AN: parts of this are taken directly or paraphrased from Deathly Hallows. they are the words of JK Rowling. I just added a few things. Standard disclaimer applies.

"He's g-g-gone! Disapparated!"

She threw herself into a chair, curled up, and started to cry.

Harry felt dazed. He stooped, picked up the Horcrux, and placed it around his own neck. He dragged blankets off Ron's bunk and threw them over Hermione. Then he climbed onto his own bed and stared up at the dark canvas roof, listening to the pounding of the rain.

Harry listened to the rain until he fell asleep. His dreams were a hodgepodge of things that went from the silly to the ridiculous but at some point he woke with a start. He wasn't sure what had woken him because he looked at Hermione still asleep in the chair. He wiped at his face and put on his glasses. Ron was gone and Hermione was destroyed. If there was ever a time to realize how much they loved each other it was now. He could see last night replaying in his mind; how upset Ron was, how he had reacted and poor Hermione always left to be the grown up. Ron accused her of choosing him, that lunkhead.

She'd chosen Ron so long ago, since fourth year but he was too blind to see it. Technically it was since third but he noticed it in fourth year when she went out of her way to make sure that he ask her to the ball and Ron failed, miserably.

It was obvious to anyone with a brain from then that he fancied her though. He would go on night after night about her going to the ball with Krum, wondering if he'd been the one to give her that first kiss. He'd asked Harry some other uncomfortable questions, questions that Harry eventually had to explain were things that he NEVER wanted to put in the same sentence never mind same thought with Hermione Granger.

She began to stir and he sat up. He watched as she looked around. "Ron."

"He's not here Hermione."

Harry watched as she looked into the horizon and sat motionless. He got up and went to find something for them to eat. He made a fire and fixed the food he found, concerned about her lack of conversation. He took the food into her, handing her the plate. She took it without conversation and ate. She placed it on the floor when she finished and adjusted herself in the chair, pulling Ron's blankets tight around her.

He supposed that if either of them were to do the right thing and talk to the other they wouldn't be in this mess. Ron wouldn't have stormed off believing she had chosen Harry and she wouldn't be so miserable believing that he didn't love her.

It was like this for days. She didn't speak a word. She barely looked at him and ate whatever he made for her. She would curl up silently on the chair and tighten his blankets about her and fall asleep in silence. Until the day they went to Godric's Hollow and he'd almost been killed. She'd agreed with his suggestion and then Voldemort's snake had damned near killed him.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"You have again saved me from a certain death. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing."

"I wish there was something."

She leaned her head back and looked up at the top of the tent.

"I love him you know. I am desperately in love with that stupid prat." I listened in silence as she continued. "That idiot git thinks that I have 'chosen' you when time and time again I have told him that you're like a brother to me. I chose him. I want him. I'm not the one who went chasing after anybody but of course it was him chasing after that damn Lavender. Well, in truth, she chased him really and he didn't run away because he thought he should get even for Viktor but I mean really, he was the one that didn't ask me and Viktor did, what was I supposed to do."

"Tell Viktor no and tell Ron to ask you."

"What?"

"First of all, no kidding and though he is a bit thick, he depends on you to tell him what to do."

"No kidding, what do you mean?"

"I've known you loved him since fourth year when you screamed at him and sent us both to bed."

"Sorry about that," she said hanging her head a bit, "he drives me mad. Why can't he just say what he's thinking or feeling?"

"Because he's a boy, an insecure teenage boy." Who, Harry thought to himself, is also in love with you. He shook his head.

"What's that about?"

"It's about nothing and everything," harry said not divulging Ron's secret.

"What if he's not okay," she said the tears resurfacing. Harry went over to her and hugged her tight.

"We would know. He's fine."

It had been weeks since her outburst and I was able to be true to my word as I watched a shaking Ron with his head in his arms after saving me. This was why he was my best friend, always on time.

"She's like my sister," Harry said with a hand on Ron's shoulder. "I love her like a sister and not just several weeks ago she told me the same. It's always been like that. I thought you knew. She said she's told you."

"I love her so much."

"As if I didn't know."

"Every time she looks at you, she has this look in her eyes."

"The same one you see in Ginny's when she looks at you, George and Fred. I'm her brother and though the 'older' part is disputable that's all it is."

"It's like your her hero, I want her to look at me like that."

"She does you just never see it."

"Do you think..."

"That she may kill you on sight, very possibly. She's been worried sick about you."

"I've been wanting to come back since I disapparated but I was part coward and part captured."

"It's not me you need to be worried about, she'll be livid."

"Harry, do you think she loves me?"

"I think you need to ask her that question."