Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Harry Potter nor the song "Ever the Same" by Rob Thomas


*

We were drawn from the weeds, we were brave like soldiers
Falling down under the pale moonlight
You were holding to me, like a someone broken
And I couldn’t tell you, but I’m telling you now

*

“Have either of you seen a toad?� Hermione Granger questioned the two boys who were sitting in the train compartment.

From the moment she had opened the door she could tell they were misfits. One had fiery orange hair and the other looked straggly and unfed with his glasses snapped down the middle and his jet black hair going in different directions. Beside them sat a pile of sweets and chocolate frog wrappings. The red-haired boy had dropped a mashed and messily wrapped sandwich on the floor and was looking at her as if she was insane. They were probably unpopular of and not very experienced in magic; but then, neither was she. The girl stood there, unsure of what to do when they told her they hadn’t seen the amphibian in question, and started to retreat. Her mother and father had told her to be brave, to try and look fearless, and also to watch out for the quieter kids, and not to go for the first ones she saw or who talked to her. They told her that the quieter kids were the ones who were just as scared as she was, and they probably needed a friend just as badly.

She closed the door quietly and began walking down the hall, looking on the floor carefully for the chubby boy’s toad. Her mind saw flashes of the two boys talking and eating their chocolate frogs alone. She felt strangely connected to them for some reason, though she couldn’t tell why. A small smile grew on her face for a moment as she thought of this new chapter of her life.

Sure, they may have been misfits, but after all; so was she.

*

“Firs’ years over ‘ere!� called the giant-like man who was holding up a lantern near an off-ramp that led to a small fleet of boats. The pale moon shone in the sky, glimmering between the grey clouds that drifted in front of it. Hermione found she was being pushed towards the boats by other kids who were going towards them.

“Ah!� she cried as a kid mindlessly pushed her, causing her to lose balance on a patch of mud. In what seemed to be a hundred years, her feet were off the ground and she was looking up at the moon, her hands outstretched in the hopes of grabbing onto something to stop her fall.

A hand miraculously reached for hers.

“Thank you, thank you so much,� she said breathlessly to the person who had helped her up.

“No problem,� muttered the red-haired boy from the compartment on the train. He walked away without looking back.

*

We were standing in the wind, we were free like water
Flowing down under the warmth of the sun

*

“Ron, stop it!� cried Hermione, shying away from the boy who was splashing water at her mercilessly. Harry laughed and splashed Hermione with water too, making Hermione swim away from them. It was after third year exams, and the three friends were spending their last few days at Hogwarts trying to have as much fun as possible.

Ron smiled as he floated in the water next to Harry and Hermione. This was what he had always wanted. Close friends. He looked at Hermione carefully; sure, she could be a right hag sometimes … but at others? Well … she wasn’t all that bad.

By the time they had all clambered out of the lake they were soggy and cold, but lying on the warm shore warmed them up straight away. The sun glistened down happily, laying its rays on the friends with much generosity, and the warm wind blew softly across their bare skin.
“I hope this never changes,� said Hermione quietly, looking up at the sky contently. “I hope we’re like this forever.�

“Mhmm,� agreed Ron and Harry together.

*

Now it’s cold, and we’re scared, and we’ve both been shaken
Hey, look at us, man
This doesn’t need to be the end

*

It was the first week of Hermione’s fourth year back to Hogwarts and things were going rough. She woke from her sleep and sat up quickly, drenched in a cold sweat. She could still hear the cries of horror echoing through her terrified mind. The curtains around her bed blew hauntingly and a chill was in the air. She shivered, eyes open wide, heart racing, and she crept to the boys’ dormitory.

She pulled the curtains around the bed open and looked at the person sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling with a comforting regularity.

“Ron?� she whispered tearfully to her friend. “Ron, please wake up, I’m scared.� She shook him gently and he stirred, eyes fluttering open sleepily.

“’Mione, what’s wrong?� he yawned, sitting up.

“I - I had a nightmare,� she said bashfully, tears still clinging to her cheeks. She didn’t normally enjoy appearing weak like this, but the cries of her parents, of Ron and Harry dying - they were too much for her to stand. Weakness would have to do for now.

“Do you want to talk about it?� he asked, stretching his arms and trying to look more awake, though it was a failed attempt.

“No - I - no it’s fine. I just wanted to make sure everyone was okay,� she said cautiously. He looked at her seriously and she could feel her face flush slightly.

“Well, now that I’m awake, do you want to go down to the common room and just … hang around?� he asked her with a groggy smile. This was so unlike him, to give up his precious sleep. But, he thought, this was different, and sleep could wait this time.

“Mm, yes, that’d be nice.� She smiled, sniffling and wiping her eyes with the back of her shaking hand.

“Come on,� he said standing up and putting on his slippers. He took his blanket from his bed and led her downstairs, where she sat on the couch and he placed the blanket over her trembling legs.

“Thank you, Ron,� she said graciously as her eyelids flickered dangerously.

“No problem,� he whispered as he watched her fall asleep, her mouth slightly open, her breathing even and light. He smiled as he sat there, looking at her covered in his blanket…

“No problem at all …�

*


Just let me hold you while you’re falling apart
Just let me hold you and we’ll both fall down

*

“I – I can’t believe he’s just … gone,� she wept into his shoulder. A slow tear fell from Ron’s eye as he watched the funeral ceremony proceed. Small sobs came from Hermione as she rested her head on his shoulder. He could feel the tears soaking into his shirt, but he didn’t mind, really. All he wanted was just to be vulnerable for one moment, just to let it all out.

The tears fell faster and openly from both of them. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and she sobbed harder, pushing her head into his shoulder. Her crying began to settle down and she sat up and looked at him. Her eyes were puffy and her face was blotchy from crying; tears were sliding gracefully down her face and some of her bushy hair had fallen into her face.

She is beautiful, thought Ron. He tried to smile, but wave after wave of sadness threatened to over take him in endless tears again. The ceremony was over, and all that was left of Dumbledore was a great stone memorial.

Ron stood up, as did Hermione, and they walked over to Harry, who seemed to have run out of tears to cry. A long silence followed, and words seemed almost meaningless for that moment.

“At least we’re still together,� said Ron after a while, with a voice that was wavering under all the emotion he had in him.

He met Hermione’s eyes, and managed a small, bleak smile.

“At least,� she agreed, wiping her eyes on the back of her sleeve.

*

Fall on me; tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same

*


Hermione sat out on the large grey rock looking thoughtfully at the small brook that was bubbling its way down through the trees. Seventh year would be starting soon, though no one knew if the school was to be open or not yet. She missed home, of course, but she was glad that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had invited her to stay at The Burrow through the summer holidays. She felt less empty when she was with them.

A stick snapped somewhere behind her and she turned quickly, her hair flying behind her back.

“Hello?� she said cautiously. The summer light was sending rays in-between the trees, and a shadow was working its way towards her.

“Hermione?� called a familiar voice. “Why are you back here?�

She looked apprehensively at him.

“I come back here to think. Why are you here, Ron?� she asked curiously.

“Same reason,� he said looking puzzled. “I never knew anyone else knew about this place.�

“Neither did I,� she replied with a small smile. He sat down beside her on the rock and stared into the blue water that flowed in front of them.

“Is something bothering you? Do you want to talk about it?� she asked.

“Yes - and … no.� he replied without taking his eyes of the brook.

“Ron,� she laughed, “We’ve been best friends for the better part of seven years! Just tell me what’s going on.�

He looked at her seriously and she stared back into his deep blue eyes, a spark ignited behind them and she felt her heart soar.

“I - I just…� Ron said slowly, moving his face towards hers; he placed a hand on her knee and reached his other hand up to her face, tucking her long hair behind her ear. He let his fingers linger on her face and leaned in, pressing his lips softly to hers for what seemed to be both a short second and a lifelong eternity.

They pulled apart and she looked at him in surprise.

“I just - really wanted to find some way to do - to do that,� he admitted. “I want to - Hermione, and I know stuff is dangerous - not always easy, but … we can make it through this,� he stuttered nervously.

Her eyes were shining in happiness and she hugged him happily; they tumbled off the rock and she lay on top of him on the ground. Leaves were scattered through his hair and a goofy grin was on his face. She kissed him happily and pushed her fingers through his red hair.

She pulled away and looked him in the eyes. “Of course we’ll make it through this - after all, it’s you and me.�

*

You may need me, to carry all your weight
But you’re no burden, I assure
You tide me over, with a warmth I’ll not forget

But I can only … give you love

*

“Hermione … I don’t know how to say this but, Harry needs me right now, with all the Horcrux stuff and, it’d probably be best if you stayed here - just for now,� added Ron quickly. Hermione stared at him, expressionless, too many emotions whirling through her head: anger, embarrassment, curiosity, fear …

“You can’t just leave me here. I promised that I would help Harry just as you did! You have no right to tell me to stay behind!� she yelled angrily. Ron looked away, clearly upset.

“I don’t want you to come with me,� he whispered.

Tears filled Hermione’s eyes; her mouth was open in shock. How could Ron say these things to her? He told her he loved her…

“You mean you - you don’t -� she choked.

“No, no it’s not that,� said Ron quickly, getting flustered. “It’s just that, that I don’t want to -� he paused and looked away again.

“You don’t want to what?� hollered Hermione. “You don’t want to take care of me, to feel pressured into watching over me?�

She struck a nerve.

“I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU, OKAY? I JUST DON’T WANT TO SEE ANYTHING HAPPEN TO YOU!� he exploded. His face had gone red with rage and his eyes were sparkling. Hermione didn’t say anything - she didn’t know what to say.

“I can’t stay here without you - I need to be where you are,� she said quietly after a few minutes. “You’re everything to me.�

Ron looked like he was going to yell something again, but instead he hesitated. After a few minutes silence, he looked up at her again.

“Okay,� he said quietly, hugging her, “okay, I’m sorry.�

“Its fine,� said Hermione, hugging him back. “Nothing is going to happen to me or to you. Remember what you said? We’re going to be fine.�

*

Fall on me; tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you,
Forever in me
Ever the same

Call on me, and I’ll be there for you
And you’ll be there for me
Forever, it’s you
Forever in me
Ever the same

*

They kissed deeply, caught in this one, pure moment. A cheer rang out from the crowd and they pulled apart. Hermione blushed as she looked over at her mother and father, both crying and waving at her. Harry stood next to Ron and Ginny next to Hermione.

“Good job, mate,� whispered Harry to Ron; Ron grinned. He grabbed Hermione’s hand and urged her down the aisle with him. Together they ran over to their parents and hugged each one of them happily.

“Congratulations, Ron and Hermione!� said Mrs. Weasley, wiping her face with a soggy handkerchief. “Oh, from the moment I saw the two of you together, I just knew-� she paused to blow her nose, “-I just knew that you were going to be together!� she exclaimed happily, hugging them both.

Hermione looked at Ron and felt in her heart that finally everything was right. She remembered the first day she met him, the way he looked at her as though she was insane.

She grinned.

Sure, he may have been a misfit, but after all; so was she.

*

Forever with you
Forever in me

Ever the same…

*




A/N - If you're reading this, thank you so much for taking the time to read my story, fluffy as it may be. Please review if you have the time. Also, thanks to Scarlet_Crystal for BETAing this for me!