When Hermione arrived at her family home, she was greeted by Mr. Weasley and Bill. "Where did Mrs. Weasley go?" she asked.
"Oh, erm, we sent Mum home," Bill said, glancing at his father. "Reckoned it would be easier if she wasn't here fussing over you."
"Be honest, Bill. It's dangerous here. You don't want her here any more than you want to be here yourselves. Bill," she said, looking over to him, "go back to the Burrow as well. You have a fiancée to tend to. You've already fallen victim to Voldemort and his followers once." She stopped and looked at Mr. Weasley. "I know it's going to be harder to convince you to go, but I'll be fine. Really. I can't ... this is something I have to do on my own." She paused as there was a knock on her door. She moved to it and found one of her neighbors. "Mrs. Smith," she said.
"Oh, Hermione!" the old woman cried. "Thank goodness you're okay. You were in Surrey when it happened, right?"
"Yes, ma'am," she replied.
"Dreadful, really. I could hear the screaming but didn't know what it was. I called the police as soon as I heard it. But they were already ..." she stopped and looked at Mr. Weasley and Bill. "And who are you?"
"Oh, uhm, we're friends of Hermione's," Bill replied uneasily.
"What happened to your face, dear boy?" she asked.
"Attacked by a dog, I'm afraid," Hermione responded. "Just a month or so ago."
"So sad indeed, dear boy," she said, patting Bill on his disfigured cheek. "Now, how do you know our dear Hermione? You look too old to be courting her," she said, eyeing Bill once more.
"My youngest brother is actually courting her, ma'am," Bill said.
"It's not that awful boy that came here last summer, is it? The one who was terribly rude and far too hands-on?"
Mr. Weasley looked like his head was going to explode. Hermione jumped in, however, with, "No, Mrs. Smith. It isn't Draco. And he wasn't trying to court me anyway," she added in an undertone.
Before she knew what was happening, Bill had pulled her by the arm into another room. "What the hell was Malfoy doing here last summer and why didn't you tell us he was here?"
"It wasn't a big deal. I took care of it."
"What did he want?" he demanded.
"To kill me, I expect," she shot back, pulling her arm from his grasp. "But I wouldn't let him in and it was a nice enough day where everyone was outside. He didn't hurt me."
"She said he was too hands-on."
"So he put his hands on me. So what? He didn't assault me. He didn't touch me in any inappropriate places. He didn't kiss me. It was ... nothing happened, Bill."
"You'd better tell Ron before I do," he shot back.
"You have to give me time then. I can't owl until I'm settled wherever you're hiding me." She stopped and looked at him, "Which is completely ridiculous, mind you. They can't touch Harry or anyone in that house. Wouldn't I be safer there?"
"You'll be safer a Grimmauld Place."
"SNAPE KNOWS WHERE THAT IS!" she screamed.
"He doesn't. He knows the general location. Calm down, Hermione, please. I need you to calm down," Bill implored.
"I want to be with Ron."
"You can be with him at the end of the month."
"Damnit, Bill, I want him NOW! Don't you understand? They're trying to kill me! I want my boyfriend!"
"Don't you realize that if he's with you they'll kill him too? Do you think I want my baby brother being killed just because his girlfriend wants to see him?" Bill shot back angrily.
Hermione recoiled as if she'd been slapped. Bill advanced towards her, trying to apologize, but she backed further away. "You're right," she told him in a soft voice. "You're absolutely right. I can't ... I can't believe I didn't think about that in the first place." She turned to walk out the door but paused and looked back at him. "Please leave my home."
As she heard the crack, she turned and walked back to Mr. Weasley. "Mr. Weasley, I respectfully request that you leave. I'll no longer be a burden to you or your family." She paused and took a shaky breath. "Please forgive me when I say that you are no longer welcome in my home."
Hermione allowed a tear to roll down her cheek as Mr. Weasley, against his will, disapparated.
When Mr. Weasley arrived at home he took in Bill's haggard appearance and sighed. "She kicked you out too, eh?" he asked.
Bill nodded and wrapped his arms around Fleur. "I may have said something to upset her."
Harry and Ginny walked into the room and frowned at the looks on the adults' faces. "What happened?" Harry asked.
"Hermione kicked us out of her home," Mr. Weasley replied, ignoring the gasp from his wife.
"What did you say?" Ginny asked, rounding on her brother.
"What makes you think it was me?" At her doubtful look he replied, "I may have said something about her not being able to see Ron because I don't want my little brother being killed because his girlfriend wants to see him."
"Oh, Bill, you didn't," Molly said while coming further into the room. "Please tell me you didn't actually say that."
"Sorry, Mum. She didn't even hesitate to kick me out." He looked over to his father. "Reckon she kicked you out too?"
"Cried as she told me I was no longer welcome in her home. Said she'd no longer be a burden to our family."
Ginny started crying and Harry quickly wrapped his arms around her. "It'll be okay, Gin."
"It won't, Harry. She ... she kicked our family out. She'll be a sitting duck. She has no protection anymore. Dad and Bill can't go over there at all," she said.
Harry rubbed her back before looking up to Mrs. Weasley. "I still can't apparate on my own. Please take me over to Hermione's house. And leave me there. I'll convince her."
"It's too dangerous, Harry," Bill said.
"If you hadn't gone and put it into her mind that anyone who goes near her is going to die then I wouldn't have to go over there," Harry spat at Bill. "Don't talk to me about danger. That's my sister over there and she's probably crying right now because of you."
"And because she had to use a memory charm on her neighbor, I reckon. I disappeared right in front of the old lady from next door," Arthur said.
"Damnit," Harry swore under his breath. "Take me to her, please," he begged Molly.
She looked to her husband who slightly nodded and grabbed Harry by the arm. "I'll be taking him back to Privet Drive after he visits with Hermione."
Ginny nodded and gave him a slight wave that he returned.
He disappeared along with her mother.
When they arrived at Hermione's Harry asked Mrs. Weasley to go into the kitchen and make some tea. She reluctantly agreed and Harry stood at the bottom of the stairs. He knew her room was upstairs and that's where she most likely was.
Climbing the steps cautiously, he made his way to her room. The door was slightly ajar and he heard muffled sobs from within. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and entered. "Hermione? Are you okay?"
"Go away," was the muffled reply from a bushy head of brown hair and a pillow. "You're not safe here."
"I'm not safe anywhere."
"You're safe at Privet Drive," she said, lifting her head slightly off the pillow. "Please, Harry, don't make me ..." her words were cut off by the Silencing charm he placed on her.
"I didn't want to have to do that but you already barred Bill and Mr. Weasley and I don't want to take that chance. Now, I will lift the charm but only - only - if you promise me you won't kick me out." He stared at her until he saw her shoulders slump and she nodded her assent. "Good," he said as he muttered the counter-charm. "Why did you kick the Weasleys out?"
"I'm a danger to them."
"Why did you really kick them out?"
"I told you, Harry. They're in more danger if I'm near them. Especially right now."
"You're afraid," Harry accused.
"Of course I am, Harry. Don't be silly. Everyone's afraid," she said.
"You're afraid to be with Ron."
"That's ridiculous."
"You don't want to lose him or let him lose you."
"Of COURSE I don't want to lose him, Harry. I love him," she confessed.
"Bill played on your deepest fear, didn't he?" Harry asked in a soft tone. "You wouldn't let yourself love Ron because of the danger we're in and when you finally give in, here comes his prat of an older brother saying that him being with you is like a death sentence." He paused and reached out to her. "Hermione, that's all rubbish. You're the one who convinced me to get back with Ginny. Stronger together than apart. You told me that. Why should a different rule apply to you?"
"Because I'm not the one you love so it doesn't make a difference."
"What?" Harry asked. "Just because I'm not in love with you doesn't mean ..." he paused, "I don't know what this is all about, 'Mione. Why ... I mean, you and I were never ..." he trailed off confused.
"Harry, loving Ginny will save your life, hers, and the rest of the wizarding world's. Me loving Ron will kill him faster. Don't you see? Ginny is the Power, Harry. Your love for her and hers for you is going to save everyone."
"Wouldn't that mean she has to die though?" he asked in a panic.
"Not if you two properly cast the spell I've been working on with Professor McGonagall and Remus."
"You've been ... developing ... a spell?" he asked.
"Yes, and you'll do well to learn it when it's done. We've been testing it for a bit of time. Neville had helped a bit. Almost killed me once, he did," she laughed at the memory. "He was so scared that he'd really offed me."
"You let Neville cast the Killing Curse on you!" he cried.
"Only a couple of times. His aim wasn't that great. Soon enough we let Remus start trying to kill me."
"But ... you ... you could have died! Why couldn't they have cast it at someone else? And why was Neville there and not us? And if it only works for love then how in the hell ...?" He stopped when Hermione held up a photograph of him and Ron. "A photo can help?"
"All you have to do is think about the person you love when you recite the incantation. Everything after that is ... well, nothing, really. You're protected by her love and she by yours."
"I want you to cast the spell with Ron."
"Ron won't be at the battle, Harry. Because I'm going to cast a spell that keeps him at a very far distance away from me. And you'll do the same with Ginny. I'll be by your side and they'll be safe somewhere far away," she told him vehemently.
"Ron had a similar plan for you, you know," Harry said with a smirk.
"Ron won't be able to cast it on me because I'm going to cast it as soon as you leave. And I'll never lift it. I'll teach you how to take it off Ginny, but only the caster can remove it." She offered him a slight smile. "Well, I'll have to lift it on your wedding day," she smirked.
"Wedding? Bloody hell, 'Mione, we've just gotten back together. Give me some time before you plan the wedding," he laughed.
"I'll give you a couple of months," she smiled. "And make sure you ask her to Bill and Fleur's wedding. She'll like that."
"You'll have to lift the charms for that too, you know," he said.
"I can't. I won't ever look at Bill Weasley again."
"Hermione, he didn't mean ..."
"He did, Harry. And he was right. I'm a danger to Ron. He's in enough trouble being who he is, a Weasley, but add me in there? I'm the match that sets the wick on fire. Bad things will happen if I'm around. I'm an excuse to kill two birds with one stone," she told him.
"Please don't talk like that, Hermione. You're the closest I've ever had to a sister and I don't want it to ..."
"Harry, it'll be fine. I'm not letting them take me away. I'll be here. Right now, Charlie is the only one who will have access to me after I set up the wards on the house."
"Charlie Weasley?" Harry asked in shock.
"Yes. If anyone knew where Percy was it would have been him. Least likely to have contact with the family. I know he won't go blabbing," she informed him.
"Don't do it, Hermione. It'll kill him."
"Charlie?"
"Don't be thick. Ron. Don't cut him out of your life like I tried to do with Ginny. It'll make you sick to your stomach and wish the ground would open up and swallow you whole. Don't let him win. If you end things with Ron, he wins. That's a little less love in the world. Dumbledore wanted more love in the world. Don't cut yourself off, 'Mione. It's not worth it."
"What if it gets him killed?" she asked.
"Your love will save his life like Ginny's will save mine. Don't let this slip away. You'll break him and you won't be able to put him back together when this war is over. Love now."
Suddenly, Hermione threw her arms around Harry and tucked her face into his neck. "I love him so much. It kills me that I could be the reason for his death. I don't want him to die."
"None of us do. We'll all be okay, Hermione. I promise."
"You can't promise that," she told him.
"Fine. I'll do everything I can to make sure ..." his words were cut off by a scream from downstairs. It was Molly.