Arthur's renovated Ford Anglia touched down in the back yard of The Burrow, and Hermione's stomach jolted with the force. She wasn't sure if she was nervous or still in shock slightly over what had happened in the past few hours. Hermione had admitted herself to St Mungo's after she was no longer needed at Hogwarts, she had busied herself enough, trying to block out the blood, the death, the torture of what had happened, trying to help every poor soul that remained. But soon, the coroners arrived and there was nothing left but rubble – and she couldn't build Hogwarts again by herself.

"Alright?" Arthur asked tentatively. In his eyes she saw Ron, and felt another jolt.

She didn't even have to reply, he knew.

Hermione hazily found her way inside and sat down on the sofa, and sat there for a very long time, without realising it. Everyone was in a state, a state of shock, devastation and complete incomprehension. She knew that her and Ron would have to talk sometime; Harry had gone into hiding with the remaining members of the Order, in case any Death Eaters in hiding fancied killing him off once and for all.

She hoped Harry was safe now, she hoped they all were.

"'Mione," She heard someone breathe from across the room and Ron stood there, uncomfortable at his own presence in the room.

"Ron," She almost cried, getting up hurriedly – despite the hurt, and embraced him tightly. She couldn't hide her feelings anymore, it wasn't worth it. That kiss in the Chamber had said it all; the awkward conversation was what was going to come next.

She could have cried there and then, burying her head into the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent, trying to forget those etched memories in her head…

"How are you?" He asked, pulling away, and then realising himself, "Sorry, stupid question,"

"I was more thinking about you," Hermione replied and they decided not to say anything further on the matter.

They both should say something soon, the tension is unbearable, Hermione thinks it selfish of herself to think that this is her biggest problem, so she decides it's not. But they can't just keep standing here, holding each other, although it is nice…

"Listen," Ron begun, and takes the words right out of her mouth.

"Don't," She told him, pressing a gentle finger to his lips, "Let's just not complicate anything just yet, we're under a lot of stress, let's take this one thing at a time,"

"I know," Ron smiled, and it gives Hermione butterflies, "But I just can't stop thinking about when you kissed me…" He gets all coy and hangs his head, Hermione rungs her fingers through his hair and presses a kiss to his bowed crown.

"I don't want to talk about it," Hermione told him straight and she can see he was slightly taken aback, "I'm sorry, but people have just died, people we love!"

The words are spilling out and although Hermione sees that Ron understands her, she wonders if he's having trouble understanding that she's confused too.

"I just, I don't know, I need to rest and -,"

"What are you saying?" Ron asked, tightening his grip on her and she struggles against it.

"Ron – let go of me -," She snapped, pulling her wrist from beneath his hold and storming past him. This wasn't the way the conversation was supposed to go. People had died, she had to think about that, accept that, she couldn't forget even for a moment that these people had laid down their lives for them, how could Ron forget the scale of things?

She marched past him, through the kitchen and out the back door, where he swiftly followed her.

"Hermione! Hermione – get back here now!" He sped after her like lightening speed.

"No, Ron! Please, just leave me alone," She whimpered, as the cold fresh air hit her like a ton of bricks, reminding her that she was alive and this was all actually happening.

"I know that we're all going through a lot right now, I mean, my brother just died!"

"I know that! I'm being sensitive!" Hermione cried, putting her hands on her hips and it seemed they were acting like a bickering couple already.

"But you cannot just walk away from this… from us!" He continued, and Hermione really just wanted to sleep right now, with Ron lying next to her, yes, but this was all too much to take it, "That kiss in the Chamber, you have… no idea how much that meant to me, I just wished that I could keep replaying the moment over and over in my head forever, because for the last eight years I've been torturing myself over every argument, every time I made you sad, or made you angry, and I genuinely thought we'd never be able to recover. Since I realised my feelings, since I stopped being an idiot and realised how much I need you and how much I…" he gulped, "love you, and I need to tell you how sorry I am, for saying horrible things about you, for ever not appreciating you, for not being there when you needed me, for making a fool out of you, for being arrogant, for trying to make you jealous, for not giving you the best of myself,"

Hermione's chest was rising and falling heavily, getting this much emotion out of Ron was new, getting him to apologise was a whole other ball game.

"I don't want to be that person anymore. I want to be with you, more than I can ever explain. You're giving me the chance to walk away, and this time, I'm not!"

Hermione begun to cry, she couldn't hide it any longer.

"Do I need to spell it out for you? Don't give up on me, Hermione; I'm not going to give up on you,"

Hermione ran at him, full pelt and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head down towards hers and pressing her lips ardently against his. He flustered, but kissed back, cradling her hips in his grasp and holding her as though he won't let go.

They pulled away, their foreheads resting against each other's, Hermione breathing in as Ron breathed out, in sync, like it should have been, stealing kisses in the illicit moment.

"Marry me," Ron whispered, barely audible as tears slid down both their cheeks.

"What?" Hermione exhaled jaggedly, half-chuckling at the thought.

"Hermione, will you marry me?" Ron told her again, "Because I don't want to do this without you," He ran his hands up her collarbone and up her neck, cradling her like the beautiful creature that she was.

Hermione smiled, and stole another kiss, "Yes," She replied, "Yes, I will,"