"Let's put these in your bag until we get back up there, Hermione." Ron said, the basilisk's fangs piled in his arms.

She pulled out her bag again and held it wide open as Ron carefully placed each one inside. Hermione tightened the bag and stuffed it into her sock. Ron took her hand, running together towards the exit. Hermione found the broomstick that they had left against a pillar. She handed it to Ron.

"Here, you fly the broom." She told him, before standing back and allowing him to mount it.

Ron swung his leg over the broom and began to hover. He held his hand out to Hermione and helped pull her up onto the broom. Hermione wrapped her arms around his body, leaning her head to his back and sending Ron's heart racing. He wanted to turn and wrap his arms around her too, but he reminded himself of what was waiting for them above in the castle, and flew forward.

"Hold on tight." He said and he felt her nod her head in response.

For a moment they flew silently through the dark and into the passage. Ron's hair flew wildly around his forehead and Hermione's embrace kept him warm in the cold chamber. Minutes later they were flying straight up into the lavatory. They shot out of the pipe, blurring the bathroom into an indistinguishable picture. A silvery haze smeared in the corner of Ron's vision and he heard Hermione call "Hi Myrtleeeeee," as they sped from the room.

Ron slowed the broom as they reached the end of the corridor. They came to a soft slow stop and Ron put his feet to the ground. Hermione hopped down from the broom, her hair wind-whipped and strewn across her face. She pulled her handbag from her sock once more and stuck her hand deep inside it. She found the cup first and tossed to Ron. He examined the mangled, blackened horcrux before he tucked it inside his coat and looked back to Hermione. She had retrieved a handful of fangs and began handing them to him.

"Here," Hermione gestured to Ron after tucking away her handbag for a final time "Give some to me."

Ron passed some of the fangs off to Hermione, picked up the broom and they took off promptly down the hall. A heavy ground-shaking sound erupted from outside the castle like an angry crack of thunder.

"They're here, Ron." Breathed Hermione as she came to an abrupt stop.

"Keep running, Hermione. We have to get these up to the Room of Requirement." Ron told her.

Treading hastily up staircases and through the corridors, Ron and Hermione saw students hurrying around the castle.

"What is going on?" Hermione called up to Ron, who was running a few step a head of her.

"No idea, but my guess is that someone found out Harry's returned to Hogwarts."

Ron turned to Hermione to see that she was following closely behind. They rounded a corner and Ron could see the Room of Requirement ahead. Slowing to catch their breath, they approached the Room and stumbled upon a bewildered looking Harry.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" Harry shouted to them, throwing his arms in the air.

He walked towards Ron and Hermione who were both relieved to see him safely in front of them.

"Chamber of Secrets," Ron told him.

"Chamber- What?" Harry looked back and forth between them both.

"It was Ron, all Ron's idea! Wasn't it absolutely brilliant?" she said smiling up to him.

Ron shrugged his shoulders, smiling modestly. He, Harry and Hermione walked to the Room of Requirement together while they explained his idea about the basilisk's fangs. Ron pulled the cup from inside his coat and they shared the story of Hermione destroying it.

"Genius," Harry told them. The concern that had been overwhelming Harry tonight seemed to ease just slightly as he spoke.

As they walked down the staircase to their DA refuge, Harry explained to them what had happened while they had been in the Chamber. The castle had begun to shake under its efforts to deny entry to the advancing Death Eaters. The three friends knew that the castle was about to be penetrated. They exchanged apprehensive glances with every blood-curdling scream and bang below them, but pressed forward with their responsibility.

"We're going to have to get everyone in here out, to allow the Room of Requirement to become the room we need it to be." Harry explained to Ron and Hermione. They nodded as they took in all that Harry told them.

As the few people remaining in the room headed for the exit, it suddenly occurred to Ron that there were nearly one hundred House Elves still in the kitchen below. A horrible sensation washed over Ron as his memory of Dobby lying limp in Harry's arms came flooding back to him.

"Hang on a moment!" Ron said sharply, "We've forgotten someone!"

Hermione spun around to look at him; worry had contorted the expression on her face.

"Who?" she asked.

"The House Elves. They'll be all alone in the kitchen!" Ron said urgently to them.

"You mean we should get them fighting?" Harry asked looking confused.

Ron shook his head urgently. "No," he told them seriously. "I mean we should tell them to get out. We don't want any more Dobbies, do we? We can't order them to die for us-"

Ron was interrupted by the sound of fangs clattering on the floor. He looked over to see Hermione, who met Ron's gaze. A burning sensation slowly ignited in the pit of his stomach. The basilisk fangs were scattered on the floor all around where she had just stood. For a couple lingering seconds, he stood watching her rush towards him. He tried to breath in deeply. He felt as though his heart had begun to tremble. His hands dropped the broomstick and the fangs in his arms fell to the floor, rolling in different directions. Ron didn't think about what was happening, he just stood watching her until finally, he felt her body collide into his. Her arms reached up and wrapped tightly around his neck. Her fingers grazed the back of his neck and his eyelids fell slowly as she pulled his lips to hers. He felt heat spreading over his cheeks as they turned a warm pink colour. He wrapped his arms around her body and passionately pulled her against him. His fingers spread wide across her back, and she softly brushed her lips against his. His hands shook gently as they held her affectionately for the first time. Ron tightened his embrace around her and lifted her off her feet. Their hearts beat against the other's chest. Hermione's fingers spread across the back of Ron's neck and twirled through his hair as her lips pressed into his with a subtle urgency. Her tender kiss stole his breath.

"Is this the moment?" Ron heard a distant voice ask.

Hermione slowly pulled away from him, their lips gently parting. He opened his eyes and hers were looking right into them. He didn't put her down. He held her against his chest and looked deeply into her big brown eyes. Now that Hermione was finally wrapped tightly in his arms, he didn't want to let her go.

"Oi! There's a war going on here!" Harry yelled at them impatiently.

"I know, mate," Ron said back to him. Hermione smiled as she stared into his eyes. He reluctantly pulled his from her to turn to Harry. "So it's now or never, isn't it?" he told him before returning to Hermione's gaze. She stayed locked in his arms, looking adoringly up to him.

"D'you think you could just- just hold it until we've got the diadem?"

"Yeah-right-sorry-" Ron said, smirking to Hermione as he lowered her to her feet, their fingers entwined.

They gathered the fangs as he stole glances of her blushing face. Although he wanted to stay there in that moment with her, the sooner the war was over, the sooner they could be together, safe and alone. They walked towards the exit and Ron took her hand. Their lips met for one more quick moment before they passed through the door.