A/N: I just realized that I made this chapter a lengthy, than expected. Oh well! This si the final chapter for the PoA part of this story, then we move on to GoF! (Yay!) Thanks to JeanAndBilius, arabellagrace, notsing, fons19 and the mysterious Guest, for the amazing feedback! Now, I have exam coming up this upcoming Monday and for the rest of that week. I'll try to write the next chapter right away, unless I have to review my notes.. *Cries* Anyways, let's get this chapter started! CONGRATS TO NOTSING, FOR BEING THE LUCKY 40TH REVIEWER!

\\Get ready for the amount of Romione in this chapter!/

Warning: Swearing :O

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from HP. Guess who owns them? Queen J.K. Rowling, that's who!

Chapter 15 ~ The Beast Within

A boy with wild flaming red hair sat leaning against a tree, staring off at the distance of the Black Lake. His memories were filled when he was in his 1st year. He sailed along the wide area of water, along with his only friend at the time, Harry. He remembered the chilly breeze flying in his face. He closed his eyes, trying to relive the moment.

Ron made an excuse to both of his friends that he had to meet Hagrid, but he didn't. Instead, he wanted some time alone, outside instead of the trio's headquarters.

He ran his hands through his hair and saw someone near the Black Lake. He sniffed the air, trying to find the scent of the mysterious figure near the lake.

He smelled like blood and piss. Ron almost threw up by his inspection of the figure. Instead of staying back, he went to approach the stranger to scare him off of Hogwarts. He used every ounce of his Gryffindor courage to approach him.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing here?" Ron said to the stranger. He turned around.

Ron couldn't believe his eyes.

The man wore a shredded black robe, exposing his abs. He had nasty yellow teeth and black eyes. He had locks of black hairs covering the back side of his neck.

It was him.

"SHIT!" Ron yelled out trying to escape him, but Fenrir got the better of him. He took hold of Ron, who struggled to try and escape from his grasp.

The strong stench of blood and piss filled Ron's poor nose and lungs.

"Hey, kid. Glad to see you all healthy and shit.." He threw Ron on the ground. Ron fell on the rocks and pebbles. He stood up trying to fight back. He threw a punch at Fenrir, but he caught his fist in midair.

He held onto Ron's wrist rather tightly, making him wince in pain. His wince sounded like puppy in pain.

"Come on, lad, It's time you transform!" Fenrir said grasping a hold on Ron tighter.

"Unless, you wanna see her in pain!" Fenrir smiled, showing off his sharp nasty teeth.

"Get the fuck away from her!" Ron broke free and punched an uppercut straight on the face, making him fly in the air. Ron took this chance to run away from him, trying to find professor McGonagall. He spotted him and run to her.

"Professor! Fenrir, he's here.." Ron breathed out. McGonagall looked at Ron with wide eyes.

"Let me tell the trolls to patrol the outside.." McGonagall said briskly, and she disappeared without hast. Ron panted and panted, gasping for air.

'He wouldn't dare to lay a finger on Hermione..' Ron inwardly told himself.

"That was brilliant!" Ron exclaimed with amazement. Hermione blushed and commented on her punching Malfoy, "They felt good.."

After Hermione and Ron were finished blushing at one another, they saw an axe lifted up in the air.

A shriek of a high pitch voice filled the air. If Hermione had a chance to let out all of her leaking emotions, she would've been screaming bloody murder.

Hermione gasped at the sight of the beheaded Buckbeak. She hugged Ron around his neck. Ro, being a tall bloke, slouched down a bit, so Hermione could get the full hugging experience. Hermione cried on Ron's shoulders. He could feel her panting with warm air on his shoulders. Ron held Hermione close to him, leaving Scabbers a nice escape.

"Scabbers!" Ron yelled out, chasing his rat. He grabbed Scabbers back. "You bloody rat.," Ron mumbled under his breath. He sat on the grass as he held into his rat tightly.

Hermione gasped at the sight of a black wolf right behind Ron's back. Before Harry was the one to warn Ron, Hermione beat him to it. "Ron! Look out!" Ron however, was too late to run away. He was grabbed by his leg.

The an images form of Sirius Black had his teeth grasping on the helpless red haired boy.

"Harry! Hermione!" Ron was being dragged down to the entrance of the Whomping Willow. Harry tried his best to reach out for Ron's sweaty palms, but he was too late.

"St-stay away from them.." Ron slouched while walking, ready to defend Harry and Hermione from whatever the hell was happening. Ron was losing blood, due to Sirius biting on his leg.

"Then, give us your rat.." Sirius said. Ron offered his rat and Sirius tugged it away. Remus mumbled an incantation and pointed his wand directly at the rat. He transformed into a man with nasty rotting teeth and an ugly face of a daft bimbo. He crouched his back as if he were the Hunchback of Notredame.

"R-Remus? S-Sirius? My old pals!" He attempted his awful escape, but obviously got caught by Remus and Sirius.

"Harry Potter! I was your father's best friend!" Pettigrew said to Harry, as he approached him.

"Get off of me!" Harry pulled Peter's hands away from him. "We'll escort him to the castle," Harry instructed Sirius and Remus.

"Have mercy on you, dear boy!" Peter kneeled before Harry.

"Then, we'll kill him.." Harry snarled. Peter was biting on his long crooked nail, in fear.

"They might chop it off.." Ron shrugged. They were outside of the Whomping Willow.

"Depends.." Hermione said to him. Peter and Remus were the last to get out of the Whomping Willow.

"Ronald!" Petter grabbed Ron by the neck. Ron struggled, trying to gasp for air.

Everyone had their wands out. It was pointing intently at Pettigrew. "Fenrir would love to see you turn into a wolf. He'd love to see you causing havoc!" Peter maniacally said.

"Wolf?" Hermione breathed out in shock. Her theory was true.

Ronald Weasley was a werewolf.

"Ron, why didn't you tell any of us? I-I thought you promised me to never keep any secrets from Harry and me - I thought I knew everything about you!" Hermione said with sadness taking over her instead of anger.

"I trusted you.." Hermione said in a whisper.

"Her-Hermione.." Ron croaked out, still struggling through Peter's grasp.

"Didn't tell you girlfriend, eh? Well, your friend over here, it a bloody thirsty beast! Fenrir says he's the strongest werewolf out there! He'll kill anyone, just like a mud blood like you!" Peter exclaimed.

Ron's eyes widen in shock of what Peter just said. His eyes turned to a darker shade of blue. He started to shake violently. Pettigrew backed away from his changing form.

Remus saw the full moon and started to transform into a werewolf. He was ready to defend everyone from Ron.

Ron heard popping sounds coming from his body, as his organs and bones rearranged themselves. He groaned out in pain as his muscles expanded. His skin grew fur that turned as red as blood. He grew sharp black claws and toenails. He realized his vocals cords went deeper from him groaning in pain.

"Her-MIONE!" Ron growled out in a deeper voice. Ron's dark blue eyes looked into her glimmering dark chocolate eyes. Her iris shrunk in fear of her Ron transforming in front of her eyes.

Ron grew long teeth and his head started to take shape of a canine. He grew at at least, 8'3". Soon, he became a force not to wreck with. All of his bad memories came flooding in, replacing his happy memories with anguish. He felt unstoppable rage creeping upon him. His ears were perked up, staying alerted of his surroundings.

His anger took over him, whole.

He leaned his body and head back, howling at the moon. His eyes flared with hatred. The werewolf with brown fur and the animagus wolf went to strike at the big and muscular red furred werewolf. However, Ron proved himself to be the strongest werewolf out there. He roared in victory sniffing around. His snout landed in the scent of vanilla and coconut.

He turned around to face Hermione who just stood there in shock. Ron growled at her, making the first step. Whenever Ron advanced to forwards Hermione, Hermione backed away a step. Her eyes were filled with tears that dared to fall down. All Ron could see was nothing, but blurry figures.

'W-Who is she? She- looks familiar..' The confused beast said to itself, as it looked down at Hermione's fidgeting figure. His dark shaded icy piercing blue eyes looked at her, as if she was fear itself. Her mouth was gaped at the sight of him, as her locks of bushy hair came falling by her side. She held her hand over her gaped mouth and tears started to form around her wonderfully delicious chocolate brown eyes.

'She might be a werewolf hunter!' Ron growled to himself, mistaking his best friend as a huntress.

Before Ron could strike at her, Sirius went up to attack him by the back. Ron caught the genuine black-furred wolf and slammed him on the ground, filling the night with the sound of pain. Ron was cautious about his current surroundings and what the figures were trying to do to him.

'They're here to kill me! I just know it..' He said to himself looking and around the place. His pointed ears were still up, waiting for anyone to make a move towards him. Hermione saw his ears still pointed in the air, and went to approach him. Harry tugged her by the sleeves to get her back.

"What do you think you're doing?" Harry questioned her in an urgent whisper.

"Saving our lives, that's what.." Hermione lamely answered.

"He could hurt you.." Harry's emerald eyes were filled his concerned and worried for his bushy brunette haired friend.

"Trust me, Harry. I know Ron wouldn't hurt me.." Hermione resumed back to her plan. She walked slowly up to the werewolf who was looking around frightened of his current situation, ready to attack anyone who came in contact.

"H-hello?" Hermione greeted the werewolf form of Ron uncomfortable. The werewolf's neck snapped to face the source of the voice.

"I'm not here to hurt you. Actually, none of us wants to hurt you. We're here to help you." Hermione said in a hushed voice. She tried holding onto the werewolf's right arm, but it flinched in the contact of her warm hands. The werewolf growled at her, wanting for her to leave him alone.

"Please, I'm here to help.." She said to him truthfully. The werewolf snarled and declined Hermione's offer.

'Trust no one..' The werewolf finally said to himself, raising it's claws up in the air ready to strike her. His dark icy blue eyes pierced through her gentle brown eyes.

'Her eyes. They remind me of someone..' The werewolf's eyes softened a bit at the sight of the unknown blurry figure. Hermione looked up in fear of his next move. Surprisingly, she didn't move out of the way. He dropped his attack stance and his muscles became less tense.

"Good, now relax. Everything's gonna be alright.." Hermione whispered softly. 'I'm doing it!' Hermione happily said to herself. She approached the beast ready to embrace it.

'This human. I- I love her! Who is she?' The werewolf saw the little human approaching him ready to embrace her. Everything was going smoothly until,

"Pitiful, mud blood!" Peter ran up to Hermione and pushed her away from the beast. That word.

Mudblood

The werewolf roared bloody murder and ran straight for the man who smelled like cinnamon with a hint of piss. He grabbed him by the neck, strangling him with inhuman strength. His dark blue eyes pierced with his shallow eyes. All the anger within Ron that have been caged for so long opened. His uncontrollable rage was welcoming Pettigrew to hell.

"KILL!" The red-furred werewolf growled out loud.

'How dare he call my friend that name!' Ron inwardly yelled at himself, wanting to kill the man in the cruelest way possible. Hermione saw what he was doing, and stood up on her feet quickly.

"Stop!" She yelled out. The werewolf looked up to smell the scent of her. He saw the blurry figure with chocolate brown eyes. The werewolf looked down and threw Pettigrew away his sight. The human approached him.

"It's over. Please, stop.." Hermione hugged the werewolf. The shocked werewolf couldn't comprehend by the human's sudden action. He looked down and saw the human sniffing and sobbing on his fur.

Hermione loved the feeling of its fur brushing on her skin. It was exactly like Ron's hair, but a bit softer and silkier.

"Ron, please come back.." Hermione suddenly said, without knowing what came from her mouth at the moment.

'Ron. My name is Ron Weasley!' It said to itself.

"It's me. Harry and I have your back." She in a hushed voice. Harry stepped forward, looking at his best friends embracing. He smiled at the sight. Harry hadn't smiled in a while, but looking at them made him feel like Voldemort didn't even exist.

"Er-my-nee.. 'Arry..' The werewolf said embracing Hermione closer to him, wanting to feel safe. Soon, the blurry figures became crystal clear. The werewolf could see everything now. Ron looked down and broke the hug. He was on all fours looking into Hermione's eyes.

His perky ears dropped down and his eyes turn back to it's crystal blue shade. Ron started to painfully change back into a human. He dropped on the grass, having the darkness welcome him to a slumber.

Hermione took deep breaths. She opened the heavy oak doors. She was approaching a certain red-haired boy as he laid hopelessly unconscious, after the unforgettable events. She saw Madam Pomfrey near the pale boy's bed. She was rebandaging the bandages that were wrapped around the nasty bites from Sirius.

It had already been 2 days and Ron still hadn't woken up yet. Hermione started to get wary, not knowing when he was going to wake up. She wanted to talk to him about his whole furry problem. She wanted to get to know him even more.

"Ah, Miss Granger, a pleasure to see you. I'd like to inform you, Ronald is almost done healing up." She said to Hermione. Hermione smiled, saying a silent thank you.

"If you're here to comfort Ronald, you may,," Madam Pomfrey went away from the teens, back to her office. Hermione scooted a chair next to his bed, looking at his unbelievable pale face. Even his freckles looked pale. Hermione held her hand on his forehead. She felt the warm sensation spreading throughout her body. Ron was warmer than the last time she visited him. He used to feel cold as if he were dead.

"Oh, Ron.," Hermione whispered, grabbing onto Ron's hand tighter. Hermione understood why Ron had to hide his secret, but still, how could he have held that secret for all those 3 years. Hermione knew at the first sight of Ron, he seemed different from the rest. From the look on his eyes, it showed so much meaning. Like he'd been through tough shit.

"Hey, I'm glad I have a friend like you.. Just please, wake up. I wanna talk to you.." Hermione whispered in his ears. She waited for a while for a response, but nothing come out of the mouth of the freckled teen. Hermione sighed ready to leave until,

"Her-Hermione.." Ron croaked up. His throat felt dry like the Sahara Desert. His head was pounding from all the pain he experienced the last 2 days ago. He fluttered his eyes open and saw he was in the hospital wing. His eyes darted to meet Hermione's eyes.

"Ron, what do you remember from 2 days ago?" Hermione questioned him. Ron eyed her and took a deep breath.

"I remember, seeing you scared of me.." He truthfully said to her. Hermione had a sadden expression on her face. They were left in a rift of silence. Hermione only stared at herself fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Ron just looked at her, waiting for a response.

"You could've told Harry and me about your problem. We could've helped you in any way we could." Hermione said to him, still not facing him directly at his crystal blue eyes.

"I didn't want to.," Ron replied automatically.

"Why so?" Hermione asked him, thirsting for an answer.

"I thought you guys would've just abandoned me. It's not very safe to have your best friend as a vicious monster. I was scared you guys would just leave me, making me an outcast for all to see." Ron replied looking gloom. Hermione took in all of his honest answers. She looked up to finally see his eyes, wanting forgiveness.

"Ron, I don't care if you're a monster or not. I don't care if you're a bloody thirty beast. I don't care if you label yourself as a vicious monster." She briefly paused. "All I care about is you."

Ron was shocked what had just come from her. Ron would've been crying by now, if Hermione hadn't hugged him around his neck in a welcoming embrace.

"I care about you, too.." Ron breathed out and returned the hug. They smiled together.

"I am a werewolf. I am Ron Weasley, the living, and breathing werewolf.."

Madam Pomfrey told me everything, Ronnie.." Ron's mother said to him as they were in the living room of the Burrow. The whole Weasley's were crowded around Molly and Ron. All were listening with the intent to the conversation.

"I heard about your whole fiasco. Especially, the part with dearest Hermione." She continued. Ron slouched on the couch, awaiting for his mother to yell at his face in front of the family, making him look like a total loser. "I'm betting 4 sickles, Ronniekins will get grounded for life.." The twins whispered to one another with a mischievous smirk, drawn across their face.

"I'M SO PROUD OF MY BABY BOY!" She exclaimed unexpectedly. She was sobbing on her youngest son's shoulders. If left everyone confused by her actions towards Ron.

"Mum, what happened?" Ginny said to the sobbing mother whose eyes were filled with tears of joy.

"Your brother over here is a werewolf." She said to all of them.

"WHAT?!" They all shouted out in shock. They had their eyes widened in shock, showing off their dark brown eyes. Ron, Arthur, and Molly stared at each other, not knowing what to do next.