A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a Dramione fic, and I've really enjoyed doing it - so I hope you'll enjoy reading it!
This fic is dedicated to remusblakk on tumblr :)
There will be more sensitive issues later on in the fic which is why it's rated M, but I will post warnings for any triggering issues at the head of the chapter they are involved in!
(Also disclaimer, this chapter is really the background for the rest of the fic to be based upon, I'm sorting out loose ends before I plunge into the really meaty stuff, so please bear with me - I promise it will be worth it, I hope! ;)

"I can't believe you're actually going to do this!" This was the fifth time this conversation had begun in this manner over the past week; Ron Weasley ran his hand over his unshaven face as he stood motionless in the middle of the Burrow's kitchen.

"I don't understand how many times I'm going to have to go over this with you." Hermione replied rather resigned to the start of this argument again. "I don't want to sit around for a year while I figure out what I'm going to do! I need to be doing something – and well, school's there… and it needs people to help bring it back to normalcy."

"So you're going back to make things "normal"?" Ron questioned scathingly. "Nothing is ever going to be normal again – we've never known normal!"

"Exactly Ron! You've just highlighted my exact point!" She answered exasperated. "Nothing is normal – and we have to adjust to that! We're not living in the threat of imminent danger anymore… None of us have really been in that situation before, not for a good few years anyway… and I want to find what is going to be normal now, for myself at least." Harry was sat across from Hermione at the Burrow table; and, although he didn't want to admit it, he could understand where Hermione was coming from… The past few years had been intense; it took a lot to alter the mind-set that they were in danger. Now that there was no Voldemort, no Death Eaters; the world seemed to have opened up unexpectedly, and there was an awful lot of it that needed to be explored and developed.

"And you're going to do that by going back to school?" Ron snorted.

"Yes." Hermione confirmed firmly. "What would I do otherwise Ron?"

"Come travelling with Harry and me! Take some time off!" He suggested, indicating to Harry, who really didn't want to be brought into this argument – probably because he wasn't sure who he would side with…

"Going back to school is time off for me! I did enough travelling last year to last me for a while… I just want to go back to school and have a normal life for a little while." Hermione reiterated. "Ron, I'm not going to change my mind now – I've already sent my owl. I'm going back to Hogwarts… I've made my decision; it's not going to change." Ron huffed and puffed momentarily, seemingly unable to comprehend Hermione's desire to go back to school.

"I don't understand…" Ron ran a hand through his ruffled hair and stalked out of the kitchen, leaving Harry and Hermione alone. Harry felt like he should say something; Hermione was clearly upset by Ron's reaction, but words seemed to fail him.

"He'll come round." He told Hermione eventually, but she sighed.

"I don't know…" She looked despondent. "I thought he would understand that I just want a bit of normalcy… and, well, we did help to destroy pretty much everything in the Wizarding world," She smiled wryly at Harry. "So I thought it's only appropriate that I do a bit to help rebuild."

"I get what you mean…" Harry replied quietly. "I just… I can't imagine going back to Hogwarts just yet." The imagery of the battle, of bodies and rubble; Dumbledore's tomb – of destruction and the end of so many lives, still haunted Harry. Hogwarts had been a place of solace and comfort all through his teenage years; and being rather operative in its destruction, he couldn't face it.

"But I understand that!" Hermione squeaked shrilly, "It's not like I'm asking you and Ron to come back with me, I understand that you need time to do your own things – that you should have some time… but I thought Ron would accept my decision to go back to school…" She stared at the small staircase, which Ron had departed up a few minutes previously, and sighed again.

"We've always been together though…" Harry answered placidly. "It's always been the three of us; it'll be strange going off without you…"

"But you two will cope; you'll have a great time! I know that!" She fiddled with her interlocked fingers. "It's just not what I want right now."

"And that's fine Hermione…" Harry reassured her. "You do what you think is best for you. I understand that, and Ron will come round in time – you know what he's like."

"I do…" Hermione bit her lip, not seemingly incredibly reassured by Harry's words.

Harry cornered Ron in the room that they were sharing; Ron's mood had taken a decidedly bad turn, he was frowning and stomping about in annoyance.

"What's so bad about Hermione going back to school?" He asked, not wanting to instantly sound like he was bashing Ron, but also needing to put his question across concisely.

"Nothing." Ron snapped sharply, folding his arms across his chest. "I didn't expect her to want to go back."

"Well she does… so what's the problem?" Harry commented.

"I – well – we've – I…" Ron spluttered, his face growing red. "We've only been together for a couple of months – how is that supposed to last if she's away at Hogwarts?!"

"It might just take a bit more effort; I'm in the same position with Ginny." Harry replied, Ron was still frowning.

"It's different with me and Hermione though!" Ron protested.

"How is it any different?" Harry questioned, baffled by how Ron could perceive any major difference between their situations.

"It… it just is!" Ron stammered, turning his back on Harry. "It's really selfish of her, to just run off like this!" Ron exclaimed, Harry could see him tightening his arms across his chest as he looked out of the small window onto the orchard at the back of the Burrow. Ron's jaw set in the silence that lingered between them, there was a long stretch in which neither of them spoke; but Harry watched Ron, almost as though he could see the thought process going on through the back of his head. "I think she thinks we've rushed into things…" Ron said lowly.

"Rushed into things?" Harry repeated in bemusement. "Ron, you've known each other for eight years! That's hardly rushing into things!"

"But for seven years we were best mates, and right at the moment we both thought we were going to die, we jumped on each other…"Ron expanded. "And since… Since we won, it's gotten more and more awkward… Now it feels like she's running back to school to get out of the situation between us." That made much more sense to Harry, it made sense that Ron was confused, that Hermione seemed to be giving him mixed signals – and Ron had never been the best at interpreting signals…

"Have you spoken to her about this?" Harry asked, Ron shook his head. "How is she supposed to know what you're thinking if you don't talk to her? She thinks you're really angry with her, not that you care about your relationship!"

"How do I speak to her about that? I don't want her to go back to Hogwarts! I want her to come with us, and maybe if that happened we'd be able to figure out our relationship…" Ron disagreed.

"This is Hermione we're talking about," Harry tried to remind him. "She isn't going to change her mind just cause you're in the huff with her, in fact she's not likely to change her mind at all! But if you talk to her then she might understand what is making you feel uneasy about her going back." Ron grunted, and Harry gave up – he wasn't going to make Ron do anything he didn't want to; Ron was old enough to do his own thing, and it was his relationship with Hermione – Harry shouldn't intervene with that.

"I don't know why he's talking everything so… I don't even know – I thought he wouldn't mind." Hermione told Ginny; Harry was lingering far enough back in the kitchen for them both to know that he was there, but not involved in this conversation. "No offence, he is your brother, but most of the time, it's like he just doesn't care…"

"That's not offensive, that's just my brother! He can be the most insensitive prat in the world… but he does care about you Hermione." Ginny replied comfortingly.

"He's got a really funny way of showing it if he does." Harry had to bite his lip to prevent himself from snorting aloud; Hermione should know that neither he or Ron were particularly skilled when it came to understanding emotions, especially those in relation to girls. In fact the perception and interpretation of emotions had gotten worse since the end of the War…

"He's not too emotionally bright, I know that…" Ginny commented.

"But, I mean – Harry didn't make a fuss when you decided to go back to Hogwarts!" Harry could feel himself going red at being brought into this conversation.

"Harry and I are different." Ginny said stoically. "I don't mean… well, Harry and I were together before, and it was the War and you going into hiding that split us up… I don't think anything could ever be as huge a challenge as that again – so me being at Hogwarts isn't that big a deal." Ginny justified her statement, and Harry was glad that he didn't have to chip in.

"I wish Ron thought like that…" Hermione mumbled, "I can't cope with him if he's going to be all huffy all the time."

"He'll get used to it Hermione…" Ginny patted her hand, "And if he doesn't… well, you'll figure something out."

"I hope so…"

A/N: I'd love to hear what you think about this chapter (and those to follow!) Any comments will be greatly appreciated! :) Thank you!