Through The Years (Ron and Hermione Short Stories)

A Few Rays of Sun

At the end of their sixth year...

It began to rain.

The world looked absolutely miserable as the sky dumped generous amounts of water onto everything within reach. Shades of gray seemed be embedded in every tree, bush, and blade of grass. What makes the world seem even more miserable is when you look at all this through a small, cracked, glass window. This is precisely what Hermione was doing at the moment. 

As she peered out through the rain splattered glass, her mood seemed to reflect the weather.

She shivered. It was the day after Dumbledore's funeral and the entire world seemed to be morning his death along with occupants of Hogwarts.

Hermione sat on a cold, stone window seat inside a completely dark, deserted common room. Most of the students had gone home early and the few that still remained were to take the Hogwarts Express home tomorrow. Why exactly Hermione was sitting in a cold window seat watching the rain was a complete mystery to her. She supposed it was because she had nothing better to do. And yet, she did have trunk yet to pack...but the idea of going up to her empty dormitory was not a pleasant one, and so she continued to sit and think about nothing at all.

Soft footsteps announced the entrance of someone into the common room. Hermione didn't bother to turn and see who it was. She didn't care. The footsteps stopped abruptly and then began again, drawing closer to where she sat.

"Are you ok?"

It was Ron. Hermione turned to face him but did not answer. Ron knew the answer anyways. With slight difficulty Ron squeezed himself into the window seat next to Hermione. He put one arm around her and she leaned her head slowly onto his shoulder. They sat like this together for some time listening to the rain drip against the window.

"How is Harry?" Hermione couldn't think of anything else to say.

"I think he's off with Ginny somewhere even though he 'broke up' with her yesterday." Ron sounded agitated.

"Ron, Harry needs Ginny just as much as he needs us. She fills a gap that neither of us could ever fill." Hermione sighed at Ron's protectiveness, "Let them be together for one more day."

"But, I don't get it? What gap can't we fill that she can?" Ron spoke indignantly.

"Ron..." Hermione sat up exasperatedly, "We can love Harry as friends, but Ginny can love him as...well...something more." She glanced up at him, "Unless you want go around kissing Harry."

"I'll leave that to her." Ron almost smiled, but his face decided it was too much work and he stopped.

The rain had begun to let up and was pounding only lightly on the window now.

"What do you suppose will happen now?" Hermione rested her head back on his shoulder, thinking how wonderfully natural this felt.

"I don't know. I suppose there's the wedding and then..." Ron stopped.

Hermione knew what he was thinking, "We can't come back here can we? We'll have to go with Harry..."

"To look for Horcruxes." finished Ron with a sigh of acceptance. "Do you think he'll let us?"

"Well I don't carry whether he wants us to come or not. You know when we tell him he'll act all gallant and refuse us."

"Yeah. And we'll be stubborn until he gives in." Ron nodded.

"It's going to be strange to not come back here." Hermione spoke softly, gazing around at the all-too-familiar common room with its over-stuffed arm chairs and ash-filled fire place. The memories that occupied the room were too numerous to count.

Ron said nothing, but his silence was agreement enough. Hermione felt tears swelling unbidden in her eyes. She was confused about why she felt like crying. It was a mixture of all that had taken place in the last few weeks and facing such an uncertain future that overwhelmed her.

Ron squeezed her shoulder slightly and Hermione was reminded forcefully of Dumbledore's funeral. Ron, in a sudden fit of emotion, had, for the first time in Hermione's memory, wrapped an arm around her and with the smallest feeling of surprise Hermione had cried on his shoulder.

Hermione was now able to stem the flow of tears before they got out of control.

"It's going to be alright." Ron assured her in a protective voice, "In the end, it'll all be alright."

Wiping her eyes, Hermione turned to face Ron. The cramped window seat allowed for their faces to be close together and she could see each and every freckle splattered on his nose. With one swift movement, Hermione pulled him into a crushing hug. They remained like this for some time, her chin resting on his shoulder, breathing in the warm, safe smell that was Ron as he gently stroked her hair.

When they finally broke apart the rain outside had completely let up and a few rays of sunshine had broken through the looming rain clouds.