Chapter 4: Secrets Revealed

The twins left about 11pm on their mothers orders as they would need to work twice as hard at the shop to make up for the day they had spent at home. Then, in the usual order, Arthur and Molly left for bed with Harry and Ginny close behind. As they made their way up the stairs, they passed Hermione on her way to the kitchen in her favourite pair of purple flannel pyjamas. They smelt like her room back at her parents, sending mixed emotions through her. She missed her mum and dad and a normal life at home but she couldn't bear thinking about weeks, even days without Ron and Harry, especially Ron.

As she made her way to the kitchen, she began to think that she was the only one awake in the house; that was until, she heard slow, quiet music coming from the record player in the living room and saw a mane of red hair over the top of the sofa. Yep, Ron was still awake and this made her stop in her tracks. Since she arrived she had hoped to have a moment with him alone, she knew Harry would communicate with her while she was at home but knowing Ron's laid back, and sometimes lazy attitude, she wanted to talk to him without anybody else around.

Ron could hear the sound of the tap water running and cups and cupboards being moved in the kitchen. He sat there, staring at the fire now knowing that it was his true love just feet away from him.

"Goodnight Ronald." Her soft voice carried across the room and hit his ears bringing him out of his daze.

"Oh, 'Mione; I didn't realise it was you. How're you feeling?" He said with sincerity and concern in his voice. He stood and leaned back against the sofa he had previously been sitting on; his top two buttons were undone, showing off a bit of his muscular chest, much to Hermione's approval.

"I'm feeling a little better thanks. Just came down to get some water. I had a good night though; it was so sweet of your mum to organise this for us. I just guess it hadn't hit me until tonight that I'm not going to see you for a while." She had a look on her face that made Ron's heart ache.

In a bid to try and cheer her up, he leapt of the edge of the sofa and smiled, just as Hermione turned towards the stairs, she heard a chirpy voice behind her.

"Hey, Hermione. We never had our dance; you did promise me." He said with a cheeky grin on his face as he turned the music up just a touch on the record player. At first she wasn't sure about this, but remembering this was the probably the only time they would have alone, she decided to take the opportunity. Placing her half-empty glass on a nearby table, she allowed herself to be swept into Ron's arms, catching her foot on his toe in a mix up of foot placement.

"You may as well stand on them, 'Mione. You need the height after all" He giggled to himself as he held her hands, balancing her as she stepped on his feet. Her eyes lit up at the touch of his hands round her waist, locking his fingers together making here feel very secure in his arms. She reached up and settled her arms around his neck. Their lips were centimetres apart and their hearts began to beat in unison; fast.

"I meant what I said earlier Hermione," Ron almost whispered to her as she looked him in the eye, "You do look beautiful tonight."

"Ron, I took my dress off over an hour ago; now I'm just your average girl in her pj's." She looked so innocent and care free in her purple nightwear and to her surprise, she felt extremely comfortable around him look at what she thought was her worst.

"Well, I think you still look beautiful. Besides, I'll have to get used to seeing you in your pyjamas when we're living with Harry later on in the year. We'll have no secrets then." He smiled down at her and she returned it, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"Tell me a secret, Ronald; something that nobody else knows."

"Okay, erm…that picture that my mum took tonight of you and me; I kept it in my back pocket and put a protection charm on it so it will never be destroyed." This brought a huge smile to Hermione's face and made her heart go warm and fuzzy. He sighed before he began to speak again. "And, I'm scared. I'm scared of what's gonna happen after the summer. I've never felt like…not at home anywhere. Here is home but at school and with you and Harry, that feels like home too." With this her heart sank; I guess she hadn't really thought about all the emotions she would go through travelling on the hunt for horcruxes.

"Your turn 'Mione," He said with a warm, comforting smile "What's your secret?"

She giggled and as the track changed to yet another slow song, she began to think.

"My secret is…I'm scared too; scared of going home to my parents and not knowing what's happening with Harry and you and Ginny." Ron had expected her to finish there so was very surprised when she carried on speaking. He had never known her to open up to anyone like that. Hermione had a similar thought. She had rarely seen Ron get emotional and, was too shocked at how comfortable they both felt talking about such a personal topic. Still with this in mind, she carried on. "When I was little and got scared, mainly of the dark, my mum used to stroke my hair to help me fall asleep. It calmed me down, I guess and yeah." She smiled and let out a little laugh. "I've never told anyone that before, that I was scared of the dark you know. I'm acting like a little kid, I'm sorry. How am I going to cope out there?" Hermione's eyes had filled with tears and a one had escaped, rolling down her cheek, giving Ron the opportunity to touch her skin once more. He brought his surprisingly soft hands up to her face and wiped away the lonely tear.

"You're stronger than you know. Look at all the stuff you've already been through. I mean, you've put up with me for 6 years and you haven't gone that crazy." He said with another warm smile. Hermione loved that she could bring his softer side out of him and wanted nothing more at that moment then to kiss him. She felt vulnerable, yet so safe in his arms and as she looked up into his eyes once more, she clung onto him, embracing him in more than just a hug. Ron took a loose piece of hair in front of her eyes and pushed it back behind her ear, letting his hand slide down her back and stopping just before he reached her bottom.

"We're gonna get through this Hermione; Harry and you and me. Promise me though, if you ever get scared you won't keep the fear locked up. Come to me, Hermione."

Those last words were enough to set the tears off again. With her faith in Ron to keep her balanced, she moved her hands so she was cupping each cheek of his face and placed a soft kiss on his lips. It was so tender and as she pulled her head back, she barely had time to breathe before she was pulled into another kiss. Ron's strength and muscular arms held her tightly as the kiss deepened. After about a minute or so Ron lifted Hermione off his feet and she wrapped her legs around his waist, they moved from the middle of the room to in front of the fire and he placed her down on the sofa she had shared with Harry and Ginny the night before. He lay above her, his hands placed either side of her head as he balanced above her. She pulled down by his shirt, holding him tighter and he wrapped his arms around her once more, allowing his hands to travel all over her body.

"Woah, okay. Maybe we should slow down a bit Ron. Your parents could come downstairs at any moment" She panted as she let lust race through her body. She wanted nothing more than to keep kissing him, all night long.

"I don't care Hermione. I've wanted this for so long. Besides, something tells me that they already know how we feel about each other."

"True." She replied and in a moment of wildness for Hermione, she pulled him closer, kissed him again. She could feel his heart beat against her chest as they lay next to each other, holding each other as if nothing could get to them in that moment. The volume of the record player faded as the last track came to an end, leaving just the sound of Ron and Hermione's panting to fill the silence in the room as they finished kissing.

They lay there on the sofa next to each other, Hermione closest to the fire with Ron's arms around her waist. She could hear the sound of his breathing in her ear and another tear escaped from her eye.

"I love you, Ronald. I know I should've told you before but I guess I wasn't smart enough to realise you felt the same." She rested her hands on Ron's and he squeezed her tighter as if she were about to fall and he was catching her.

"I love you too, have for ages 'Mione." He kissed her on her hair and began to stoke it, hoping it would bring the same calming nature that it had all those years ago. She soon fell asleep and as Ron lay there thinking about Hermione for the second night in a row, he didn't have to wonder what it would feel like to kiss her; he knew. As the fire began to fizzle out, Ron pulled the blanket that was on the back of the sofa over him and Hermione and with that, his eyes closed. He began to dream as he held Hermione close to him, feeling the warmth form her body. He knew that night would be one to remember forever.