"Here we go," Ron exhaled as they landed at the Burrow. Bill, Tonks, and Mad-Eye all walked into the kitchen, miraculously allowing Ron and Hermione some time to prepare.

"She won't win, right?" Hermione asked with a shaky voice. "You won't let her try to ... to ... end the marriage, will you?"

"No," he promised. "I won't let anyone or anything take this away."

"If she makes you choose between me and your family," she started.

"You're my family now," he interrupted.

"I want you to choose them," she told him as a tear slid down her cheek, acting as if she hadn't heard what he said. She saw him open his mouth and her chest tightened painfully as she continued, "I mean it, Ron. You love them. They've always been here for you and I won't be the reason you turn out to be shunned like Percy. I know how much it hurts you when your family is involved. I won't be mad or anything. It's my choice too, Ron, and I say you have to choose them over me. They've been here longer."

"Hermione," he said imploringly. "I love you. Please stop thinking that I'm willing to give this up; I'm not. I'll never be."

"Maybe I should just let Malfoy get me," she mumbled to herself.

"Stop it," Ron said sternly as he grabbed her upper arms and bent to look into her eyes. "I love you and nothing she can say is going to make me give that up. You're my wife."

"She's your mother."

"You have more rights than she does now. If anything," he added, "she should be begging you not to do anything drastic."

"Like marry her son?" she quipped.

"That's my girl," he smiled as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Let's go into the lion's den."

"Can we just go back to Australia?"

"Shouldn't that have been my line?" he asked with a smile.

"She liked me before now. I know it. I once heard her telling Bill that I would be family some day ..."

"She was right."

"I think the day's come a bit sooner than expected though," she laughed.

"Come on, love," he said as he placed an arm around her shoulder. "Let's get this over with."

They both took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen. The sight that was in front of them reminded Hermione of one of the scenes from that American movie. She couldn't quite remember the name of it.

Molly Weasley sat in the middle of the table at the opposite side of the room. To her left was her husband and to his left was Tonks. To her right were her son Bill and next to him was Mad-Eye Moody. Charlie, Fred and George stood off to the right and Lupin, Harry and Ginny stood of to the left.

"We're doomed," Ron groaned quietly.

"Sit," Molly told them in a soft yet commanding voice.

Both Ron and Hermione silently complied. Hermione sat to his right and as soon as they were settled he took her left hand in his and brought them to the table. Hermione's gold wedding band blinked mockingly at her mother-in-law.

"I believe you two owe us an explanation," Molly said as she indicated herself and her husband.

"For what?" Ron asked easily.

"For that," Molly said as her eyes shot down to stare at Hermione's ring. "For running off under poor Remus' nose and going of to ... to ... Australia!"

"We had no choice, Mum!"

"You certainly did, Ronald Bilius. How do you explain running off like that? Getting married! How do you plan on living! We're in the middle of a WAR, Ronald. Have you forgotten?"

"How could you even ask me that?" Ron asked softly as he rolled up his cream-colored sleeves to show his still-visible scars from the Department of Mysteries. "I'm well aware that there's a war still on." He sighed and looked back to his mother and father. "How can you condemn me for something you did?"

"Wha-?" his mother began.

"He's right, Molly," Arthur said as he took her hand, running his thumb over his wife's ring. "We did the same thing. We can't condemn them for that." He looked up and smiled slightly at his son.

"Are you pregnant?" Molly asked Hermione scathingly. "Is that the reason for running away and getting married? Are you in the family way and need Ronald to act as the father? What color hair will the baby have?" she asked in an uncharacteristically cold tone.

Hermione, tears in her eyes, took a deep breath and looked into Molly's eyes. "I'm not," she whispered, "but I wouldn't care if I was. I love your son, Mrs. Weasley. My husband. We got married because we wanted to know what it feels like to be able to devote yourself to someone completely."

"You could have waited until after the war," Molly said.

Hermione wiped at her eyes and then looked up to Lupin who gave her a sad smile and slight nod. "No, we couldn't have."

"Why not?" Molly asked.

"Because," Hermione said as she took a shaky breath, "I probably won't live to see the end of the war."

Bill's head shot up in shock. She would be willing to take a curse for Harry? For Ron? For anyone? He couldn't believe it. Why would she want to get married right before she died? he asked himself. Because she doesn't want to die never knowing what it felt like. She loves him. She really loves him.

"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked.

"I'm taking that curse, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. I won't let anyone take away the people I love anymore," she said as she looked over at Ron. "I promise we'll work something out. Taking the curse is only a last-ditch effort. I promise I won't do it unless it's completely necessary." She gave him a quick peck on the lips and then turned back to the family. "He's killed my parents. I can't - I can't let him win. I won't. Draco Malfoy is after me because, right now, I'm the most powerful weapon they could have."

"Are you the ...?" Harry asked.

"No. She is," Hermione said as she indicated Ginny. "And so is he," she added as she nodded to her husband. "It's love. It doesn't have to be romantic love," she said. "That's why I can take the curse for Harry."

"Tell us about this Malfoy rubbish," George said.

"Voldemort gave Malfoy a new assignment. He's supposed to perform a ritual, marry me, and have me conceive a male heir. Pureblood and mudblood to bridge the bloodlines and create the most powerful wizard, well, second most powerful, in this mind, this world has ever seen. Not only would it be bridging the bloodlines, but it would also be combining Dark and Light ... and, obviously, the child would have to have my mind and Malfoy's cunning. He came to my house over the summer, just a few weeks ago, to try and get it done. Needless to say, it didn't work. He's after me now."

"He's after me now too," Ron said as he slid his fingers over her ring again. She had told him the other day about Malfoy showing up and everything that happened. He had gone mental for about an hour before calming down. Okay, so she had to shag him to calm him down, but she really didn't mind using that tactic. "You weren't the only one to ruin his plan, love. I said my vows too. We're married."

"So you put him in more danger by marrying him!" Bill shouted. "Great. Just great. You were supposed to be the smart one, Hermione. You were supposed to be sensible and in charge. How could you do something so ... so ... stupid!"

"Shove off, Bill. Leave her alone. I asked her, not the other way around. She didn't ask me to marry her. I love her and I knew the risks when I had Fred and George nick Grandmum's ring for me and magick it into my trunk." He paused and looked to Hermione. "It's always been you."

"She should have said no!" Bill screamed, completely ignoring his brother. "Now they're going to kill you and get on with the ritual anyway!"

"Not if they have a child," Lupin added.

Hermione, Ron, Bill and Molly all turned quickly to look at Remus. "If the Light produces an heir before the Dark ..." he paused. "You were wrong, Hermione. Well, sort of. You actually ARE the Power ... until you conceive a child."