Hermione sat there, holding the hand of the man that she loved with all of her heart. In her mind, he had always been the one for her. Ever since that first day when they met on the Hogwarts Express, she had always had that feeling.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she thought of Ron: here they both were, just over 20 years old, and already life seemed like it was ending.

Ron was dying.

After the defeat of Lord Voldemort by none other than Harry Potter and Ron Weasley himself, everything had been falling apart. When Harry sent the killing curse at Voldemort, they both had died because of the evil bond that they shared. Somehow, though, there had been an after curse that affected everyone who was there that night, Ron being one of them. Neville was the other person there, and he had died not long after.

Ron knew what was happening to him. He knew that he loved Hermione Granger more than anything, and his heart belonged to her. He was also aware that he would not have much more time to spend with her, yet alone on this earth.

So this was how it was this day; Hermione holding Ron's hand in St. Mungo's, waiting for more news of Ron's condition. She looked down at Ron's face, complete with fiery red hair and freckles sprinkled across his nose and cheeks. He was pale now, but her mind flashed back to many a time when he would blush the famous Weasley blush, smile with those adorable little dimples, and show his melt-your-heart-out lopsided grin. Not to mention those crystal blue eyes that could make any girl's knees go weak.

Hermione squeezed Ron's limp hand for comfort, and she couldn't help but think how muscular his arms and hands had been in his Quidditch playing days.

She leaned down and kissed him gently on the lips, not wanting to wake him up from his deep sleep. She sat back and closed her eyes, thinking of the years past. She reminisced about the first time that she had felt Ron's lips against hers and how she felt at that time…

"Oy, Hermione, have you finished Snape's essay?" Ron asked me.

"Yes, Ronald, but seeing as how N.E.W.T.S. are fast approaching, I think it would be most helpful to your learning if you – "

"Can I borrow it or not, Hermione?"

"No, you may not! Even Harry did his own work this time around. Go and ask him for help if you want but I'm tired of you copying my work."

"Fine, just because you happen to be the know-it-all in our class doesn't mean you have to make everyone feel stupid!"

I grabbed the book closest to me and stormed out of the common room. Ronald Weasley sure did have some nerve! And what bothers me even more is that I'm completely head over heels for him, and it's just so frustrating that the both of us haven't admitted our feelings to each other! Harry's told me plenty of times that Ron fancy's me and I'm almost positive that he does.

I walked down to the lake and sat down against a tree. As I looked up at the clouds, I heard footsteps behind me. They were slow and steady, but I could tell that they were coming towards me. Knowing all too well who it was, I turned around and saw a mass of red hair around a very red face. Ron actually looked embarrassed for what he had said to me.

I turned my back to him and stared at the ground. I felt Ron sit down beside me and scoot closer. He smelled so good..

"Hermione, I'm sorry for what I said before."

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Ron – what you said really hurt my feelings. Just leave me alo-"

I was abruptly cut off by Ron's lips being pressed against mine. It took me a split second to register what was happening before I returned the kiss.

As the passionate kiss deepened, all of my anger towards him seemed to just disappear. He put his big, strong hands on the back of my neck as I started to run my fingers through his hair. Ron was a good kisser to say the least. I felt my knees give out beneath me even though I was already sitting down.

After a few minutes of snogging, we broke apart. I studied his face and saw his swollen lips from kissing, and there was also a slight blush starting to creep up his face. He pulled me into a hug, and we both seemed to fit perfectly in each other's arms.

"Do you think life is greater than death?"

I was caught off guard by his question. Since when was Ron so...philosophical?

"Well yes, I suppose."

"Is there anything greater than both?"

"I don't really know. I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?"

"I love you, Hermione Granger." He whispered into my ear. I felt chills going down my spine and a tingling in my stomach.

"Ronald Weasley, I am so in love with you," was the last thing I said before we started kissing again…

Hermione gasped as Ron's eyes started to open. At first he looked confused as to where he was, but that soon went away when he saw Hermione.

"Her..mione.. –"

"Shh, save your voice. Using it too much will only make you weaker."

"But I love you.."

"I love you more, Ron. I'll never love another."

"You were right..," he said, barely above a whisper.

"About what?"

"I don't know if...life is greater than death...but love…was more than either."

As soon as Ron said this, tears started to roll down my cheeks. The man that I loved, my man, had just said his last words.

I sat there in shock for a split second before realization dawned on me.

"Help! Somebody, help him!"

I frantically searched around for a mediwizard, but it was too late.

Ron was already gone from me forever.

I crawled next to him on the bed and held him in my arms and felt how perfectly we fit for the last time.