A/N: Based off the song "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane. I'd recommend listening to the song as you read the fic. I feel like it adds to the mood. Enjoy
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Hermione walked around the grounds of Hogwarts alone the evening after the war had ended. Not really contemplating where she went, she simply let her feet lead her across the land. Occasionally, she'd pass a person or a group of people who would smile and thank her. She'd give a small smile back and thank them, as well. After all, everyone here had contributed their part. Every person here had helped end the war.
Soon, Hermione found herself by the beautiful lake that lay on Hogwarts' grounds. She sat under a tree right by the river and managed to comfortably prop her back up against it. It felt so good to just sit. To sit and not worry about anything. Well, maybe that wasn't true. She still had plenty to worry about. She worried about her parents and how she was going to find them. She worried about all those who had lost loved ones in the war. She worried about Harry and how he was going to deal with everything that he would be facing in the next few weeks. Lastly, she worried about Ron. She worried about how he and his family were going to heal after Fred's death. She knew how close Ron was with his brother, and it grieved her to think about how Ron was taking it.
Hermione hadn't actually seen Ron for hours. The trio had talked for a little while immediately after the battle ended, but then split up. Harry had gone to take a much needed nap and Ron had gone by his family. He invited her to go with him, but she didn't feel like that would be right. Now, however, after hours apart, Hermione felt the need to be by Ron again. To talk to him. To hold him close and to know that he was still living and breathing.
Oh simple thing, where have you gone? I'm getting old and I need something to rely on. So tell me when you're gonna let me in. I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
After sitting for a little while longer, Hermione got up in search of Ron. It was getting dark quickly. The temperature outside was dropping, and the wind began to blow. Hermione wrapped her arms around her body in an attempt to stay warm as she searched for Ron along the grounds. Intuition told her that he was alone now. She knew Ron well enough to know that after hours of being with his grieving family, he would need time away from them. Hermione knew that Ron needed time on his own to sort out his thoughts. She just prayed that when she got there, he'd let her in. She prayed that he wouldn't give her the cold shoulder and would allow her to hold him.
I came across a fallen tree. I felt the branches of it looking at me. Is this the place we used to love? Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?
As Hermione walked, she passed the ruins of a tree. She felt a chill go over her body as she wandered past it. She couldn't explain why, but Hermione felt as if the tree was a symbol of all the fallen people who had lost their lives fighting. Shrugging off the eerie feeling, Hermione continued on, keeping her eyes peeled for Ron.
"It's hard to believe this is Hogwarts," Hermione whispered to herself as she passed even more destruction. Trees had fallen everywhere. The only one visibly unhurt was the Whomping Willow. Hermione chuckled as she passed the sturdy tree. It looked as if it was up-in-arms, still defending itself from the Death Eaters.
Hermione then passed Hagrid's Hut, or rather the remains of his hut. Hagrid's pitiful house looked even more pitiful right now. It had fallen to pieces, yet another sign of destruction.
Continuing her search, Hermione thought about how much she had dreamed about this place over the past nine months. All those nights in the tent, Hermione would have given anything to be back in her safe bed at Hogwarts. Back in the common room with Ron and Harry, simply sitting and talking. Back in classrooms being taught by all the wonderful professors. Now with all of the destruction, Hogwarts didn't even look like a real school. It was now a battle ground.
Oh simple thing, where have you gone? I'm getting old and I need something to rely on, so tell me when you're gonna let me in. I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
"Ron, where are you?" Hermione said into the distance.
She continued on, her bones beginning to ache. After all, she hadn't really had the chance to rest in practically two days.
"I have to find him soon," she thought, growing anxious that she wouldn't find him. If she couldn't find him, that would mean he was still in the castle with his family. She knew that he wasn't though. She could feel it.
"Where are you?" Hermione asked again, not whispering but not shouting either.
"Hermione?" a voice said.
Hermione turned around and saw Ron a few yards away. Through the darkness, she saw him coming towards her, and she smiled.
"Who are you looking for?" he asked as he approached her.
"You," Hermione said shyly. "I wanted to check up on you, and I had a hunch that you would be out here."
"Well, you were right," he chuckled.
And if you have a minute, why don't we go, talk about it somewhere only we know? This could be the end of everything, so why don't we go somewhere only we know? Somewhere only we know
"So do you want to go sit somewhere and talk?" Hermione asked.
"I'd love that," Ron told her.
Hermione and Ron strolled together in the dark along the grounds of Hogwarts, their hands entwined. Hermione led the way, searching for a quiet and comfortable place to sit and talk. After a few minutes, she found the perfect spot where she knew no one would be: the Quidditch pitch.
"I'm surprised you chose this spot," Ron chuckled as they sat down in green grass of the pitch.
"I just figured it'd the quietest place. There are so many people wandering around the grounds right now."
"I noticed," Ron observed.
Oh simple thing, where have you gone? I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
There was silence between them for a moment. They both knew that they wanted to talk about things, but neither knew how to start the talk. Ron ran his hands though the bright green grass of the field as Hermione rubbed her arms, trying to stay warm despite the heavy breeze blowing around them.
Ron noticed this and took off his jumper, still having a long sleeved shirt on under it. He handed it to Hermione, who accepted it with a simple 'thank you.'
Hermione put on Ron's jumper, and, instantly, was warmed. The jumper not only warmed her physically, but warmed her insides, as well. It was a strange feeling, and Hermione knew if she voiced it aloud, she's come across as mad, but she couldn't help it. The jumper felt like home.
"You know," Hermione said, breaking the silence between them. "I had a hunch it was going to end here."
"How?" Ron asked.
"Intuition, I guess," Hermione told him.
"Strange," Ron said quietly. "I—I just can't believe that it got this big. I mean, I always knew that when it came down to it, it would be Harry and Voldemort, but I guess I never really imagined that it would get this big, you know?"
Hermione stared at Ron, noticing that his eyes were watering as he spoke. She knew he was thinking of Fred. She patted his back a few times, and he smiled in gratitude.
So tell me when you're gonna let me in. I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
They sat in silence for a little while longer, each waiting for the other to speak. Hermione sensed that Ron wasn't going to bring it up, so she knew she'd have to.
"I think we should talk about us," Hermione said softly.
"Yeah," Ron replied, "Yeah, I guess we should."
And if you have a minute, why don't we go. Talk about it somewhere only we know?
"But Ron, I want to really talk about it, okay?"
"Of course, Hermione," Ron said, not quite sure what she meant.
Hermione could tell that Ron didn't understand what she meant by 'really' talking about it, so she explained. "Ron, there's so much between us. You know that. I just don't want to just scratch the surface. There's so much more to us than just that."
"You're so bloody right," Ron chuckled. "Of course though, you're always right."
Thank goodness for the darkness because Hermione blushed a deep shade of scarlet. Now that Ron had given his consent to the conversation, Hermione brain whirled with thoughts on where to start.
"So do you want to start, or should I?" he asked.
"Well, I'm having a hard time figuring out where to start, so why don't you," Hermione answered honestly.
"Okay," Ron said, taking a deep, shaky breath. Sure, the ice between them was cracked, but it wasn't completely broken. Ron was still bloody nervous about it all.
This could be the end of everything, so why don't we go? So why don't we go?
"But before I begin, Hermione, I want you to know that from this point on, I'm not looking back. We're moving forward. I've spent way too much time being in idle mode with you. I don't know if that scares you because it down right terrifies me. This means that this is the end of everything safe, everything comfortable. But Hermione, we have to move forward."
"I know," Hermione told him, squeezing his hand. "We're going to figure this out together. You and me."
"You and me," Ron repeated.
"So do you want to start?" Hermione asked, anxiously awaiting what he was going to say.
"Oh right. Well, first I want you to know that I'm bloody sorry for walking out on you."
"Ron—." Hermione started.
"Hermione, you said yourself that we're not going to scratch the surface. And if we're not going to scratch the surface, then you need to let me tell you everything."
"Okay," Hermione replied, admiring his bravery.
"Like I said, I'm sorry for walking out on you. I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you through the years. And Hermione, trust me. I know how much I've hurt you through the years. I don't know if you know this, but your eyes give away everything you feel."
"Really?" Hermione asked, feeling herself blush.
"Really. When I said or did something that hurt you, I could always tell by looking in your eyes. And then, of course, last year. I guess last year it was harder to look into your eyes and see the pain because you and I were hardly ever in the same room together outside of class, but I knew you were hurting. I saw the way Harry disapproved of the whole Lavender thing."
"Did he ever tell you?" Hermione asked curiously.
"No, but trust me, you can tell when your best mate doesn't approve of something like that. You just can."
Hermione laughed softly at this and searched for Ron's hand in the dark. When she found it, she gently laid her own hand on top of his and caressed it.
As Hermione laid her hand on his, Ron felt goose bumps spread all across his arms. The physical contact between them gave him confidence that he was taking this conversation in the right direction.
"So like I said, I'm sorry for all the hurt I've caused you. You didn't deserve any of it."
"Thank you Ron," Hermione said softly. "You have no idea how good it feels to hear you say that. And I'm sorry too, by the way. I know I've hurt you too."
"Really only twice," Ron interjected.
"Really? When?" Hermione asked.
"Well, first there was the Yule Ball. I mean, I know you didn't do it purposely, but seeing you with Krum drove me wild," he told her.
"I kind of figured that out," Hermione grinned.
"Then…well then, there was this conversation I had with Ginny."
"Ginny?" Hermione asked. "What does Ginny have to do with anything?"
"Well, she and I were arguing, and she let it slip that you…kissed Krum."
"She did?" Hermione breathed.
"Yeah," Ron answered. "And again, I know you didn't do it intentionally, but Hermione, it hurt. It just reminded me that you could do so much better than me. You had a bloody world-famous Quidditch player at your feet."
"But I never fancied him, you know…" Hermione told him.
"You didn't?" Ron asked.
"You want the truth?" Hermione asked.
"Of course," Ron replied.
"Honestly, I tried to fancy him. I tried to feel something for Viktor, but I couldn't. I guess I was just never able to get rid of my feelings for you. They were just too strong."
"Wow," Ron said, not really knowing what else to say.
"Yeah…" Hermione replied, again blushing in the dark.
"I guess this is the point where we talk about that kiss, huh?"
Hermione chuckled. "I guess it is."
"Well, that kiss. You want there to be more of them right?"
"I do," Hermione answered shyly.
"Good," Ron said, "Because Hermione, I love you. And I want to be able to kiss you for the rest of my life."
"You do?"
"Of course," Ron responded.
"Merlin…" Hermione said, feeling utterly speechless.
"What?" Ron asked her, feeling a bit nervous.
"I just….I didn't think that this was ever going to happen. It was all I dreamed about for years—hearing you say that. And then we had to go off to help Harry with destroying the Horcruxes and fighting in this war, and I thought…well, I thought that we might not make it, you know? I thought we'd die before we'd ever confess how we felt to one another."
The tears that were welling in Hermione's eyes as she explained everything to Ron finally spilled as she finished her explanation. Ron heard a soft whimper in the dark and moved closer so that he could put his arm around her. Once his arm was around her, he squeezed her tightly, and Hermione was able to draw the strength she needed to continue from that squeeze.
"Ron, I love you too. I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of my life."
Not being able to contain himself anymore, Ron leaned in, searching for Hermione's lips in the dark. He quickly founded them and planted a soft kiss on them. It was short at first, but the sensation from the kiss had left both of them wanting more. Ron leaned in again, holding Hermione's face in his hands as he kissed her a second time. This time the kiss was longer and more romantic. Ron moved his hands into Hermione's hair, and Hermione's hands held Ron's back. Their lips were touching for a moment before Hermione opened her mouth slightly. Ron traced his tongue across her lips before slipping it in Hermione's mouth.
Hermione, already weak from exhaustion and lack of sleep, became even weaker as Ron kissed her. It was a good thing was she sitting because her knees would not have been able to support her. As Ron pulled away from the kiss, Hermione smiled.
"So I get that for the rest of my life, right?"
Ron laughed at how funny she could be at such an intimate moment. "For the rest of your life."
"Good. Now Ron, can we go back to the castle? I'm exhausted."
"Of course," Ron replied kindly.
Ron stood up first before helping Hermione to her feet. They walked silently back to the castle hand-in-hand, taking in the peace that surrounded them.
Oh, this could be the end of everything, so why don't we go somewhere only we know? Somewhere only we know
Finally, the pair arrived at the Gryffindor tower. They entered though the portrait hole, Ron letting Hermione go in first before himself. The two entered the common room and noticed it was empty, with the exception of Harry and Ginny.
Harry and Ginny were sharing a small red couch by the fireplace. Ginny's head was on Harry's shoulder, and it appeared as if she was asleep. Harry, however, was wide awake, staring deeply into the fire until he noticed his two best friends come through the portrait hole.
"Hey," Harry greeted.
"Hey," Ron and Hermione answered together.
"I was wondering if you two were together and when you'd turn up."
"We were talking," Hermione explained.
"Ahh," Harry responded. "I figured as much. Where?"
Somewhere only we know
Ron and Hermione both just smiled at Harry. Harry gave them a befuddled look, but neither gave him an answer. Ron and Hermione, still hand-in-hand, walked up to the dormitories together, ready for a good night's sleep.
A/N: Please Review! Anything constructive would be lovely! Thanks!