The new term had started. Ron was now in his 6th year and he hoped that his quest with Harry and the D.A. would be safe so he could come back for the rest of the year. Charlie was what worried him most. She knew he had to go, and he tried so many times to reassure her he'd be fine, but could he promise that?

The night they left was uneventful at first. They rode on brooms to the Ministry of Magic and headed to the Department of Mysteries where Sirius Black was supposed to be taken captive. Ron hoped Harry had a good idea of what they were doing and not just walk into some sort of trap.

But it was a trap.

As the group filed into the Department of Mysteries and Harry unchained Sirius, all seemed well at first. But as they began to leave, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle stopped them.

"Where do you think you're going?" they sneered. An woman Ron had never seen before stood there next to them, staring menacingly along with a few Death Eaters.

"It was a trap..." Ron heard Harry mutter. "Wands ready!"

Ron quickly dove into his pocket and retrieved his wand, holding it out in front of him to try and stop whatever would come next. But as he noticed his wand shaking violently, his courage began to diminish. Would he be able to do this?

Curses rang out from all directions. The D.A. took on the Death Eaters while Harry ran for Malfoy. Ron pointed his wand at Goyle but suddenly went blank on spells. But his instincts kicked in when Goyle shot the Cruciatus Curse at him.

"Expelliarmus!" Ron cried, and Goyle's spell was shielded and sent flying in another direction. "Stupefy!" Ron called. Goyle, who was still watching for what happened to his curse, had no idea Ron even said this and instantly was hit and fell to the floor, stunned.

Pleased with his first hit, Ron smirked and turned to Crabbe.

All was going well, in fact, it looked as if the D.A. was winning. But then the unthinkable happened. As Ron was fighting off a Death Eater with Hermione close by helping, the killing curse was shouted. All eyes jumped to where it had come from but soon fell apon not who said it, but who had been hit. Sirius's lifeless body toppled backwards, falling into a curtain in the middle of the room. He was gone.

Now Ron was angry and he soon noticed he wasn't the only one. The D.A. members were swinging their wands furiously, shouting spells at anyone who came near them. Even Neville seemed to have some sort of supernatural strength.

Word reached the fight that Dumbledore was off fighting You-Know-Who somewhere else in the Ministry. When the Death Eaters heard this, they followed to where You-Know-Who was and disappeared with him, leaving the D.A. and Dumbledore alone in the Ministry. It was over.

Ron didn't know what to do. Harry was miserable, he knew that for sure, but how would he help? He knew talking to him wouldn't do any good, so he stood with Hermione as she cried, holding her and trying to calm her.

He was ready to go back to Hogwarts. He was ready to get away from this mess. He was ready to get his life back, his old life. He was ready for this to be over. He was ready for whatever would come next.

Ron was in a bit of an odd situation. He had now, on top of everything that happened to him these past few months, been rejected by someone he didn't want to be rejected by. He knew she'd probably say she didn't think the same way of him, but he had to get it out either way. Now he started to feel the regret. He knew this was going to change their relationship drastically.

They were walking to Herbology together; Harry of course, was talking with Dumbledore as usual. As they walked, Ron tried his best to start some small talk.

"So- erm- how did your homework come? For Potions?"

"Alright, I suppose. I re-did the paper at least three times before I got it where I wanted it to go."

"Three? I barely made it past one."

"Well, Ron, you never were one to keep up with homework," she replied, opening the doors to go outside.

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that..."

Silence.

Now it was Hermione who tried to say something to break the pause.

"Going to the dance?"

Ron didn't want her to ask this.

"Uh- maybe. I haven't decided yet. Draco's asked you, 'course."

"Actually, he hasn't," she said, hopping over a small rock lying in the grass.

"Oh really?" Ron smirked.

"Don't get any ideas, Ronald," she replied, knowing what he was thinking. "Will you ask Mandy?"

"No. She's dating George now."

Hermione sighed. "You, Fred, George... what is it with her and Weasleys?"

"Beats me..."

"Sooner or later, she'll be asking for Percy's address," she said, smiling.

Ron laughed. He couldn't believe it... he was laughing.

"It's about time that laugh of yours turned up again," Hermione said.

Ron nodded as they approached Hagrid's cabin. "Yeah, about time indeed."

((Agh, that sucked. Oh well. I'm having a bit of writer's block currently.))

Ron's mind was spinning more than ever lately. He could only focus on the bad parts of his current life. Hermione was dating Draco, his sister might like Seamus, his mum was still sick, his best friend was never around anymore....

He wanted to just scream. This was so dumb... so bloody dumb and he couldn't do a blasted thing about it. Just sit back and watch. The voice in his head was gone, but his suicidal thoughts were definitely starting to come back. Hermione started realizing this and confronted him about it. She found him sitting at a table in the common room reading a chapter in his Transfiguration book late one night when everyone else was already upstairs.

"Ron, it's late, shouldn't you go to bed?" she asked quietly, sitting down in the chair next to him.

"Shouldn't you be off snogging Draco somewhere?" The words came out of his mouth before he had time to think about what he was saying. Her mouth dropped slightly and she glared at him.

"What is your problem, Ron? What's so wrong with me dating Draco?" she snapped.

"What's wrong? Think about what you just said, Hermione. Draco. Draco! The one we've hated since first year. The one who called you a mudblood. The one who only wants to be with you because you're innocent and he thinks you'll do anything for him. I just- I just don't-"

"You don't get it?" she finished for him. "No one does! But we don't care! I love him, and he loves me. It's as simple as that."

"Do you? Do you really love him?"

Hermione paused for a moment, then stuttered. "Yes- yes I do."

"I guess that's that then," Ron stated, slamming his book shut. He started to get up when Hermione started talking.

"What's up with you, lately, Ron? You've been so... mean! You don't listen to me anymore. I've been trying to help you with your," she paused, trying to find the right words, "...past situation, but if that's starting again-"

"Is that what this is about? You think I want to try committing suicide again?"

Hermione blinked. "Well- yeah, a little."

Ron sighed, closing his eyes, trying to keep his anger in. He plopped back down into the chair and set his head in his hands. "I don't know anymore, Hermione. I had one thing set in my mind that was keeping me going, but that's obviously not going to work out and now I'm just- frustrated. I don't mean to take it out on you, I really don't," he said, looking up, "but you're the only one who even bothers to talk to me anymore. I've been taking it for granted, I guess."

Hermione looked curiously back at him. "What was it?"

"What was what?"

"The thing that was keeping you going. I just want to know in case I can do anything about it. I want to help you, Ron," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

Ron looked down at her hand. "It doesn't matter anymore, Hermione."

"I still want to know," she said.

Ron stood up, letting her hand fall from his shoulder. He paced back and forth a little. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to so bad. But he had told the truth: it didn't matter. Not now. Not after her decision. He looked over at her, staring into her eyes, those beautiful brown eyes, and couldn't keep it in...

"I love you, okay?"