Hermione shivered against the cool breeze that slid across her skin. The normally busy station seemed almost empty. Nobody seemed to want to leave the house today. The overcast sky shed a dull and dreary light on a normally happy occasion. She was alone, afraid. Ever since the battle, she had a fear of being alone; a fear of the memories that haunted her when nobody was around.

As she approached platform 9 ¾, the tension in the air increased tenfold, making it seem almost electric. She pushed her trolley along, and, without looking to see if there were any Muggles around, walked through the barrier and onto the platform.

The smoke was thick and muffled the already low noise. Hermione could barely make out parents and their children putting off goodbye; they all seemed just as hesitant as she to leave. Her eyes searched the dimly lit area for someone she knew, someone who might welcome her. She could feel the stares she was receiving and tried her hardest to ignore them. At last, she spotted a group of familiar faces. The Weaselys were standing off to the side almost out of sight. Hermione hesitated; she did not want to interrupt a close family matter. But when Ron saw her, a huge smile spread across his face and he left his family to run over to her.

“Hermione! How are you? How are your parents? I still can’t believe they let you go back to Hogwarts. Have you seen Harry? He said he was going to be here. ” Hermione couldn’t help but smile at his flood of questions.

“I’m fine Ron. Of course they let me come. I’m of age. And no, I haven’t seen Harry since Ginny’s birthday.” She glanced over to the rest of Ron’s family and saw that Ginny was having a heated discussion with her mother.

Ron followed her gaze. “They’ve been arguin’ like that since Mum found out about her and Harry. Bloody irritating it is. Oh look,” his eyes crinkled in distain. “Harry’s late.”

Hermione jabbed her elbow into his side. “Cut him some slack, he has been going through a lot this summer. Just because he’s seeing your sister doesn’t mean you can forgo your friendship.” She grabbed the handle of her trolley and pushed it over towards the group that was being joined by a heavily cloaked figure with familiar black hair.

Sighing loudly, Ron followed her.

Harry turned when he heard them approach. “Hey, guys. Sorry I was late,” he directed the explanation at the entire group. “I lost track of time talking to Kingsley.”

Molly waved away his words like a fly. “No need to explain, dear. All that matters is that you’re here.”

Ginny nodded and took his hand, leading him off to a corner away from her family.

Hermione couldn’t help but smile as Molly started to subtly move Arthur and George away from her and Ron. She turned to him and smiled. “So why have your mum and Ginny been fighting?”

“Ginny doesn’t think that mum should care who she dates so she never told her about Harry. You know how she is. But I reckon that if you are going to be openly snogging someone on the sitting room couch that you should let people know you are going out.” He chuckled. “You should have seen the look on Mum’s face when she saw them. She was so angry that I thought she might blow up like…” he paused and then his eyes twinkled. “Like Harry’s aunt Marge did back in third year. Remember that?”

Hermione laughed at him. “You have been hanging around your brother too much!”

Ron’s smile only slightly dulled and Hermione’s mood faded.

“I wish you would come with me. Are you sure you don t want to come?” she tried hopefully to change the subject and cheer Ron up.

“I’m sure. You know I hate school. I’m not gonna go back and have to suffer through another year of exams if I don’t have to.”

She sighed with resignation. “Well, it won’t be the same without you.”

“Are you saying you’re going to miss me?” his smile had a gleam to it again.

She huffed and tried to keep her tone light. “Of course I’ll miss you. What did you expect? That I would be glad to be rid of you so I could live my own life?”

She didn’t miss the look on her face when she said that and knew he was lying when he muttered “no,”

“Ronald, you know full well that if it weren’t for you and Harry, I would have spent my entire time at Hogwarts in the library with no friends and no life.”

Even Ron smiled at that. “Yeah, whatever.”

Hermione glanced over and saw that Harry was helping Ginny load her trunk onto the train.

“I should probably get going,” she said quietly.

He looked down at his feet and a blush crept into his cheeks, staining then a light pink. “Umm, Hermione…” he started.

Hermione looked back up at him. “Yes Ron?”

He seemed to be gathering his thoughts before continuing. Finally, he blurted out, “Promise you’ll write to me? If you have time, I mean, and you’re not too busy with studying and such.”

She smiled widely at him and took his hand, twining her fingers through his. “I’ll write you every day if you like.”

He looked up at her again and smiled demurely. “I think I’d like that,” he said.

They both jumped when the train’s whistle blew loudly, signaling the students to board. They looked at each other and Ron looked back at his family.

Hermione took a deep breath before speaking. “I should go now. Don’t want to miss the train...” She slowly let go of his hand and pushed her cart towards the edge of the platform. She hadn’t even taken five steps when a hand touched her shoulder. She spun and flung herself into Ron’s arms, burying her face in his neck and trying to memorize the scent of his skin. She could hear him murmuring something in her ear and felt him stroking her hair, but all she could think of was how much she didn’t want to leave him.

“Hermione,” he said after a few moments. “You could just stay here with me.” It was hard to mistake the hopefulness in his voice.

She stood up on her tip-toes and kissed him softly and sweetly on the lips.

“I’ll miss you,” she whispered.

He kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll miss you too.”

She reluctantly turned away and walked over to the train, loading up her luggage before getting on to find an open compartment. After sitting down in one of the last ones, she looked out the window and searched for Ron through the thick smoke. Finally, she saw him standing near the edge and watched him wave as the train pulled slowly out of the station.