Title: One Great Leap Of Love

Summary: "He said the last thing he wanted to do if ever he's killed is 'I love you' to a person he loved" said Hermione. A battle is raging in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Will Ron and Hermione survive, long enough to say how much they mean to each other?

Warnings: Very, very, slightly AU. Set near the end of the Deathly Hallows. Minor changes include: Fred, Lupin, and Tonks are still alive; the killed human Death Eaters aren't dead (yet); and after Harry kills Voldemort, things are quite different. . .

Note: I posted this fic a few weeks ago, this is edited. A Repost

The Final Battle had just ended. Harry had gone off with the senior Order of the Phoenix members to the Burrow to discuss future plans, along with the future, and what it could possibly hold. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the others decided to stay. They volunteered to fix up the huge mess the battle has caused to the magnificent structure of the castle. From broken windows to the Death Eaters sprawled unconscious on the floor, the seventh and sixth graders who had stayed through the battle decided to fix up the mess. A few minutes after the members of the Order of the Phoenix departed for the Burrow, a bright jet of red light soared in the air, narrowly missing Seamus Finnigan's head.

The Death Eaters sprang up, eyes wild with madness and revenge. Whipping out their wands, they began hexing, jinxing, and cursing every one they met. Jets of lights brightened up the Great Hall. Another battle had begun.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Confrigo!"

"Stupefy!"

Hogwartians and a few members of the Order of the Phoenix bellowed in their duels, sending jets of light across. They were quite outnumbered.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Death Eaters were shootings spells all around. Some were engaged in a one-on-one combat with one of the Order, others were running through, shooting spells everywhere.

"Bloody hell. . ." Ron's had a slash on his cheek and now his head was reeling from the jinxes shot at them. "Protego!" he roared suddenly, as a Death Eater shot a Cruciatus Curse. His blue eyes met Hermione, battling it out with another Death Eater, her bushy mane flying all around. "Stupefy! Hermione!" He sprinted to her side, and with a force of their combined spells, sent the Death Eater reeling and stunned.

"Ron!" Hermione cried.

"Let's. Get. Out. Of. Here." Ron said between gasps. Hand in hand, they sprinted out the Great Hall.



They found refuge in front of an empty Charms classroom. Ron sat on the cold stone floor. Hermione did likewise and used her wand to heal her bruises.

"Ron, are you alright? You looked pretty banged up." She asked concernedly

"Hermione, I think we gotta tell Harry about this. He's not gonna like it. Can you send a Patronus or something?" Ron grimly cut in.

Hermione sighed. She knew how to send a Patronus, although she hadn't tried it yet. There was just one complication she was worried about: the Burrow's interior was protected by an extremely powerful spell that no magic can penetrate. Only if Harry had walked outside the door would he see a Patronus. The only way to get a message was through Floo powder. In the midst of the battle, it was impossible to find a fireplace and Floo to the Burrow.

"Oh, well. I guess we have to plunge back in the battle." Ron said shakily, after Hermione explained the grim facts.

"Wait." Hermione grabbed his cheek. For one crazy second, Ron was hoping and dreaming that Hermione was going to lean in for a kiss. Secretly, Hermione wanted to do so. Instead, she quietly healed the gashes on his cheek. So much for the kiss, both Ron and Hermione thought.

They went back in the battle.

Ron was engaged in a duel with a masked Death Eater with unnaturally cold blue eyes. So much like mine, came the thought in his mind for a split second before sending a Stunning spell strong enough to pierce through his Shield Charm.

Hermione's luck was diminishing. Her opponent was soon gaining the upper hand. He tried disarmed her, although by some thin thread of luck, she was able to clutch her wand tightly. She was now dodging the curses, some of which were fatal, while sending some of her own. Then

"Petrificus!"

Hermione froze. Although the man hadn't used the 'totalus' suffix to totally bind her frozen, Hermione's exhaustion seemed to hold her tightly in the curse.

"Mudblood Granger aren't you?" Hermione's insides boiled at the utterance of the word. "Well, well, well. You know, I could have sent a Killing Curse directly, instead of what I'm doing now. But then, I want to see you suffer on your death bed, if you're even gonna have the chance to get there. I want to know that you will suffer. To watch your hours dwindling away." His words came out like a death sentence issued out from the cold mouth of the Death Eater.

Ron saw Hermione's opponent pointing a wand to her chest. Time seemed to be on a standstill as he ran and leapt, right at the curse's path, pushing Hermione out of the way.

"Sectumsempra!" the Death Eater roared. . . just as Ron yelled "I LOVE YOU HERMIONE!!"

As Hermione saw Ron being thrown in the air with the force of the spell, her eyes were seeing and remembering different things. . .

They were in Number 12 Grimmauld Place. It was they're momentary sanctuary from the violence they faced. Harry was snoring soundly on his sleeping bag. Hermione, under Ron's insistence was lying down on the couch, with Ron next to her on his sleeping bag. "Ron," she spoke suddenly. "What would you like to be the last things you would say in case you are suddenly killed?" she didn't know the reason behind her words. Although, deep inside, she asked that to assuage her heart. "Erm. . . Well," Ron paused. "I guess I would scream 'I Love You' to the person I fancied for ages. Yeah, I guess I loved her. She never knew though. I'll say, or scream, or whatever, 'I love you' to that woman." Hermione's heart plummeted.

Hermione was yanked back into the scene in the Great Hall. Then, with the force of a stampeding troll, she realized, she was that woman.

She watched Ron fall into the ground, the front of his robes ripped and soaked in blood.

"RON!!" was all she could scream.