A/N: Wow. It's been a long time. I solemnly swore I would not write this year and refrained from reading unless I was really tired & in need of a guilty pleasure. But then the other day an idea caught me, and it was just a simple action in my mind that had every emotion in it and it just fit. From there I couldn't stop. So I wrote. I hope you enjoy it, please please review!

Oh and you all know I'm not J.K Rowling - everything belongs to her except my imagination.

She found him sitting at the edge of the lake, looking across the water, as dawn broke over it and the rays of sunlight hit the ripples spreading from the stones he was throwing through the surface. She watched him momentarily, his thick red hair rippling like the water in the breeze. His whole body seized up as he sighed and threw a last stone angrily into the lake. It landed with a huge splash and he turned to the side, looking down sadly.

She could see his profile more clearly now: his eyes gazed crestfallen and pained, a tear drizzling off his long nose; he swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple bobbing heavily and his lip quivered desperately. He began to shake, the tears falling thick and fast and her whole body urged her to go to him.

She ran through the grass and threw herself at him, enveloping his frame in her arms. He collapsed into her as if his body knew it was her. Maybe he could sense her smell, or knew the way she touched after all these years. Either way, there was comfort and serenity within her hold and he knew she would make it better.

But how could it be better? His huge, brilliant family was depleted, dividing the laughter and the jokes in two. Fred couldn't be gone, it just couldn't be true. He couldn't bear it.

"I, I just-I" he choked out, lifting his head to meet her eyes and saw that they too filled with unshed tears.

"I know, I know." She said, nodding sympathetically, smiling weakly. She wiped a few stray tears on either side of his face with opposite thumbs, clutching his face between her palms. Once dry, she caressed his cheeks once more and smiled softly. She wrapped her arms around him and held his head on her chest.

Suddenly, he laughed weakly. Confused she asked, "What?"

"It's just," he replied, looking up at her, "This is so wrong. I should be holding you in my arms…"

"Oh Ron," she murmured, stroking his hair caringly, "Don't you know we're not conventional? We never have been."

He laughed again, and let the word play over his tongue. 'We' – he liked it.

Them, they, her, me, we.

'We' may be unconventional, but nevertheless he slithered out of her grip and slid his thick arms round her slight frame, letting her thick curls rest on his sturdy chest. They sat together like that for a moment, staring out across the lake.

"We'll get through this you know?" Hermione said, breaking the peaceful silence, and turning to face him. "It won't be tomorrow, or next week, but one day all the bad stuff will cease to exist and the worse will live on as a memory, indestructible by any kind of magic. Fred's not really gone, nor Lupin, not even Dumbledore… people only really die when the living forget them."

She smiled up at him softly, her dark brown eyes catching his pale blue ones. And with those words, Ron knew it would be okay; as long as he had her by his side, he could face anything.

The rising sun fell on her curls, creating a golden crown of sorts, and lighting up her face. He thought he had never seen her look more beautiful, even with the scars adorning her face, the dirt running through her hair, and the sad look upon her face – she was beautiful regardless.

He ran a soft finger over her cheek and under her chin, directing her towards him with it. Gently, he brushed his lips over hers and gave her a light kiss. He could feel her mouth smiling under his and returned the delicate grin.

As he pulled back he murmured quietly, "Thank you,"

"What for?" asked Hermione with half a confused smile.

"Just, thank you." Ron returned, taking her palms in his. How could he explain his thanks for her constant support, dedication and – dare he say it – love over the past seven (or so) years? He could never thank her truly for every moment she had stood by him, whether in friendship or angst, she had been such a part of his life and it was a part he surely never wanted to let go of.

He looked back out, over her head, to the water still and silent. It was a stunning deep blue as the light hit it in different spots. Turning back to Hermione, he saw that she was watching him with a happy but pained look on her face.

"I don't want to go back in yet." He muttered, looking at her imploringly.

"Okay," She nodded, reassuring him with a squeeze of his hand.

"I just… can't." He sighed softly.

"It's okay." She repeated, squeezing his hand once more. She slithered around and lay in his arms again, facing towards the lake.

"Let's just stay here forever." Ron said impulsively. He could feel Hermione's body rippling beneath him as she laughed happily.

"I think I'd like that."

He kissed her the crown of her head softly.

"As long as I'm with you."

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