A/N: I am apparently on a writing role tonight! Here is chapter 7 and it is *most likely* the second to last chapter of this story. That doesn't mean I won't take the story line into a new story (because I am considering it) but I haven't figured that out yet. Anyway... here is a very emotional chapter and I can only hope that I did it justice. You'll notice that the ending is mostly between Ron & Hermione as they settle a few things. It wasn't easy to write since I love Ron (I pretty much love every character) so I didn't want to put him in a super negative light, but I think this worked...

I would also like to thank the people who have been leaving reviews - they mean the world to me! I am so happy that you are enjoying the story and I apologize for the cliffhangers, I know they get frustrating, but I appreciate that you are coming back. If you would please leave me another review - particularly about where I should go next. I know it will be a sort of epilogue, but the question becomes how far into the future will it be? A few weeks? A few years? I haven't figured it out yet.

I better get back to my homework and studying - I've neglected that all day and I have exams on Tuesday! Eeek! Here is your story!

As instinct, Harry used one arm to push Hermione aside and with the other he pushed Hermione aside. She tried to fight him, to stand between the two men, but his arm would not move.

"STOP IT!" Hermione yelled at both of them. Her heart ached as she watched the two men stare daggers at one another – the whole situation reminded her of their fourth year at Hogwarts when Hermione was in the middle of the fighting boys. But that time felt so far away now – they were just children then. And now they were adults and things were unraveling quickly.

"Goin' to hex me then?" Harry called out.

"Count your blessings I don't kill you!" Ron yelled back.

"STOP IT! Please! Stop it!" Hermione yelled between them. She was still fighting to get between them, but Harry wouldn't allow it. He wouldn't allow her to get between them while a vengeful Ron held his wand out.

"OH SHUT IT!" Ron yelled at her.

"Leave her out of this!" Harry hissed back.

"Leave her out?" Ron said sarcastically! "How could I do that? Apparently, breaking my sister's heart wasn't enough for you, but you had to do it with MY girlfriend!"

"Ron, please just listen and try to understand!" Hermione pleaded.

"Understand? Understand? I'll show you what I understand!" Ron yelled.

His arms were shaking and Hermione suddenly felt a huge pang of guilt hit her. She had led him on for all of these years and caused him so much more pain than necessary. She was watching their friendship unravel at the seams and feared she may never be able to repair it.

Hermione was quickly pushed out of her thoughts as Ron began to utter a spell and as if instinct, Harry pushed Hermione out of the way, and as he did so, he cast a protection charm on her that left her in a cloudy light blue box.

Simultaneously, Harry shouted a defensive spell at Ron. But Ron was quick, and moved to a new spell just as quickly. Before Hermione knew it, the two men before her were dueling.

"STOP IT!" She yelled, her voice becoming hoarse from the strain. "STOP IT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT! PLEASE!" she begged. She began banging on the walls of the enchanted box she was in, but neither of them seemed to notice she was there.

"When are you going to stop this!" Harry yelled at Ron as he dodged another spell. But this seemed to almost fuel the fire of rage in Ron.

"CRUCIO!" Ron yelled, aiming the spell at Harry. But Harry was quick and dodged it.

"STOP IT!" Hermione yelled from inside her protective box. She tried to shoot disarming spells at Ron, but the protective charm around her made them less effective. "PLEASE!"

"Playing dirty, are we Ron!" Harry shot back. He cast a binding spell that missed Ron by inches.

"Want to talk about playing dirty, Potter! Let's talk about sleeping with my girlfriend! BINDIA SERIO!" Ron yelled.

The spell hit Harry square in the chest. He was flung into the air and slammed into a tree a few feet behind him as chains began to tighten around his body, leaving him bound to the tree. Harry struggled to get free, but he couldn't.

"AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE SACRIFICED FOR YOU, YOU HAVE TO TAKE HER TOO!" Ron yelled at Harry. He was a deep shade of red now and his voice was rough from screaming.

"I DIDN'T TRY TO!" Harry yelled back, still struggling to get free.

"I GAVE UP EVERYTHING FOR YOU! I WAS WILLING TO DIE FOR YOU! You knew the ONE thing I cared about more than anything was Hermione. But the amazing Harry Potter just couldn't handle not taking one more thing from me!"

"RONALD, PLEASE!" Hermione begged. Tears were streaming down her face now and for the first time, she thought Ron might just kill Harry.

"I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS EITHER!" Harry yelled back, trying to get Ron to see his perspective.

"REALLY? You didn't ask for it? You had a bloody girl, Harry! Or did you forget my sister all of a sudden? What are we to you? My family took you in and supported you through every horrific task and NEVER did we ask anything in return! I lost my brother! Mum and Dad haven't been the same since but they found solace in the fact that he died in Harry Potter's war!" Ron was heaving heavy sighs now and trying to fight back the sobs that were threatening to escape his lips. Hermione could see a few stray tears falling down his cheeks.

"And YOU!" He screamed, turning now to Hermione.

"Ron…" Hermione half pleaded with him. She could see the hurt in his eyes and she hated knowing that she caused it.

"After my family took you in for years, after I helped you look for your parents in Australia, after you refused to move in with me, after I begged you to marry me and you still said no! I should have known. Couldn't have Harry Potter so you took me? Pretending you loved me for YEARS and then you waited until he was going to marry my sister before you made your move – that way you can hurt the whole Weasley family! Is that it, Hermione? Couldn't handle taking me over the precious hero, Harry Potter!"

"No… Ron…please…" Hermione pleaded.

With a flick of his wrist, Ron released Hermione from her protective cage and stared her straight in the eye and lowered his voice so only she could hear.

"Well, you can have him. I wouldn't want to stand in the way of your precious romance. After all, I only waited patiently, waiting to marry the one person I love more than life itself! But I guess the last thirteen years don't matter to you," Ron said quietly. Each of his words cut through Hermione like a razor. A silence fell upon the three of them.

Ron walked a few feet away and just as he was about to apparate, Hermione broke the silence.

"YOU LEFT!" Hermione screamed. Ron stopped and opened his eyes, glaring at Hermione.

"You left us! You left me! I waited for you for weeks not knowing whether you were alive or dead. All I did was cry and wonder where you were and whether you were alright. I hated it. I hated not knowing anything! It KILLED me!" Hermione said, half yelling and half sobbing. Her face was splotchy and red as hot, angry tears rolled down her eyes.

"And that gives you the right to sleep with him!" Ron bellowed back.

"I had no one else, Ronald! I was alone and terrified that we wouldn't make it out of this alive or that we'd be on the run forever! I was lost and confused and frustrated because no matter how hard I searched, I couldn't produce a valuable lead. He was there for me, Ron. He was the only person who was there for me when you left."

"So it is my fault then?" Ron jolted back sarcastically.

"No," Hermione's voice softened a bit. "I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to fall in love with someone else. I tried so hard not to but…it happened." Hermione finished quietly. She looked down at the ground again, feeling ashamed. She had truly never meant to hurt him or anyone else, but it had happened. And she couldn't take it back.

Ron continued staring at her intently, and then he put one finger under Hermione's chin, pushing her face upward. Her eyes met his and she could sense him searching her. She stiffened for a moment, afraid, but then he cupped her cheek with his hand and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Oh, Ron… I really do love you…" Hermione began.

"I know," he replied solemnly.

"I tried so hard…" Hermione said between sobs.

"I know," he said. He took a steadying breath and gulped back the tears that were threatening to overflow. His thumb began rubbing Hermione's cheek gently and as she stared into his eyes, she knew he understood.

She brought covered his hand on her cheek with her own as she tried to stop herself from sobbing. Ron broke his eye contact with her and gently kissed her on the forehead. When he met her eyes again, he gave me a weak smile and she knew that somehow, he had forgiven her.

Ron walked over to Harry, who had been silent and watching the whole time. With a flick of his wrist, the chains around Harry began to disappear and he stood in front of Harry, his expression unreadable.

"Take care of her, will ya?" Ron said quietly.

Harry nodded in response.

Then Ron reached out his hand to Harry, and Harry stood staring it in shock, and then he finally took it. They shook hands, which felt rather formal, and then Ron left.

Hearts break and hearts wait

To make us grow fonder

Then our eyes cry and souls sigh

So that we know that it hurts.

"Now & Then" by Adele