Authors Note: I am so sorry for the delay in updating! I have been all over the place these last few weeks. I went and visited a friend from college and from there I spent all three days at Lollapalooza… Then I came back home and started packing for college and then college started... I know, I know… Excuses, excuses…I decided to hold off on the Harry confrontation and give you a little bit more of what's going on in the safe house. I hope you like it… As always I love reviews! Sorry again…

-Nerd and 1/2

"Shit!" Ron hissed as he stubbed his toe. He was attempting to stealthily make his way out of his bed and to the bathroom without waking Hermione. He glanced over at Hermione who remained sound asleep. She was still tilting on her side, her arm slung out where he had once been lying. He heaved a sigh of relief. He reached down to pick up his formerly discarded boxers and stepped into them. Ron smiled as he looked back at Hermione. She looked so content with her hair wildly spread across her pillow and her lips slightly parted. His white bed sheet was draped across her preventing his view of her hidden curves. Only the tops of her breasts and her shoulders were exposed but that was enough for him to be reminded of her soft skin against his.

Ron wished he could take a picture of her as she was now although he knew she would never let him. It was then that he realized that he didn't need to take a picture. He would be able to see her everyday for the rest of his life. He hoped. He was no longer afraid of her fleeing but he realized he had no idea what was going on outside of the house. Were people after them? When could they leave? What problems were awaiting them when they left? What would his family think? His family. Ron felt as though a weight drop into his stomach. Could they forgive Hermione as he did? Ron groaned at the thought of trying to explain everything to them. He doubted Harry would do it without convincing and he couldn't make Hermione do it alone. Making Hermione tell them by herself would be like throwing a bleeding animal into a pool full of sharks. They would tear her apart. He had to stand by her and convince them that he was okay again. He needed to convince them that he truly had forgiven her. Otherwise, they would hold a grudge against her for the rest of their lives and he couldn't allow that. His family was the most important thing in his life and he damn well planned to make her part of it. Officially. Someday.

Ron looked back at her. A hundred images flashed through his head. Hermione standing at the alter during their wedding. Red headed children playing in their backyard.

He and Hermione dancing on their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Ron looked away and shook his head. Where was this sentimental crap coming from? This was out of character. Of course, they were all things he wanted but to consciously think about it seemed so girly to him. He stood up and glanced back at her as he slipped out of the bedroom and into the hall. He headed for the bathroom so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't notice the light streaming in through the library door.

As he headed back to his room he was startled by a voice.

"Ron?" Shit. Ron thought. Thomas.

Ron cleared his throat. "Uh. Yeah?" He spun around to face him.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Thomas was still fully clothed and Ron shifted uncomfortably. He felt weird and a little guilty to be roaming the house half naked. He probably just thinks that's what you wear to bed. He reasoned. No way did he hear the two of you. Ron frowned to himself. I hope he did. He thought snidely. I want him to know who she wants. Ron knew he was being ridiculous but he could admit that he had a problem with jealousy. He had barely made it through dinner without ripping Thomas' face off. Every time Thomas had smiled at Hermione, Ron had wanted to punch his perfect teeth out.

"Actually, I just needed the facilities." Ron motioned toward the bathroom. Suddenly he was torn between the desire to avoid further conversation with Thomas and to be polite, like Hermione wanted, and ask him why he couldn't sleep. Not to mention he was curious about this guy. He still didn't trust him but he wished he could figure him out.

"Oh, right." Thomas smiled and took a seat on the couch in the library. Ron wondered what Thomas would think if he knew what scandalous events had taken place on that couch. He smirked at the thought. "Well I'll let you go back to bed." Ron frowned slightly, taking his statement as a challenge. Ron approached the library door taking a seat across from Thomas.

"I'm not tired." Ron replied a little immaturely, Thomas smiled slightly and looked back at his book. Ron swallowed and tried changing the subject. He realized Thomas must have picked up on his jealousy. As if it weren't obvious at dinner. "What are you reading?"

Thomas flipped the book over to glance at the cover. "Wuthering Heights." He shrugged. "It's terribly depressing though." He glanced down at it, a bit of disgust etched in the lines of his face.

"What's it about?" Ron pointed toward the book.

"Unrequited love." Thomas frowned. Ron felt his face flush and he tried to steady his breathing. He hoped this Emily Bronte chick didn't give Thomas any ideas. Ron cleared his throat.

"What about it?"

"The short version of the love story is as children Heathcliff and Catherine are inseparable and soon begin to fall in love. Well Catherine's brother Hindley hates Heathcliff because Heathcliff is his father's favorite son even though he's adopted. So, once their father passes away Hindley is horrible to Heathcliff and treats him like a common laborer. Then Catherine, although deeply in love with Heathcliff, marries a rich sissy boy name Edgar instead, so she can advance socially. Heathcliff runs away and that's about as far as I've gotten." Thomas blew out a breath of air and Ron relaxed. Somehow Thomas' summary allayed his fears; he had been afraid that it would be some sort of "How-to" guide for Thomas.

"I'm getting depressed just talking about it." Ron replied and then grinned, causing Thomas to laugh loudly. Thomas decided that Ron was a funny guy. He thought that if Hermione had to be with someone else, it was a good thing he had a sense of humor.

"You know, the presence of these books makes me wonder who lived here before. I haven't decided yet whether it was a muggle or just a wizard fascinated by muggles." Thomas was happy the ice was broken. He didn't particularly want to make an enemy out of Ron. Ron was important to Hermione and not to mention a trained Auror with the best credentials.

"They were definitely wizards. The other day I open a cigar humidor and it almost bit my fingers off. Makes me wonder what tobacco products lay inside, I doubt they'd be anything but fantastic if they were kept in a magical humidor." Ron smiled and raised his eyebrows.

"Where was this exactly?" Thomas asked conspiratorially.

"In here over on the desk." Ron jabbed his finger behind him and watched Thomas start toward the desk. He swung his leg off the chair and walked toward Thomas who was studying the box carefully. Thomas slowly pried back the box and briefly glimpsed the cigars inside only to yank his fingers back immediately and yell. What felt like razor sharp teeth, bit into his finger when he tried to retrieve the cigars from inside the box.

"Ah!" He exclaimed and looked down at his bleeding finger and looked at Ron in mock outrage. Ron chuckled.

"I told you so."

Thomas popped his finger into his mouth briefly and then glanced around the room. Ron watched him curiously as he went to retrieve a heavy looking paperweight. Thomas held it up to Ron and Ron raised his eyebrows in question. "Okay. I am going to open it, making no pretense of taking anything and I am going to set this paperweight down. Hopefully it will be heavy enough to prevent it from swinging shut onto your fingers."

"My fingers?" Ron exclaimed.

"Yes, of course. I am going to hold down the paperweight and try to make sure it doesn't swing shut." Ron looked at him in disbelief. Clearly Thomas was mad. "Come on, Ron. Team effort." Ron frowned at his attempt to put a guilt trip on him and moved to take position.

"Excellent." Thomas grinned. "On the count of three. One, two, three!" Thomas swung the box open and shoved the paperweight into place pressing it down forcefully and holding it in place. The box shuddered under his hands, attempting to close while Ron scooped up the cigars in one quick sweep. Seeing the job finished, Thomas let go immediately. The box swung closed launching the rock into the air. It flew at Ron causing him to duck and missing him by an inch. Ron felt the rock swoosh past his hair as his hands hit the floor and the cigars rolled underneath the desk. Ron quickly glanced up at Thomas whose mouth was hanging open in horror and staring. Ron looked back, saying nothing, his eyes wide until both of them burst into laughter. Ron lay on his back his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Thomas sat down and wiped tears from his eyes. He had forgotten how good it felt to laugh. He hadn't had the occasion to laugh in what seemed like ages.

"That thing nearly knocked you unconscious." Thomas stated still chuckling and holding his side.

"That would have been a tough one to explain to Hermione. 'So, uh, we were trying to smoke and this rock sort of flew across the room and knocked Ron unconscious.' That would have gone over very well." Ron snorted still smiling. Thomas nodded in agreement.

Ron crawled on his hands and knees and reached under the table to retrieve the cigars from their hiding spot. He leaned back and held the cigars up triumphantly, handing one to Thomas.

"I don't suppose you have anything to cut these with?" Ron asked holding them up.

"Actually…" Thomas trailed off and patted his pocket. He dove his hand in and pulled out a cigar cutter.

"Why do you have that?" Ron asked suspiciously. Thomas shrugged his shoulders and handed it over to Ron. Ron turned it over in his hand and eyed it warily and looked at Thomas.

"Oh, come on. What do you think? I chopped someone's finger off with it?" Ron arched an eyebrow in response and held his hands up in front of him, implying he didn't want to know anything. Thomas rolled his eyes but did not offer an explanation for its presence. Ron took notice of the fact and muttered a quick cleaning spell, for good measure when Thomas turned his back. He cut his cigar, handed over the cutter to Thomas, and moved toward the desk and searched the drawers for matches. He located a box in the top desk.

"Okay Thomas, make it count. There are only two in here." Ron said gingerly holding them into view and handing one to him. Once lit and settled into their respective chairs the pair fell into a comfortable silence. Neither really knew what to say but it didn't matter. Ron opened his mouth to ask Thomas how his cigar tasted, usual small talk but Thomas beat him to the punch.

"Thanks, by the way." Thomas said quietly and confusing Ron immensely. What is he talking about? Ron thought.

"For what?" Ron took a drag from the cigar. The flavor was amazing and nothing like he had ever tasted before. It tasted all his favorite things. It was amazing how the cigar could taste like pumpkin pasties and firewhiskey simultaneously and still be absolutely appetizing.

"I don't know, for not killing me?"

"You know that's a crime right?" Ron asked jokingly. He didn't want to discuss this right now. Or ever, for the record. Can't this guy just let anything go? Ron thought angrily.

"You know what I mean." Thomas replied quietly.

"You haven't done anything." Ron stated firmly. This was not going very well and Ron hoped by not talking about it he could avoid the subject altogether and maybe distract Thomas long enough to change the subject.

"True. But-"

"Thomas. Drop it." Ron stated firmly and effectively shut him up. Thomas nodded and fell silent again. Ron immediately felt guilty. He knew Thomas wanted to talk about this to someone. Thomas didn't have anyone to tell, but Ron wasn't sure he was strong enough to talk about anything that had to do with the time Hermione was gone. Then again his curiosity nagged at him again. Ron sighed and mentally weighed the pros and cons. On one hand, information was power but on the other hand ignorance was bliss.

After a long time Ron decided to ask, "So what made you change your mind? You know about leaving the Death Eaters?" Ron thought he knew but he wanted to hear Thomas say it.

Thomas was caught of guard but immediately replied, "Um, it started when Hermione's cover was blown I guess. At first I was ready for her to be punished. A mudblood." Thomas looked disgusted when the word left his mouth. "But after I showed up I couldn't stand it when they tortured Hermione. I guess I realized then that I had been brainwashed for my whole life. I was just living the life that my parents wanted me to and I had never thought for myself before." Then Thomas' voice became much softer, so he was barely whispering to himself. "I mean, I don't think I could-" Thomas cut off, looking uncomfortable and took a drag of his cigar to avoid finishing his statement. Ron arched his eyebrows.

"Could what?" Ron raised his eyebrows. This is it. Ron thought, satisfied. His confession. He sat up a little straighter and prepared himself for what Thomas was about to say.

"Nothing." Thomas continued to puff away on his cigar.

"Hey, you just almost killed me with a rock. Spill." Thomas smiled sadly. Why does Ron want me talk about this? Thomas was confused, was Ron looking for an excuse to hit him?

"It's nothing, really." Thomas reassured him. Ron didn't want to be an ass and push the subject but he couldn't help but feel annoyed at losing. Ron shrugged with a false air of indifference. Thomas noticed the ever-growing tension in the room and tried to change the subject.

"So, you and Hermione met in school? Of course, everyone knows the story."

"What story?" Ron asked curiously.

"You know, 'the Golden Trio.'"

"I doubt that there is anything golden about any of us." Ron laughed fondly. "We made it through everything with a lot of help and a lot of luck. God, if it hadn't been for Hermione we would have been dead ten times over." Ron was still astounded by that fact. Whenever he thought of how many close calls the three of them had had over the years it made him shiver. Not to mention the dangerous stuff they had attempted as early as age eleven. "We should all be buried right now."

"She's very clever, that Hermione." Thomas grinned.

"God, I know. Sometimes I am appalled at the fact that she's with me." Ron was surprised at how that statement made him feel. A few years ago, he would have been completely serious at that statement and he would inevitably end up feeling somehow unworthy of her love. Now, he meant the statement as more of a joke than anything else. He knew he was incredibly lucky to be with Hermione but he no longer felt undeserving of her.

"Oh I don't know about that. You have rather keen ducking skills not to mention a pretty good sense of humor." Thomas replied. Ron flushed with embarrassment at the knowledge that Thomas was complimenting.

"Er-thanks."

"Anytime." Thomas replied seemingly unfazed. "How did all of you meet anyway? I am so interested to hear it first hand. They always leave so many details out in interviews."

"Well it's definitely not as sweet as Doris Hodge writes or as dramatic as Rita Skeeter portrays that's for sure." Ron rolled his eyes when he said Rita Skeeter's name to show his repulsion.

"I figured. So…"

"So? Oh! Well to be perfectly honest Harry and I didn't like Hermione much to begin with. She was bossy and a know-it-all, you know. It was rather annoying, if you can imagine…" Ron continued, regaling Thomas with stories of his childhood. Stories not many people had heard before. Least of all an ex-death eater with a crush on a muggle-born.

Harry Potter apparated in front of The Burrow at approximately seven at night, not exactly sure what to expect. Did Arthur tell them what he saw? And how much? Was he expecting Harry to just jump right into it? Harry had his stomach in knots as he approached the door. He knocked on the door and waited for a response. Here goes nothing…