A VERY big clap and thanks goes to Lindsey for beta'ing this more than once and the different versions written before the copy before you
I was surrounded by the chilling mist that pressed against windows miles away. Each breath was ragged, difficult. Droplets of blood from my wounds caused clouds of dirt to rise and fall lightly again. They closed in around me. They were creatures that scared the living daylights out of children when the lights turned off at night, causing them to hide protectively underneath many layers of blankets in their beds, eyes wide till morning.
Their decaying hands reached for me, beckoning me to a life without a soul. Still alive physically, but lost mentally. The rattling breath that haunted even the bravest man’s dreams was drawing closer, the mist closing in around as they floated towards me.
The light was fading around my, me wand hanging loosely by my side. I couldn’t hang on. The darkness was consuming me. I was slowly slipping. . .
“How many are dead, Professor?’ he asked quietly, pulling the sheet over the cold body of Colin Creevey.
Harry’s eyes wandered over the bodies that were scattered across the grounds of Hogwarts. Minerva McGonagall’s glasses fogged up and she took them off to wipe them with her torn sleeve.
“Hagrid is still counting them, but so far around twenty people, Harry,” she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.
“Damn it!”
I watched as my best mate slammed his closed fist against the tree truck. I couldn’t imagine how he was feeling. I knew he thought it was all his fault that Voldemort was killing our dearly loved ones and friends. Because Harry was out in the open waiting for him, he still was trying to find a way to kill him.
“Harry.”
My voice sounded, shakingly and then I shifted from behind the Professor, a brief look of devastation crossing my face as my dull blue eyes drifted from body to body, recognizing some of the innocent people who were once filled with hope and happiness.
Harry obediently followed me into the castle, leaving McGonagall to find Hagrid in amidst the bodies.
The halls had been silent for a long time, the laughter, the giggling, and shouting gone. The walked in silence to the door marked Library, its gold, curvy lettering shining, almost like there was hope to be found inside its many books, amongst the darkness and I pushed it open.
Hermione was seated at the furthest table in the back; books piled high around her, blocking her face from view. As Harry and I reached her, Harry heard a sniffle and with a glance at her swollen red and tear-stained face, backed away, saying he was going to find some more books.
I took a seat next to Hermione who sniffed quietly again. One minute she was sitting there, crying silently and the next, her head was buried in my chest and she was sobbing loudly. I tried not to break as well.
“I can’t take it, Ron; everyone’s dying because of Voldemort. When is it going to stop? So many families have been torn apart, little innocent children without parents are killed cruelly for sport,” she cried bitterly and I soothingly patted her on the back, biting back my own words and tears.
Harry came out from behind a shelf with empty hands; he looked ready to collapse with exhaustion and frustration at finding nothing.
“I’m going to go and look in the Room of Requirement, maybe there’s something in there to help us,” he sighed. “I’ll be back soon, you two.”
Harry made his way out of the library and out of sight. The library was silent for a few moments after he left. I soon got to my feet, patted Hermione slightly on the back and pretended to go and look in another row of thick and promising books.
Once out of sight, I slid to the ground, my back pressing painfully against the shelf. I put my head in my hands and breathed deeply. I couldn’t take this anymore. I cracked, letting tears fall freely. Like Hermione had said, Voldemort destroyed everything and anyone who dared to stand in his way.
I heard shuffling feet and looked up, wiping my eyes quickly. Hermione sat down next to me and rested her head on my shoulder.
“Thank you, Ron, for listening to me. I just needed someone to talk to. There’s so much going on, and people are too busy to listen to others,” she said quietly, wiping water out of her eyes. “I appreciate it, Ron.”
I gave her a watery smile and turned to face her, saying softly, “Me too, Hermione.”
She brought her lips closer to mine and partly closed her eyes, shining with fresh tears. I leaned forward. My heart thumped painfully against my ribcage. Although I had kissed girls before, this was different. It felt so right, even with the sadness around.
It seemed to last an age, the kiss. But finally, we broke apart and Hermione smiled slightly.
Harry broke up the sweet moment between us when he skidded into the library, his face bringing no hope.
“He’s killing again, you two.”
Screams of terror met our ears when I, Harry, and Hermione Apparated to the destroyed street. Muggles tore across the street, their mouths open in mid-scream when they were hit with a Killing Curse in the back.
I faced the battle before him, my face set in determination. I gripped my wand tightly, preparing for the fight ahead in which I possibly wouldn’t survive. Hermione pecked me on the cheek and I turned bright red.
The three of us walked into the destruction and began to fight their way through.
I slashed my wand through the air viciously without a sound. A purple jet of light exploded from the end, cutting across two Death Eaters’ chests, causing them to fall to the ground.
Hermione, beside me, yelled something unheard over the other voices and screams. Hermione and I bumped into each other and momentarily forgot what was around them when our eyes met. Fear tore through the both of us.
Hermione’s eyes flickered to across the street and she yelled, “Harry!”
I tore her eyes away from Hermione painfully and spotted Harry stumbling towards Voldemort who waited, his wand by his side, his eyes sparkling red with delight at the fear he had created.
Hermione and I rushed forward, dodging people and Death Eaters, cursing them as they went.
We had to keep the Death Eaters away from Harry and Voldemort. We couldn’t risk them taking Harry down before he got to him.
Harry let out a furious yell and I looked up at him, my eyes wide. He was holding a ball of raw power and energy in his hands, it crackling with electricity. Voldemort conjured his own raw power, a ball of glowing red power in his hands.
Harry thrust his hands forward, letting go of the energy, as did Voldemort. The two glowing lights collided, lighting up the whole street. People stopped in mid-fight to stare amazed. Wands clattered to the concrete ground but no one cared.
I let out a yell and Hermione shrieked as there was a bright light. I tackled her from behind, forcing her on the ground, my body covering hers. I shouted something into the night, the words coming from my mouth even though I didn’t know what they were, and just as I finished yelling it, the whole world seemed to explode.
We awoke to find ourselves in the wreck of an explosion that had wiped out many people. Some had survived like them and were slowly picking themselves up off the ground, sporting injuries.
A few of the survivors were actually Death Eaters who looked shocked at the death of their Lord and the destruction. They scrambled away from the street and Disapparated quickly with a loud Crack.
The explosion had destroyed many things. The houses, innocent Muggles, and crying children, whose terrified parents cuddled in the night of a thousand curses. Their life had ended before they knew what had happened, ended by the bright light from the explosion.
I had nearly died trying to save Hermione; I had performed powerful magic and shielded us both from the explosion. When we had awoken, everything was gone. I still didn’t know how I had done it. I told Hermione slowly that the words had just come to me.
We needed to get out of there. The Muggle police would soon come and find something they would think was the wreck left behind by a bomb. We needed to go quickly, the sirens of the police cars were drawing closer to the street.
I grabbed a sobbing Hermione and pulled her out of the open where surviving Muggles wandered aimlessly. I Disapparated with her just as the police pulled up at the end of the street, mouths wide open.
A few days later
The two of us had been hiding out at the Burrow for a few days, staying low. I didn’t want the remaining Death Eaters finding out we were alive. Most of the time, we ate and sat in silence, neither one of us wanting to talk. I just wished that it was all a bad dream, and that I would wake up, an innocent care free child, rushing downstairs to gobble up home cook food. I missed my family, my friends, everybody.
A few days in silence and without much sun light and we both were at breaking point. The days seem to be blurred, all pushed together into one long, painful day that seemed to never end.
I climbed the stairs to my room, my head hung low in defeat. My head hadn’t been held high in a long time, I seem to just mope around all day and night.
As I passed the bedroom where Hermione was, I heard muffled cries. The door was half open and I peered inside to see Hermione with her face buried in her pillow. I walked slowly towards her and sat beside her on the messily made bed.
Hermione looked up at me, her eyes red and cheeks tear stained. Her body jerked violently with each heart-wrenching sob. She buried her head in my chest, soaking my robes in her salty tears.
My face was straight without emotion as I comforted her, wrapping my arms around her and bringing her closer to me. She cracked and I was the only one she could go to.
I didn’t cry along with her. I simply stroked her hair softly. Hermione didn’t hold her tears back, she cried freely. The whole world just seemed to melt around them. It was just the two of us and us only.
Harry. My whole family. They were all gone. Not to mention many others. It was just Hermione and I, alone in the world. Harry had died to save the world, but both his fury and determination and Voldemort’s power together was too much. The two masses of raw power hadn’t been able to be contained.
She lifted her head and brought it close to mine. It was like the first time again. Amongst the pain and devastation, Hermione and I had managed to cling to each other.
She kissed me, leaning into my lips passionately. I cupped her cheeks in both hands, my warm skin against her pale and cold cheeks. I lost balance and she toppled on top of me.
Hermione stared into my blue eyes, lost for words. However, I knew exactly what I wanted to say, the moment wasn’t the best, but I didn’t care. I needed for her to know how much I loved her. The terrible things that had happened around us had brought the two of us closer together.
“I love you, Hermione Granger. I need you right now and we need each other if we want to survive this, will you marry me?”
Hermione didn’t say anything. She simply nodded and kissed me again. Soon I was so involved in the kiss, everything didn’t seem to matter to me.
They grew closer, the rattling, sucking, haunting breath growing louder. It reached out, touching my face. I recoiled, my hand gripping my wand firmer, tighter now. I pushed the darkness away. I wasn’t going to go like this. She had given me strength. Her love gave me strength.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!”
A silvery flash of light exploded from the end of my wand and twisted and turned, taking its form into a furious lion. Its roar was deafening to his ears. The Dementor’s were repelled by the charm. They retreated from my and the Patronus.
I reached out weakly to pat the creature with a white, frail hand but the moment my fingers touched, it disappeared.
She had saved me with her love. I could almost feel her presence here with me. I loved her, and now I was able to go home and tell her once again.
I was alive.
I staggered across the garden out the front of the Burrow. The lights were dim inside and I could see a frozen figure behind the kitchen curtains. I pushed the door open and stumbled in. Hermione rushed out from behind the door, her wand raised. Her face relaxed at the sight of me and she helped me to a chair at the dinning room table.
“Where have you been?” she asked worryingly. “I thought you might have-”
“Dementors attacked me, I just went up to the big hill, where I use to practice Quidditch,” I said between gasps for air. “The remaining Death Eaters found me and sent them after me; they’re still trying to gain more power,” I rasped.
“I love you so much, Ron, and together, we can survive this,” she said, hugging me tightly, as we prepared in our minds, for the troubled times ahead of us.
A/N: Hope you liked the story, and if you've read this far, please review! ~Nicole :)