A/N: I've been neglecting my story. I'm sorry. I'm just dealing with a lot. School, bad SAT scores (eww!), and so much more. On top of that, no Valentine this year. Sad? Not really, I hate the holiday, but maybe that's because of my lack of Valentine…Anyway, let's focus on some people who have actually found their true loves.

Hermione knew where this would lead. She saw the look in Ron's eye as he studied her, leaning, bound against the wall that Snape had leaned her against. His wand was aimed at her. This would surely set off the murderous nature that Ron could rarely keep in check. In a split second, Snape had muttered the spell to set her free. She hadn't been expecting it, and just as she called out Ron's name to stop him causing Snape any bodily harm, she fell to the ground. She hurt. She supposed that being snatched out of the fire would have its effects, but now her head was swimming. The danger and adrenaline had left her system, and she was just tired. Pushing these thoughts aside as Ron moved towards Snape, she spoke in a fatigued, but firm, voice.

"Ron!"

Ron stopped and looked at her. As she had anticipated, the tone of her voice caused him to turn. He glanced between her and Snape, and Hermione could all but see the thoughts forming. He was warring with fighting Snape and moving to her side. It was a tough call for him, and just as he moved toward Hermione, the fire popped once more and people began to pour through the grate. First Harry, then Lupin, Ginny, Tonks, McGonagall, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Bill. This was not going to make it easier for her to explain. AS the group streamed into the room, Hermione took advantage of the confusion.

"Ron," she said again, beckoning to him, "Help me up."

He was at her side in an instant. She beamed internally knowing that all she had to do was ask for his help, and he was right there. With arms that struggled to be gentle, Ron pulled her into him, holding her close. And so tightly that Hermione thought at once that she couldn't breathe and yet she never wanted to again. She clung right back as the Order surrounded Snape. Sighing, Hermione knew that she would have to explain.

"Ron, there's something--"

But before she had finished speaking into his ear, she was pulled away by Ginny. Ginny took her friend by the shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"You're all right, then," she said, nodding.

"Hermione, what happened?" Harry asked, standing next to Ginny a look of fierce concern on his face.

Hermione felt the possessive arm that Ron snaked around her waist, and looked from his face to that of Harry's and Ginny's. These people cared for her. Enough to track her down and come after her. That feeling infused her with warmth, despite the ache that coursed through her system. She heard raised voices, and glanced past Harry's shoulder. Sighing, Hermione saw that the Order had closed the circle in around Snape and were all shouting at him simultaneously.

"Listen, I have something to say," Hermione said, gesturing toward Snape.

"Did he hurt you?" Ron asked, his eyes darkening dangerously.

Hermione would have stared with awe that she inspired in Ron the need to defend, but she knew him too well, and knew that once he started in on Snape, there would be no reasoning with him. She had to say something now.

"No," Hermione said, pulling away from him, "I need to tell everyone."

She winced as she attempted to move into the room, and Ron moved instantly to support her.

"Maybe you shouldn't…" Harry began, but was silenced by both a look from Hermione and an elbow from Ginny, "Right," he muttered, "Silly me. Concerned for you. Shouldn't worry myself."

"Oh stop that, Harry, I appreciate the concern. I just have something that needs to be said," Hermione said, heartened by Harry's mumblings.

"Everyone!" Hermione called, but the shouting continued, "Hello! I need to say something! Hello!"

Put out by the lack of attention the Order was paying her, Hermione sighed, "Oh, honestly, they're all yelling about me, aren't they? You'd think they'd want to know my story!"

She opened her mouth to shout again, but Ron gave her a gentle squeeze and yelled, "Oi! You lot!"

The noise puttered out, and the group turned to look at Ron, seeming upset that their ranting had been interrupted.

"Don't look at me like that," Ron muttered, "Hermione wants to talk to you."

"Thanks, Ron," she whispered, then addressed the room at large, "I know you think that Professor Snape had something to do with this…but he didn't."

"I wondered when you would think to tell them the truth, Miss Granger," Snape hissed, "Took your time, didn't you?"

Hermione ignored him as the dubious looks passed among the adults in the room.

"Are-are you quite sure, dear? I mean, if Severus didn't bring you here, who did?" Mrs. Weasley asked, still red in the face at the thought of someone she counted as an ally kidnapping one of her children.

"It was Bellatrix Lestrange," Hermione said, and launched into the whole episode. Once she had finished, she was literally about to collapse, but she was determined to answer everyone's questions.

"Miss Granger," McGonagall said briskly, "I need you to tell me every detail you remember about what Lestrange said. About You-Know-Who, I mean."

Hermione trembled with fatigue, but nodded weakly, prepared to retell the tale. But Mr. Weasley and Lupin cut her off.

"Minerva," they said at once. Mr. Weasley gestured to Lupin, indicating that he should say his bit.

"Minerva," Lupin continued, "I believe that Hermione has done a tremendous job just now. Perhaps there is somewhere she could lie down. After all, Severus could give us the account as well as Hermione."

McGonagall glanced a bit suspiciously at Snape, but nodded, "Very well. Severus," she addressed Snape curtly, "Do you have a bed in this excuse for a home that Miss Granger and the rest," she indicated Harry, Ron, and Ginny, "could retire to for a bit?"

Snape nodded and gave the group directions to the upstairs room. Though they were less than thrilled at the idea of moving to Snape's spare room, they began to move up the stairs. Hermione, however, gave a small, strangled noise and lost her footing all together. Ron caught her up in his arms, and cradled her against him. She was sound asleep before they reached the landing.

Hermione remembered a nightmare. One in which she had been forced to lie about her relationship with Harry. She had been bound. And slapped. By the woman who had killed Sirius. Then there was Ron. Just Ron. Ron holding her. Ron's chest as she rested her cheek upon it. That wasn't part of the nightmare, but a part of the dream. The wonderful dream. Sighing, she remembered the feel of Ron's well-muscled chest against her face. She rubbed her cheek against it in her dream, and found that the hand that stroked her hair was not of a dream. Her eyelids fluttered open and she found herself lying in bed, sprawled across Ron's chest, his arms tight around her. She saw in the tattered armchair that looked as though it had been partially fixed by a hasty spell, Ginny and Harry, twined together, watching her. Hermione looked up and into the blue eyes that were swimming with love and concern.

"You okay?" Ron asked Hermione, his voice firm.

: She simply nodded and buried her face into him. She could stay here. Right here, forever. But, no, there were things to be done. So many things. After, she thought, after the war was over, this would be all she would do. Just lie with him. Forever. But, for now, there were things that should be straightened out.

"He's on our side. I know that for sure now," Hermione spoke into the silence. She knew that these were not the first things that her friends were expecting, but it was important.

She received a grunt from Ron and a noncommittal noise from Harry, but Ginny sighed, "You're right, Hermione. Doesn't mean I like him. But you're right."

"He's scum," Ron said.

"Yes," Hermione agreed, "But now he's scum that saved my life."

Ron stiffened at the thought, but Hermione sat up, leaning against him.

"No, it's true, Ron," she said, "She would have killed me, I know it."

"She hit you," Ron said, fury rumbling in his voice as he drew a light hand over the bruises that were blooming on her temple.

"Oh, please, Ron," she said, brushing it aside, "I've had worse."

"I know," he sighed, "That's what bothers me. I can't always protect you."

"Ron," Hermione said, looking him in the eyes, "You know what I thought today is that all I have to do is call for your help, and you're right there. I knew the entire time today that you would be here for me. Knowing that you would try as hard as is humanly possible is enough for me, Ron. Enough to get me through."

"It's not enough for me," he said so softly it was nearly a whisper. They were so close together now. But all Ron could think of was that he could have lost her again. Why did he always come so close to losing her? And before he could contemplate that, she had leaned forward and kissed him. It was a deep kiss. A kiss with so much behind it that it stopped the blood from flowing through Hermione's body. She realized that she was wrong immediately. The blood was there. And it was hot. She wanted more, needed more. The kiss went deeper, and Hermione knew that if she didn't stop soon, more was going to happen here than she was ready for, more than she had planned on. And she didn't care one bit.

"Wow," came a voice so distant that Hermione was ready to believe she had imagined it.

"Um, hello! You two!" Hermione realized that she was hearing voices. Harry and Ginny! She had forgotten! She pulled away from Ron, saw that his eyes were dark with something that was equal to what had turned her system upside down.

"Harry, Ginny, go away," he said in a voice low and dangerous with the same emotions and urges Hermione was feeling herself. He moved to pull Hermione back to him, and she would have gone willingly. In fact, she would have seconded his idea that Harry and Ginny go away and leave them to it. But Ginny moved to the bed, and sat right on the edge.

"Well, then, let's not talk about how disturbing it is to see my best friend ready to jump into bed with a guy, let alone that it's my brother she's wanting to jump with, but we have things to talk about. Not to mention Mum is right downstairs. Along with many other members of the Order who would probably react badly should they walk in on this. Now, suppress your hormones for a moment, please."

Ginny finished her dignified speech and watched as Hermione pulled away from Ron, flushed with embarrassment. Ron just looked disgruntled.

"Thanks, so much guys. SO glad you could put your hormones on hold. Now, we need to get back to the topic at hand. Snape's on our side. We know this now. We also know that Voldemort isn't ready for the Final Battle any more than we are."

"R-right," Hermione stuttered, trying to regain her composure. How could she have let that happen? What had she been thinking?

"Well, that's all we've learned," Harry said, trying as hard as Hermione to retrieve some small bit of focus after the mortifying display he'd just been treated to. His two best friends. He shuddered. They were great together, but he didn't want to see it.

"Not necessarily," Hermione said, her matter-of-fact tone back in place, "We know that Voldemort's been suspected that Snape hasn't been faithful. This would imply that perhaps Snape isn't being given access to all the information we thought he was. Maybe they're feeding him wrong information. In that case, we should alert the Order. They should double-check all information that's been passed along recently."

"Right," Harry said, still not liking the idea that Snape was on their side.

"That's about it, I'm afraid," Hermione said.

"I suppose," Ginny said, and just as she was searching for a new topic of conversation, the door opened. Hermione was thoroughly glad that Ginny was sitting on the bed with her and Ron or else she was sure the look on McGonagall's face would have turned from its expression of determination to one of disapproval.

"What is it, Professor?" Ginny asked.

"Well, I wanted to thank Miss Granger for keeping a cool head today and delivering important information."

"Oh, you're welcome, Professor. IT was no trouble at all," Hermione said.

"No trouble? That's rubbish, girl! You're lying there weak as a kitten because of what you went through today. And that's why I've come to ask if you lot are up to traveling tonight."

"Of course," the four replied.

"Why?" Harry asked, sitting up in his chair.

"Because it is far past the time that we pay Mundungus Fletcher a visit."

A/N: OK, I wanted some hot and steamy with Ron and Hermione. So shoot me. It's because of my lack of boys at the moment. Plus…it was fun. OK, so please review.