Ron rested his head on his hands as he sat on the floor, next to a couch in the living room of Shell Cottage. He took a few deep breaths as he willed himself to erase the tears from his eyes.
He tried to get rid of the sound of Hermione's screams from his brain before he opened his eyes to look at her. It had torn his heart and soul into so many pieces; he thought he could have three times as many Horcruxes as Voldemort.
Ron looked up, grateful that Fleur and the others had left after they healed Hermione. He sighed again at the vulnerable form that lay across the couch in front of him.
He grabbed her hand, needing to touch her, and watched her sleep. He jumped a bit, though not letting go of her hand, when her eyes blinked open.
"Ron," she croaked, her voice frail.
"I'm right here, Hermione," he whispered as he leaned forward, almost not feeling her squeeze his hand feebly.
"I… I heard you."
Ron bit his lip at the memory and nodded, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you…."
"No… you helped," Hermione started, taking a breath.
"Hermione… never again. I won't ever leave you ever again," Ron said, both knowing they were talking about the past as well as the day's event.
"I know, I know."
"I don't know what I'd do if…."
Neither of them needed to have that sentence finished. Hermione nodded, wordlessly voicing that she thought the same for him.
Ron kissed her forehead before pulling back, "Fleur told me to give you some of this when you woke up."
After the redhead beside her helped her up slowly, Hermione swallowed the foul liquid.
"Do you feel any better?" Ron asked softly.
"Yeah," she said as the potion took effect, "a bit."
Hermione paused for a moment, enjoying the feeling of Ron's thumb on the back of her hand.
"We need to see how Harry is," Hermione nodded towards the doorway.
"Yeah," Ron agreed reluctantly, helping her up.
He wrapped his arm around her petite form, walking towards the door, pushing the feeling of Hermione's head on his shoulder into the back of his mind to think about when the time was better.