Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, magical items, places, names or facts; it belongs all to Mrs. J.K. Rowling; but I took advantage of her work and let myself dreaming and writing, borrowing the magical word she has created.

"Your Love" – Outfield

Shared Moments One: Stay With Me, First Part

I ain't got many friends left to talk to
No one's around when I'm in trouble

Dear Ron,
How are you? I hope you're well. I'm writing you because of the fact that we're coming along with Harry ─ I'm not regretting! ─ it's just that I've been thinking about my own family's security, and I've made a decision. They're going to Australia, but I can't say any more for now. The problem is that … I haven't the guts to do it alone. So, the matter is that, as you said I'll have to go to your house within a couple of days, so I thought that maybe you could come here and keep me company until we left for The Burrow. I'm really sad, perhaps if you come and wait with me until I perform what I have to do … I don't know, I'll feel better. It's out of the question that I invite Harry, of course.
Well, if you say yes, just Apparate into my back yard tomorrow at five in the afternoon so I can tell you my plan before I do it.
See you!
Love from,
Hermione

She rolled up the parchment and got down to the garden. The moon was high in the sky, and was obscured for a moment by a brown owl. It had been always in the neighbourhood, and Hermione could always count on it for delivering letters. She tied her letter carefully to its claws and watched it soaring into the night, wishing for a yes.

That Saturday evening, Ron walked alongside his mum and Ginny towards The Burrow's boundaries.

"Well Ron, give Hermione's parents our farewells. I hope they will be safe in Australia, because You-Know-Who wouldn't go as far to kill a couple of normal Muggles. I understand they agreed with Hermione to move alone, because Hermione will be fine at Hogwarts with you two ─"

"Mum, please, stop talking!"

"Oh, sorry, dear!"

"And how long will you two be at her house?" asked Ginny with a casual tone, but she was smirking. That was the first smile in days; she'd been sad since they'd arrived at The Burrow a week ago.

"Shut up! I'm just going to stay with her until her parents leave, and then we'll come straight here. She said she'd invite Harry, but ─" he stopped dead at the sight of the smile fading away from her little sister's face. They reached the gate.

"Well, Mum, I'll see you soon."

"Right, dear, have a good time!"

And, turning on the spot, he Disapparated.

You know I'd do anything for you
Stay the night but keep it undercover

The falling sun dazzled him momentarily. He blinked a few times and looked around: he was in a fenced yard with emerald grass, a couple of trees and flowerbeds, and a small swimming pool. He looked up and saw the back of the house: a door leading to the inside, a big curtained window beside it and two smaller ones on the upper level. But there wasn't anybody there. He was just wondering if he had to knock on the door, when a well-known, bushy-haired head appeared behind the right upper window. She smiled and waved a hand, and a second later, with an almost imperceptible crack, she was here.

"Ron! Thanks for coming!" she said as she hugged him.

"Yeah, hi to you too," he said, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"Come on, let's get inside!" She led him excitedly through the door, then into a neat kitchen, through a short corridor, and into the living room, where two people were apparently waiting for his arrival. Ron gaped at the room: though it wasn't too big, three of its walls were filled with bookcases.

"Hello Ronald, it's a pleasure to have you here," said Mrs Granger, holding out a hand.

'Yes, you're welcome here," said a smiling Mr Granger, patting his back gently, "I suppose it was time for you to spend a few days here, you have been friend of Hermione's for a long time. Of course your friend Harry is welcome too, but Hermione said he couldn't come …"

"Well … Mum, I'll show him his bedroom, and then he'll have to tell me a lot of things, and me too. Ask me if you need some help!" Hermione said, pulling of Ron's arm to the staircase.

"Your house is very nice, and your parents too," said Ron when they reached the landing.

"Thanks," she said, smiling. "This is your bedroom, you can leave your rucksack."

She opened a door at the end of the landing, revealing a pale orange-coloured room with a single bed, a chest of drawers, an elegant armchair and a few pictures of flowers on the walls. The window overlooked a Muggle street. He noticed that here too, there were several books in shelves on the wall.

"My bedroom is opposite, as you've seen. Do you like it?"

"Yeah, thanks, it's great!"

"Well listen, I have to tell you my plan," she said, becoming suddenly serious. "Leave your stuff and come to my bedroom so no muggles can see us."

She set off to the next door, but when she was about to open the door, she gasped.

"Wait! You can't enter! Wait here until I … tidy it up."

Then she entered, trying not to let Ron to see the insides.

Oh my God, she thought, clapping her forehead, you're so stupid!.

Hurriedly, she pick up her wand and started vanishing the tiny hearts on the portraits. I'd forgotten them! Then she sent her clothes flying to their right drawers, the books to the bookcase, and her treasured, secret little notebook … And the picture! The photograph of her and Viktor at the Yule Ball! She hid it beneath her pillow, thinking … Professor Flitwick has taken some photographs of the champions and their partners, coming into the Great Hall, and Viktor had sent it nearly two years ago. She didn't like Viktor anymore, but she felt fond of him. But he wasn't a match for the other boy, the boy who was, at this moment scratching his ear behind the door, wondering what on earth she was doing.

"Come in!" she squeaked.

"Hermione," said Ron, getting through the door. "you don't have to tidy up your room, it's OK, my room's never tidied …"

This bedroom was much larger than the previous: her bed was in the middle, with a table on its right and her school trunk on its left; a desk was beside the window and a wardrobe near the door, and when Ron turned his head, he saw, surprisingly, a bookcase standing opposite to the bed.

"Seriously, are you mental? Are there books in the bathroom, too?"

"No, there are Muggle magazines in there," she said calmly, but smiling. "Sit down ─ over there on the desk chair."

Ron sat down, looking up at the walls. They were pale yellow, and above the bed there were several family's portraits and a Gryffindor banner. Hermione let out a sigh.

"Well, listen. I'm going to explain."

"Yeah, because I'm pretty confused, honestly."

And she explained everything - all her plan, step by step.

"─ it's a very complex charm, I heard it from Harry; remember when he told us about Voldemort modifying people's memories? Well, I've learned how to do that ─ of course it's for their own good, but … I feel so bad doing this …"

She was crying again. Ron stretched a hand and pat her clumsily on the shoulder.

"You are … very brave and tough. Protecting your parents by that way … I don't think you're bad."

She gave a weak smile. "Their plane leaves at eight. I'll put a Disillusionment Charm on myself to say goodbye without being noticed … you can wait for me here."

"No, I can go with you under the charm too, if you want," said Ron.

"You ─ you'll do that?"

He nodded, and Hermione beamed. "They should get a taxi, and leave the car here."

"What are you doing with the car and the house?"

"I'll protect them with Muggle repellents and jinxes, because if Death Eaters come, they wouldn't care about destroying a Muggle house. But ─ I won't let them."

There was a pause, in which she gazed around at her bedroom, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.

"I'm going to miss it. I wanted to stay tonight here, as my last night. I might not to come back again, if we ─ die. That's why I wanted you to stay here until tomorrow, and not to leave for The Burrow immediately after my parents' departure."

"It's fine, I don't mind. Have you packed your things?"

She squeaked. "Oh, I haven't finished yet!"

She stood up and hurried to open her trunk, then she began moving here and there, murmuring, "Well, my clothes … right … Books …" She was pointing her wand as she did, "… all of them, I'll sort them later … hold-all … can you wait for me in your bedroom? I'm nearly finished …"

Ron turned around and set off towards the doorway. Once in the room, he dropped on the bed. What odd behaviour. She must be really anguished, he thought, remembering his friend nearly crying, and smiling at the same time.

Finally, after a while of being peering around the bedroom, somebody knocked the door.

"It's me! I've finished! It's ─ it's about time to do it …"

Ron opened the door and saw a trembling Hermione behind it. Reminding the book's advices, and inspired by the view of her temporary weakness, he came closer and gave her a little hug.

"You'll do excellent. Don't worry, they'll be fine."

"Thanks," she said, and set off downstairs.