A/N : Thank you one and all for your thoughts over the last chapter.

Court : I hope you enjoy the twists Ron is going to bring to the story. Thanks for your review.

pgoodrichboggs : I am really sorry about the date. That was meant to be a disaster. Trust me it was so hard for me to kill that moment for them. Maybe we can find out why that happened in this one. Thanks for your support.

White Bishop : First of all my extreme gratitude for your honest review. I also appreciate sending your thoughts as anonymous, giving me an opportunity. When I have written that particular date scene in the last chapter, my intention was to raise an ambiguity in Hermione's character. I wanted everyone to think that she had gone completely mental (as Ron would say) to behave in that way. Hopefully, this chapter should provide some clarity. I always look forward to your thoughts. Thank you once again.

And all my love to those who followed and tagged this as their favorite.

A fine thread

Truth - I

Ronald Weasley sat at his usual table at the Leaky cauldron. He had just returned from his mission. It was quite a tiring day for him. He ordered for his regular drink and slumped down.

"Tough day Ron," Hannah Abbott approached the table with his drink. "You are later than usual."

"It doesn't matter. It is always the same," Ron said taking a long sip. His eyes were red indicating his lack of sleep. He looked fatigued and abandoned.

"Ron, it seems like you need rest or a friend's company," suggested Hannah. "Do you want me to call Harry?"

"Nah. He won't come," Ron said dejectedly. "Don't you know Hannah? They all hate me," Ron said chuckling mirthlessly.

"What happened Ron? Why did you become like this?" Hannah asked with concern filled eyes.

Ron just waved her off, "How's Neville?"

"He's good. We're good. He is finally pursuing something that he likes. I know that he does not get much time, but whatever little he gets, he comes over here," said Hannah with a smile on her face.

"I am glad you both found love in each other." Ron squeezed her hand and finished his glass. "Life's not fair." He simply tipped the rest of the liquid down his throat. He smacked his lips and looked at the landlady, "You have to cherish what you got. You never know when it is going to be ripped off. Don't worry about me but I would be very happy if you could get me a refill," he said showing his empty glass.

Hannah gave him a concerned smile and moved to the counter. As Hannah moved away, Ron was lost in his own thoughts. He felt a tiny hint of warmth near his chest. This was not new for him. It happened from time to time but Ron did not pay any attention. He slowly rubbed his hand over the spot and waited for it to subside. But to his annoyance, the heat did not subside, it steadily grew. A suspicion began to stem. He took the galleon from the front pocket of his shirt. It was pretty hot to touch. His eyes grew wide as he saw the message on it. His heart thudded in panic. He hastily stepped out, ignoring Hannah's calls. Once outside, the little galleon started glowing blue and Ron felt a tug in his navel, as the galleon turned portkey took him to the girl he loved.

It took a moment for him to realize where exactly was he. The remnants of the moonlight were still there in the sky but it was dark. But even in that light, his eyes couldn't move from the unconscious figure on the ground. He sighed heavily and approached her.

"What have got yourself into Hermione?" he gently spoke lifting her. He groaned when he realized she was lighter than the last time. He looked into the face of the girl he still loved. He wondered what she was doing here at this hour. He looked around to gather any clue, but he couldn't find any except for some boots. He frowned when he noticed there were two pairs.

He calmed himself thinking about what needed to be done first. He ignored the second pair of boots and gathered Hermione's. He slid both of them onto her feet. She looked peaceful than she ever was. He brushed the curls from her face and gently kissed her forehead. Without wasting another moment, he pulled her into him and disapparated out of there.

Taking the cover of the darkness he had directly appeared near Hermione's house. He went forward and lightly knocked on the door. Not too later, the older lady, Jane opened up the door.

'Mr. Weasley," the shock was evident on her face.

"Jane, could you open the door a little wider," Ron said pointing to Hermione in his arms.

She gasped but recovered soon. She let them in and her eyes swept over her. "Oh my dear child!" she said caressing Hermione's cheek. "Did she come to meet you? I thought she was in her room," she asked Ron her eyebrows scrunching up in confusion.

Ron didn't answer her as he carried her prone form upstairs. Jane followed him trying to assist him. She opened the door to her room and removed the covers. Ron placed her on the bed and pulled her covers up till her shoulders. She was still dead to the world. He kissed on her cheek and pulled back.

Jane was waiting for him in the room. Ron turned towards the older woman and said, "She didn't come to meet me. I found her on the beach like this."

"What was she doing on the beach? I thought she was asleep in here," Jane voiced her doubts.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Ron replied.

A dejected sigh was the only reaction from her. "I can stay with her if you wish to leave. You know she is going to be upset if she comes to know that you stayed up with her."

"Not this time, Jane. She cannot avoid me this time. You go ahead, I will stay with her." Ron politely refused her offer. He moved to the armchair by her bed and settled in it. She nodded and turned towards the door but stopped in her steps as Ron called after her, "Thank you so much for everything."

"Please, you are embarrassing me. If anyone has to say thanks, it should be me. I cannot imagine where we would be without her," she said somberly and exited the room.

"I imagine you would be in the same position as I am, totally lost," Ron muttered. He gave her unconscious form another look. He leaned his head back on the chair closing his eyes, getting ready for another sleepless night.

Draco jolted upright on his bed. His head was pounding. He tried to stand up his but body did not cooperate. He toppled off but took the support of a nearby table. His feet hurried him to relieve his morning urges. Once that is done he came back to his bed and flopped down on it. He let his mind wander over the events of the last night.

Draco didn't reach his cottage until the colors of dawn painted the sky. He took a vial of dreamless draught, and collapsed on the bed. But once the haze of sleep was lifted, all his evening with Hermione came back in full force. His rage-addled mind lost all sensibility. One side of his mind urged him to rush to her house at that very moment and demand an explanation while the other side condemned him to never speak to her again.

But amidst those aggravating feelings, a spurt of guilt was also creeping up his mind for leaving her like that alone on that beach. That combined with a tiny bit of concern on seeing her unconscious in the arms of none other than Weasel made him a bit restless.

Draco felt like his brain would explode with all that thoughts. He wanted to clear his mind and he heard the downpour of rain from outside. He shot up from his bed, put on his active gear and was outside in no time.

The rain had an unknown cleansing property. Draco experienced this whenever he tried to clear his thoughts. The harsh downpour prodded his mind to rethink his strategies.

He returned home after 2 hours of a vigorous run. He got rid of his clothing that was drenched in rain and his own sweat and stood under a hot shower. The scorching spray singed his numb skin. With every hot spray of water, he was getting flashes of Weasley lifting the prone form of Granger. He scrubbed his skin until it was raw. He knew he was not going to rest until he reached the bottom of it. He exited the shower with a resignation and contemplated what should be done next.

Draco got dressed for that day in his usual full-sleeved muggle style wear, covering all the reminders of that blasted curse. He didn't even know if she was going to be there in their house. Did Weasley take her back to London? There were a lot of questions that were eating him away and he needed answers. But he has to start at some place. Everything seemed muddled. With a huff, he apparated to Cook's lookout.

It was afternoon when he reached his destination and rain had said goodbye for that day. He began his walk to Hermione's place. As he entered the compound he saw nothing out of place. Jack was sitting on the steps that lead into the house playing with some kind of magnets.

The boy looked up as Draco approached. Jack looked confused, as Draco didn't greet him in his usual cheerful manner.

"Hello Draco," Jack said.

"Hi," said Draco looking into the house trying to gather any kind of hint of Hermione. He didn't see her but Jasmine was sitting in one of the corners engrossed in her book. He sighed and looked at the boy who was looking at him with a confused expression.

"You're looking for Hermione," Jack said. Draco knew that was not a question.

"Where is she?" Draco asked.

"She's upstairs."

Draco was relieved. He felt some kind of weight had been lifted off his chest. His fear that Weasley might have taken Hermione away had been eating him away since last night. So Jack's revelation put him at ease.

"Ok, that's good to know," Draco said moving into the house.

"You know that she's…", Jack's voice was cut off by Jane.

"Mr. Malfoy," Jane called.

"Goodmorning," Draco looked at her and wished her.

"I was looking for Hermione," Draco said flatly as he tried to move upstairs.

"But she isn't here," Jane said abruptly placing herself between the blond and stairs.

"Is that so?" Draco tone was menacing. He stepped back and looked directly into her eyes and said, "I perfectly recall that just a moment ago Jack mentioned that she was upstairs."

Jane looked alarmingly outside where Jack was seated. The boy still sported the same confused look.

Draco's aggressive tone brought Jasmine's attention to them. Her eyes shone brightly at the sight of Draco. She skipped to him and gave him a hug, "Draco".

"Are you here for your date with Hermione?" she asked excitedly.

Draco groaned at her declaration.

"Date?" Jane exclaimed in a shock filled voice, but what shocked Draco was a gruff voice stating the same expression from the top of stairs.

Draco turned to look at him. His gray eyes were narrowed at Weasley's sight. He curbed an expletive that threatened to escape his mouth, at his realization of kids' presence.

"Weasley," he nodded.

But Ron Weasley stood there with a shocked expression. He recovered quickly and strode down the stairs and held Draco's collar in a fit of rage. "What are you doing here, ferret?"

"Mr. Weasley," Jane admonished pointing to the frightened faces of Jasmine and Jack who had joined Jasmine looking at the adults.

"Sorry," Ron mumbled and glared at Draco.

Draco raised his chin in defiance.

Ron started moving outside his whole body was shaking as tried to control his anger. He approached Draco and growled in a low tone, "Outside now."

Draco turned to Jasmine giving her a reassuring smile and followed Ron outside.

When Draco reached outside, Ron was pacing frantically from side to side. At the sight of the Malfoy heir, Ron lunged at him. But Draco took a threatening posture.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Weasley. Those kids are not too far from here. I honestly doubt they may even be peeking from one of the windows."

Ron's face turned as red as his hair.

"So you have known where Hermione was all this time," Draco said putting considerable distance between them.

"Oh! Hermione, is she now? Don't call her, like you are her friend."

"You don't know many things Weasley", Draco said calmly. "So you have been hiding this fact from everybody. Even from your best friend. Potter's been wallowing and you didn't even care about him. What a wonderful friend you are!" Draco released his rain of sarcastic barbs.

"I don't need friendship lessons from a snake like you," Ron glared at him, but Draco didn't flinch.

"A Slytherin would never abandon his friends and family when they are in need," Draco's defensive mood kicked on.

"Then what are you doing here? I know that you handed over everything to somebody else. Is that not dereliction," Ron said folding his arms over his chest.

"That's a big word for you, Weasley. Do you even know the meaning of it?" Draco said leaning into his relaxing pose.

"Get the hell out of here, ferret. And stay away from her. I don't have the faintest idea how you found her. But you don't deserve her friendship. She wants to spend some quiet time away from everything and you had to come and ruin that too. Didn't your family have done enough for her?" Ron's words pierced Draco's ego and his anger shot up.

"Your girlfriend didn't tell you about me? We have been meeting since a month and she really seemed to have a great time," Draco goaded him.

Ron's ears were literally smoking after hearing Draco's words, "Get away from her Malfoy. She doesn't need friends like you. Don't ever try to meet her again," Ron said pointedly and tried to move inside totally ignoring Draco.

"Fine, I have no interest in her anyway. I just wanted to know how was she doing? It is very unusual that somebody loses their consciousness just like that."

Those words stopped Ron in his tracks. "How did you know she was unconscious?" Then his eyes widened as the realization hit him. "Were you with her last night?" Ron asked. When Draco didn't answer, Ron yelled at him, "Was that you with her last night?"

"What if I was? It didn't mean anything, at least not for her. You bloody Gryffindors are all the same. You preach noble things but you don't even try to follow them. You talk about courage, but when the time comes you people run like the cowards you are. You blame us for holding prejudices while you are doing the same. Even after these many years you still see me as a typical blood purist and Voldemort follower," Draco burst out.

"When did you find her?" Ron asked his voice taking a little toned down attitude.

"Not long ago," Draco said.

"Then why didn't you tell anybody?"

"She asked me not to."

Both of them stood on the other ends without talking. But both of their minds were at work. Finally, Ron took the big step.

"Let's take this someplace else," said Ron. "Do you know any?" Draco agitation went down as Ron extended the metaphorical olive branch.

"I assume you won't be comfortable coming to my place," Draco said picking some imaginary lint from his dress.

"You got that right."

"Fine then, follow me," Draco said as Ron fell into step behind him. He wanted to make sure that nobody would be made aware if one of them loses control with their wands. He had just the right place in is mind. Because he did not trust himself around Weasley and he was definitely sure that he also felt the same.

They reached Cook's lookout and Weasley's face became alarmed as he saw some of the larger cobwebs.

"What's this place Malfoy? Your summer house?" Ron said looking around warily.

"Maybe. But I am sure it is in better condition than your haphazard arrangement of things that you call home."

"Malfoy, do you really know the meaning of home? It is not a place where mummy and daddy hold meetings with a madman."

"If you are here to keep on mocking my upbringing, then I have better things to do," Draco got annoyed and started to leave.

"Relax, ferret. I am not going to let you out until I get the whole story. You may as well make yourself comfortable," said Ron slumping down on the ground.

Draco grimaced at Ron's gesture. He scourgified the area with his hidden wand, and sat down on the floor. Ron closed his eyes and let out a mirthless chuckle.

"What?" Draco asked.

Ron scoffed and shook his head. "How did you find her?"

"Look, Weasley, I know what you are implying. Whatever you may think, it was just a coincidence. What I am doing here is my own business, I don't need to tell you that." Draco turned his face to the other side masking the assault of emotions acting there.

Ron looked at him and took a deep breath,"I know about you Malfoy."

Draco closed his eyes hearing those words but did not leave his mask of arrogance. "Are you going to gloat about it?"

"Maybe."

"Potter told you?"

"I figured you would be directly coming to that conclusion. But it was not him," Ron corrected.

"Then who. Weaselette?" Ron chuckled.

Draco got furious.

"Now are you going to name every person until you get it right? But you are wrong again. But let me save you the trouble Malfoy. I came to know from Blaise."

"Blaise. As in Blaise Zabini?"

"Do you know any other?"

"Why would he tell you?"

"Let's say, we had become some sort of friends".

"He never told me," Draco accused.

"Some things were never meant to see light."

"Huh! I don't even want to know what you mean by that," Draco said cringing.

"So you just met Hermione by coincidence and started dating her?"

"Dating? Who said that?" Draco asked alarmingly.

"You said that. Rather Jasmine said that", muttered Ron as Draco recollected the previous conversation.

"No, we aren't. But we have become some sort of friends," Draco said leaning back on the wall.

"Does she know about you?" Ron asked.

Draco shook his head. "My healer told me, that Hermione was working on the curse before she left. I won't deny that my hope renewed after seeing her." Draco did not miss the shock on Weasley's face when her given name rolled off his tongue with a practiced ease.

"Are you trying to convince me that you haven't tracked her in search for your cure," Ron asked pointedly.

"Think whatever you want. I have accepted my fate. I wasn't looking for her," Draco said nonchalantly dismissing his accusation.

Ron seemed to be contemplating his words. "Didn't the healer tell you why Hermione left?"

"No, he didn't? But Hermione told me the reason for her departure". Draco explained.

Ron suddenly stiffened. "She did?"

"Yes, of course, she told me that she was looking for some quaint life," Draco said making sarcastic air quotes.

Ron neither confirmed nor denied Draco's words. He sighed and leaned back on the wall. "I guess, you could say that. She definitely needs some peace in her life."

"Whenever I pose a question about her life, she dodges it. And who are those kids?" Draco poured out the questions that were lurking in his mind since the day he saw her in the bakery.

Ron smirked but did not answer him.

"Then let's go to her. We will finish this for once and all," Draco said rising from his sitting place.

"Sit down Malfoy, She is not in a position to respond," Ron said pulling Draco by his wrist.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked his face scrunched up in confusion.

"She is still unconscious, completely dead to the world around her. Give her a day or two. Hopefully, she will be ready to boss you again," Ron said rubbing his temples. Draco looked at Ron's face thinking he might be playing some kind of joke. But his face remained same without any hint of humor.

"What do you mean Weasley?"

"She's dying." The words echoed in the empty corridors of the abandoned ancient building as Draco's world shattered into billion pieces.