A/N: I have no idea where this came from. Then again, what else is new? Most of my new stuff comes from nowhere in particular. I'm not complaining, mind!

I honestly wrote this a while ago and just didn't know how to end it. I hope it's acceptable the way it is. I borrowed the title from HPLives. I believe that story was renamed, but I can't remember =/

"'Reckon she'll let me have a bit of the girl when she's finished with her?' Greyback crooned as he forced them along the corridor. 'I'd say I'll get a bite or two, wouldn't you, Ginger?'
Harry could feel Ron shaking. They were forced down a steep flight of stairs, still tied back-to-back and in danger of slipping and breaking their necks at any moment. At the bottom was a heavy door. Greyback unlocked it with a tap of his wand, then forced them into a dark and musty room and left them in total darkness. The echoing bang of the slammed cellar door had not died away before there was a terrible, drawn out scream from directly above them.
'HERMIONE!' Ron bellowed, and he started to writhe and struggle against the ropes tying them together, so that Harry staggered. 'HERMIONE!'
'Be quiet!' Harry said. 'Shut up, Ron, we need to work out a way -'
'HERMIONE! HERMIONE!'
…Another terrible scream –
'HERMIONE!'
…Hermione's screams echoed off the walls upstairs, Ron was half sobbing as he pounded the walls with his fists …' (DH, pg 375 – 377, UK edition)

"'And I think,' said Bellatrix's voice, 'we can dispose of the Mudblood. Greyback, take her if you want her.'" (DH, pg 382, UK edition)

Oddly Relieved

Ron caught the wand and, making sure his grip on Hermione was still firm, twisted, trying to picture Bill's new house and not the sight of Hermione all bruised, bloody and non-responsive.

Shell Cottage, he thought desperately. Bloody buggering fuck, get me to Shell Cottage!

The horridly relieving feeling of being sucked through a tube overtook Ron as he clutched Hermione to him. They dropped to the ground and Ron felt a stinging at his inner thigh. Ignoring the pain and the sensation of liquid slowly crawling down his leg, Ron picked Hermione up and rushed for the door.

'Bill!' he shouted. 'Bill, I need help!'

Ron dropped to the ground in front of the door, his thigh throbbing as he cradled Hermione to his chest. The door burst open to reveal Bill, his wand directed at Ron's chest. Ron's head snapped up and he felt tears forming.

'Bill,' he croaked. 'Hermione ... she needs help.'

Bill's arm twitched slightly - almost as if he were going to lower his wand - but he took a breath.

'What part of your body was Splinched the last time you were here?' he demanded.

'My fingernails! Effing hell, Bill, she's almost dead!' Ron bellowed, standing up.

Bill dropped his arm and rushed towards Ron to help carry Hermione, but Ron grunted and glared as he rushed past his brother and into the house.

'Upstairs, Ron. Put her on a bed,' Bill hollered after him.

Ron took the stairs two at a time and burst through the door to the bedroom he stayed in over Christmas. He had just placed Hermione on the bed when Fleur rushed in behind him.

'What 'appened?' she said quickly, unloading her pockets of vials.

'Cruciatus,' he said shakily. 'And ... and a chandelier fell on her. I ... I don't know if she's broken or not.'

Ron sat on the side of the bed and gripped Hermione's hand.

'Stand back, Ronald,' Fleur murmured, bringing over several vials.

Ron got up immediately, watching his sister-in-law try to save his ... his what?

The love of your life.

Ron sighed heavily and started running his fingers through his hair over and over, pacing back and forth at the foot of Hermione's bed.

'She's going to be fine,' Fleur stated after several minutes.

Ron rushed over to the side of the bed, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste.

'Should we wake her?' he asked, brushing back some of Hermione's hair.

'Non,' Fleur replied. 'Let 'er wake on 'er own.'

Ron thanked Fleur with a mumble as she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. He sat with Hermione in silence, watching her chest rise and fall slightly and feeling relieved when the hand he had gone back to holding twitched slightly. He was still completely on edge and needed her to wake up. Soon. He had heard Harry's yell as he arrived and knew that Bill would be helping him, that Ron could stay with Hermione until she woke up, which was what he had planned on doing anyway.

'Ron?'

Ron looked down and breathed in relief when he saw Hermione's eyes open, if only slightly.

'Hey,' he whispered. 'How ... how do you feel?'

'Not my best,' Hermione croaked. 'Where are we?'

'Bill and Fleur's. I came here when ... when I left ... before. Do you ... do you need anything? I can get you anything you want,' he said urgently.

Hermione gripped his hand with hers and took a breath.

'Just ... just stay here with me. Please.'

Ron nodded and kicked off his shoes, crawling onto the bed with her, gently rolling her onto her side to hold her. Hermione grunted softly but relaxed against him, her head and right hand on his chest. He had relaxed enough to finally notice that the throbbing on his left thigh had resumed and he growled in pain, seizing up slightly.

'What's wrong?' Hermione asked, tensing.

Ron was about to shake his head, to tell her that he was fine and not to worry about it, when Hermione gasped.

'Ron, you're bleeding!'

Ron looked down at his thigh and was slightly sickened at the red patch on the inside of his denims.

'Shite!' he hissed.

Hermione sat up as best she could and grabbed the wand that Harry had tossed to Ron.

'You Splinched yourself,' she whispered as she unbuttoned and unzipped his denims as quickly as she could.

Ron fought the urge to close his eyes and groan at the fact that Hermione Granger was trying desperately to rid him of his trousers. No matter what the situation might be, that was fucking hot.

'Don't,' he grunted. 'I'll get it, it's fine.'

Hermione looked at him and backed off, handing over his wand. Ron swung his legs off the bed and stood, shucking his trousers and then sitting back down on the bed, using the trousers to catch the blood that was running down his leg. Hermione had worked herself over beside him and reached into her sock, only to pull out her beaded bag.

'I need the wand,' she whispered.

Ron handed it over and Hermione Summoned the dittany.

'Lay back so I can see what I'm doing.'

Ron did so, moving so he was parallel to the bed with Hermione between his legs, his left leg resting on her lap. She cleared her throat and leaned over to the small, yet deep patch of missing skin.

'You're lucky it's this small,' she murmured as she dripped dittany on the wound. 'Any bigger and you would have bled to death by now.'

Ron let his eyes slide closed as Hermione healed him, his fingers gripping the duvet as he felt the skin threading together. He noticed he was breathing quite heavily through his nose and he felt his breath hitch when Hermione's lips pressed gently against the newly formed skin. He kept his eyes closed as her fingers traced soft patterns over his thigh and finally, he moved his grip from the duvet to her fingers, stilling their movements. He opened his eyes and looked at her.

'You know,' he rasped, 'you make me forget there's a war going on.'

Hermione smiled slightly and slowly moved until she was snuggled up against him again.

'How's Harry?' she asked a few minutes later.

'Dunno; I stayed here with you.'

Hermione nodded.

'Thank you,' she whispered.

Ron pressed a kiss to her forehead.

'You should sleep,' he murmured.

'I don't want to,' she replied quietly.

'Ron!'

Ron growled at the sound of his name and further growled when Bill burst into the room.

'Hermione! How do you feel?' he asked as he noticed that she was awake.

'Better,' she replied rather hoarsely.

'What do you need?' Ron asked, trying not to sound irritated.

'Harry needs you,' Bill replied. 'Dobby ... Dobby didn't make it.'

Hermione tensed a bit and Ron smoothed her hair back.

'How torn up is he?' Ron asked, letting Hermione roll onto her back slowly.

'Very. He won't show it, though.'

Ron sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed, cast a Cleaning Charm on his denims and yanked them back on.

'You'll be OK?' he asked after walking around the bed and kneeling next to Hermione's side.

Hermione smiled sadly.

'Go to Harry,' she whispered. 'I'll ... I'll come see you soon. And be careful.'

Ron pressed a kiss to her forehead before walking out of the room, ignoring the look on Bill's face.

'Why were your trousers off, Ron?' Bill demanded the moment they had walked away from Hermione's room.

'It's none of your damned business, Bill,' Ron replied smoothly.

Bill grabbed Ron's arm and turned him around, nearly slamming him into the wall.

'What were you two doing?' he spat.

Ron threw his brother's hands off of him as he scowled.

'If that's what you really think of me, Bill, then you need to spend some more time with me,' he growled. 'I Splinched myself again. Inner thigh. Hermione was helping me and needed my denims off.'

Bill followed Ron in silence until they reached the sitting room.

'Harry's burying Dobby. I think you and Dean should go help him,' Bill said softly.

Ron looked over at his fellow Gryffindor, who clapped him on the back.

'How's Hermione?' he asked quietly.

Ron shrugged.

'She's been better, y'know?' he said, clapping Dean on the back as well. 'Let's go help Harry, yeah?'

Dean nodded and the two walked out of the house.

'Does she know you're in love with her?' Dean asked as they left.

Ron shook his head.

'Well, no, that's not true,' he corrected himself. 'I'm sure she knows. Figured it out months ago, if not years. She's fucking brilliant. What I meant was that I haven't actually told her yet.'

Dean nodded in understanding.

'I'm thinking now or never, mate,' he said softly.

Ron glanced over at his Hogwarts dormmate and sighed. Dean was right; Ron had to tell Hermione.

'Here. Sit; you need it,' Ron said as he led Hermione to the couch as everyone left the sitting room.

Hermione smiled gratefully at him and tugged him down to sit beside her, resting her head on his shoulder once he did so.

'Thank you,' she murmured, snuggling up to him.

Ron wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her to him tightly. Suddenly, everything caught up to him and his shoulders started to shake.

'What's wrong?' Hermione asked softly, leaning back a bit and cupping his face.

Ron bit his lip and shook his head, trying not to cry.

'Tell me,' she whispered gently, pressing her forehead against his.

Ron closed his eyes and after a few seconds, felt Hermione's lips pressing against his.

'Tell me,' she repeated just as softly, pressing her lips to his again.

Ron pressed back and then pulled away quickly, bringing his hands up to her face. His thumbs ran over her bottom lip and he threw his head back against the couch before sniffling slightly.

'I love you,' he murmured, not looking at her.

Hermione's fingers found his hair and forced his head off the couch.

'Ron ... Ronald, look at me,' she demanded.

Ron did so, feeling worse than he did when he heard her being tortured. Hermione chewed on her bottom lip as her fingers grazed his stubbly cheeks.

'I love you,' he whispered. 'Reckon I always have.'

Hermione grinned widely.

'Well, that's good to know,' she whispered back. ''Cause I love you too.'

Ron grinned back in relief.

'Up here, then,' came Bill's voice.

Ron helped Hermione to her feet and the two walked towards the doorway, only to see Harry a few steps up. He stopped and turned to look at them.

'I need you two, as well!' he called down to them.

They moved into the light and Harry peered at Hermione.

'How are you?' he asked. 'You were amazing - coming up with that story when she was hurting you like that -'

Hermione smiled weakly and Ron gave her a one-armed hug.

'What are we doing now, Harry?'

'You'll see. Come on.'

A/N: That seemed to be the best way to end it, honestly. Hope you enjoyed.