Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD

(Ron)

What does it mean to have all the time in the world? When people say that, what do they really mean? I mean there's no possible way that anyone could ever have all the time in the world. It's just impossible. But when you're fighting so hard for your life and for the ones you love, you never know how much time you'll have left. You could die tomorrow or in an hour or just in the next second by making the wrong move. If you lose your concentration at the wrong time, then just like that, your life is over. All the wonderful memories and people in your life are gone and you won't see them ever again.

It's scary to think about, but it's even scarier when it's happening to you.

And that's why I kissed Hermione, so just in case something happened to her, I wouldn't have any regrets. So in case something happened to me, she would know that I loved her.

This is why I like to think, that once this is all over, I'll have all the time in the world.

"Hermione?" Ron wandered the halls of what remained left of Hogwarts after the battle. He had searched for her everywhere it seemed, but hadn't found her yet. The war had just ended and he wanted some time along with her to see how she was. And also because he just wanted to be with her.

Voldemort was gone and it just seemed unreal. For as long as he could remember Voldemort was the cause of his rushed and fearful childhood, now for his brother's death, and for his own sadness.

But it was true; it wasn't a dream. Voldemort was gone for good.

"Hermione!" he called again as he made his way outside. From what he saw, no one was out there. Everyone was inside, either mourning or rejoicing. But he had already checked everywhere, and knowing Hermione, she just might be outside.

And he was right.

"I'm over here." She answered him in her quiet and sweet voice.

He follows the voice and it was coming from the water's edge. And there she was, just sitting by the water, with her knees propped up, throwing rocks into the lake.

For awhile now, he hadn't been able to really look at her. There had been no time. He noticed that her face was pale and covered with bloody scratches and bruises. her brown busy hair was all knotted and pulled back, but there were strands hanging out in all different directions. She was way too skinny and he could tell by the way her cloths fit her. She was a mess. Bu when she looked up to him and gave him the smallest of smile, there was a twinkle in her eyes. He had found his Hermione. She was beautiful.

"Hey." He smiled back at her, while kneeling down to sit beside her on the rocks, and he never took his eyes off hers.

"It's over." She breathed out slowly. She said this like it was too unreal to be true. The sound of her voice was almost frightful.

"It's over." He nodded with his eyes still on hers.

They sat there for a couple minutes in a comfortable silence, just taking everything in, all that happened that day. Starting with their kiss and ending with the death of Voldemort and many others. it was just too weird that it was all finally over. For seven years, it had dominated their lives. They never wee at Hogwarts when there was peace. And now, there was. They could just sit back, not having to do anything because it was, it was truly over.

And then the silence was broken when Hermione had suddenly burst in to tears.

Ron was startled and noticed that she was shaking, while tears cascaded down her fragile face. Suddenly he was overcome with the most horrible feeling inside. he couldn't stand seeing her cry and all he wanted to do was comfort her so she would stop and show that beautiful smile of hers. All he wanted to do was tell her how much he loved her and hope that she would say it back. And all he wanted to do was cry with her.

He put his arms around her trembling body and pulled her close to him, while she buried her face into his shoulder, crying long but soft sobs. Then he rubbed her back slowly, just trying to be there for her.

"Just let it all out." Ron whispered into her ear. But he also had to let it all out, and seeing her cry formed tears in his eyes and he started to cry with her.

They sat there for what seemed like forever, just crying in each other's arms, tears of sadness, tears of happiness, and tears of relief.

They cried for Fred, Lupin, Tonks, and everyone else who was killed that day. They cried for Harry, that he was alive. They cried because they were alive, and finally in each other's arms.

Ron loved the feeling of her body against his. It just fit so perfectly. He knew that from now on he always wanted to feel hers against his. In all the years to come, he wanted to be there for her and he wanted her to be there for him.

When they finally let go of each other and looked into each other's eyes, they were smiling.

"We're alive Ron." he said this while touching his face, as if making sure he was real.

He smiled, "Of course we are. And we're together." he blushed, still unsure about that statement and how she felt about the kiss.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She said reassuringly.

And he smiled at her in relief while tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Then he supped her cheek in his hand and caressed it.

He wanted to tell him so many things. Like that he was sorry for leaving her, and sorry for snogging Lavender Brown, and sorry not inviting her to the Yule Ball. He wanted to tell her that when he called her his girlfriend, he meant it. And most importantly, he wanted to tell her he loved her.

So he did.

So looking her straight in the eyes, and keeping his hand on her cheek, he said he words that he'd never been able to say before. "Hermione...I...I love you."

And the smile on her face, and tears in her eyes, were enough for him to have the courage to go on.

'' I've loved you since I was eleven years old. I might not have realized it then, but I've known for a long time." He paused, suddenly getting tears in his eyes. "I don't know why I didn't tell you before. I really wanted to tell you earlier today, when I wasn't sure we were going to make it. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you or me and I never had the guts to tell you. But I'm telling you now.

Hermione then decided to wrap her arms around him once more. "Oh I love you too Ron!" She exclaimed.

Ron was the happiest man on the planet in that moment. The girl he had known for seven years, his best friend, loved him back. She was the one he fought with, who he dreamed about, who annoyed him, and we he loved all at the same time.

And there they were, finally admitting it.

"And I don't care that you didn't tell me earlier because all that matters is that you're telling me now." She continued to smile and cry in pure happiness.

But then in the same moment she got serious. "Why did it take us so long Ron?" She asked, looking him deeply in the eye. "Why did if have to come down to life and death for us to finally be together?" She asked this with a tone of sadness in her voice.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because you were always too good for me and I was an idiot."

She laughed. "Maybe."

"I'm sorry." He said, not quite sure what he was apologizing for. There were so many things he wanted to apologize for.

"For what?" She questioned.

"For everything." He looked deeply into her eyes, searching for forgiveness. And it was easy to find. It was right there in her eyes and shown by the smile on her lips. She understood him like no one else did, so not many words needed to be spoken. "But most importantly for being such an idiot. I mean we had all the time in the world to be together and I always ruined it." He was now supping her face with both his hands. "Then we had absolutely no time, and that's when I had to kiss you."

She smiled. "Same here." She was looking up at him with so much love. "But we have time now."

And that's when he brought her lips to his. This kiss was so much different than their first one, which was rushed and passionate. This one was slow and full of love. Her lips were soft and moved together with his perfectly. Sparks flew everywhere in his body and he could no longer feel anything but her lips. The kissed continued to be slow because there was no need to rush, they had nowhere to be, they weren't risking their lives, and they had already gotten what they had fought for.

When they released, Ron pressed kisses all along her face and then stopped by her ear and whispered, "We have all the time in the world."

I now know what it means to have all the time in the world. When people say it, it gives them hope and it reminds them that even when horrible things happen, they can get through them. You might think it's not possible for someone to have all that time, but when you're gone through what I have, you know that it is.

When you're fought until you can fight no more, for your life and for the ones you love, and then you succeed, you realize that for once in your life you have time. Time to do whatever you want. Time to eat, time to sleep, time to play a game, or time to be with the ones that you love.

It's wonderful to think about, but even more wonderful when it's happening to you.

And that's why I kissed Hermione. So in the end, if we fought for what we wanted, we could be together. So in the end, she would know that we would finally have time.

This is why I know, and always knew, I would have all the time in the world to be with her.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! Please, Please, Please Review it would mean so much!