Title: If You Leave

Pairing: R/Hr, one-shot

Summary: An 'untold' moment which takes place during Ron's departure in the seventh book.


It was raining harder than she had expected. Her feet stumbled on the wet ground as she dashed forward. "Ron!" she cried. She felt the tears coming already. Her eyes were burning a bit and her voice seemed to catch in her throat. She called out his name again. The sound seemed to be muffled by the rain. He didn't answer her. He didn't even turn around. All he did was slow down slightly; his feet dragged a bit, as if he was suddenly weighed down by an unseen force.

Hermione took advantage of the opportunity to catch up to him. Her left arm struck out and caught his shoulder forcefully. He turned around at its weight. She half expected him to look surprised. Instead, his eyes were filled with something resembling fear. She could have sworn she saw a hint of tears in his blue eyes. "Ron," she said, no longer yelling, simply saying his name as a simple truth. "Please," she said, nearing a whispering now. Tears were unkindly filling her eyes and there was no stopping the steady flow down her cheeks. "Stay."

Ron couldn't seem to maintain eye contact. She refused to let go of his shoulder. As long as she held on, as long as she felt his warmth under her hand, there was no way he could leave her. She was glad Harry had remained in the tent. Glad that he wasn't here to witness this pathetic display of tenderness. Ron stared at the ground for a long while. His lips trembled for a moment. It was if he was trying to say something, but his lungs were failing him. "Ron," she repeated, her left hand remaining firm and still upon his shoulder. She brought her right hand onto his other shoulder. The motions seemed to happen quite naturally. She drew him nearer, moving her hand to his face, forcing him to look at her.

Once again, she was sure he was about to speak. But instead he shook his head slowly – almost unnoticeably – as a single tear tumbled down his cheek, nearly indistinguishable from the steady downpour that had drenched them both. His arms were around her waist, holding her gently as they had done at the wedding. And as he held his head low and close to hers, it was almost as if they were swaying slowly to a natural melody of rain and wind.

He pulled away abruptly. She tried to hold him to the spot, but he was forceful as he backed away. He looked up at her one last time, the regret and passion in his eyes doing nothing to steady her fury and heartbreak. Turning around, he began to tread off slowly into the strong haze the downpour had induced. Hermione was frozen where she stood, tears and rain streaming cruelly and chilling her to the bone. The only word that escaped her lips was a feeble "Ron", but amongst the darkness and the hammering of her own heart, she doubted he could hear it as he disappeared.