Chapter 25

Ron took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Hermione, and she clung onto his body in return, caressing him as if he was a soft teddy bear that she needed for comfort. Emotion flowed through her as she rested her head on his chest, remembering back when she couldn't even level up to his shoulders when she hugged him, but now she realized the brilliant thing about it: she leveled up right to his heart, the perfect place.

She broke into tears once again, and sniffed and gulped noisily, causing Ron to twitch uneasily.

"Uh…Hermione?"

She blinked her eyes a few times to rid away the tears, "What?"

"Why are you crying?"

"I don't know…For everything, I guess."

"I am so so so sorry, Hermione-"

"No, stop apologizing. Things like this happen. We're human, not robots."

"Robots?"

She smiled slightly and pulled herself back to look at him in the eye, "I meant that we aren't perfect. Nothing you do can make me stop loving you. To tell you the truth, I don't know exactly what love is. My theory is that it's caring about a person so much that you can't live apart from them, and I've always felt that for you. So if caring is love, then I love you as much as I know how."

Hermione watched Ron's face turn red second by second and opened his mouth, "Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you to-" Hermione held a finger to his lips and there was silence in the room. As their lips met, a tingling feeling rose in her fast beating heart and to her it felt like this was their first kiss. It was even better than their actual first kiss.

The heat rose as they kissed with intense passion and Hermione broke off of his lips to breath, but she craved Ron more than breathing and kissed him back instantly, groping his body all over to be as close to him as possible. Ron's lips trailed down to her neck and he kissed it with a sense of hunger.

Hermione was free of any pain, whether it was physical or emotional, that had been with her, and when Ron led her to his bed, she let go of all the tension, struggle, pain, sadness, and only left room for love in her heart.

…

Ginny glared at Tonks and folded her arms with attitude, "Why can't you tell me?"

"Because you are not in the Order, and besides, there's nothing to tell. I don't have anymore information about this than you do." said Tonks. The usual cheery bright haired witch was now sitting at her desk, arrayed with a normal face and withering dark hair.

"If that was true, there wouldn't even be an Order of the Phoenix. Come on, Tonks, you're more my friend than you are my teacher. This is Harry I'm talking about. He shouldn't have to stay in Azkaban because he didn't do anything wrong."

Tonks sighed, "Unfortunately, he did, Ginny. He used the Cruciatus Curse on Draco Malfoy."

"So you think Harry deserves to be in prison?"

"No! Of course not! But rules are rules, and the Ministry can't change them just for Harry."

Ginny couldn't believe it. Didn't anyone care about Harry? "What about the prophecy?" Ginny decided to take another approach, "How is Harry going to kill Voldemort if he's locked up in prison? Did anyone think of that when they let Harry go?"

"Calm down Ginny. I understand you're upset. We all are. This is a huge event, and it is not my call. I am a member of the Order so I can't give you secret information. Dumbledore is there at Azkaban with him, and he will figure out how to get Harry out."

Ginny doubted it. The scene from earlier had not left her mind, where she had witnessed Dumbledore do absolutely nothing when Harry had advanced to attack Malfoy. She knew Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard in the world, but if he couldn't stop Harry from attacking Malfoy, then how could he get him out Azkaban?

Ginny couldn't put her finger on it, but something strange was going on. The way Harry's anger had taken control of him like that and made him use an Unforgivable Curse just was not the usual Harry. Sure, she had seen him furious at times over the littlest things, but what he had done today was extreme. The only time that had happened before was on that day back at Grimmauld's Place during winter vacation when he'd used the Cruciatus Curse on Hermione and had fortunately missed. He sure like the Cruciatus Curse…she wondered if he had ever practiced using it before, and if he had, he was just plain stupid. Look where it got him…

"Are you alright Gin?" said Tonks, giving her a sympathetic look.

Ginny wiped her eyes and nodded. I can't let my emotions take over me. She thanked Tonks (for nothing, apparently), and left her office feeling disappointed. She was bedding on Tonks to help her but now she had lost hope for any teacher assistance.

She had no other option but to go threaten Malfoy and make him tell her what was going on. Ginny was sure that he knew about You-Know-Who's plans and was involved in Harry's 'departure'. She would not have been surprised if he was already a Death Eater, considering that Hermione had found him walking in the woods with a hood on.

Ginny made her way down the castle to the dungeons and then stood in front of Snape's office. The door was locked so there was no way of telling if Snape was in there or wandering about in the castle somewhere. She did not want to imagine what would happen if Snape caught her breaking in his office, but as she pictured Harry helpless in a jail cell, she let go of her hesitance and reached for the doorknob.

The door opened halfway and the first thing that caught her attention was a head of slimy greasy black hair hovering over his desk, examining a wide parched up piece of parchment. Ginny's eyes widened with surprise, and as Snape raised his head, she snapped the door shut. Coming in a state of panic, she ran like the wind right out of the dungeons without bothering to check if Snape was following her. Well, now there's no chance I'm going to get my hands on some Veritaserum.

Now there was only one option left.

…

It was dark. Late spring air whispered through the windows of Ron's dormitory and brushed through Hermione's chestnut hair as she brought her face up to Ron's. There was a sensation of warmth and protection being together with Ron under his cozy cotton blanket and Hermione had the feeling that if she ever separated from Ron, that sensation would wither away.

She gazed into his eyes. They were so innocent, melting, passionate, full of love, and totally free from sin. Inside, he was still the young boy that always quarreled with her on anything she could think of, and Hermione hoped that that innocence always stayed with him.

"What?" Ron said in a soft voice.

As a response, she waved her hair on his face. Ron tried to blow the hair away but it did not work, and as he moved his hands, Hermione forced them down with hers playfully.

"You're trapped, Ronnie. There is no way out."

"Now, why would I want out?"

Hermione smiled, brushed her hair away, and kissed him intensely for a minute or so before Ron gasped for some breath, "Wow, you're like a superwoman today. Aren't you tired?"

"Nope, but you are." Hermione told him, as she hugged his side so she still faced him.

"Yes, I have to say that I am. I was up all night, trying to cope with my…madness and despair," he said with amusement, "Then Quidditch was a disaster, and now, you've totally worn me out."

She digested his whole sentence but it was as if she had only heard him up to the part where he had spoken the word 'Quidditch'. As soon as realization hit her, she shot up from the bed so instantly that Ron jumped and looked at her with alarm.

"Oh my-"

"God." Ron cut in.

"I am going to kill myself! I forgot everything just like that!"

"What are you on about?"

"Quidditch! Harry! Azkaban! Ginny! Maurader's Map! That's what we were here for, remember?"

"Wow…" Ron sat up, "You're right."

"Great friends we are, huh?" Hermione jumped out of bed and dressed herself as quickly as she could, while throwing Ron his pants as a signal for him to get a move on as well.

A few minutes later, Hermione and Ron were downstairs to find an impatient Ginny walking back and forth in the middle of the common room. She marched towards the two when she caught a glimpse of them.

"They are absolutely right! Love is blind!" declared Ginny.

"Right back at ya, Gin." Ron retorted.

"At least I'm doing something productive that might help Harry get out of that place. I'll do whatever it takes."

"We're sorry, Ginny, we-uh-" Hermione opened her mouth to apologize, but then closed it and blushed.

"I'm happy that you're talking to each other again. Your destiny is fulfilled. Now, can we go fulfill mine?"

Ron snorted, "That sounded so stupid."

"Alright Ginny. What did you find out?" asked Hermione. A shadow of shame covered her face. How could she forget about Harry? Her love for Ron had overpowered her determination to save Harry…she prayed that she would not have to choose one over the other like that one day. She loved Harry, but not the kind of love that she had for Ron. It didn't mean that Harry was second rate to Ron; it just wasn't possible. Both of them were special to her in their own ways, and right now, Harry needed them.

Poor Harry…Hermione couldn't imagine how it would feel to be locked up in Azkaban with the gliding Dementors on the watch all day. Reading about it or hearing about it must have been nothing compared to the real experience. For some reason, Harry's tear stricken face at the Library kept on floating into her head whenever she thought about him. The things he had said about how life was not worth living worried her, and on top of that, Ginny's earlier comment on him almost being an orphan didn't make her feel better about Harry.

Hermione took in Ginny's words carefully, 'I went to Tonks first, but she didn't spill, so then I decided to steal some Veritaserum from Snape's office but he was in there so I ran for it. I hope he didn't follow me. Anyway, then I went near the Slytherin Common Room and just kept my ear out for any interesting conversations or for Malfoy."

"And?" inquired Ron with impatience.

"Well, I found out loads of rubbish like Pansy's with a different guy every night, Goyle still hasn't grown out his baby teeth, Bullstrode eats cat nip for breakfast, lunch, and dinner-"

"Ginny, you're rambling." said Hermione.

"-but didn't find out anything major except that Malfoy's in the Hospital Wing."

"Asshole-"

"Ron." Hermione warned him.

"What? Are you telling me you still think he's good? I know he's behind this. He attacked Harry after he got the Snitch. Why would he do that after they had already won, unless that was his plan to begin with?"

"Don't start fighting again-" said Ginny desperately.

"We're not fighting, only talking it out. I just think we should explore all of the options. Draco is not the only enemy on Harry's list." She truly believed that. Even though he had tried to kiss her back there at Hogwarts for whatever reason, it did not mean that she believed him to be the ultimate evil. Sure, she was angry with him for doing that and being the cause of their fight, but that didn't mean that Hermione should let that take over her better judgment.

"That's true, but Malfoy does have something to do with all of this, I know it."

Hermione had to agree to that. He did have the Dark Mark stamped on him, after all, so even if he did not want to do what the other Death Eaters told him, he still had to. But still, she refused to believe that he was the sole culprit.

"There had to have been some Death Eaters around." said Hermione.

"But how did they know Harry would use an Unforgivable Curse at that exact time? It's not like they knew about Harry's breakdown during vacation." said Ginny.

"Voldemort did," said Hermione, "their minds are connected at times, remember? I'm assuming they used this spell that multiplies a person's anger ten times…I forget what it's called…"

"It doesn't matter what spell they cast on him," Ron pointed out, "all that matters is that we have to beat the shit out of that bastard."

Ginny nodded in agreement but Hermione kept a straight face.

"Please don't defend him."

No matter how much they tried to prove that it was all Draco's fault, her internal judgment told her that he was not completely at fault. Just because Harry was in Azkaban didn't mean that they had to let their emotions get in their way of analyzing the situation.

She didn't want to argue with Ron right after they'd started speaking to each other, but she had to say what she thought, "No, I have to say this. I feel like this has just been bottled up inside of me and whenever I try to convince someone they all just shut me down. All humans should be given a chance. If one can turn evil, then why can't one also turn good? Didn't Snape come back to our side?"

Hermione couldn't believe it. Ron had not made a doubtful noise, smirked, or contradicted her. He was listening.

"He's just like you and me, except that he was brought up differently. I thought it was possible for him to change after seeing what being a follower of Voldemort had done to his father and realizing that he shouldn't go that way. I mean, what is the one thing we know about Dumbledore that makes him stand out from any other witch or wizard?"

"He has a world-record for the longest beard?" said Ginny sardonically.

"He gives people chances and that is what I did."

"Okay, Miss give-a-chance Granger," said Ron, "I can respect that. I'm not sure that I truly believe in him but I'll trust you for it."

Hermione was surprised. She had expected him to argue with her for hours on this but she guessed she was wrong. She went over and hugged him.

Ginny couldn't help but smile.

"So, what's the plan?" said Hermione, as she turned to Ginny again.

"Well, I was hoping you would use your special position to break into Snape's office and-"

"Special position?"

"Head Girl?"

"Oh, yes, that's right."

"And get some Veritaserum. No, actually, get anything lethal or poisoning…we could use it."

"Ginny, I'm not going to poison anyone!"

"You never know. We might need it."

"Alright, then. I'll go in the morning."

…

The vial of Veritaserum in her robe pocket brushed against her skin as she walked to the hospital Wing with frantic feet. Hermione looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was following her, especially Snape, or any other teacher for that matter. She did not want an impression of a thief in her last days at Hogwarts.

Sunlight streaked through the windows of the Hospital Wing and came straight at her face as she entered the room, hoping that Madam Pomfrey wouldn't kick her out. Hermione wasn't sure how she was going to deal with Malfoy or how she was going to make him talk, but she had to do it either with or without the potion.

Hermione spotted Draco fiddling with quills on the other side of the room. She approached him, and as she was halfway to her destination, a voice rang out, "Miss Granger! You are not allowed to be in here."

Draco's eyes shot up in alarm.

"Why not? You allow visitors." said Hermione.

"I meant friendly visitors, and I doubt you are one to him, so please, you have to leave."

"We have things to discuss that concern with the school. We are the Heads, remember?"

Madam Pomfrey shook her head, "No, I'm afraid I can't let you. He'll be out in three or four days, so you can see him then."

…

It was late evening in the Gryffindor Common Room where Hermione and Ron sat sluggishly on their couch. Hermione's body was sprawled across the couch and her head was on Ron's lap, while Ron was sitting and playing with her bushy/curly hair.

Two full days had passed and they had not gotten anywhere with their plan. Draco was still in the Hospital Wing and no other student seemed to know about what had actually happened to Harry. She was frustrated and desperate. The only way they could have gotten information was to go into the Forbidden Forest and find some Death Eaters to question.

The only positive side she could see was that they would have more time and freedom to investigate after they left Hogwarts in a week or so…well, that was a negative side too…

"Can you believe it…" Hermione opened her eyes and came back and away from her thoughts, "We're not kids anymore. We're leaving this castle next week."

Ron nodded, "Yeah. Time sure has passed by in a flash."

"We're all going our separate ways…" Harry in Azkaban, Hermione in France, and Ron in England.

"You can stay with us at the Burrow, or Headquarters, it depends. We are not separating. Ever."

"I have to go to France to live with my mum. I haven't been home-well, I guess it's homes now-for a long time."

"Switch back and forth, then."

"That would be switching three ways, and I can't do that. Why can't we just…go away far from here, just the two of us, to Australia, China…I'll even take Antarctica…"

"Sounds good to me, although I think we might have to watch out for the evil penguins."

"I wish we could…but it's just a fantasy, not a reality…that would never happen…"

"And what if I made it happen?"

Hermione stared at him, trying to figure out what exactly that sentence meant.