Disclaimer: On the cover is a picture of a Deathly Hallows part 2 poster- not mine. In this story are characters in an amazing world- not mine. I also did not write the lyrics to this song.

For the Birthday Bash Exchange! (In honor of Harry's :P). I hope you like it! (I can't reveal for who yet, it must remain a mystery until the 31st.)

And Happy Actual Birthday! to Sonata Appassionata, whose part of the Birthday Fic Exchange III with me. I hope you like this!

A/N: So I'm not obsessed but I am a big one direction fan and after I was given this song for the comp I immediately got a Ron/Hermione post malfoy manor vibe. Plus, Ron/Hermione is my OTP with Jily, and I want to do them justice :) I hope you like it! Written for: (you can skip to the story now)

1D song comp: through the dark; delirium comp: medium: "hearts are fragile things. that's why you have to be so careful." include words concrete, suavity, fossil. someone must ingest a potion; disney character comp: heimlich: write about Ron; spells comp: muffliato: write about someone on the run; hunger games comp: district 12: write about someone on the run; wand wood comp: vine: write about Hermione; chp acrostics comp: t: lyric prompt- this love will make you levitate; quotes for all occ. comp: love: Erich Fromm quote; fav songs challenge: piano man: write about an escape; hogwarts fair: refreshments: write something in your comfort zone; test your limits ii comp: rnd 5: write a fic where at least one character cries; bonus prompts - "The two of you deserve each other.", falling snow, stray cat, raven, pillow, spoon; harry potter chps comp: hermione's helping hand: write about hermione and ron;

I wish that I could take you to the star
I'd never let you fall and break your heart
And if you wanna cry or fall apart
I'll be there to hold you

You tell me that you heard it's all in vain
But I can see your heart can love again
And I remember you laughing
So let's just laugh again

But don't burn out
Even if you scream and shout
It'll come back to you, back to you

Oh, I will carry you over fire and water for your love
And I will hold you closer
Hope your heart is strong enough
When the night is coming down on you
We will find a way through the dark

Through the Dark

There were sounds all around Ron, but none of them mattered. A raven called in the night sky, and a stray cat ran across his path, but none of that mattered because Hermione was cradled in his arms and although he could feel her heart beat next to his she was not there. Both Bill and Fleur, whose usual suavity had been replaced with anxiety, had assured him she'd be all right but that wasn't enough, not nearly. She was the one he could count on when it all was beyond him, because her thoughts and emotions were concrete and he could count on them. Ron could always count on Hermione, that was for sure, but it was more than that. Ron needed Hermione more than anyone else, and it was only recently he was understanding why.

"Come on, Hermione," he whispered urgently, hugging her tighter to his chest. "Wake up, please wake up."

"The two of you deserve each other," Bill had said, as if that would make it all okay.

She was breathing, and her heart was beating, but she was not awake. He felt like a fossil, like that one moment was frozen and in the moments following he was rapidly aging because he was so young and she was so young and they were just kids so why was this happening to them?

Hermione was so strong. She always had been and he had always known it, but the fact that the girl in his arms was alive and had just fought with every bit of life she had for them after enduring brutal torture from Bellatrix Lestrange was just another reminder of the fact that if their positions were switched, he would not be able to endure as she did.

Ron laid her gently on the bed Fleur had told him to go to, but he could not bear to be away from her, not now, so he sat and placed the pillow on his lap, so she curved into him, and then gently spoon fed her the potion Fleur had given him, something basic for pain. She gulped it down, but her semiconscious state could still not recall what was around her, and the people she was with.

Ron grasped her hands tightly. His palms were sweaty and so were hers, and he moved their entwined hands to lie above her heart, to reassure him that they were alive and together and not quite in one piece but they would be, soon, because they had each other.

Hermione whimpered the slightest bit, and her face contorted in fear. Ron felt tears rush to his eyes and fall down his face; he hated seeing her like this. He gently wiped the hair from her forehead and tried to kiss away the worry lines there, and she soothed for a second but then the world inside her head turned alive once more and she thrashed about. Ron cupped her cheek in his hand.

"Please, Hermione, stay with me."

Her thrashing ceased, but she did not wake up.

"I need you, more than you know. Well, I reckon you probably do know, brilliant as you are. But you can't leave me her. Not like this. Not when I don't know if you're going to be okay."

Her breathing was slow.

They had to get through this. Once this was over, there would be that load taken from their shoulders, and they could fight with his family and the Order and Harry and they would prevail, because they had each other and that's what mattered.

Ron pulled out his wand and gave it a wave. Snow fell gently on the foot of the bed. He reached out and took some snowflakes and then pressed it between her palms, nestled in his.

"Remember this, Hermione?" he said softly. "This is how much I care about you. I... I lo-"

And suddenly, Hermione stirred. Her eyes fluttered open and in an instant Ron had clutched her against him. She breathed deeply and Ron's tears streaked down to her hair.

"R- Ron..." she said softly into his chest, "you're making it snow again."

He let out a shaky laugh, and she returned it.

Immature love says: 'I love you because I need you.' Mature love says 'I need you because I love you.' - Erich Fromm

I really hope you liked it! I had such a wonderful time writing it :D It would mean a lot if you let me know your thoughts!