The Chamber was high-domed, with dozens and dozens of serpentine pillars covering the floor and extending up to the ceiling. My attention was immediately jerked to the sight up ahead of us. The dead coils of the Basilisk lay at the far end of the Chamber. Its skin had rotted and shrivelled up in several places, and a couple of fangs had fallen from its mouth and lay discarded near the skeleton.

We gingerly approached the dead Basilisk. Ron bent to pick up a fang and said in an awed voice, "I can't believe Harry managed to take this thing down when he was just a scrawny little kid! He just stabbed it with Gryffindor's sword! Which we could have used if it weren't for that two-faced, double-crossing, little piece of..."

"Ron! Now's not the time" I said, half-amused, stopping him from ranting off about Griphook. Ron shook his head once and mumbled to himself. He then looked over at me and then at my beaded bag, then up at me again. I felt a flush creep up my neck at this.

"W-w-what are..."

"The cup, Hermione? We came here to destroy it?" Ron asked a tad bit impatiently. I fumbled a bit and rushed to pull out the glittering cup of Hufflepuff from my bag. "Hermione, are you sure you're alright? You don't seem..."

"I'm fine", I snapped hastily. It's just Ron, Your best friend of 7 years. Just Ronald Billius Weasley. Get a grip on yourself!

I breathed out heavily and handed the cup to him with a determined look on my face. Ron just looked at it silently and made no attempt to take it from me.

"I think you should be the one to destroy it", Ron said silently. I looked up in surprise, something I seemed to being a lot that evening.

"Ron, I don't think I can, I'm not so sure..."

"Of course you can! You're a true Gryffindor! The cup isn't like the locket, it doesn't bother or tamper with the mind of the one who possesses it. I'm sure it'll be much easier to get rid of this one, and you haven't had a chance to do so yet. It won't be as tough as destroying the locket, I swear."

"Tough?", I asked, perplexed. "You...you and Harry just said it screamed when you stabbed it."

Ron didn't meet my eyes. He suddenly became very interested in the fang and fiddled with it between his hands.

"Oh Ron, what happened? Tell me, please!" I couldn't stand to see Ron looking that helpless.

There was a pregnant pause. Ron looked up, and his face looked paler than usual. "The evil in the locket...it...it got to me. Right before I was about to stab it. Got to my mind and my heart. That piece of Riddle which was inside it affected me far worse than either Harry or you. I swear on Merlin, this is no excuse, you yourself saw how restless and awful I became whenever it was my turn to wear it." He took a deep breath, "Hermione, I'm sorry. I'm weak, I know and I hate myself for it and..."

"Ron, no, stop, stop," I urged him. "You've always under estimated yourself and doubted yourself and I can't say I blame you with all your brothers and your too-famous best friend. But you have to let that go. You are surrounded by people who love you, you're just as important as the rest of us. we value you, okay? And sometimes, it's okay to need to be reminded of how much we mean to people." Ron just stared at me. "You mean so much to me, Ron"

"Really?" Ron's voice came out like a croak.

"Yes, yes, you big, stupid oaf" I laughed once. "I'll do it. I'll stab it", I said firmly. Ron looked at me skeptically before taking the cup from me and placing the fang in my hand. I took a deep breath and silently watched Ron walking a few feet away. He placed the cup down on the floor, away from the skeleton. I crouched down in front of it, raising the fang up behind me. I felt a light squeeze on my shoulder and a voice said "I'm right here, Hermione."

I smiled.

The fang came tearing down and pierced the cup in the middle. There was a shrill scream and I had a strong urge to cover my ears, but I kept my hold on the fang. I vaguely noticed a dark coloured liquid oozing out of the cup. The screaming stopped as abruptly as it started and I finally let go of the fang, letting it fall next to the cup. I got up, unsteady on my feet and feeling strangely exhausted. Ron put his arms around me and hoisted me up, relieved laughter vibrating off his chest. I slumped and sighed softly, just standing there not holding my own weight. Ron pulled away and dusted he hair off of my face. Before I could look at him, he had moved to pick up the mangled cup. He stuffed it in his jacket and started collecting the fallen fangs. "In case Harry finds the diadem, we are gonna need something to destroy it with", he explained huskily. I rushed forward and started collecting them as well. When our hands were brimming, we straightened up and faced each other.

"Hermione, I-"

"Ron, please. Don't thank me. The important thing is that it's been done" I could barely keep myself from grinning. Ron dipped his head down shyly, red ears and all, before telling me, "Let's get out of here." He adjusted the fangs in his arms and pulled out the broomstick. "C'mon" he said and pulled me behind him on it. We kicked off from the ground and zoomed out of the now-open doorway, through the dark passage and up and winding pipe. Ron landed rather ungracefully on the bathroom floor, several fangs flying everywhere. I laughed and gripped Ron tightly while getting off the broomstick.

"This is why I don't do broomsticks" I chortled and bent to collect the scattered fangs. Ron just rolled his eyes and stuffed the the broomstick below his armpit, readjusting the fangs in his arms. There was a sudden rumble overhead and noises could be heard. Our eyes met instantly and we scrambled out of the bathroom.

"We should get back to the Room of Requirement, Harry might already be there"

Ron agreed and we rushed for the stairs. People seemed to be running around and no one paid us any attention, so we ran with little care.

"Fancy you, Ronald Weasley, coming up with the Chamber of Secrets," I said teasingly as we kept moving. Despite the panic of the students around us, I was still in a good mood.

Ron faced me for a second with a smirk before looking back ahead. "Always the tone of surprise" he said softly. He caught my eye and the both of us burst out laughing. I swatted his arm and pushed him forward, running along behind him and still giggling.

I love you, you stupid ginger-haired prat.

THE END! Hope you enjoyed it, folks! :D