Forgive & Forget

Chapter 1: Forgive

Authors Note: Hi, this is something that has been in my mind for a while and I think I now know exactly what to write. This is set when Harry, Ron and Hermione are at Shell Cottage. I don't normally write fan fiction that is set before the final battle so please bear with me. PS I don't know if I will continue with this. Anyway here is chapter 1!

Hermione sat on the cool, golden sand on the beach surrounding Shell Cottage. It was just beginning to get dark and just a few minutes before the picturesque sky was painted orange and pink, it was the perfect sunset. The waves were crashing against the shore and there was a calming, cold breeze. She tucked her knees into her chest and looked out at the sea that was there before her. She reminisced on a couple of days before, the horror, fear and tears that had filled the day. Some of it was a blur but there were certain points of that day that would be vivid in her mind for as long as she lived.

Hermione thought of when she arrived here with Ron and closed her eyes:

Flashback:

Hermione felt the sensation of apparition. Her heart was still pounding and she could feel herself shaking as if she had been abandoned in the Arctic. She closed of eyes in the hope that when she opened them. They would all be somewhere safer.

Hermione and Ron hit the ground with a thud. She knew that she was still in Ron's arms. Hermione opened her eyes. They were safe, they had survived. The sky was a relaxing light blue and the sound of seagulls echoed in her ears. Then water fell onto her face, it wasn't raining. Slowly and carefully she turned her head and Ron was looking down at her. His tears were running down his face and he was slightly rocking her back and forth. He clearly hadn't noticed that she was looking up at him. She felt her heart melt partially; she would have to tell Ron sooner or later how she really felt.

"Ron." Hermione whispered

"Hermione? Oh thank god you are alright. We safe, everything is going to be fine. I was so worried about you." He said wiping his tears from his face.

"Ron? Ron! What has happened?" Bill said running over towards them

"I'll explain later, she's hurt, I need to help her." Hermione heard Ron say distantly.

Before she knew it she found Ron was carrying her across the sand and towards Shell Cottage.

"Ron, I am able to walk, honestly." Hermione said

"Hermione, a few minutes ago you could barely stand up. Please?" He asked

"OK then." She answered

Ron took her into the house and laid her down on the sofa. He pulled up a chair and held her hand.

"Thanks Ron." She said

"You are welcome, I, I mean we, are just glad you are ok." Ron replied gently pulling her hair out of her face.

She knew from then on that she had to tell Ron the truth.

Flashback Ends

Hermione opened her eyes, that memory along with many others was circling her head.

Then she heard footsteps and turned to see Ron walking towards her. Her heart started pounding and she felt all of a sudden really nervous. This never normally happened when she was with Ron. Once he reached her he sat down next to her and she could see he was holding a folded blanket.

"Hi." Ron said in a nervous voice

"Hi." Hermione replied in a similar tone

"I thought I might find you here." He murmured

"I felt it might take my mind off things." She answered

"Here," He said opening the blanket. "It is getting cold." He wrapped the soft blanket around the two of them. She felt a sudden warmth and comfort at that moment.

"You, ok." He asked

"I've been better. I'll live though. Thanks for yesterday by the way." Hermione replied

"It is ok, besides I was just trying to help." Ron smiled

She looked up again at the sky. It was nearly midnight blue and the iridescent stars glowed in the moonlight as the crescent shaped moon emerged from behind a fluffy cloud. This was by far the most awkward and nerve raking conversation she had ever had with Ron. Even stranger than when he awoke after being poisoned and she had to explain to him how he broke up with Lavender. Even stranger than when they woke up at 12 Grimmauld Place and found that they had been holding hands whilst they were both asleep.

She thought of all the good times they had shared together like when they first met and she told him he had dirt on his nose. Hermione felt a smile slowly spread across her face. She remembered when she had woken up from being petrified and met Ron and Harry in the great hall. She hugged Harry but although she wanted to she couldn't bring herself to hug him and so they shook hands.

Then Hermione was brought back to reality and she realised there had been a long silence since Ron had last spoken. She decided that it had been brought upon her to break the peculiar silence that had been lingering in the air for around five minutes.

"I forgive you, by the way Ron." Hermione said smiling and turned her head to face him

"Forgive me for what?" Ron questioned inquisitively

"I forgive you for leaving us and breaking my heart and taking half of it with you on the way." Hermione sighed

"I am sorry that I left you both. I couldn't stay in that tent any longer; you know how it feels when you are wearing that locket. You feel like you are worthless and like the ground is going to swallow you whole. You feel like your world is falling apart right in front of you and I just felt so alone." Ron's voice was shaking.

Hermione didn't know how to reply to that, she could remember Harry and Ron fighting just before he left. She hadn't realised how bad he had felt at that point. Ron had no idea how she felt towards him, he hadn't a clue about how she cried for weeks and she slept in his bed a couple of times.

The future was unclear at this moment in time. They didn't know what would happen to each other. They didn't even know if they would be alive this time next year. Hermione's thoughts were doing laps of her brain now, she thought about Malfoy Manor and the horcrux hunt and how she had to really tell him how she truly felt before it was too late. If anything happened to Ron and she hadn't said her feelings, she would never forgive herself.

"I came after you, I begged you to stay, and you practically stepped on my heart and crushed it into tiny pieces. I am still mad at you and could punch you in the face just like I did to Malfoy in third year. I could be so angry at you right now that I could fight you until you had bruises, it would take a great deal of time, but I couldn't, I can't and I won't because I care to much about you Ron and you and Harry mean to much in my life and will always be a part of me." Hermione breathed tears running down her face.

She tried to wipe her tears away but Ron got there first. He gently wiped the tears from her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb. Hermione was still trying to choke back the tears that were stinging her eyes.

"I cried over you, I cried for most of the time you were gone. Do you know that I slept in your bed a couple of times because I really missed you and even after a week or so it still smelt of you? It sounds silly but I did it because I really like you Ron." Hermione said slowly

There was another long and uncomfortable silence and Hermione couldn't believe what she had just told Ron. He turned to look at her. His blue eyes were dark and loving. He looked at her speechlessly as if she had turned his world around with just once sentence. Two tears then ran uncontrollably down his cheeks.

"I, I know you did that." He said still trying to find his voice.

"How?" Hermione questioned

"Harry told me, when you would speak to me and just sat outside and couldn't look at me in the eye. He told me then. He told me how you slept in my bed and how cried. And that warmed my heart when he told me that. It made me feel that way because I really like you too Hermione." He voice broke slightly as he said that.

Hermione could see fireworks in her head now because the truth was out. They both truly liked each other. She reckoned judging by the look on Ron's face that he felt the same way too.

"I've wanted to tell you that for quite a while." Hermione giggled

"Me too." Ron replied

Hermione leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. It was on the cheek but she felt sometime in the near future it would be something more.

"Let's go inside, I think we'll turn into ice cubes if we sit out here any longer." Hermione smiled

Ron chuckled. "You have a good sense of humour Hermione."

He stood up and held out his hands to Hermione. Once she stood up they started to walk across the icy sand and towards the house. She felt Ron's hand touch hers and then it hers in his. They then walked back to Shell Cottage hand in hand. Knowing that the future had just got a little bit brighter.

A/N: Well that was chapter 1! I know that I could have written more but I felt this was a perfect scene for Ron and Hermione. This was the first time that I have written anything that is pre final battle but I gave it my best shot. Thanks for reading this and I am thinking of writing another chapter. Please Review!