A/n So this just kind of popped into my head, and wouldn't go away! It's set quite a few years after they leave Hogwarts, building up to the war (I think!).

I don't own any of the characters ! Wish I did :(
"Harry, Harry………… where are you little Harry?" The cold, harsh voice called out, echoing around the empty stone corridor.

Harry stayed in his hiding place, his mouth clamped shut so that his breathing could not be heard and his heartbeat pummeling in his chest. He jumped as he heard random curses being sent recklessly down the hallway, the womans footsteps clacking on the floor.

He clasped his hand round his wand and whispered "I am so, so sorry Hermione"

Throwing off his invisibility cloak he spun round and directed a stunning spell at the figure in the corridor.

"…… she chased me to the seventh-floor corridor, near where Dumbledore's office used to be. I checked her out, but it was defiantly an Imperius curse. The wizard can't be that strong though; the stunning spell broke the connection."

Ron sighed, "Ok, well she's resting now, she should be fine in a few hours." He paused and then asked, "What were you doing at Hogwarts anyway Harry?"

Harry looked up at Ron, his best friends face full of concern. "I don't know…… I just wanted to see it…… I miss being there you know? And when we got back from the mountains and I heard it had been deserted, I just sort of…… ended up there. I'm sorry, I know I should have told you but…"

"It's ok mate, you don't have to explain. I was just worried, you know?"

Harry nodded and then voiced what they were both thinking, "Why did he let her out of his sight? There's a bloody war on…… surely he isn't that stupid?"

"I think we're about to find out" said Ron pointing out the window. Oliver Wood was marching up the gravel path and knocking on the door of the house. Harry and Ron listened as he entered and was told where they were by an anxious Mrs Weasley. He burst into the room in a fit of anger.

"What the hell happened to Hermione?"

Ron sat down in one of the armchairs, "Oh. You got our owl then?" he asked, calmly.

"Of course I got your bloody owl you jumped up little…"

"Erm… Wood? Oliver?" Harry thought this would be a good point to intervene. "Hermione's fine… she was put under an Imperius curse, but she's gonna be ok"

"What!" Wood bellowed, "Imperius curse! You two are meant to be her best friends; why didn't you look after her?"

Ron stood up, his ears red with anger, "You're her fiancé! She lives with you! If anyone should be in trouble for leaving her by herself, it's you!"

"Weasley I'm warning you..." Oliver Wood walked over to where Ron was sitting. "I was at work, how am I meant to keep an eye on her all the time?"

"Puddlemere United don't train on Thursdays! Where were you really?" Ron stood to meet Woods cold stare.

"I... was... we have a match coming up Weasley, we need to practice! But I guess you wouldn't know about that ... with your track record as a keeper!"

"What! I saved more goals than you ever did, I..."

"Guys! Guys!" Harry interrupted, "This is not helping! Hermione needs to have more security, she shouldn't be living in that flat. Anything could happen"

Ron sighed again and moved round to look out the window at the dark, misty sky, whilst Oliver answered Harry; "Well I'm not moving! She's ok where she is... I'll put more charms round the flat... and anyway... where would she go? I mean..." He started to laugh "You don't really expect her to come and live here with you two, do you?"

Harry opened his mouth to answer, but Ron turned round; "Actually... that wouldn't be such a bad idea" He looked at Harry for support and he nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it would mean that there was always someone there with her... and if someone 'out there' is looking for her, then there is no way they will find her, I mean, how many enchantments are around this place now?"

Wood frowned and adamantly said, "No way! There is no way on this earth that I would let her move in with you two!"

"There you go Hermione" Ron said, putting her case down by the bed.

"Thanks so much Ron, for... well, everything, and say 'thanks' to Harry and your parents as well" She smiled and patted the bed next to her.

He sat down and hugged her to him. " I will when I see them... Hermione, I'm sorry about Wood"

"That's ok. I really thought he cared about me, y'know? But now... " She trailed off and swept her hand across her face in a tired motion and sighed. "We rushed into it... I mean, we could all be dead tomorrow... it's stupid really, I was just trying to find someone..."

Ron frowned "That doesn't sound like you, rushing into something"

She sat up and faced him, "You and Harry were off, 'chasing giants', and Oliver was there for me when we lost track of you. I was so scared that you had both been captured, and he was a shoulder to cry on. When he asked me to marry him I didn't know what else to do... I just got sick of being so alone."

"Oh Hermione... it's all gonna be ok. We came back didn't we?"

"Yeah, you came back. Thank you." She looked up into his face and they smiled at each other.

"Everyone in this house cares about you, we'll take care of you. Promise." Ron stood up and turned to walk out of the room "Night Hermione"

"Ron... wait... I want to talk to you"

He turned back around, "What about?"

She took a deep breath and let it out again before speaking, "I... I want to come back to work"

"What! No way!" He went to walk out of the room again but she stood up and grabbed him by the arm.

"Ron, please. I've really thought about this, and I feel so bad for all that's happened. I can help find Voldemort with you and Harry, and the other aurors" She looked up at him hopefully and he shook his head.

"Hermione you don't understand do you? They're looking for you, the Death Eaters. They think they can use you to get to Harry, and because you're...

"What, because I'm a girl?" She mimicked, turning her back to him.

"Well... yeah! Because you're a girl, you're more vulnerable then me or Harry. And... you quit for a reason didn't you?" He questioned her.

She lowered her face into her hands, and Ron knew she was near to tears. "I quit because Oliver made me. He said that it was too dangerous to always go running after Harry. He made me and I just let him, like a..." She broke down, and Ron started to feel uncomfortable; he was useless around crying women. He walked over to her and put an arm gently around her shoulders.

"Ssshhhh, it's ok. But maybe... maybe he did the right thing, even if it was for the wrong reasons. Look what happened at Hogwarts"

"They caught me at home. If I'd of been at work, at the ministry, it wouldn't of happened. I'm much safer there. Please? Will you talk to Harry?" She looked up at him again.

"Do you really think you're ready for coming back?"

She sniffled "I don't know, I just feel so useless here! I want to be helping you... and Harry. I want to help. I want to find the person who did this to me"

He smiled weakly and pulled her round to look at him, "You can help us by staying safe. Do you have any idea what it's like to be worrying about you all the time? Just... get settled here before you even think about coming back to work! And anyway" - He continued in a much cheerier voice - "Mum needs a hand around here, now that most of the family's back at work."

She sniffed again and nodded, pulling away from him and sitting back down on the bed. He smiled at her and walked out, closing the door behind him quietly.