Viktor felt his heart stutter at Ron's words and his mind spiraled…

"You will never have her again…"

"I will kill her before I let you have her…."

Viktor's wand trembled as his hand shook but he looked to Harry as Harry took another step forward, his voice quivering, "Ron…. look at me." Harry whispered trying desperately to get his attention, "Ron…... Ron."

Ginny took a deep breath seeing that Harry's words were not getting through to Ron, his eyes still vacant, "Ron." She whispered stepping forward, "Look at me."

Ron tilted his head, his eyes empty, "What?" He murmured.

Ginny's voice trembled, "Can you walk over to me…. I missed you… I would love you hug." She whispered.

Ron just stared at her, his wand digging deeper into Hermione's throat, "No." He said simply, voice dead.

Viktor shook his head going to step forward, but Harry's hand shot out stopping him, "Wait…... he is not right." He murmured under his breath, "If you push him, he might get worse."

Viktor clenched his jaw but gave a soft nod waiting…... reaching his magic back out to Hermione…. Pressing all he had inside her desperately trying to wake her up…He pushed his magic to surround hers…... tighten against hers until he felt her give a light push back…...

….

Hermione felt her unconscious slowly coming alive, the pain in her back and her head throbbing in a deep beat. She felt the hard push of a wand in her throat and knew that she had to take a moment and figure where she was… what was going on. She assessed each part of her body… her back was aching but not so bad that she could not move…... the back of her head was beating but she could think… she filtered the rest of the words being flung across the room through her subconscious.

"You will never have her again." Was said in an echoing voice. "Never."

Hermione knew that voice… even if it was wrong…. Even if it was off.

Ron …

Ron had hit her….

Ron had taken her…

Ron had stopped her magic…...

Hermione kept still and frozen…... not letting the room know that she was awake…. And she took a moment to let the magic flitter across her hands pushing at the band on her wrist, trying to push past the boundary it was creating over her. She felt it move and knew that if she just pushed hard enough…. she could beat it…. But she needed a little extra help.

Hermione stopped trying to push the magic out and instead reached inside to Viktor's magic that pulsed inside her. She let her magic surround it and pushed, all of her love…. All of her heat and warmth at it until she felt it push back and pulse against her.

Viktor knew the moment she woke up…. he felt her magic fill him and he looked past Ron down to Hermione who was still and almost peaceful looking as she laid on the table…. But he could see the small flicker of her fingers at the end of band on her wrist. He could see the slight flicker under her eyelids, and he could feel her magic stroking his and finally took a deep breath.

"Mila." He whispered softly watching her fingers twitch as his words hit her.

Ginny looked at Viktor from the corner of her eye's seeing him take a deep breath and knew that Hermione was awake.

"Ron." Ginny said again, "We found Percy…... he is home again…. We are all home now…. We just need you and we will all be back together agine."

Ron tilted his head to the side, "No…... I don't need any of you… I just need her." He said, his other hand reaching up to brush Hermione's hair back. It was such a sharp contrast, one hand holding a wand that was digging deeply into Hermione's neck, the other hand gently brushing her hair back.

Hermione took a slow deep breath pulling at all of the magic inside her and began to gather it in the hand that had the band on her wrist…... pushing with everything inside her for it to break off…. She needed it off to defend herself.

She tried to do it silently… gently so Ron did not notice…... But it was too much…. To strong… the band too powerful … she need more force… more strength … So, she pushed with harder…. Harder….

And the room exploded in light as the band exploded off of her arm …

Ron grab a fist full of her hair with the hand that had just been petting her so gently and ripped her head back as his wand dug deep enough into her neck to leave a trial of blood.

"NO." He screamed, "You are MINE." He said as his hand moved from the top of her head to her neck, wrapping his fingers tightly around her throat…. clenching his fingers until Hermione began to gasp…. her fingers reaching up to grab his hand, her nails ripping at his skin.

Viktor took a step forward but Ron's other hand shot…. his wand exploding out at them slamming them out the door into the hallway, a few muttered words slamming the door closed between them.

Viktor pushed Harry and Ginny out of the way to slam his fists against the door, slamming his body against the door over and over again, throwing all of his weight against it… but the magic held it tight.

Harry pulled at Viktor's arm, "Move…..." He yelled pointing his wand at the door, "You have to move."

Viktor took a step back watching as Ginny and Harry pointed their wands at the door, whispering a spell, slamming their magic out against the door, watching in shift but not open.

Over and over again they pushed…... they hurtled their magic against the door…. over and over again…. But the door did not open… the magic holding it tight…...

They all paused when they heard a scream inside the room, their hearts freezing at the inhuman sound, before all three of them slammed their magic against the door pouring everything, they had against it…

Hermione felt herself being dragged off the table as Ron's hand clenched in her hair… falling to the floor on her back and screaming in agony when she hit. Hermione grabbed at Ron's wrist clenching tightly whispering a soft spell watching him scream as his wrist erupted in flames, blistering as he let her go.

Hermione scrambled back away from Ron, sliding backwards across the floor, her white slip dress making her trip as she pulled away.

"Ron." She whispered softly, her voice shaking as she pushed herself to her feet holding her hands out, "I need you to listen to me." She begged searching his face that had turned to look at her…... and her heart stopped at the blank rage covering his face.

Hermione shook her head and took a deep breath refusing to let her fear take over this time, she pushed back hard against the panic filling her to stand tall, "Ron." She said sharply, "You WILL listen to me."

Ron paused looking at Hermione, his eyes still empty but now twitching as they took her in… Hermione took a deep breath, her hands up between them, "I need you to listen to me Ron…. You are not ok…... there is something wrong …" She said gently.

Ron shook his head at her, and Hermione quickly remembered what Ginny would do and took a deep breath, "Ron." She said softly, eyes wide, her hand giving off a soft gentle wave sending her magic out, "Ron…. Listen to me… I need your help."

Ron shook his head at her, confusion whirling in his eyes as Hermione's magic swirled around Ron's head and Hermione let her eyes fill with the tears of fear that she had been pushing back, "I need your help." She whispered, "Can you help me."

Ron gave her a slight nod, "I can help you." He whispered taking a step forward, towards her… Hermione felt her heart stutter and she took a step back making Ron freeze and his eyes narrow.

Hermione gave a small hesitant smile, "Ron… can we go together? She asked holding out her hand, "We can go together." She promised.

Ron gave a nod, his eyes scanning the room back and forth until he landed back on her, "Yes Minnie…... you and me…... just you and me." He said, his voice scratchy and monotone, "We will go together."

Hermione gave a hesitant smile stepping closer to Ron, "Can we go back to the hotel?" She asked carefully, "My things are there…. I will need clothes and my wand so we can start fresh together." She said still moving cautiously… painstakingly slowly.

Ron narrowed his eyes and Hermione gave a soft smile, "My mother's necklace is there also… you know that she died... it is all that I have left of her." She said letting some of her tears fall, "I want it when we start our life together."

Ron shook his head as the confusion…... as the magic swirled around him, "Your mom's necklace?" He asked.

Hermione nodded, "It is all I have left of her." She whispered, "Even if that is all I get…... we can get everything else new." She whispered, "Let me just get that and we can go away together." She said stepping closer to Ron, jumping when the banging on the door started again.

Ron's head turned sharply to the door, eyes narrowing as the blank fury filled his eyes again, "They want to take you." He screamed at her, "They want to keep you from me."

Hermione shook her head taking another step closer, "No Ron… they can't take me…" She whispered, "It is you and me now… we can go now." She said taking another step towards him, her own hand shaking as she kept weaving the magic at him.

Ron rushed over gripping her arms tightly, "You are mine Hermione… MINE." He screamed out giving her a small shake.

Hermione gave a soft nod looking into Ron's eyes, "Yes Ron…... yours…I am yours." She promised, "Let's go." Her hands reaching up to touch his chest gently, "Lets go." She said letting her magic seep into her hands.

Ron gave a sharp nod, "Mine…. You are mine." He said, eyes twitching as he reached up to gently cup her cheeks, so gentle that Hermione froze for a moment, "I love you Minnie." He whispered in his old voice, "I'm sorry…. So sorry."

Hermione gave him a soft smile, "I know Ron… lets go… just you and me." She said, her heart breaking at the loss of her old friend…. At the fleeting glimpse of her old dear friend, "Ron…... we are going to go… just you and me." She said reaching up and cupping his cheeks.

Ron nodded, "You and me." He said, "I will never let you go." He promised, his hands gripping her waist tighter.

Hermione closed her eyes as the sadness filled her, knowing what she had to do, "I know." She whispered, "I know." She looked up at Ron for a moment, letting her magic expand in her hands for a moment before she slammed it out and whispered, "Stupefy."

Hermione closed her eyes as Ron was ripped away from her to hit that wall on the other side of the room, not wanting to see how badly he was hurt when she used the curse so close to him.

After a moment she opened her eyes to see him struggling to stand up, blood trailing down his face and held her hand out once more and whispered, "Petrificus Totalus." Watching him freeze and fall to the floor as another tear slid down her face.

The moment her froze the door slammed open bouncing off the wall and Harry, Ginny and Viktor rushed into the room, looking first at Hermione standing in the middle of the room crying softly, then over to Ron who was frozen on the floor.

Viktor got to Hermione first wrapping her up tightly in his arms, "Mila…. Mila.' He muttered brokenly, before leaning back to cup her cheeks, "Are you ok… did he hurt you…..." He asked his hands moving quickly as they covered every inch over her skin, moving up and down searching for injuries, his eyes wild.

But Hermione just shook her head as the tears continued to fall, her hands reaching out to Viktor's chest "I am ok." She promised, "I am ok." She swore noticing his hands shaking as he gripped her face to pull her in for a hard kiss.

Hermione melted into Viktor, feeling him surround her and gave a soft smile, "I am ok." She promised, letting her face tuck into his chest, "Just sad that I had to hurt him."

Viktor clenched his eyes closed, his hands at her back, feeling his heart breaking for her soft words…. That man…. that person hurt her over and over again… broke her… made her bleed…... and she still cried for him when she had to hurt him to make sure that he did not hurt her. Viktor's hands gently pulled her closer as he buried his face into her curls, "I was so scared." He whispered into her ear. "I couldn't get to you… I could hear you scream, and I could not get to you." His voice broke.

Hermione touched her nose to collar bone, "I am ok Viktor…. I promise." Her hands rubbing down his back gently, "I am right here… with you, and I am ok…. I promise you."

Viktor gave a small shudder as he held her tighter against him, soaking her warmth for a moment before looking up to see Harry and Ginny biding Ron up in the same chains they had used on the Death Eaters.

Hermione pulled back to see Harry and Ginny accessing Ron and gave a soft shudder, "Is he ok?" She asked quietly, feeling Viktor wrap his arm around her back and pull her closer, tucking her under his arm and into his side.

Harry looked over at her and smiled gently, "He is going to be ok, Mione… He is just knocked out." He said, "We are going to call in Molly to take him to the center they were talking about."

Hermione gave a soft nod, moving a step forward to move over to them but paused when Viktor's arm tightened on her. She looked up at him and gave a small smile when she saw the fear still rolling through his eyes, "I need to tell him goodbye." She whispered, "He is chained up now and Harry and Ginny are right there…" She cupped Viktor's cheek, "I am going to be just fine."

Viktor shook his head at her, "Not by yourself." He said sliding his hand into hers, "Never again do you have to do it alone." He gently leaned down and kissed her when she shook her head, before pulling back and gave her a fierce look, "I will stand by your side… while you do what you have to do…. not in front of you… but not behind you…... only next to you."

Hermione gave a small smile and nod, "Ok…. Next to me while I do what I have to do." She said before turning back to Harry and Ginny. She took a deep breath before walking over to lean over Ron. She gave Viktor's hand a tight squeeze before sliding her hand out of his and kneeling down next to Ron.

Viktor took a deep breath wanting to pull her back…. To wrap her up in his arms and pull her away from all of the violence and pain…... to protect her from the pain of telling her childhood friend goodbye. But Viktor knew that he had to let her do this…. She needed it…... just like she had to be the one that fought him …. to defend herself, to take back her power.

Hermione reached out to gently touch Ron's cheek, "I am so sorry." She whispered, "That I had to hurt you…"

Viktor felt his heart settle when he heard her say that she had to do it … that she was not placing more blame on herself and when he hard her voice catch and saw a tear slide her cheek, he reached out to gently place a hand on her shoulder…. Standing silently by her side, letting her know he was there with her while she did what she had to do.

"I hope that you get better…... I hope that you get the help that you need." Hermione whispered as she leaned down to kiss Ron's forhead making Viktor scowl, his chest filling with frustration. When she pulled back and whispered, "I forgive you Ron…" The room froze, Ginny looking over to Harry who shook his head and sighed. Viktor closed his eyes and clenched his jaw but smiled at her when Hermione when she looked up at him.

Viktor slid his hands into hers when she held hers out to him, "Let's go to the hotel…. Our family is waiting for us." He whispered, pulling her against him agine, needing to feel her close to him.

Hermione nodded taking a deep breath and Viktor could see the stress seep off of her shoulders and the peace on her face as she looked up at him, "I think everything is going to be ok now." She whispered stepping under his arm and laying her head on his chest, "Everything is all right now…..."

Viktor closed his eyes as he pulled her closer, still being carful of her back as he kissed the top of her head, "Yes Mila… you and me…us and the girls…. Our family." He whispered, his chest finally easing from the ache…. The tightness that had been there for weeks, "We are going to be ok…... better then ok." He promised, he took a deep breath opening his eyes to look at Harry and Ginny who gave him a nod for them to go, their wands pointed at the unconscious Ron, "Hold on tight to me, My Love…. "

Hermione pushed her face into Viktor's chest and let him carry her thought time and space, back to their family…... back to safety… and into a bright new future.