AN: Still don't own these fantabulous characters.

I know this is a pretty short chapter, but my teachers seem to expect me to do my homework. Mom and Dad do too! Thank you for all the nice reviews. Hopefully, I can sneak another update in later this week.

Severus paced back and forth trying to figure out how to question the young man and woman sitting in his office. How could he not have known, how could no one of known. It didn't seem possible.

"Sir?"

"I'm sorry Harry. I have been privy to some rather disturbing news and I am having trouble figuring out how to proceed. I am however, hoping you can help explain something to me."

"I can try, but I need to know what you are talking about first."

Closing his eyes and letting out a sigh Severus fell to his chair, "I know who is continuing to hurt Hermione, but I don't understand how or why."

Harry looked over to Ginny before looking at his professor. He had a feeling in his stomach that told him a friendship was about to die. Holding onto Ginny's hand he hoped for her sake he was wrong, and even though he knew the answer he knew he had to ask, "who Sir?"

Severus looked at Harry and saw the understanding in his eyes. Allowing his eyes to fall on Ginny he felt a need to shelter her from the truth, but when she looked back at him and nodded for him to continue he understood that she also knew what the answer was going to be.

"Ronald. I'm sorry I know he is your best friend Harry and Ginny I can't even imagine how you must feel about this, but it's who I saw when Hermione allowed me to look."

Harry shoved his hand through his hair and then pulled Ginny into a hug and whispered how sorry he was into her ear. She gave him a small smile, but then looked over at Professor Snape not wanting to believe him, but the look in his eyes told her it was true.
The three of them sat in silence trying to understand how and why Ron would do this.

"How?" Ginny's whispered question broke the silence and Severus looked over to Harry, "That is what I am hoping Harry can help us with."

"I can try, but I'm not sure I'll be of much help."

"Right now I'm just trying to figure out when he would have become tangled up with Deatheaters. I can't imagine he could have kept to many secrets from you or Hermione while you traipsing around after horcruxes and living in a tent."

"No, we tried to give Hermione privacy for, err... well you know, but your right if he had the mark I would have seen it."

"Plus the three of you were always together..."

Harry shook his head, "no Sir. Ron left us for a time. He didn't think we were going fast enough we had a pretty big fight over it, and he missed his family so he went home."

Ginny looked over at Harry confused, "he never came home Harry. My Mum would have told me we were so worried about the three of you."

Severus stood back up and began to pace again, "when he came back was he different?"

"I suppose, but I thought it was because he felt as though he abandoned us. Over compensating a bit by trying to do more around the camp things like that."

"Still you didn't see a mark on him?"

"No, is it always on the arm?"

"As far as I know, but The Dark Lord didn't share all his secrets with me. I suppose he could have had other methods of marking his followers especially if he needed a spy."

"Why though Harry. I know my brother is rash and stubborn and has a temper, but why would he turn to the people we were fighting against?"

"I don't know."

"Voldemort played on people's weaknesses. If they wanted power he offered it to them. If it was fame or fortune he would have promised it. Most never stopped to think about what his promises would cost them, and many didn't care. They were in it for the rewards they thought they deserved. Harry you will always be known as the boy who lived and the boy who defeated Voldemort, but Ronald would always see himself as the boy who was in your shadow."

"She was his weakness. He asked her to chose..."

Ginny looked over at Harry, "what do you mean?"

"He asked her to come with him, but she refused. She said she couldn't leave me to do this alone. She chose me over him. Maybe I should have told her to go. She would have been safe."

"No Harry it was Hermione's choice to stay and it was the right one. The only person to blame for what is happening now is Ron himself. My brother made his choice, and right now the only person I'm worried about is Hermione. Sir, how is Ron continuing to hurt her? How did he gain the knowledge or skill? I mean this is my brother we are talking about. Mr. is it time to eat yet? five minutes after we just ate."

"I'd wondered about that too, but I did a bit of checking. It would seem his girlfriend was at the top of her class at Beauxbatons. I am assuming she is guiding him, why I don't know."

"Sir you said Hermione let you look, but I didn't think she knew who was doing this so how did you see?"

"She doesn't Harry. My guess is she is refusing to see. Refusing to believe one of her best friends would do this. I only saw because Love told her I could."

"Love," both Ginny and Harry asked together.

"Yes, Love it seems as though Hermione summoned Love during the final battle. It's where her power to heal everyone came from."

Ginny smiled, "The unnamed princess."

Harry looked at her confused, "my brothers used to tell me the story of the unnamed princess when I was little. I think they wanted me to have a story where the girl was the hero. Anyway, a long long time ago their was a princess whose love was so pure for her friends that she was able to summon Love to protect them. Her ability to summon Love defeated the evil wizard because... OH! Love always wins... Love will win it's what she chanted to all of us. Harry the love she had for all of us the love she shared..."

"Her love defeated Voldemort. I was just her wand wasn't I?"

Severus watched as Ginny and Harry figured this out. Harry would always be the chosen one, but he hoped one day people would understand what Hermione did for their world. He simply nodded at Harry.

"Someday everyone will know Sir, but right now I think it's time we told her about Ron."

Severus led them to the room of requirement upon reaching the room and pacing waiting for the door to appear he wondered how the young woman on the other side would handle this new information. Whispering softly he asked for Hermione's ocean and held the door open for Ginny and Harry.

Harry and Severus both started to walk towards Hermione, but Ginny placed her hand on Severus and stopped him, "I know you love her and all you want to do is run to her and hold her, but it's Harry who has to tell her. I don't know why, but I know it is."

Severus looked over at Harry who was still making his way towards Hermione and nodded. He knew Ginny was right, "do you care for a walk Ginny?"

"That would be agreeable Sir."

When Harry finally reached Hermione he just stood and stared at her not knowing what to say, but when she gave him a small smile he fell to his knees and pulled her into a hug.

Ginny and Severus looked over at the two of them. There was such a connection between the two that it almost took ones breath away. Ginny could tell her professor was feeling a bit out of sorts.

"There will always be a connection between the two of them that you and I will never understand Sir. In a way they remind me of Fred and George. They seem to be able to know what the other is thinking and feeling, and quite often they can finish each others thoughts. There was a time that I was jealous, but although the love they share is special I know he is in love with me. Just as I know she is in love with you."

"Thank you Ginny."

Ginny looked over at her boyfriend and best friend, "come they are ready for us."

Ginny and Severus walked over to where Harry was holding Hermione. The tears streaming down both of their faces told the story. This was heartbreaking for both of them, but when Harry looked up at Severus his eyes showed steely resolve, and as much as Ginny loved her brother she knew that the three of them with the help of people in this castle would help bring him down and give Hermione the peace she deserved.