Yes, he did indeed love her. Probably more than she would ever know. But now, as she stood before him, shaking with anger and asking if it was true, he did not know if the words could form.

"Well, Ronald?" She asked impatiently. Ron knew that she was angry, but he could see in her eyes how much she wanted him to say yes.

She closed her eyes as Ron stayed silent, and more quietly and with a heartbreaking finality, asked one last time, "Do you love me, Ronald Weasley?" Her voice did not quaver to his surprise as he could see tears beginning to well in Hermione's eyes.

Ron stayed silent though he screamed in his mind, "Yes! So much! Hermione I love you! I just can't say it! I'm sorry! Please don't do this!"

"Ron, Viktor's asked me to marry him." Was what she had told him very seriously just minutes before. She informed him that she hadn't given Viktor an answer yet because she needed to know if it was a mistake. She needed to know if Ron would step up and stop this. She needed to know if there was a chance she could be truly happy with the one she loved. But to know all of this, she would need to know if Ron truly loved her.

Hermione liked Viktor, of course. He was sweet and handsome. And sometimes when he smiled, his eyes would glint as they looked at her, making her forget everything. Everything, though, except for a certain red-head. So she needed to know.

Ron had at first protested. ("You're only sixteen! It's not even legal!") She explained how her parents had given her consent. And after that last excuse for her not to get married, all that was left to stop her would be for him to tell her... and he just couldn't.

So here they were. Face to face, out in the snow. Both holding their own ground. Hermione's tears had begun to spill over, but even that hadn't broken the intense silence. Ron stared at the ground, containing the urge to scream.

Minutes passed, and after letting out a small, choking sob, Hermione reached in her pocket and Ron watched her slowly slide a modest, yet beautiful diamond ring on her finger. She folded her hands over her chest then, as if she were trying to hide the new bit of jewelry. They looked at each other dead on then. Ron's face was firm, but showed a tint of softness in his eyes.

"So that's it then?" Hermione asked, her voice again angry, but shaking due to the lump in her throat strangling her.

Ron stayed as still and quiet as he had been. Hermione let another strange sound escape that could have either been a sigh or a sob, but either way, they both knew she was disappointed. Hermione turned and began running back to the school. Ron couldn't help himself and began to yell her name as she distanced herself. He could just barely see her put her hands, which she must have gloved as she had been running, over her ears, forcing herself to keep going.

She eventually disappeared around a corner and Ron's yells became quiet whispers still saying her name.

It was then he knew just how badly he wanted her to change her mind. He wanted her back. He wished he hadn't been an idiot and had just confessed his love. He wished for many things, but just walked back, staring at the footprints Hermione's eager feet had left. The snow had already began to fill them back in.

He made it all the way back to the common room without seeing her. Even in the common room, where Seamus Finnigan told him that she had muttered something about a headache and went to bed.

Ron spotted Harry, and knew that if he talked anymore, he would surely explode. Harry was talking to Fred and George anyway, so Ron saw it as a chance to avoid any conversation and almost unknowingly, followed in Hermione's idea, and went to bed. But he knew he would not sleep. He didn't know if he'd ever sleep again...