(Post battle of Hogwarts, (Ron and Hermione never kissed at Hogwarts))
At the Burrow…
'OH THAT'S RICH!' yelled Hermione.
Everyone currently occupying the Burrow was out for the day, leaving Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione alone. And like always, Ron and Hermione were at it again.
'YEAH?' Ron shot back.
The four of them were all standing on the top landing, although Ginny and Harry were a considerably distance from the other two. Ginny shot Harry a waning look, which Harry replied to with a shrug.
'You know what Ron?' Hermione had suddenly gone quiet, but her face was hard. Ron started to say something but Hermione continued,
'What are we even doing here? All we do is fight, we're not really friends! The only thing that is connecting us is Harry and Ginny! I am tired of always fighting with you and ending up back in this ludicrous cycle we seem to be in. I am tired of trying to please you all the time and still coming up short. I don't want to- I can't do this anymore. I am going to pack my things, I'm leaving, goodbye Ron."
And with that Hermione disappeared into Ginny's room slamming the door. After a shocked second of silence, Ron feebly shot back,
'Good! I agree!' He started off, but turned back and shot sarcastically back at her, 'See you later then!' And stomped off into his own room.
For a second Harry and Ginny stood dumbfounded. Hermione had never talked like that before; Hermione was being one hundred percent serious. This was the end of their friendship.
'I'll go talk to Hermione,' Ginny said. 'I'll maybe take her on a walk to cool off, try and make her see sense.'
'Yeah,' Harry replied, ' I'll go talk to Ron I suppose."
At that Ginny followed Hermione into her own room and Harry into Ron's. In Ron's room Ron was pacing around in a circle fists clenched. Harry could have sworn that he saw steam coming from Ron's already bright red ears.
'Don't you dare try and convince me I am being ridiculous Harry!' said Ron. 'Why don't you ever take my side?' Ron shot back as an afterthough.
'I do take your side!' Harry exclaimed defensively. ' That's not what I want to talk you about! I wanted to tell you that I think this time it was different, with Hermione I mean, she has never said anything like that before, and I think… well I think she was serious.'
Ron stopped pacing to glare at Harry,
'REALLY?' Bellowed Ron with sarcastic astonishment and started pacing again.
'Really,' said Harry seriously, disregarding Ron's comment. 'It might just be me mate, but I don't really think either of you want to stop being friends. I mean come on; you two have been friends for seven years! You have fought, sure! But you have laughed together, cried together, you have helped each other through both of your darkest times; you two are really more than friends if you ask me!'
Harry glanced out the window and saw Hermione and Ginny walking across the lawn apparently on their walk. Harry continued,
'Don't you remember all those times on our journey to find the horcruxes how you both held hands and slept together; well you know what I mean, in the same bed. But, are you really willing to give that all up over one small fight?'
This apparently was the exact wrong thing to say. Ron stopped and turned to Harry now shaking with rage. Ron then spoke with a maniacal grin on his face,
'You know what Harry? I think your right!' Harry started to take a few steps back, this had not gone as planned.
' What with all our history! How could we not stay friends! You know, I think I'll just go and talk to her now, tell her how I really feel! Ron shouted.
He then advanced on Harry and shoved him out of the way of the door. Ron ran downstairs towards Ginny's room, Harry close at his heels. Ron wrenched the door open and peered inside, his eyes like daggers.
'WHERE ARE THEY!' Ron bellowed at Harry.
'They went out on a walk I think,' Harry replied weekly. Ron started down the stairs again, now towards the back door.
Harry started, 'But Ron maybe you don't want to go and talk to her now, maybe you ought to wait until you have calmed down a bit-' Ron's suddenly swung around to face Harry causing Harry to crash into him. Ron looked down into Harry face with that maniacal grin again and said,
'Oh but I am calm Harry!' And with that Ron went through the back door leaving Harry behind.
Only about three steps out of the Burrow, Ron spotted Ginny on her way back to the Burrow. He intercepted her and shouted at her,
'WHERE'S HERMIONE!'
'No need to shout Ron,' Replied Ginny calmly, 'I left her at the creek, she said she just needed to be on her own for a minu- Ron!'
Ron had pushed passed her and started for the creek, Ginny scrambled after him.
'Ron, what are you going to do? Hermione is really hurt, you don't want to upset anymore do you?' said Ginny struggling to keep up with Ron's great strides. Ron turned to her and said,
'UPSET HER? Who do you two think you are? Always sticking your noses in mine and Hermione's business? Just bugger off!' And with that Ron stomped off leaving a speechless Ginny in his wake.
As Ron approached the creek he spotted Hermione sitting there with her legs grasped against her chest and her hair almost aglow from the light of the sun. Ron's face only hardened even more, his eyes narrow, brows furrowed and jaw clenched.
Hermione suddenly turned her head to spot Ron striding towards her. She jumped up from her position and started to run towards him. About three feet from him she saw his face and started to plead, her eyes now focused on anything but Ron,
'Oh Ron! I am so sorry! I didn't mean anything I said back there, I was just upset!' She looked up into Ron's face hopefully.
Ron was still full of rage when Hermione looked up at him, tears now welling up in her big brown eyes that Ron had thought about many times before. Ron could now see flecks of gold reflected in her eyes from the sun. Hermione looked down again and started to ramble again in hopes of Ron's forgiveness.
But Ron felt the muscles in his face relax and his fists unclench. His heart started to beat more rapidly, aware that there was only a foot separating him and Hermione,
'- I just really don't want to loose you as a friend an-'
Ron gently cupped her head in his hands, interrupting her rambling and closing the gap between them.
Ron leaned in and kissed her softly. Hermione placed her hands on his chest soaking in the moment, her moment. Once they broke apart, Hermione looked down at her hands, which were still in Ron's chest and whispered weakly, with a small smile on her face,
'Wha- what did you do that for?'
Ron, without letting go of Hermione's head placed his forehead on hers and looked down at their feet. He said,
'Because I have been bloody in love with you since our bloody second year.'
Ron paused, laughed nervously then continued,
'Now you may not want to loose me as a friend, but don't want to loose you because… because I don't think I could physically function without you in my life.'
There was a long pause. Finally Ron met Hermione's eyes, her expression unreadable. Ron lifted his forehead off Hermione's and broke his gaze.
'No don't!' exclaimed Hermione, and jumped up to wrap her arms around Ron's neck and kiss him.
Ron at first taken aback just stood there, absorbing Hermione's kiss, trying to engrave in his mind the sensation that overcame him with the feeling of Hermione's lips on his. He then wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her harder. He lifted her off the ground so she was now at his height and could run her hands through his hair.
He finally put her down, letter her slide off him after what felt like an eternity, and reluctantly pulled apart. It was a long moment before either of them opened their eyes, both apparently breathless. They looked deeply into each other's eyes broad gins now spreading across each of their faces.
'I love you too.' Said Hermione.
Ron pulled her in for one last kiss, this one even better then the last. Again they reluctantly pulled apart, this time though, Ron held onto her waist and Hermione kept her arms around his neck.
'We should get back, Harry and Ginny will be worried if I murdered you or something.' Said Ron through his broad grin, they both laughed.
And so they did. With the sun setting behind them, the sky lit up with a soft hue of pink, Ron and Hermione slowly walked back to the Burrow, hand in hand.
