Sorry for being so damn late! I'm really sorry! It's just that I'm sooo busy at the moment that I couldn't update earlier... but I just hope that you like this chapter... and thanks for waiting... luv ya!

Chapter XLVIII

Malfoy robes were destroyed. He was not fast enough to run when Ron used the Reducto charm on a tree near him. "ESTUPEFAÇA!"

The red flash entered in the forest. It passed near Ron, but he didn't need to dodge it. "I think you're loosing your touch, Malfoy. RICTUSEMPRA!"

Malfoy was thrown feet away and hit a tree. His back was really aching. "You're being lucky till now, Weasley".

"Lucky? Do you think so?"

"Yeah. You've dodged all my spells till now".

"You forgot to say that I succeeded in throwing some on you too". Ron smiled.

Malfoy's eyes were flashing in anger. "I think I should stop playing now". He rose.

"Playing? What are you talking about?"

"You'll see really soon. IMPEDIMENTA!"

Ron jumped to the side. "I don't think..."

"IMPERIUS!"

The curse hit Ron on the forehead. "What..." He felt himself really light, all the problems were gone.

"Leave her to me, Weasley".

Ron heard a voice inside his head, a known voice but he could not tell from whom. "What?"

"Hermione. Leave her to me".

"Hermione?"

"Yes. I can give everything to her. Do you want her to be happy, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"So leave her to me".

The voice was really persuasive. "She will be happy if I leave her?"

"Yes! I'll take care of her. She'll have everything that she wants. You can give nothing to her".

"But I love her".

"No, you don't. You think you love her but you don't. I'm telling you that you don't love her".

"I... I don't? Are you sure?"

"Trust me. You don't love her. Leave her".

But, for more convincing that this voice was, another voice inside of him was telling him that something was really wrong. "It... it's not true".

"What?" The voice asked angrily.

"I do love Hermione. I love her more than everything, more than anything! YOU'RE LYING!" He felt himself falling on the ground. "What... what happened?" He looked at Malfoy, who was in front of him. "You! It was you! You used the Imperius curse!"

"I'm amazed. You resisted" Draco pointed his wand to him. "But it will not save you! ESTUPEFAÇA!"

"PROTEGO!"

Draco didn't expect Ron to be so fast. He almost was hit by his own spell.

Ron rose. "Bstard! That's what you meant when you said you will stop playing! So you know how to use the Unforgivable Curses! I bet your father taught you!"

"Of course! Did you really think that he would let me left Hogwarts without knowing them?!" Draco was rising from the ground.

"I can not let him catch me" He thought. "REDUCTO!" The tree next Malfoy exploded. His right arm and hand were bleeding. "Give up, Malfoy. You're really hurt now".

Draco smirked. "Just now? But I just started fighting! CONJUNTIVICTUS!"

"ARGH!" Ron put his hands over his eyes. "Danm!"

"Hey, Weasley, where am I?"

Ron shook his wand in all directions. Malfoy's voice seemed to be coming from everywhere. "I need to do something" he thought.

"Don't worry, Weasley. I'll send somebody to catch your pieces".

Ron heard Malfoy's laughs. "Hermione..."

"Ready to suffer? CRUCIO!"

Ron waited for the curse to hit him but instead he heard somebody yelling... and he knew that voice. "HERMIONE!" He yelled. He heard the sound of something hitting the ground. He walked as fast as he could to where that sound came from. He could not see but he felt that tears were rolling over his face. He kneeled and passed his hands on the ground, trying to find her. "Hermione, please answer. Where are you?"

"Ron..."

A weak voice came from his left side. He turned. "Hermione". Somebody touched his hand. He recognized Hermione's touch. He pulled her to him. She was shaking and mumbling. He passed his hand on her face and felt that it was wet. "Hermione, are you ok?"

"Ron... thank God you're... ah!"

"Don't talk".

They heard steps coming in their direction. Ron's vision was coming back now. Hermione turned her face to see who it was.