The castle was in full-blown madness. Spells of every color were flying everywhere, and screaming and yelling were heard from every corner. Hermione looked around at horror as she watched Death Eaters Stun, curse, hex, and occasionally kill innocent students.

Hermione tore her eyes away from the horrid scene to meet Ron's. He instantly took her hand and squeezed it. "I made you a promise. I'm not breaking it."

Hermione looked into the blue eyes she had memorized and saw longing love in them. She knew at that moment that Ron really did love her as she loved him. She had an impulse to kiss him right then and there, but decided that exact moment couldn't be the right one. Not with all the fighting around her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden shove in her right side, and someone yelling, "Watch out!"

The next thing she knew, she was on the ground, and she saw Ron standing in front of her, Stupefying a Death Eater. He had kept his promise, and her love for him grew more.

While Ron dealt with more Death Eaters coming at him, a shadow darkened over Hermione. She instantly got to her feet and saw that it was Fenrir Greyback, a Death Eater werewolf who had a reputation of attacking innocent witches.

"'Ello poppet," he said, his mouth watering. He hit Hermione with a nonverbal spell that knocked her off her feet. She tried to get up but the spell had put her in some kind of hazy mood…she felt vulnerable and weak…and she couldn't get up…she couldn't even reach for her wand, which was two feet in front of her face…

She watched Greyback advance but the more she tried to struggle to get up the more tired she felt. Greyback was directly above her…about to bite anytime…Hermione could feel his hot breath on her neck…this was it…

She suddenly heard a great thump and a loud grunt as Greyback fell beside her, unconscious. She looked up to see her savior, and there was Ron, holding a long wooden plank he had gotten from a nearby hole in the wall, and had used to knock out Greyback.

Paying no attention to Greyback, Ron kneeled down by Hermione. "Hermione, are you alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?" His voice was filled with concern and franticness.

"I'm fine," Hermione told him. "But he hit me with a spell…I don't know what it was…but it's made me very tired…and weak…" Hermione could feel herself falling into unconsciousness on the very floor of the Great Hall.

"Hermione, please don't do this!" Ron's frantic voice was filling her head and it sounded much louder than usual. "Hermione? Hermione!"

His voice was the only thing she was hearing, she had closed her eyes and blocked out all other noises besides Ron's voice.

Her body was asleep, but her brain was fighting to stay awake. She needed to fight…she needed to tell Ron she was fine…

She felt herself being lifted from the ground, and with all the strength she could muster, she was able to open her eyes enough to see Ron carrying her and watching her frantically. He really was sweet when he knew she was in danger…

"Ron, what - ? Oh, Merlin, what's happened to her?"

Hermione was able to recognize the voice as Neville Longbottom's.

"Never you mind, Neville! I need to get her to the hospital wing!"

Hermione felt Ron almost running and she wanted to tell him she was fine…

"Ron, 'm fine," she managed to get out by barely moving her mouth. She felt him start at hearing her voice. "No you're not, Hermione. Just hang on, we're almost there…"

A few moments later, she felt her body relax as it was placed gently in a bed, no doubt in the hospital wing.

"Where's Madam Pomfrey? Where's Pomfrey?"

"She's not here Ron; we're in the middle of a battle!"

She recognized Neville's voice again, who had apparently followed Ron to the hospital wing.

"Are you serious? Bloody – "

There was a huge bang, and Hermione felt the school shake as another explosion sounded.

"There's Death Eaters coming! Ron, it's not safe here, we have to get her out of here!"

"Alright, where d'you suggest we go?"

"Follow me!"

She felt herself being lifted once again into Ron's arms once again, and he followed Neville to a safer place.

"Hermione, are you still awake?"

Hermione gave a great effort to move her lips and reply. "Yes."

"Good, we're almost there! We're going to the Room of Requirement," he whispered into her hair so only she could hear. Hermione was able to nod only slightly to let Ron know she had heard him.

Soon, she felt Ron stop. He set her down on a bed, no doubt in the Room of Requirement, and she felt the mattress swallow her and she finally felt like she could give her body up to the spell. She sank into a deep sleep where she could finally escape the battle around her.

BANG.

Hermione woke to an earth-shattering explosion. She found she was in Ron's arms; he had crawled into the bed with her and fallen asleep also. She looked around at her surroundings; the Room of Requirement looked just like a hospital wing, many beds spread out everywhere.

The spell had worn off; Hermione now felt stronger and well-rested. However, she considered falling back to sleep in Ron's arms when she thought of what the castle looked like now.

But she couldn't. She had the urge and the need to fight. She got up off the bed and gently shook Ron awake.

"Ron, c'mon, get up, we need to fight!" Ron opened his eyes, which widened when he saw Hermione awake.

"Hermione, what's happening? Are you alright?" He quickly got up and looked her in the eyes. "When did you wake up?"

"Just now – "

"Has the spell done anything else to you? D'you feel alright?"

"Yes, Ron," Hermione said impatiently. "But the school happens to be in the middle of a battle, and we need to fight!"

"No way," Ron said firmly. "I'm not letting you out of my sight again."

Hermione sighed exasperatedly. "Ron, you're being ridi – "

"No!" Ron yelled, startling her. "I was ridiculous to turn my back on you! Besides – "

Ron took a step closer to her. "I already broke my promise," he said quietly.

Hermione sighed. "You didn't break your promise. You've already protected me more than anyone else has ever done."

Ron swallowed, and tried another approach. "Alright, go out and try to fight without your wand." He pulled Hermione's wand out of his pocket suddenly, and Hermione's eyes widened. "Where'd you get that?"

"You dropped it when Greyback attacked you, and now you have no choice but to stay!"

But Hermione didn't falter. She knew exactly how to play this. "Alright, take it. I'll just go fight the muggle way. With my fists." She started toward the door to the Room of Requirement, and when she saw Ron go after her, she started to run.

She threw open the door and ran out, dodging spells as she went. Before she had gone too far, however, she felt two big strong hands catch her shoulders.

"Hermione, what are you doing? It's too dangerous – "

"It's just as dangerous for you Ron!" Hermione shot back at the tall redhead who had caught her.

"Get down!" Ron shouted as a series of green streaks shot past them. He took her hand and led her behind a tapestry before any other deadly spells could come their way. "Why are you being this way? I'm only protecting you because I don't want to see you die!"

"I don't need protecting, Ron!" Hermione snapped back. "I can take care of myself, and you're not my parents!"

"You don't need protecting? What d'you call the little incident that just happened a few hours ago?'

"A mistake! I could've gotten out of it by myself!"

"Really?" Ron asked disbelievingly. He had finally lowered his voice to a deadly and serious tone. "He was an inch away from you Hermione. If I hadn't come, you would be a werewolf."

She couldn't argue with that logic. She finally gave up and looked down at her feet. Ron reached out and squeezed her shoulder, making her look up. "You don't have to do everything by yourself, Hermione. That's why you have me and Harry."

Hermione gave a squeak of surrender and fell into Ron's arms, who embraced her tightly back.

"You have to let me fight." Hermione said suddenly.

"I know," Ron said, surprising her. "I don't want to, but I know I can't hold you back anymore." He gave her wand back, and they both opened the tapestry to face the ongoing war.