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Hermione stood beside Ron, eyeing the pitiful remains of Hogwarts castle. The piles of rubble, the spirals of smoke, the distant glitter of flames. The final battle was over, yet still ringing in her ears. And yet, along with the danger and sorrow, had come to Hermione a new experience...kissing Ron. If anyone had ever told her that she would be the one to make the bold first move, she would have replied scathingly. But it was deliciously true; she had indeed kissed him. She recalled his expression, one she would never forget. The way his eyes widened and his lips had parted just slightly at her approach. All Hermione knew in that moment, was that she might literally lose her life before she got the chance to show Ron her feelings for him.

"Where's Harry?" Ron asked her, his voice lower than she remembered.

"He's talking to Ginny. Think she'll forgive him?"

Ron grinned. "Are you kidding? Those two have been waiting for this for ages."

"They're not the only ones," said Hermione succinctly.

Ron blushed. "Yeah, well..." he trailed off. "I think we should go find Harry. Merlin knows what he's doing now."

Hermione frowned and tugged him back. "Ron, I'm still angry about what you did at Christmas. Leaving me. And Harry," she added quickly.

Ron looked down at Hermione with a remorseful expression. "I know, if it were me who'd been left, I'd be dead angry, too."

Hermione gazed across the lake. "But passing over that, I honestly feel as though I'd die if anything happened to you."

Ron furrowed his brow. "You sure spent a lot of time glaring at me in the past few months."

Hermione laughed and rubbed her forehead. "I'm not as uptight as people think I am, but I am quite logical. It's difficult, Ron," she said, meeting his questioning gaze, "for me to put aside my rather detached, analytical side and show my emotional one. I can be quite affectionate, you know."

Ron looked at her disbelievingly. "I know you're affectionate, Hermione! You're not that good at hiding your feelings, at least not from someone who's know you as long as I have."

Hermione nodded, relieved, and drew out her wand. "What're you doing?" demanded Ron.

"Ron, you're covered in cuts and bruises. Either I attempt to heal you, or you go to the hospital wing."

"Or what's left of it," Ron sniggered.

Hermione swallowed a laugh. "Shut it, Ronald."

Ron took a step nearer to Hermione and spoke. "No one else calls me that. I wish they did, though."

Hermione flushed, and placed her hand gently on Ron's well cut cheek. She realized she had never known him as well as she did now. All his evasiveness and anger had vanished, and he was simply Ron. And that was everything Hermione needed. Ron leaned his forehead against Hermione's, his flaming red hair tickling her face. Then Hermione pulled him to her.

It was earth-shattering to say the least. Hermione was stunned as an electric shock of recognition seared her body. As though some part of her had awoken to the fact that Ron was it. It wasn't a cheap, imagined feeling at all. No, this was a sort of magic Hermione had never attempted nor experienced. But like other magic, she exceptionally skilled at this kind, also. Ron was as tender a kisser with Hermione as he had been aggressive with Lavender. He held Hermione as though he would never let her go, and perhaps he wouldn't have, had Harry and Ginny not arrived. At their friends' presence, Ron pulled away from Hermione, his reluctance evident. Harry was grinning widely at Ron, and he winked at Hermione, who blushed and wished she hadn't.

"So this is what you get up to when Harry and I aren't here to keep things chaste," smirked Ginny.

It wasn't lost on Hermione that Ginny had used the phrase "Harry and I." Perhaps things had worked out for them. Hermione sincerely hoped so.

"Blimey," moaned Ron. "As though you two weren't doing the same!"

Harry smiled ambiguously. "Some things are best left unsaid."

Hermione beamed, and flung one arm around Harry, and the other (more tenderly) around Ron. "It's funny," she commented. "I keep looking around at the rubble and broken down bits of Hogwarts, and I suppose ,"she said lightly,"that when it broke down, I broke open."

It would be alright.


Awww, I love Hermione and Ron. Review?