Disclaimer: I own everything about and relating to the Harry Potter books, and with this newfound power I shall rule the world. RULE IT I SAY! MUAHAHAHA!

Sirius: Hey! How'd you get back out! Back to the mental hospital with you young lady!

NiffStral: You'll never take me alive! HAHAHA!

Sirius: sighs NiffStral doesn't own anything about or relating to the Harry Potter books, that belongs to the wonderful JKR, and will never own the world.

NiffStral: Do I get to wear that comfy white vest thingy again if I'm good?

Italics-thoughts.

"RON!" Hermione yelled as she heard the deadly explosion. She ran into the thick, green smog, clenching her eyes shut and coughing as she tried helplessly to brush the smoke away.

Hermione felt like halting right there, as the smoke was so thick it was hard to move. But then she remembered why she was here in the first place. She sobbed inwardly at the thought.

He shouldn't have even been here in the first place. Hermione thought. It really is my entire fault, this time.

She shook her head fiercely, trying desperately to get these thoughts out of her head, even though she knew them to be true. Though it would be worthless trying to talk to anyone else about it, for they would just say it's not her fault. That's what they always said. Every time. Most of the time, she agreed with them. But this time, only she knew the truth.

Flashback:

Bound by her hands and feet, Hermione glared up at her captor. "You will… n-never get away with this. The captive panted. The man smirked. "Ah, for once you are wrong. I believe that I…" He glanced over his shoulder out the window. His smirk got bigger. "Already have." Hermione's eye's widened with shock, as she too strained her neck to look out the window. No…Ron…you can't be here! She thought.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I have to greet some pesky aurors. But first, a parting gift for my dear old friend from school." He raised his wand and pointed it at Hermione, slowly opening his mouth. Hermione just glared up at him from her uncomfortable position on the cement in her cell. "Crucio." Draco Malfoy said softly, and walked away. Hermione clenched her eyes shut as she felt the unbearable pain of a thousand red-hot knifes ramming against her skin. But she still held strong. She had to be strong-for Ron.

End Flashback

Finally, after seemingly endless hours, the smoke cleared. Hermione squinted her eyes open, then seeing that it was okay to look, she blinked them fully open.

Her gaze immediately searched for her secret love of many years, and gasped when she looked upon him.

Hermione's heart shattered into a million pieces just then, as she stood in shock a few feet away from Ron. She felt a tear fall onto her cheek, but she paid it no mind, as all she could think about was the devastating sight lying motionless before her, surrounded by dark crimson blood.

Oh, Ron. I never meant for this to happen. Please, have it in your heart to forgive me. Please. Hermione thought as she walked up to Ron with trembling feet.

It had only been a few seconds, but it seemed like hours. Without knowing so, Hermione sank to her knees as she gazed upon the face of the one she loved.

An icy hand seemed to grip her heart as Hermione knelt closer to her love's body. No, She thought. This wasn't supposed to happen. None of this was.

Hermione gently caressed his forehead with her creamy soft hand. She looked up, and saw Malfoy's dead body in the distance. "Well Ron," Hermione whispered to herself. "At least your goal was accomplished." Hermione moved her hand from his forehead to his cheek. She sighed and closed her eyes in defeat, more tears cascading down her face. "I guess I was never meant to exist in your life after all."

Hermione made to remove her hand from Ron's face, but then felt a slight pressure on her wrist. She gasped and opened her eyes in shock. No… This can't be… It's too good to be true…

Sure enough, staring-well, more like squinting- up at her was Ron. Hermione hoisted him up against her, as he looked uncomfortable. "R-R-Ron, a-are you o-ok-okay?" She managed to stutter out. Ron gave her a weak, but loving smile and closed his eyes. Hermione was glad to see that he was in less pain as before.

"Her-Hermy." Ron spoke, in nothing more than a whisper. Hermione didn't even notice his use of her least favorite nickname. "Is-is it over?" Hermione smiled, more tears falling in rivers down her face. She gently pushed a couple strands of his beautiful red hairs from covering his eyes. "Yes, Ron. It's over. Malfoy's gone." Ron coughed almost violently, but not quite that bad. Hermione leaned him into a more upright position, as Ron was turning a bit green. "S-Sorry 'bout that. I've been having a real bad cough lately."

Hermione unconsciously hugged him closer to her body. "Don't worry Ron. We'll take you to St. Mungo's, and you'll be better in no time. You don't have to worry about things like that." Hermione sounded as encouraging as possible as she said this, but Ron sighed and lowered his head in defeat. After a few seconds, he slowly turned his head back up to gaze at her.

"Not this time, Hermione." Ron said to her with a hidden confidence. "It's my time. I'm sorry." Hermione's eyes widened. Quick as lightning, she shut them again and shook her head ferociously. "Ronald Bilius Weasley, I forbid you from doing this!" She used her old full-name defense trick on him. Heh. She thought to herself. I doubt I'd be thinking of that as 'old 'recently. Ron merely pushed himself backwards slightly with the remaining strength he had left in him and forced him up until he was eye-to-eye with Hermione.

"No Hermione. Not this time. You've saved me so many times throughout my life. You're perfect in every way. I don't deserve you." Ron said, looking straight at her, then lowering his head slowly after he finished.

Hermione's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She put one of her hands under his chin and pushed his head back up, so they were eye-to-eye once more.

"Ron, what are you saying? What do you mean, "I don't deserve you"? Of course you deserve me! I'm the one that doesn't deserve you." Hermione almost shouted, whispering the last part to herself.

"Hermione…" Ron seemed to sigh out. "What are you saying? You've saved my life on countless occasions, and you're always so strong. Just look what happened to me when Dad was killed. I was sobbing like an idiot for weeks, and cutting off contact from everyone else." Hermione's eyes widened. Ron hadn't talked about his dad's death for three months. Ron continued. "And when you're parents died, you cried a little but still tried to stay on the cheerful side for our sakes." Ron looked nervously at Hermione as he said this. They had tried not to mention any more deaths. But Hermione paid it no mind, as all she had running through her head was Ron.

"No Ron. It was always just you and Harry who were the strong ones. I was just trying not to be the damsel in distress. Otherwise I would've become an auror like you, Harry, and Ginny." Ron smiled grimly and looked down after Hermione said this. "Ah, this brings me back. Trying to be the voice of reason again. You were always so good at it too." Ron opened his eyes once more, and locked his gaze with Hermione's. "But before I go, there is something I wish to say."

Hermione's breath got caught in her chest, as she dared to hope for the impossible. Could he…? No, can't be. I'm not worth it. She thought. Though Ron was leaning in, and his breathing was becoming more uneven. As Hermione looked into his bright blue eyes, she felt as if she were seeing into the farthest depths of his soul. She could sense every emotion running through his mind and heart at that precise moment. She knew, now for certain, what he was going to say.

"Hermione," he let pass through his glimmering red lips. "I love you." And with that said he kissed her.

Hermione felt like gasping as his lips were set upon hers, but she dared not move. It would've been too painful for her to bear. As he cautiously deepened the kiss when Hermione didn't pull away, she could feel the fire within his soul. All he was feeling, all of his emotions were released to her grasp. She knew that he would now give in to anything she asked of him, but this was enough already. Slowly but surely, she succumbed to the power of her first true kiss.

All to soon for both Hermione and Ron, they pulled apart from each other. Hermione gasped, as they slowly broke apart. Her eyes seemed to be begging for more, but Ron suddenly seemed very pale and reluctant. Hermione held on to him furiously as she could tell that he was fading fast.

"No! Ron! You can't go, not yet, I've only just found out that you love me too. You have no idea how much I've wanted this my entire life since I met you, but something was always holding me back." Hermione sobbed, still clinging to him as though he would disappear if she loosened her grip.

Ron looked even guiltier than before, as he had felt the same way. He slowly closed his eyes, and coughed up a little blood. This, of course, only made Hermione weep harder. "Hermione," he began, "I-I'm sorry, but as much as I want to be with you, I can't." He struggled to open his eyes, and pulled Hermione closer to his face.

"Kissing you made me feel more joy surging through my body than ever before. I don't think I've ever been so happy. And when I felt you kiss me back, I almost forgot all about my pain. But…Now that I've done that, I feel I can go more easily now." Ron let his eyes close once again. Hermione shook her head fiercely, unable to accept this as the end. But, deep in her heart, Hermione knew that this would be his real end.

"H-Her-Hermione," Ron managed to stutter out, "please promise me just one thing…before…I'm gone." Hermione, slowly accepting what was happened to her love, opened her eyes and locked them with his now opened ones. "Anything for you." She whispered out. Ron gazed into her eyes and saw complete trusting and sadness and a little fear behind her tears. He took a deep breath and began his final request. "Please, don't forget me. I know that as soon as I'm gone you'll probably go off and meet some wonderful man who will sweep you off your feet and you'll fall in love, and that I've caused you so much pain throughout your life, so you'll forget me as soon as I'm gone, but please. Try not to forget about me."

Hermione's eyes widened as she heard Ron say this. He doesn't really believe that I'm that shallow, does he? But looking deep into his eyes, she knew that he was telling the truth. Hermione sighed and gave her love a warm smile. "Ron…" Ron looked down in sadness. So she really doesn't… He thought, but as always, Hermione seemed to catch his thoughts and silenced him with another kiss, though a shorter one. Slowly, she drew back. "I promise… I'll never forget you. Even after death…I'll always remember."

Ron smiled, the closed his eyes for the final time. "I'm glad…because. Even after death…I'll always be waiting for you." Always… was Ronald Weasley's final thought before taking his one last breath.

Two years later

Hermione Granger stood in silence in front of her one and only love's grave. She closed her eyes tight as she recalled his final words to her. Not caring about the cold weather and wind blowing her brown hair into her face, she knelt down and laid her flowers on top of where his body lay. Ron… She thought. Has it really been two years since you left me forever?

There had been many times when Hermione had seriously considered committing suicide after Ron had died, but always held back. True to her word, she had never forgotten him. In fact, she had thought about everything about him almost 24/7. "I'll never forget you…" She whispered, recalling her words two years ago to Ron. "I promise."

Never forget…

By NiffStral