Hey everyone gracious enough to read this story. Much thanks to the reviewers, they are always appreciated. This chapter has a little less conversation than I had planned, but I think I like the product. Let me know what you think of it.

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. I think that sums it up pretty well, don't you alter ego?

Yes, I think that does quite nicely. Pity though, isn't it?

Yup.

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"Ok, let's go. Just don't mention it to Harry though. K?" Hermione said as they rushed to Transfiguration.

'God!' Ron thought. 'How many secrets must I keep for her? And for that matter, how many secrets does she have herself?'

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The last few classes of the day went by slowly for Ron and Hermione. This was due to their not-so-subtle avoidance of Harry. They didn't want him asking questions that could ruin their alibi. A couple of times, Ron had almost slipped and let out what was really going on, but received a sharp kick in the shins from Hermione when the incriminating evidence was about to leak out.

Harry wasn't taking their attempts at avoiding him very well. Sure, he'd avoided Ron and Hermione, the student body, and teachers during most of the year, but they surely wouldn't do the same to him. Ron and Hermione wouldn't do that. They'd always been honest and upfront with him. So why were they hiding something? Why were they avoiding him? What were they hiding? Did it have to do with Voldemort? If it did, surely they'd tell him. After all, he was connected to the bloody bastard. And he was the one that would have to kill him in the end.

'They don't know that though, do they?' Said the nasty voice that liked to fill Harry's head. 'You've been hiding that from them since 5th year and you've been withdrawn. Perhaps if you just told them.' 'No.' said another voice in Harry's head.'I can't tell them. They'd overreact.' 'It's not like you've given them the chance to react.'the nasty voice replied coolly. 'Oh shut it.'

It wasn't as though Harry had never thought of telling them before. He was just afraid of their reaction to the news. That is, him being the only one who could defeat Voldemort.

Ron probably wouldn't believe him at first, Hermione would probably have a conniption and then rush off to find the nearest book that might help.

'Well help isn't going to come from a book.' Harry thought bitterly. 'And I don't need them looking at me with pity every time I glance their way. I've had more that I can swallow with all their concern over Sirius' death.' Harry hadn't thought of that in a long time. He found Sirius's death was easier to deal with if he didn't. 'Maybe I should tell them. I felt better about Sirius after I talked with them about it. Maybe it'd help me deal with this too. Maybe...I'd have to tell Ginny first. She'd want to know. That's it, I'll tell them. Tonight. I'll tell all of them tonight.'

With that vow to himself, he gave his full attention to the last of his classes.

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Ron and Hermione had done their best to avoid Harry discretely. To both their chagrin, Harry seemed to have caught on to the fact, often times getting an annoyed and slightly dazed look during the last classes of the day. Both worried that no matter what they did, Harry would erupt with anger. The causes for his anger being 1) avoiding him not telling him the truth, 2) telling him and having him ticked that they didn't tell him sooner, 3) because of the news they had about Hermione's dad and what really happened to his parents, or 4) all of the above.

To Hermione, it was best to have Harry angry at their evasiveness. To Ron, it was better to have him mad because he knew the truth. However, as Ron had promised, he wouldn't tell a soul, especially Harry.

Hermione's anxiety built up every time Ron was near Harry. What if Ron accidentally let it slip? What if he told Harry? Would Harry ever speak to her again? Ron was still speaking to her even though he knew the truth, but it was different for him, the people killed weren't his parents. Would Harry understand and except that Hermione had nothing to do with her father's actions?

This thought process would often cause Hermione to listen intently to Ron and Harry's small, whispered conversations during classes. Most often, this caused Hermione to kick Ron in the shins when he started skating over thin ice. Hermione knew Ron wouldn't tell on purpose, but she couldn't bring herself to trust him enough to keep his silence.

Ron's apprehension, however, lay elsewhere.

If he didn't tell Harry the truth, and soon, he felt as though he might explode from the tension. He also knew he couldn't tell Harry in order to keep his word. This realization troubled him greatly. 'She told me not to tell Harry. She made me promise. So why can't I just tell Harry that there's something I'm not allowed to tell him because Hermione made me promise? Because you know that he would bug you about it anyway, and probably ask Hermione more questions about the secret than he already is. He'd also probably tell her that you'd slipped some of the secret to him, at least that there was a secret. 'Mione would be pissed with you. Hold on.'Enlightenment seemed to have struck Ron suddenly.'I could tell Ginny, and then she could tell Harry. That way, I wouldn't be the one telling Harry. She only made me promise not to tell him. Oh, get over it man! 'Mione would never speak to you again if you did that.'

Secrets were horrible little things that could drive a person to insanity, Ron was realizing. He'd have to discuss his point of view with Hermione and see if he could talk some sense into her. Maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to reason her into telling Harry by tonight.

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Dinner followed classes, and Ron, Harry, and Hermione were all feeling extremely uncomfortable. None of them were speaking throughout the meal, but were, instead, trying to reason out how they could relay their ideas and secrets to each other without ruining their already tattered friendship.

No one was making much progress.

But 7 o'clock rolled around quickly enough, and Ron and Hermione had to depart for detention.

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Even though Ron and Hermione arrived precisely at 7, Snape was nowhere to be found. Apparently, he had forgotten their arrangements. Since both students didn't want to face Snape's wrath if they were caught doing nothing, pulled out their built up homework from the week prior.

About an hour and a half passed and Hermione had successfully finished. Seeing that Ron was in dire need of help if he wanted to get done any time soon, Hermione began to help him with his last essay.

Once they were done, both looked around the room, hoping Snape would pop out of his hiding place and tell them to go. After waiting for about 5 minutes, though, they realized Snape might not show up at all.

Ron was secretly glad Snape wasn't there. Not only was he able to concentrate better in the silence, but he was also able to speak with Hermione in private about his promise.

"Hermione," he said, looking toward her, her head bent over her favorite book, 'Hogwarts: A History'. "Why are you reading that...wait, never mind, that's not what I wanted to talk about."

"What do you want to talk about Ron?" Hermione questioned, looking up from the title-less black book her father had sent her. Some of the its contents was scary. The book held anything from curses to charms, poisons to antidotes, and modern spells to ancient forgotten magic. Most of the stuff within the book was dark magic; the counter spells and antidotes only working if the magic didn't kill the victim immediately.

"I wanted to talk about the promise I made, you know, about not telling Harry." Ron began. "Just," said Ron, cutting off Hermione's outburst before it even began. "Just hear what I have to say. Then say whatever you want afterward. Just let me finish."

Hermione nodded. It seemed that Ron had something he really needed to say.

"Ok..." he sighed. "I understand your concern. You think Harry will explode with anger, because your father pretty much...sorry about being blunt 'Mione...but your father pretty much killed Harry's parents. But isn't that what Sirius said when we helped him in our 3rd year? That's rhetorical by the way. Harry wasn't mad at Sirius though. He knew that Sirius had made a mistake that couldn't be reversed. Everyone makes mistakes 'Mione. And Harry was able to forgive Sirius, who was one of many that contributed to the series of events causing their death. 'Mione, you hadnothingto do with it. Just your dad. Bloody hell 'Mione, you weren't even born yet!"

"Don't swear." Hermione quickly covered her mouth. The reprimand had just slipped. She hadn't intended to do it, it was just habit. Ron had paused. "Sorry, go on." She squeaked.

"All I'm trying to say, 'Mione," Ron continued in a softer voice, "is thatHarry. Will. Not. Hate you.Sure, he'll be mad that we didn't tell him when we found out, and that we tried to keep it from him, but heWILLget over it. We need to tell him 'Mione. Even if he doesn't want to talk to you or be around you or anything else, I'll always be here for you. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" Hermione didn't answer. "That wasn't rhetorical. You can speak now, I'm through."

"I understand. And...and you're right Ron. We need to tell him. He'd want to know. But—how?" she asked.

"We could have him read the letter himself. In your room. Nobody's allowed in there, so it'd be private. And we could brigade him in there if we needed to." Ron reasoned.

"It's barricade Ron, not brigade." Hermione said giggling. Sobering with resolve, she said, "We'll do it tonight. After detention."

"Yeah? Ok, great. Where's Snape by the way?" Ron asked, relieved he wouldn't have to keep the secret much longer.

"Professor Snape to you Mr. Weasley," Snape said coldly from the doorway. "unless you'd like a few more detentions." Looking away from Ron and toward Hermione, Snape asked, "Did you bring the book?"

Hermione was confused by the question. Why did Snape need to ask? The book was sitting on the table right in front of her. Pushing her confusion aside, she nodded and pushed the book toward him. Maybe he hadn't seen it.

"Don't be silly, girl. That's 'Hogwarts: A History.' Not the Book of Rancidity." Snape said sneering at the book presented.

"But Professor, this is the book. It's the black one you told me to bring, the one that had the letter in it. By the way Professor, how did you know about it? I haven't told anyone a word about it. Heck, I haven't even looked through it myself." Hermione said, her puzzlement building.

Ron was listening with much interest. Hermione claimed that the book on the table was the book Snape asked her to bring, but, to Snape and himself, it looked like another copy of her bible, 'Hogwarts: A History.'

Meanwhile, Snape remained silent, supposedly thinking about Hermione's answer and questions. "Maybe..." Snape whispered to himself.

"Tell me Ms. Granger, what contents are held within that book?" He said, ignoring her questions.

"Professor, I'd like to tell you, but I want to know first how you know about the book. And for that matter, why you want to know what's in it?" Hermione said clearly.

Ron's mouth fell open. Hermione was trying to bargain with Snape. Not only that, she had refused to answer his question. Ron had never thought she would avoid answering a question.

"Ms. Granger, you realize you don't hold the power to make me answer, let alone, not answer my question, don't you?" Snape replied, his voice frosting over with iciness.

"I'll tell you what's in it when you answer my questions." Stubbornness pulsated from Hermione. Ron knew the vibes all to well.

"Fine then. I'll just get the information I need without your cooperation.Ligimens!" Snape called, pointing his wand at Hermione. The spell hit her squarely in the chest and memories of long ago flooded Hermione's mind.

Her mother was watching her, making sure she did her chores perfectly. She hadn't, and her mother made her start all over again. She wasn't allowed to play until they were done right... She had received her letter inviting her to go to Hogwarts. Her mother didn't want her to go, but her dad talked her mother into it... They'd helped Sirius escape with Buckbeak... They were running through the Department of Mysteries... She found out Sirius was dead... She found out her father had been killed by Death Eaters... She listened as Ron read the letter about her father's role as a Death Eater... She began to ask Ron to stay with her...

'No.' she thought. 'No, you can't see that. Get'"OUT!!!" she shouted.

In a sudden whirlwind of color and motion, Hermione had removed Snape from her memories and come back to the present.

Ron had watched, shocked at Snape's behavior. Maybe he really is working for Voldemort, Ron had thought in the seconds between Hermione being hit by the spell and the time she shouted "OUT."

Before Snape or Hermione had become completely coherent, Ron stunned Snape.

"Are you ok 'Mione?" he asked anxiously. If Snape had done anything to her, he swore he would kill him.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine Ron. Just help me up." Hermione said, her voice a little raspy.

"Come on. Grab my shoulders. I'm taking you to Dumbledore." Ron said before he helped her up from the floor, holding her around the waist.