A/N: I truly feel overwhelmed by the reviews I have received recently. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the amount of love you have given this story.

I am still not back, and due to unavoidable circumstances away from my beloved laptop. This chapter and quite a few if the subsequent ones will be posted from my phone. I am posting only because I have received so many messages asking me to update. I hope you all will be able to overlook the typos and other errors. Promise to edit it once I get back.

Characters rights belong to JKR

Chapter 36: A New Mission

Hermione stopped speaking to Ron completely after her little outburst, concentrating rather on reading the books she had managed to pack, and spending the rest of her time with Molly or Ginny. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not stop thinking about, or noticing the youngest Weasley male who had captured her heart for good. The same man who had gone back to being his aloof and silent self once again. It was hard to say if the family had noticed the lack of any interaction between the apparent friends, or perhaps, each one was unnerved themselves to notice the tension between them.

His behaviour still frustrated her. She knew he was still looking out for her, her subconscious seemed to sense him out even when he was being too discreet, and the contradictory emotions she felt about his behaviour irked her to no ends. But if she was honest enough to herself, she knew that Ron had tried, and quite a few times at that. He had genuinely attempted to talk to her and she had purposely ignored his approach, her heart hell bent on making him try a little harder, to show that she wasn't the one to be pushed around. But after a few times, Ron had simply stopped making any further attempts of trying to catch her alone or start a conversation as he had done earlier. What he thought or felt was difficult to say, and the whole situation was maddening to say the least.

A week after the incident and once again, she found herself sitting alone by the side of the pool. The sun was beginning to disappear and she knew she had to get indoors soon or Molly would send someone out to call her back. Thinking back on a few selected memories all of which featured a certain red-haired someone, she cast the spell Harry had taught her and Ron had helped her practice. The familiar silver otter burst out of her wand and began to circle around her leaving its silvery, wispy trail in its wake. She wondered why hers was an otter. Other than the fact that it was her favourite animal she could not really relate anything. Harry's was a mirror of his father, something like a guardian angel that kept him safe, and Ron's was a Jack Russell Terrier, the features of which matched his personality so fluidly. It was a few minutes before she realised that her thoughts had once again returned to the same person she was trying to keep from thinking about.

Soft crunching sound behind her made her turn out sharply, and the frolicking otter disappeared with a pop, leaving her feeling suddenly alone and unguarded, before a mop of red hair was visible emerging from behind the trees and she both relaxed and groaned in disappointment at the new arrival.

"Did I scare you?" asked the familiar figure with a mischievous grin, Hermione picking herself up and walking towards him.

"No, more like caught me off guard," she replied trying not to feel upset that her base intention for staying back had yielded no result.

"When did you guys come down?" she asked in polite conversation as the young man next to her walked along, matching his steps with hers, not taking his eyes off her.

"A while back," replied Fred. "The Order is meeting in a while to discuss binging down Harry."

She stopped watching the leaves and twigs scattered ground to turn sharply at him.
"It's today, isn't it?" she asked in part shock, part realization.

"Yes, Mad-eye has called for this meeting and it seems this one is going to be exciting." He grinned back.

Well, exciting wouldn't probably be the word she would use, nerve-wracking was more like it. But she was determined to be in the heart of the action this time no matter how scary the proposition was. They walked in silence the rest of the way but she could feel his eyes on her.

"Something wrong between you and Ronnie?" he asked when they had almost reached the edge of the trees, and for the second time, she turned at him sharply only to look away in embarrassment as his knowing eyes grinned back at her.

"No, nothing like that..." she stuttered looking away but he only laughed loudly at her response.

"Well, you both are hopeless," he said wiping the tears of mirth out of his eyes, "and fantastically amusing if I may add."

They were now at the clearing that housed the Burrow and she could see the tall, somewhat crooked house standing ahead. Hermione wondered if it would be all the more stupid to dash away from the grinning twin.

"Well, you know, we have promised Harry not to tease Ron about this," he indicated towards her, and she knew she was blushing profusely now at the bland statement, "but we never promised anything more." He smiled naughtily as he edged closer, and, by instinct, she backed away, confusion marring her features. He came close enough to block her view of the house but far enough to be able to her. Placing his arm next to her, he picked up a twig from her hair and handed it to her, and she took it from him in silent confusion.

"Thank me next time." He added with a grin before turning away and walking off as she stood bewildered with her back against an old oak.

..

It took her a few minutes to snap out of the strange event, and she had taken barely a few steps towards the house when another redhead walked out of the kitchen door, banging the wood loudly behind him. She watched him come towards her in quick strides, and was shocked to see the fury that emanated from him. A part of her was terrified with the amount of joy she felt on seeing him, even if it was a mirror of his old fuming self.

"What are you doing out so late?" Ron demanded in a slow menacing whisper when he was close enough, and it took her not more than a minute to snap out and glare at him before looking away and taking steps to walk away. A sudden grasp on her wrist stopped her, forcing Hermione to face him again.

"I am asking you a bloody question!" he fumed and she tried jerking her hand out of his grasp.

"Leave my hand."

"Answer me first."

"I am not answerable to you, Ron!" she snapped and the eyes that were boring into hers fiercely, softened slightly as did the hold on her wrist. She didn't know what caused it but it might have been on hearing his name from her after days.

"No, you aren't," he said softly, and she couldn't help feeling a little desperate to ease the tension between them.

"Don't stay out so late, Mum gets worried," he added and she felt her heart twitch as she looked at the face she loved so madly, no matter how much the person behind it infuriated her. She chose not to comment but walked ahead slowly away from him realising that he followed closely in her wake.

...

The plan was put forward and generally accepted by all, and yet, Ron couldn't help feeling slightly troubled. Could they really trust Mundungus? After all, hadn't Harry almost strangulated the thief last year for stealing articles from Grimmauld Place?

He stood with his back resting the wall next to the shelf, and glanced around at the assembled Order members who were taking up every little space in their cramped living room, his eyes automatically seeking her out. She looked back at him with the same concern in her eyes, and Ron realised that, despite all their differences, they were in this together and nothing had changed that.

"We need volunteers for the six Potter impersonators," barked Moody looking around the room, and he raised his hand automatically before glancing around at the others.

As expected, the twins had raised their hands, and he noted with surprise that so had Fleur. So that made four. A slight gasp from his mother made him turn towards his left where Hermione was wedged between his mother and Tonks on their threadbare couch.

She had her hand raised.

He glared hard at her direction, willing her to look at him, willing her to lower her hand. She shifted consciously but ignored him.

"We have five volunteers. We need one more." came Remus's voice and he could feel himself stiffen.

Why wasn't anyone objecting against this barmy idea? For Merlin sake, she was a target herself! What kind of a fucking insane plan was this anyway?

He concentrated on breathing deeply through his nose without breaking his gaze. Ron could briefly make out Moody barking out instructions at Dung who, by the sound of it, was adamant not to be the sixth impersonator. He ignored the discussion and continued glaring at her. She would meet his eyes eventually, he knew she would. She always knew when he was watching her.

He watched her lick her lips and finally, brown orbs met his blue ones in a stern mutiny. He shook his head infinitesimally and she glanced away for a moment before meeting his gaze again, this time with unflinching determination.

The meeting was coming to a close, the senior members now discussing various tactics and plans to leave false trails for the Death Eaters but his mind was elsewhere.

"Hermione won't be a part of this." he announced suddenly and noticed the room go silent while all heads turned towards him. He turned to face Remus and Kingsley.

"She is as much a target as Harry. We can't risk it," he reasoned strongly as the two seniors glanced between themselves. But before either of them could speak, Hermione snapped as she pushed herself free from the tight space.

"That is for me to decide since it's my life on the line." she retorted angrily and Ron barely held himself back from pulling her away and locking her up to stop this idiocy.

"She is right." piped up Tonks.

"She is a bloody target!" he snapped.

"So what do you want me to do? Sit back and watch everytime? In case you haven't noticed, we are in the middle of a war, and getting Harry to safety is the priority!"

"Do you think I don't know that?" he retorted angrily. "But Dumbledore -"

"- left you with the responsibility of my security, yes, I've heard that, Ron! But you have no right to decide my life for me." she finished before turning back at the senior members of the Order who were eying them intently so far.

"I am legally an adult and I wish to be a part of this. Harry is my friend." she said boldly.

"Ah, good! Now, let's stop the childish chitchat and work out the details." commanded Moody, and Ron looked at her only once before turning away. She had successfully stopped him with that one statement, that he had no right to decide for her. Yes,it was true and all the more better in their present situation if she felt that way, but it still hurt.

There was nothing he could do to keep her away from it this time, and it worried and irked him in equal measure, causing him to growl in frustration. There was so much he wanted to tell her, so many things to discuss but she wasn't giving him a chance. How would he ever ensure their safety if she continued to be so stubborn? How would he ever put his plan into action?

The meeting was coming to a close and people were slowly trickling out of the room. He watched the retreating figure of Tonks who sported a bright purple mane tonight, and he knew he would have to talk to the Auror. If Hermione did actually end up being a part of the rescue squad, she would at least need to be disguised for the first lap of their journey. And going by their plan, it would have to be without Polyjuice because she would need to eventually take the potion to impersonate Harry . Ron wasn't very hopeful that she would agree to anything he said, even if it was just for the sake of contradicting him. It would have to come from someone else and then, maybe she would agree...

...

She walked slowly but purposefully towards the small clearing that held the pool. The moon was bright and high up in the sky, and Hermione had had to wait for a few hours before she found the opportunity to sneak out of the house. Well, what she intended to do did not necessarily require her to be discreet but she wasn't exactly hopeful about the outcome of her little endeavour, and in case she failed, she knew she would prefer to keep it from both Molly and Ginny.

She found him at the edge of the pool. Clad only in his jeans that was folded till his knees, and an undershirt that clung tight on his developing torso, Ron presented an ethereal sight. Biting her lower lip purely out of the nerves that hit her at his sight, she paused for a minute to assess her action one last time.

Did she really wish to talk to him? Did she really wish to back down in this battle of wills?

Maybe she did. After all, wasn't it really immature on her part to cling on to childish squabbles when the world around them was in such deep peril? And, she wasn't really backing down, was she? He was still looking out for her, wasn't he? Hermione was no fool. The suggestion from Tonks that she would need to alter her appearance before leaving for Surrey was actually his idea; she was sure of it.

"Hermione?"

His voice broke through her thoughts and she consciously looked away, realising that Ron had noticed her staring.

"Hi..." she replied softly and he took a while to snap out of his shock. But when he did, he pulled his legs out of the water and grasped around to put on the shirt that appeared to be dumped next to him.

"What are you doing out so late?" he asked walking towards her once he was done. Why was he playing ignorant? Wasn't it obvious that she had come out to see him during his regular nighttime ritual?

"Why are you here?" she inquired back. He had reached her and was standing merely a couple of feet away. Hating her eyes that begged to linger on the skin that peeped out of the unbuttoned shirt, she lifted her chin to meet his eyes.

Was there a hint of smile? One that hadn't graced his handsome features for days now?

"I love it here." he replied and then waited as if for her to answer.

Averting her eyes, she looked around and finally walked towards the old oak, the shade of which she preferred during the lazy afternoons she spent in these very same parts. Lowering herself on the ground she looked up at him expectantly.

She waited for him to take his place next to her, both facing the pool, sitting alongside without touching or looking at each other.

"Why don't you want me to go?" she asked without a preamble.

"Because I am worried. Because now, we are risking both your lives. Because I don't know what I can do to keep you both safe..."

Her heart hitched at his words, and she forced herself to keep her mind on all that she had to ask, and not fling herself into his arms, accepting that she was indeed scared and very much so.

"Are you doing this to prove something?" He asked.

"No," she replied slowly.

"If you are doing it just to hear something from me, I swear-"

"- I am doing no such thing, but in case I was, would this work?" she asked despite herself.

He turned towards her and in the moonlight that made his pale features glow, his eyes seemed to pierce through her and reach her soul.

"What do you want to hear, Hermione? Do you want me to accept that I care for you? Because you should know it even if I never tell you. I care enough to wish that I could keep you locked up in my bedroom till we finish this mission. I care enough to wish that I had the right to stop you from trying to prove yourself by putting yourself in the line of fire."

She blushed at his words, and his gaze, and the sight of his chest heaving as he continued to breathe in deeply as he spoke.

"I am not doing it to prove anything, Ron," she whispered softly. He did really care for her, finally, he had accepted it. Suddenly, her heart seemed to be beating harder and everything felt right and perfect.

"Then why?" he exclaimed angrily while those beautiful blue eyes mirrored unadulterated pain. "Do you even realise how hard it is for me?" he asked without breaking her gaze, "Do you realise, the three of us will not be together if something did go wrong?"

"You are worrying too much. They don't know our plan," she said not unkindly, shifting closer and placing her hand on his arms.

He turned around and placed his palms on her upper arms as desperation laced his words.

"I am being realistic. He is no fool. Do you think they aren't watching the Order members? They know each one of us now, Hermione, they have that bloody traitor! They know we have you!" he exclaimed in an almost pained voice.

"We will be okay, Ron... We are prepared, we practiced, remember?" she whispered back as she placed her hand tenderly on his face. He seemed to lean into her touch.

"Not enough..." he whispered ruggedly as he placed his hand over hers. "We are not prepared enough."

"It will always seem that way..."

"No, it is not that. We still don't know how to close our thoughts."

"Occlumency?" she asked with a soft gasp.

"We'll be out hunting Horcruxes once Harry is here and of age. What if one of us is captured and they magic the information out of us? We know too much!" His arms dropped to his sides making her feel strangely lonely and scared.

"I -I can learn it from a book perhaps?!" she replied, her brain berating herself for not having thought about it earlier.

"Not everything... I- I have asked Remus to help." he said almost sheepishly.

" You have?! Did he agree?"

"Of course he did." he smiled a little.

She mirrored his smile and as his eyes lingered over hers, the days of heartache and pain seemed to seep back in.

"Why Ron?" she pleaded in the softest whisper as she bit her lip to cut of the whimper that threatened to escape.

He continued to watch her, and Hermione realised she was thankful for the silence. Maybe, it was better not knowing why he did not reciprocate her love. Maybe, it was better to continue loving him without hoping or waiting for anything that was more than friendship from his side.

But the silence did not last and he let out a soft sigh and did not meet her eyes as he began speaking.

"It's not the time for us, Hermione... You know Harry needs us. First of all, we have to search these blasted Horcruxes and finish them off, and I have no clue how, without one of those Basilisk fangs. We really should have picked them up when we had the chance."

"We couldn't have guessed something like this would happen, Ron... We never imagined we wouldn't be able to go back to school." she replied even as her core hurt at his honesty. But she hung on to the feeble hope that hid behind his words.

"We will have to leave, won't we?" she asked.

"Yes. And, it can't be about us, Hermione, not yet. Not till Harry succeeds. We have to do anything and everything to help him finish this, you understand?"

"Yes..."

"And you have to keep yourself safe too. Promise me you will keep your identity hidden when we leave to pick Harry, disguise yourself as a Weasley. We have such large numbers that it's difficult to keep track anyway." he breathed.

"So it was your idea." she murmured.

"Anything to keep you safe, Granger, anything." He replied, his blue orbs boring into hers fiercely.

...

Walking back towards the house he felt calmer than he had in days. He had set the ball rolling. Gaining her trust without promising anything was the key here. He wasn't really happy about deceiving his best friends but did he have a choice? Did any of them have a choice? It was a backup plan and one that would require to be in place as well as kept hidden. There wasn't suppose to be secrets between the three of them if they intended to succeed in this mission, but this lie, and the one he would tell in the days to come was crucial to the success of this very same task they had been assigned.

He looked up at the sky wishing he could ask Dumbledore what he thought of this strategy, one chess master to another.