Sorry it's been a few days! There's just one more chapter after this and it should be up soon. Hopefully, this gets us all through the hurricane. Thanks for reading!

Hermione was heaving in great gasps of air as Ron held her. They were perched on the floor, Ron's knees digging into the ground as he cradled Hermione to him. Knowing she was struggling for breath, he lowered her so her back rested against his lap, giving her space to get in more oxygen. Her fists held fast to his arms and his shirt as her chest rose and fell drastically, the sounds of her shuddering gasps filling the room.

"It's okay…shh, shh…breathe, Hermione. Please, breathe."

Hermione's gasps slowly became more measured. As she breathed easier, her face scrunched up, as if still in pain. She slowly turned her face into Ron's stomach, her gasps turned to sobs. Using her hands to bunch up his shirt, she pulled her way up his torso until her face was buried in the crook of his neck, her arms tight around him. Ron gripped her back just as desperately.

"I'm s-sorry," she sobbed. "I didn't m-mean it!"

"Shh, shh," Ron urged, his hand cupping the back of her head, holding her to him.

Hermione shook her head into his neck, her tears dampening the collar of his shirt. He could feel every time her mouth opened into a sob and he noticed his own eyes felt wet as well.

"I didn't mean what I said!" Hermione wailed, pulling back just enough to look at Ron. "I don't think you're p-pathetic!"

Ron smiled gently at her, wiping tears off her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

"I know," he said softly.

"And I think it's w-wonderful that you're helping George!" she cried, her chest still heaving with sobs. "You're such a wonderful b-brother and I'm so proud of you!"

Hermione buried her head back in Ron's neck, crying harder now. Ron could make out a few more muffled words, sounds like brave and loyal and courage.

"I don't love Viktor," she mumbled weakly into his neck, her heaving chest slowing down and her body beginning to still. Ron closed his eyes and pressed his face into the crown of her hair, inhaling deeply. He placed a chaste kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm glad to hear it," he whispered.

Hermione took a few more deep breaths then moved a few inches back. Her hands were still clasped on Ron, as if frightened he would disappear. She looked at him, her cheeks flushed and tear stained.

"I knew it would be you, Ron," she said finally, her voice small. "And I was so scared for you."

Ron nodded, holding her face in his hands. How could he have been so blind? It was written on her face so plainly. How long had it been there? Hermione Granger loved him; he could feel it as strongly as he could feel his own pulse.

"Um, if you two don't mind," Ginny muttered from behind them, "I'd sort of like to get out of here."

Ron looked over his shoulder to see Ginny and Harry sprawled out on the floor. When the invisible box was shattered, the force of the magic had expelled them back, as if someone had stupefied them both. Harry was rubbing the back of his head, trying to look anywhere but at Ron and Hermione. Ron turned back to the girl in his arms.

"You okay to stand?" Ron asked Hermione gently. He was still holding her like she might break at any moment. Hermione nodded that she was fine. Ron stood and reached down to pull Hermione up as he went. He noticed some sort of door had appeared in the wall of the room and Ginny and Harry had made their way to it. Harry pulled the door open and Ginny turned back to Ron and Hermione, motioning with her arms for them to get a move on.

"I'm ready," Hermione said, taking another steadying breath. She smiled a shaky smile at Ron and, hand in hand, they moved toward the door. When they reached their friends, Hermione paused, staring at Harry with a stern look.

"Don't you ever, ever do that to me again."

The two old friends held each other's stare for a long moment, Hermione trying to put all her anger and frustration of the last few hours into one glare, before she threw herself at Harry with a sob.

"Thank you, thank you," she mumbled into his chest, her arms around him. Harry hugged her back, letting some of his relief out that yet again his best friends were all in one piece. Over Hermione's shoulder, Harry saw Ron mouth his own silent "Thank you." Harry gave his best mate a short nod of reply. It had been the least he could do.

"Let's get out of here," Hermione said finally, pulling back from Harry and wiping at her eyes. Ron held her by the elbow, keeping her close, as the four friends exited through the door. They were met with a long, winding staircase that they began descending together. Only a few steps in, however, they saw a figure before them.

"Leopold!"

Hermione's shout of surprise echoed off the stone walls of the stairway. The whole group, in fact, was taken aback by the presence of the cloaked man, as if they all had forgotten his existence with the tumult of the last few minutes.

"I've come to make sure you're all right," Leopold said with a low bow. Whether or not he would have said anything more nobody knew, as Ron suddenly hurled himself down the few steps between them to pin Leopold up against the wall. Ron held the man by the throat with one hand, holding him by the shoulder with the other.

"How dare you?" Ron snarled through his death. "You almost killed her you bastard!"

"Ron!" Hermione shouted from behind her. Both she and Harry tried to pull him off but Ron was having none of it. All of the danger of that evening flashed through his memory, reminding him of how close he had come to losing Hermione, to losing everything.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Ron demanded, shoving Leopold against the wall once more for emphasis. Leopold struggled to free himself from Ron's grip, unable to speak properly with the redhead's palm pressed firmly against his throat. Suddenly, Ron felt Ginny's small but strong hands wrench him backward

"Get a grip," she hissed at him. Then she turned to Leopold.

"And you!" she shouted, pointing her finger at a gaping Leopold's chest. "You have some nerve, showing up here after all you've put us through!"

Leopold, for his part, had the decency to look contrite about the situation. He clasped his hands together, his head hung a bit low, and took a small step forward to address the angry group.

"I know there are many questions to answer, and you all have every reason to be upset," Leopold said at last. "I can say, I reacted just the same way once Amelia and I had made our way out of our own trial, those many years ago."

"I do offer my sincerest apologies for your struggles…"

Ron snorted at the statement.

"I suggest we all continue to the main hall below, where your friends and family are anxiously awaiting your return. I promise, all your questions will be answered there."

Hermione stared at Leopold, her brow furrowed as if trying to determine if the man was trustworthy after all they had been through. Ginny and Ron still looked livid, but Harry appeared ready to get out of the stairway, sod whoever he had to pass to do so. The dark haired young man began walking down the steps, brushing past Leopold, as if confident the others would follow behind him. It was a mark of how long he had been their leader that they did, indeed, begin to walk down.

As Ron and Hermione began their descent, still firmly side by side, Leopold stilled them with one hand at Ron's arm.

"I'd like to say," Leopold stated firmly to Ron. "Since she was eleven years old, there's never been a doubt in my mind who would end up here with her in the end."

Ron glowered back at the man, clearly not in any mood for a friendly chat.

"That's great," Ron replied hotly. "But just try and stay away from me for a few hours, all right?"