Challenge 1: Redemption

By: twirlergirl583 (Emily)

"No, you two go ahead," Hermione Granger told Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. "I'm tired and I have some research I have to do." This was not a total lie. She was tired, but she didn't' have any research to do. She just didn't feel like celebrating.

"Are you sure, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, go on and have a good time," Hermione replied.

"Oh, Harry, I forgot my cloak. You head on out and I'll catch up to you," Ginny said to Harry.

Harry left, and Ginny retrieved her cloak from her dorm. "Everything will be alright, Hermione, just give it some time," Ginny said, hugging Hermione before turning to leave.

"Thanks, Ginny." Hermione sighed as she watched Ginny depart through the portrait hole.

In the Great Hall, Ron Weasley was eating dinner silently. He was sitting by Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, and Dean Thomas. He wasn't in much of a talking mood; in fact he wasn't really even hungry, which was strange for him. He knew exactly why. Tonight was the night. He had to do it now, before it was too late. He had to tell her that he loved her. 'Oh Hermione, I do hope this comes out right. I really do love you.' Ron thought to himself.

"I'm heading back up to the common room. I'll see you in a little while," Ron said to his friends.

"Um, actually, Dean and I are going out with Padma and Parvati Patil," Seamus said.

"And I'm going out with Luna Lovegood. You remember her right?" Neville added.

"Yeah, I remember her. Have a good time," Ron said. His three friends got up and left the Great Hall. He stayed at the table for a while longer, watching all the happy couples slowly drift out. He even saw Draco and Pansy leave together. 'Great, even that git can get a New Year's date.' Ron thought miserably. He wandered out of the Great Hall and around the school for a while before deciding to head to bed.

Ron walked into the common room and only one other person was still there. It was Hermione. She had a quill in one hand and a piece of parchment in her other. She was staring blankly into the fire. She looked like she had been crying. Ron and Hermione were both too preoccupied to have noticed each other. Ron walked up the stairs and into his room. He put on his pajamas and tried to sleep.

2 HOURS LATER

Ron lay in his bed, awake, thinking. He was thinking about her again. 'Oh, Hermione, how I wish I were a little braver, I wish that you would love me the way that I love you. But why would you? Harry is so much better at everything. He's a better quidditch player, a better student, and more popular.' Ron sighed and got up to go downstairs to the common room.

Meanwhile:

Hermione was thinking about her parents. Thinking about how she hardly saw them and wishing that she could have made things right between them. She wished that she had spent her holiday with them.

Her dad had taken it extremely badly when she, his only child, had told him about You-Know-Who's return. He told her she couldn't return to school. She snapped at him and ran away to Ron's house, the Burrow. She found them packing to go to 12 Grimmauld place and went with them. She had only visited her parents for about a week at the end of the last school year.

Ron entered the common room and sat in a chair by the fire. He stared into the fire for a short while completely unaware of his surroundings. Suddenly he heard a cough, which made him jump. He looked around and spotted Hermione also staring into the fire. She looked upset.

"Hermione? Are you okay?" Ron asked. 'Well obviously she's not okay or she wouldn't look upset' he thought to himself.

"Huh? What? Oh, uh…yeah I…I'm fine," Hermione lied.

"No, you're not; you can talk to me Hermione. Now tell me what's wrong?" Ron said kindly. He sounded so concerned. His eyes locked upon hers for a moment. In them he could read her confusion and regret. In his she could read his concern and another emotion she couldn't recognize.

Hermione could tell that he was sincere. He was even more handsome than usual. 'Maybe it's the concern in his eyes.' Ron walked over and sat next to Hermione. She began to say something but stopped, unsure how to begin.

"It's alright Hermione; you can talk when you're ready," Ron said gently.

"It's just…I feel so guilty. Not visiting my parents and all. They were really upset to hear that I wasn't coming home for the holiday. I only saw them for a week last summer and now it's our last year here. I told them about Voldemort's returning and they said I couldn't come back here. But I had to...I had to come back. I love it here...I love everything about Hogwarts. So I ran away to your house. What if something happens to my parents before we set things right? What if…" Hermione broke off unable to continue. It felt so good, so right telling Ron all this. "I'm just afraid, because everyone could just leave me. Harry has to fight Voldemort, and only one of them can live! It's so scary sometimes."

Ron wasn't sure what to say so he just hugged Hermione and patted her on the back. "Hermione, I…I'll always be here for you. You know that right?" Ron whispered in her ear.

"Yes. Thank you Ron," Hermione replied. 'Should I just tell him? There's no time like the present, right?'

Ron thought, 'I'll tell her now.'

"Hermione..." Ron said as Hermione said, "Ron…"

"You go first," Ron said.

"No, you go first, Ron," Hermione said.

"Okay… Hermione, I've been wanting tell you…" Ron began trailing off.

"Yes?" Hermione urged.

"Well, um … Iloveyou," Ron mumbled quietly.

"I didn't quite catch that," Hermione said.

"I said… I … I love you," Ron said. 'Here it comes. She's going to laugh. Oh why did I tell her? That was such a stupid thing to do. … Wait… she's not laughing…does that mean that she likes me too?'

"Ron, I…I love you, too," I always have, ever since you saved me from that troll. Hermione told Ron.

"Hermione, I think you're amazing, and you're the most wonderful person I've ever met. I really love you with all my heart, soul, body, and mind. My life would be incomplete without you; I don't know what I would do without you. I wish I had told you this sooner. You're amazing," Ron spoke the words from his heart.

Hermione threw herself into Ron's arms. 'It was a good thing I stayed here for the holidays,' Hermione thought to herself. Ron was thinking, 'Yes! She likes me…not Victor Krum!' They pulled apart and gazed into each other's eyes for a short while. They leaned towards each other and kissed. It was magical and sparks seemed to fly.

Hermione conjured up some music. She and Ron danced for a while. "Ron, I really would have gone to the Yule Ball with you, but I didn't think you would ask me so I said yes to Victor Krum. I'm sorry."

They kissed for a while. They sat, hips touching, talking and kissing for a long time. Eventually they fell asleep together. Hermione was leaning against Ron and Ron had his arm around Hermione and his head resting on the arm of the couch.