A/N: The final chapter! Well…I'm thinking of doing an epilogue, but this is the last real chapter. I hope you all like it since you have all been patiently waiting for it, with much thanks from me!! I haven't been able to name all the people who reviewed but you know who you are and I just love that you like this story! It makes me so proud to know I've written something that people like! Hope you enjoy this one as much as you did on the others. ~Addy

Disclaimer: No, this isn't mine, please don't sue…

Characters: Everyone's in this one, cept most of them are sleeping…

Pairings: Major R/Hr in this chapter…if you read the other ones, and you know how the Sleeping Beauty story goes, you should know why…and one tiny scene with H/G

Setting: Hogsmeade castle-Herm's Room mostly

Rating: G

Summary: Hermione knows that she's marrying Ron but now she's fallen asleep, along with the rest of the castle and *gasps* the dreaded fairy, Rita Skeeter, is on the loose. She wants nothing more than to keep Princess Hermione the way she is, and will do anything to keep the circumstances going her way. Wherever Rita is, evil will ensue. But what does that mean for Ronald? Will he make it? Will Princess Hermione ever wake up?? Read, and find out… (A/N: my sad attempt at being dramatic, lol)

Sleeping Beauty-Harry Potter Style

Chapter 7

The plump fairy sat on the window's ledge and began to stare out at the path below, watching, and waiting for something to happen. For what seemed like the fiftieth time, she sighed, straightened out her apron, and folded her broad hands across her lap, her wings beating quickly on her back. One of her acquaintances, a tall brunet fairy with emerald green wings turned to look sadly at the first.

"Molly," The fairy at the window turned, "you simply must stop worrying. It won't help any. You know that we can't do anything to help him get here more quickly. He must do this himself."

"Must there be rules? I'm worried about him. What if something happens?" She looked toward the princess lying on the bed and sighed again. "She's been waiting quite long enough for this day. I say we help it move along faster. It isn't right to let true love take so long to surface."

"Yes, I agree with you but rules are rules." The second fairy replied, her emerald wings halting in their beats as she gave the first a stern look.

"Oh Minerva, don't be so stiff. You know, I agree with Molly. We should do something to help the poor boy. He's got his heart in the right place but the way he's going about this…not even getting a horse to ride here. That's what proper princes do. You know that. The white horse, the shining armor. He's going about it all wrong. He doesn't even have armor." The third and final fairy said, finally taking a stand in the conversation that had been started and stopped for at least half an hour now.

Minerva sighed and looked at her fellow fairies. "It isn't right to break rules. You know that it's fairy law not to help princess on quests." She wasn't finished but Molly spoke up.

"Well, technically Minerva, it isn't a quest."

Minerva gave a withered look first to Molly, who was looking determined, then to Arabella who had her arms crossed over her chest. "You both know it's wrong," she stopped and looked at them again. Their expressions failed to change. "We can't just go helping princess everywhere. We'll get a reputation for doing that if we start this." Still no change. "Honestly you two call yourselves fairies. Well if you two are going to be like that then, you just go help him. It won't make him learn how to be a proper prince if you do everything for him."

"Aww Minerva, we knew you would agree." Molly smiled, standing and wrapping an arm around Minerva's waist. "Come Arabella. We have an evil fairy to beat and a prince to help." Arabella joined the other two and with that, they disappeared in three puffs of smoke, leaving the princess to sleep on, undisturbed.

* * * *

Ron had been rushing down the path to Hogsmeade on foot, unable to find a horse, or any form of transportation for that matter. There hadn't been a pony, carriage, not even a mule in sight when he had gone in search of one in the stables. His energy was well spent by now and he was feeling strangely tired. His feet felt like cement, something that had never happened before on his many trips to Hogsmeade. Despite this, he pushed forward, thinking only of telling Rose that he cared about her.

What he did not know was that his drowsiness was being caused by the same person who had put everyone else to sleep. Hovering up above the trees there sat the evil fairy, Rita Skeeter. As Ron yawned yet again Rita laughed in triumph. If Ron could not reach the castle, Princess Hermione would never wake up and all would be lost in the kingdom of Hogsmeade. The evil fairy watched from above as Ron, getting more tired by the minute, rested against a nearby tree. He was nearing the castle now but was far too weary to go any farther at the moment. As Rita saw him close his eyes, she cackled and flew off, back to the castle, her castle.

Rita was too happy to notice any glitch in her plan. This mistake came in the form of three helpful fairies, coming ever closer to the sleeping prince. Molly was the first to reach Ron and she gasped in surprise to see what state he was in. She quickly beckoned her two friends to come closer.

"Minerva, Arabella, we have a slight problem. I think our dear Ronald has fallen asleep on the job!" Molly landed safely and bent to try and wake the sleeping prince. "My poor dear, are you all right?" Ron said nothing.

"Molly, the boy is obviously not going to respond. There's been a spell put on him." Minerva stated.

"We're just going to have to do a counter spell then. He needs to wake up. We can't leave him like this!" Molly countered, looking sadly at the young man.

"We'll think of something other than a magical remedy. I want to help him just as much as you do but Minerva was right. It's against fairy law to help a prince with magic, during a quest. However, it never said we had to let him mess up completely. I fail to see a part of the law that states anything about helping him in non-magic ways." Arabella grinned as she pointed to a nearby well. "Molly, fly over there and bring back a bucket of water. I have a plan." And so, Molly followed directions and flew to where her friend was pointing. She quickly grabbed the bucket that was sitting nearby and let it down into the well. When she pulled it back up, it was full with crystal clear water. When she returned, Arabella smiled and took the bucket.

"Oh Arabella, you aren't going to do what I think you are! He's not going to like being woken up that way!" Minerva scolded, though there was a tone of amusement in her voice.

"What else do you propose Minerva? We have to help and this is the fastest way, though I'm not too sure Ron will be happy that he's soaking wet when he wakes up." Arabella shrugged, smiling, and quickly tipped the bucket over, pouring the water out onto Ron. It took half a second for Ron to sit up in surprise and stare at his, now saturated, clothing.

"What did you do that for! I was having a pleasant dream and you went and ruined it by trying to drown me!"

Standing behind Arabella and Molly, Minerva whispered, "What did I tell you? Now he's sore with us." She did not intend for Ron to hear, but he had.

"Of course I'm sore with you! You dumped a bucket of water on me! Who are you three anyway?"

"We," Molly started, stepping forward, "are three fairies who live in this kingdom. We gave the princess blessings at her birth and we're here to help you get a move on with finding your true love." She waited for an answer from Ron but he could only stare blankly at them.

In a second, he was blushing and he said in a whisper, "So, you three know about Rose?" The fairies exchanged looks but did not say anything to Ron. "Oh, you three must believe I'm supposed to marry the awful princess who lives here." He said, motioning to the castle in the distance, with a dripping hand.

"Yes, we mean that young lady and she is in no way awful." Minerva said. As Ron began to protest, she stopped him. "You may not say anything foul about her. Just come with us and don't complain." Feeling it was smarter to listen to them and follow along, Ron stood, brushing the wet dirt off of his clothing and trying to dry out his sopping wet hair.

"Here, let me help you with that dear." Molly said, motioning for Ron to step closer. He took a furtive look at the fairy and did as she said. With a flick of her wand, he was dry, though his hair still stuck up in odd places. "Ah, that's much better. Come along. We can only walk you to the castle walls, then you're on your own dear." Ron sighed, nodded, and followed the three fairies. It was going to be a long day.

* * * *

Up in the highest tower where the princess slept, Rita watched from the same window Molly had been observing. She scowled as she watched the three fairies far down below help the prince awaken. Those three would ruin her plan! It wasn't fair that they got to help him.

"Well," Rita said with an evil laugh, "two can play this game!" And with a swish of her wand, thick coils of vines grew over the castle walls, making a small forest of impenetrable vines. The prince would not be successful this time!

"See if you can get through that! Those three can't help him using their magic so all will be lost and then, then I will be victorious! You go girl!" Rita grinned, pushed her glasses farther up the bridge of her nose, and took out a strange pen. After taking out a piece of paper, she placed the tip of the pen vertical to the parchment and smiled.

"Let's see, for the first issue of the Rita Skeeter Chronicle, I should put an article all about me and how I became queen! Ok, let's test my wonderful pen! Rita Skeeter is the queen of Hogsmeade." On the paper, in tiny scrawl, the pen began to write 'The magnificently beautiful and wonderfully talented author, Rita Skeeter, has the pleasure of gracing the peasants of Hogsmeade with her presence as queen, and might I say she makes one lovely lady in that crown of hers.'

"Oh beautifully done! This is going to be a lot of fun!" And with that, the pen began to write the first article of the first issue of the Rita Skeeter Chronicle.

* * * *

Finally, the four travelers reached the gates of the castle, their mouths gaping at what stood before them. "What happened?" Ron asked, glaring at the thick green vines which now stood covering what was once the gate of the beautiful castle in Hogsmeade.

"Rita." The three fairies stated in unison. Arabella proceeded to explain to Ron, who was looking quite confused, all about Rita Skeeter and how she was trying to stop him from reaching Hermione.

"We're very sorry Ronald dear," Molly said, "but you'll have to get through this on your own. We can't help you anymore."

"But, I don't even have a sword! How am I supposed to get through this?" He shouted, looking helplessly at the three fairies before him. It looked as if he wasn't going to be able to see Rose after all. Molly gave Minerva a pleading look which Minerva countered with a glare.

In a whisper, she told Molly exactly why she was glaring. "It's the law Molly! We can't use magic to help him. You must accept this. He has to figure it out himself!"

"But he doesn't even have a sword Minerva! Can't we just give the poor dear a sword? That isn't using too much magic. It will only require a calling spell!"

"All right, all right. I'll do it." Rolling her eyes and taking out her wand, which she felt had been used far too much recently, she formed a circle of green smoke in the air and said in a clear voice, "sword," before bringing down her wand. In a second, a gleaming silver blade hovered in front of the prince.

"Thank you. You three have been a big help. I'll find Rose first then I'll go and try to help that princess of yours." Molly was grinning, and bursting to tell him the revelation about Rose, but was successfully stopped by Minerva who put her hand on Molly's shoulder.

"Now is not the time. He'll figure it out soon enough." And to Ron she said, "Good luck. Perhaps we will see you again."

And before Ron could say anything else, the fairies were gone. Turning back toward the vines, Ron sighed and lifted the sword he had received. Hoping the vines were not too thick, he swung the sword and hit the nearest branch. He stood back in shock. The green plant seemed to melt away at the swords touch. Smiling, and with more energy, he began to swing at anything green in his reach. Soon, he would be in the castle and be able to find Rose.

Once the vines directly in front of him were cleared, and he could see the courtyard inside the castle, he put the sword in his belt and stepped in. He looked around in confusion as he entered. Everyone inside seemed to be sleeping, and the sun was still up in the sky. He ventured into the barn to see if perhaps, Rose had fallen asleep while milking the cows. He passed by Elizabeth, who rested her head against her calf's hind leg, and found himself more confused when he saw that the cow was also asleep. Not finding Rose in the barn, he left and began to head for the garden.

Once surrounded by the tall trees and brightly colored flowers, he found the situation less confusing, and quite more odd. Perhaps this was a spell put on the entire castle. It would make sense but Ron could not understand why putting a castle full of people and animals would help anything. As he was walking down the third row of flowers, he spotted someone he knew.

It was Harry.

But he wasn't the only one there. Ron smiled and tried not to laugh when he saw Virginia, and his best friend, in a somewhat cozy position. If only there was some way to capture the moment. (Ah, what would the world be like with out cameras…) Remembering why he came into the garden in the first place, Ron moved out of the garden and headed for the castle itself.

He had a strange feeling that she would be up somewhere high. He followed the first set of stairs he found and walked up quite a ways until he reached the top, hoping this would be where Rose was resting.

* * * *

Rita had finished the first article of her magnificent newspaper and was now looking down at her courtyard. She smiled and thought about the type of plants she would put in the entranceway. As she was thinking of this, however, she spotted a red headed figure rushing down the cobblestone pathway in the garden, toward the castle.

"No! This can't be happening! Why won't he just die? He is ruining all my fun! I will find a way to stop him. He can't get past me. I will not fail. I can't. I want to be queen!" She whined, taking her wand out once again and boarding up the door to Hermione's tower, adding locks and bolts. "He will not win. I am never giving up my throne." With that, she huffed in anger and sat on a chair near to the princess's bed.

* * * *

Ron raced to the first door he found and stopped dead when he saw how many locks there were.

"Whoever this Rita person is must really not want me to go here. I bet this is where Rose is lying. A few locks and boards aren't going to stop my sword and I!"

Pulling his sword from his belt, he quietly touched the tip to the locks, which melted away, much like the vines had. As soon as he had rid himself of Rita's magical locks, he opened the door. There, sitting in front of him, was not Rose, but someone else. She even looked annoying. With her horn rimmed glasses and a pen scribbling across a piece of parchment, Ron realized that he wouldn't want to meet this person on the street. Ron cleared his throat.

"Excuse me, but I-"

"You!" Rita looked up and glared at Ron. "What are you doing in here? How did you get past my locks?"

"Oh, so you're this Rita person aren't you? My name's Ron, and you're in my way. If you could just give up and leave me alone. You're really no good at magic."

Rita gasped in shock. "How dare you say that! I'm wonderful at magic. I can prove it to you. Watch." Rita walked over to stand next to, a very skeptical, Ron and showed him the parchment she had been writing on. "Rita knows magic." Again, the pen began to move along the page writing, 'Rita Skeeter, the lovely fairy standing next to the gangly young man with messy hair, is simply wonderful at magic. So there!'

Ron rolled his eyes. "That doesn't prove anything, and you are really starting to annoy me so please move." When Rita straightened her shoulders and planted her hands on her hips, Ron sighed and stuck his sword out, hitting Rita's pen.

"No! That's my source of power! How did you know that? I'm ruined! Ruined! I'll get you back someday you little brat!" And with that, the pen melted to the floor and Rita began to shrink. Ron nonchalantly took a glass from the side of Hermione's bed and covered the tiny Rita before moving around her to face the princess.

"Rose?" he asked coming closer and kneeling next to the bed. "Wake up Rose, please. I have something very important that I need to tell you."

"She won't wake up my dear." Ron turned to see Molly, looking at him with twinkling eyes. "I would like you to meet Princess Hermione."

After a moment in which Ron became very confused and did not see anyone other than Rose in the room, he voiced his confusion in a statement that was very profound.

"Huh?" He looked around him. "There isn't anyone here. What are you talking about?" Molly stepped forward and sat on the end of Hermione's bed.

"My dear, this is Hermione."

Ron gave Molly a withered look. "This is not your princess. This is Rose. Now, if you would please tell me how to wake her up."

"Ronald, you must understand that this is Hermione. Hermione is Rose. She's been hiding her identity from you, much like you have from her. She didn't want to tell you she was a princess."

"Yeah, sure. Good joke. Now if you could just tell me-"

"Prince Ronald, you must listen to her. She is telling the truth. This is Rose, and it is Hermione. They are the same person." Minerva said, entering the room as well.

Ron looked at the two fairies with an expression that told them he thought they must be insane but he went along with it. "Ok, so, let's say you're telling the truth. Then, I'd be marrying Rose?" A smile spread across his face for a mere second before he cleared his throat and became serious again.

"We are telling the truth and you are marrying Rose. Ronald, what would we get by lying to you?" Minerva asked logically. He thought about it for a second, but was unable to think of anything. He looked back at Rose, or rather, at Hermione and he narrowed his eyebrows for a second, not willing to believe that it was the truth.

"For now, I believe you. I mean, after all, I can ask Ro-Hermione when she wakes up. Now, the problem is, I'm not sure of how I'm supposed to actually do that. How do I make her wake up?"

Molly, Minerva, and Arabella (who had walked into the room soon enough to hear where the conversation was going) exchanged grins which made Ron a little scared.

"Well, dear, you see, the spell put on Hermione was a rather awkward one. You have to," but she couldn't get out the answer because she began to giggle like a school girl when she thought about it.

Minerva rolled her eyes. "I suppose I have to be the one who's mature enough to tell you. The spell put on her was harsh. It said she would die by pricking her finger on a spinning needle. However, this was changed and softened by Arabella." She motioned to the fairy standing near her. "You did make the change. Would you like to tell him?"

"Oh will you three get on with it? I really have something terribly important to tell her and you all are wasting my time!" Ron shouted, shocking the three fairies.

"Calm down Ron, I'll tell you. The princess fell into a deep sleep, causing the rest of the castle's beings to fall asleep with her, and she can only be woken up, by true loves first kiss."

Ron turned white and looked at Hermione. "Hold on, you mean, I have to…I can't!"

"Oh Ron, don't be a baby. Of course you can. It's not that hard. All you have to do is lean down and kiss her." Arabella said plainly. "It's not as if you have to fight a giant fire breathing dragon. It's only a kiss."

"Only a kiss?" Ron said, now running his hand through his hair. "Only a kiss…and, wait a second. What if I'm not her true love?"

"Don't worry dear, you are." Molly said, now cured of the giggles.

Ron paled and looked at Hermione again. "Only a kiss…" He glared back up at the three fairies. "You don't think I'm going to do it while you're here do you?" Molly looked hurt, Minerva sighed, and Arabella smiled.

"Come you two. He's right. We should leave him alone." Minerva said, turning and going through the door. Arabella followed.

"Ron dear," Molly said, looking up at him (he was quite a lot taller), "remember to invite me to the wedding." With that, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him with all her might.

"Uh, I'll remember to do that for you Molly." Ron said, blushing and taking a deep breath as he saw Molly leave the room. They were right. It was only a kiss. It wasn't that hard. And besides, it should be very easy to do this. He cared about Hermione a lot didn't he?

"You're going to be fine Ron. You're going to be fine." He said to himself, standing over Hermione's bed. He sighed and shook his head. "Why did it have to be a kiss? Never mind, I'm going to do this."

Determined not to let his nerves get the best of him, he kneeled down next to her bed again, and closing his eyes, leaned in closer. And suddenly, he knew that what Arabella said was totally wrong. It wasn't just a kiss. This was the kiss. This was what he was meant to do, and Hermione was the person he was meant to do this with. It was like putting the last piece of a puzzle in place. Everything suddenly made sense. Nothing mattered except for the fact that he was kissing her. And then, it was over.

He moved away from Hermione and waited. If Molly was wrong, if he wasn't her 'true love', she wouldn't wake up, and if he was…Ron grinned…if he was her true love, all would be right with the world. What seemed like forever was no more than a few seconds. Hermione's eyes flickered open, filling with the sight of Ron, leaning over her, a worried expression on his face.

"Ron! You're here. Where's that old lady? Has she taken over the castle? Is my father ok? What's been going on? Is everything all right? What are you doing here? Did-"

"Whoa, Hermione calm down. Everything is fine. I don't know about the lady you were rambling about but no one has taken over the castle. I've never met your father but I'm sure he's waking up right about now. A lot has happened and I'm not the only one with explaining to do."

"Wait, how did you know my name was Hermione?"

"It's a long story, but I know about everything; you being a princess and being Rose, at the same time. Three very special ladies told me all about you."

"So," Hermione smiled and sat up taller in her bed, "you know about the arranged marriage?"

"Yeah." Ron laughed. "I guess that means you're stuck with me now."

Hermione laughed and smiled fondly at him. "You know Ron, that isn't an entirely bad thing."

"Oh really…" Ron's reply faded out as Hermione leaned in and kissed him. She pulled away and smiled at the expression on his face. "I'm going to like getting used to that." Laughing, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug. She was definitely going to enjoy being married.

The End

A/N: Oh my goodness, I'm done! *cheers* I'm so happy! Now, if you all want it, I'll make an epilogue. If you don't want it, I'll make an epilogue anyway and forget you. I just want to say thanks to everyone who's seen me through this fic and not given up on me because of my (sad and pathetic) timing of the posts. It's been a long trip from chapter one to chapter seven and you reviewers deserve credit for putting up with me. Thanks a million! Also, a giant thanks to Amanda for reading the story and checking to make sure the mistakes I make don't get into the final version. I love you all for supporting me!! It makes me proud to know you guys like my stories! *hugs* That's it for now. Catch you in the next fic! ~Addy