Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or its characters, they belong to the lovely J.K. Rowling.

Family

It has been almost a week since the final battle and although most people involved in the battle were hard at work on the repairs, a lot still needed to be done and there were still more funerals to be held. I myself just got done with a very long and trying day. This morning had been the funeral for Fred and so everyone was in a foul mood. His service was beautiful and everyone had very wonderful and inspirational stories to tell about him, the most stirring one of course belonging to George. The Weasleys were all distraught of course. During the service I don't think Ginny let go of Harry once and Ron was in even worse shape.

Ron… My thoughts slowly began to trail off towards him. Although I knew and loved Fred as well I didn't really feel I had the right to stand next to the Weasleys during the funeral, even though Harry did for Ginny's sake, so I stuck in the back of the Great Hall. It wasn't easy though since all I wanted to do the entire time was jump into Ron's arms and sob, but, I knew that I couldn't bother him during such a time. We had barely even talked since the battle… since our kiss. I bit my lip at the memory and held back more tears. Why, oh why did I have to do that? Of course he didn't love me right? He only responded back because of the heat of the moment, because he knew we might die the next day. That was all.

After the funeral, I thought it was best to avoid Ron so I went by myself to repair the Herbology room, although I wasn't surprised when I saw Neville already there. He was surprised at first, but welcomed my help. I stayed there for hours helping out however I could and Neville and I talked and laughed about random things. It was actually very pleasant seeing as how we both needed to escape from all of the gloom and pain that we felt inside. After awhile I decided to head back to the common room since there was another funeral, for Colin Creevey, in the evening. I slipped into the common room quietly only to find that just about everyone had already gotten ready and were chatting quietly, all with bittersweet smiles adorning their faces.

I glanced around at everyone as I slowly made my way to the stairs. Suddenly my eyes found the group whom I had been searching for. An unmistakable cluster of redheads and one tousled black one caught my attention. They were all circled around the fire on the couches, all with pain etched into their features and all exchanging quiet words of comfort. I smiled sadly at the scene and I considered approaching them but, the same sickening feeling from this morning suddenly assaulted my senses and I looked back at the staircase. I didn't belong with them, no matter how much I wanted to.

I groaned as I began to ascend the stairs up to the boy's dormitory, seeing as the girl's still needed repairs. Each step sent pain coursing through my body as my many scars and bruises still ached from the battle. Harry and some others kept telling me I needed to rest seeing as I have barely eaten or slept since the battle but I knew that if I didn't keep pushing myself, then I couldn't bare the pain I felt any longer. My feet finally reached the top step and I sighed in relief. I knocked on the door slowly and upon hearing no reply, I peaked in nervously. I sighed again as I realized that the room was empty, sometimes it was good to get there late. I quickly walked into the bathroom and shed my dirty work clothes and jumped into the shower. The hot water felt good on my tired, sore body but I showered quickly as this was the boy's dorm and who knows who could walk in at any second. I wrapped a towel around myself and once again peered nervously into the room, only to find it still empty. I smirked and quickly hurried over to some clothes that I kept in the room. I pulled out some fresh undergarments and a simple black dress for the occasion and laid them down on the bed next to me. I whispered a drying spell to dry myself and my hair instantly and I brushed through my hair briefly. I quickly snapped on my bra and pulled on my underwear but before putting on my dress something caught my eye in the mirror.

I turned slowly and looked at myself deeply in the mirror and the sight that I saw scared me out of my wits. Scars, they were everywhere, and bruises too. I reached up and touched a particularly purple bruise and brushed my fingers across it, never taking my eyes off of the mirror. The pain instantly ripped through me and I winced. I then noticed a jagged scar across my neck from Bellatrix at the Malfoy Manor and reached up to touch that one as well. Magic and healing would get rid of most of them of course, but some, like Harry's would remain forever, and in a way, all of the scars, like memories, would haunt me mentally forever. I stood there for what seemed like ages, examining every scar over and over again, each one bringing another bad memory with it.

Plop. I stopped and looked down curiously at my hand, a small drop of water had landed on my palm and it was then that I realized I had been crying. I looked back at the mirror, this time focusing on the tears softly running down my face and suddenly I broke. Everything that I had been holding in for weeks suddenly exploded and I fell to the ground sobbing. Everything hurt, absolutely everything… All of my memories, seeing everyone around me crying, Ron, Harry, and I still hadn't gone to Australia to find my parents, I didn't even know what to say to them when I did return their memories.

"Hermione," I heard a soft voice mutter behind me and I instantly stood up and whipped around. There he was, the one person that I wanted to see more than anyone, and yet the one I didn't want to see me like this the most.

"Ron," I breathed his name, my eyes wide in horror. His eyes were wide as well as he began to do the same thing I had just done and looked deeply at my many scars and bruises, cringing at each one.

Suddenly, he seemed to notice the situation we were in and quickly turned away from me. "Sorry," He mumbled out and I blinked and looked down, only to realize that I had yet to put my dress on. My eyes widened in horror and I quickly turned and grabbed my dress off of the bed and pulled it over my head hastily.

After I had it on I stood there nervously, unable to turn and face him. My heart constricted painfully in my chest, he hates me now I know it. I know what he wants to say, that I have no right to cry and that he was going through more than I could ever imagine. I cupped my hands over my face as more tears began to spill from my eyes. I tried in vain to stay quiet so that he wouldn't hear but I knew my whole body was shaking. "Hermione," I heard him breathe in my ear and before I knew it, I was being wrapped in his warm embrace. This was it, this was the feeling that I had been longing for, for so long, the one I needed the most. My eyes were wide with shock and I couldn't move, or even breathe properly anymore. "It's okay Hermione, you can cry, I am here for you."

I gasped and my heart constricted painfully, and that was all it took. I turned swiftly in his arms and flung my arms around his neck. I began to sob loudly and without control, and he just held me tighter and ran his hand comfortingly through my hair. "Shh, it's gonna be okay, I'm here for you." He shushed me gently and slowly sat down on the bed, bringing me with him as he sat me down on his lap. We stayed like this until my sobs gradually died down and I brought my hands up to wipe off my tears. I wanted to stay like this forever but I knew we had to leave. Ron seemed to have the same thought and he moved to stand up, steadying me on my feet as he did. I quickly finished getting ready and together we walked down to the common room. Most of the people that had been there had already departed but to my surprise the entire Weasley gang, and Harry of course, stood by the door waiting for us. They smiled at us as we approached them and Molly hugged me tightly. I knew she could tell I had been crying and I felt guilty, knowing that I should be comforting her.

We all headed down to the Great Hall together. The benches were still arranged in rows from the service this morning, and would most likely be magically reorganized after this one for dinner. Once inside we all sat in the same row, myself between Ron and Harry. I glanced over at Harry who had Ginny securely tucked in one of his arms and then I glanced at Ron who was whispering to Molly. I frowned and fidgeted anxiously in my seat. The service began just moments later, and the first speaker, his mother appeared before us. I hadn't known him very well but he was still part of the Hogwarts family and hearing his mother brought a fresh batch of tears to my eyes.

Almost as soon as the first tear slipped down my cheek, Ron's arm reached out and pulled me against him, resting my head upon his shoulder. I snaked my own arms around his waist and buried my face into his chest. I felt him place his head atop my own and soon after I felt his own tears begin to fall into my bushy hair. We remained like that for the rest of the service. Afterward, everyone began preparations for dinner but I felt way too sick and depressed to eat anything so I slipped away from everyone else while no one was looking and headed outside to take a walk in the chilly night air.

I walked aimlessly around the grounds until I reached a balcony that overlooked the lake, at which I paused to take in the beautiful scene. I considered everything that I had been through in the past couple years and sighed deeply. Now that it was all over, I really didn't know what to do with myself, or where I needed to be, I didn't really belong anywhere right now, and until I fixed their memories, I didn't even have a family right now. I looked down sadly as I realized that this is how Harry always felt, but he had a home now, with the Weasleys, but I didn't belong with them either.

"Hermione," A voice stirred me out of my reverie and I turned slowly and saw Ron standing about five feet away, watching me intently. "Dinner is ready." He told me slowly, keeping his eyes on mine.

I looked away and replied back quietly, "I'm not really that hungry Ron, you go on ahead though."

I saw him grimace and he took a few steps towards me, "Come on 'Mione, you haven't really eaten in days, you have to be hungry."

I kept my gaze elsewhere and I shook my head. "No, really I am fine," And with that I turned to walk away from him but he grabbed my hand swiftly.

"No, you aren't, I have been trying to give you some space but I just can't take it anymore! I can't let you do this to yourself!What is wrong Hermione? I know that we have been through a lot but it won't get any better by isolating and starving yourself." He told me sternly and I turned back to look at him with surprise.

I wanted to tell him everything, all of my fears and worries, everything, but I just couldn't. "I'm sorry Ron, I can't, I'm sorry." I told him and tried to wiggle out of his grasp but he just held onto me tighter.

"Stop it Hermione, just stop it!" He yelled out suddenly and pulled me against his chest. "Why are you avoiding me like this? I can help if you just tell me! I will do anything to get you to smile for me again, please." He whispered into my ear desperately as his arms gripped me tighter and tighter with each word.

I felt new tears beginning to form in the corners of my eyes and I tried hard to hold them back. "Everything," I finally muttered out against his shirt.

"What?" I heard him ask me gently as he pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes.

"Everything Ron!" I told him sternly as the tears I tried in vain to hold back now began to cascade down my cheeks. "I just can't take it anymore! I don't belong anywhere Ron; I don't have anywhere to go anymore!"

Ron looked puzzled as he looked down at me. "What are you talking about? You belong here of course."

"No, you just don't get it Ron! I have no parents right now, and even if I find them, who knows if I can remove the spell properly, and no one needs me here anymore! Voldemort is gone, and Harry has found a family, but what do I have? Nothing, I have no family here, nothing, and I want to be there for you and everyone else right now but I can't, because I can't get over my own petty problems. Do you know how much I just wanted to run into your arms and cry every single day but I knew that you were suffering more than me so I couldn't I just couldn't! I knew that I would just be bothering you and your family and so I just couldn't! I," My rant was interrupted promptly as Ron crushed me back into his arms.

"Hermione, are you even listening to yourself? Of course you have a family here, we are your family, and we all love you! Plus, you are the smartest person I have ever met; of course you will find and free your parents from their spell. And you should know that I will always be there for you, and you can come to me to cry whenever you need me. You have never and will never be a bother to me. Right now, you are the only thing that is keeping me going. Just knowing that you are alive and here with me reminds me why I need to keep living. I kept giving you space and time to heal, but all I wanted was to hold you, to be there for you. I just wanted you to come to me, to rely on me." He spoke softly and quickly, his voice etched in pain and worry.

Ever so slowly my hands crept up to his chest and gripped his shirt, my heart pounding faster with each word. "I'm sorry Ron, I am so sorry." I murmured into his shirt, my voice cracking slightly.

"Shh, don't be sorry, just promise me you won't suffer alone anymore. I will always be here when you need me and don't ever leave me again. I need you, I love you." He whispered the last part nervously in my ear.

I gasped and whipped my head up to look at him. "Do you really Ron?"

He smiled down at me and tucked some hair behind me ear, "Of course I do, and you obviously love me the way you jumped me before the battle a week ago."

I instantly turned a deep red and looked away at his words. "Of course I love you, you idiot, and I didn't see you complaining after I did." I defended with a pout.

I felt him chuckle heartily, his chest rumbling each time against my clenched hands. Ever so slowly, one of his hands grasped my chin and turned it up to face him. Nervously, I peered up into his deep ocean blue eyes and he stared down into my own, but only for a moment because before I knew it, his lips were upon mine in a heated and passionate kiss. I melted against him and wrapped my arms around his neck, my hands clutching his soft red hair. His own hands gripped my waist tightly, pulling me as close to him as possible. Soon, I felt his tongue poking against my lips, begging for entrance, to which I gladly accepted. His tongue quickly ran over every inch of my mouth, memorizing it, as one of his hands grasped the back of my neck to give himself better access. I began to respond back with my own tongue as I explored his own mouth, making him moan against me. After what felt like ages we pulled apart and he placed his forehead upon mine. "Bloody hell Hermione, I should have done that a lot sooner."

I smiled and hit him playfully on the arm before grabbing one of his hands and intertwining my fingers with his. "Come on, we mustn't miss dinner, I know you are hungry."

He pouted in response and tugged at my hand. "Oh come on, Hermione, can't we just continue this instead?" He asked like a child begging his mother to stay up longer, but, as soon as he did a deep growl emitted from his stomach.

I laughed loudly and smiled up at him. "I don't think your stomach agrees with that."

He laughed as well and pulled me in for one more kiss before we left. "Well at least I got to you to laugh again tonight." He told me happily.

I smiled and leaned against him as we walked. We arrived at the Great Hall soon after, only to have everyone there instantly turn and stare at us.

"It's about time!" Harry yelled at us from a nearby table as he motioned for us to join him and we noticed, to our amazement that no one had started eating yet.

"And just what took you too so long?" Ginny interrogated us as we approached their table and she motioned to our intertwined hands.

"None of your business." Ron scowled at her as we sat down. "And just what have you all been doing in here, why didn't you start eating?"

It was Molly's turn to talk now as she turned to look at me. "We always wait for the entire family to sit down before we eat."

My eyes opened wide and I smiled at her. "Thank you." I told her truthfully, she had no idea what those words meant to me. Ron seemed to sense my emotions because he softly kissed the top of my head and gave my hand a tight squeeze. I smirked and leaned against him, feeling happy and at ease for the first time in what felt like forever.

Slam! I jumped at the sudden noise only to look over and see Ron's hand fisted upon the table and an angry scowl on his face. "Okay, we are here now, can you all start eating now?" He yelled and looked all around him, his ears turning their signature red. I followed his glance only to find that the entire hall was still staring at us with smirks on their faces, and some people handing money over to others. I smiled and everyone at our table erupted into laughter. I was home at last.

Well what did you think? This is both my first HP fic, and my first ever oneshot so be gentle please, and leave me some reviews please! Thank you. 3