Once again, you all have astounded me with the amount of reviews. I cannot express how much I love reading each and every one! On an unrelated note, I wanted to share with you all a piece of advice on writing fanfiction that inspired me to write this and is possibly the best advice I've ever read on writing. "If you give Frodo a lightsaber, you must also give Sauron a Deathstar." In essence, it means if you give the hero of your story an advantage, you must also give the villain one of equal or greater value. Brilliant, no? Anyways, continue with your reading, and enjoy!

Hermione jerked up from rummaging through the drawer in the living room as she heard the front door slam. Shit!

The front door slamming could, of course, mean only one thing. Ronald was back. And he probably wouldn't be the happiest when he realised she had gotten out of the bedroom.

If she were to be honest though, she had been mightily impressed on the charms Ron had used all over the apartment to keep her in. The first thing she did when she got out of the bedroom was check all the windows and the door only to find he had placed some rather spectacularly complicated charms, for him at least, on every way out of the apartment. She hadn't even been able to get near the door. The windows she could touch, but she couldn't open.

Needless to say, Hermione had been begrudgingly impressed under her unbelievable frustration. Ron had apparently thought kidnapping her through all the way. She had spent the last couple hours scouring the building for her wand, and she wasn't taking any chances. She had checked three rooms completely, even going so far as to tap the walls to see if he had hollowed out a hidden compartment or something.

To no avail, though. She hadn't found a thing. The apartment was exactly as she had left it the last time she had been. And now he was back. She stilled as she heard footsteps enter the living room. Gathering up the tendrils of her supposed Gryffindor bravery, she stood up. "Have a nice time with Harry?"

Ron whipped around, and stared at her incredulously for a few moments before his shock turned to anger. "What are you doing out of the bedroom?"

"I'm a witch, Ronald. Don't take me for a fool. Did you really think you could just keep me here like a chained animal? In case you haven't realised, kidnapping is wrong. And highly illegal," Hermione retorted, drawing herself up to her full height. Ron's anger had always scared her, but she didn't let that show now. His reckless rage had, even when they were the best of friends, always made her uneasy. Magic was dangerous when the holder couldn't control his or her emotions. "Of course I would try my hardest to get out."

Ron turned an ugly shade of crimson at her words. Hermione glanced down at his fists, and sure enough, they were clenched and trembling. A sign that he was beyond angry. She quailed inwardly. Excellent work, Granger.

"'Mione. I've tried to get you to love me again. I really have. Why the fuck can't you see that?" He took a step forward.

Hermione felt her palms get sweaty, but she stood her ground. "Because, Ron. You cheated on me. You broke all of my trust. Besides, if I had never walked in on you, it still would have ended. We just aren't compatible. We're two entirely different people. I don't like anything you like, and vise versa. It just wouldn't have worked."

"It would have. It still fucking can if you try!" He rushed forward and grabbed her arm tightly.

Hermione winced from the pain, but stood still. "Let go of me, Ronald. I am telling you now. I have put up with your ridiculous notions for almost a week. I have sent a letter that most likely crushed the man that I – I love. I am done, do you hear me? If you continue to keep me, I will make your life a miserable hell until you let me leave."

Ron glared down at her, and squeezed her harm harder. "I'm sick of this, Hermione. You need help," he spoke through gritted teeth, his vice-like grip on her arm never lessening.

Hermione felt a bruise starting to form under his hand, but she bore the pain. She needed to get the point across, or else he would never stop. "Ron," she said in a quiet tone, boring her eyes into his. "I don't love you anymore."

Ron stared at her, and Hermione could see the battle raging behind his eyes. Suddenly, she felt defenseless. If Ron's anger were to overcome him, she would be unable to protect herself. Ron's lip curled into a sneer, and she was yanked to the ground. Ron fumbled in his pockets, and withdrew his wand before he pointed it directly at her. "He's really done a piece of work on you, hasn't he?"

Her arm ached, but she bit her lip hard and ignored the throbbing pain. "Severus has done nothing but treat me exactly how I deserve, Ron. Something you have never done. It took me this long to come to my senses, and for that I sincerely apologise for that. But I am never going back to you."

The was a slight noise behind him; Hermione couldn't look around to see what caused it and Ron ignored it. He looked at her strangely, and slowly raised his hand. Hermione stood up and back away. The redhead was shaking, and turning a deeper red by the moment. His brown eyes held a maniacal gleam that she had never seen before. "Ron –"

"Hitting women, Mr. Weasley? 50 points from Gryffindor, I think."

Ron's look of anger turned to confusion as he whipped around to come face to face with Severus Snape. "How the he–"

Severus moved so quickly that Ron didn't have time to react before the taller raven-haired mans fist slammed directly into the Weasley boy's nose. He reeled backwards, his fingers clutching at his face as he roared in pain. Snape stood there, watching the boy stumble back with a look of utter disgust on his face.

Hermione tore her eyes from the rather satisfying sight of Ronald reeling in pain to look at the man in front of her. "You understood," she said, a bit in awe at the fact that Severus was actually standing before her.

Severus nodded stiffly at her. "Your letter was quite clever," he said before he looked her up and down. "Did he hurt you?"

Hermione's hand flew to her arm before she could stop it, and she looked at Severus beseechingly. "No, I – he didn't – Severus!"

Snape paled visibly as he noticed the faint bruises that were starting to show on her arm. The man didn't respond to her as he whirled around to face Ronald. The boy had gotten up, and was angrily wiping the blood from his nose. Severus smirked. His aim, and his arm, had always been decent.

"What are you doing here, Snape?" Ron glared at at the taller man angrily. "Hermione doesn't want you anymore, didn't you get her letter? She made it clear enough."

Severus simply arched an eyebrow, and smoothly stepped to the side. He could practically feel Hermione's hair crackling with angered electricity, and all though Weasley would get his comeuppance from him, he rather wanted to see how the bushy haired witch would lay it on him.

"Oh please, Ronald. You couldn't actually believe I meant what I wrote. A child could have picked out the message I actually sent. Severus being here is no surprise to me, and it shouldn't be to you. You selfish prick," said Hermione. "I am absolutely, fully and completely done with you. And if you continue to think otherwise, you're a bloody fool."

Ron stared at her in confusion. "I saw what you wrote, 'Mione. There certainly wasn't a secret message hidden in those words. I'm surprised poor Snivellus didn't run off and think the world had ended." His tone took on a much more menacing lilt by the time he closed his mouth, looking between the two with a triumphant glint in his eyes.

Severus stood completely still, his fist clenched so tightly that if his senses were working properly, he'd be thinking he drew blood. The edges of vision pulsed with a dull red colour, and all he could see was the stupid, pathetic boy in front of him. Taking a step forward, he fingered his wand in an attempt to hide the fact that his hands were trembling with what he thought was an ill-concealed rage. "Where did you hear that name?"

"Why should that matter? It's good one, for you. I don't care if you helped save the wizarding world, you'll always be a greasy git, and why Hermione's too thick-headed to see that, I'll never know."

Hermione whipped around to look at Severus, her gaze searching for his as she tried to send a much of a reassuring look as she could under the circumstances. In truth, it had been Harry who had told both Ron and her the origin of the old nickname for Severus. It had been a few weeks after the war ended, and Harry had felt the need to unload some of the guilt he felt from being his father's son. She and Ron had sworn to never let anyone know they knew of that day, all though admittedly, Hermione would have never dreamed she'd become this close to Snape, so at the time it had seemed almost pointless to swear never to tell something she didn't think she'd even remember in a few weeks.

Now, however, it looked as though Severus was about to tear Ron limb from limb because of use of the old nickname. "Severus..."

A tic under his eye jumped. He heard Hermione's voice in the distance, but it didn't register with him. He hadn't heard that name since before Black had died. He had never expected to hear of it again, much less from the Weasley boy. It had brought up every horrible memory from his school years, and it served to make him realise exactly what lengths the ginger had gone to steal his witch from him.

Severus could feel his blood roiling beneath his skin. He knew if he made any move before he regained control of himself that he might hurt Weasley beyond all repair. Not that he didn't deserve it. His hand twitched. No, he wouldn't kill the boy. Or cause him irreparable damage. But he would do his damnedest to make Weasley realise exactly what he had done. "You believe that I cursed Miss Granger in some way to make her believe she would be happy with me?"

Ron looked taken aback at the frank accusation, and his mouth opened and closed for a few seconds. "Are you admitting to it?"

"No. I was merely trying to make sure my image of your incredible stupidity was not unfounded," Severus said carelessly as he flicked his wand.

Ron let out a roar as he was thrown against the wall before he came up spluttering, his wand out. "Oppugno!"

A nearby vase zoomed towards Severus, but he didn't move. The vase stopped a few inches from his face before it fell to the ground. "Really, Weasley, isn't it about time you learned nonverbal magic?" He jabbed his wand, and the vase at his feet flew towards Ron. The boy threw up a shield just in time, and the vase slammed against the invisible wall and shattered. "Letting your opponent know what you're doing takes away the most critical element in dueling: surprise. Even you should know this," he added with a sneer.

Hermione watched Severus advance towards Ron with an almost cat-like prowl to his movements. She was finding a perverse enjoyment in seeing Ronald be toyed with by Severus; for that is what the taller man was doing. Toying with him. If he wanted to, he could have Ron knocked out and trussed up to look like a slug within the blink of an eye. Hermione started looking around. She needed to find her wand.

Severus noted Hermione disappear, but he didn't try to stop her. Instead he watched as Ron pointlessly tried to fling various objects at him. Weasley's skill with magic was ludicrous, laughable. Severus recalled how dismal the boy had been in school, but he had figured the war had taught at least something. Ah, Severus realised quickly. This is why the boy has a career in Quidditch, and didn't become an Auror. Well that makes far more sense. Weasley couldn't catch a mouse, much less a Dark Wizard.

"Weasley, give it up," he said as he turned the stool the boy had flung at him into a pile of leaves. "I always knew you were inept, but stupid and blind? As much as I loathe to admit, this is beyond even you. Stop this childish game. I can see in your eyes that you know you can't hope to best me in a fight. So stop trying."

"I won't, Snape," Ron spat at him. "I can't live with myself knowing you poisoned Hermione's mind. I couldn't do that to her. I have to keep fighting because she can't. Pungero!"

Severus paused at the frank honesty in Weasley's words, and the stinging hex Weasley threw at him merely passed over his head as he ducked smoothly. "You truly believe I have seduced her in some way."

Ron nodded. "And I won't stop until I break the enchantment you've put on her, bastard that you are. Couldn't get a girl on your own so you had to stoop so low as to trick and lie your way into a innocent girl's heart?"

He continued to throw hex after hex at Snape, but to no avail. The taller man simply stood there, flicking his wand before the hex flew to the side or over his head. The apartment was getting more and more destroyed, but Severus didn't particularly care. It wasn't his place, and it was Weasley doing all the damage.

Truth be told, Severus had spent a few moments trying to decide which spells he could perform on Weasley, the ideas getting nastier and nastier as he thought about it. Until he came to a rather simple conclusion. The best way, he figured out, was to make Weasley feel like an inept child. His wounded pride would be far worse than making the boy scream from the feeling of having maggots crawling under the skin between his toes. Although, Severus thought with a smirk as he dodged another hex, he wouldn't completely rule that one out.

Oh, if only the boy knew. Actually, no. It was far too entertaining watching someone firmly believe something that was so wholly untrue. But, on the other hand, Weasley actually believed it. In his mind, it was true. In his mind, he was the hero. "You pathetic, weak-minded, pale excuse for a wizard. Accept what you see, don't believe what you cannot, or will not."

He waved his wand towards Ron, and the boy was shoved against the wall, shouting the entire time whilst invisible ropes wound around his wrists and ankles, effectively rendering him immobile against the wall. Severus ignored him, and looked around for Hermione.

Hermione walked into her bedroom, trying to restrain her snickers at how Severus was treating Ron. It was exactly what he deserved, and she felt no sympathy. She entered the kitchen, but stopped short when she saw the golden bird sitting on the table. "Aurelia!"

The bird looked at her and lifted its head and let out a single note that sang of happiness. Hermione put her hand on Aurelia's head, running her fingers through the soft feathers. "Thank you for your help," she whispered softly. Aurelia let out a low sound, and nudge her head against Hermione's hand. The bird then twisted around, and touched its beak to her wrist. A brief image flashed across Hermione's mind, of Severus looking at the letter she had written him. The utter despair that he had felt as he read the words washed over her, and tears pricked her eyes. Never again.

The bird looked up at her, its golden eye sparkling with what Hermione took as understanding. She smiled at the golden half-phoenix. "You have done so much for me already, Aurelia. But I need two other other things from you. Can you help me find my wand?"

The bird let out a high note, and took off with Hermione skipping to keep up behind it. Aurelia flew into the bedroom that Hermione had been kept in, and landed lightly on the ground beneath the bed. Hermione stared at the bird in shock. Not quite believing what the golden eagle-phoenix was showing her, she knelt and peered underneath the bed. A small, cardboard box was there, and she quickly grabbed and opened it. "You have got to be kidding me." In it, lay her wand. "It's been there the whole bloody time?"

Hermione groaned loudly. Of course. It made perfect sense, too. She would have, and did, expect Ron to hide her wand somewhere far away. It had never occurred to her to look under the bed, of all places. She had been outsmarted, because of her smarts. And that was utterly infuriating. He had successfully managed to manipulate her due to her demeaning quality of severely over-thinking everything. And, Hermione snorted, he probably didn't even know it. His inability to think cleverly had been what had held her here. "What a bastard," she growled as she grabbed the stick of wood.

Feeling rather irate at herself, and at Ron for his stupidity-turned-smart, she stood up and walked out. She stopped short at the scene in front of her. Ronald was pinned against the wall, struggling, redfaced, and looking severely out of breath. Severus was leaning against the couch, looking rather bored.

"Well," Hermione said. "That was a bit slower than I expected, honestly."

Severus turned to look at her, his eyes sparking with amusement at her words. "Indeed," he drawled. "His ineptitude was far more shocking than I expected. A mistake I will not be making again."

Hermione flashed him a smile, and turned to stare at Ron, the smile turning quickly into a cold glare. "Ronald. I will not tell you again. I do not love you. I love Severus, and I'll be leaving with him. Don't ever try something like this again. I will not restrain myself, or anyone else, from hurting you beyond repair."

Ron looked at Hermione, and she could see in his eyes the pain and anger her words caused him. Somehow, she felt absolutely no remorse. Turning her back on him, she looked at Severus.

The tall, raven-haired man was staring at her with a strange, distant expression. "Hermione," he said in a strangled voice as he took a step towards her, turning to shield her from Weasley. "Love?"

She raised an eyebrow as she looked up to meet his gaze. "Yes."

Severus swallowed, and searched her face for any signs denying what she just said. The honesty in her eyes took him aback, and he staggered as she threw herself at him. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him tightly. "You've saved me in more ways than one."

Severus shook his head in disbelief, but returned the hug, fisting his hand in her hair as he nuzzled his nose into her neck. "Hermione..."

The voice was muffled, but Hermione nodded. She understood that he couldn't say the words, but him simply coming here more than proved what she wanted to know. "I know."

Severus pulled back and touched his forehead to hers. "Than –"

"SECTUMSEMPRA!"

Severus whipped around quickly, his wand out and raised. The spell missed him by inches, and he sneered at Weasley. "Aduro!"

The boys arms turned a shade of bright red as burns began to cover his body. The effects weren't lasting, but the pain was something he would remember for ever. Severus lowered his wand, and looked at Ron, and was surprised at the horrified look of shock on Weasley's face, not pain. He turned to follow the redheads gaze, and felt his heart stop when it landed on Hermione.

"Severus," the abnormally pale witch said faintly as she held her hand up. Severus noted the glistening, dark red liquid coating her fingertips with a strange feeling, and watched in horrifyingly slow motion as she fell to her knees. Ron yelled, and was cut off by his sobs as he ran to Hermione. Severus watched as Ron reached out to grab her, and his senses returned.

"Get away from her! RELASHIO!" Ron was blasted back, and Severus fell to his knees and grabbed Hermione. He didn't let himself feel anything as he prostrated her, the crimson soaked stains on her midsection growing bigger by the moment. Pulling out his wand, he began to chant in a low voice as he waved his wand back and forth over her body, ignoring the shaking of his hands, and the fear that clouded his vision.

"Hermione – no, I can't, I'm so sorry," Ron sobbed as he moved to sit by Hermione, his faced contorted from the pain he felt over his body. He dropped his head into his hands and his shoulders shook with the force of his sobs. "I'm so sorry, I never meant – oh my god, Hermione."

Severus ignored him, he was too focused on the healing spell he was performing to pay any attention to the boy's ramblings. He was too far gone to even care that it was Ron who had cast this spell, all he wanted to do was save her. "Weasley," he barked after he had completed the third repetition of the spell. "Do you have dittany?"

"Dittany? I – no," Ron said thickly.

Severus swore loudly, and turned Hermione over. He brushed the hair back from her face, and felt his heart clench at how deathly pale she was. "Hermione," he said softly. "Come back." Her chest heaved as she sucked in a breath, and Severus released a long breath as relief washed over him. She would be all right.

"Is she okay? I didn't – that spell, Harry didn't tell me how bad it was, I didn't know – oh my god, have I killed her? Hermione! HERMIONE!"

"Weasley. Leave. NOW."

Ron looked at him, and shook his head.. "Snape, I–"

Severus stood, and pointed his wand at Ron, staring at the boy coldly. "You have been lucky enough to keep your life, Weasley. Believe me, if Hermione had not been in dire need of my skills just then, you would not be breathing. You will never approach her, or I, again, Weasley. You will never contact her again. You will stay the fuck away from her if you wish to remain breathing. Langlock! Petrificus Totalus!".

Weasley fell to the floor, his eyes locked on Severus'. Severus ignored the plea in the boys gaze. Aurelia flew to Severus and landed lightly on his shoulder. The golden bird eyed Severus, and he nodded. "Help him understand."

The half-phoenix flew to Ron, and touched her beak to his forehead. Severus pointed his wand again, and whispered "Intellego Afflicto." He stooped and gathered Hermione in his arms, and walked out without another glance.

Well that was fun to write, until the drama got away from me a bit...oh well. He got his!

I actually have a question I forgot to ask of you all last chapter. Did anyone figure out what Hermione did with the letter before Severus did?