Thanks for all the reviews and for patiently waiting for a new chapter. Hopefully the next one comes with the announcement that I got a new job, I have a second interview tomorrow. Cross my fingers.

Anyhow, as usual many thanks to ObsessedRHShipper for her help as beta. She rocks! :)

Hope you liked this one, plz R&R.

The Reign of the Toad

The next morning, alarms in each of the Hogwarts' houses rang at five-thirty in the morning. It was awful to be waking up this early, but almost every student got ready and headed to their common rooms for the new haircuts and hairdos. By seven everyone gathered in the Great Hall and the Headmistress sat at the staff table with a smirk of joy on her face. Her grin only seemed to stop when she looked at Harry and his ponytail. Ron sat eating breakfast and feeling horrible about his ridiculous new look. Then he noticed Fred and George arrive looking exhausted. His brothers sat at completely opposite sides of the table. George was next to him, close to the door, and Fred was close to the staff table.

Within a few minutes, red smoke took over the entire place. As it cleared, little black wooden figures with wings began bouncing around joyfully. Each one approached a student, sat on their heads and then exploded into smoke of different colours. Any male student that experienced an explosion began growing their hair back to exactly the way they had it yesterday and any female student would get her hair out of those ridiculous buns. The toad looked like her head was going to explode! It was brilliant! Everyone stood, clapped and laughed in delight! Well... almost everyone was happy. The Slytherins weren't enjoying the prank, except for Estella and Draco who did snigger.

Umbridge stood and began to scream, "Detention!" as students continued to celebrate.

"Come on, Menace. Give us the finish," he heard George murmur. Ron looked to the Slytherin table and noticed Estella moving her wand and trying to hide behind Malfoy. Green smoke invaded the room. Once it was gone, a figure, just like the other ones, but bigger, plumper, and adorned in a pink tutu, appeared right on the staff table. It began moving towards Umbridge and the toad looked bewildered. As it exploded, Umbridge was left with her hair standing straight up. That did it! Everyone just about doubled over! Even the Slytherins and some of the professors snorted as they tried to keep from laughing their arses off.

"To class, NOW!" screamed Umbridge looking completely enraged. No one paid attention until McGonagall got the room under control and made everyone head to their classrooms.

"That was brilliant! But they could have waited 'til we'd finished eating," said Ron still sniggering as he headed to Defence against the Dark Arts with Harry and Hermione.

"You know who did that?" asked Hermione.

"I think I do too. Your brothers are brilliant!" said Harry smirking.

"They didn't?"

"They sure did," answered Ron with a grin on his face. "Do you think Lupin would mind if we're a bit late because we stopped by the kitchens?"

"Of course he would mind! Do you ever stop thinking about food?" said Hermione.

"I'm a growing boy!"

"Let's just go," said Harry wanting to get to class to avoid the oncoming row.

After classes were over, Harry, Hermione and Estella served their detention with Umbridge. Later, Ron watched as his best mate and secret girlfriend came into Gryffindor looking gloomy. When he asked about their detention, Harry simply said they had to do lines. Hermione looked angry, but stayed quiet.

"That's not so bad," Ron stated trying to cheer them up.

"I'm starved," said Harry completely changing the subject and moving towards the portrait hole. Ron and Hermione followed, but Ron could tell something was wrong.

The next few days passed quickly as the twins began raking in the galleons by selling the new 'Hair Fairies.' Those things were brilliant and everyone wanted to experience the effects of getting one to explode on their heads, only to have to buy a new one to do it again. The toad really should have given up on the hair policy, but instead she wrote decree after decree about the 'Hair Fairy' dolls, tried to enforce discipline, and even offered a reward for anyone with information on the fairies and their maker. Needless to say, no one said a thing.

Harry, Hermione and Estella only had one more day of detention, but Ron couldn't stop thinking that they were hiding something. Hermione had been distant all week, and both she and Harry seemed upset. Ron needed to know what was going on. He hurried to Umbridge's office and then waited by the nearest corridor for his friends. He heard them coming out and saw them walking towards where he was.

"Hi," said Ron.

"What are you doing here?" asked Estella.

"I just thought I'd come get Harry and Hermione for dinner."

"Right," said Harry.

"What's on the back of your hand?" asked Ron.

Harry, who had just scratched his nose with his free right hand, tried to hide it unsuccessfully. Then he spoke, "It's just a cut – it's nothing – it's –"

Ron grabbed Harry's forearm and pulled the back of Harry's hand up so it was level with his eyes. There was a pause, and then he did the same to Hermione. He stared at the words etched on the back of her hand and then released her looking sick.

"I thought you said she was giving you lines?"

"Let's talk about this somewhere else," said Estella making them move further away from the toad's office. Then she led them to the unused girls' toilet on the second floor.

"Come on," said Estella as she went in there.

"That's the girls' –"

"Ronald, it's unused!" exclaimed Hermione as she headed in.

"It's pointless to argue with those two," said Harry shaking his head and then entering the bathroom.

Ron sighed and followed all of them. Once they were inside, his friends explained how Umbridge made them use special quills that carved the words they wrote into their hands. All three of them had the same phrase etched into them - I will not question school rules.

"The old hag! You should report this!" Ron exclaimed with clear anger.

"And what? Have my parents find out and worry. No!" answered Harry.

"Stop it!" said Hermione.

"Well I'm not worrying Mum and Dad!" answered Harry.

"I know," said Hermione.

"What then? Just let her do this!" said Ron.

"Oh no, that bitch is not winning! Our skin will be healed in no time," said Estella pulling out an ointment from her satchel. All three of them applied the ointment on their raw skin and the words disappeared, leaving their hands perfectly normal.

"How did you...," asked Ron only to be quickly interrupted.

"I'm not Pomfrey's apprentice for nothing."

"Right. But still, it's bloody wrong that she did this to you," Ron looking straight at Hermione and then Harry. Finally, he turned to Estella again and asked, "Have you told George?"

"Can I speak with Ron alone?" she asked. Hermione looked at her sceptically while Harry nodded and started to leave.

"I'm not going to eat him," she told Hermione, who then gave the Slytherin a murderous glare and started to head out.

"I won't tell anyone either," Estella then added.

That got Hermione's eyes to grow wide. Thank Merlin that Harry had just exited the place.

Once they were alone Ron asked Estella what she meant by not telling anyone.

"I've known you two are mad about each other since we were in Godric's Hollow. Now if you want me to keep that a secret, you won't tell George a thing."

"What?"

"You won't tell because if he finds out he just might make a real bomb explode on Umbridge's head. We don't quite need that much trouble right now. Plus, you want to keep your little affair with Hermione secret, which is another reason for you not to talk about this with George. Anyhow, I take it that the book helped?" asked Estella teasingly.

Ron's ears went pink and he simply mumbled, "Umm, yeah."

"Good, then I expect it back soon, and I just might lend you another one. Speaking of things Granger, is there anything you need to tell her?"

"What?"

"Any secrets, anything you might have kept to yourself that she should know now that you're together?"

"I told her. Just like the book said... be honest, so I told her I love her," said Ron with red ears.

"That's it. That's all you needed to say?"

"Well yeah, what else is there?"

"Nothing, that's good. And you don't need to worry about any of this," she said showing him her healed hand. "I'll make sure to work on healing any bullshit Umbridge dishes out."

Ron smiled and said, "Thanks."

"Like I said, don't worry about it," assured Estella and touched his arm in a cordial gesture. The moment she came in contact with Ron, her entire body began to glow. She let go, but her legs gave out and she fell on the ground.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked.

"What did you do to me?" she asked, panting and looking pale.

"I didn't do anything! Are you okay?"

"No."

"Let me help you," he said as he moved to aid her in standing up. Unfortunately, the moment he touched her, it happened again.

"Stay away!" she ordered.

"What?"

"I don't know what you're doing but... just stay away and get McGonagall."

"Right," he said moving towards the door.

"Hurry! Please."

Hermione was curious. Actually, she was a bit concerned. When Ron first found out what had happened during their detentions, he looked like he wanted to murder Umbridge. So how could he give it up so quickly? On top of that, Estella ended up in the Hospital Wing for a week. And neither she nor Ron would give any explanations for what happened, even though Ron said he took her to Madame Pomfrey. The next week was even weirder. McGonagall began calling Ronald to her office almost daily and Estella was also in there.

During the few times when they were able to be alone, she knew she had to get Ron to give her some answers.

"Off course I hate what Umbridge did! I wanted to report the hag, but Estella threatened me! She said she'd tell everyone about us."

"How did she know?"

"She said she's known we're mad about each other since Godric's Hollow."

Suddenly Hermione's cheeks turned slightly pink.

"What?" asked Ron.

"Nothing! And what about McGonagall? Why are you meeting her and Estella?"

"Oh, Mum asked her to watch after Ginny, the twins, and me. She said she's worried about my marks in her class and keeps making me meet her to review. Estella's been in her office making up for the work she missed while she was in the Hospital Wing."

Hermione accepted his answers and after a bit more talking about Harry, the YPS and how angry they were at the Toad, they engaged in some wonderful snogging.

After that, things went back to normal, or as normal as they could get with this Headmistress.

On the one hand, Umbridge wrote decree after decree outlining new rules. She sat in classes, evaluated the teachers, forced them to engage in her ridiculous style of manners and salutations, got them to alter curriculums, made all clubs be reviewed, and began imparting daily hour-long lectures on etiquette and proper behaviour to all the girls. The boys had to deal with none other than guest professor, Lucius Malfoy, daily, for an hour on etiquette. This was unbearable!

On the other hand, the twins were relentless. They disregarded every rule Umbridge instated, put Graham Montague in a vanishing cabinet, sold products that students used for rule-breaking activities daily, and completely ruined Malfoy's first lecture with a weird device that made a farting noise every time the word tradition was said aloud. Ron and Harry returned to Gryffindor that day elated, since Malfoy had apparently lost it. The twins were completely pleased with themselves. They did give some credit to Draco, since he was the one who mentioned that he expected his arse of a father to use that word in every other sentence.

If the real Headmaster was still here, Hermione would consider reporting the twins' constant mischief. But with Umbridge in charge and Lucius Malfoy lurking in the castle freely, Hermione kept quiet gladly. This term was really quite awful. All the vigilance around Hogwarts had made it really hard for the YPS members to meet, even in their small groups. And the ridiculous things Umbridge lectured about in those meetings were driving Hermione mad. If she had to hear one more time about how proper girls should dress, eat, sit, walk, or stand, she might just explode! And who in the world besides this woman would put books on your head while walking! Books are for reading!

The one wonderful thing about this term was her relationship with Ron. Even though they kept things quiet, they had moved forward quite quickly. She still remembered what that had happened yesterday, right after their row.

"Honestly, Ronald!" yelled Hermione as they went into the Room of Requirement.

"What was I supposed to do?" asked Ron annoyed as they went further into the area that looked just like the Gryffindor common room.

"Act like a prefect!"

"You have to admit it was funny," he said. That earned him a wild look of fury from her. And seeing her all riled up sent shivers down his spine. He knew he should try to get on her good side soon, like the book said, but he had a point and he wasn't going to lose this one.

"Come on, Hermione. You weren't even patrolling with me, so let it go. Plus it's not like you're good friends with her."

"That's not the point!"

"And what is?" he said regaining his anger and bravado. Why couldn't she just stop and enjoy their time together? He was the one that had to be in uniform and patrol tonight, not her! This was not her issue!

"The Ravenclaws are furious, Ron! You left her in the swamp without reporting it to McGonagall! It doesn't matter if Marietta is our friend or not! Or if one of the rule breakers is your brother! We have to punish students if we catch them hexing each other!"

"Fine! So George broke the rules! But he did it because Edgecombe was pestering Estella."

"It doesn't matter if he had a good reason!"

"Would you listen to yourself?"

"I do listen! Unlike you, I listen during the prefect meetings and pay attention to McGonagall. And your brother broke ten different rules today!"

"Fine! But sometimes you have to break the rules to do the right thing as someone made me believe when we broke into the office of the Snapes!" he yelled coming really close to her with red ears and eyes as furious as hers.

"That was different!"

"Really?"

"Yes! We had to figure out what was happening to help Chrysta get out of the Pericullum! How could you think sticking Marietta Edgecombe into a swamp is the same thing?"

"Hermione, I won't punish George for doing what I would do if someone bothered you. No one has a right to mess with the love of your life!"

At that, Hermione stopped and stared at him. She knew she loved him and that he loved her back. But a part of her always told her that his feelings would someday end. That he would realize he had better prospects than a Mudblood destined to be a target. Maybe he simply meant to say Estella was the love of George's life. It probably had nothing to do with her.

"Hermione?"

"Umm?" she answered looking down at the floor.

"Hermione? I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare you by confessing that. It's just..."

"You don't think it's a mistake to feel that way about me?"

"What? Of course not. I love you."

"I love you too Ron," she said. She lifted her gaze and they stared at each other before slowly joining their lips. After a long sweet kiss, they separated.

"Does that feel like a mistake to you?" Ron asked.

"You're not afraid?" Hermione asked back.

He nodded, and then shyly said, "Why do you think I didn't say anything before?"

"I just thought you didn't feel the same way I did."

Ron looked at her intensely and then sincerely added, "I love you so much that it drives me mad."

"Me too," Hermione agreed.

"What happens if things between us don't work out?" she then asked quietly.

"Why wouldn't things work out?"

"Ron, we fight all the time."

"Yeah but... that's because staying away from you for days drives me bloody mad."

"Don't curse," Hermione scolded.

"I'm serious, Hermione," he replied, "I pick most our public fights on purpose. I don't even remember what half of them are about, but I need to know we are still special to each other."

"I know."

"You know?"

"No. I mean... I understand. I've done it too. You can be just so... maddening. One minute you're ignoring me as agreed, then you are infuriating and rude, and then you turn around and do something so thoughtful it makes me want to snog you in the middle of the common room. I feel like I'm about to lose all self-control and it drives me mad, and then I get angry with you for being irresistible, so I pick a fight to get even."

"You think I'm irresistible?" Ron asked smirking.

"Stop rubbing it in! You're the one that said I drove you mad and I was the love of your life!"

"You are the love of my life. But there are other ways to drive me mad about you, to drive me mad with you," Ron said as he wrapped his arms around Hermione again and kissed her.

They broke apart after a bit and Ron smiled and added, "I think you may be really good at driving me mad this way."

"Oh you do, do you?" Hermione asked with a smirk.

"I swear, sometimes all you have to do is look at me."

"You're a fifteen year-old male," Hermione laughed. "That's not me. That's your out of control hormones. And you do the same to me."

"Hormones?" Ron pondered. "How many girls have you seen me look at the way I look at you?"

Hermione's face immediately pinched up in a scowl. "There was Este..."

"She doesn't count," Ron exclaimed before Hermione could finish her sentence. "I was impressed by her looks and demeanour; actually I was mostly scared of her. But, that was ages ago. The hormones had not even kicked in hard when I was thirteen, so there's no way I was looking at her that way. You got that wrong. Anyhow, how many girls have you seen me look at, like a hormonal fifteen year-old?"

Hermione thought about it for a minute and then mumbled an answer. "None," she admitted. "But... you're not stupid enough to do it in front of me."

"We both know I am stupid enough," Ron said with a smile. "What I'm trying to say is... is that well... I went to the Masquerade with one of the prettiest girls in school, but I didn't even really notice her. I couldn't tell you what colour her costume was or how she wore her..."

"Her costume was purple," Hermione interrupted.

"You're missing my point," Ron chuckled.

"Which is?"

"Your costume was light blue, with white accents that resembled mermaid fins and little pearls on the straps. You wore long white gloves and your hair was held on to the side by a white seashell, and that allowed me to peak at your perfect neck," Ron said as he reached over and lightly brushed her neck with his fingertips. "You were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. You still are, and I have eyes for no one else."

Hermione had been rendered speechless and simply stared at Ron. Never would she have expected that the clumsy Ron that called her a troll would say that she was the love of his life. Not only that, he had followed that declaration with the most romantic speech she had ever heard. Without even thinking about it, she threw herself at him and kissed him fiercely.

Ron caught her, but the force of her hug and kiss, made them fall onto the couch. It took him a moment to realize what was happening. One minute Hermione had been looking up at him with tears in her eyes. Then, she launched herself at him, and now she was on his lap snogging him deeply and grinding her hips against his. Then she stopped. She was still straddling him and looked at him with an expression he had never seen on her. Before he had time to decipher it, Hermione reached down, pulled her jumper along with her shirt over her shoulders and dropped it on the floor. 'BLIMEY!' he thought as his eyes snapped open at the sight. He was unable to suppress the soft moan that escaped his lips as he stared at the thin layer of cotton that hugged her breasts. 'Bloody Hell! She looks... amazing,' Ron told himself, as he stared at her, mesmerized by her body.

Hermione stayed still and took deep breaths. 'You can do this. There is no reason to be uncomfortable. It's just like wearing a bathing suit,' she told herself. 'But you aren't in a bathing suit, you're in your bra!' another part of her mind protested.

Unable to do anything but gawk, Ron sat and watched a blush creep down Hermione's neck. His eyes were wide. His mouth was slightly open. For a moment there, he looked as if he had forgotten how to breathe.

When she came to this room, she hadn't intended for things to proceed in this direction, but Hermione couldn't help the need to take one of Ron's hands in her own and lift it up until it was pressed firmly against one of her breasts. He groaned softly, but it was the only reaction she got. They sat still breathing slowly and looking at each other in fear, in reverence, and in love.

Ron seemed incapable of moving and then, all of a sudden, she felt his hardness underneath her. She gasped in surprise and his entire face went completely crimson before he extricated himself from her and stood.

"I'm sorry," he said as he took deep breaths.

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have forced you to do that," she answered. He turned to her in surprise and found her standing, while reaching for her jumper and looking upset.

"Hermione, you didn't force me, I want to. It's just... I... I don't want to do things wrong. I don't want to scare you away. I love you," he said.

Her face softened and she smiled. He came close to her again and they slowly reached for each other and kissed. He caressed her bare back as they kissed deeply and that's as far as they dared to push things that evening.

Hermione wondered what would happen the next time they managed to be alone.

A couple of days later, Ron, Hermione, and Harry joined the rest of the YPS leaders in the room of requirement to view the last of the memories. It had been difficult to find time to meet, especially with the new rules and the constant watch of the new Inquisitor crew, but they finally managed a meeting. They knew the routine and prepared to view five memory vials, which were labelled:

Severus Snape – August 30, 1977

Severus Snape – October 27, 1977

Narcissa Malfoy – November 29, 1977

Narcissa Malfoy – September 1, 1978

Esther Swanson – January 1, 1979

George enlarged the Pensieve and then everyone entered and felt the familiar pulling sensation that came with viewing the past.

You all probably noticed, but I did use some direct quotes from JKR's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This chapter definitely got inspiration from that particular book.

FYI - two new pics related to this fic are now in my profile: Estella and George at the Ministry Christmas Party AND Ron and Hermione in the Room of Requirement (I didn't put this one as my profile pic to be safe with fanfiction rules – though it is PG13).

Also, I watched DH part 2 and I think I'm in love with Snape (again! I sort of felt this way when I first read the book). Anyhow, I'm glad I get to write the memories with the inspiration the movie gave me and knowing that Alan Rickman rocks my world! His acting was perfect and Daniel Radcliffe also did a great job. Those two made the movie for me. Though I still like the book better (especially the Ron and Hermione in the books). Anyhow, enough rambling on that, next chapter: FINAL VIEWING OF THE MEMORIES