The six of them apparated and landed on a beach. Ron looked around. He saw Shell Cottage and knew they were where they should be.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ron asked her. She was lying on the ground, weak and shaky. Silent tears fell down her face and she scrunched her eyes in pain as she clutched her arm where Bellatrix had cut her.

She nodded, and then shook her head as more pain came.

Harry was holding Dobby a distance away from them. Ron's eyes widened in shock as he noticed Bellatrix's knife in the house elf's stomach.

Luna walked up to Harry, consoling him, and Ron knew that it was safe to take Hermione to get help. He stood up and brushed the sand off his old jeans, then offered a hand to Hermione.

She gave him a shaky smile as she grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight in order to get her injured body up. She stood for a moment, then she let a cry of pain escape her as her knees buckled and Ron caught just before she hit the ground. He straightened up, holding Hermione with one arm under her knees and one just below her shoulders.

He carried Hermione as he walked across the beach to the cottage, her arms tight around his neck.

"Thank you." She whispered.

He nodded. "I owe you, 'Mione. For leaving you guys. I'm so sorry."

She let out a sigh. "It's alright. I guess, you know, after everything that just happened in Malfoy Manor... I guessed that you cared about us. All your heroic actions, Harry too, proved something to me. I- I forgive you Ron."

He smiled and approached the door. He couldn't knock so he kicked it lightly with his foot.

After a few seconds, a curious looking Bill answered the door with his wand out. He saw that it was his brother and pointed his wand at him.

"When you were seven, what did you do to Charlie's broomstick?" Bill asked, looking him in the eyes.

"I crashed it into the tree, then climbed up that same tree and hid the broom among the branches so no one could find out I did it. It would've worked too, if I hadn't been stuck up there for an hour."

Bill pocketed his wand and smiled. "Hey Ron."

He grinned back. "Hey yourself. Haven't seen you in awhile."

Hermione shifted her arms and Ron looked down. She was biting her lips as to stop crying in pain. "Can we come in?" Ron asked his brother.

Bill nodded and stepped aside for Ron to enter. He got in the house and noticed Fleur at the table, looking anxious and curious until she saw Ron. She noticed Hermione and gasped, rushing forward to start treating her.

Ron set her on the couch as Fleur began to work her magic. Ron kneeled by Hermione, grabbing her hand and kissing it as he did.

"Harry, Luna, Dobby and the goblin are out there." Ron called to Bill.

Bill nodded and walked outside to the others.

Ron was still sitting by Hermione, holding her hand as Fleur gave her medicine and treated her other arm.

"'ere, drink this." Fleur gave Hermione a dreamless sleep potion in a teaspoon and Hermione drunk it.

"Ron, stay with me." She said as her eyes drooped.

He kissed her hand again. "I'm right here, 'Mione. I'll never leave."

And she gave way to the sleepiness over coming her.

A few days later, Ron stood on the beach, holding the knife that had ended Dobby's life and cut a terrible word into Hermione's arm. Harry had left it there, and Ron had found it.

He examined the blade. It was coated with blood, no surprise. He looked at the blade. Ron recognized the symbol of the Black family. Under that, Bellatrix had carved the Dark Mark symbol.

He clenched his fist on the blade. Then he brought his arm back, and threw the knife into the ocean a great distance. It landed with a splash and Ron was satisfied.

That knife would do wrong no more.