Ron sat in a room somewhere within Malfoy manor, as he had come to learn was the name of his penitentiary. He was finally released from the curse that made him a prisoner within his own body. He cried silently to himself as he stared at the stars outside his room knowing that Hermione couldn't see them from where she was. He recalled the events that led him to this time.

He had just slapped her. He didn't mean to and didn't want to but he did. It wasn't his fault. Then Voldemort started talking. "Let's get down to business then" he had said with a devious smile on his face.

Ron noticed out of the corner of his eye Hermione crying hysterically. He knew things were about to get much worse than they had thought they were. She clearly knew too.

Voldemort turned to Ron. "Now Weasley, I heard that you have perfected an unforgivable curse. This makes you an excellent candidate to help pry some information out of this mudblood. That's why I was glad to see that you arrived with Bella, saves me from doing all the dirty work." Then he turned to Hermione. "As for you, you aren't so lucky. What did you do with the book after you read it?"

Hermione stiffened. She was beginning to shake in fear but still spoke. "I burned it" she practically whispered.

"You burned it you say? Now why would you do a thing like that?"

Her eyes darted around the room looking for any possibility of an escape. She didn't appear to find any as she responded "So you would never find it."

"Well that was your biggest mistake now wasn't it? Weasley perform the Cruciatus curse on her for her 'mistake'."

Ron's heart sank as Voldemort spoke these words to him. He was about to do the unthinkable to the girl who he had just admitted to loving. He tried to fight his impulses but they weren't his to control as he received a wand from the man that controlled him. The time seemed to slow down the moment he felt the wood in his palm. Hermione looked into his eyes as they silently pleaded with him to not do it. He was the last person she wanted to cause her pain and he knew that.

His arm rose. He noticed the reflection of himself in her eyes. That boy in the reflection was not him. It looked distant and cold. Before he uttered the word that would ruin his life he noticed Hermione's eyes lose all hope. He saw the girl he loved disappear right before him as she became hopeless.

As the word left his lips she crumpled to the floor in pain because of him. Ron wanted to die that very moment. He had done the unthinkable, the unforgivable. He would never forgive himself. He wasn't sure if Hermione even would.

"Release her," Voldemort commanded and Ron's curse ceased to affect the girl that lay on the ground. "And what was in those books?"

The girl on the floor remained still as she spoke "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Don't play smart with me girl! You don't have much time. The more you delay the more pain you feel from the hands of your boyfriend" Voldemort retorted very angrily.

Hermione sat up, her body still in pain with some lasting effects of the curse that she had just been released from. "You can't hurt me anymore than you already have" she spat back. "You've done your worst."

"We have only just begun," Voldemort responded. He conjured a knife and handed it to Ron. "She has yet to scream, why don't you make her?" It was then that he realized that she hadn't screamed when he had cast the unforgivable curse on her.

He felt the coldness of the knife in his hands. Once more he fought his own body, trying to stop the actions of the knife as it was being thrust forward into Hermione's shoulder. He screamed as loud as he could but not a sound could be heard. He tried to cry, cry like Hermione was crying as the blade was pulled out of her. Not a tear formed in his eye. Blood however was on his hand, her blood.

He was snapped out of his thoughts. He had control of his body now and the tears were falling uncontrollably. The blood was washed out of his hands but he could still feel its warmth, a constant reminder of his actions. He couldn't bear to think of all the other things he had done to her. All the blood she lost because of him. He fast forwarded to when he left her alone.

Ron was in disbelief of what had happened. He was scared for Hermione's well-being as her body ached. He would never forgive himself for doing such awful things to her. He would never forget the look in her eyes as all the hope left them. Hermione wasn't in there when he left her. Instead he left someone else there, someone who needed help.

Draco led Ron into a room that was furnished. It contained a bed, windows, even a bathroom. He had no idea why he was being treated better than dirt. But his questions were soon answered by the boy that led him there. "You may be a blood traitor but you're still blood" he explained. "The Dark Lord believes that as long as you're under his control that you should be treated properly and kept at your strongest."

"What about Hermione? Is she back in the dungeon?" Ron questioned Draco, a slight quiver in his voice.

"Yes," he stated bluntly, "she is still a mudblood and will be treated as so."

Ron stepped farther into the room. He didn't dare to try to escape while Draco was still there, that might make things worse on himself and Hermione. A question popped into his head. "You don't still believe this foolishness about her being muggleborn do you? I mean you've seen all these horrible things and you still want to become a Death Eater?"

Draco looked stunned by the question. "It's not that simple Weasley. It's in my blood. My father is well respected and I cannot defy his legacy. No I don't believe that you or Granger deserved to be treated this way but I have no other option and I'm sorry." With that Draco headed out the door but not before leaving Ron with some parting words. "Don't try leaving this room. It'll be magically sealed. If you try then Hermione will be hurt. I'm going to get her now and bring her to the dungeon." The doors closed leaving Ron to his solitude.

He lay down on the bed and looked out the window. He wished on the stars to find a way to get Hermione out of there, to heal her emotional and physical wounds that he induced. He wished for peaceful dreams as his eyes drifted closed.

A/N: I felt really inspired while writing this chapter and I would really appreciate your reviews on it. Thanks for all your support thus far.