Ron's POV

CHAPTER FOUR

So I refuse to waste one more second without to knowing

My heart

Baby cuz I don't need anything else but your love

Nothing but you means a thing to me.

I'm incomplete.

When you're not there

Holding me

Touching me

I swear

All of the rest could just disappear

And I wouldn't even care

As long as you're there

My skin stung against the rope that binding my hands together. I continued to jerk my hands free but nothing happened.

We were all tied up together, Hermione, Harry, and I. Hermione to my right and Harry to my left. I could feel our hands pressed closely together.

By the time we ahey rrived in Malfoy Manor, was skin was practically raw from trying to free myself from these blasted ropes.

I could see Bellatrix from where I was standing. Her skin as pale as a sheet, her hair, raven black and greasy, and fighting with one of the snatchers. Something about the sword, but I wasn't really paying attention.

"Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback." Mrs. Malfoy said.

I moved my head back and gulped. Suddenly, I could feel Hermione's cold hand touch mine. I looked up at her, desperation and fear written in her eyes. I wrapped my index finger and tall finger around hers as a sign of reassurance. It was the best I could do right now. Y'know being tied up and all.

"Wait." The raspy voice of Bellatrix spoke, Hermione and I looked back at her. "All except… except for the Mudblood."

It took me a moment to understand who she was referring to. Then, Hermione took a sharp intake of breath and she curled her fingers deeper into mine.

My eyes widened and my grip on her tightened as well. I tugged on my ropes once again, "No!" I exclaimed, "You can have me, keep me!"

Bellatrix looked at me with an evil gleam in her eyes. She approached me slowly, and raised her hand.

The next thing I knew, she had hit me across the face. I grunted, the pain was bearable, but it wasn't pleasant. I could feel my cheek swell up. Rapidly.

I heard Hermione whimper, her fingers not letting go of mine.

"If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next," she said to me. "Blood traitor is next to Mudblood in my book."

Bellatrix then took a sharp, silver dagger from her robes and approached us. My fingers still laced with Hermione's, she came between the two of us then gave a groaning sound. Suddenly, the rope snapped and Hermione's fingers were pulled away from mine. I heard her sob before we were dragged away by Greyback.

My last image of Hermoine was Bellatrix pulling her roughly by her hair, her breathing ragged and shaky and her deep brown eyes not leaving mine.

We were dragged down a long flight of stairs, my body shaking, my head pounding, my heart beating rapidly.

It was killing me!

I couldn't do anything to save her.

The moment Greyback had closed the cellar doors, I continued to tug and pull on my ropes again. This time I was screaming; "HERMIONE!"

I struggled with the ropes once again, blood coming out from my wrists. I could feel Harry jerk as well.

Harry tried to shut me up. But nothing was working; his voice just seemed like a sound in the background.

There was silence in the room, pure silence. I wanted to tear my ears out. "HERMOINE! HERMiONE!"

I don't really remember what happened next, but I knew we were with Luna, Dean, Mr. Ollivander, and this goblin. But it wasn't really that important to me at that moment.

But I do remember this; Luna had dragged us to this little old nail, and out of nowhere, the most painful, haunting, heart-wrenching sound echoed through the dungeon.

Hermione's scream.

I closed my eyes, shook my head, and slowly counted.

1… 2… 3…

The sound of Hermione's scream still pervaded the air. I was going mad.

"HERMIONE! HERMOINE!" I shouted once again.

Once we had reached that old nail, I was restless, I needed to do something. And fast. It was Hermione up there!

My head was spinning then suddenly, Hermione's voice was heard again. "We found it—we found it—PLEASE!"

I jerked, tugged, pulled. My wrists bleeding, my skin burning, but I didn't care. It took a few minutes, with the help of the Deluminator to get the ropes off.

And one I was released I wandered around the dungeon, desperate to find a way to escape.

Bellatrix's voice filled the room. She was still interrogating Hermione.

Then suddenly, another scream-

I scratched my head roughly and curled my hands into fists. "HERMIONE!" I shouted once again.

They all tried to calm me down. But nothing worked.

They couldn't understand how much Hermione Granger meant to me; I was in love with her.

There.

I finally admitted it. I was in love with Hermione Granger.

I knew it the moment her voice came out of the Deluminator, and I tried my best to tell her how I felt, but I chickened out.

Guilt started to control me, my body started to stiffen, my heart sinking.

NO! I thought; I was not going to lose her.

I had already lost her once, and I'm not going to lose her again! Not after everything we've been through. Not after the promise I made to her.

She screamed once again and I couldn't take it anymore.

"HERMIONE!" I shouted.

No mere words could describe how I felt that night.

I had broken my promise.

I felt my eyes watering, giving into the grief. I looked down at my wrists, raw and bleeding. Finally, the tears fell. Falling straight to my exposed wrists, they stung and burned, but I didn't care.

My thoughts were filled with masochistic deeds. This was killing me. Hearing Hermione scream and plead.

My heart sank; lower, and lower into a bottomless pit.

My legs felt like jell-o and I finally gave in. All my repressed emotions finally came out and I fell on my knees.

My wrists continued to burn and throb. Serves me right…

I looked up at the damp dungeon ceiling, Hermione's scream piercing through my ears.

I closed my eyes and saw her face; desperate and scared. I could feel her deep brown eyes locking with mine, my jaw began to quiver.

"I'm sorry Hermione…" I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

She screamed once again but I had no more energy to shout. All I could do was sit there, crying.

They all just looked at me. As if I was mental.

I might as well have been.

It had taken me so long to even consider forgiving myself for what I did to them; y'know, leaving. And just when I was feeling the slightest bit of peace of mind, this happens!

Just when I thought things between us would be okay.

Now look,

She was being tortured.

And I knew, that if she died tonight, I would never ever be able to forgive myself.

"Hermione…" I whispered once more.

The moment we landed in Shell Cottage I wasted no time positioning an unconscious Hermione on my back and running straight to Bill's house.

I panted wildly as I ran towards the small cottage perched on the hill loudly yelling, "BILL! BILL! HELP!"

Hermione started to stir on my back, her head moving sideways, she was mumbling something but I couldn't understand what she was saying.

I was panic-stricken. "BILL!" I yelled again, and finally a tall ginger headed figure appeared, "Ron? What in the—"

Bill saw Hermione's sleeping figure in my back and quickly pulled us into the house.

"How-?"

"She was tortured" I panted, "Cruciatus Curse. Bellatrix"

He led us to the room that I occupied when I stayed here those months.

He told me to slowly set her down, and he would call Fleur.

"What eez wrong Bill?" I could hear Fleur say as I was laying Hermione down.

"Fleur, she's hurt. Can you help her?" said Bill.

Fleur entered the room quickly and gave Hermione a once-over.

I placed my hand into Hermione's and looked at her intently, hoping that she would wake up.

"Don't worree Ron, I'll get her well in no time." She said with a bright smile.

I let out a sigh of relief and squeezed her hand tighter. "You're going to be alright Hermione…"

Fleur had left the room to get the potions needed, and Bill entered and placed his heavy hand on my shoulder.

"How did it feel? When she was being tortured?" he asked me.

I closed my eyes and shook my head before looking up at his deep azure eyes. "Like falling off a broomstick, and into the mouth of a basilisk, and as much as I pushed on his mouth it wouldn't open, the venom seeping into my body… it was horrible."

He chuckled quietly, "Wow, that bad huh?"

"You should have heard her Bill… her scream… it was killing me!"

He smiled. "You're lucky she's such a strong witch then."

"Yeah…" I said slowly.

"And she's lucky to have such a brave wizard save her." I could feel my cheeks start to radiate heat. And I was pretty sure my eyes were already tomato red. I looked up at Bill once again; a smirk formed in his lips.

"Come off it!" I said. And looked back at Hermione, stroking the back of her hand with my thumb. "Do you want me to admit it to you Bill?"

He nodded, "That would really confirm it for me Ron,"

"Fine," I said, "I love her. You happy?"

"Are you?" he cocked up his ginger eyebrow at me.

"I'm just happy we made it." I said, my grip on Hermione's hand tightened.

"I'm going to go check on Harry and the others." He said before leaving us in the room.

After a few moments, Fleur had entered the room with a bowl of hot water, a towel, and a box of potions.

"Ron, let me take care of her first. You can come back later." Said Fleur

I nodded at her, reluctant to go.

I sat on the couch, dazed as I waited for Fleur to let me into the room once again.

"Ron?" a voice called.

I got out of my trance and stared at tall, lean, dark-skinned figure staring down at me.

"Oh, hey Dean," I said rubbing my temples.

"Dobby's dead,"

I looked up at him, my eyes wide, "What?"

He nodded solemnly, "Bellatrix's dagger, it somehow got to him before we Dissapparated and…"

"No…" I whispered. "Where's Harry?"

"Looking for a spade." He said.

"I've got to go help him!" I said. And as I was about to stand up, a light soprano voice called.

"I wouldn't do that." I turned to see Luna standing by the doorway.

"Why not? He's my best friend!" I retorted.

"Harry needs to be on his own for a while. He's rather upset."

"But that's why I need to—"

"Harry needs time Ron." She said.

I nodded and before I could reply, a door began to creak, I turned around to see Fleur standing behind the opened door.

"Ron," she started, "You may see her now."

I stood up immediately and walked towards the door. "I she awake?" I whispered.

Fleur shook her head, "Not yet, but she's beginning to stir, I think she'd want to see you first."

My ears began to heat up. "Thanks Fleur." I said before closing the door.

I turned to look at the pale figure lying on the bed. "Hermione," I whispered.

I grabbed a near-by chair and set it next to the bed. Fleur had lent Hermione one of her dressing gowns which flowed loosely on her small, slim body. Her scar was very evident now.

I gritted my teeth and cursed under my breath. That scar was going to haunt him forever. Her broke his promise.

I pursed his lips, my promise.

My memory went back to the day I had made it.

It was after the wedding and we had just arrived in Grimmauld Place. Hermione was too scared to sleep on her own and she opted everyone sleep in the living room using the sleeping bags she had packed for our journey.

The moment I saw her set down those sleeping bags, I knew they wouldn't be all that comfortable. So I grabbed my sleeping bag and placed it on one of the couches. Then, suddenly, I saw a bright silvery light appear, in the shape of a weasel.

"Dad?" I murmured. I followed the patronus.

"Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched."

I gave out a sigh of relief and collapsed down unto the opposite couch.

"They're all right, they're all right!" Hermione whispered happily to me.

I chuckled and gave her a quick hug.

Once I let go I noticed her sigh and gulp.

I knew she was thinking about her family.

I knew she was having a harder time then I was, and so I removed my sleeping bag from the couch, grabbed hers, placed that on the couch, and placed mine right on the floor beside hers.

That night, after a long row about who could sleep on the cushions, she finally gave in.

The clock had chimed midnight, but I couldn't seem to fall asleep. I turned to see if Harry was awake but I could see his eyelids closed and his body still, then, I looked up at Hermione. Her body was still too; a hand hanging from the edge of the couch so that it nearly touched my arm.

I started to rustle in my uncomfortable little sleeping bag, to find a better sleeping position when suddenly:

"Ron?" Hermione whispered.

"Yeah?" I whispered back

"You're still awake."

"Yeah." I said, "I can't seem to sleep."

"Me neither."

There was a moment of silence. Then suddenly, Hermione's breathing became ragged.

"Hermione, what's wrong?"

"Ron…" she said, "I'm scared."

I bit my lip, "I know. I'm scared too."

"What if we never make it back?"

"We will." I said with as much confidence I could muster.

"How do you know?"

"Because," I started, "We've gone through too much to die now. We should've been dead since the troll."

Hermione let out a small laugh, then after a while, started whimpering.

"Hey Hermione…" I said, "Don't cry. We'll be alright."

"What if we're not Ron?"

Finally, I grabbed her hand into mine and squeezed it tightly, and I started telling her a story.

"The night before our first year, I couldn't sleep. I was so nervous. Fred and George kept teasing me that I wasn't good enough for Hogwarts and naturally, I believed them. So after hours of failed attempts to sleep, I finally gave in and went down to the kitchen.

"When I got there, I noticed the light was already on, then that's when I noticed my mum sitting on the kitchen table. She asked me what I was doing in there so late at night and I told her I couldn't sleep.

"She smiled at me and told me to lie down on the couch in the living room. Then, she sat on the edge of the bed and started singing me a lullaby. Then, she had asked me what was troubling me.

"I told her about what Fred and George said and started rolling her eyes. Then she took my hand, and said to me 'Merlin made you a wizard for a reason. Dumbledore wouldn't have invited you to Hogwarts if he didn't think you were worth the trouble.'"

"Your mum's really smart." She told me.

"Yeah she is." I whispered. "I think about what she said all the time."

"Really?"

"It's not easy you know, being the youngest of six sons, and having 'The Chosen One' and the brightest witch of our year as your best friends. I still don't see why Merlin made me a wizard."

Then suddenly, Hermione's grip tightened. "Ronald Billius Weasley!" She exclaimed, her voice firm, "Don't say that. You were made a wizard for a reason!"

I shrugged, "Then why Hermione?"

Hermione then fell silent, my heart began to sink, and even she couldn't answer it.

"I'm scared too Hermione, just like you. I've always been scared." I told her, "What if we die and I never understand why I was made who I was?"

"Ron," she started, "Let's make a pact."

"A pact?"

"Yes."

"Alright? What?"

"That when we go on this hunt with Harry were not going to let anybody hurt us."

"I don't know Hermione… getting hurt seems pretty normal to me…"

"Ron!" she hissed.

"Alright, alright!" I exclaimed. "I promise to never let anybody hurt you."

"Nor you." She said.

And finally after a few moments, we fell asleep our hands still intertwined.

A small smile inched into my face, and I held on to Hermione's thin, slender hand longer.

Suddenly, she started rustling.

"Hermione?" I said.

Then, as I moved my eyes up to her head, deep brown eyes stared at me.

"Ron…" she said weakly. "I'm alive…"

I smiled. "Yeah you are." I said. Then frowned once again.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I broke our pact." I said, "I'm so sorry Hermione…"

Then suddenly her other hand snaked up to my face and forced me to look at her. "It's alright. I broke it first. Remember when you got splinched in the Ministry of Magic?"

I nodded.

"Ron," she started, "What's wrong with your wrists?"

I looked down at my wrists, I had completely forgotten that they were wounded. "Oh, from the ropes in Malfoy Manor."

"Hm…" she said while staring down at my swollen wrists.

"What?" I asked.

"You're right." She said, "That pact was stupid. But I'm glad you tried to keep it."

A/N: This had to be the hardest chapter for me to write in this entire story. I mean, it how in the world would I know how it would feel if I had been stuck in a dungeon while the one you loved was being tortured upstairs? The imagination can only do so much! :|

I can see why J.K. Rowling did it in Harry's point of view Ron's a wreck in this chapter.

Did I make Ron too dramatic here? Is the pact kind of stupid? I would love some feedback on this chapter.

By the way, if you know the song, it's almost done and I only have two chapters left to post so I would really appreciate some reviews. :)

~rascal