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Author's Chapter Notes:
Hello to my 3 readers! I'm so happy and thankful for your reviews, I hope you keep them coming! I'm open to constructive criticism as well, I really don't mind them. But just so you know, I am aware that this fic is unbeta'd and is full of those tenses, grammar mistakes in them :p I hope this chapter isnt a disappointment for you :D

Onion Soup and Memories

Hermione was explaining what needed to be done for the day and was getting frustrated when she realized her ex-dorm mate in Hogswart and now colleague, wasn’t giving her fullest attention and appeared to be amused instead.

“Parvati honestly, are you listening or not?”

“Yes I am and I don’t know what you’re panicking about Hermione because I know these stuff already, I assist you in each and every one of them all the time.” Parvati smiled as she closed all the case files mounting on her desk. Each file concerned a family under their welfare system.

“I’m sorry, I know you can handle all these, it’s just-”

“I know, I know, you’re Hermione and worrying is just you by nature.” Parvati teased.

Hermione sighed. “Guilty as charged.”

“You know, I’m more intrigued by the fact that you’re taking this urgent leave today.”

“Why is that?”

“The whole day too.”

“Yes Parvati, what’s the point?”

“You’ve head this Department ever since it opened up almost two years ago Hermione, you’ve never taken even a half day off!”

“Yes well, there’s always a first to everything.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m not taking a vacation Parvati, I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“I know that, but still, there must be somewhere you need to be for you to take this urgent leave and leave poor me all by myself to handle all these cases.”

“You’re such a pain.”

“But you heart me so.”

“I don’t know what got into me but I promised Ron I’d cook dinner for him and his guests tonight.”

“Wow, Ron huh?”

“Yup, him.”

“How did that happen?”

“He fixed my pipe.”

“Again?”

“It’s an old apartment.”

“So, it’s Ron.”

“You do have some kind of fixation over his name after all Parvati.”

“I think you confused me with Lavender.”

“I thought it was Won-Won?”

“Same difference.”

“I used to tease him about it.”

“Yeah…so, that still doesn’t explain why you have to take leave to cook dinner. Is this a date?”

“No! It’s just that…well…Harry and Ginny are coming and then there’s the twins and of course Mr. Weasley…and I extended, well, blurted out the invitation to Neville and Luna as well and now I’m not sure if I’m good enough to cook for a huge crowd.”

“You’ll do fine trust me. If everything else fail, just call one of those muggles delivery and chuck the boxes before anyone arrives.”

“I’m cooking at the Burrow.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, wow.”

“Well, look at it this way Hermione. I think reinstalling some laughter at the Burrow depends on your culinary skills tonight.”

“And just because of that, I hope someone gives you a hard time today. I’m off to the market.”

“Tell Won-Won I said hi!”

-

Diagon Alley was buzzing with early morning activities. Kids were running around while their parents were either busy bargaining with the witches or wizards behind their stalls. Hermione had just came out of a grocery store with both arms loaded with paper bags filled with items she was going to cook for dinner. She couldn’t be thankful enough for the non-tear charm she had learnt back in school, it proved to be useful right then.

“Are you sure you don’t want my Aaron to help you with that Ms. Granger?”

Hermione looked back and smiled. “It’s quite all right Mrs. Bateman, I just have one more place to go and then I’ll be apparating.”

“Well then, do tell me how the recipe turn out for you eh?”

“Of course. Thanks again for the tips!”

She bid the old woman farewell with a single nod and started weaving her way through the crowded path. She would have just used the levitating charm on the bags if she wasn’t so distracted. She still wasn’t sure if she could pull it off or if being in the kitchen again would distraught her too much.

Hermione must have been entertaining her thoughts too much because she really believed her mind was playing tricks on her. Surely that guy with the slightly wavy, slightly long hair with oil stained white shirt and rather faded, torn in different places, worn out jeans carrying a small toolbox wasn’t Ronald Weasley himself coming out of a Quidditch supply shop!

Hermione thought back; did she ever have a thing for a guy who knows his tools?

What in the world am I thinking about?

She shook her head, as if that very action would chase away whatever drool factor that was beginning to set in.

Before she could continue further though, the hot tool man guy walked away from the shop and turned. Their eyes met.

Hot damn, Hermione thought. That is Ronald Billius Weasley; looking so much better than the day before when he had collapsed in her arms.

He smiled, obviously pleasantly surprised to find her there. It was then she noticed the limp, and how it seemed to take a lot of effort for him to just walk that short distance to where she was standing.

Hot damn turned to plain frustration.

“Ron, what are you doing out of bed?” She made sure there was a convincing frown now etched on her face.

He seemed amused. “Well, it’s almost eleven in the morning Hermione, and like every other normal people, I do wake up and run errands.”

“I know that! But you’re supposed to be resting, Neville said-”

“I did what Neville said. You’d be happy to know I slept the rest of the day yesterday and all through the night like a baby.”

Hermione looked at him doubtfully. “Who was up to check on your dad?” Ron raised his eyebrow in surprise. “Ginny told me before how Mr. Weasley sometimes need to be calmed at night.”

“George slept over last night.” Ron answered. “Are you going to keep lecturing me or let me carry that for you?”

Hermione’s grasp on the paper bags tightened. “You’re not carrying these. I was going to put levitation charm on them.”

“Fine then, do it now.”

Knowing Ron would never let the subject die, she muttered the charm and released her grasp. Both bags now levitated next to her.

“Are those for the dinner tonight?”

“Yup.”

“I’m impressed.”

“Don’t say that. I haven’t even started cooking them!”

Ron shrugged. “You worry too much Hermione. I’m sure they’ll love whatever it is you’re cooking for us. I know I will.”

Hermione smirked. “Well Ron, you love food in general.”

“That I do.” Ron laughed and they started walking. “Are you heading to the Burrow now?”

“Well I was planning on apparating there from here since I already have all the ingredients with me.”

“Then aren’t you glad you bump into me? No one would be around to let you in otherwise. I have some spells up to guard the house when there’s no one in.”

“Where’s Mr. Weasley?”

“George brought him to their store; something about testing a new muggle magic trick.” Ron replied while studying their surrounding. “If you ask me, that’s just the twins’ way of giving me some more rest time...I think it’s safe to apparate from here.”

“Right.” Hermione nodded and grabbed for one of the bags. Ron took the other before she could protest and apparated right before her eyes. “Ugh, he’ll be the death of me!”

-

Ron was lifting up the spell by the time Hermione apparated next to him just outside the front door. She didn’t say a word as they entered the living room, choosing to study her surrounding instead. It had been awhile since she had last been there.

There was a television in the living room now, probably Ron’s way of entertaining his father. Other than that, everything else seemed to be quite the same. The famous Weasley clock looked a little battered but still working. There were three names added she noticed. Two of them were Harry and herself. Mrs. Weasley had added them in shortly before they left for the horcrux hunt. The last was installed a year ago, when Bill and Fleur had their first son, Rene Percival Weasley.

Currently, it showed Ron and Hermione, Home.

And it felt like home to her.

Ron headed straight to the kitchen and Hermione figured that was where she should be as well. Ron placed the bag on the kitchen table and she copied his action, suddenly feeling a little out of place. The familiar smell of fresh grass out in the backyard and soft rays of sunlight penetrating through the kitchen somewhat calmed her down.

A lot of things had happened in this kitchen.

“Tea?”

Hermione was pulled back from her thoughts and was now staring at the imploring eyes of her friend. “Yes, please.”

While Ron was busy boiling water, Hermione decided she should start unpacking the ingredients. “So, I heard some wizard was going to start a Quidditch club for the kids, did you sign up? Is that why you were at the Quidditch supply shop?”

He turned to look at her incredulously. “They’re recruiting kids Hermione, you know, eleven year olds?”

“Your point Ron?” She smirked.

“Well I’m not eleven now am-” Ron paused, realization sitting in. Hermione couldn’t hold back the laughter and burst out into giggles. “Ha ha, very funny.”

By the time Hermione had set the ingredients in order on the working table, Ron had already settled two cups of tea on the dining table and a couple of toasts that he had re-heated with the heating charm. She joined him at the table and took the sit opposite his.

“So, what were you doing at Diagon Alley then?”

“Never back down do you?” Ron teased.

“You know I never.” She smiled. “This is why you should just answer and shut me up.”

“Repaired some pipe related problems at that shop.” Ron answered as he passed a toast and urged her to eat. “It’s all I have but I really think you should have some breakfast in you.”

“Thanks.” Hermione took a bite and thought it was the best piece of toast she had eaten in years. “So they get you to fix it any time of the day?”

Ron nodded as he took a gulp of his drink. “Sometimes at night too but those had been rare. I enjoyed it though, it’s a good feeling to help fix something that is broken. Well, I’m sure you know how that feels seeing that’s your job.”

Hermione nodded. “It is. Sort of an escape doesn’t it?”

“Yeah?”

Hermione nodded again. “Makes you forget about your own problems and it makes you happy to see that you helped to fix someone else’s life. Funny though, I didn’t think I’d be working with Parvati of all the girls at Hogswart.”

Ron chuckled. “How is she by the way?”

“Good. I mean, we do talk about you know…but most of the time I think she’s like us, putting our energy into our work.”

Ron’s expression noticeably changed a little. There was that flash of sadness Hermione was sure had just crossed on her face as well. “Well, I have to start dengome the garden, I didn’t do it yesterday because I was resting.”

“We were worried okay? You passed out! And then I couldn’t wait for you to wake up because I had to be at work and of course Ginny and Harry were off hexing some leftover Death Eaters somewhere and couldn’t get my owl! Thankfully George was around although I did get smack on the face by one of their inventions when I flooed there!”

Ron found this to be utterly funny and couldn’t help bursting in laughter. “I miss your panic self Hermione.”

Well I missed you! “I’m serious Ron!”

Ron stopped laughing and nodded his head. “I’m sorry, I know you’re worried but it’s nothing really, I’ve fainted before.”

“So I’ve been told.” Hermione replied. “But while you were unconscious, there’s a group of worried people working on you. I can’t help but worry anyway, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing you that way.”

“You don’t have to. It’s not your problem.”

“Well that’s the thing isn’t it? I want to make it my problem.” I know you’re not that thick Ron, you know what I want!

It looked as if Ron was going to say something but changed his mind. Hermione wished Ron would argue and defend himself, she needed to hear his reasons. Why had he been pushing her away all these time? Didn’t waiting patiently for two years for him to come around say anything about her?

“Are you going to leave and come back later or are you staying?” Ron finally said.

“If you want me to leave just-”

“I didn’t say I want you to leave!”

Hermione sighed. Perhaps getting into an argument wasn’t the best thing to do for now. Perhaps Ron would open up if she didn’t come off too pushy. Well waiting in the sideline for two years counts as not pushy, isn’t it?

“I’d like to stay if you don’t mind. I need an early start to prepare.”

“I don’t mind at all. The kitchen is all yours, try not to burn it.”

Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile on her face as she watched him walked out of the kitchen and to the garden. She’d rather he sloth out in front of the television (which she was still curious if the Burrow now had electricity or it was magically run) than straining himself further, but knowing Ron and his stubbornness, she unwillingly held back.

-

It was a chain-reaction that didn’t seem to want to slow down. The moment both Neville and Hermione had managed to stop all the death eaters that were attacking the group Luna was with, she heard the anguished cry of Ron screaming.

Her eyes immediately searched for Harry, hoping that he was within Ron’s reach. She found him supporting Ginny up, it looked like Ginny had taken quite a beating in their battle with the trolls. She made a run for them, knowing Neville and Luna were safe.

“Harry! I heard Ron screaming! Where is he Harry?”

“I don’t know…he was…”

But Harry’s sentence was cut off by Ron’s cries again and nothing else mattered then. Hermione followed her instinct and made a run for it, knowing both Harry and Ginny were doing the same thing. She thought she heard Ginny pleading for her brother’s safety.

Please let him be all right. Please let him be all right.

She found Lavender’s body first.

There was not a drop of blood on her face. In fact, if Hermione didn’t know any better, it looked as if she was peacefully asleep.

She saw Luna rushing towards the body but Hermione didn’t follow her, instead, she searched the area for Ron.

It didn’t take too long for her to find him. It was a scene that would forever etched in her mind for as long as she lives.

Ginny was the first to move. She ran as if her feet were on fire. She was screaming too.

Harry was next. He collapsed next to Ron and she thought she heard his strangled cries.

It seemed surreal. She knew there’d be casualties in this war. She knew that most likely, some of these casualties would be familiar faces instead of strangers. She knew that she might be one of them as well. But all these knowledge didn’t lessen the pain when she was affronted with them.

Percy Weasley was sprawled on the ground, lifeless. His head was now rested on Bill’s lap. The eldest Weasley brother was crying.

Arthur Weasley was half-conscious, his body heavily leaning on Charlie, who seemed to be struggling with his emotions.

Ron’s back was facing her, but she didn’t need to be near enough to know that it was Molly he was cradling in his arms.

Hermione had never heard Ron cried the way he did right now. In fact, the only time she had seen him cry was during Dumbledore’s funeral, and even then, he didn’t let out anything more than a choke sob.

He was rocking her back and forth, with Ginny’s cries now invading her ears, when the twins came running towards them. They seemed torn at first, at who they should run after to, seeing a dead brother they never really reconcile with lying on the ground, their injured father or their unconscious mother.

They went after Ginny.

Fred reached her first and before he could ask anything, Ginny had flung herself towards him and started crying. “Mom’s dead Fred! Mom’s dead!”

She wasn't just unconscious?

George had grabbed Ron’s shoulders to stop him from rocking.

Hermione found herself now kneeling down next to George, facing Ron. She didn’t know when she had started running there but the pain on her knees from the impact of her ungraceful descent to the coarse ground told her this much.

“What happened Ron?” George asked with much difficulty. Hermione realized George was choking back his own tears.

When the brothers’ eyes met, Hermione saw for the first time, the sorrow that was etched in Ron’s. His head was bleeding although the cut didn't seem too deep to cause worry. There was some kind of bruise developing around his neck but Hermione didn't think much of it seeing how he was still very much alive. She chanced a glance at his waist, and noticed that his wound had started to bleed again. He really does look like someone’s baby brother, fragile and lost. And it unnerved Hermione for a second, because he had always been her pillar of strength; the one who would give her a gentle nudge when she was hesitant, and the one who kept her steady when she felt like falling. The young man she was looking at now, was reduced to a child who had just lost his mother.

“He killed him.”

It was full of hate and vengeance.

They turned towards the direction Ron’s stare was now fixed on.

She wondered why she didn’t notice it earlier. He was right there in the open for everyone to see.

Peter Pettigrew with his severed iron arm and a deep slashed throat, sprawled on the ground with his eyes wide open in shock, staring up at the sky.

What had happened here?

Hermione blinked her tears away. She hates peeling onions. Sure she could have them peeled by magic, but past experience had shown her that it isn't wise to practice magic when your mind are somewhere else. A bucket of squished, exploded onions was something she didn't want repeated ever again.

It was almost six now, and all the main dishes were cook and waiting to be served. She had only one dish left to do and that was the traditional onion soup. It was the easiest dish too and something she always had when she used to spend the remaining of her summer holidays at the Burrow with her friends. She felt it'd be incomplete if she had left that dish out.

Ron had came back from dengoming the garden about an hour after she started cooking. He was drenched in sweat, his face red from the heat, his hair tousled and wild. It was his parched, pale lips that warned her he might have exerted too much of his energy for his own good.

He was smiling though and commented on how it had been a long time since the kitchen smelt that good with cook food. He rubbed at his tummy subconsciously, which caused her face to crack in a smirk.

She had a sandwich and glass of pumpkin juice ready for him, knowing how hungry he would get after dengoming the garden. She had learnt of this ritual from the years of spending her summer in the Burrow too. Ron, more so than the other Weasleys, would come barging into the kitchen claiming he was hungry he could eat a cow after working his butt off in the garden. Mrs. Weasley, she remembered, was always too happy to serve him some food and a glass of pumpkin juice, although she would nag about him washing his hands first.

Ron had sat there quietly and ate his lunch and drank his juice while she continued her tasks. The silence that had encompassed them was comfortable though and for awhile, she let herself believe that this was how it would have been if they had continued being together. That they could be as happy as Harry and Ginny and Neville and Luna.

He commended her on the chicken sandwich, and burped loudly for good measure. She had chuckled at that and refilled his glass once more before he thanked her for lunch and left to take a quick shower.

When he came back down, his hair was still dripping wet and he smelt of lavender. Ron hated that smell, she knew that even back in school. He claimed it was too girlish for him. But she figured he used them daily now, because Molly always smelled of fresh lavender.

He asked how the cooking was going and they talked about the dishes she now was expert in cooking and he had marvelled at her culinary skills. And then he yawned and she had sent him off to bed for a nap, no questions asked.

Other than the sound coming from the television in the living room (Hermione always feel the need to have the television set on just to overcome the complete silence at her own apartment), everything else was peaceful and quiet and Hermione quite enjoyed this alone time she had for herself in the kitchen. She felt belonged here.

"Hey."

She looked up and smiled at the sight of a freshly awaken Ron, who was now yawning the rest of his sleep away. His bedridden hair sticking out in every direction, there were faint pillow lines on his cheeks and his shirt slightly crumpled from the sleep. His parched, pale lips still worry her but she chose not to comment on it for now. Ron seemed to be in a good mood.

"Had a good nap?"

He nodded and sat facing her. "I'm good at peeling onions without crying."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. I was the only one stupid enough to linger around in the kitchen while my brothers pretended to be busy doing something. So I got the job of peeling onions and I sort of got immune to the whole crying thing."

"I'm impressed!" Hermione cried. "I've been crying for the past ten minutes over these."

"Here, let me take over and you can...do whatever you have to do next."

She passed the small bucket of onions to him and shrugged. "I have nothing else to do, I just need the onions."

"Are you making onion soup?" Ron's eyes seemed to glint for a second.

"With freshly baked bread to dip in." Hermione grinned.

"Heaven." Ron grinned back. He started peeling the onions and Hermione began watching him. "You know, when I smell onions, I think of you."

Hermione cringed. "I don't see any compliment in that whatsoever!"

Ron laughed and shook his head. "Well, to anyone else that'd be quite strange yeah."

"Insulting seems to come to mind right now Ron." Hermione huffed.

"Remember that talk we had by the lake under that old oak tree?"

Hermione admit, she had been shocked by that declaration. Where did that come from? "How can I forget Ron."

Ron seemed to blush as his gaze dropped to the onion he was currently peeling. "Well, you were peeling onions when I stole you from mom and Ginny. You were still smelling like onions when we got to the lake. I thought wow, my stomach's all queasy and I wasn't sure if it was from the anxiety I was getting to...tell you how I feel or if the combination of lingering onions and salt water and moist grass that was doing it. Your hands on my face when we first kissed...onions smell all over..."

Hermione was laughing now. She thought she was going to have a fit from laughing this much, she couldn't stop to apologise to him. But Ron seemed amused as well and was smirking at the memory. This was the sight that greeted both Harry and Ginny when they apparated just outside the kitchen that late afternoon.