A/N: Written for Romione week at hpshipweek on Tumblr.


52. Fear

He's fully aware that if Voldemort lives, she'll die.

He thought he knew what being scarred was, but if he admits it to himself, he's only been scared, so scared that sheer terror washes him and he would do anything, anything, to make it stop, a handful of times.

It should come as a surprise, but it really doesn't, when it comes down to it, Hermione is always involved.

...

When he left, instantly knowing what a giant mistake he had made, he'd spend his days eaten by guilt and scared to death that something would happened to her. He wouldn't had been able to live with himself if she had ended up getting hurt, or worse, and he refused to think about it, killed.

Thankfully, when he gets back to them, she's okay. Not great, but okay. She has bags under her eyes and lost too much weight, but she is alive and he is the one that hurt her the most. He promises himself that if he makes it out of the war alive, he'll have a lifetime to make amends to her.

They get caught and are brought to Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix decides that she will use Hermione as a toy and when they forces Ron and Harry down in the cellar, Ron is sure of one thing. He will get Hermione out of here if it's the last thing he does. He trashes around the cellar, screaming and pounding the walls, anything to get to her. Nothing else exists and when Dobby shows up, he tries to breathe.

He has a way to get to her.

They land on the beach at his brother's home, the one he spent weeks at burning himself with remorse. this time is different. She's with him but barely. Hermione is still unconscious in his arms and he doesn't look back towards Harry and Dobby before sprinting towards the house.

Mere minutes transform in forever as Fleur tends Hermione's wounds. He throws up and comes back to find Hermione waking up under the potion Fleur is waving under her nose.

"Hi", she croaks painfully.

He lands on his knees beside her and cries, burying his nose in her neck.

You're alive, you're alive, you're alive.

He only knows he is speaking out loud when he feels Hermione's hands on his back, clutching his shirt.

Harry has gone to the forest to meet fucking Voldemort, his brother is dead and he doesn't understand all the emotions flooding him. What he does know is that there's a presence, Hermione, solid and warm, standing next to him and it is the only thing that keeps him grounded when the tears have dried and all he wants to do is go out and be reckless, killing as many Death Eaters as possible.

Then, he doesn't know how it possibly could, but it does, and everything is worse.

Harry is dead, but then he's alive and Ron swears he won't leave Hermione out of his sights. But all hell breaks loose, he looks around and doesn't know where she is.

He screams her name, throwing curses all around, fighting Death Eaters.

He finds her in the Great Hall, where most of the fighting ends up taking place. She is battling Bellatrix alongside Luna and sister and even though the odds are more in their favors at three against one, it's also Bellatrix and he knows Hermione is fighting her with her stolen wand. He's scared for all three of them and heads their way. Hell, he wants a piece of Bellatrix as well.

Out of the corner of his eyes he sees Neville struggling against Greyback. He looks back at Hermione, Ginny and Luna, and swallows back his fear to go help Neville.

After that everything goes fast, they stun Greyback and he turns around to go against Bellatrix only to see her barely miss his sister with a killing curse. His blood boils in his veins but before he can act on it, his mother is battling the evil witch and kills her. The room falls silent and Harry appears. Instinctively, Ron moves towards his friend to help.

I don't want anyone else to try to help. It's got to be like this. It's got to be me.

Ron stops in his tracks confused as Voldemort and Harry circle one another. He tries to understand what Harry is saying when he senses Hermione's presence beside him. Her eyes light up in understanding at the scene unfolding in front of them and he scrutinises her face, cataloguing the cuts and bruises quickly before turning back to harry and Voldemort. Harry is saying that Draco is the true master of the Elder Wand and instantly his mind flash back to that fateful day at the manor. If he recalls, though his memories are troubled still, Harry had disarmed Draco. He clearly remembers Harry yelling at him to catch the wand he was throwing him as they escaped.

If he remembers right, then it means...

Ron's heart races in his chest and understanding sinks in as Harry echoes his thoughts.

This is it.

Voldemort falls under his own curse.

They've won.

Ron grabs Hermione's hand and swears to never let go.