Ron had his head in his hands. It completely concealed his face, but he was taking heaving gasps. His body was sagging; you could feel the emotion pulsing from him. Hermione had never seen him like this: sitting in the rubble that was Hogwarts School, he was completely vulnerable. He'd always tried to protect her: she knew now that it was her turn to do the same for him.

After leaving Dumbledore's office, Harry had wanted to find Ginny; as the three started back towards the Great Hall, where everyone was assembled, Ron had been lost in the shuffle of familiar faces. As Harry was off somewhere with Ginny, Hermione had set off to look for Ron. Now that she had, she wasn't sure what she'd wanted to say. "I'm sorry that your brother died?" Not usually that comforting. Thinking back on her ten-year-old self after her grandmother died, she recalled that "I'm sorry" and "I know how you feel" tend to annoy the grieving.

But she had to say something. Not because Fred had died before their eyes two hours before. Not because he was her best friend of seven years. Because of the moment they'd shared together outside the Room of Requirement, and, more importantly, what it meant. She needed him to tell her what he'd felt when she'd kissed him; yet, she didn't think it right to go up to a crying boy mourning over their older brother and start talking about your own selfish romantic entanglements.

He still didn't know she was there: watching him, taking in the familiar boy in this strange situation. She couldn't recall him ever breaking down before; at least, not in front of her. She had memorized the red hair, the freckles, his back, and strong arms. There had been times when he had been gone that she longed for his scent; other times when she thought that for just a moment, she had smelled it lingering in the air. Now that it was here right in front of her, she didn't know what to say. So she decided not to say anything. She took a step, but he didn't turn around. She continued walking, and sat down beside him on what remained of a hard stone step. She put her arm across his broad shoulders and leaned into him, taking in his scent.

For the first time, he looked up. His look slightly dazed, it appeared as if he'd just awoken from a dream.

"Hermione?" He wasn't sure she was real. Was anything real anymore?

"Mmm, Ron," she sighed in contentment, letting herself get lost in him.

"He's gone," he stated, his voice cracking as he began to cry again.

Tears stained his blood-and-grime-covered face.

"Not from our hearts," Hermione answered, knowing how corny it was the moment it came out of her mouth. She laughed, not caring about the state they were in. And for the first time to Ron, she cursed.

"That was total bullshit, right?"

Ron laughed. "Did Hermione Granger just curse?"

"I bloody well did," she exaggerated her curse. Then:

"Ron," Hermione's tone turned serious again, and Ron let out a large intake of breath. Inside his own head, he knew that she would be asking about either Fred or their kiss, neither of which he felt like discussing at the moment. He nodded to show he was listening. "Ron, we need to talk about..." her face turned red. The kiss, Ron thought, as he looked at Hermione. Hermione gulped. "What happened...after the Chamber of..."

Ron didn't skip a beat as he looked deep into Hermione's eyes, unknowingly making her heart pulse fast. "Do you think about me as more than a friend?"

Hermione nodded fast, tears at her eyes. She got up and said, "I get that you don't. I'm just an insufferable know-it-all that constantly fights with you--"

Ron took her by the arm and pulled her back towards him. "Hermione, for the smartest girl in our year, you really are acting incredibly thick right now."

"Well, if that's what you think--" But Ron kissed her then, shutting her up.

When he pulled back, he put a finger to her lip. "Hermione, honestly, I've loved you since day one."

She was surprised by his bluntness, by the truth of it. Something dawned on her. "Me too," she whispered.

Ron put his arm around her small frame, and pulled her closer to him.

"You always end up comforting me!" she protested. "I came here to comfort you! About Fred."

"Hermione, I think we can both agree that Fred would rather us be laughing about his memory, or finally being happy together, than crying."

Hermione thought for a second. "D'you suppose people think that we'd end up together?"

Ron shrugged. "Idunno. But I do know that I should apologize to you...about Viktor Krum...that was jealousy, by the way."

Hermione blushed. "Ron, really, I never went out with him, he just asked me to the ball and we became friends, and I really wanted-"

Ron put up his hand. "You have no reason to apologize. I was being a git."

"Hmm. What else?"

"Lavender."

"Oh," Hermione pulled away from him and crossed her arms over her chest.

Tears were at her eyes again. "We were so close then...to being together…we were going to go to the party…and you..."

"I know," Ron shook his head angrily at himself. "I hate myself for it. We were so happy."

Hermione nodded. "And then you started ignoring me. And next thing I know..." She gulped as tears spilled down her cheeks. "You were snogging Lavender."

Ron tried to reach for her but she pulled away. "Why?" she asked. Tears were now pouring down her face. "Tell me, Ron!" she shouted.

"I was trying to make you jealous, alright?" Ron shouted. "Ginny told me you'd snogged Viktor, and I got mad! Because I'm a git! And Lavender...I never even liked her, she was the biggest pain in the arse. After the first night, I wished I'd never done it. It should've been you all along, Hermione. When I got poisoned and I woke up to you crying at my bedside, I was so happy, Hermione. I didn't think you'd ever forgive me, and I was too damn proud to apologize. But when you visited me, Hermione, I was so happy. When she visited me, I pretended to be asleep."

Hermione laughed. "Merlin, I love you."

"Do you forgive me too?" he pleaded hopefully.

She nodded through her tears. "But you're on probation from now until the end of eternity."

He nodded, and wiped away her tears with his thumb. "I can agree with that."

Ron and Hermione talked for an hour, about anything and everything. Then they walked, hand in hand, back to the Great Hall. Mrs. Weasley eyed their entwined hands, before looking away quickly. The rest of the Weasley's were too engrossed in their grief for Fred to notice. But Harry and Ginny, who were sitting in a corner, noticed immediately. They shared a smirk, before jumping up to greet them.

"What happened?" Ginny asked first.

"What do you mean?" Hermione tried to act confused.

Harry rolled his eyes. "To be blunt, are you two...finally...together?"

Ron nodded. "And what do you mean by finally?"

Harry rolled his eyes, yet again. He motioned for the others to follow, in the direction of the Weasley's. Hermione took her hand out of Ron's nervously. When they reached the place where Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Charlie, Bill, Fleur, Percy, and George were sitting, Harry addressed them all.

"Who does everyone think Ron will inevitably wind up with?"

George looked up from his lap, which he'd been looking into mournfully, his eyes wet. And a smile slowly spread onto his face. "Is this a trick question?"

Everyone else took time to realize what Harry was saying, and work up the courage to act happy. When they couldn't hold it in any longer, they began to snicker.

"What's so funny?" Hermione asked nervously.

"It's obvious," George said between peals of laughter. "That Ron should end up with you, my dear."

Ron and Hermione both went red in the face. "Why would you assume that?" Hermione asked, her voice shaky. This resulted in more laughter.

"Assume?" Bill asked. "Why, I've only known you for two years and I could tell you. It's fairly obvious."

"Well, if you want to know, they're finally together," Harry said, laughing himself.

A round of applause came sounding from the group, and everyone else in the Great Hall looked around for the source. Through the bleak atmosphere of the mournful hall, it came through like a bullet. Ron whispered something to Hermione, and then put his arm around her bravely. This resulted in a wolf-whistle from George, and heavier clapping. As people began to walk towards the crowd, they saw the couple, standing happily, though blushing furiously. And all of them, each and every one who seemed to know that these two should be, and would be, together, clapped along. Surrounded by a ring of supportive classmates, teachers, and family members, they understood how long a wait it had been. But as they shared a kiss, they knew it was worth the wait.