Hermione had had enough. She could no longer take the constant pain that coursed through her back. As she sat in their Transfiguration class, leaning forward to take notes, she winced at the pain again. Damn war! She cursed inwardly.

Harry had noticed the strained look on Hermione's face as he sat next to her. He felt awful because he knew that he was part of the reason why her back had been hurting her so much. If she had not fought in the war with him, she would not be in pain now. He leaned towards her to whisper in her ear, careful not to be heard by the strict Professor McGonagall. "Is it your back again?" When she nodded, he continued, "You should really see Madame Pomfrey after class." She did not answer so he added, "Would you like me to go with you?" She nodded again, wincing slightly as she did so. Turning his attention back to the front of the classroom, Harry had discreetly put his arm around her back and began massaging. He had to keep himself from chuckling when he felt Hermione jump under his hand but she soon she relaxed under his touch.

Oh, that feels too good. She thought as she allowed her eyes to close momentarily. She had most certainly not expected Harry to begin massaging her back, but she was definitely not going to tell him to stop either. It felt heavenly. She was glad that he also agreed to go to the infirmary with her after class as well although she was unsure why. Surely, he had better things to do with his time. However, these days, she had become greedy of his time. No one understood her like he did.

When they had been looking for Horcruxes was where her back problems had started. Sleeping on a cot, night after night, tended not to be a healthy thing to do for your back. Then, when she got injured, it only exacerbated the pain. Harry was the only one who helped her with the pain. Ron, having not returned to them while on the search for horcruxes, and who had remained at home throughout the entire war, had decided not to come back to Hogwarts for their final year. Quite honestly, she was happy for that. Especially after the time they had talked.

"You want to get back together?" Hermione had asked. She could not believe the gall of him.
"After abandoning us? Abandoning me?"

"C'mon, Hermione, you know that locket was making me say those things." Ron had said, starting to show his irritation.

Hermione scoffed. "Ron, you and I both know that a horcrux only strengthens the emotions of those who are around it. Please don't insult my intelligence."

Although he had been angry, he tried swallowing it back. "Listen, Hermione. You know we are good together. I mean, come on, who else is going to tolerate you when you are like this? You get upset about things that aren't even worth getting upset over."

Hermione could not believe what she was hearing. "Things not worth being upset over?" Dammit, Hermione, do not cry! She thought as his words stung at her heart. "YOU LEFT ME! You had no regard for me whatsoever in that moment. Do you have any idea what I had been going through? What I had to do to help fight the war?" When he did not answer, she continued, "I obliviated my parents and sent them to another country!"

"No one asked you to do that, Hermione!" His voice getting higher in volume. "Other people would have done it if they had thought that it would make a difference."

Again, Hermione scoffed. "I know you don't mean you. You wouldn't have done anything like that."

Ron's eyes narrowed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

She threw her hands in the air in disbelief. "Ron, you couldn't make it on your own for even a day if you didn't have someone taking care of you! At the first sign of trouble, what did you do? You ran to your mommy!"

"Well, excuse me for caring about my family!" Ron yelled.

Hermione shook her head. "Then tell me something, Ron. If you wanted to protect your family so badly, did you ever once think that by leaving us and trekking all the way back to the Burrow, that maybe you were putting them into more danger? What if you had been followed? You're lucky your family is alive."

Ron remained in angry silence before responding to her. "Let's get down to the real reason you don't want to get back together." Hermione rolled her eyes. Typical Ron to change the subject when he knew someone other than he was right about something. He just could not admit when he was wrong. "You're in love with Harry."

Looking into his eyes once again, Hermione thought for a moment before answering. "And what if I were?"

Ron laughed. "Please, Hermione, you really think 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'" he spat the nickname out as if he had cursed, "would really fall in love with you? Sure, you're attractive, but look at the women who trip over themselves to get to him. I wouldn't be surprised if he had shagged half of the girls in-"

SMACK!

"How...dare…you!" she said quietly, through gritted teeth. "I am sick and tired of your inferiority complex when it comes to Harry. I have tried to be on your side, Ron. Tried explaining to him why it is you feel the need to justify your, frankly, shitty attitude when it came to his fame. He forgave you during our fourth year because I helped him see how that you were hurting just as much as he was." She stood up straight and exhaled deeply. "He was supposed to be your best friend, and not only do you leave him in his most desperate hour, you belittle him by saying the most awful things imaginable about him. Things you know would never be true. I don't know how either of us called you our best friend." She winced as the pain in her back started to flare up.

Ron noticed her grimace and smirked with a dark look in his eye. "What's the matter, Hermione? Old war wound acting up again? Or is it that Harry had you on your back too much during your 'camping out'. And since he was a horcrux himself he was probably making you feel hornier by the minute since you spent so much time with him. You said it yourself. 'a horcrux only strengthens the emotions of those who are around it'. You just couldn't wait to open your legs to-"

Hermione's wand was out so fast that Ron did not have time to react. "DEPULSO!"

The spell knocked Ron through the door he had come through and she closed the door with her wand, locking it. "Don't you ever show your face around here again, Ronald Weasley! I never want to see you again."

"Hermione."

Hermione looked up at the sound of her name. Harry had stood up and was reaching a hand to her. "Are you coming?" Harry smiled as he looked down at her. "I think you spaced out there for a bit." Taking Harry's hand, she stood up and bent down to reach for her bag, but Harry stopped her, leaning forward and taking her bag and hoisting it over his shoulder along with his own bag. "Let me, please. Can't risk you hurting your back anymore."

"Harry, you don't have to-" she began to protest.

Harry held up a hand to silence her. "I insist." He grabbed her hand again and urged her to follow him. "C'mon, let's go see Madame Pomfrey."

Hermione smiled and reveled at Harry's kindness. He had always been so kind to her. Harry made her feel like she was the only one that mattered. Of course, they were best friends. That was what best friends did for one another. As much as she was still upset about thinking of Ron and their argument, she could not deny that there was some truth held in the memory. Hermione had been in love with Harry for years now. She could not deny it, but she could not tell Harry. He had a hard time after the war, readjusting to life and she did not want to be a burden to him.

That did not mean, however, that she was not a large part of his life. She would never stop being his friend and, if it bothered him, he never said anything. He was always smiling when they were together, but she was not naïve enough to think that it meant more than just a friendly gesture.

Before she knew it, the two were in the infirmary waiting for the nurse to see Hermione. Hermione had taken a seat on an examining table while Harry took a seat in a chair next to it.

"Harry, you don't need to stay if you don't want to. This may take awhile and I'm sure you have better things to do." Hermione insisted.

Harry smiled up at her and shook his head. "Not at all, 'Mione." His smile faded. "I want to know how bad your pain is since I'm the reason for it in the first place."

Hermione frowned at him. "What do you-" But before she could finish her thought, Madame Pomfrey had walked up to them.

"Now, what seems to be the problem, Miss Granger?"

After a quarter of an hour of explaining and being asked multiple questions, Madame Pomfrey had told Harry to wait outside while she examined Hermione.

When they had finished, the nurse had called Harry back inside and Harry noticed that Hermione lay asleep on the cot. "Will she be alright, Madame?"

She nodded. "Yes, it seems that she had some fluid in her spinal cord, and it was causing her intense pain. I used a spell that alleviates the fluid, but she will now and then feel some arthritic pain. It will not be as painful as what she was feeling before but it will still cause her discomfort."

Harry looked at Hermione with concern. "Now that the fluid has been taken care of, is there anything else she will have to worry about besides some residual pain?"

The nurse shook her head. "No, she will be fine now. The pain will not be constant, but I do have a medicinal potion that she can take that will help ease the pain." She handed a small vial of potion to Harry. "Please make sure she takes this when goes back to the dormitory tonight. Anytime she needs one, she is free to come see me."

Harry nodded. "Are there any side effects she should know about?"

"Just extreme drowsiness." Madame Pomfrey said in a matter of fact tone. "When she takes this, she may act a little, well, silly for lack of a better term. I trust you will take care of her since you both share the Head Boy and Girl quarters?" She lifted an eyebrow at him, expectantly.

"Yes, ma'am." Harry pocketed the potion. "She is in good hands. Don't worry."

Seeing the determination and love on the boy's face made her smile slightly. "Very good. I will now wake Miss Granger."

Later that Night

"How are you feeling?" asked Harry a few hours after studying with Hermione at the table in their common room.

Hermione stretched, lifting her t-shirt enough for Harry to see her stomach. He wished he could wrap his arms around her waist and pull her to him. "A lot better, thanks." She straightened up again, closing the large tome she had been studying from. "I'm still a bit sore but it is no where near how I felt before. I think I'm going to take the potion now before we continue."

Harry had given Hermione the vial when they got back to the common room and told her that it was supposed to be very powerful. Hermione somewhat laughed at this. She found herself to have an immensely high tolerance for sedatives so when she downed the potion in one gulp, she had expected to get right back to her homework. Gathering another of her textbooks, she suggested going to sit on the couch in front of the fire, which Harry did not protest to.

Twenty minutes later, Harry looked at Hermione who had clearly become drowsy from the glazed look in her eyes.

"'Mione, are you ok?" he asked, a slight smirk crossing his handsome face.

Hermione slowly turned her head to him as if noticing him for the first time. She smiled. "Oh, hi, Harry." She took her wand and looked at it intently. Several sparks flew from the tip and Hermione started giggling.

Harry could not help but smile. Wow, he thought, Madame Pomfrey wasn't kidding about the silliness. "What's up, 'Mione?"

Still silently giggling, Hermione pointed to the wand and simply said, "Magic." She dropped her wand and laid down on the couch, no longer laughing but just staring up at the ceiling.

Harry stood up from his spot and sat down on the floor next to the couch. "What are you thinking about Hermione?" He knew he was selfish, but he kind of wanted to see how far he could push this "high" Hermione.

She looked over at him and smiled sadly. "Ron is an arsehole, isn't he, Harry?"

Harry was shocked that this was the first thing she thought of in this state. He knew about the argument that they had when he had to comfort a sobbing Hermione. He had to fight the urge, even now, to find Ron and beat him until he made him feel as bad as Hermione had felt. However, all he knew was that they had fought. She would not tell him everything he had said to her. "Yes, love, he is arsehole for making you cry."

Hermione shook her head over animatedly. "But you don't know why he's an arsehole. What he said to me."

Even though Harry wanted to know what awful things he had said to make her sob so much, he said, "Hermione, you don't have to tell me if you-"

He was hushed by her finger landing on his lips. Hermione had rolled over onto her side to look at Harry. Her forehead nearly touching his. She really was cute when she was like this, even with the sad smile on her face. "He had-had the audmadacimity (Harry laughed inwardly at the mispronunciation) to try to get back together with me." She laughed. "As if I'd ever get back togever wif that pathetic mmmammma's boy." As the minutes ticked by, her speech was getting more and more slurred but he let her continue since she had obviously wanted to get this off her chest for quite some time now. "Do you know," she pointed to him, "what he said to me?" She pointed to herself. Not waiting for a reply, she continued, "He told me that no one would ever tolllllerate me when I get upshet over the shmallest fings." Harry was furious but he let her go on. "When I said that he'd abandoned me, he tried blaming it on the locket. Well," she looked up at the ceiling again, "I'm not shtupid. I told him I knew that the locket only made your current feelings stronger."

No, Hermione, you're not stupid. Harry thought. He's the idiot for trying to pull a stupid excuse on you like that.

"Then, that shorry excuse for a wizard, tried to act like his brand of suffering was worse than mine. I yelled at him. 'YOU LEFT ME'!" She mock yelled keeping her voice low. "Told him that I had to obliviate my parents. And he told me that he would have done the same thing if he thought it were necessary."

I'm so sorry, Hermione. Sorry that you had to do that because you knew me. Sorry that I never told you that I appreciated you being with me through everything. I was a selfish prat.

"Then," she continued on, "when I called him on his shite," She looked over at Harry again, "he told me that the real reason I wouldn't get back togever wiff him was because I was in love with you."

Harry's heart seized. He was hating himself for finding all of this out through the effects of a potion but, damn it, he wanted to know. "And what did you tell him?"

Hermione shrugged. "I asked him what it would matter if I was."

No, Hermione, you don't mean that. You were just upset at the time. Why would you love me? Ron's not the only arsehole that you know.

Harry noticed a tear start to run down her cheek and fall onto the couch. He instinctively wiped it away with his thumb.

Hermione smiled at him. "You're so good to me, Harry."

He wanted to hold her. To hold her and tell her everything was alright. To hold her and tell her that Ron would never come between them again. But he knew deep in his heart that these were just ramblings of a woman scorned and drugged. She did not mean it. With his hand still on her check, he said, "What else did he say?"

Hermione continued as if she had not noticed that she had even stopped. "Well, he said a bunch of stuff about how you would never want to be with someone like me. That you could have your pick of any girl around the castle." Despite her airy demeanor now, she got angry at the next thing she said. "He said that you had probably fucked your way through half the girls at Hogwarts." She took his hand in hers regaining some of the airiness back to her voice. "And do you know what I did when he said that?" Harry shook his head. "I smacked him." She giggled slightly before the tears started again. "My back had seized up when talking to him and he said 'what's the matter, Hermione? Old war wound acting up again? Or is it that Harry had you on your back too much during your 'camping out'?" She over exaggerated the air quotes.

Harry could not handle it anymore. He stood up from his spot and scooped Hermione off the couch and into his arms before sitting on the couch himself and holding her. Despite the shock of his sudden movements, Hermione welcomed the gesture. She rested her head on his shoulder. She felt him shake with fury and when he spoke, it came out as if he were biting back every swear word he could think of. He had to tell her what she meant to him. Even if she did not remember it the next morning, she needed to be told. "Hermione, I don't want you, for one second, to think about what that piece of shit said to you. I would never degrade you like that. You mean the world to me. After he left us, I vowed to take care of you. That no one would ever hurt you again." He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. Placing a soft kiss there, he said, "I know I failed. I couldn't save you from that Hurling Hex that sent you crashing into that wall. The reason you hurt now is because of me. I couldn't get there in time. But I promise you that I made Malfoy pay for that. He will never think twice about hurting my girl again." Hermione tensed under his embrace. He looked into her eyes at last. "Hermione, I'm not asking you to make a decision now." He smirked a little. "I doubt you'll even remember this conversation tomorrow." Harry regained his serious composure again. "But I love you with all of my heart. I realized it when he left. The way you have always stuck by me. Never once wavered in your decision to be with me. How could I not love someone that was willing to risk their life to save me. I want to give you a life of comfort and love, Hermione. I want us to be together through everything. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to have a family with you, to grow old with you. I won't treat you like Ron did. I will love you, heart, " he placed her hand on his beating heart, "and soul. Hermione Granger, I love you. And even if you tell me that you don't feel the same, I will respect that. But it will never change my feelings. You have always been the one for me. No one else."

Hermione looked at him, tears in her eyes. "Harry, I-"

But before she could say another word, Harry had placed a gently finger on her lips. "No, don't say anything right now." He scooped her up again, bridal style, and carried her to her bedroom. Placing her onto it, he placed the covers over her and kissed her forehead. "If you remember this in the morning, I will be waiting in the common room for you."

As much as she wanted to talk to him, sleep overcame her.

Harry walked over to the doorway and looked back at her once more before wandlessly extinguishing the torches and whispering, "Goodnight, my love."

What Harry did not know, was that the effects of the potion had long since worn off.

The Next Morning

It was six in the morning when a very groggy Hermione woke up. Boy, that potion really did the trick. As she began to rub the sleep from her eyes, the conversation of the night before came crashing into her mind. She gasped. That was no dream. Harry had confessed his love to her last night.

Halfway through telling Harry the story of her and Ron, she thought since she had managed to let out as much as she did, that he should know the whole truth. She was planning on making it seem like one big job but then she had told him about the hurtful things Ron had said about the two of them and she could not hold it in anymore. The tears had started flowing. Maybe that was why Harry had felt the urge to confess to her.

The reason did not matter to her. All she wanted to do was find Harry and talk to him. Figuring that he would probably still be asleep, she made her way to their common room. Instead of an empty room, however, she saw Harry standing by the fire, with his back to her.

Her breath caught in her throat as she let out a soft, "Harry."

Turning to face the source of his name, Harry suddenly felt a thud to his chest as Hermione clung to him. Although surprised, Harry did not hesitate in wrapping his arms around her.

Harry pulled back slightly, his arms still around her. "Hermione, I want to apologi-" But Hermione's lips were on his before he could get another word out. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he pulled her so close to him that he thought they would melt together.

Hermione was the first to come up for air. "Harry, I remember every word you said last night. I love you, too. I've always wanted you. Since we were in fourth year."

Harry smiled. "I love you, Hermione." Then Harry did something that took Hermione completely by surprise and got down on one knee. "Hermione Granger, would you go with me to the Graduation Ball?"

Hermione laughed through tears and brought him back up to full height. "Of course, I will." She kissed him and then laughed again. "You had me going there for a minute."

Smiling back at her he asked, "What would you have done if I had asked you to marry me just now."

She gave him the most serious look she had ever given him. "Harry, I have risked my life to be by your side. I have been with you through thick and think since we were eleven years old. At times, during the war, you were my only reason for wanting to stay alive. You take care of me, love me, and treat me the way I thought only possible in fairy tales. Even though we just confessed to each other in the last twenty-four hours our true feelings, I would not have hesitated."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." He got back down on his knee, reaching into his pocket for a ring and holding it up to her. He took her hand in his and kissed it. "Hermione, love of my life, since the first moment I saw you on the train seven years ago, I knew you would be someone important in my life. I did not know just how important and gorgeous you would turn out to be. You stole my heart years ago and I have never once wanted it back. I am yours forever, Hermione. If you will have me." Hermione lowered herself to his level before he said, "I know it's very unconventional to do this, minutes after our first kiss but I can't think of a better time after knowing you for so long. Will you marry me?"

"Harry Potter, I swear to God, if this is a trick, I am going to have to kill you." Hermione said through tears. When he shook his head, she choked out a tearful, "Yes. Harry, I will marry you. I love you."

Okay, Okay, I know its really corny and totally unrealistic to have Harry propose after just confessing his feelings to her but I didn't really have a way to end this fic so I just ran with the idea. Thank you for reading this fic! And now that I've spent around eight hours writing it, I am tired again so I will bid you all a fond farewell for now. I do have another story in mind that I've wanted to write, so I might do that tomorrow. I will also be revisiting my other fan fic that was on haitus. I can't promise that I'll continue it but I will try to see if I can salvage it. I am talking about "My Last Hope", a crossover between Harry Potter and Sword Art Online. So please, give that a read along with the other fan fic I wrote the other day "Apple Seed". This one also was inspired by true events. Thank you and I will see you all next time!