The castle was in ruins, pillars broken, windows blown away and walls cracked. People were at a loss, no idea if they should feel sad at the lives lost or ecstatic because the war was over, done. Voldemort was destroyed, he was gone, and he would never hurt another soul ever again.

Ron walked around looking at people, the emotions he saw on their faces varied, some wore smiles, others he couldn't look at because they had the same sullen face he did. He couldn't help it, Fred was dead, he was gone forever, Ron didn't know how this could be, because for his whole life, Fred was the most alive person he had known, him and George. God, Ron thought, what about George, just like he had known them to be the most alive people, he also knew them to never be apart. 'Don't think about this now', he told himself, 'you have to be strong, for your family and Hermione'

'Hermione,' it seemed like years since they shared their kiss. 'That kiss,' he thought, the wonderful kiss that made him tingle at the very thought. He laughed in spite of himself, he couldn't stop thinking about how she pounced on him, he always thought when they kissed it would him who presented it and it would be in a more romantic setting. As he sat on the bench to the Gryffindor table, he could see her. Her hair was even more bushy, her clothes torn and singed from when they had gotten the diadem, but she had never looked more beautiful. The way she stood there looking lost and strong all at once, like she couldn't make up in her mind whether she should burst out crying or keep it together. He saw her look at him when she did, she gave him a very weak smile. Like his feet had a mind of their own, he got up and started to slowly walk over to where she stood.

He took her hand, but said nothing, he just wanted her to know that everything would be fine. He wanted her to know that he would keep her safe for the rest of their lives. He tried as much as he could to form the words, he wanted to say them, he was finally ready after 3 years of wanting to be with her, he Ron Weasley, was ready to tell her…that he loved her. He didn't mind that everyone he knew and loved were there, his mother and father, his brothers and Ginny. Harry was there as well, along with his classmates, Dean, Seamus, Lavender and many others. He didn't mind or care, so why couldn't he say it, why couldn't he confess something that had been 3 years in the making?

"Ron what's the matter?" He snapped his head when Hermione spoke to him. He looked into her eyes; they were warm but had a flicker of sadness sunken into them. He couldn't bear to see her like this, he needed to tell her, she had to know, she needed to be happy. He wanted to be the one to make her happy, everyday forevermore.

"Hermione, we…I need…can we talk?" He asked, looking at her, pleading with his eyes for her to say yes. She looked up at him as well, and nodded. She made to leave, but he pulled her back, he wanted everyone to see, he wanted everyone in the Great Hall to see and hear his love for her, just so she knew it was true.

"Let's just stay in here, okay?" Their eyes met, brown on blue, neither of them blinking. Her hand was in his hand, it felt right, like her hands were made to fit into his. She smiled at him and said, "What is it Ron?"

"Hermione, remember in the Room of Requirement?...Sorry stupid question, of course you do, you did it, I mean it would be pretty hard to forget it, unless of course you didn't really mean it, which I would understand… I mean we were about to fight, you thought you might die and you saw me and said 'Hey, let's snog Ron,'…" He didn't get to finish, she did it again, Hermione threw her arms around him and pressed her lips to his.

He pulled her up once more, wrapping his arms around her as tight as he could, never wanting to let her go. He could hear people saying things, he couldn't understand it but he didn't care, his lips were once again on Hermione's and this time he was sure it wasn't because they were on the verge of dying. He sucked in breath threw his nostrils and opened his mouth a bit, he was a little scared she wouldn't accept his 'offer', afraid that she would pull away from him and call him a git for thinking she would do that in front of everyone. Much to Ron's surprise she didn't pull away, on the contrary, he could feel her smile as she moved her head to the other side and opened her mouth.

Hermione's tongue was moving slowly and sensually against Ron's, he never wanted it to stop, he wanted his mouth to be on hers for the rest of his life, but he could feel her recoiling. As they pulled back, he could finally hear what was happening around him, people were cheering, actual clapping and yelling. Staring down as Hermione, he could feel himself smiling, she grinned back at him and that's all he needed, he was going to tell her.

"I…I love you," he said still slightly panting, he watched her eyes grow big and her grin turn into a huge smile that spread across her face. Once again she launched herself at him, but this time she kissed him again and again, small, bite sized kisses that tasted like Hermione.

"I- (kiss) - love- (kiss) – you- (kiss) – too!" She practically screamed through her kisses, Ron noticed the people who had been cheering, stopped at this, like they were in shock at the words, but he didn't care, Hermione loved him. The Hermione he had known since he was 11, she was his Hermione now, she loved him and he loved her more then anything. Ron wrapped his arms around her and spun her around, then gracefully put her down upon her feet again. At that moment Ron was engulfed in a hug that wasn't from Hermione, his mother had reached him and was hugging him almost to the point of strangulation. She kissed his cheeks over and over again.

"I can't believe it! Finally, you two have had the sense knocked into you! Goodness me, Hermione and my Ronnie together at last! You be good to her," Mrs. Weasley added sternly at Ron. After that she smiled, gave Hermione an equally hard hug and walked off to attend to something else.

Ron linked his hands with Hermione's as one by one everyone around them, walked over and said things like "It's about time!" and "Finally made a move eh, Weasley?" But Ron would never forget what he heard from Ginny, "Ron you git! It took you that long to finally tell her! Goodness, I knew you were dumb but…" Ron cut her off by hugging her, she looked surprised by this act but didn't refuse.

Ron whispered into her ear as they were separating, "You should talk." She looked confused until Ron cocked his head towards Harry and smiled. Ginny didn't need to be told twice and she walked over to where Harry stood smirking at Ron and Hermione.

Hermione looked at Ron, his eyes transfixed on the scene Ginny and Harry made. She slipped her hand into his and he looked down at her face. All he said was, "I always have," It didn't make sense to him, it just felt like the right thing to say and Hermione's eyes told him she knew what he meant.

"Me too."