Chapter Twenty-One: Dream, Interrupted

It was the last DA meeting of term before the Christmas holidays and Harry decided to go over what people had learned so far, much to the git Smiths' disapproval, but Harry did not care. He was more interested in watching everybody else than what Smith thought. He found himself watching Ginny again, but he quickly caught himself before moving on to supervise Cho and Marietta. Eventually, time got the better of them and Harry brought the session to a close with promises of teaching the group Patronuses in the New Year. Harry stayed behind to tidy up the room, but he was not alone. Cho Chang had quietly approached Harry from behind startling him slightly.

'Blimey, Cho, you almost gave me a heart attack,' he said recovering.

'Oh, sorry, Harry.'

'It's okay.'

There was a long silence before Harry asked, 'Is there something you wanted, Cho?'

'I wanted to ask you something.'

'Okay.'

'Before he died, did, um, Cedric mention me at all?'

'Oh. Well, no, because it all happened so fast and I couldn't do anything. I'm sorry.'

'Don't be, it's not your fault, Harry … I really like you,' she said as she leaned to kiss him.

But Harry moved away and said, 'Cho, I'm sorry, but I can't. You're upset and vulnerable and I won't be a rebound boyfriend for anyone – not even for you.'

'Oh.'

'I'm sorry, if I was harsh.'

'No, you're right … But what did you mean not even for me?'

'Well, I, um, liked you, too. I did for a while, and I almost asked you to the Yule Ball, but I didn't think you would say yes or that we would have much in common, particularly after talking with Ron and Hermione, sorry.'

'Oh, well, I'm flattered that you considered asking me. But he – Cedric – asked me less than a day after it was announced. I hope we can be friends though?'

'Okay, sure.'

Cho smiled and left before Harry could say anything else so he went back to the Common Room, where he found Ron and Hermione on the couch with Ron giving her a foot rub.

'Hey, Guys.'

'Hello, Harry.'

'What happened to you, you were ages?' said Ron.

Harry then told them what had occurred in the Room of Requirement between himself and Cho. Ron and Hermione listened and they were pleased that Harry had not allowed Cho to kiss him, before they resumed talking about the holidays. Harry and Ron were going to be going to Grimmauld Place with Sirius and the Weasleys. Hermione, however, had received a letter from her parents asking her to join them for a skiing holiday. Hermione written back saying she needed to study for her O.W.L.'s and had declined, knowing how upset and disappointed they would be, but she, too, would be joining her boyfriend and brother in all but blood at Grimmauld Place. After another long study session later, Ron kissed Hermione goodnight before going to bed and it did not take him long before he was fast asleep and dreaming.

He was sitting in a field, having a picnic with Hermione. They fed each other Strawberries between kisses. They lay down on the blanket and kissed one another deeply with him on top of her. She moaned as he moved to kiss her neck, but decided that she wanted to be on top, so she flipped them over and began to kiss him fervently, before he began to tickle her and she started to laugh as he flipped them back over as he continued. She continued to giggle at him as he tickled her mercilessly.

'Ron, stop, ha, ha, I … ha, can't … ha, ha, b-breathe!' she giggled out.

'Say it then, Hermione. Say I'm the master!' he chuckled, but did not stop his tickling of her.

'Yes, y-you're the – ha-ha – the master!' she wheezed.

Ron stopped tickling her at once before he gave her a loving, gentle kiss. He stopped to look deep into eyes and soul, before saying, 'I love you, Hermione. If I got to spend a million years with you, it still wouldn't be enough.'

'Oh, Ron, I feel the same way …' she said as tears began to fall from her beautiful brown eyes.

Ron then delicately wiped her tears away before giving her another loving kiss. But this time when he stopped he looked again into her eyes, before saying, 'Marry me, Hermione …'

'W-what?' she said shocked.

'I said Marry me, Hermione … please, say something,' he pleaded.

'Yes, Ron! A million times yes, yes, yes!' she said excitedly.

'Yes! Er, hang on, I've got you a ring …' he said before rummaging in his pocket and then pulled out a ring box and opening it for her. It was a gold banded ring with a Sapphire – her birthstone.

'It's beautiful, Ron,' she said as she raised her left hand so he could put the ring on her finger.

As he did so, he said, 'Not as beautiful as you, Hermione.'

She blushed as she looked at her new engagement ring and then she began to kiss him once more.

'AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'

Ron's eyes shot open as Dream-Hermione vanished. He then grabbed his wand and ran towards Harry's bed and began to shake him awake.

'HARRY! HARRY!' he shouted, desperate to wake his friend from his nightmare. Ron continued to call out his name. 'HARRY!'

This time Harry's eyes flew open and he said, 'Your dad, Ron, he's been attacked.'

Ron could not believe it for a moment, but then he remembered what Sirius had told them back in the summer. He vaguely heard someone say they were going for help, before he raised his wand and sent a Patronus each to Hermione and Sirius, before Professor McGonagall arrived and Harry told her what he had seen. Professor McGonagall took him seriously and decided to take Harry to see Dumbledore. Ron went with him and just before they reached the portrait hole, Hermione arrived asking what was happening and Ron told her as they made their way to Dumbledore's office. On the way there, they were met by Sirius and once the Password was given to the statue outside the Headmaster's Study, they went up the steps and entered.

Ron listened as Hermione held his hand as Harry told them all what he had seen and Dumbledore took immediate action by asking the Portraits in his study to perform their duties in making sure that Mr Weasley was found by the right people, before making a Portkey that would take them all back to Grimmauld Place. But, unfortunately for Ron, Hermione had to stay behind, in case Umbridge decided to stick her nose in, and it was still a few days until the end of term. Ron, not caring that both Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall were present, gave Hermione a long, deep and loving kiss, before joining Harry, Sirius, Ginny and the twins – who had all been woken up by Professor McGonagall – in touching the Portkey and with one final look at her and mouthing 'I love you,' he was whisked away from her to Grimmauld Place.