A/N: Still not JKR. Still do not own any of these characters. Longer A/N at the bottom!

Her hands shook as she checked Crookshanks' carrier for the umpteenth time. Ron's eyes were boring into her back, little lasers that heated her from within. She couldn't bear to look back at him. Couldn't believe she'd done something quite so reckless.

What was she thinking?

When Ginny had told her that Harry had left her, Hermione realized what this might mean for her and Ron. It seemed fairly clear to her now that something was brewing between the two of them. Even though they'd spent little time alone together over the past week, it was enough to share a quick glance, a hand on the shoulder. How many times had she looked up, only to see Ron's gaze darting quickly from her face. And he'd been so wonderful, so supportive before…before Dumbledore died.

Perhaps it was this that made her so worried. If they hadn't consumed Felix, Hermione was certain that Ron would have kept her with him. She had practically felt the pain it was causing him to split them up. For all she nagged Harry about his heroic streak, Ron had it too. Only his manifested a little differently. He would go to the ends of the earth for his friends. In fact would go to the ends of the earth, given this new adventure they were soon to embark upon with Harry. He was also exceptionally protective. Protective to a fault.

It wasn't conjecture, Hermione tried to reason with herself. It was a fact, plain and simple. Ron was a master strategist-the Battle of the Astronomy Tower having proved this beyond doubt-but strategy went out the window if she was in danger. Which is why she had to make him swear, promise that Harry was the priority. If they were to have any closer parameters on this mission, Ron would forget all strategy in trying to keep her safe. And she absolutely needed for that to not happen.

So she decided that this particular conversation needed to happen. And while she hadn't planned on it being in the loo of the train, it did have to happen before they separated again. Ron tended to be more affectionate after an absence, and she couldn't afford that distraction.

She hadn't expected him to be quite so heartbroken when she confirmed that she would put Harry first. Nor that seeing him so heartbroken would stretch her heartstrings to the point that she needed to comfort him. All that she'd said had been true, if unexpected. She'd never couched his place in her life quite so assuredly before. But it was fact. Ron was the most important person to her. She did want to spend the rest of her days with him, in whatever capacity he would have her.

Letting down some of those boundaries, admitting to him for the first time how much he meant to her had unleashed feelings she wasn't prepared for. For Merlin's sake she'd basically propositioned him in the loo. All her talk about Harry being the priority, and within five minutes they'd nearly been snogging.

Unacceptable. Irresponsible.

No matter how much she longed for it. And merlin she did. He had been about to kiss her; of that she was certain. Another moment and she would have given him verbal confirmation to do so. And then where would they be?

It was good she was about to go home. She needed the few days to put Ron out of her mind and refocus on the mission at hand. Along with what she was going to do about her parents.

Having had the opportunity to talk with Mr. Weasley, Hermione knew she was expected at the Burrow in five days. It wasn't a lot of time for her to do all that needed to be done. The daunting challenge of the memory charms loomed like a Dementor in front of her. She didn't feel entirely capable of it. But Mr. Weasley had raised the point that the Burrow offered protection, safety. Something she didn't have out in the Muggle world. He looked at her with concern, Hermione also recognizing that she needed to be back at the Burrow before any further anti-muggleborn legislation passed. With Dumbledore gone, it was now a matter of when You-Know-Who would attempt a Ministry coup.

Despite having napped on the train, Hermione felt exhausted. Her brain ached with everything inside of it. This partial exhaustion partly explained why she was lingering on the platform with the Weasleys. She couldn't seem to force her legs to move. The rest of her was battling not wanting to leave Ron's side. The sense of security she had when in his presence was a welcome distraction from the swirling thoughts. Thoughts that would only get more muddy once she had her parents to reckon with.

'We really should be going,' Mrs. Weasley said, approaching the group after seeing Harry safely off to his relatives.
Hermione looked up at the older woman and George frowning by her side. 'Arthur, you'll take Ron?'

'Right because Ronnie didn't get his license yet, did he?' Fred asked, raising a mocking eyebrow towards his younger brother. Ron scowled back at him.
'He should have,' Hermione cut in, 'I argued with Twycross that according to legislation, Ron did in fact successfully apparate during his exam.'

The Weasleys turned to her, all with varying degrees of surprise on their faces. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's held a shimmer of pleasure to their expressions, while Fred and George wore matching mischievous grins. Ginny's eyebrows were raised in an annoyingly knowing way. Ron looked more grateful than surprised. His ears turned red, but he gave her a smile. One she felt all the way down to her toes.

'Yes, well,' Mrs. Weasley continued, mother's intuition sensing Fred about to make another wisecrack. 'The sooner we're at the Burrow, the better. Boys, are you coming home with us?'

George shook his head. 'Can't. Got a bit more inventory to do. But we'll be back for supper.'

Mr. Weasley nodded. 'Right then. Molly, you take Ginny. We'll see you at home.'

Ginny reached forward to give Hermione a quick hug before heading off with her mother. She glanced back once more towards them as she left, eyebrows still raised.

'Righty-o,' said Fred, coming over to fluff up the top of Hermione's hair. 'Good seeing you Granger.'
''spect we'll be seeing you real soon,' George finished with a wink.
She could see Ron's face quickly turn to a scowl once more.

'Boys,' Mr. Weasley admonished, with a shake of his head. 'Actually, there was something I was hoping to discuss with you before supper, if you have a moment.' Without waiting for a reply, he led the twins down the platform, leaving Ron and Hermione standing alone. Ron tentatively stepped towards her.

'You, er, got everything then?'
Crookshanks chose this moment to hiss within his carrier. Hermione reached a couple of fingers in, trying to soothe him.
'Yes,' she replied, removing her hand and looking back at him.
He nodded.

Awkwardness permeated the air between them, mingling with the last vestiges of steam from the train.

'And you figured things out with Dad?'
Hermione nodded.

'So…when are you coming?' She could see he was trying his best to hide his eagerness. A wave of affection threatened to crest over her. She shoved it down.

'I'll be there in five days.'
'Oh. Okay.'

Another moment of silence.

'You'll be safe, yeah?'
Hermione nodded.
Ron swallowed.
'I'll send Pig to you tonight. Just in case.'

'Just in case what?' Hermione asked, confused.
'In case something happens on your way home,' Ron clarified.
'I'm sure I'll be fine. I can take care of myself,' she reminded him.
'I know you can. It's everyone else I'm worried about.'

She opened her mouth to respond before shutting it. There was something heartfelt about the way he'd said it that for once made her hesitant to argue back.

'Okay,' she replied. 'But let me know everything is alright with you as well.'
'I'm at home.'
'And you've been with the twins for all of five minutes and they've already irritated you.'
Ron huffed a laugh.
'I can take care of them myself, Hermione.'

She pursed her lips. The way the twins teased Ron, rocking his already precarious self-esteem had long vexed her.

'Thanks for sticking up for me though,' Ron added, almost as an afterthought. 'With Twycross and the twins.'
'Of course. I'll always have your back.'
'Same.'

They smiled at each other, a little of the tension dissolving.

'Ron!' Mr. Weasley called from down the platform. The twins had disappeared.
'You should go,' Hermione told Ron. 'All I have to do is walk to St. Pancras and catch another train.'

Ron nodded, reaching out a hand and smoothing the crown of her head, flattening where Fred had mussed it up.
He didn't seem fully aware that he'd done it. But Hermione could feel the press of his fingers against her scalp.

'Ron,' she started.
'Yeah, I'm going.' With a swift movement, he reached down and squeezed her shoulder. His hand seemed to engulf her. 'See you soon.'
'You too,' she replied, reaching up with her free hand to grasp his wrist.

Ron gave a sad little smile along with another squeeze. Then he turned to grab his trunk and went off after his father. Hermione was left alone on the platform with Crookshanks. She stayed put until the glint of red hair disappeared behind the brickwork.

Putting the carrier on the floor, Hermione performed a quick non-verbal spell which transfigured her trunk into a purse. Thanking merlin for the hundredth time that she was now of age, Hermione pulled the purse over her shoulder, and grabbed Crookshanks' carrier with one hand. Then she set off away from Platform 9 ¾.

She'd barely made it through the passage before another hand clasped on her shoulder. Expecting to see Ron, she turned, a smile already on her face.

A smile that dropped when she realized who was there.

'Terry,' she groaned. In all the chaos of the last week, she'd forgotten about him.
'Don't hex,' he rushed, apparently forgetting that they were now on the Muggle side of the divide and Hermione wasn't about to break the Statute of Secrecy. 'Just hear me out.'

Furrowing her brows, Hermione decided to listen. Terry took a breath as he removed his hand from her shoulder. He went fishing in the pockets of his tan trousers. Hermione glanced around the busy platform, half hoping Ron was still around to see this. It didn't appear to be the case.

'Here,' Terry said, after a short struggle. In his hand he held a small letter, sealed with heavy black wax.
'What is this?' Hermione asked, unable to keep a note of annoyance out of her tone.
'Take it.' He thrust it towards her.
'No.'
'Please.'
'What is it?' she repeated. 'Because if it's a letter of apology, you could have saved yourself the ink. I don't want to hear it.'
'It's not that,' Terry groaned, thrusting it once more towards her free hand. 'But I am sorry.'
'I don't have time for this,' Hermione told him, hitching her purse a little higher on her shoulder. 'Goodbye, Terry.'
'Hermione, please-'

As she turned, Terry crumpled the letter into her fist. 'It's not what you think.'
She resisted the urge to chuck it at his head. 'Not an apology but a love letter? Because I really don't have the energy to-'
'It's the address to a safe house.'

Hermione froze. Terry took this as an opportunity to explain.

'It's my Aunt's place in Forgacs. I told you, my family hid Muggleborns during Grindlewald's time. They can protect you too.'

She glanced down at the letter in her hand. Terry closed his own around hers.

'Listen, I was a git, alright? I fully admit it.'
'Well at least you admit it.' The words slipped out.
'But I meant what I said, Hermione. I want you. So please, for me, will you take this? It's got the fidelius charm on it. You'd be the only one that knows.'

Her breath caught in her throat.

'I'm not stupid. I know you think you've got to go do something with Potter, save the world or some shite. But you don't. There's another choice. You can stay safe.'

She looked up at him. His dark eyes were welling with tears. Despite the grief he'd caused her over the past few weeks, it appeared that in his own way he really did care for her.

'Terry, I-'
'You don't have to tell me anything,' he continued, grunting as though to keep the tears at bay. 'Just promise me you'll think about it. Please?'

Hermione nodded.

'Thank you.' The relief was evident in his voice, in the sudden sagging of his shoulders.

'I have to go,' Hermione managed to say.
'I know,' Terry replied. 'And I hope…' his voice cracked and he trailed off. 'Hope to see you around, Hermione.'

The words were a punch to her abdomen. She watched as he too disappeared in the growing throng of people, his curls bouncing as he jogged away. She might never see him again.

The letter was still clenched in her fist. She stood there, frozen in thought until Crookshanks let out an ear-splitting meow that shook her from her daze.

It stayed clutched in her hand as she made her way to St. Pancras. It lay in her lap during the short train ride to St. Alban's. She stared at her name on the front cover as she waited in the taxi stand. She shoved it in her pocket as she began the drive to her parents house.

As the taxi travelled along childhood streets, Hermione felt oddly removed from it all. There was the market, where they would go sometimes for vegetables. The office where she'd opened her Building Society Savings account at 8. The book shop where she would go for a treat after end of term results came out. The coffee shop her parents loved.
People were sitting outside at bistros and cafes, laughing and chatting as though nothing were the matter. As though there weren't a war at hand. For the first time since she'd gotten her Hogwarts letter, Hermione wished she were a muggle. That she didn't have to make the hard choices she would need to soon make.

Or did she?

She glanced back down at the sealed letter, held lightly against her thigh. Terry had given her this choice. To run away from it all. Spend the rest of the war safely ensconced somewhere in Hungary, far away from the Death Eaters.
If she were to flee, there would be no reason for You-Know-Who to come after her. If there was no reason to come after her, there was no reason to go after her parents. Which would mean not having to modify their memories.

This thought made the knot of panic inside her throat loosen slightly.

'Miss?' The cab driver's voice came from very far away. It took her a moment to realize he must have been calling her a few times. His expression was puzzled. She looked quickly out the window to see the familiar stained glass of her front door.

'Sorry.' She reached into her pocket and pulled out enough notes to cover her fare. Getting up out of the cab was a little awkward, juggling the carrier in her arms, while attempting to make the cab driver less suspicious of her. Soon enough though, she had climbed the few steps and stood on the landing. She was able to fish out her key and turn it in the knob. Light and warmth surrounded her as she entered.

Jazz was playing softly on the CD player in the sitting room. A smell of curry was in the air. Nearly supper then.

'Hello,' she called out tentatively, stuffing the damned letter in her back pocket.

'Darren, did you hear the door open?' Her mother's voice floated from the kitchen. 'I swear if that damned Mrs. Kessel thinks this is her house one more time-' the voice grew louder until her mother's dyed blonde hair whipped into the hallway. Her heart shaped face joined it a second later.
'Hermione,' Jean Granger said. 'What a pleasant surprise.' The tone of her voice did not match the words.
'Hermione?' a deeper voice repeated from the depths of the house. 'Thought she was staying with that needy family for the summer?'

Anger rose in Hermione's chest.
'Nice to see you as well,' she told her mother perfunctorily. 'And no, not for a while yet, Dad,' she called down the hallway. 'His name is Ron, by the way.'

She dropped her purse and carrier in the entryway. Crookshanks scratched at the bars, and Hermione made to open it.
'Oh Hermione, don't,' her mother scolded. 'You know we hate that offensive creature. At least drop him in your bedroom.'

Her mother shivered, as though horrified of the idea of Crookshanks defouling her home. Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes with great difficulty.

'Sure Mum.'
'We're having tikka masala for dinner,' Jean continued, folding her arms and staring at Hermione. 'If I'd known you were coming I would have made something less…' she trailed off, leaving Hermione to fill in the blanks. Oily? Fattening? Carbohydrate filled?

'Sounds good,' Hermione said.
Her father came into the hallway, frowning.
'Could have sworn his name was Harry.'
'No, that's my other friend,' Hermione corrected.
'The ragamuffin,' her mother supplied. Her father nodded.
'Hard to keep them straight.'

Hermione bit her tongue again. Thank goodness she hadn't ever been popular. Given the difficulty her father had in remembering the names of her two best friends, it was a miracle he remembered her at all.

'I'm going to wash up.'
Jean and Darren nodded at this, neither reaching out to embrace their daughter, nor ask how the year was. If anything, Jean looked more pleased at the idea of Hermione washing any trace of magic away than she had with the return of her daughter.

Being of age meant that she'd been able to get the letter from Hogwarts detailing the cancellation of her finals due to the unexpected death of the Headmaster sent to her, rather than her parents. So in a way she couldn't fault her father for assuming she'd gone straight to Ron's. Merlin knew she'd rather be there anyway.

She climbed the narrow staircase to the second floor, passing the gilded mirror that her mother kept on the wall to ensure everyone looked presentable before leaving the house. Where the Burrow held numerous pictures of the inhabitants, and Hogwarts was chock full of portraits with varying personalities, her own house was sparse by comparison. Other than a few choice artworks, the walls were plain. Her parents would far rather spend the money on fine antique furniture than make anything comfortable.

Her own room had been a haven from that. The same sleigh bed she'd had since childhood pushed against the wall, covered in a plain blue quilt. The small desk covered in a layer of dust. Books that threatened to spill from every corner. Her window seat, with the worn teddy she'd clutched while whiling away her hours reading. She shut the door behind her, immediately letting Crookshanks out the second it had closed.

Crookshanks stretched and sent her a little glare, before jumping onto the window seat and curling up in the dying rays of sunlight pouring in through the gauzy curtains.

She took the now crumpled letter out of her back pocket and smoothed it out. Sitting on the bed, she traced the seal. In her devotion to figuring out what Horcruxes were, she'd forgotten all about Terry's family history. She'd never even gone back to see Webster Boot.

She'd be lying if there wasn't a small part of her considering Terry's offer. Even if it meant turning her back on all the things that made her a proud Gryffindor, survival instincts were proving hard to ignore.

She pondered this for a while, until her Mother called her for supper.

Over a lackluster tikka masala (her mother was neither adept nor adventurous in the kitchen, meaning it lacked both heat and was rather watery), Hermione listened to the latest goings on in her parents' lives. Which couple's children had made it into Cambridge or Oxford. Who had divorced whom. Who had revealed an unfortunate penchant for M&S during a tennis match the week before. It was all meaningless. But her parents had driven themselves to create a more comfortable, bourgeois life than the ones they had grown up in, so to them, the idea that Chastity St. Clair's son had decided to take a gap year to go to Thailand and surf was tantamount to disaster. As she chewed, Hermione wondered if her parents' personalities would change at all after the memory charm. Would they care so much about appearances when they were no longer Dr. and Dr. Granger? Would they have more freedom if they didn't have to lie so much about their daughter?

Truthfully, if Hermione hadn't been there that evening, she doubted anything would have changed. Her mother and father cleared the table after dinner, Mum washing while Dad dried the dishes. Then they settled themselves in the lounge, Elgar playing on the stereo while Mum worked on a crossword puzzle and Dad read a magazine. They led lives that contented them when Hermione wasn't around. So perhaps it wouldn't be such a hardship on them to forget they had a daughter. Or to not know where she was. If Hermione was to abscond to Hungary, would her parents even notice? How long would it have taken them to try to write to the Weaselys to discover where their daughter was, given that they believed she was there?

The thought made her feel even more melancholy, and she turned in early for the evening. Neither of her parents seemed upset by this.

As she made her way upstairs, she could hear Crookshanks scratching at the window. She opened her door to see the curtains spread apart and her cat pawing at the glass. Behind the pane, a small owl hooted in the growing darkness.
Hermione made her way over to the latch, smiling for the first time since she'd been home.

'Hello Pig,' she told the tiny feathered ball as he zoomed into her room. Pig hooted happily at her, presenting his leg. Hermione grabbed the roll of parchment that was tied to it. Unravelling it, she glanced quickly over Ron's untidy scrawl.

Hermione,

Home safe. Loads of wards here. Make sure you apparate into the lane. Dad's done a lot of work to make it unplottable, but since you've been here before, you shouldn't have an issue getting through the wards.

Ginny seems a bit subdued, but gave Dad a smile at supper when he told her you're coming in a few days.
The twins were trying to help Mum figure out if there's a way to put Harry on the family clock. Told them it was basically useless. If anybody's in Mortal Peril all the time, reckon it's him.

Anyway, let me know you made it home okay. Pig hasn't been out much this year, so I reckon he'll make it to your place pretty quick.

Miss you already,
Ron

She felt her eyes well at the ending. She missed him too, even if it had been only a few hours. Pulling out her quill, she dashed off a quick reply. Crookshanks seemed glad to see the back of Pig when she sent him away. He settled back into the cushions. Hermione watched the owl fly off into the night before turning her attention the still sealed letter on her bed. Having written back to Ron, her conviction was solidified. No matter how tempting it might be to run away, Hermione was up for the fight. She'd promised Harry she'd be by his side, and that was exactly what she was going to do.

Getting up off the chair, she lit the candle on her desk. The room was bathed in its glow. Walking over to her bed, she picked up the letter. She gazed once more at the seal, at the relic of an old wizarding family, and returned to the desk. Lifting the corner of the letter, she waited for the first flames to lick at the paper. It didn't take long before it was well and truly on fire. She watched the stationary blacken, the words and temptation disappearing before her eyes. When it came close to burning her fingers, she tossed it in the wastebasket, before sending a quick jet of water towards it from her wand. Thin tendrils of smoke rose and began drifting out of the window. Crookshanks lifted his head, bored, before returning to his nap. Hermione peeked down, now satisfied that the letter was destroyed. It was time to focus.

Returning her purse to a trunk, Hermione went in and grabbed Memory Modifications for the Meddling. War was approaching. She had Ron and Harry to think about.

Ron,

Home safe. Thank you for letting me know about the wards. Thank you for everything. You've been brilliant these last few months. Don't let the twins make you forget all that you bring to the table. We're going to need your strategic mind to get us through this next chapter of our lives. I'm going to need you to get through this next chapter of our lives. Whatever happens, we stay together. We're stronger together. That much is never clearer to me than when we're apart.

Missing you too,
Hermione
X

A/N: Thank you to all those who stuck out this story. Each kudos, review and read warmed my heart. It feels very strange to be done this chapter. To be done this story. Now to be clear, we're not done with them. Stay tuned for two (yes, that's right, I did say two) new works in this universe coming soon. I couldn't leave them pining for each other for too long, now could I?

Stay safe, and give hugs and well wishes to your loved ones. To anybody who has read this far, I send you love as well.