Ron still sitting on the couch. His hair was stuck up from sleeping and he had an imprint of the fabric on his cheek. His face which had a look of surprise a moment ago was now sadly blank and his eyes were glazed over, looking at something far away. Even then she loved him.

At that point, Harry came down looking more depressed and wary than either Weasley. Hermione found this slightly odd considering he no longer had to worry about Voldemort, but she just assumed it had to do with Fred and all the other deaths. Upon seeing Ginny crying, however, his expression turned to one of concern and he made his way over to extract her from Hermione's arms.

'Quiet now, luv. I'm here.'

Hermione had tears in her eyes as she made her way over to Ron. As she pulled him into an embrace he just said 'He's dead' before he collapsed in sobs. Hermione held on to him, not daring to move but not knowing what to say. Harry maneuvered Ginny over to the couch as well and sat down with her gently. They sat there mourning until the portrait hole opened and Mrs. Weasley entered. Her eyes fell on the couples sitting on the couch and a flash of panic crossed her face.

'What's this then? What's the matter?'

Ginny disengaged from Harry's embrace and ran to her mother's open arms.

'He's dead, Mum! Fred's dead!'

'Oh, Ginny…'

Molly hugged her youngest as tears sprang into her eyes as well.

'I know, dear. I know. But he died bravely and we will always remember him. Always.'

Ginny shook her head on her mum's shoulder.

'I don't care, I want him back!'

Molly rubbed Ginny's back and held her tighter.

'I know.'

They stood there for a while until Ginny's sobs started to lessen. Ron got up and joined them and when Mrs. Weasley gestured to Harry and Hermione, they too joined the group. Hermione noticed how worn Mrs. Weasley looked. She had dark circles under her puffy red eyes. More grey hair streaked the hair around her usually smiling face and she appeared to have lost a quite a bit of weight. A little sparkle had left the warming eyes, taken from her when her son died.

'What happens now, Mrs. Weasley?'

Hermione wiped her eyes and separated from the group.

'Well dear, you all should rest and we'll make arrangements for the funerals. There's just so many…'

She said this last part more to herself than to anyone in particular. Hermione stepped toward her.

'Please, I want to help.'

'Me too,'

Ginny and Ron said together from their mother's embrace. Harry stepped back and nodded.

'And me too.'

Normally, Mrs. Weasley would have told them 'no' because they were too young. But now, after all they have seen and done, she just couldn't tell the saviors of the wizarding world 'no'. They had already seen so much bad in the world, she thought that maybe by helping to end it, they would find some kind of closure. She knew she was looking for it.

'Alright.'

Ron and Ginny pulled back far enough to look at her face, each wearing a slightly shocked expression. They had both expected some kind of argument but were grateful to be included.

'Really?'

Molly smiled sadly at her children.

'Yes, my dears. Really.'

While the Weasleys planned the funeral for Fred, Harry and Hermione planned a funeral for Lupin. Most individual families took care of the major plans, but when no family was left, the family was muggle, or someone just needed help, Hermione, Harry, and eventually Ron and Ginny would step in.

It wasn't really that they knew all about funerals, muggle nor wizard, but it helped to have 'the golden trio' around while mourning. Everyone, despite mourning those they had lost, thanked Harry for what he had done and most thanked Hermione and Ron as well, knowing they had played a huge part in Voldemort's end.

Hermione could tell that by the end of the day, all of the death was starting to get to Harry. The Weasleys were mourning for Fred and their friends, but Harry seemed to be mourning every single death personally. And he hated all the thanks he was getting. Harry didn't think he deserved the gratitude.

Hermione realized that Ginny tried to stay close to Harry because she thought that her presence calmed him. Even with her influence, however, Harry became more solitary and closed off. Harry's attitude got darker still when Kingsley showed up to talk about their mission. Harry, Ron, and Hermione told him what they had done. He couldn't believe they had survived everything and only added to the already increasing pressure on Harry.

A final ceremony was planned to honor all that had died at the battle and throughout the war. Harry was of course asked to speak and being too kind to refuse, he accepted. Hermione and Ron talked with him after Kingsley left.

'Harry, you don't have to do this.'

Harry turned sad eyes to her.

'Yes I do, Hermione, it's the least I can give for those that gave their lives.'

Ron put a supportive hand on his shoulder.

'Let us help you then, mate.'

Harry turned away.

'No, I need to do this alone.'

Hermione dropped the issue. He had said that line so many times before and she hadn't accepted it, but for some reason the look in his eye, a look of such pain and suffering, made her bite her tongue. Ron didn't try to argue, seeing the same look and knowing it was no use. They left him alone and went for a walk. They stopped by a window and Hermione sighed.

'Ron, there's something wrong with Harry.'

Ron was looking out onto the grounds and shrugged.

'Well, he's taking this all hard.'

Hermione took a step toward the tall redhead.

'I know, but he's personalizing everything. It's not his fault all those people are dead. It was Voldemort.'

Ron didn't reply and Hermione realized just how hard he was taking Fred's death. She reached out and took his hand that was sitting on the ledge.

'It's not your fault Fred is dead, Ron.'

Ron shrugged and turned away.

'I know; it just feels like I could have done something to help him.'

'Oh, Ron…you did what you could.'

Hermione hugged him from behind and felt him relax slightly into her embrace. She stood there with her head resting on his back for a minute.

'Would you talk to him for me? Please?'

Ron turned back around and looked into Hermione's eyes. She would have done anything to take away the pain in them.

'Of course, luv.'

For the rest of the night, Harry sat in the common room with a blank piece of parchment and quill. Ginny sat beside him, quietly with a hand always touching him. Hermione couldn't tell if Ginny was comforting him or bothering him but he never asked her to leave. When Ginny started to doze off, Hermione carefully guided her up to her bed and looked over her shoulder at Ron, signaling for him to talk to Harry. Ginny tried to stop walking and turned tired eyes to Hermione.

'Where are we going?'

'To bed.'

'But Harry….'

'Ron will stay with him.'

They had reached Ginny's door and Hermione released her supportive grip on her shoulders. Hermione looked into the younger girl's eyes and saw the same sense of pain she saw in Ron's, a pain from loosing her brother.

'No one else is staying here. Would you mind staying with me? I don't really want to be alone.'

There was such sincerity behind her voice that Hermione couldn't say 'no'.

'Of course, Ginny. Just let me go change.'

Hermione dashed up to the bathroom and when she came back she found Ginny had levitated two of the beds closer together so they were one big bed. Ginny was already curled up and asleep on the far side so Hermione gently got into bed and pulled the covers up. As she readjusted the blankets, Ginny's hand automatically reached out to her and Hermione placed hers gently into it with a reassuring squeeze. Ginny sighed somewhat contentedly and Hermione drifted off to sleep with her hand still clasped in her friend's.

Hermione woke when a sunbeam fell across her face. As she tried to roll over, she realized there was someone lying on her shoulder and she couldn't move. Looking down she saw long red hair and remembered she had slept beside Ginny in order to comfort her. She didn't remember when Ginny had gotten so close and completely off her own bed, but found she didn't mind that the younger girl was snuggled up to her side.

Not wanting to wake her, she tried to roll her over and slip out from under her. Instead of rolling over willingly, Ginny unconsciously wrapped her arm around Hermione's waist and hugged her closer. Hermione tried tugging a little harder but ended up waking Ginny instead. When Ginny realized she was hugging Hermione so closely, she shyly let her go and sat up on her own bed with the Weasley blush slowly creeping its way up her face.

'Sorry about that, Hermione. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.'

Hermione shrugged and sat up.

'Don't worry about it Ginny, I really didn't mind.'

Ginny looked more relieved and a small smile crossed her face before a giant yawn overtook it.

'I could probably sleep for another ten years.'

Hermione nodded fervently.

'I know, me too.'

Ginny smiled.

'I must say I did sleep better last night than I have been. Thanks for staying with me.'

'Really Ginny, it was nothing. I'm happy to help and I'm here for you, you know.'

Ginny's smile grew bigger as she looked at the older witch and her eye gave a mischievous twinkle

'I can't wait until you're my sister. Phlegm doesn't really count.'

Hermione started laughing and then Ginny joined in. After a minute or so, Hermione could finally control her breathing.

'Thanks Ginny, that means a lot to me.'