Chapter Two
Hermione glanced around at the crowd, but instead of spotting Harry she spotted Ron and raced over to him.
"Ron," she said, arriving in front of him. "Have you seen, Harry and Ginny?"
"Sorry, Hermione." He said, taking a slight step closer "I've been looking for you actually."
Hermione looked surprised.
"Really?"
"Yeah, I needed to talk to you," he said, looking down as his ears went scarlet. Hermione loved it when he became embarrassed; he looked like a five year old that is trying to talk to a female school teacher. "But, can we go somewhere private."
"Sure, how about we go up to the castle?"
Ron nodded and followed her up the castle stairs and into the hall, but Hermione didn't stop there. She went up the large flight of stairs into the upper floors of Hogwarts. They kept climbing and climbing and after being at Hogwarts for nearly seven years, Ron was still confused about where they were.
"Hermione, where are we going?" he said, stopping and leaning against the wall. "I can just talk to you here?"
"No, we're almost there" she said, turning back and taking him by the hand and leading him along. Ron reluctantly followed, hoping that they would get there, wherever there may be, soon or he would burst. Then they turned the corner to a dead end.
"Oh, Hermione, it's a dead end." He panted. She shook her head, then turned and did something that Ron couldn't see from his position behind her, but he knew she did something because the wall in front of them opened to a room. Ron stepped inside and looked around.
Inside, there was a blazing fire with five comfy looking chairs surrounding it. In the middle was a coffee table with cakes, biscuits and butter beer. He turned and looked at Hermione in awe.
"How did you know this was here?" he asked.
"I found it in 3rd year, when I got lost on my way to Divination. The house elves look after it and keep it prepared for visitors." She replied.
"But who would find this?" he asked, still not believing her.
"You know Hogwarts," she said, walking forward and sitting in one of the comfy looking chairs. "You can stumble across anything when you're looking for it."
Ron hated it when she talked like that, so he didn't ask anymore, instead he went and sat in one of the chairs marvelling at the food.
"You can have some, they self refill." She said and then as if to demonstrate, took one of the chocolate biscuits and bit into it. Rom looked back at the plate and saw that the same biscuit she had just taken was still there.
"So," Hermione said, pulling his attention back to her. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about, Ron?"
Ron squirmed in his seat; he loved it when she said his name.
"Well, I," he started, not sure of how to phrase what he was about to say. "I…we have known each other for a big…large…long period of time and I…umm…just wanted to say that you have been a great friend to me." He blurted out the last few words.
Hermione looked at him in puzzlement, but looked a bit disappointed.
"What's wrong?" he asked, putting his hand over hers in a friendly gesture. It was her turn to be awkward.
"Well, I was hoping you…umm…would say something more. I mean, say I meant something more to you." She said.
"What do you mean?" he said looking puzzled, but felt excited on the inside.
Then she blurted it out.
"I love you, Ron. I've always loved you and my love has only gotten stronger as the years went on."
Ron looked shocked, but then he smiled.
"Then, why didn't you go to the Yule Ball with me?" he asked.
"I wanted to make you jealous and I was angry at you. I wanted to show you that I could get by without you. It didn't work, though." She said, looked down and started to cry.
Then Ron did something that they both weren't expecting. He reached over and pulled her lips to his in a passionate kiss. When they pulled apart, Hermione looked at him with longing.
"What was that you really wanted to say to me?" Hermione said, as she climbed onto his lap and turned to face him.
"Well, actually, I wanted to say the same thing; I was just a too bigger chicken to tell you" he replied.
"Lucky, I told you, hey?" she said, smiling. He nodded and then kissed her again.
"But," he said, making a move to get up and Hermione reluctantly got up. "I wanted to ask you something else."
"Yes, my love?" she said and as Ron knelt down on one knee and pulled a ring box out of his pocket, she squealed.
"George and Fred, before he died helped me save up for it. But," he said, opening the box to reveal a lovely diamond ring which had an 'R' and 'H' entwined.
"Hermione Kathy Granger, will you marry me?"
Hermione squealed, again.
"Yes, Ronald Weasley, I will marry you." He said, smiling.
Ron scooped his future bride into is arms and whirled her around in circles.