Sorry, sorry about such a long delay, I know that was unkind to my readers, if there's any ... :) I've been in a long trip lately, and then busy with school, but now I'm back, many thanks for the reviews and for the people who silently read it as well.

This chapter takes place when the Trio gets inside Hogwarts by Neville's hand; our favourite couple is being left amongst the urging questions of their fellow classmates and try to find a way out. Enjoy it!

Desiré

Lyrics: "Wonderwall" - Oasis

Shared Moments Nine: Facing fears

Today is gonna be the day
That they're gonna throw it back to you
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now

Harry left the Room of Requirement with Luna, and now the frantic questions pursued Ron and Hermione instead.

'What we'll do next? Do you need anything more? What've you three been doing? Why are you two together?'

Hermione looked desperately at Ron. He looked back, helpless.

'Ron, how are we going to destroy them?'

'What?'

'The "things"! If Harry find that one, what about this?'

'Oh yeah! Let's think … Can't they help?'

'No! They don't know about the Horcruxes!' What a stupid question, she thought. 'Nobody is running around with a supply of Basilisk fangs!'

'Oi … That's it! Basilisk! C'mon,' and he gripped her arm and dragged her to the stairs.

'What -- are -- you -- doing? Ron, you're hurting me!'

Ron stopped dead at the middle of the staircase, realizing he was about to tear apart Hermione's arm.

'Sorry. Er … give me -- give me your hand, here.' He held out his; Hermione hesitated but then took it. They went on, feeling the warmth of the other's hand wrapped around their own.

After a couple of corridors, Hermione said, 'Will you tell me where we're going?'

'The Basilisk -- Hogwarts does have a supply of Basilisk fangs!'

'What the --?'

'Second year, remember? Chamber -- of Secrets --'

She gasped.

'Ron, you're right! But how are we going to get in?'

'The thing is how to get out -- Accio brooms!'

And within seconds a couple of old broomsticks came soaring from a distant closet.

They went on to Moaning Myrtle's abandonned bathroom. It was exactly how they remembered it: stained, with broken pipes, torn cubicle doors, and the great, old-fashioned washbasins.

'Didn't Harry have to use Parseltongue to open it?' asked Hermione desperately as Ron watched the tiny, engraved snake on the tap.

'Yeah … wait …' And he did an odd hissing noise. But nothing happened. 'Harry did something of the sort to open the locket last time. I'm gonna keep trying until it opens.'

And kneeling down he continued with a sequence of sharp noises while an astonished Hermione watched him, until, at last, the sink opened up, revealing the entry of a tunnel.

'Ron, that was great!' squeaked Hermione, hugging him quickly.

'Yeah -- come on, jump!'

'What?'

'Now!'

And taking her hand again, he dragged her down the tunnel, falling and falling until, with a dull thud, they felt the ground.

Hermione stood up and looked around.

'So this is the Chamber of Secrets? It's not very... cosy. Are you sure there are no more Basilisks?'

'For sure. Over here.'

I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody feels
The way I do about you now

'Good. Now ride your broom,' said Ron, throwing one of the broomsticks to Hermione.

'Ron, I can't fly!'

He looked at her skeptically.

'Don't you? Oh, alright, come behind me.'

She climbed right behind him and with a mix of pleasure and timidity, placed her free arm around his waist.

'Hold on tight.'

And they soared through the tunnel, clutching armfuls of yellowish fangs. Hermione could feel Ron's chest heaving deeply and softly under her hand; Ron could feel Hermione's chin in his back. They had never been so close to each other like this, and both of them thought that it felt pretty good.

At last, they landed on the bathroom's floor again, and Ron set off to the door.

'Wait! Ron, the cup! Let's destroy it!'

'Right, here - do it.' And he placed the cup into one of the sinks.

'Me?'

'Yes, come on. You haven't tried yet,' said Ron.

She glanced at him, only to see that he was serious, and a new determination grew in her.

And all the roads we have to walk along are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you
I don't know how

With a shaking hand she rose a fang, and the next moment, a clear voice, which seemed to issue from the depths of the Hufflepuff cup, whispered, 'I know what you crave, Hermione Granger, and it is close at hand. I can tell your secret, I can disclose the unhappiness of the most clever witch of Hogwarts. But I can also give you, grant you the only thing you want.'

Ron looked, puzzled, from the cup, which was gleaming with a golden and orange glow, to Hermione, who had a frozen tear on her cheek and her eyes almost out of their sockets. What was the Horcrux talking about? If Hermione craved something, or somebody, it wasn't Ron, that was clear.

'Stab it,' he said, putting his hand on one of her shoulders. Without thinking, without all the time that it had taken Ron in the Forest of Dean, she dropped her hand -- a clang and a desperate cry echoed in the bathroom. Hermione looked up to find Ron's eyes. He looked back at her and saw fear in her brown eyes.

Because maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall

'It's okay now. It's gone.'

'Thanks,' she said, her voice weak and low. 'For … for … encouraging me. It really scared me, I felt horrible. Did you feel something like that when you destroyed the locket?'

Ron shivered at the memory of the ghosts.

'Something like that,' he answered.

He had to tell her, despite the fact that she'd never feel anything but a friendly affection for him; he wasn't so handsome, so clever, or so sensitive, not like she'd like him; Ron felt like he had to let her to know …

And she thought that, after all had happened, she really needed to tell him, even if he laughed at her, but she really needed to do it before it was too late …

To their surprise, they both looked up at each other, both taking one of the cup's handles.

'Hermione.'

'Ron.'

'I need to tell you something,' they said at the same time.

BOOM!

Ron looked down to his watch.

'The battle! It's started!'

'But Ron …'

But he had already taken her hand and pulled her towards the doorway, down through the castle. And to themselves, they said, 'Maybe it's better like this.'

I said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me