Turning back the blankets of the bed, his bed, a wave of disbelief passed through her. It was almost impossible to process the events of the last twenty-four hours. Had it really only been yesterday that they had left Shell Cottage? Had they really broken into Gringotts? Ridden a dragon? Destroyed all the Horcruxes? Defeated Voldemort? Kissed?

The color rose to her cheeks, not only in memory of that kiss' intensity, but also in guilt. How can you think about that at a time like this? I'm sure that Ron has too much on his mind now to think about one little kiss! Subconsciously her fingertips touched her lips softly, remembering the way his lips had felt against them, the way his arms had felt wrapped around her, the way he had lifted her off her feet.

There had been no time to talk: victory and grief were intertwined in the aftermath of Tom Riddle's mortality. Conversations about love would have to wait. Even after she, Ron, and Harry had found their way up to Gryffindor Tower the need for a shower and a sandwich had taken precedence over any verbal revelations. There had been so much comfort in the simple act of sitting with the two of them in that common room, silently eating sandwiches: no more plans to make, no more battles to fight. She sighed heavily at that thought. I guess that is not entirely true, but perhaps we can have one night off; I think we've earned that much at least.

When they had eaten their fill, Harry had excused himself to shower and sleep. She had been relieved beyond measure when Ron had taken her hand and led her toward the boys' staircase. He had paused on the first step and looked back at her with an adorably earnest expression on his face.

"I just need you with me…can't stand the thought of being away from you…not now."

"Me either."

She had found them some clean well cleaner than they ones they had on clothes in her bag and they had gone to wash up. Ron had gallantly offered to wait outside until she had finished, but had refused to let her return the favor.

"I'll be out in a tic. You go get the bed ready."

They had both turned pink at his words, but she only nodded and headed off to the room they would share with Harry. He was already snoring when she came in; he had fallen asleep with his glasses on, so she removed them carefully and drew the curtains around his bed. Harry Potter: the boy who lived: again! How had they done it? All three of them still miraculously, wonderfully alive?! Even though she would have never admitted it to them, her logical mind had become more and more convinced that the odds of them all making it were almost zero. Thank Merlin the two of them love nothing more than proving me wrong!

All of these thoughts were swimming around in her head as she pulled back the blankets. Should I go ahead and get in? Is that too presumptuous? Stop! He asked you to stay with him! Stop being such a coward! She crawled beneath the covers and used her wand lower the lights. Just then, Ron came into the room and paused when he passed Harry's.

"Is he out?"

"Yes, before I even got back. I had to take off his glasses. He looked so peaceful."

"Good…he deserves a rest."

"We all do." She patted the bed next to her, and he took the invitation immediately.

They both sat up against the headboard. With a few flicks of the wrist Hermione had closed and sealed the bed curtains and thy sat in the soft glow of her wand.

"Don't want to disturb Harry,"

"No…'course not."

"Ron…I…just wanted to say…that..well…"

"'Mione…"

"I know…that's what I wanted to say"

"What?"

"That we don't have to talk about anything tonight. I know you must be exhausted."

"Not as much as I thought I would be."

"Me neither."

"Right…well I just wanted to say…well…you kissed me…and"

"Yes?"

"Well that wasn't really fair."

Her heart sank. Had she misunderstood after all? Had she taken advantage of an emotionally charged moment. Had it really just been a desperate I-think-I'm-about-to-die kiss? If that was the case she was going to have to get out of here and quick. Tears pricked at her eyes and she avoided looking in his direction.

"It wasn't fair because…well...damn it all!"

He reached for her and gently turned her face to his. As he spoke again his words came out soft and deep, in a way that made her insides clench in a deliciously painful way.

"You were, like always, one step ahead of me, but I plan on catching up."

He kissed her then. It was softer and slower than their previous kiss but every bit as passionate. He drew her closer so that he could take her fully in his arms. She felt as if her heart would burst. He was alive and real and kissing her the way she had always imagined. She pulled him tighter to her and he actually moaned into her mouth, causing her to lose touch with anything close to a rational thought.

They were temporarily lost in a place of pure feeling. Years of doubt and misunderstanding evaporated in a blur of hands and lips and tongues. All the little voices of second guessing were drowned out by soft moans and ragged breaths. Eventually they found themselves panting for breath, foreheads touching.

"Are you caught up?"

"Not yet, but I'll keep working on it."

"Planning on keeping count, are you?"

"Of course."

She had read somewhere that the human brain is a problem solving machine; that even the most ordinary minds will mull over a problem in the background of thought until it finds an acceptable answer. That's why people often think of the answer to a question at 2 am, or remember a name two days after they see an acquaintance on the street, or discover why Dumbledore left Harry the Sword of Gryffindor weeks after they started the hunt.

Her eyes went wide as looked at him, like she was really seeing him fully for the first time. She was not one step ahead, she had been behind, for over a year really, but in that moment everything clicked into place and she had finally caught up.

"You counted."

He could have feigned ignorance, but there was no reason to now. He really thought that she had pieced together that night at Shell Cottage, so there was nothing left to gain by denying what they both already knew.

"I did."

"But when? Why?"

"I think you know why, but I guess you deserve to hear it, all of it. I promised myself that I would never not tell you again, you know?"

"I do know. Ron, we don't have to talk about this tonight, if it's too much."

"No, I want you to know. It all started the day after you sent those canaries on me…I know I deserved it…no, let me say this…Well, the next morning I really thought it would all be over. That you'd be mad for a day or two, but that things would go back to normal. But then she bounces up to me at breakfast the next morning going on and on about how she's my girlfriend. I knew I had cocked things up, but I really didn't know what to do. I just wanted to show you that I was fanciable…which I know now was a dumbass move, but anyway…there I was, the one girl I wanted hated me and a girl I didn't want wouldn't leave me alone. And before you say anything, I know that I didn't give her much of a reason to leave me alone, and it serves me right for being so jealous of Viktor when you never rubbed it in my face when you were…you know…with him."

"Pardon?"

"I mean, when you dated Viktor at least you didn't make an idiot of yourself like I did"

"I'd hardly call it dating, but I understand your point."

"So, anyway, the next night as I was going to bed I thought about how much I had fucked things up in one day, and how I really wished I could just take back those 24 hours and fix the mess I'd made. That made me think of when you had the time turner. That's when it started. So all those days I just started adding up the total…how many times would I have to turn that little bugger to make everything right again."

"Oh, Ron"

"When I woke up after I had been poisoned and you were there, I thought for a minute that I had somehow made it happen, but I didn't fix anything, you did."

"I was so convinced that you could never see me as more than your friend, I just decided to give up trying…I couldn't lose you completely, no matter who you wanted."

He cradled her face in his hands, "You. You were always who I wanted. When I…left you…I knew that I had fucked up so much worse than I had before. The only thing that kept me sane until I got back to you was keeping track of those bloody hours. I know it sounds mental, because I know that the turners are all gone, and even if there weren't they don't go back that far, but it just made me feel connected to you. It was only a few hours that stood between us. Maybe I could find a way to make it up to you."

"You did, Ron, just like I told you at Shell Cottage, you more than made up for it. You came back! You saved me, in so many ways!"

"That's when I thought you worked it out. I was counting then too, I just…It should have been me"

"Ron, can we make a promise to each other?"

"Sure! Anything you want!"

"From now on we focus on the future and considered the past settled?"

"That sounds brilliant!"

"Brilliant!"

"There's just one more thing I need to tell you."

"Anything, you can tell me anything."

"I love you, Hermione. I have for a long time."

He laced their fingers together and placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I love you, Ron. I have for ages."

She looked up to find his eyes as wet as hers. He placed tender kisses on her forehead and down her cheeks. As he reached her mouth, she released his hand and brought her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. He responded by continuing the trail down her jaw to the column of her neck. It was exquisite! He murmured his love into her skin and she clutched him closer still until she thought she might never get him close enough.

"Mione...I can't believe this is real."

"It is. I promise it is."

She was quickly getting lost in the feel of him. She scooted down until she was lying on the bed, pulling him down with her. This, this was worth it all: the doubting, the waiting, the near misses, the heartaches, they were all leading them to this moment. He kissed her lips again as she let her hands wander underneath the bottom of his shirt. She whimpered when he grabbed her hip in response and rolled so that more of his body covered hers.

"Fuck…sorry." They were both panting heavily as they tried to catch their breath.

"Sorry? Why?"

"I got kinda carried away there for a minute."

"No more than I did…I like getting carried away with you."

"You do?'

"Yeah, it's a nice change. After holding myself back for so long, you know what I mean?"

"I do!" He laughed as he hugged her tightly, and she reveled in the comforting feeling. "I just don't want you to feel pushed, or rushed."

"I don't feel that way at all, but I don't want you to either, it's been a difficult day."

"It has been. The most horrible, but most wonderful one too. I guess someone won't explode if they feel all that at once?"

It was her turn to laugh, "Well, I guess teaspoons hold more than you might think."

"More than you can count."

He kissed her then, and put an end to talking for the night. They both knew that there was more than enough to talk about: friends and family to grieve, parents to find, a world to rebuild, but all of that could wait until the morning at least. They had time. More hours than they could ever count.

A/N: Well, there you have it! Mystery solved! I hope you have enjoyed what started in my head as a little one-shot, but grew into four chapters of missing moments. Thanks to all of you who have followed, or favorited, or reviewed! You are appreciated!