Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Everything else belongs to the amazingly talented J.K Rowling.
A/N: the prologue was from Hermione's point of view, but the rest of the story will go back and forth between characters.
'Ron, we need to end this.'
'End what?' Ron looked confused.
'Us, this thing we have, our relationship, whatever you want to call it, is just not working out.'
He started to laugh but quickly sobered when he saw my face and saw that I was serious. We'd played the breakup game before but now I was for real. 'You're just bringing this up out the blue! Usually I at least wait for some signs that there are problems before I even think about breaking up. This is coming totally from right field!'
I smiled sadly at him. 'No, it isn't. The signs have been there for a while now; we've just been choosing to ignore them. But, Ron, we can't do this anymore. We need to move on, not cling to the past. We're not in Hogwarts anymore!'
'I know that,' he said sullenly, holding back tears, while I was fighting ones of my own. He sighed heavily. 'I guess you're right. I mean, you always are. The signs have been there.' He got up, wiping tears away. 'I'm really going to miss you.'
The finality of his statement broke the dam and the tears ran like a flood down my cheeks.
'Oh, Hermione,' he said softly and enveloped me in his strong arms. I breathed him in like expensive perfume, knowing it would be the last time. 'Don't cry. It's for the best, you said so yourself.'
I pulled back to look at him. 'I never said that.'
He laughed sadly. 'Ever the fighter. But we both know its true. And we both know that I have to leave now, or things will only get harder.'
I nodded silently. He let go of me, and without looking back, left my house and me, to go out and find a new life.
***~~~***
Hermione shook herself as she got up from her window seat. 'Stop dreaming about the past! Get on with your life!' she thought violently.
A knock on her flat's door brought her to attention. Looking at her watch, Hermione saw that it was 1:30 in the morning. 'Who could possibly be trying to visit me at this hour?' She walked over to the door and opened it, intending to give the visitor more than a little piece of her mind. But whom she saw there stopped all arguments dead in her throat.
Ron quickly walked into the apartment, and shut the door. 'I don't have a lot of time, and so I'll have to be quick. We need you to come to Hogwarts, for your safety and the safety of others.'
Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Ron cut her off. 'No, Hermione, no questions, no rebuttals. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. You're coming. Its for your own good, whether you like it or not. I'll explain on the way.'
'I'm not a fucking child, Ron. I know that you wouldn't come here unless it was important, and I trust you. I was just going to ask what I need to bring with me. Have a little more faith in me than that,' she said, arms crossed.
'Ever the fighter,' Ron replied, but quickly changed the subject when he remember the last time he had said those words to her. 'Just bring what you need because we're traveling light.'
'Done.'
Within minutes, Hermione had a bag packed, and was on her way with Ron. Her old cat Crookshanks had been apparated with a note of explanation to her parents' house.
'Why didn't you just apparate into my flat, or use the fireplace? Its connected to the network, you know,' Hermione asked, breaking the unbearable silence that had existed for the past few minutes.
'You and I haven't been on the best terms lately and so I didn't want to just barge in. Plus, that seemed a little rude. I wanted to do things properly, by knocking and everything,' Ron returned with a shy smile.
It almost broke Hermione's heart to see the smile she had fallen in love with, but she pulled herself together and moved onto a subject that was less personal.
'I still have no idea where we're going right now, and what we'll be doing when we get to Hogwarts. This sounds like a life-threatening situation, and I usually tend to mind dieing without any knowledge of what I'm fighting for and with.'
'Fair enough. Right now, we're heading to a secret location that holds a port key to Hogwarts. Once there, we'll be meeting up with others who will be working alongside us.'
Hermione's interest was piqued. 'Like who?'
Ron's brow wrinkled as he thought. 'Umm, Hogwarts staff, you, me, Harry, my brothers, Ginny, and Draco (obviously), and Remus Lupin. Oh, also, Sirius will be there too.'
'OK.' Hermione was excited at the thought of seeing Harry's godfather. They had always been good friends, but hadn't see each other for a few years. She wondered if he was still the same. Hermione snapped back to attention when she realized that Ron had quickly moved on, physically and vocally.'
'I don't want to say too much right now, because I don't know if its safe around here or not. But I'll give you some background info. Remember how we helped Harry defeat Voldemort once and for all in 7th year?'
'Gee, I don't know Ron. That time doesn't ring a bell. Tell me more,' Hermione drawled, her voice laced with sarcasm.
Ron shot her a look of exasperation and impatience, glimpses of affection and humour sometimes poking through. 'As I was saying, although we killed Voldemort, we didn't kill his inner circle of supporters. Well, at least not all of them. Turns out that they've been laying low for the past few years, making plans, waiting for when the moment is right to strike and do what their leader never could: ride the world of Harry and all of the muggles.'
Hermione gasped. 'The deatheaters are after Harry?!?'
Ron nodded angrily. 'Seems as if they have made him into this symbolic figure. Killing him embodies totally victory to them.'
'How does that make you feel?' Hermione asked shyly. It was the first time she had made any allusion to Ron and Harry's relationship and she didn't want to sound like a bitter bitch.
Ron glanced sharply at her, but his face relaxed when he saw that her's held nothing but concern and fear. 'I have tried to not analyze my feelings on that subject up to now. I should've known you'd ask.'
Already in a scared and bewildered state, Ron's comment only made her angry. 'What's that supposed to mean?' Hermione demanded, blocking Ron's way.
He brushed past, reminding her that they were in a hurry. 'Nothing. Forget it.' By that time they had reached a deserted field through a bunch of trees. Peering at the grass for a few minutes, Ron cried, 'aha!' and grabbed Hermione's hand. They picked up the crushed beer can at the same time, and Hermione prepared herself for her return to Hogwarts.
