Truly, Madly, Deeply

I can hardly believe it! She's here! In my arms, with me! I don't want to let go of her, not even for a moment… because then she might see someone better, more handsome, more intelligent… more worthy of her. And then she might leave me.

I tighten my arms around her holding her close so I can hear her heartbeat as we twirl around the ballroom . She looks up at me, her chocolate-brown eyes questioning. I smile down at her nervously and tuck a stray curl behind her ear. She gasps quietly and drops her gaze. I hook a finger under her chin and, marvelling at her soft skin, lift her face to look at me. I whisper to her, gently," Hermione… what is it?"

She lays her head on my shoulder, and sighs, saying nothing for a long moment. Then she looks up at me, mesmerising me with her lovely, intelligent eyes. Only then do I notice that her eyes are glistening, more than usual… then it strikes me… she's crying! Hermione, my Hermione is crying, I don't know why and its hurting me, breaking my heart. I slowly manoeuvre us to then edge of the ballroom, to a balcony. I grasp her hands, carefully, in my own. Her hand fits perfectly in mine, I cant help but think that she is perfect… not just for me, but for anyone.

I lower her onto a chair and kneel down in front of her. She looks beautiful, like a goddess in the moonlight. She's sobbing uncontrollably now, tears flowing freely, without showing any sign of abating. I wipe the tears off her cheeks, cautiously not wanting to hurt her. She gasps again and a fresh bout of tears begins. I am terrified now, I don't know what's bothering her, I need to know, I want to protect her, I want to stop stop her from hurting.

I brush my lips against her hands, saying, "Hermione, please don't cry! Tell me, what is it? Did I do something?" the last thought planting itself firmly in my mind. I am convinced it is my fault, that I don't deserve something as precious as the beauty sitting in front of me.

"Ron…" she murmurs, softly, choking back tears, "Ron I'm sorry! For…for-for crying. You must be so sick of this…of me… crying all the time…no fun…"

How can she think that I'm sick of her! I'm just lucky that she chose me, out of so many better men. All I care about right now is figuring out the reason for her sorrow and getting her to stop crying. "Hermione," I say, "please, tell me what it is… I could help."

"Ron, ever since I kissed you in the Room of Requirement during the war… we've-we've been together. At that time I used to like you so, so, so much! I used to dream about you and I and our red-headed children who would be Quidditch playing bookworms and- and we'd send them off to Hogwarts and…" she trails off blushing furiously, a slight smile shining through her tears. I am surprised! I never knew that she liked me so much! It is so much more than I deserve, to even think about being the father of her children.

"And then, 'Mione?" I prompt her, "and then what?"

"Ron, I just used to like you then, very, very, very much. I thought it was just another teenage crush… but now, after these months- these months as your girlfriend have been the absolute best in my life, I've realised something… I've realised that- that…iloveyoutrulymadlydeeply" she says all this in one breath and I can hardly believe my ears!

I ask her again, just to be sure. She replies slowly, after taking a deep breath, "Ron, I love you- truly, madly, deeply!"

"You do?" I ask, shocked, I had never thought she could love me. I had always thought that I was just one of the many guys she would date before finding her Mr Perfect. I was just glad that she had decide to spend this time with me, that she thought me worthy of her affection, even if it wasn't love. Well, that was what I had thought, but now this revelation makes my heart swell with joy, happiness and surprise.

Yet, it still doesn't explain her tears. Again, I am plagued by self-doubt. I wonder whether she is embarrassed that she fell in love with me, even though she knows that I am not worthy of her company, of her love.

My heart drops into my stomach and I find myself asking her, sadly, "Hermione, why is that so bad? Am I that terrible a person?"

She looks at me, wide-eyed and murmurs, "Ron, I love you, you are a wonderful, amazing, brilliant person… you're funny, sweet, sensitive, supportive and loyal and really, really handsome! I love loving you!"

My heart soars! I feel as though it cannot hold anymore joy, the kind of joy Hermione gives me. But her crying is still a mystery to me! So I ask her yet again, "Hermione, love, why are you crying, you still haven't told me!"

"Because… Ron… I'm afraid that you'll stop loving me soon... because I'm not pretty like the other girls, I don't even like quidditch, let alone play! All I do is study and read! I'm a boring, bushy haired bookworm! I don't deserve you!" she starts crying again, helplessly.

WHAT! Hermione Jean Granger, perfection personified thinks that she doesn't deserve me! I'm just Ron Weasley! Nothing special…

Her sobs become louder, more heart wrenching as I sit there, shocked, unable to move.

She starts to get up but I pull her towards me, enclosing her in a bear-hug. I whisper to her, "Hermione, you are a crazy woman… I fell for you the day I first saw you in the Hogwarts Express looking for Neville's toad. Right then I knew I wasn't worthy of even being your friend! But now, almost eight years later, I feel so lucky to be your boyfriend, to be able to call you mine! Hermione, I love you- truly, madly, deeply!" I feel her tightening her arms around me.

I kiss her head softly before pulling away from her embrace. I take a deep breath and kneel down at Hermione's feet. I look up at her and see her smile at me, I smile back at her and ask her, "Hermione Jean Granger, will you honour me and make me your husband?"

If possible, her smile becomes wider as she bends down and throws her arms around me. She whispers, tearfully, "Ron Weasley, I would like nothing better than having you as my husband!"

"Hermione, I love you-

"Truly, madly, deeply!"

Author's Note: So, what do you think? I'd love to know! (*hint*hint*) The inspiration for this one-shot came from einstinette's sign-off at the end of her chapters…special thanks! I hope you like it!