A/N: I'm really sorry that I couldn't post the final 3 chapters for RWC and FoaB on time. I caught the flu, which I think I got from stress and the lack of sleep. I have finals coming soon, and it's adding to my stress. I just stress out about a lot of things, especially keeping up my grades because if I get a single B, C, D, or F, I get triggered so easily lol. Here is my belated Christmas gift to you all and it's a nice and lenghty chapter for you guys! I really hope you like the large dose of Romione! Let's get on with the chapter!

As always, feedback is amazing! They really make my day. :)

Warning: You know!

Disclaimer: You know the drill!

Chapter 50 ~ In Hopes of Brighter Days

Ron couldn't help but to look out the window, allowing his deep thoughts to consume him. His heart felt broken down, after his moment with Hermione. Even after their kiss, he couldn't help but to fear for her and himself. He realized that it was truly getting harder to control his primal state. Was it best of him to let it out?

His head hung down in shame, having the shadow of yesterday casted over him. It seemed like days were going by faster than ever. It was already Hallowe'en, a day that the trio had looked back to for years, ever since they met. It seemed like yesterday since Ron punched the ruddy troll, showing them his first signs of his abnormalities of being a werewolf.

Speaking of which, he hadn't been in talking terms with Harry or Hermione. He thought it was pathetic that his own girlfriend wasn't talking to him for some bizarre reason. Maybe she was still thinking about what had happened between them, before their kiss last month.

He ran his lean fingers through his already unkempt red hair. Ron turned around from the window in where he had dazed there for quite a while. He yawned out, rubbing his tired eyes, ready to already sleep the night away.

He took attentive steps to the towards the Gryffindor Tower. He whispered the password to the Fat Lady and gingerly entered to room to see Hermione sitting on a couch, reading through Hogwarts: A History for the umteenth time. Ron sat next to her, making her jump a bit, not expecting to see him casually sit with her, in front of the slowly dying fireplace.

Ron swallowed the lump from his throat, managing to croak out, "Please, speak to me."

Hermione closed the book shut, saying, "I'm speaking right now. Is that all you wanted?"

"You're hiding something," he frowned.

She lit her lower lip, feeling like she was to confess to him, before he would prey on her.

"Please, Hermione. You know how much I hate it, when you hide from me. It makes me feel like you're scared of me or somethin', and I don't know what to do," his voice started to trail off towards the end of his plea.

After a few moments of silence, she said in response, "I'm sorry - I - I just don't know how to come forth to you with this - this predicament about you."

"Predicament?" Ron asked. "Wh-what predicament?"

"Well, you see, Harry has been having dreams of you, as a werewolf in your primal state. And you know that usually when Harry dreams of something that it's bound to come true," she whispered to him.

"So, you're saying that I might transform again but this time, as a monster with those bloody red eyes?" Ron breathed out.

"Yes and he and I have been setting up the Headquarters as a place for you to stay there, until you've gone back to normal. We're worried that if we didn't make a place for you to stay for the night, that you would go on a rampage. There's no knowing what might happen, if we were to let you wander around the halls. You might as well scare off the first years," Hermione informed him.

Ron sighed out, knowing that it was the best for him.

He then questioned her by saying, "So, when will it happen?"

"Harry guessed that it could happen around November, which to remind you that tomorrow is the beginning of that month," said Hermione, as she started into his panicking crystal blue eyes.

"Bloody hell," he cursed under his breath.

"Exactly," Hermione said with sadness.

The brunette started to scoot closer to him. After in a comfortable position, they started to snuggling together, watching the flame slowly dying out from the fireplace. Ron could hear her heart beating in sync with his, making it like a lullaby to his ears.

"I hate to see you transform," Hermione admitted, feeling water rush to her eyes. "It's so painful to hear your bones crack and to hear you begging for the pain to stop. It hurts me so much to see that I can't do anything to make you ease out for even a second."

"Hush, love," Ron cupped her cheeks. "I don't think you realize this, but you being there for me, whenever I were to transform, it makes me remember who I am. To realize that someone still loves me, even if I am a ruddy werewolf."

He kissed her forehead, making her calm down, which lead them to well deserved slumber.

"Look at all those signatures!" Hermione said with excitement at how many people had signed up to be a part of what Ginny had suggested and everyone agreed on it, Dumbledore's Army.

"This is a bit overwhelming I have to say so for myself," Harry said with unease.

"C'mon, mate. If there was anyone qualified to teach us how to properly defend against the dark arts, it would have to be you," Ron tried to cheer him up, even giving him a pat on the shoulders.

Harry smiled at them, feeling so foolish that he had been shunning them for month 'til now. The teen with jet black hair waved them a farewell, before going over to meet up with Cho. Hermione couldn't help but to roll her eyes at how Harry had fallen for her. It seemed so obvious that Cho was only with him because of his connection with Cedric.

"H-Hermione," she turned around to see Ron's flustered face. "I - I was wondering if you would like to go on a date with me."

Out from the back of his body, he took out a single rose that had vivid red petals that made Hermione warm to her cold toes. She nearly pounced on him, as she went to give him a big hug, muffling an excited yes.

"Merlin's left saggy balls, you're gonna kill me," Ron teased her, as she broke away from the hug.

"Language!" she playfully punched him on the shoulders.

They walked out the shack to see that the High Street of Hogsmeade was not too far away. Ron and Hermione went walking through the strong winds into Puddifoot's Tea Shop to get a hot cup of tea. As they ordered their drinks, Hermione saw Seamus looking at her with a goofy smile, a smile only Ron would ever do to her. She realized that she had left his necklace at her dormitory, which was probably the reason he was trying to get her attention.

Ron's eyes narrowed at the sight, "Seamus, get your fucking eyes off from her."

"No problem, Weasley," he smirked at him, giving Hermione a quick wink that Ron had caught.

"Ron," she said in a small voice. "Please, stop it."

He felt his tense shoulders become more relaxed at how scared she looked because of him. His eyes started to travel to his mug of hot chocolate. His ears felt like they could just explode at any second. Hermione held onto his balled up fist, trying as hard as she could to support him, knowing that he was embarrassed of his violent behavior.

"I - I didn't mean to lash out like that, again," Ron looked at her with guilt. "I just… I just don't like it when people look at you like that."

"Hey, it's alright. At least he didn't try literally killing him to death," Hermione shrugged, taking a sip out of her mug.

"Sorry if this date seems rubbish. I didn't really plan it out well, did I?" Ron felt like hiding in a hole. "I'll be working on that, I promise you that."

"Oh, Ron, the date has just begun. We haven't even engaged in conversation yet," Hermione said.

"R-right," Ron gulped, trying to straighten himself up. "So, what've you been up to lately?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I suppose that answer is pretty self-explanatory, don't you think?"

"Uh, I guess?" Ron rubbed the back of his neck. "Blimey, I'm horrid at these kind of things."

Hermione simply giggled, "It's alright. I'll just started it out," she cleared her throat, "What have you been up to lately?"

"Nothing much. I mean, all I did was take a couple of naps, maybe even a slumber that lasted half of the day," Ron tried thinking hard. "Oh! Also, I bought you this box of sugar quills."

Ron gave her the box over to her making her shining brightly towards him. Hermione took out a piece for herself and Ron. After that, she started to talk and laugh together, gaining at least some attention from the people at the shop at how they had finally plucked up their courage to tell each other their feelings. Hermione could hardly even cease to stop laughing, making Ron feel happier at the second.

Today wasn't so bad after all.

"You should really go and take a shower! You're stinking up the whole place. If there's one thing I hate about you after quidditch practice, it's how you smell like a gym's locker room," Hermione pinched her nose, giving Ron an expression of how truly disgusted she was at the stench.

The red hair smirked, "Doesn't matter."

"And why may I asked?" Hermione frowned at him.

"Because I know that you'd still love me," Ron teased her with a smug expression drawn on his face.

Hermione playfully shoved him, making the both of them laugh at the process.

"Fine, I'll take a ruddy shower. I'll be seeing you later, love," Ron winked at her, as he run up the stairs to his dormitory.

Hermione watched his disappear into the shadows of the setting sun. She collapsed on the couch of the rounded room, feeling exhausted of another day at attending her classes. Even if Ron tried convincing her to stop taking her extra curricular, she wouldn't even budge because she didn't mind the stress.

She knew that in the end, her hard work would be worth it.

"HERMIONE!" she quickly turned her head to see the frightened face of Harry. "Teleport to the Headquarters, now!"

Harry blew on the tip of his wand saying, "Locus."

"Locus," she blew on the tip of her wand, feeling herself disappear from the room she was in to the other.

The first thing she saw was Ron crouching on the ground in evident pain. His face was contorted with the bone crushing feeling from his inevitable transformation into a creature he wish he never was in the first place. Harry got out the chain cuffs, ready to tie Ron down before it was too late.

"Ron!" Hermione cried out, rushing to his side.

His dark cerulean blue eyes looked up at her, trying to form words but all it did was make him choke on his crushing lungs. He avoided his eyes from her, not wanting for her to have some sort of nervous breakdown because of him. Harry placed the cuffs on Ron's wrist, performing charms to lock the cuffs and to strengthen the chains.

The-Boy-Who-Lived took out the chain cuffs to place on Ron's neck.

"Wait, Harry, do you really have to attach that to him?" the brunette looked at him with disbelief.

"It's for the best of him, Hermione. If he wants to make sure that he doesn't harm anyone, then I have no other choose but to firmly secure him with these chains," Harry mumbled to her, as he secured the choker on Ron's neck. "Though, when he transforms, I'll let you talk him out of it. I'll be behind here, pointing my wand at the ready, just in case if he loses control somehow."

Hermione nodded her head, finding renewed confidence in her doing. She looked back down at Ron's cowering figure. She could already see the sickly blue veins popping out from his pale skin, as patches of blood-red fur started to pop out as well. His nails were sharpened to deadly claws that could possibly slice through human flesh in an instant.

Those lively crystal blue eyes were long gone, for it was replaced with his menacing dark blue hue. His goofy smile was replaced with gritting teeth, relieving his razor sharp teeth.

Suddenly, a roar of pain erupts from Ron's constricted chest. He felt himself changing form. His bones started to rearrange themselves, as cracking bones could be heard, making Hermione cringed at the sound.

Hermione went closer to him to hug him, wanting him to feel some sort of comfort and warmth. As he continued on roaring with pain, she hugged him tightly to her chest, wanting for his suffering to stop already. It was a both a struggle for them to hear other's agonizing pleas.

"R-Ron," she sobbed, feeling a pang of sadness and guilt stab her at her heart. "It's… It's alright. P-please tell me everything's g-going to be al-alright."

"'Mione," he croaked out, despite knowing that he would feel much more pain shooting up to his lungs and dry throat. "I l-love you."

Hermione sobbed into his shoulders, "I love you too."

He gently placed his muscular arms around her waist, careful to not harm her with his claws. Ron continued on groaning and yelling out at the torture pain that he felt like wouldn't stop. His head was pounding, he just wanted it to explode already, so he wouldn't suffer anymore. Hermione felt him gripping onto him tighter, as the pain continued on bugging him nonstop.

Ron stared at Hermione's bushy hair, wanting to remember her, when he transformed into the creature. He tried to touch her face, wanting to feel her soft, fragile skin to his paws, but he felt the pain shot up throughout his body. Ron pushed her away from him, feeling like he could lose control of himself in a second.

"Ron!" Hermione cried out with surprise.

"Protego maxima!" Harry casted in front of him and Hermione. "It's a sign that he's about to turn into his primal form."

"Is there anything we could do to stop the transformation?" she breathed out.

"It's too late," he said to her with sad eyes.

Suddenly, they heard a booming howl coming from the front of them. Hermione's eyes widened at the sight of those vicious scarlet red eyes that had a eerie glow to it. His canine shaped head was roaring towards them, showing off his deadly, razor sharp teeth that could bite through a skull. He had his claws out, as he towered above them menacingly. His blood-red fur shined under the young moonlight.

"Oh, Ron," the brunette swallowed a lump that formed in her throat. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything."

The monster's ears perked up at the whimper coming from Hermione. It tried to tackle her, not realizing that there was a invisible shield that separated them from him and he was in chains. Hermione flinched back at the action, not even noticing that she hit her head from the wall against her.

"Hermione, I don't think I can keep this charm up any longer," the teen wheezed out.

Her eyes widened, quickly taking her wand out, repeating the spell Harry had just done. Harry breathed out with relief from keeping up the charm for that long. Her eyes wouldn't stop looking into Ron's red eyes, wanting to find him through the windows into his soul.

"Harry, I want Ron back," Hermione felt like breaking down. "I - I miss him already."

"It is him, Hermione. He just needs to remember who you are and everything will be alright," Harry tried to comfort her.

Hermione nodded her head quickly, licking her dry lips.

"Harry, I'm going to take the shield off," she said to him.

"Wh-what?" Harry's eyes widened with fear.

"You heard me, Harry!" Hermione said in a bossy voice. "I'm doing it… RIGHT NOW!"

The shield that protected them from the savage attacks from Ron evaporated into nothingness. Hermione pointed her wand towards Harry and said another protego, so he would be protected.

"What the hell? Hermione!" Harry cried out.

Hermione simply shunned him, facing the bulky humanoid wolf in front of her chocolate brown eyes. She lowered her wand, not wanting to herself look like a werewolf huntress. She breathing was erratic, as she was trembling with evident fear. What surprised her was that the beast just looked at her, as if it was missing a half of their purpose to be alive. It started to slowly approach the petite human.

Hermione knew that he didn't remember her, whenever he were to transform into a werewolf. What made the werewolf cease his attack was the scent of coconut and vanilla and her glistening chocolate eyes. As the werewolf drew closer, he started to snarl at the human. All she did was flinch from the frightening sight.

The brunette didn't know what to do at this point. Her mind was yelling at her to fire spells or to run away from him, but in her heart, she couldn't leave him. She felt herself continuing to shaking, trying to stop herself. Why was she shaking so much in front of him? Was this really the effect of feeling your werewolf boyfriend in their primal form.

"I - I - I," Hermione couldn't stop herself from trembling. "N-No more.. P-please, no more…"

The werewolf started to back away from her shaking form. Suddenly, he felt himself in a place in where he saw the human cuddling with him, even giving him pecks on the lips with all her love.

I love you, too.

The beast's eyes looked into her eyes, squinting that the voice he heard in his head was awfully familiar to the human in front of him. He felt himself approaching her, sniffing her scents, feeling like he knew her. Hermione started to get a hold of herself, seeing Ron wanting to get to her.

When he thought that he could get to her closer, he felt the tug of his chains, which withheld him from getting to her. Ron snarled with frustration, looking down to see the chains on him. His eyes widened at the sight. He looked over at the human, roaring at her, feeling like she had put them on him.

"It was for your own good, Ron," she said in a quiet voice.

The werewolf started to tug, trying to pull out from the chains he was trapped to. Hermione tried to make up a plan to snap him out of his primal mode. If she could breakdown at this moment, she would've at this moment.

Think, Hermione! Think, Hermione! It's up to you to remember who is really is. I won't let him suffer any further, Hermione scolded herself.

She started to look around the room to spot the choker on Hermione, making her cringe at the sight. It kind of reminded her of a a necklace strangely.

The necklace I gave him, the brunette spotted that he wasn't wearing the necklace that she had gave him, then looking at her necklace.

She took off the necklace, looking at half of the heart, the other was with Ron. Her heart started to ache at the moving picture of Ron giving her his famous lopsided grin. Hermione looked up into the beast's glowing scarlet red eyes. She bit her lower trembling lip at the current state of her boyfriend.

All they could hear were the clinking chains.

The Brightest Witch of Her Age looked over to Harry, yelling out, "Harry, did Ron give you something, before he was chained up?!"

He nodded his head, knowing where she was going with this. Harry threw it over to the determined brunette. Before she could catch it, the werewolf stretched out his muscular arms to snatch it. The werewolf looked at the both of them, giving a wolfish smirk to them.

Ron looked down to see the small necklace on his paws. He looked down to see a moving figure giving him a small, yet sweet smile to him.

"Do you remember?" came her soft voice.

She slowly walked over to him, showing him the other half of the heart. The werewolf held her by her shirt, still not trusting her completely. He snatched her necklace away from her, discovering to see another figure with a lopsided grin. He squinted his eyes to see the human with bushy, brown hair and chocolate brown eyes in one of the the halves and the other was a ginger with crystal blue eyes that was full of life.

"I gave you that because I wanted to show you that I truly cared about our relationship. I wanted us to stay together forever," Hermione tried to remember all of those times he was so lovingly tender to her and how caring he was to her.

The creature looked from the necklace of her to her in person. He suddenly felt himself wanting to cuddle with her forever. He gently placed Hermione down, still eyeing her down. She landed on the fluffy rug, not ready to face Ron's feature.

"So, do you remember?" Hermione said, feeling that if he didn't remember her or anything, the last of her hope would spill out into the abyss.

The werewolf looked at her for a good second, until he slowly shook his head. Hermione's heart shattered into pieces.

"Why can't you remember!?" Hermione cried out with frustration, as she started to lose all hope in getting Ron back.

Her unshed tears came pouring down her cheeks, making her cry a waterfall. She looked away from him, knowing that she had failed. She had failed to get her boyfriend back.

CLINK!

CLINK!

Hermione backed away from Ron who tried to pounce on her but luckily the chains kept him in place. The brunette looked at Harry and waved her wand to get Harry out of the shield charm she was trapped in. Harry ran over to her, gently grabbing her wrist to get farther away from Ron as they possibly could.

"I - I failed. I - I f-failed him," Hermione sobbed on his shoulders, not caring if she seemed so vulnerable currently.

"You tried, Hermione. It's alright," Harry tried to calm her down. "Try to think of something else."

She looked up at him, seeing his worrisome eyes, "What else is there to make him remember?"

"Calm him down," he said.

"Look at him, Harry!" Hermione pointed at the creature who was trying its hardest to break through the chains with wild, savage eyes.

"Look, Hermione. Whenever I try to approach him, he tries to harm me. Though to you, he actually hasn't tried harming you."

"Explain how you tried to harm me just lately," her eyes were narrowed.

"Can't you see, Hermione? He's trying to get to you! He's trying to remember you," the teen informed her. "I'm not sure if you noticed this, but he was looking at you as if he knew you very well. I even saw his eyes flashing from scarlet to blue. Ron's still there, Hermione. I know that the Hermione I know would never give up on Ron or anyone she cares about; you know it because you're her. Ron never gave up on you, so why give up on him?"

She looked at the determined emerald green eyes of her best friend. Hermione stood tall, finding the last of her hopes and confidence in the nick of time. Those dull chocolate brown eyes turned into a more solid color, showing genuine perseverance.

The brunette turned her whole body to face Ron's red eyes. She slowly started to walk up to him, hoping that he wouldn't do anything to scare her off. Hermione reached her arm towards the back of his perked ears. She tightly closed her eyes, not wanting to see Ron's next move.

In an instant, she felt his soft, silky fur running through her fingers. She started to massage him, making him growl gently to her. She went closer to him, still scared that he might attack her somehow. That was then, he saw his eyes slowly showing his dark blue iris. Hermione's eyes widened that she was actually doing something!

"Oof!" Hermione was suddenly pounced to the ground, feel the weight of the werewolf on her body.

He started licked her cheek, making her feel the cold sober. Hermione looked at disgust, as she wiped the drool away. She looked up to see his eyes starting to tint. He placed his muzzle on her hair, inhaling her delicious scent. He wrapped his strong, muscular arms around her fragile, petite body. She hugged him back, tightly.

"I love you. I love you. I love you," Hermione poured out all her heart at those simple words. "I thought I lost you."

Hermione started to sob on his furry shoulders, having enough of crying by now. Ron took a good look at her, seeing her puffy eyes, and her suffering face. Ron whimpered at how broken she looked like, so she licked her salty tears away.

"Love. Love you, too," Ron cuddled with her, snuggling against her soft skin, wanting to know that she was alive. "Hurt?"

"No, I'm alright," she said in a whisper.

She kissed him on his nose, making him smile broadly, though it looked creepy because of his sharp teeth. As Ron rocked her, she felt her eyes slowly becoming heavy. Ron sat on the ground, curling into a ball, wrapping her to make her feel the warmth he wanted to provide her with.

Harry took it was que to go out and leave them alone, smiling at how he had wanted to see them like that, ever since his first year.

Ron felt himself shrinking back to his human size. Hermione saw this bulky mass decreasing, as his fur started to fade back into his skin, which looked a bit weird to Hermione. Then, she saw his torn up clothing show, which made her sigh with relief that she didn't see him naked.

Suddenly, she saw him revealing his crystal blue orbs to her. His eyes were full of life, making her heart beat faster and faster. He slowly cupped her cheeks, looking deep into her chocolate brown eye. She came closer to him, wanting to know that she wasn't dreaming.

In an instant, she felt his soft, delectable lips full-on-full with her naked pink lips. They kissed each other with full force, wanting to forget about the situation they had faced together.

"I'm so sorry. I was angry over something so stupid," came his genuine apologetic voice. "I was angry at the fact that I wouldn't save you in time from Vicky or You-Know-How."

"You know that it's not going to happen because I know you'll be there, and I'll be there for you too."

They resumed back to kissing each other, sharing their love with one another under the young moonlight.

A/N: Well isn't that a cute way to end the chapter! I hope you enjoyed! I'm hoping that I can finish the chapter for FoaB because things are getting a spicy lol.

Also, if you're wondering why I changed my username, well here is your explaination:

You see, thatwitch64 was a username I created from the top of my head, not giving a second thought on making it my user. I was just so excited to get on with posting RWC. Anywho, since New Years was coming up, I wanted to change my user! I kept the 64 part because my first gaming console was the Nintendo 64 and I hold that memory dear to my heart!

Have a great day! I'll be seeing you guys soon! :D