"Love me or hate me, either way I'm on your mind."

-Unknown

Passion Burns Deep Chapter Eight

Hermione and the rest of the gang waited until everyone else had filed out of them room, leaving them to talk amongst themselves and out of ear-shot of anyone else. It was times like these were the real problem solving took place. Fred and George remained seated, looking around expectantly, knowing a big discussion was about to take place.

"Wow," Harry said, sinking down into one of the deserted faded maroon arm chairs. He placed his head on the palms of his hands wearily, all of his energy suddenly gone.

"All these years and we never had any clue what was really going on," Hermione whispered, taking the chair beside him. "I mean, the way he always went on about his father, you would never think he hated him so much".

Ginny, who had taken the seat on the other side of Harry, voiced her thoughts, "It just goes to show you how much a person can really fear someone. All those years of being forced to follow in his father's footsteps".

Luna, who had been staring curiously about the room, suddenly said, "I didn't ever think he was as mean and cruel as you guys always said he was. He helped me pick up my books one time".

"You must be permanently delirious," Fred said seriously.

"I believe we have something to cure that," George quickly started to search his coat pockets. "We haven't tested the side effects yet, but I'm sure nothing serious could happen".

"It's alright, Luna, just ignore them," Ron told her comfortingly.

Luna gave Ron a weirder than normal look, as if she had never noticed him before and then continued, "It was getting close to curfew and I was on my way back from the library. An older boy came up behind me and grabbed my shoulder; he tried to get me to "help" him with something in one of the empty classrooms. I refused to go with him and I started to struggle to get away, so he hit me causing me to drop my books".

Ginny gasped and Hermione shushed her, wanting Luna to continue with her story.

"We were the only people in the corridor so when footsteps started to come closer he boy ran for it thinking it was a teacher coming. As I bent down to pick up my fallen books, Draco came around the corner into sight. Seeing me picking up my books, he quickly stopped and picked up a couple books and handed them to me. Then he left without saying anything".

Scratching her head in bewilderment, Hermione said, "That's very strange and not logical at all".

"He was probably on his way back from the Room of Requirement, the slimy git". Harry growled.

"Or maybe he just has a soft spot for girls," Ginny sniggered.

This caused everyone but Luna and Hermione to laugh uproariously, even Harry couldn't help but smile.

"What do you think they'll do with him?" Hermione couldn't help but wonder.

"Hopefully they'll throw him in Azkaban or maybe they'll just kill him," Harry said sourly. "I guess I mustn't get my hopes up though".

"He just took the truth potion and practically spilled his guts out to all of us!"

"I still don't trust him, Ginny. Something just seems to be wrong with the whole situation".

"Are you deaf or something?" she snapped. "Lucius would have killed him long before any of the Order could have stepped in and saved his life. I don't blame him at all for killing his father! After what I just heard from him about that man, I think he had every right to kill him!"

Before Harry could say anything back, Hermione quickly cut in. "I think it's about time we all got some sleep. It's been a long day for all of us and we all need time to clear our minds".

Muttering their agreement, everyone stood up and left the room, heading for their respective rooms; Luna and Neville had decided to say at Headquarters along with everyone else. Harry was sharing a room with Ron and Neville, while the girls shared a different room.

Ron fell back to walk with Hermione as they made their way through the ancient house.

"What was up with you earlier, Hermione?" he asked suddenly.

There was a pause as Hermione gathered her thoughts. Finally she decided that now was the time to have this discussion before things became worse. "Ron, how do you really feel about me?" she asked him quietly.

Ron looked dumbstruck for a second and then answered smartly, "Well I thought someone as smart as you would have figured that out by now, Hermione".

He took a step closer to her and remembering what had happened earlier, she quickly stepped back away from him.

"Well, um… Ron… I…"

"Oh, come on, Hermione. You know I want you and I know you want me the same," Ron took a few more steps towards her; backing her into a corner in doing so.

Taking a deep breathe to settle her nerves, she bravely stood her ground. "Ron, I don't like you that way anymore. I used to have feelings for you but I'm afraid that you messed that up when you started using Lavender. How am I supposed to know if you won't just do the same to me; use me then throw me away when you are tired of being with me?"

A huge smile crossed Ron's face as he looked at her. "You know that's perfectly not true. Just because Krum treated you that way, doesn't mean that all guys will".

"Victor did absolutely nothing to me!"

"Come off it Hermione. I would never do something like that to you. The only reason I did all that stuff with Lavender was to get you to notice me. I did it all for you".

"If you'll do it for me, you'll do it to me," Hermione snapped.

Hermione's back was now against one of the hallway walls and Ron was inches from her.

"That's not the way to get a girl at all and in your case it caused you to lose my love for you. So in the long run it's your own fault you can't make up your mind on what you really want. There's a name for people like you, Ron and it's…"

SMACK!

The sound rang through the hallway. Hermione's hand flew to her face where a stinging hand print had been left from the force Ron had hit her with.

"Do not ever say that again, Hermione. I love you very deeply, I always have and I always will. Let me prove that to you".

Hermione couldn't do anything to get away as his lips came crashing down on hers. She fought to get away, trying to shove him off of her, but he just grabbed a hold of her wrists to keep her from struggling. He was leaned up against her so closely that she couldn't even move her legs to kick him.

He deepened the kiss, biting her lip to gain entrance into her mouth. Grabbing both her wrists painfully with one hand, he let his other wonder down her side where he found the hem of her light blue shirt. He ran his hand up her shirt, running his fingers lightly over her flat stomach.

Hermione couldn't let this go any further, thinking quickly, she bit down on his tongue with all her might, tasting the iron of his blood.

"OWWW!" he yelled, quickly stepping away from her. She slapped him with all her might and then quickly turned to run down the hallway.