Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny walked down the un-used gravel drive of the Burrow, rugged up against the thick fog. Harry tucked Ginny under his arm as soon as the lopsided house disappeared into the mist, so they could shiver together under the same cloak. Ron glanced at Hermione, wondering if he should do the same, but she walked on steadily, staring at her feet.
Once they passed thought the still active protective charms, Harry grasped Ginny's hand and spun to Disapparated. Ron waited at the gate post, watching Hermione's bright blue cloak glide towards him out of the mist. As she got closer, Ron saw probably the main reason she had fallen so far behind, she was reading a square of very crumpled parchment, but when she saw Ron watching, she quickly stuffed it into her pocket. She walked straight past Ron and pulled out her wand in preparation. She screwed up her face and she breathed deeply trying to calm herself, but when she opened her eyes the white's of her brown eyes were blood shot, a thousand thin lines running across her eyeball. She tried to blink them away, but it only made a pool of tears build up on her eyelashes.
"Hermione?" He asked cautiously, reaching out to touch her shoulder "Are you alright?"
She nodded and brushed his hand away then dug her hand deeper into her pocket
"I don't think you're in the right state to Dis-"Ron reached to take her hand, but in one swift angry movement, Hermione swatted his hand away, her nails just scratching the back of his hand, then she marched over to the second gate, trying not to look at Ron.
Ron's mouth gaped and looked down at his feet. Lying a few inches from his shoe was a crumpled piece of parchment, on it, scribbled in thick black ink was Hermione's name.
With a quick glance at Hermione's back, and thinking of her own good more than his curiosity picked it up and unfolded the slightly damp letter.
Hermione; it was so long ago since I last saw you, but it seems I cannot stop thinking about you. Through my resources I have uncovered your address and I hope it is ok that I am writing to you, or that it is ok with your "friends".
I sincerely hope that you haven't forgotten me, or the promises that you made to me, because my dear, some things cannot be denied, such as the love that I feel for you and that I know you do as well.
In our time apart, I understand if you have forgotten your word and found somebody else to show affection to and I know my dear that it is hard for you my dear, as you have such a huge heart pounding in your chest, but I have not forgotten you, and I dare say, I will be insulted if you have forgotten me, love.
Don't forget precious, if you are worried about the reaction of my stand-in, leave it to me to deal with, I can try to make it look like an accident if that's what would make you happy. He won't even feel a thing, just a flick of the wrist and he shall be out of our lives forever, just you and me, together, forever.
I love you Hermione, and we shall end up together, even if it is in a lonely only cell, sentenced thirty years for murder if it's for your happiness, everything is wonderful.
To begin our lives together, wait for me, don't do anything stupid (if you were ever to something irrational, this would not be this best place to start). And do not worry about the red-headed twit; I'll make sure he doesn't do anything to hurt you.
I'll keep an eye on you, my love my Hermione.
He only skimmed across what it was saying, but before he got to the second line he felt like he was going to vomit, the third paragraph his nails were digging into his palms though the parchment and by the time he had finished it was screwed up so tightly it was hard to determine if it had once been a letter, a paper bag or a failed attempt at origami.
"Hermione, what on earth is this?" He asked. Hermione spun around glancing quickly to Ron's face, the crumpled letter in his hand then she began to search her pockets, discovering that what she was looking for had already been found.
Hermione paused, a tear began to roll down her cheek, "I didn't want you to see that, Ron," she whispered, she took a step forward and tried to take the letter, failed on her first attempt then lend against Ron's chest and began to sob.
Slightly taken aback, Ron paused, before rubbing her soothingly on the back. He could feel the tears soaking though the many layers of clothes he was wearing.
Slowly he sunk down onto the ground, leaning against the fence post. She curled up against his chest and cried. He stroked her hair until he sobs became dryer and quieter.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, finally looking up and brushing hair out of her face.
"It's not your fault," he soothed, kissing the top of her head, she nuzzled into his chest.
"I should have told you-"
"It doesn't matter now; we'll work something out,"
He returned to stoking her hair.
"It came this morning, that's why I was so angry, I should have told you then,"
"Stop blaming yourself..."
"I don't understand, I can't think of anybody... there's nobody I know like that..."
"Don't worry; it was probably just a wrong address,"
"Ron, we don't have an address"
"Maybe a stupid owl-"
"It had my name on it-"
"There's bound to be another Hermione in the country-"
"But they mentioned you..."
"Don't worry-"
"But-"
"Hermione, you don't have to think of the worst outcome in every situation-"
"What's good about it?"
Ron paused from a moment, the smiled broadly.
"We don't have to go shopping, and Ginny won't be back for a couple of hours at least"
"Ron, can you think of anything apart from your-"
"Hey I was thinking of you too!"
Finally, Hermione smiled, she rubbed her cheek into his shoulder, letting his long arms wrap around her, like a thick blanket. She tilted her face up and kissed him softly on the tip of his chin, Ron ran his fingers though her hair, bending awkwardly for their nose's touched. He kissed her again and again.
I nearly vomited.
Scatted leaves obstructed my view, but I could see them clearly enough. I hugged my knees to my chest, trying to dull the aching pain. I begun to twirl a long wooden wand between my equally long fingers, dark hair hung over my eyes, from which I watched her so passionately. She had been crying. It hurt me so much to see her in pain, particularly pain I had caused her.
But what pained me more was the way she allowed those horribly lanky arms to touch her. That filthy, filthy, ugly, horrible man. I shuddered.
I couldn't hear what they were saying, my hiding place was too far away for that kind of snooping, but I knew by the look on her face she was scared and the look on his face was he was thinking of nothing higher than his waist.
I watched them as the sun began to set, keeping my eyes only on the target. I watched them stand and brush dirt from their backs and sides.
When he started flicking grass seeds from her hair, I wanted to run at his with a sword, but I had to stick to my plan.
Her hand was so warm in his, their fingers entwined. Hermione rested her head on Ron's shoulder as they walked, he was talking in his soft warm voice , explaining something Hermione had long forgotten, just listening to each word he spoke, the way he slurred some words together when he was getting excited by what he was saying and when sometimes he would stop just to think of the right word to say.
"And then, after we managed to finally find the bloody place, we went inside and there was nobody –what?"
Hermione's hand had flung from his own, clinging to his chest, stopping them in their tracks as she looked back over her shoulder, squinting into the darkness.
"Did you hear that?" Her voice shook, each word hung in the bleak silence like the haunting mist around them.
"What?" Instinctually, Ron held Hermione's shoulder as she slowly drew out her wand. Slowly Ron followed suit and aimed into a dark clump if eerie bushes.
"What if it's a muggle?" Hermione whispered, resting her hand on Ron's.
"I'd only stun it," Ron tried to smile, but Hermione didn't, "Disarm?"
"Ron..."
"What if I –Hermione! Look out!"
A dark figure jumped from the bushes. Hermione darted out of the way, and drew her wand higher. The figure jumped at Ron, grabbing him by the back of the head, clinging to the long hair at the base of his neck, yanking it until Ron's ears were level with his shoulder blades.
A flash of red filled the path and as the attacker mumbled something the trio fell into a muffled heap on the ground.
With a deep menacing laugh, the figure jumped up, drew a hood over his face and ran into the bushes, followed by a distinctive crack. Hermione jumped up and ran over to Ron's side, watching him try to sit up.
"Are you ok?"
Rubbing the back of his head and attempting to crack a crick in his neck, "Um, yeah..." Sitting up straighter, he looked into the darkness, "Did you get him?"
Hermione laughed and helped him to his feet. "Your fine,", slightly shaken, but she smiled and stretched out her hand. Ron's long fingers grasped her and they started for The Burrow again.
The Burrow was dark and asleep when Ron and Hermione unlocked the kitchen door. The clock on the wall chimed eleven times and Hermione sat down to talk off her shoes, but before she had untied the laces, Ron sat beside her, his hands cupping her face.
Suddenly the room filled with light and somebody laughed. Hermione scooted to the other side of the couch and Ron's ears turned red as her tried to rub lip-balm off his neck.
"God Ron, you're hopeless!" Ginny emerged from down the stair well and crossed to the arm of the couch; Harry lurched behind her, ashamed on what he had witnessed.
"Surely you have learnt to be more careful by now?" She giggled and placed herself in the small space between Ron and Hermione, Harry sunk into the arm chair opposite.
Ginny and Hermione glanced at each other for only a moment, before Hermione nodded, Ron was bewildered, neither of them we any good at Occlumency, or there was something they weren't telling him.
Ginny smiled and looked back at Ron, "Anyway," she started "We have to work something out," She hung her arm around Ron's shoulders, Harry failed to hide his laughter.
"This morning was too close and after you preaching to us, you two go and run off, geeze Ron, what's the word...?" she paused in mock contemplation before looking back up at Ron "Hypocritical?'' She poked out her tongue and Ron swiped for the back of her head. But they both laughed.
Hermione nodded, "We all need to be heaps more careful,"
"And if you're mum finds out anything that going on between us," he glanced at Ginny "she'd go berserk" Harry sighed.
"If mum finds out we have all been sneaking out of bed every second night, she'll go crazy, and there would be nothing stopping her..."
"Stopping her from what?"
"From kicking us out," Harry answered in a gloomy voice.
"Nah, she would never do that, we're her kids, I mean yeah, I'm happy to, but Ginny, nope, she wouldn't part with her for all the money in the world, it's her baby girl" Ron laughed and Ginny slapped Ron's knee.
"Not you Ron, us" Hermione sunk back into the couch and the smile slid from Ron's face while Harry and Ginny breathed deeply.
"No, no, mum wouldn't do that, she said Harry was almost a son to her, it wouldn't have changed much"
"Yeah, but snogging her only daughter, that would change it heaps" Harry laughed, "Being Potter won't get me out of this one"
Ginny laughed and Hermione nodded.
"Well if we don't get caught, it won't matter, we just have to be-"
"Be what Ronald? More careful, sneaker, more discreet? Which you are not right now?"
Mrs. Weasley stood in the door frame, her hair had come loose from its curlers and was crackled dangerously and the hot water bottle was clutched with white knuckles.
"Mum-" Ron jumped up, Harry tried to sink into the shadows, Ginny's fists clenched, while Hermione sat, her face so red it could have lit up the room.
"Guinevere, how could you, in our house?"
"Mum! I-I" Ginny spluttered, getting up to defend herself.
"And you Potter, how could you, she's barely only seventeen!"
"I'm eighteen in three months-"
"But you're barely an adult!"
"Who cares?"
"There are rules for a reason Ginny"
"We didn't do anything wrong!" Harry tried to explain.
"Don't you pull that one on me, Potter!" Mrs. Weasley cried
"But-?"
Sparks flew from Mrs Weasley's wand.
"Harry, how could you do this to me? Betray our trust?"
"Mum, Harry would never-"
"Don't get involved, Ron"
"Leave them alone,"
"Ginny, I haven't finished with you yet"
"Please, stop yelling" Hermione said quietly, but the noise ceased instantly, "Nobody betrayed anybodies trust, nobody has broken any laws or promises, it was only kept a secret from you because nobody knew how you would react." She said very fast, not letting anybody else think.
Mrs Weasley said nothing for a moment, but her mouth gaped for a second before realising what she was doing and shut it quickly.
Harry gave Hermione a grateful smile, Ron sunk back into the chair and Ginny exhaled and slowly unclenched her hands.
Without saying anything, or even filling up the hot water bottle, Mrs Weasley turned and walked back up the stairs.
"Thank god," Ginny muttered under her breath and lent back against the wall. Ron swung his arm around Hermione's shoulders, "You know," he said, looking past Hermione to Harry, "I always knew I would get the smarter one,"
Hermione blushed and Ginny threw a cushion at him.
Then a voice rattled the picture frames "NOT UNDER MY ROOF YOU DO, RONALD!"
The birds nesting in the trees in the orchard awoke angrily and the ghoul crashed furiously around the attic.