U/N~: i just wanted to write this, so i did. i like it... but i mean... it is what it is... sooo yeah :P part of it is from the deathly hallows, and in my head i kind of mixed the book with the movie, but i tried to keep it mostly the book like... kinda. I dunno. Here's the story... aha ;)

Chamber of Secrets

~By me :D~

Disclaimer: yeah... i don't own harry potter or anything... y'know?

A strange hissing sound left Ron's mouth for the tenth time.

They stood in silence as the metal snakes slithered, unlatching the door to the Chamber. Ron glanced quickly over at Hermione to see if she was frightened, but he noted that she seemed to be keeping a good hold on her strength and he decided that he would try to do the same. Finally, when the door clicked for the final time Ron stopped forward and pulled the large metal door.

Instantly the raw stench of death filled their noses and turned away quickly, pulling his cloak over his nose. Hermione pulled her wand out spun it around in hand and muttered something under her breath and then suddenly Ron could smell again.

"What the bloody hell—?" Ron tried to ask what was making the smell, but Hermione was gone, already stepping over the threshold and into the Chamber of Secrets. He followed her quickly, afraid to be left alone, but not wanting to show his fear. He suddenly realized what was making the awful smell, and he should have realized all along. The large mostly rotted corpse of the giant Baselisk that had once threatened the life of his sister and his best friend lay strewn across the wet stone floor of the Chamber. The snake was the reason they had come in the first place. The fangs that were still attached to jaw of the snake, to be more specific, were why they were there. The horcrux's still needed to be destroyed—and located—and of course they would have to do this all while Lord Voldemort himself was destroying the castle… Ron tried to control his thoughts, it was just as Hermione always told him. One step at a time.

"Ron," Hermione whispered, glancing over her shoulder as if she was afraid that the ghost of Lord Voldemort's past would sneak up on her, which had ironically happened to Harry in this very room. She was already standing over the Baselisk's head, crouched over and pulling on the fangs. "Ron, I need your help. I can't get the fangs loose."

Ron strode over quickly to Hermione's side and swallowed the lump in his throat as he stuck his hand into the dead snake's mouth. He wrapped his fingers around one of the fangs and pulled as hard as he could. "They're pretty gross teeth… you'd think he'd brush them every now and then." Ron laughed. Hermione rolled her eyes at his humour as he added his second hand for more strength, but the fangs weren't coming loose. "It's no use—what are we going to do?"

"Oh!" Hermione started laughing as she reached into the beaded bag that hung around her shoulder. Ron stared at her incredulously and thought that she had gone insane suddenly, but then she pulled out her wand again. "I almost forgot about this…" She quickly spun her wand around and sliced through the fangs with her magic. "Why are you smiling?" Hermione asked, shooting Ron an embarrassed look as she finished up with the fangs.

"This reminds me of when we were getting to the Philosopher's Stone—in our first year." Ron explained, the smile on his face growing.

"Yes, I remember." Hermione nodded. "But why does this remind you?"

Ron cleared his throat and put on a high voice "There's no wood!"

Hermione started laughing suddenly and then said, trying to mock Ron's voice, "Have you gone mad? Are you a witch or not?" Ron burst out laughing with her but she stopped suddenly and stood up.

"You're right." Ron said, scooping the basilisk fangs up into his arms, "We shouldn't be laughing. Now's not really the time."

"It's not that Ron, really it isn't." Hermione said, crossing her arms and looking toward the large head of Salazar Slytherin. Ron stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder, dropping some of the Baselisk fangs as he did so. She shrugged him off and turned around. "You're dropping some." She picked them up and handed them to him.

"If you don't tell me what's wrong I can't help you fix it." Ron said as Hermione began pacing back and forth.

"It doesn't need fixing." Hermione shot.

"If you say so." Ron said, counting the basilisk fangs in his head. He wasn't sure why they needed so many but Hermione was the smart one, so she must have had a reason. "Get the cup out!" Ron said suddenly, grinning.

"What?" Hermione asked, turning her head toward him. "Why?"

"You're going to destroy it." Ron smiled. "It'll help. Destroying part of Voldemort could make even Percy crack a smile." Ron dropped all but one basilisk fang quickly and handed the remaining one to the flustered Hermione. "Go on. Do it."

"Ron—" Hermione tried.

"No butts, just do it." Ron smiled, proud of himself. Hermione shoved the fang back into Ron's hand and picked up the rest of them. She began storming off toward the entrance of the chamber. "What? Wait! Where are you going?"

"I'm not doing it Ron." Hermione scoffed as she continued her dramatic storm out.

"Girls…" Ron said under his breath. Then he shook it off and called out to her, "You're still mad at me aren't you?"

She stopped in her tracks and looked over her shoulder. "That's preposterous." She said, rolling her eyes, "I wouldn't hold a grudge this long."

"Then why won't you look me in the eyes?" Ron asked.

Hermione dropped the basilisk fangs and began stomping back toward him. "Okay—yes I'm angry!" She roared, "Why wouldn't I be? You left us all alone! I thought you hated us! I thought that I might never see you again!"

"But I didn't hate you—I did get to see you again." Ron insisted.

Hermione punched him in the arm. "That's not the point." Ron rubbed his arm where she punched it and tried to speak, but Hermione wasn't done. "The point is that I want to trust you Ronald—I want to be your best friend again—I want to be there for you—but how can I trust that you won't just run out on me?"

"Hermione—I ran out because of the Horcrux." Ron insisted, "You know that."

"So one little thing and you're out the door?" Hermione asked, "What if it was Lavender Brown? What if she came knocking? Would you run off—?"

"I'm confused." Ron interjected. "Like, not just kind of confused. I'm really confused." Hermione took a deep breath and then rolled her eyes.

Hermione ignored him and continued, "We aren't right for each other anyway—to be friends I mean. We share no interests. You like flying, I like studying, you throw knomes over fences—I try to save House Elves from uncaring human owners—"

"Hermione, friends don't have to like the same things. We're different—that's why we are right for each other." Ron explained.

"Never mind. You don't get it."

"Exactly," Ron said, "So you need to explain it to me so that I can understand where all of this pointless yelling is coming from."

"Not now Ron." Hermione said flatly, "this isn't important right now. There's a war going on."

"So it's now or never isn't it?" Ron asked her, eyebrows raised. She said nothing. "Trust me Hermione, destroying this horcrux will be the most entertaining thing of your life." Ron handed her the remaining basilisk fang that Hermione had shoved back into his arms. Slowly she nodded, "You'll do it?"

"Yes." She said. "I'll do it." She reached into the beaded bag and pulled out the small golden goblet quickly and effortlessly. She set it on the ground and backed up a few steps so she was next to Ron. She stared at the cup for a full minute before turning back to Ron. "I can't."

"Yes you can." Ron insisted. "If I did it you can do it too. You're better than me at everything Hermione. You're fully capable of doing this. And you'll be a hero." He realized that Hermione didn't really care about being a hero, but he added it to the end anyway, just to be sure she'd do it. Of course, if she refused he figured he could always do it, or maybe let someone else like Ginny have a go at taking part of Voldemort down, but he was really hoping Hermione would do it. Hopefully taking her anger out on the creepy snake bloke's cup would make her less angry at Ron himself.

Hermione looked up at Ron and then nodded, "I can." She turned toward the cup and walked toward it slowly. She fell to her knees and pulled her hand back, and then quickly stabbed forward. Ron was standing on his toes as he watched the fang come crashing down to the cup, excited. But right before the fang came in contact with the cup a loud bang filled the room and a strange wave came from the cup causing Ron to throw his hands over his ears as they popped. He still heard the mangled scream escape Hermione's mouth though, as she flew backwards through the air.

"Hermione!" He screamed as he ran toward her, forgetting about the loud noise that had now turned to a strange, ear splitting buzzing sound. Hermione was laying face down on the floor of the Chamber, the tips of her messy hair escaping from the knot she had tied it in, soaking in the thin layer of cold water that covered the room. Ron quickly rolled her over. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was relaxed. For a brief, terrified moment he thought she was dead, but her eyes began to flutter. "Hermione…" He gasped in relief. "It's okay… the cup must have had some sort of spell on it." He told her as she came into consciousness. "But there has to be some way to destroy it, let's figure it out and then try again—"

Hermione's eyes shot open and Ron jumped back in alarm. Instead of the warm chocolate colour they were completely black. She sat up slowly and looked toward her hand where her wand rested and then toward Ron who was frozen on the spot.

"Are you… are you okay Hermione?" he managed to ask, trying to shake off the fear her eyes had instilled upon him. "Hermione—?" She flicked her wrist ever so slightly and a red ball of light shot from her wand tip toward Ron who squeaked and rolled out of the way. "Hermione! What are you doing?"

She pulled herself to her feet and said nothing as she slowly advanced on him. Ron jumped to his feet and fumbled around helplessly as he pulled his wand out and held it at the ready position. "Hermione…?" Ron asked slowly. "Are you there? You okay?"

She held her wand up again and Ron groaned. Another ball of red light shot toward Ron who waved his want frantically and squeaked the word "Protego!"

Hermione smoothly stepped aside as her spell rebounded on her, and just as smoothly shot one more red ball of light at Ron. It hit him square in the chest and he yelped as he soared backwards through the air and landing next to the buzzing cup. As he landed his head smashed against the stone floor and he pulled himself to a sitting position. He saw Hermione advancing on him still. Why was she doing this? Was she really that mad at him? And then he looked to the cup slowly and realized how stupid he had been. The cup did have a spell placed upon it—something had taken control of Hermione. Ron smiled, proud of himself for realizing what had happened and then turned toward her and pointed his wand at her. "Scrudge!" Nothing happened. Hermione had taught him that spell just one year prior, and told him that it was used to rid the area of ectoplasm… or something. So he was hoping that it might help her out—but he was wrong.

More spells began firing out of Hermione's wand randomly, soaring about the room and bouncing off walls. It looked like another round of Fred and George's fireworks. Ron covered his head with his arms and began to panic. He didn't know any spells! Ever since second year with his wand being snapped he'd been too afraid to learn anything too advanced for fear of it backfiring—but he had heard Hermione talk… a lot. And for the most part he didn't understand what it was that she was saying… but he always listened.

He began talking out loud to himself. "You can't apparate in or out of Hogwarts grounds… the Room of Requirement isn't on the map… emotional range of a teaspoon…" then suddenly he remembered Harry explaining to Hermione everything that had happened during her time being petrified. Harry solved everything by destroying the diary—the horcrux. He looked at the cup from the gap in his arms and smirked. He looked back to where Hermione had landed after her attempt at destroying the perfectly unharmed horcrux and saw the basilisk fang laying on the floor. He jumped to his feet, completely forgetting that Hermione was firing spells all over the place. He began running directly for the fang and slid to a stop when he managed to get to it. He was particularly proud of himself for managing to do it without getting hit, but he realized now that the room was lighting up green, and most of the spells coming from her wand were now, clearly, the killing curse.

Ron swore loudly as he jumped to his feet, holding his wand tightly in his hand. Hermione stopped shooting spells and turned toward him. It reminded him strongly of Dumbledore's Army when he had to face off with her there as well. She won by a landslide however… but this time he couldn't let that happen. She suddenly wound up and shot a green blast of light toward him. He squeaked and slid out of the way. He tried to shoot a spell toward her but stopped himself. He could hurt her. He couldn't let her get hurt. He ran for the horcrux, but he barely made it three steps closer when he was forced to duck low as Hermione shot another curse his way. He needed a spell that would stop her…

"Petrificus Totalus!" he roared, shooting one of the first spells he'd seen Hermione perform toward her. She dodged it easily by hopping aside. "Confundo!" Ron cried out trying to control her movements. She waved her wand and the spell fired off in a different direction. "Levicorpus!" he called out, scouring his brain for spells that he'd seen Harry or Hermione use in the past. Hermione again waved her wand and sent the spell flying. "Eat slugs?" he tried. He watched the spell fire toward Hermione and suddenly he set off at a run as she blasted the spell aside once more. He figured so long as she was distracted he could do what he needed to do! He ran toward the horcrux, fear filling him as he looked over his shoulder to see Hermione advancing on him once more. He turned back and saw that he was almost there.

He fell to his knees and quickly stabbed toward the still buzzing horcrux. As he brought the fang closer though, it turned quickly into black smoke and faded away into nothing. "Wonderful," Ron said sarcastically. He turned around and saw Hermione was close now. He jumped to his feet and pointed his wand at her.

"Expelliarmus." The word that escaped her mouth instilled Ron with so much fear that he found himself frozen again as his wand soared out of his hand and toward her. It wasn't the word so much as the voice that said it. It wasn't her voice. It was the voice that echoed through the bathroom on their way down to the Chamber—the one that had asked for Harry Potter. It was Voldemort. Which of course made sense—it was his horcrux after all—suddenly Ron smiled to himself, and turned to Hermione.

"I love you." He said to her, with as much feeling as he could muster in the situation he was under. Hermione had explained to him once that Voldemort was destroyed by Harry because of his mothers love. She learned from Harry, who learned from Dumbledore which meant that it had to be true, and if love could rid her of Voldemort… he was willing to do so. Hermione was standing still, her wand still pointing at Ron. "I love you." He repeated, hopeful. "I've loved you since we met. Well a little later then that—but I always admired you. You were pretty, smart and unique. I shouldn't have said all those things about you, I shouldn't have laughed at your misfortune and I should have asked you to the Yule Ball with respect… but more importantly I shouldn't have left. I was scared Hermione… I was scared that you loved him and not me… But I know now, that even if you do… I shouldn't care… because whatever makes you happy, makes me happy. I love you." He knew it was a little over the top, and he felt a little put out as he was technically speaking to Lord Voldemort, but he was being completely honest, and he could only hope that it worked in his favour.

She looked to him, her eyes still black and then she opened her mouth wide and began to scream. She dropped her wand and fell to her knees, throwing her hands around her head, still letting out the mangled scream. The scream was terrifying, and it froze Ron, once again, on the spot. It was a mix of both Lord Voldemort's voice, and Hermione's voice. The screaming subsided, and she looked up at Ron, her eyes were brown again. Ron smiled, but the smile fell quickly when her eyes seemed to flood with black once more and she began to scream. Ron jumped forward and fell to his knees next to her. He was scared and didn't know what to do, but he wanted to help her! She was in pain! Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. "I love you." He said again, "I love you, I love you, I love you." As he repeated the statement her own voice seemed to show through in the scream, so he continued. "I love you, I love you… I love you."

Her scream faded suddenly and she fell limp in his arms. "I love you." He said again before checking to see if her heart was beating. It was, faintly, but at least she was alive. He kissed her on the forehead and laid her down. Ron turned toward the golden cup and smiled as the buzzing faded away. He pulled his want gently out of her hand and turned to the pile of basilisk fangs she had dropped. "Accio basilisk fangs." He whispered. Then he let out a quick scream and he ducked for cover as the fangs shot through the air toward him. They landed, scattered around Hermione, the cup and himself. He looked to the cup as he reached for one of the fangs. He couldn't let Hermione do this again—that was the worst few minutes of his life… he had to do it on his own. He couldn't let her get hurt like that again. He raised his arm to stab the cup but suddenly someone grabbed his arm.

"Did I do it?" Hermione gasped. Her eyes were filled with terror still, but Ron smiled at the comfort of them being at least the right colour. But she didn't remember anything. She didn't remember his proclamation of love… but she also didn't remember the pain, being possessed by Voldemort himself… so it was worth it he supposed.

Ron shook his head, "No." She looked slightly displeased at the answer and then noticed that Ron was holding up a basilisk fang above the goblet.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I was going to destroy it." Ron admitted. "You… you got hurt when you tried."

"I did?" She asked. Ron nodded, "Well I'm fine now right?" She reached behind her and grabbed a basilisk fang, "So it can't have been too bad." Hermione turned to the cup with the most determined face Ron had ever seen etched upon her face. She stabbed quickly toward the cup. Ron winced as she came closer to the goblet but nothing seemed to be happening. And he smiled as the fang drove right through the goblet. The cup began spinning and spitting out black clouds of smoke as it let out a high pitched noise. The cup began imploding on itself until it was a crumpled ball of gold. Ron turned to Hermione who looked just as confused as him, and then back to the cup as it stopped everything. It seemed ridiculously quiet without the screaming or the buzzing.

"That's it?" Ron asked.

"I guess so…" Hermione said turning to him. "That was fun."

Ron laughed, "I'm sure—" A loud noise filled the silence around them and Hermione screamed. All around them the water seemed to explode, filling the air and raining down on them. After the initial shock Hermione stopped screaming and looked around. "Ron it's flooding."

"I can see that Hermione." Ron shot quickly as he jumped to his feet and helped her up as well. The water was rising fast, it was already past their knees. Hermione reached down and grabbed the goblet and as many basilisk fangs as she could get as Ron looked around. "How are we going to get out?" He asked quickly.

"The door?" Hermione suggested.

Ron grinned at her but then remembered that things were still serious. "Hermione we need to get out of here" Ron reached down and grabbed the horcrux as the water reached up to their knees, and then he scoured around for the basilisk fangs. "Hermione what do you suggest?"

"I still suggest we head for the door." Hermione said.

"You were being serious?" Ron asked sharply. She nodded. "Hermione—actually that might not be a bad idea." Ron figured if they could get to the door and shut the water in the chamber then they would be safe. He set off as quickly as he could toward the door but the water level was rising fast and it was getting harder for him to move. Hermione was hurrying behind him. When they finally made their way to the door, the water was up past their wais. Ron reached to the door to keep his balance as he stepped over the threshold but the eyes on the snakes that were winding around the door lit up green and the door slammed shut quickly. Ron and Hermione exchanged nervous glances. "What do we do now?" Ron asked.

Hermione tried to respond but more explosions filled the air and water was pouring in from everywhere now. "Ron!" Hermione yelled, barely audible over the rushing water that was rising too fast for comfort. "Ron take my hand!" Hermione reached to Ron who grabbed on quickly just as the water level went above their heads. Ron wasn't much of a swimmer and Hermione knew this. She took out her wand and floated to the top, dragging Ron with her.

"What do we do?" Ron gasped, frantically, spitting water out of his mouth. He was scared. Granted, he was always scared, and what better way to be trapped in scary underground chamber where no one can hear your screams as it fills to the brim with water... than with Hermione?

"I honestly don't know." Hermione admitted. "I don't know!" She started panicking as she ran through spells in her mind. "There has to be something"

Ron looked up to the ceiling and smiled, pulling out his wand quickly. The water level was already more than two thirds of the way to the very ceiling Ron was staring at. He pointed his wand up and shouted. "Confringo!" he was proud of himself but he realized he'd done something wrong because the look Hermione gave him said so many mean things he couldn't even count.

Hermione pulled out her wand and looked to the ceiling as Ron's spell collided and exploded, causing many giant rocks to come crashing down on them. "Protego!" Hermione managed to say. Her shield came up around them, but not soon enough, a smaller stone came crashing down toward them. Hermione ducked underwater to make sure it wouldn't hit her, dragging Ron with her. She was swimming downward and Ron looked over his shoulder. The rock was in the water coming toward them but what his eyes were stuck on was that the water had reached the ceiling. He looked back to Hermione as the stone hit her head and she released him and her wand. She looked like she wanted to call out in pain, and as though she could pass out at any second, but her dazed eyes were still open. Ron, sinking, grabbed Hermione's floating wand and pointed toward the ceiling, grabbing Hermione with his other arm. He tried to use a spell but realized he was under water. It would have to be a silent spell... he was no good at these.

He tried to wake Hermione up but her arms were around her head and he nodded, turning toward the ceiling as he sank. Hermione was still above him, being able to swim. He thought to himself over and over the enchantment, but it wasn't working. He looked up to Hermione and noticed she was panicking now. Accendio!

Suddenly he was soaring up toward Hermione and he grabbed her arm and continued soaring through the water until he came flew out of the water and through the hole in the ceiling Hermione had been so angry at him for making.

The two of them landed roughly on the grass outside of the Chamber. Ron looked to Hermione and at first couldn't tell if she was laughing or crying but smiled when he knew for sure that she was laughing. Ron looked to the large hole in the ground as the water was pooling out of it. He waved Hermione's wand and the hole covered up with dirt and grass. Ron looked around and noted that they were in the middle of the Quidditch pitch.

"You were brilliant Hermione." Ron said.

"Yes well… so were you." She agreed as her laughing subsided. She held her head tightly and nodded. "You got us into the Chamber… and out. Both were actually very clever of you." She looked up to the sky where jinxes and curses were flying around wildly. "We need to get back to Harry." She said turning to Ron sharply.

"Yeah—you're right." Ron said slowly. She was always thinking of Harry... "I've got an idea!" He smiled holding his wand tightly again. "Accio broom!" a broom flew from the Gryffindor Quidditch office and rested smoothly in Ron's hand. "Get on." He smiled.

She smiled at him, and nodded, "Alright." She said throwing her leg over the broom behind Ron and held on as tightly as she could to him while still holding onto the basilisk fangs and goblet.

Ron smiled to himself as Hermione held tightly to him and then kicked off the ground and flying as fast as he could through the sky toward the school avoiding the curses that were soaring around them. They flew to the closest window to the Room of Requirement, where they had last heard that Harry had been and hovered nearby. Hermione reached for the window and held tightly and pulled on it. "It's locked!" She groaned as she tried to pull the window harder.

"Hermione…" Ron smiled, gently grabbing her arm. He pulled out his wand and tapped the window. "Alohamora." He said quietly. The window clicked and swung open. Hermione smiled and leapt through the window and Ron followed, dragging the broom with him.

"I'm sorry." She said to him as Ron put the broom under his arm and took some of the fangs and the goblet. "I'm just panicking… I'm so scared!"

"It's okay Hermione." Ron smiled, "That's what I'm here for…"

"You're brilliant." Hermione smiled, "I don't know how I didn't see it before."

"I'm not brilliant Hermione." Ron said, "I've just learned from you."

"You're brilliant!"

"I'm not."

"Where the hell have you been?" A voice boomed from the corner. Ron and Hermione turned quickly toward the voice and smiled. It was Harry, but he was furious he stomped toward them.

"Chamber of Secrets…" Ron said simply.

"Chamber—what?" Harry gasped.

"It was Ron, all Ron's idea!" Hermione smiled. "Wasn't it absolutely brilliant?" She shot Ron a smirk and continued, explaining her version of what had happened, how they had gotten in and destroyed the cup with the basilisk fangs. There was a loud explosion and a scream and all three of them looked, worried, but then Harry began telling them how he knew where the diadem was. Suddenly the three of them set off at run as the walls began trembling again. They entered the Room of Requirement quickly.

Ginny was standing by herself looking displeased with the way things had turned out, and on the other side of the room Tonks was pacing back and forth quickly. Between then was an old woman who they all recognized as Neville's grandmother.

"Ah Potter," she said "You can tell us what's going on."

"Is everyone okay?" Ginny and Tonks interjected.

"As far as we know," said Harry quickly, "Are there still people in the passage to the Hog's Head?"

"I think I was the last one to come through," Said Mrs Longbottom, "I sealed it, I think it unwise to leave it open now Aberforth has left his pub. Have you seen my grandson?"

"He's fighting," Harry explained.

"Naturally," She said, "Excuse me, I must go and assist him." The woman ran off quickly as Harry turned to Tonks and spoke to her as Ron and Ginny exchanged quick smiles. Tonks was gone quickly and Harry turned to Ginny.

"Ginny, I'm sorry, but we need you to leave too. Just for a bit. Then you can come back in." Ginny's face lit up as she ran after Tonks, "And then you can come back in!" Harry bellowed. "You've got to come back in!"

As Harry was shouting after Ginny Ron's mind was racing. She could get hurt—but it was her choice to go out and fight… She was strong. He looked to Hermione who was staring after her friend, and he sighed. If Ginny got hurt, it would not only hurt Ginny and Harry, and his family—but Hermione too. He didn't want Hermione to be hurt—anyone who was at all connected emotionally to Hermione should be safe… but it was their choice again… he could only hope they wouldn't end up like Sirius… or Dobby—

"Hang on a moment!" Ron said sharply. "We've forgotten someone!"

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"The House Elves!" Ron proclaimed, "They'll all be down in the kitchen won't they?"

"You mean we ought to get them fighting?" Harry asked.

"No," Ron insisted, "I mean we should tell them to get out. We don't want any more Dobby's do we? We can't order them to die for us—"

Ron jumped in surprise as Herimone dropped her basilisk fangs and ran toward him. At first he thought she was going to beat on him again, but she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. Ron dropped the fangs, the goblet and the broomstick and wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off of her feet.

They both heard Harry ask something, but neither cared at that moment.

"Oi!" Harry called sharply. "There's a war going on here!"

Ron and Hermione broke apart, their arms still around each other, "I know mate…" Ron said looking to Hermione with a grin, "So it's now or never, isn't it?"