The final battle was approaching and for Ron this wasn't the only mission on his mind. He cast a furtive glance over at Hermione's sleeping form inside the battered tent in which he, Hermione and Harry were staying in until the next morning. Ron sat watching her breathing in a slow, steady sequence. The other mission on his mind was telling Hermione that he loved her. Not much time was left until they were all left in fate's hands, and only destiny could keep them together.

When I see your smile
Tears run down my face I can't replace

Soft tears misted over his eyes as he thought of their past and hoped for the future...if there would be one. He contemplated how better things were when they were just first years, oblivious to the world, and each other's feelings. Now with age, the world grew more complicated, dangerous and their hidden love was all they had going for them.

And now that I'm strong I have figured out
How this world turns cold and breaks through my soul
And I know I'll find deep inside me I can be the one

All Ron wanted was the best for Hermione and he would do anything to keep her alive and well. That's why he decided to write the letter confessing his love for her in case his words could not leave him. The last thing he wanted was for one of them to die without the knowlege of love. He chuckled slightly at this; all Hermione wanted in life was knowlege, but she never got the truth that was right in front of both of them.

I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven

The next morning the three of them rose and stared with an insipid expression glazed over their faces. None of them wanted to express what they were truely feeling at that moment. Hermione gave a long stare at Ron; The emotions that were running through Ron's head last night also crept into her's. Her dreams were of the final battle and of the two of them making it through, living and loving.

"Well we should get going..." Hermione said rising from her small cot on the ground and walking out of the tent.

Harry swept a glance at Ron whose eyes were trying to bore through the fabric of the tent to try and follow Hermione.

"So mate, have you told her yet?" Harry said, pulling on his shirt. Ron shook his head sullenly with a hint of gilt appearing on his tired face.

"Well you'd better get moving at it, who knows how much time we have."

Ron's mind locked around the word "time". Time and love were the two elements to his life at this point, and both were unpredictable. Would time be on their side? Would love get them through? The answers to both of these questions were unknown and were one of the only things that Ron wanted to know.

"We'd better get heading out." Ron said finishing getting dressed and pulling his wand from his pocket and leaving the tent.

It's ok. It's ok. It's ok.
Seasons are changing
And waves are crashing
And stars are falling all for us
Days grow longer and nights grow shorter
I can show you I'll be the one

It was now months after the final battle began, and only luck had kept Harry, Ron and Hermione alive. Ron had still to confess his love for Hermione but time was never on his side; it was always the wrong moment. Hermione had definatly changed over the course of these several months. Her face bore signs of weakness, her cracked hands of all the evil she had destroyed and her eyes: the only sign of hope in her presence.

Suddenly in the midst of another attack a Death Eater aimed his wand merciesly at Hermione. Hermione froze in her tracks her eyes staring pointedly at the wand tip. Without thinking, Ron jumped in front of her and the spell was fired into him. Hermione gave a earth shattering scream as Ron fell to the ground at her feet.

No..he wasn't dead, but he was dying slowly, very slowly that it was as painful to watch as it was for Ron to endure.

Hermione knelt down at Ron's limp body. Her eyes dripping tears as her dirt caked fingernails brushed against his cheek.

"Ron" was all she could muster for sadness overtook her body and she was sobbing. "You saved me"

"Hermione I love you, I'm sorry I never told you that..please..you have to leave, the Death Eater is coming..quick" Ron said with all the energy he could muster. He took her hand and slipped a crinkled peice of parchment into it. "Take this and read it. I will always be with you..now please..GO!"

Cuz you're my, you're my, my true love, my whole heart
Please don't throw that away
Cuz I'm here for you
Please don't walk away,
Please tell me you'll stay, stay

"Promise me that you'll always have a place for me in your heart" Ron said. The Death Eater was so close now.

"I promise" Hermione said, as a tear drop landed on his cheek. She leaned down and gave him a soft passionate kiss on his shaking lips; it didn't last long, but long enough to tell Ron how much he meant to her.

"Now Go!!" he yelled. Hermione nodded and ran and fast and hard as she could.

The Death Eater stood above Ron and stared luminously into his face. "You're coming with me." everything went black for Ron as he felt his pain disperse.

What seemed like years later, Ron awoke in a cold, damp cell. The air reeked of decay and mold. The same Death Eater that had fired the curse at him was standing in the corner. The hood over his head sheiled his face from view and the light whisper of "Crucio!" rebounded against the walls.

Ron was screaming from the inside. The pain was immense, but the thought of Hermione being safe crossed his mind and the pain subsided.

Use me as you will
Pull my strings just for a thrill
And I know I'll be ok
Though my skies are turning gray

No matter what happened to him, Ron would be okay because the thought of Hermione made his world much more brighter. Soon his body could no longer handle the pain, he felt himself slip out of conciousness once and for all. He saw himself looking down at Hermione, her small figure weeping and holding onto Harry for dear life, the note he had given her still clutched in her pale hand. Harry too, was sobbing in loss of his best friend. Ron only smiled at him when he noticed his scar no longer on his friend's forehead; Voldemort was gone for good. Ron continued to smile sadly and said into nothingness, "I'll always be with you you guys..time and love will always be on your side in the future...it looks like you got yourselves a gaurdian angel to look after you."

I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven