Disclaimer: Not mine. Although I wish it was.

Chapter 5

Hermione looked up into her boyfriend's face. "That's sad, Andrew. I'm going to miss you." With that, she shut the door of her flat in his face.

When she returned to her bedroom Ron was staring at her openmouthed. She found the tray of food on a table next to the bed. Turning to him, she lifted the fork. "Hungry?"

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"That!"

"Bloody hell, Ron! Do I need a reason for everything?"

"Hermione! You swore! You need a reason for that!"

"You were aggravating me!"

The two sat silently for a moment, until she added, "Maybe I just felt like doing something no one expected for a change, ok?"

He shook his head for a moment, but remained silent. He seemed to accept her response, because he opened his mouth so she could continue to feed him.

The two sat companionably together for a while, before Ron opened his mouth to speak. "Hermione, I need to tell you something." She raised her head quickly. "I- well, I owe you an explanation."

"What is it?" He scowled at her. She was feigning innocence. She knew exactly what he wanted to tell her! Ron gestured to his body.

"This. How this all happened. Why I'm here."

She remained silent, nodding her head for him to continue. "Hermione, I'm an auror." Her jaw dropped. This was not the explanation she had expected. "An undercover one," he continued, as if he hadn't seen her.

"But- Ron, what are you talking about? There are no such things as undercover aurors!"

He smiled grimly. "Ah. Finally something 'Mione couldn't read about in a book." She scowled, and he ignored her. "We exist. There aren't very many of us, but we're out there."

"I still don't understand." She said, the shock evident on her face.

"Let me explain. Last year, at graduation, Nymphadora Tonks approached me. I assumed she was just there to congratulate me, either for passing all my N.E.W.T.S or for defeating Voldemort with you and Harry." Now that Voldemort was dead many wizards found it easier to speak his name.

"Instead, she slipped a piece of paper into my hand. It had directions and a time on it. I assumed that I shouldn't tell you or Harry, or she would have said something."

A look of hurt crossed Hermione's face. "You never told me.."

"I know, but what would you have done in that situation?"

"That's easy. I'd have immediately- oh.." She stopped herself mid sentence. "Ok, so go on."

Ron glanced at her and continued. "I followed the directions and got to the place that night. Tonks was waiting. She explained that there was a secret group being started. The Undercover Aurors. She wanted me to join."

"U.A.'s are aurors, in every sense of the word, except that the missions we go on are more dangerous, and more secretive. We normally don't even know about them until immediately beforehand."

"So that's where you went the other night? On a mission?"

Ron nodded his head. "The owl arrived in the middle of your argument with Andrew." He motioned towards a glass of water, and she helped him take a sip before he continued.

"Tonks told me all about it. How the job was dangerous, difficult, time consuming, and could cause problems in other aspects of life. No U.A.'s have jobs- we wouldn't be able to deal with them and be ready to leave on missions instantaneously."

"Couldn't you have alias jobs? They could set up a shop, and you could all pretend to work in it or something. Or they could get you all fake ministry jobs."

"They tried that." He replied sadly. "When we fight, generally the Death Eaters find out who we are. It usually doesn't matter, because we capture them and they never see each other again. However, if one escapes, they might go after the person the recognized. U.A.'s are divided into groups of between eight and ten witches and wizards. We are to have no contact with the other U.A.'s in our group, because Death Eaters might figure out who those people are and get them too."

She nodded to show that she understood, but still looked vaguely puzzled.

"Do you remember Eric Peterson, 'Mione? He was a U.A. In the first batch, the one that had alias jobs. Goyle sr. recognized him in a raid, and then escaped. He did some research on the company Peterson worked for, and discovered the truth. By six AM the next morning all nine members of the team were dead. Their families as well."

"Oh Ron! That's horrible!" Hermione had tears running down her face. "Has anyone you know ever.. ever died?" He shook his head yes and motioned for the water again.

"We can't tell anyone what we do, including our families, because there are major safety issues to deal with."

"But you're telling me."

"I know. I must be daft." He laughed at the expression on her face. "After school I went through a two month training course. I had to learn everything a normal auror learned in years in months. Tonks was right, it was hard. But we dealt."

Hermione was shocked. So many things were beginning to make sense, but so many new questions were forming in her head. "So- so I guess you did well in this training course, because they made you an auror."

"Moderately."

"But Ron, why do we even need undercover aurors? Most problems that need solving these days can be solved by regular aurors."

"'Mione, all those days ago, when you answered your door and found me, you had your wand in your hand. Why?"

"You can never be too careful, Ron. There are still Death Eaters lurking out there, and as a friend of Harry, I wouldn't want to make myself vulnerable."

"Exactly. There are still Death Eaters out there. A lot more than people like to think. Since the end of the war, their numbers have not decreased. Not even slightly. And," he peered at her closely, "they've elected a new leader."

He saw the look of surprise cross her face, and heard her gasp. Her reaction was similar to his own just months before.

"We don't know who it is. Yet. But this person seems to be rallying more and more Death Eaters to join his ranks. Death Eaters we've captured think he'll be a better leader than Voldemort." Again, she gasped. "Unless we can figure out this person's identity soon, there will be another war. Our side is not prepared to deal with that."

Hermione had shifted her position. She was now sitting next to Ron, leaning on him, allowing them to support each other. She was also looking directly into his eyes.

"That's why I do it, 'Mione! Don't you get it? I don't want you, or anyone else I care about, to be afraid. I don't want Ginny to be afraid in school, I don't want you to be afraid to open your door, and I'll die before I see you fight in another war." His eyes flashed dangerously.

There were silent tears running down Hermione's cheeks. "But why you, Ron?" She asked. "Couldn't they- I mean, what about- "

"Harry?" He finished. "Harry's too obvious. If he hadn't become an auror straight out of Hogwarts, or decided to play international quidditch, Death Eaters would have realized that something was amiss."

"As for your other question, why me? Specifically?" He laughed almost bitterly. "Don't you get it? I'm perfect for the job. I'm intelligent, when I actually try. I'm good at the usual, everyday spells and charms that come in handy when fighting for one's life. And who on earth would ever suspect Ron Weasley- class clown and famous slacker and rule breaker, to be an undercover auror? When I tell people that I have no job they just shake their heads and feel sorry for me."

"Not everyone sees you that way, you know." Hermione hugged him, as if to prove her point. "So how did all of this happen?" She was looking at the scars still evident on many parts of his body.

"Well, I finished the training course and became a U.A. I was assigned to Tonks' group, along with six others. We've been a team ever since. Last week, I received an owl.."

Ron described the message he'd received, as well as the mission he'd gone on. When he reached the part about McHale Hermione shuddered. "You might have been killed too, and then where would I be?" He told her about his battle with Crabbe and Goyle, and about Tonks and Simon. About the fire, and the mysterious person who had tried to kill him right before the house collapsed.

"I crawled out, badly burned, and there was no sign of anyone from my group. I was in no condition to apparate or use floo powder, so I crawled here. It took me a while, because I had to stop a few times. I thought someone might be following me."

"Ron, it's a miracle you even made it out alive. And then to get all the way here in that condition!" Another tear ran down her cheek. "You could have died." She reflected on that for a moment before jumping up. "Ron, you have to tell Tonks! She's probably worried sick about you!"

"I already did." He was enjoying the surprised look on her face.

"But when? How did you do that?"

"Oh, I've got skills." He told her, emphasizing the last word. "Besides, you sleep pretty soundly."

Hermione had settled back down next to Ron. She grabbed his hand. His eyes met hers. "What is it?"

"Ron, I have another question." He nodded for her to continue. "Why me? I mean, when you were hurt, why did you come to me, of all people?"

Ron looked unsure as how to proceed. It took him a few minutes to gather his thoughts enough to speak. He opened his mouth a few times, but thought better of it each time and closed it again.

Finally he braced himself. He was ready. "Hermione, there has been one constant thing. A person, actually, that has kept me strong throughout my life. One person who makes my life worth living and gives me something to live for. That person is you."

"During the war, whenever I thought that all was lost I would just picture your face, and I would have the drive to fight again. The other night, picturing your face kept me alive. Goyle performed the cruciatus curse on me. I saw you and was able to overcome it. Visions of you gave me the strength to get out of the house."

"I knew that if I were to survive anywhere it would be here. With you. With my 'Mione." He stopped and looked down at her face. He couldn't quite gauge her reaction.

She didn't seem angry. She wasn't crying anymore. There was no sign of the smiles and laughter he had been hoping for.

Then, within seconds, every emotion besides elation and bliss, and every reasonable thought in the poor boy's head, was pushed out when Hermione unexpectedly leaned forward and passionately kissed him full on the lips.

~ Sugar High