Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter I think that much is rather obvious. If I did I'd be rich and probably too busy eating caviar lol

A Missed Moment

Ron let out another sigh from where he sat, his head resting in his palm. He had been watching Hermione from across the dance floor all night debating how best to ask her to dance. He glanced over to the spot where his brother was happily twirling around his bride. It didn't look too hard. He just had to get up and ask her.

'But what if she says no?' that thought came unbidden to his mind. He would look like a complete fool. He groaned and buried his face seeing the scene unfold in his mind's eye. She would think he was an idiot, a look of disgust would be plastered across her face.

Shaking her head furiously he tried to banish the vision and raised his head, his eyes back on the girl who had been one of his best friends for the last six years.

That was it. He stood up, putting aside his fears, determined to ask her.

However before he had taken even one step, someone else approached Hermione, half blocking his view of her. The first thing he realized was that it was a man. A very large, impressive looking man.
"Krum." He growled as he recognized his looming form. Ron sank back into his seat, all dreams of asking the girl to dance dashed.

His heart seemed to shatter as he watched Hermione's face light up as she jumped up and gave him a hug. Ron almost growled at the sight of her in another man's arms. He didn't like it one bit

He shook himself. 'Why did he care so much? They were just friends right?' He ignored the feeling of displeasure that rose up inside him at the world 'friends.' He minded because she was his friend and Krum was a git. 'Yup that's it.'

His head fell into his hands again as a feeling of misery overtook him. He watched as Hermione laughed at something Krum said and he wanted to do nothing more than to throw himself in the pond.

She must still like Krum, Ron concluded glumly. Victor Krum wasn't a man known for his humor, and Ron doubted that had changed in the two years since they last seen him. What he was known for however was to be popular with women.

He gritted his teeth as Krum reached out to lightly brush her arm and sprung up from his chair, wanting nothing more than to storm over there and demand Krum to take his hands off her. He took a breath however and deflated. Where would that get him? Only on the receiving end of one of Hermione's scathing looks. It would be worth it if he wasn't so sure she'd refuse to speak to him for a week. He couldn't bear for her to be mad at him. He sighed and sat back down. His eyes narrowed as he glared at Krum's back, hoping that some looks really could kill.

All of a sudden those thoughts were completely wiped from his mind. The whole wedding party was bathed in a cool blue light as a patronus appeared in their midst.

"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."

Everyone was frozen in shock and horror for a moment before the whole scene erupted into chaos. People screamed and jumped up, trying to escape before the death-eaters arrived.

Ron leapt up, his eyes searching desperately for a pair of dark chocolatety brown ones. He found them at the same moment they found his. They were wide with fear. Without thinking, he began pushing people aside, desperate to reach her. He watched as she struggled to fight her way towards him as well but she couldn't. Her small form was being buffeted this way and that by the crowd around her. The witches and wizards didn't even seem to feel her as she fought just to stay up-right. Her eyes were wild with terror now as her eyes darted back and forth, searching for him. He knew she couldn't see him around the bodies towering above her and he was thankful for his own gift of height.

All of a sudden he saw a wizard push her roughly to the side and she disappeared from view as she toppled over.

A wave of panic hit him when her head didn't re-emerge. He sprinted forward, shouldering his way through the mob. His eyes roved the ground desperately looking for any sign of the bright red dress she had been wearing. Finally he saw her. She was trying to stand but the jostling from above kept her down. He saw tears in her eyes as her hands and legs were repeatedly stepped on. He flung his body in front of hers without a second thought, forcing the people to either go around him or run right into his broad chest.

"R-Ron?" he heard a squeak from behind him and he turned to see Hermione climbing to her feet, her eyes filled with relief.

"Come on 'Mione let's get you out of here." He moved to help her up but was caught off guard as she flung herself at his chest.

"I-I was so scared. I couldn't get up." She told him trembling.

"Sshhh I know." He tried to sooth her.

"It's alright. I'm here." He told her rubbing her back as people in the crowd ran into him, causing him to be forced forward a step. "I'm here to protect you." He knew the moment the words left his mouth, it was true. As long as he was alive, he would never let anyone harm her.

She drew back and looked up at him, tears still streaming down her face and nodded.

"Thank you." She whispered her eyes full of something Ron couldn't give a name to.

All of a sudden the two were startled as Harry seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Hermione grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze as he saw her grab Harry's too before she shakily waved her wand. The last thing he saw before and the familiar sensation of being squeezed through a tube overtook him, was the sight of her large doe eyes glance back to him and he gave her hand a little squeeze back.