Title: More Than Friends?

Summary: After the death of Hermione, Ron doesn’t think he can ever love again. That is, until he meets Arcadia Tristen, who just may turn his life around. AU RonOC, HarryGinny

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter

A/N: Fred, Lupin & Tonks are alive.

Chapter 1

It seemed to have been the perfect life. He had the beautiful girlfriend, the ideal job, the most loyal friends, the whole package. But it was all torn to pieces in one night. He had just set up a romantic dinner on the table for him and his girlfriend's third year anniversary for their first date when there came a violent knock to their front door. "I'll get it!" he called to her.

Thinking that there was nothing that could have ruined that night, he went to answer the door when it was blasted off its hinges by a group of Death Eaters. "Grab the blood-traitor and find the Mudblood!"

Before he could grab his wand, two of the Death Eaters jumped him and pinned him down to the ground. Two others ran up the stairs and came back down with the stairs with her. The Death Eaters shoved them onto their knees facing each other, placing their wands at their prey's necks. She was crying. He was angered. The leader leant in next to him and muttered, "Do you love her?"

He nodded. Of course he did. There was nothing in this world that he loved more than her. "Would you do anything to save her life?"

Again, he nodded. He was willing to die for her as long as she lived. Even though it meant losing her forever, it was better than watching her die. As he leant in closer, he whispered, "I want you to suffer."

He struggled as the Death Eaters stood up and pointed his wand at her. "Any last words, Mudblood?"

"I love you, Ron," she muttered to him.

"I love you too, Hermione," he replied. The Death Eater smiled and shouted, "Avada Cadavra!"

There was a scream and then here dead body fell to the floor. Anger rose up inside him. "HERMIONE!" he cried.

He was about to attack when he was hit by a stunning spell, rendering him unconscious. The Death Eater smiled as he ordered, "Burn it down!"

Ron Weasley woke to the smell of burning wood. When he rose his head and his eyes came into focus, he saw his home in flames. His wand lay a few feet in front of him. When he went to go grab it, he was held back by something around his ankle. When he turned around, he saw his ankle chained to the floor. Now, he began to worry. Not wanting to give up, he reached for his wand. She wouldn't have wanted him to give up. But he didn't care whether he survived or not. He just wanted to be with her. The strain on his ankle was so excruciatingly painful that it was almost too much to bear, but he managed to get his fingertips onto the handle of his wand and pull it towards him. As soon as he had a firm grasp on his wand, he swung it towards his ankle, muttered a prayer, and shouted, "Reducto!"

The chain burst into dust and freed his ankle. Quickly, he got to his feet, grabbed Hermione's dead body and a photo of him and her together as he made his way out of the burning building. And from that moment on, Ronald Weasley's life would never be the same. Following the events of his girlfriend's death, Ron lived in the spare bedroom of his friend's home and began to go the Leaky Cauldron to drink. His two best friends, Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley-Potter, as she was now known, tried to comfort him and get him off of his horrible habit, but Ron didn't listen. Ron spent most of his time locked up in his old room and stare at the picture of him and Hermione.

At the funeral of Hermione Granger, Ron's speech was cut when he collapsed at the stand crying. The Ministry of Magic gave him a two week vacation to regain himself, but all it did was make things worse. The extra free time gave Ron all the more free time to drink himself into a state of unconsciousness. Whether it was because he felt horrible or because every time he passed out he saw her face smiling at his, no one knew why he continued to drink, but it was becoming a horrible habit. After taking it into consideration, Harry and Ginny put Ron into the care of a counselor that he had to visit twice a week. Harry also asked that the Ministry extend Ron's leave until he got better, and they did. During one session with the counselor, Ron actually stormed out of the office and Disapparated to an unknown location. When Harry and Ginny found out what Ron had done, Ginny fell into Harry's arms and asked, "Harry, Ron could really hurt himself! He's in an unfit state. You have to find him."

Harry knew that Ginny was extremely close to her older brother, so Harry alerted the Ministry to keep a look out for Ron. The afternoon went by in a flash and there was still no news of Ron. They didn't know where to look. Where could he have gone?

It turns out that Ron had traveled to London and walked down the streets of Muggle London to try and think of his stress. The pictures of Hermione dying clouded his memory. All he wanted to do was to be with his dearly beloved once more. And as if God had heard his thoughts, the Millennium Bridge appeared in front of Ron. Then the idea of how to get back with his love occurred to him. Quickly, Ron raced up the empty bridge and walked to the side. After taking a deep breath, he hoisted himself over the railing to where the only thing in front of him was the long fall to the Thames River. After closing his eyes, he muttered, "I love you Hermione," and let go of the railing.

TBC…

Please R&R!