Hello Everyone. I know it's been a terribly long time since I last posted. The only excuse I have is that classes started and I no longer have the time to work on this like I did before. I would have liked to go through one more time to look for mistakes and to clean things up a bit, but the library is about to close and I no longer have the internet at my accommodations so it's either post it now or you all have to wait until tomorrow. I thought you would appreciate a post today, so if you spot any spelling mistakes please try your best to ignore them. I hope you all are doing well and I can't wait to hear from you. Happy Reading, Noterwomann

Chapter Fifteen: Top Priority

"There's no point continuing." Fred said jerking down first one rolled up sleeve and then the other, returning them to their normal state. "We've searched the entire perimeter for a weakness. I don't think we'll find a way in?"

"I didn't really think we would." Harry said pocketing his wand as he stepped up beside his brother-in-law.

"There's something I still don't understand." George said, tilting his head contemplatively to the side. "Why did he bring her here? It doesn't seem like the type of thing Ron would do."

"It's exactly the type of thing Ron would do," Parker said, narrowing his eyes on the dark building that was Ron's home. "It's battle tactic. It's always good to have an advantage over your opponent. In this case he not only gained the upper hand by taking her by surprise but he brought her to his home. The one place in the world he knows better than anyone else and the one place he knows without a doubt she's never stepped foot."

"But he had to have known we were going to come after her." Charlie said. "Wouldn't it have been wiser to bring her somewhere we wouldn't have thought to look?"

Parker shook his head. "Are you joking? Charlie, we've been here for three hours and we haven't made any progress. No, Ron knows what he's doing. He wanted to make sure no one could disturb them. If he had gone anywhere else he would have been able to produce mediocre wards at best. We would have broken through in minutes. He already had everything set up here. All he needed to do was activate the wards already in place. It would have taken less than a minute. It'll take us another five hours, at the least, to break these down, and by the time we do that the next set will already be up."

"The next set?" Bill asked while continuing to cast charms at the wards to see if he could ponder a way to get through. "How do you know there's more?"

"Because," Harry said, looking sadly at the other men, "Parker and I helped him set them up, just like he helped us set up ours. We're not getting in there." He shook his head. "It's too well protected. We made sure of it."

"But we have Bill." Charlie said, clapping his brother on the back. "If anyone can break through he can."

"Don't you understand?" Parker said whirling around. "We're not talking about just one ward. This is just the first in a series of many. Already I can guarantee you the second ward is up. It went up as soon as we started fighting this one. If by chance we did manage to break through and started working on the next one, a third would be activated. That is if he didn't just activate them all to begin with. I'm telling you, he knows what he's doing. He's trained in this. We're not getting though here tonight."

"But what about Hermione?" Harry asked. "We can't leave her with him when he's like this. There's no telling what they'll do to each other."

"Don't you think I know that?" Parker shouted, rounding on Harry. "You don't have to make me feel worse then I already do. I know this is my fault. I shouldn't have pushed so hard. I should have backed off when Ron asked me to. Now Hermione's in trouble and there's nothing I can do about it. I was just…"

"You were just…what?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowed quizzically.

Parker smiled sadly. When he spoke his voice was filled with calm irony. "I just wanted to make her happy. I wanted…"

"What about Ron and his happiness?" Harry's chin stiffened irritably. "He's supposed to be one of your best friends."

Parker shook his head. "I knew he could be a stubborn arse, but I never expected him to behave like this. I've never seen him this irate before."

"That's what happens when you toy with people's emotions, Gale. Or didn't anyone ever teach you that? You had to have known how he felt about her. Everyone knew. How could you have…"

"Would you two knock it off?" Charlie snapped, stepping between them. "This isn't helping the situation. It surely isn't helping Hermione. Besides, I don't know why you're so worried about her. She's an accomplished witch, she can handle herself. Personally, I'm more inclined to worry about Ron. Don't forget, he just had his little girl taken away from him." Parker's head snapped in Charlie's direction, his eyes wide with astonishment. "You would have acted exactly the same if Hermione had said someone should take Bryony or Si away from you hours after somebody had. Under the circumstances I think Ron showed a remarkable amount of restraint."

"Wait," Parker took an involuntary step toward Charlie. "Who took Blake?"

Charlie turned to Parker, a distasteful sneer contorting his face. "As far as I have gathered, your Ministry friends did."

Parker squared his shoulders at the animosity in Charlie's voice. "I didn't know that."

"And whose fault is that? If you had been where you were supposed to be today, instead of chatting up Hermione, you could have been helping Ron."

"Charlie, lay off." Bill said straightening to his full height and tucking his wand away. "This is no more his fault then it is any of ours."

"Besides," George said, turning toward the house. "There not shouting at each other anymore. That's got to be a good sign."

"Unless they've killed each other." Harry said evenly, the tone of his voice indicating he thought that was more than a passing possibility. He turned his head towards Parker. "What do we do?" he asked, willing to set his anger for the other man aside in favor of discussing the options they had.

Parker stared quietly at the dark dwelling for several minutes. He wished one of the two people barricaded inside had taken the time to put on some lights. If he could only spot their silhouette in a window, just to know that they were both still alright, he was sure the tightening in his stomach would lessen. "Nothing." He finally said. "You all go home to your wives. I'll stay and watch the house."

"Gale…"

"Harry," He stopped the green eyed man. "I have to make sure. I won't be able to sleep unless I do."

"I'll stay with you." He insisted.

Parker shook his head adamantly. "There's no need. Besides, if you don't go home tonight Ginny'll have your head as well as mine and Ron's." He looked away from Harry to the rest of the group. "And someone needs to go back to the Burrow and assure your mother that all is well and apologize for us all running out on family diner like that."

"I'll do it." Fred stepped forward. "There's something I wanted to talk to her about anyway."

"Are you sure about this?" Harry asked uneasily as the rest prepared to apparate.

"Go." Parker turned back to the house. "I just need to make sure. I need to know if he…if they…I just need to know."

Harry grudgingly placed his hand on Parker's shoulder in an offer of comfort and support as the air rent with the cracks of bodies apparating. "You shouldn't be so terribly hard on yourself. This has been coming for a long time."

She didn't want to move. Not a breath. Not a muscle. She would have been content to lie there, enveloped in Ron's arms like this forever. His skin was warm and damp under her cheek but she didn't mind. She knew they were both warm and sweaty everywhere. She gently rubbed her face against his chest and savored the way she was being allowed to feel it rise and fall in time with his breath. Hermione shifted her leg slightly and Ron's arm tightened instinctively around her, bringing a smile to her lips. It seemed even in sleep he didn't want to stop touching her.

After they had worn each other out so completely, Hermione half expected him to collapse on top of her and fall dead into sleep. But he hadn't. He had wrapped her in his arms, rolled over, taking her with him, and proceeded to stroke her side from hip to shoulder until he fell asleep, hugging her tight to his body.

Smiling with satisfaction, Hermione slid her arm up between their bodies until it was free and rested it gently on his upper arm so that she could comfortably run her fingers through the soft strands of his fiery red hair. Wanting to be as close as possible she leaned her head forward and rested her brow against his, closed her eyes and continued to lovingly stroke his hair. She hadn't felt this happy and, because there was no other word for it, complete in five years. It was almost impossible to believe that a few short hours ago Ron was so blaringly absent from her life.

The first thing Ron noticed as he came back into consciousness was that Hermione was running her fingers through his hair. He savored the realization a moment before he pulled her even closer, molding her body more firmly to his. "What are you thinking?" He whispered after several minutes of lying there, eyes closed, breathing in her scent. He could feel her brow tense against his own.

Her fingers paused momentarily in their task before hastily continuing. "Nothing."

Ron's lips tilted up in a smirk. "You're never thinking nothing." He teased, finally opening his eyes as he leaned his head back slightly so that he could look at her. "What is it?" The hand resting on her back began the familiar, comfortable path from shoulder to hip and back again.

"Honestly?"

"Yes," his hand left her hip to brush stay tendrils of hair out of her eyes. "Honestly."

Hermione sighed heavily. "Well, I was thinking that from a logical standpoint, what we did tonight was probably a mistake."

Ron's body tensed beneath her fingers. "Oh," She could feel the stiffness in his muscles the few seconds he continued to hold her before he unwound his limbs from hers and began pulling away.

"Ron wait," she panicked. "You didn't let me finish." She held tight to him, trying to draw him back to her side until he ceased fighting and lay still, but refusing to look her in the eye for fear she would see the humiliation and pain he was trying desperately to keep hidden. "Ron," she cupped his face tenderly as she gently forced his chin up until he was looking at her. "It's true." She held him still when he flinched and made to turn away. "There are still so many things we haven't talked about. And this has all happened so fast. That brainy part of me that you're always complaining about is telling me that we should have waited. That this is only going to confuse us more. But…but," she persisted, when she felt him continue to withdraw from her, bringing her face as close to his as she dared and lowering her voice to an intimate whisper. "I was also thinking I wouldn't change this, what happened between us tonight, for anything." She smoothed back the hair that had fallen into his eyes. "I want this, Ron. I want this more than anything I have ever wanted in my entire life. I wouldn't change what happened between us tonight for anything in the world."

Ron tried to swallow past the hard knot that had formed in his throat but found the task difficult. "Do you…" He tried again. "Do you really think it was a mistake?"

Hermione's lips turned down with sadness at the vulnerability and insecurity swimming behind his eyes. "If we were talking about anyone else in the world but us I would say yes," she playfully bumped his nose with hers, hoping to coax a smile onto his lips. "But we're not anyone else. We're us. And we were never very good at being patient and taking things slow, were we?"

"No." he admitted.

"Besides," she moved her lips to his left ear and nibbled teasingly at the lobe. "My instincts," she whispered, her lips grazing the rim of his ear with every word, "are telling me that we did good. This…Us," she reached for his hand and slipped her fingers through his, "We feel right, don't you think?"

"Yeah," he turned his head as he brought their joined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "We do."

He changed tact so quickly Hermione had just enough time to catch the wicked smile play against his lips before he rolled over unexpectedly, trapping her body beneath his. He kissed her eagerly, his lips relentless in their mission to draw out the moan of surrender he had only learned last night he liked so much. Only when he achieved his goal did he relent and drawback, giving himself enough room to look down at her unabashedly. He ran his fingers slowly through the brown hair spread across his pillow, staring deep into her warm eyes and trying to ignore her lips, bruised and swollen from his kiss. "Hermione," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "Don't ever do that to me again. You scared the hell out of me. For a moment I thought…"

She latched onto his hair and pulled him down for another kiss. "I'm sorry." She said when she released him. "I never meant… I think I just need to learn when to keep my mouth shut."

"You're right." He smirked as he stole another kiss. "You do."

"Excuse me!" She laughed with mock annoyance, loving the way his eyes glowed bright with laughter and love as he looked at her.

"Don't worry, love," He swooped down for another lingering kiss that had her eyes drifting closed in pleasure. "I think I found a new way to keep your mouth occupied."

Hermione couldn't hold back her giggle of delight as she unwound her fingers from his hair to wrap her arms slowly around his neck. "If it's what I think you have in mind you'll hear no complaints from me."

He nipped playfully at her bottom lip. "Excellent."

"I love you." She murmured when his lips were a breath away from hers.

"Love you, too." Slowly he grazed the curves of her body with the tips of his fingers, eyes closed as if determined to memorize her body by touch. "It feels wonderful to finally be able to hold you like this."

Her body instinctually arched at the contact while a soft moan escaped her lips. "Ron, can we just stay here, like this, forever?"

His fingers came to a stop just beneath the swell of her breast. Hermione watched bewilderedly as the playfulness melted from his face and the bright blue eyes calmed to a cold blue. "No, love. We can't." He reluctantly released her as he eased into a sitting position before moving to the side of the bed and swinging his legs over. He sat there, staring out the nearby window, his back tense and his fingers tightly gripping the mattress. "Hermione…maybe you were right." He said after several moments of stunned silence on her part. "We shouldn't have done this."

Hermione's body jerked into a sitting position. She snatched the sheets up to cover her chest as she rose to her knees. "What?" She wrapped the fabric tighter around herself as she moved to the side of the bed to join him. "But I thought…but you said…" Her voice sounded tight even to her own ears. "Ron?"

He dropped his head into his hands. "This is exactly what I didn't want. I don't want you to think I slept with you to forget. I didn't." He turned his head to pin her with his penetrating eyes. "That's not what this was about."

"Ron," she tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He returned his gaze to his clasped hands. "Blake."

"Blake?" Hermione sat back in surprise. "What about her? I thought she was at your mother's house."

"No." He shook his head miserably. "They took her."

"Who did?"

"The Ministry."

"The Ministry?"

He nodded.

Hermione's eyes narrowed with confusion. "Ron, I'm sorry, but I really don't follow. Why would the Ministry take Blake?"

"I was always scared something like this would happen, but I never believed it actually would. I took all the proper legal channels." He turned suddenly on her, grasping her arms almost painfully. "You believe me don't you?"

"Yes of course." She eased her arm through his grasp until her hand was holding his. "Why don't you start at the beginning? Tell me everything that's happened. Maybe I can help."

Ron's lips trembled as his eyes widened with wonder. "You would do that?"

"Of course I would." She let him lift her off the mattress and draw her onto his lap. "Why would you even question it?"

"Because," he thread his fingers through hers, "We haven't been speaking for very long. You willing to help me, no questions asked, after all these years, just feels so strange. I feel like I'm asking too much too soon."

Hermione closed her eyes as she tucked her head into the crook of his shoulder. She couldn't describe how much it hurt her that their friendship had suffered so much that he felt guilty for simply asking her for help. "Ron," she ran her fingers soothingly along the bulge of muscle in his upper arm, "you've never had to ask me for my help before, you don't have to start now. You'll have it no matter what, always. But if I am going to help you I need you to tell me what happened."

Ron wrapped his other arm around her, needing the comfort of knowing she was secure in his arms before he continued. He lowered his face to rest his cheek on the crown of her head before he spoke. "My application for adoption is being contested."

"Adoption?" Hermione's head snapped up with surprise, colliding painfully with Ron's jaw. "But I thought…"

"You thought…what?" He asked with a grimace while rubbing his chin.

"I thought she was yours. Ginny said…"

"Ginny said what?" Ron's eyes focused on her with interest.

Hermione wracked her brain trying to remember what exactly it was that Ginny had said all those months ago. It felt like ages now. "It was the night of my welcome home party." She said. "Harry was leaving to go see if you had put Si down for the night and she told him to give you and the baby love. I asked her who had a baby and she said you did. I believe her exact words were, 'Ron has a baby.'"

The redhead rolled her eyes in an attempt to look annoyed but Hermione could tell that he was actually quite amused. "Well, she wasn't lying, was she? I did technically have a baby, even if she wasn't mine."

Growling with aggravation, Hermione sat back from Ron, crossed her arms over her chest, and stared out the window with annoyance. "I think I need to have a little chat with your sister. She let me think that you were a father in order to make me feel jealous."

He eased her face around so that she was looking at him again. "Did it work?"

"Of course it did." She redirected her scowl on Ron. "I hated the woman instantly." She admitted. "I hated her because I thought she was the luckiest woman on earth to have been able to win your love and an absolute fool for throwing it away. I hated that she got to have a child with you when I never would. And I hated that she had the one thing I wanted so desperately in her grasp and she threw it away. I could not comprehend what kind of woman would just leave you both behind like that. I mean, what kind…"

"You left me behind." Ron pointed out timorously.

Hermione, caught off guard, turned to face him with eyes wide and mouth gapping. She closed her lips and nodded her head in acknowledgment. "And I am sorry for that. All I can say is I didn't think I had an option. I thought you didn't want me. From the rumors I heard at the Ministry you still wanted her. You loved her and wanted her and she broke your heart. I would have hated her for only that. But mostly I hated her because she wasn't me. I was a fool Ron. I tried so hard to convince not only myself but everyone else that I didn't love you anymore, that I was over you. But I wasn't. I wanted so desperately to be the person you loved and wanted, my heart ached with it. I couldn't help but think that if I had your love the way she did I never would have thrown it away."

"Hermione," Ron gently tilted her chin so that she was looking at him. "There was never a her. For a time I tried to make myself be interested in the women who threw themselves at me, but I just couldn't." He lowered his gaze when his skin began to tint with color. "I would have died rather than admit it, but I didn't want them. I couldn't want them, because none of them were you. I never wanted anyone but you. Hell, I didn't even want Lavender Brown, and that was before we first slept together."

"Then why? Why did you…" She trailed off, unable to finish the question.

"Because," Ron hid his face in her shoulder with shame. "I was mad at you for kissing Viktor Krum." He admitted.

"Viktor Krum?" Hermione asked with surprise. "But Ron, I only ever kissed him once. Well actually, he kissed me if we're being honest, and I never let him do it again. And besides, that was in fourth year, well before anything happened between us."

"Yes well," Ron's face flushed with embarrassment, "I've never been able to think straight where you and him are concerned. Ginny said you'd snogged him and I was so angry and hurt that I wanted to hurt you back."

"So you kissed Lavender Brown where you knew I would see you?" She nodded her head slowly with comprehension.

Ron nodded sadly. "I'm sorry. It was immature and cruel and…"

"In the past." Hermione lovingly cupped his face. "It doesn't matter anymore. It really doesn't. But, if we're going to be completely honest with each other, which I think we should be, then I feel I have to tell you that you're the reason why I didn't see anyone over the past five years."

"Except Parker."

"I knew you were going to say that." She mumbled. "Ron, nothing happened between Parker and me. We're just friends."

"That's not what it looked like to me."

"No?"

"I saw the way you let him touch you. He was always resting his hand on your back, or playing with your hair, holding your hand."

"Ron," Hermione struggled to keep the mirth out of her voice, knowing that he was truly bothered by Parker's antics and one wrong word here could damage the fragile state of their relationship. "You know Parker better than anyone. He's a flirt. One of the very worst I've encountered. None of it meant anything."

"You wouldn't have been the first woman to fall for his charm and good looks."

"But I didn't fall for Parker's charm and good looks. I fell for yours. Ron," she persisted when he looked unconvinced. "If I had fallen for Parker Gale, do you think I would be here, naked, in your arms, like I am, right now?"

"No." he admitted grudgingly.

"No." She confirmed. "Not that I won't have to talk to him about this. I was technically on a date with him last night when you kidnapped me."

"Kidnapped?"

"What else would you call stealing me away like that? You should have seen the look in your eyes before you apparated." She shuddered at the memory. "I was half convinced you were going to throttle me. I'm surprised Parker or Harry didn't come barging in here to rescue me."

"They couldn't have done."

"Sorry?"

"I said, they couldn't have done. I put up wards last night to ensure Parker or anyone else couldn't come in and rescue you before we'd hatched it all out."

"You did not." She said disbelievingly.

Ron shrugged. "I'm actually more adept at wards then even Parker is aware of. Not that I needed to worry about that last night. I already have a series of wards in place. All it took was activating them. There was no way he was getting close enough to disturb us."

"Oh my God." Hermione covered her face with her hands. "What must he be thinking right now? Ron, he probably thinks you've killed me and are busy disposing of my body. I should go." She strengthened her hold on the sheet covering her body. "He must be so worried."

Ron's arms tightened painfully around her waist when she made to get up. "You're not going over to Parker's tonight."

Hermione turned to argue but stopped when she saw the stiff set to his jaw. "Ron I have to speak with him. I have to explain that nothing is ever going to happen between him and me." Her lips quirked faintly at the corners, "I have to explain to him that I don't want a boyfriend because I already have one."

"Yeah?" He smiled sheepishly.

"Don't I?" She toyed with his hair.

"Bet your arse you do."

"Ron," Hermione laughed as she wound her arms around his neck. "Watch your language."

"Admit it, you like it when I swear." Hermione playfully pursed her lips to which Ron laughed. Moving quickly he took hold of her legs and turned her so that she was sitting on his thighs, one knee on either side of his hip so that they were looking at each other face to face. "Don't worry about Parker. I'll speak with him tomorrow."

"No," Hermione shook her head. "I really think I should be the one."

"Hermione please. I'll talk to him. Parker's my mate. I should handle it." He ran his fingers tenderly through her hair. "Besides, I have something I need you to do for me tomorrow."

"And what is that?" She asked, her voice laced with annoyance.

"I need you to find a way to get my daughter back."

"Blake," Hermione gasped, her mind screaming back to the beginning of the conversation. "That's right. You said the Ministry took her. What can I do?"

"I don't know." Hermione could see the sorrow and fear return to his eyes. "I've never been in this situation before." She watched his throat work as he tried to swallow. "Hermione, what if I lose? What if they grant his petition?"

"We won't let that happen." She took a calming breath as she tried to reign in her own emotions. There was no need to make things worse by turning into a useless puddle when it was clear Ron needed her to be strong. "All right. I need you to start at the beginning and tell me exactly what happened. I understand you are trying to adopt Blake. Who is contesting the adoption?"

"Malacar Amadeus."

"The Death Eater?" she couldn't hide her surprise.

Ron nodded. "He claims he's Blake's godfather."

"Oh." She said with dawning comprehension. "And so he claims he has guardianship over her."

Ron nodded again, his throat to tight to speak. "Hermione," he croaked, "she was almost mine."

"She was always yours."

"No, I mean I was going to sign the papers today. Yesterday. If Paxman had come a few minutes later he would have been too late. She would have been legally mine and they couldn't have taken her away. Not without a fight."

Hermione's heart constricted inside her chest. Breathing heavily she guided Ron's head to her shoulder and closed her eyes when she felt her skin dampen with his tears.

"They took her away from me Hermione. They snuck in and took her. They were just going to hand her over to his family, without looking into them. They were going to give her to a family of Death Eaters."

"Where is she now?" Hermione stroked his hair in an attempt to comfort him.

He shook his head against her neck. "I don't know. It took the combined efforts of me, Roland Greene, Winifred Edgecombe and Minister Shakelbolt to convince them that if they wouldn't give her back that neither of us should get to have her. They placed her with another family until after the hearing. They've assured me that she is safe, that no one will harm her where she is, but how can they know? I don't know who this family is. I don't know if I can trust them. This isn't just anyone were talking about, this is my little girl." Ron's arms reflexively tightened. "They don't know her like I do, Mione. She doesn't sleep well if she's not home. I'm the only one who knows how to put her to sleep."

"Shh," Hermione cooed, her fingers continuing to run quietly through his hair. She couldn't ever remember seeing Ron like this before. It was tearing painfully at her heart. She could feel his pain in the way his body trembled, and his utter heartbreak in the way he clung to her. Righteous fury burst to life inside her chest. How dare anyone take Blake away from him? No one in the world could possibly love that little girl more and take care of her better then Ron Weasley. Only a fool couldn't see that. And after all that he had sacrificed, all that he had done for the wizarding community over the years, this was how they were going to repay him?

"Don't work yourself up like this." She said, trying to get a hold off her own anger. "There's nothing we can do until morning. She'll be safe for one night." She said reassuringly. "And first thing tomorrow morning I'll start working on her case. Top priority. I swear, I'll help you get her back." She promised. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Ron walked slowly though the narrow alleyways that made up the Auror department. He didn't know if it was his mood or the atmosphere in general, but the Ministry seemed quieter today, more subdued. It wasn't his imagination. When he passed through the section of cubicles where his team was stationed he knew instantly something was wrong. It was too quiet. No one was laughing. No heads were peeking over walls to talk to neighbors. It was like someone had cast a silencing charm over the whole of the Ministry.

He came to a stop outside Parker's cubicle and was both surprised and relieved to find it empty. He had been dreading this conversation from the moment he promised Hermione he would have it. This was a position he never thought he would find himself in. He and Parker had never been interested in the same girl before, mostly because Parker was interested in almost every female he laid eyes on and Ron hadn't bothered to look at any. But never would he have imagined that he would find himself preparing to fight one of his best friends for Hermione Granger. His Hermione Granger. What was worse, he didn't even know if he was in the wrong.

He didn't want to use terms of ownership, he knew Hermione would hate that he did, but he didn't know if he or Parker had claim to her. True he had known and wanted Hermione for far longer than his friend, but for the past five years he had given every indication to the world that he didn't want anything to do with her. Truth be told he felt Parker had a more valid claim to pursue her. He had made his intentions known for some time now. He had even done the proper thing and asked Ron if Hermione was his girl. If he was going to be honest with himself, Ron knew that in order to do the honorable thing as far as his friend was concerned, he would step aside and let Parker and Hermione get on with their relationship.

But there was no way in hell that was going to happen. Hermione was his now. Not only had he put his claim on her, she had put her claim on him. A small smile perked up his lips. In fact they had claimed each other more than once last night. Hermione was his and he was Hermione's in almost every way imaginable now. He knew the next step was asking her to marry him and then to have the ceremony as swiftly as possible, before something else could come along to tear them apart. But he knew he couldn't ask her yet. Not until this trouble with Blake was over. And not until they had had more time together to make sure that this was really what they both wanted.

There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted her. That he had felt incomplete every day of the past five years without her. But he needed to make certain that he loved her, and not just the idea of her. He needed to be absolutely certain that they felt the same way for each other. Because when he got Blake back, and he would get her back, her life would be altered by his decision as well. And Blake's happiness came even before his own. As did Hermione's.

Even after last night Ron couldn't completely believe his good fortune. As much as Hermione professed to love him and want to be with him, and after all that they had shared last night, both physically and emotionally, he had a difficult time believing he could be so lucky. He couldn't make his heart and head truly grasp the idea that they were well and truly together now, or that they would stay that way. He half expected her to realize she didn't really want to be with him and pitch him, leaving him broken hearted and miserable once again.

Pushing the unhappy thoughts out of his mind, Ron turned away from Parker's cubicle to make his way toward his own office. If Parker wasn't here that meant he had a little more time to figure out how exactly to broach the subject with him. He needed to find the right way to ask Parker his forgiveness for steeling Hermione away while at the same time telling him to keep his bloody hands to himself. His relationship with Hermione was just too fresh, too new. He didn't want to hack her off straight away for pummeling Parker. He knew his friend was naturally flirtatious and liked to express that flirtation through innocent touch. But he also knew he was a jealous man, especially where Hermione was concerned. He didn't want to have to beat the tar out of one of his best mates for doing what came natural to him. But if Ron saw him take the same liberties with Hermione that he had before, there wasn't a force on earth that would stop him from breaking his mates arm.

"Captain Weasley." Ron turned around to find Gavin Banning, one of the members of his squad, standing uneasily in front of him. "If you're looking for Parker, he's waiting in your office."

"Oh," The relief he felt over having more time to gather his thoughts evaporated instantly with the news. "Thank you."

"Captain," Banning said again when Ron made to turn away. "I feel I should warn you, he didn't look very happy when I saw him. He was really short with Fern when she didn't know where you were and he almost brought her to tears."

"Thank you for telling me, Gavin. I'll take care of this."

Ron squared his shoulders as he turned. Forcing his chin a notch higher, he kept his expression neutral as he made his way toward his office. He could feel eyes following him as he went and knew the moment he closed his office door his team would erupt into rumors and speculation as to what had caused the disagreement between the two of them this time. He hated that he and Parker had gotten into more disagreements over the course of the past few months then they had over all the rest of their time working together. It galled him further to admit that he was to blame for nearly every single one of them.

When he reached his office he found Fern's chair empty and the door to his office closed. For a moment he debated whether to turn around and seek out Roland Greene or Winnie Edgecombe and see if they had come up with any new ideas on how to help him get Blake back before heading to Hermione's office, if for no other reason than to make sure last night hadn't been a dream, but quickly decided against it. What was he so afraid of? Parker was his mate, one of his best friends. There shouldn't be any reason to fear him. Hell, he realized with a swell of disgust, he had been through a lot worse than this. He had faced down a group of ten Death Eaters on his own and not so much as hesitated. So why was he still standing on the outside of his own office door like a scared school boy sent to see the Headmaster?

Taking a deep breath Ron seized the handle and swung the door open. He took a confident step into the room and was laid out flat by a fist connecting with his jaw.