Hermione stirred in her sleep. The twins were kicking hard and she had to use the loo. Sitting up, she realized that she was somewhere unfamiliar. Then, it came to her; the carriage ride to Hogsmeade and falling asleep. But she had been headed somewhere…

“You're up,” a familiar deep baritone voice from her dreams washed over her. “Can I get you anything? Juice, perhaps?”

“Severus!” Suddenly, all of the previous day came back to her. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to fall asleep like that. I hope I wasn’t an imposition.”

“None, whatsoever, or else I would have let you know, which I did not. I am quite capable of expressing my displeasure. However, I do feel that it is now my duty to see you safely home and explain the reason for your disappearance.”

“I was on the way to Harry’s, but I was so tired.” She rubbed her face tiredly and Severus tried not to feel endeared by the simple gesture. “I thought perhaps I could use your Floo.” Hermione explained in a rush while trying to now smooth her hands over her hair.

That dolt Weasley doesn’t deserve her. If he ever hurts her, so help me, Severus thought internally.

Outwardly, he took a deep breath. “Of course.” After a quick cup of tea on his part and juice on hers, they parted ways. Severus had just been called to an emergency meeting of the Order and Hermione needed to leave for Harry’s. The older man tried not to dwell on how comfortable they seemed to be together and berated his feelings, pushing them down with a forced self-control as he stepped through the Floo for his own destination, after her. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ron’s gone,” Fred and George chorused together nervously as they re-entered the Burrow.

Molly looked up from the table. “What do you mean, dears?”

“He’s left already, mum. We have no idea where he’s gone to either. We were going to follow him and calm him down.” George announced. Fred picked up the tale, in the way they had of talking. ”It’s just that I have the worst feeling.” He seemed to vibrate with this, even clenching and unclenching his hands together.

“I’ll go,” Arthur announced. He left the house and quickly performed a tricky tracking charm he’d learned being in the Order. It allowed you to track someone and dimly see where they were and even listen in for a few seconds to be able to narrow down the location. It was very short lived, a minute, nothing more, but was invaluable with as many children as he and Molly had in their family.

Through the mist that was created by the spell, Arthur looked through the soupy mess and saw his son standing in front of Lucius Malfoy. He staggered back then and quickly came back to his senses, listening intently to what was being said. In horrified shock, he heard his son make a deal to get Harry Potter out of their lives. As the spell ended, he barely registered it.

Numbly, he made his way back into the Burrow. “Arthur dear, what’s wrong?” Molly asked, suddenly appearing at his side. She helped him sit down. “What’s happened? ARTHUR!” She shrieked at last with alarm, clearly in a state and not being able to get a reaction out of her husband.

The yelling finally broke the senior Weasley from his reverie. “We have to call a meeting of the Order.”

She blinked in surprise. “Arthur?”

“Molly, I only want to say this once and time is of the essence.” Arthur said in a stern manner, indicating the importance. Molly knew that tone all too well. With a nod, she hastened to make the necessary fire calls.

Ten minutes later a rushed and concerned looking Order of the Phoenix had convened. Arthur stood at the head of his dining room table looking grim. “I have something to say that I never thought I’d say, much less about one of my own. But Ron has gone to Lucius Malfoy, selling out Draco’s location because he wants Lucius to get Harry away from Hermione.”

“WHAT!?” Molly screamed. “HE’D NEVER DO THAT!”

“Molly.” Arthur reached over and took her hands. “I can put it in a pensive for you, but he did, he has, and we have to figure out how to protect Harry.”

“And Draco,” Fred and George muttered together. They were currently the youngest member of the Order, but were a bit quiet yet since they were still uncomfortable. Looking around, they could see the other members of the Order had been shocked into silence.

Minerva finally broke the heavy silence after a few minutes. “I know they’ve had fights before but I never thought that Ron and Harry would ever come to this. What do you think made him do it?”

“He’s holding on to the belief that Harry killed Charlie. We’ve talked to him repeatedly but it makes no difference. It’s caused this. He probably believes he’s choosing sides to protect Hermione.” Arthur said with quiet shame. “Now, who knows where Draco Malfoy is, besides Ron?”

“I’ll find out,” Molly said, pondering Hermione’s picture on the mantle. Woman’s intuition told her Hermione knew much more than she was letting on to the rest of them. But she was too young to be included in the Order meeting and was last known to be visiting Harry.

Minerva saw where her gaze was directed and gave a short nod. “Right then; you do that, Molly. I’m going to contact Harry and ask that he go into hiding, preferably with a secret keeper.”

“He can’t do that. We need him to run for Minister,” Severus’ quiet tone carried like a wave through the room and suddenly all eyes were upon him.

“Minister? Harry?” Fred asked in surprise.

“Regardless, he must be protected, perhaps even more so if he wants to go head-to-head against Lucius Malfoy.” Minerva nudged Molly under the table and the red-head stood and went outside, taking the hint immediately. Minerva bent in front of the fire and used it to inform Harry of the situation.

Acting under cover of darkness, Lucius would be moving in tonight on Potter’s house. Ron had asked that Harry be warned away and with a glint in his eye, Lucius said, “Done.” The red-head never heard Lucius chuckling to himself as he carefully manipulated the young man in front of him with practiced ease.

Ron had no idea he had just signed the death warrants for Draco and Harry.