AN – I own nothing!

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Chapter 42

"What is it with him?" Hermione hissed angrily as she looked out the window in Ginny's room. Her arms were crossed against her chest, not bothering to look at Severus who was standing a step or two away from her. Tears were slowly falling from her eyes even though she was furious with Ron. What he just said was the worst thing he could ever tell her. Offensive to say the least.

"All I can say is that he clearly wants to make you mad and miserable since you choose not to be with him," Severus replied. He wasn't too sure if Hermione wanted to be held, and decided to give her some space. It was obvious that she was very angry.

"It's not only that I do not choose to be with him, but also, that I cannot."

"He doesn't know that."

"Then do you intend on telling him?" Severus asked. "Maybe if you do tell him the truth, he will decide to shut up and accept the way things are."

Hermione shook her head. "You don't know Ron. He's immature as it is. If I do tell him the truth, surely he will not take it will, and blow his head off. He might even tell others of my secrets. No, I can't tell him."

Severus didn't say anything. Hermione was right. Who knew how the boy would react. Best not tell him at all. Still, he really wanted to sock him down into his grave. He was getting more and more out of control.

"I'm not heartless am I Severus?" Hermione asked him softly.

"What makes you say that?" he asked surprised by what she had just asked.

Hermione shrugged. "Maybe Ron was right. What was I doing having fun over in Italy? I should have been sad and in mourning, but in the end, I wasn't… I still wish for them to be alive. My heart still aches for them."

"Hermione," Severus sighed as stepped up right next to her, putting an arm around her shoulder, "you are anything but heartless. It is he that is heartless. If you were heartless, then how would you be able to love an old fool such as myself." He kissed her temple and pulled her against him. "To me, you have the biggest heart in the world. That is one of the reasons why I love you."

Hermione started to calm in Severus's arms. He knew just what to say at the right times. "I really hate him," she murmured. The feeling of being tired started to hit her.

"You are not alone on that Little One," he replied back. He then felt her lean more heavily against him. "Are you alright?" he asked in a worried tone.

"Just tired that's all."

"We must head on home then," Severus suggested. "We've had a tiresome day today. And to top it all off, stressful as well. It isn't too good for you either way since you're pregnant."

"Could we just sit down for a bit?" Hermione asked softly.

With an arm still around her, Severus led her toward Ginny's bed. When he made Hermione sit down, he wasn't surprised that she had laid herself down on the bed afterwards. He knew that she was exhausted. He could carry her out later on.

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When Tonks walked into the room, she saw Severus sitting beside a sleeping Hermione. She closed the door silently and walked towards them, catching Severus's attention.

"She's sound asleep," he told her.

"That's good to know," she said softly.

Severus's anger for Ron was still evident inside him. "I am going to kill that stupid boy!" he hissed softly as not to wake his wife.

"Look Severus, why don't you just go on home," Tonks suggested. "It would be best to just avoid Ron in all ways, until classes start."

"Why not avoid him forever?" Severus asked. He knew that Hermione would like it that way, and so would he. No more Ronald Weasley forever. Severus stood up and moved and picked up Hermione in his arms gently. She murmured his name softly as she snuggled her face in the crook of his neck. "I have you Little One. Just sleep," he whispered to her.

Tonks opened the door for Severus, and followed him down the stairs. Very soon afterwards, Severus said their goodbyes and thank yous to everyone. He was pleased that he didn't see Ron and headed to Wellington castle.

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Ron head been walking around random dark places around wizarding Britain. One of them even included Knockturn Alley. He was anything but scared when he walked through those dark dreary places. All he could think about was Hermione and Brandon. It wasn't right at all. Hermione and him, together, was right in all ways.

Hermione hated him. Harry hated him. Shit, even his own family and parents hated him. It was all Hermione's fault. If she wasn't so stubborn and choose to be with him, things wouldn't have ended to be so chaotic. He would be happy and so would everyone else.

Finally, he apparated to the last place in his mind. He walked around the woods, all the trees were dark and leave less—all dead. Above, only a part of the moon shined from above, just leaving him enough light to watch and see where he was walking. Far beyond the trees, he saw what seemed like an old, dark, and abandoned manor.

Ron's head snapped around as he heard the sound of something scurrying around the area. "Who's there?" he asked aloud. Suddenly, his eyes had spotted a rat. Not just any ray, but his former rat pet, Scabbers. Before his very eyes, Scabbers morphed into his human form Peter Pettigrew.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Pettigrew asked, as his nosed twitched like a rat's. He knew exactly who the boy was in front of him. "You have guts to come here. Have you voluntarily walked into your death?"

"I came here to see Voldemort," Ron said. His voice showed no fear. He knew exactly what he was about to walk into.

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AN – Sorry, it took a little longer to update. I'm having a lot of problems now, and I really need some of your prayers. Do not worry, I will update as best as I can. Yes, some of you were right, Ron was going to go to Voldemort. Don't hate me for the cliffy… Review!