Flames of Eternity

Note: English is my second language, so forgive any mistakes you may find. Thank you!

Summary: Two souls fighting against a feeling that seems unthinkable. Would they be strong enough to avoid their biggest fear, or would their hearts embrace a deep love? Ron/Hermione

Chapter 1- Dreams…

No sound was heard as tall figure walked slowly through deserted corridors, being closely watched by some paintings in the stone walls. His heart was beating rather fast, his stomach full of frantic butterflies, but still he kept on walking. The moment of truth was approaching at an alarming speed, and all he could do was pray that everything would be right.

He finally reached the place where he was heading to, and as a door came in sight, he stopped with his hand holding the doorknob. It was now or never: he had to know the truth. Slowly, he opened the door and entered a room that at first sight seemed to be empty. However, as he put the right foot inside it, a female voice reached his ears: "Finally! I was starting to think you had changed your mind."

Then, he let go of the door that closed with a loud noise, breaking the icy silence of the night.

»«»«»«

A new day was starting in a country house known as 'The Burrow', and a red-haired boy woke up as the first sun rays hit his pale face. "Bloody hell! I always forget closing those curtains", he exclaimed, sitting in the bed. As he did so, a knock was heard on the room's door. "Yes?"

Opening the door, a short round woman popped the head inside the room. "Good morning, Ron. I just need to know at what time Hermione will arrive."

"At noon, I think" Ron Weasley replied, immediately turning to the other side and covering his head with the Chudley Cannons duvet cover. Seeing what her son was doing, Mrs. Weasley sighed and walked towards his bed to uncover him. "What you think you're doing? There is lots of work to do downstairs; I need help."

"Mum!" Ron whined, but the look on his mother's face told him that was not a suggestion. "Alright, alright! I'll be downstairs in a fem minutes, I just need to get dressed."

Nodding, Mrs. Weasley left the room, closing the door behind her. Looking slightly disgruntled, the blue eyed boy rose and quickly dressed into the first clothes he found: a maroon shirt and a pair of brown trousers.

As he made his way down to the kitchen, he heard a female voice coming from Ginny's room: a voice that made him blush intensely. "Ginny, your hairr would look so much better if you do some braidz, you know?"

"No, thank you! My hair looks fine!" Ginny Weasley snapped, coming out of her room. "Oh Ron, good morning!" she said in a loud voice when she spotted him on the corridor, hastily adding in a whisper, "She is driving me mad! Seriously, how come our brother fell in love with that Phlegm?"

"Well…" Ron started to say, his cheeks still covered in red. But the red-haired girl didn't give him the chance to complete the sentence. "Don't say a word. Let's just hurry; I don't want her to come with us."

So, the pair of them walked the rest of the way towards the kitchen, where Mrs. Weasley was busy placing plates on a long table. She merely raised her eyes as they walked inside, still laughing at the idea of Ginny wearing 'braidz'.

"Smells good, mum. I'm starving!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes searching for the source of such good aroma.

"I wonder when you're not starving, brother. I mean… you're always eating!" Ginny remarked mockingly, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Ah ah, aren't we funny?" he replied, sticking his tongue out. Sitting at the table, he started counting the plates with a confused frown. "Are we going to have visits? 'Cause you have put two more plates than usual", the red-haired boy said, raising an eyebrow.

"Hum, what?" Mrs. Weasley asked distractedly, her eyes glancing towards the table. "Oh my, I just can't get used to the idea that Fred and George doesn't live here anymore", the short woman concluded, pointing her wand to the plates that flied immediately to a cupboard.

"Well, it's easy to make that mistake. They send loads of clothes to wash, so it's just like if they're actually living here", the youngest daughter of the Weasley said in a sympathetic voice.

"Ron, I would like that you and your sister clean the rooms afterwards. Ginny, Hermione is going to stay with you, so please make sure that everything is in order, alright?" Mrs. Weasley said while she put fried bacon in her son's plate.

"Yes, sir!" Ginny promptly answered, rolling her eyes behind her mother's back, making Ron to choke with the bacon.

"What did you say?" Mrs. Weasley inquired suspiciously, turning around to face her daughter, her hands resting on her hips. "Yes, mum: that's what I said!" the young girl said, faking an innocent expression.

Then, as her mother walked out of the kitchen with a pile of clothes to wash on her arms, the two siblings concealed their laughter, making both of them to turn red with the effort.

»«»«»«

The rest of the morning continued with no more incidents, and as noon came closer, Ron started to walk anxiously from side to side in the kitchen. Ginny, who was sitting at the table reading a book about dragons that Charlie had given her, suddenly smashed it on the table, and commented sarcastically: "She'll not arrive sooner, just because you're walking from side to side, will she?"

"What?" Ron asked absent-mindedly. "Who are you talking about? I'm not expecting anyone", he hastily added when he noticed the smirk on Ginny's face.

"Oh, I see. But if I'm not mistaken, Hermione will be arriving today", the red haired girl stated, watching Ron attentively.

"Oh yeah, I had forgot. Er- how long do you reckon she will take now?" he started, his eyes staring hopelessly trough the window. "Stop it!" Ron hissed as he saw his sister smiling broadly.

Without saying more, he sits beside her and starts playing with a fork. A few minutes went by, and no sound was heard inside the house, apart from the songs of cheerful birds coming from the outside. All of a sudden, the sound of voices broke the uncomfortable silence, and seconds later Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen, being followed by a girl with bushy brown hair. "Good afternoon, everyone", the girl happily exclaimed.

"Hi!" Ginny greeted, her sharp eyes searching her brother's expression.

"Hi, Hermione! How were your holidays?" Ron asked an expressionless mask over his face.

"Oh, they were fine. What about –"but she was unexpectedly interrupted when a blonde young woman walked abruptly inside the room. As her brown eyes meet the woman's blue ones her smile quickly faded away.

"Errmyone! I zee that you haven't changed zoo much", Fleur stated coldly looking in a disapproving way to her bushy hair. "So, arre we going to have lunch now?" she questioned, turning to Mrs. Weasley, who seemed to be furious.

"Yes!" that was the only reply coming from her lips. As Hermione was taking a seat at the long table, Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at the stove, where some pans were.

The four people sitting at the table were all staring in opposite directions; Ron was rather red in the cheeks, his blue eyes refusing to look into the blonde woman.

The lunch was ready within minutes, and as the five of them started to eat, a female voice complained about the food: "Thiz food is really heavy, my diet is going to be rruined-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know that Phle- Fleur, I mean", Ginny corrected as she saw her mother's frown. "Hermione, you're going to stay in my room", she informed the other girl.

"I know, Mrs Weasley told me when I arrived. I already put my trunks there", the brown haired girl replied, while turning to Ron. "And what about Harry? When will he arrive?"

"I'm not sure", the red haired boy simply answered. When Fleur Delacour was around, he never managed to say a whole sentence without blushing and gasping, so he always looked as if he had drunk a bottle of firewhisky. This fact caught Hermione's eye, and she shook her head in an annoyed way.

The day continued as usual in that country house, with Fleur complaining about everything, while Ginny, Hermione and Ron talked about this and that, invariably ending in making fun of 'Phlegm'.

»«»«»«

As the night started to fall over 'The Burrow', Ron was lying over his bed reading a book about his favourite Quiddicht team: the Chudley Cannons. Although he seemed to be very concentrated on the moving images of the book, his mind was far from that. 'Why the hell I feel like this? I mean, why I feel so happy now she's around?' were the disturbing thoughts within his head.

A muffled knock was heard on his room door, but he didn't move when he said: "Come in, it's open!"

The door opened only to reveal a brown haired girl who was holding a ginger cat on her arms. As she entered, the red haired boy straightened up abruptly and the book fell on the floor.

As he leaned to grab it, his hand touched one that had been quicker than his own, and he raised his eyes to meet a pair of brown ones, that were shining in a strange way. "Thank you!" Ron thanked clumsily.

"No problem" Hermione said, handing him the book. When no reply came, she sat on the mattress, gazing into the window. "All of this fog is unnatural, don't you think?" she asked conversationally.

"Hum, hum", was the entire thing the boy beside her managed to say. He kept glancing sideways at her, the book completely ignored on his lap. Suddenly, and without any warning, the two of them opened their mouths to speak at the same time. "Hermione, I-"; "Ron, I-"

At this sudden burst, the two started laughing. However, their laughs seemed to be a result from nerves, rather than enjoyment. "You talk first", Hermione finally muttered.

"No, ladies first; please", Ron retorted, rubbing his nose.

"I- I just- well, it's really good to be with you again", the girl with bushy hair confessed, rising and walking to the window.

"Yeah, it's good", the red haired boy agreed, staring at Hermione's back. 'It's really good, indeed', he thought within himself.

And as if he had sensed the boy's thoughts, Crookshanks jumped to his lap, looking at him in an understanding way.