Grave Revelation

By Redd Butterfly

Disclaimer: Not my character.

A/N  Sorry this took so long to get posted. School started up again Monday, and school work's priority over writing.

Chapter 8: "I'd rather die..."

"Okay," said Mr. Weasley standing up. "I guess we'd better go. Maybe we'd all feel better after a good night's sleep."

Everyone stood up—the Weasleys to leave and the Grangers to escort them to the fireplace, which was only a few feet away.

As his family queued in front of the fireplace, Ron made sure to be at the end of the line. Although it was quite late, Ron didn't want to leave—not until he knew for sure that Hermione was all right.

But he knew he had to. He did promise Harry that he'd owl him about what happened. Also, he needed time to think.

Ever since the moment he stepped forward and gave Hermione that hug at Kings Cross, Ron felt that something had changed between them. And after today's events, he was now certain that something did change. All in a span of a few hours, Ron admitted to himself that he loved Hermione and gave her hints about how he felt. In that same time span, Hermione gave him hints about how she felt. Now Ron needed time to think about what he was going to do next.

So, without any further hesitation, he stepped into the fireplace and made his way back to his home using Floo powder.

When he landed, he rushed out of the fireplace and ran up to his room. There, he walked towards his desk, sat on his chair, grabbed a quill and a sheet of parchment, and began to write:

            Harry,

Everything's fine now. Hermione was really worried about Voldemort and what her parents' reaction would be once they found out about it, so she didn't tell them anything.

But everything's settled now. We asked Mum and Dad to talk to them. So don't worry. We'll still be a trio once school starts.

Ron

After sending the letter off with Pig, Ron plopped down on his bed and began to think. But instead of thinking about the future—about what he was going to do with the situation with Hermione—he thought about the past.

In his mind, he relived every moment he defended or helped Hermione. But no matter how disgusting, dangerous, or life-threatening these moments were, he couldn't help but smile.

He realized that he liked being the one defending and helping her. In fact, it was one of the few things he was proud of about himself. Belching up slugs, detentions, bruises, bloody noses, sleepless nights, spiders—he'd go through all of them again and again if it meant that she'll be all right.

With the grave revelation that any of them may die at any time, he didn't want to wait any longer. He had to tell her how he felt right then and now.

Ron got out of bed, straightened his shirt, and walked down as quietly as he could; all the while praying that Hermione was still in her living room. (He didn't know which bedroom was hers.)

For the third time that day, Ron stepped into the fireplace to get to Hermione's house.

~ * ~

When Ron landed, he immediately checked the couches if Hermione was still there and gave a silent sigh of relief when he saw her lying on the large couch. She looked exactly as she did when he first entered the Granger household, down to the opened Hogwarts, A History laying on her stomach.

He slowly and quietly walked up to her but stopped when she suddenly stirred, stood up, and turned to faced him. When she stood, she didn't realize how close she was to him, and her sudden about-face brought her even closer—she looking up and Ron looking down. Regaining some composure, Ron took a step back.

"Sorry, Hermione," he said, smiling. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Hermione let out a breath with her hand on her chest.

"So.... How long will that," she pointed at the fireplace, "Be connected to the Floo Network?"

"I'm not really sure. Why?"

"Because I want to find out how long you'll keep startling me by popping in here unannounced," she replied good-heartedly. Then she looked at her watch. "It's eleven, Ron. Aren't you tired?"

"Not really," Ron replied, his face getting serious.

"Something on your mind?"

"Well, sort of."

"Do I need to sit down for this," Hermione asked jokingly, trying to get Ron to lighten up. He must have missed the humor in her tone because he took her seriously.

"Why not? I think I need to sit down as well." He did so. Hermione sat next to him. She was getting nervous now, so she kept quiet as Ron spoke, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Do you remember when I said that I'd rather die knowing that I did something than live the rest of my live regretting that I didn't?"

"Yeah...."

"Well, anything can happen when we get back to school, and I don't want any regrets."

Ron saw Hermione's mouth open. She was going to say something, but Ron couldn't let her. He had to keep going before he lost his nerve.

"No. Please, Hermione let me finish." Ron breathed in.

"Do you remember, when we were in the kitchen, I asked you something?"

Hermione was now too nervous to speak so she simply nodded.

"Well, you...you said yes." Nervousness must be contagious because Ron started getting a mild case of it. But he sucked in a breath and continued. "Is that still your answer?"

~ * ~

Somehow, seeing Ron so nervous helped me to relax a little. He just looked so adorable sitting there, trembling as he talked, that I had to spend a few more seconds watching him. Then his question finally registered in my mind.

Is that still my answer?

Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes. Of course, I wasn't voicing this out...yet. I'll just wait a couple more seconds—make him wait a bit. I mean, it did take him four years to finally realize I was a girl.

So I made him wait in silence as I stared at his face and concentrated really hard in keeping my face straight.

And after a few intense seconds, I realized that that wasn't such a good idea.

~ * ~

Ron suddenly stood up. After a short pause, in which he decided where to go, he quickly walked into the kitchen and stopped when he reached the dish-filled sink.

He knew he shouldn't have left like that, but he couldn't stay another second in that room with Hermione. Maybe he was too confident. Maybe he set his hopes a little too high. He expected her to say yes and cry and throw her arms around him and kiss him back as he kissed her.

But silence? He did not expect that. With each beat, he heard his heart breaking. With each second, he felt his life melting away.

He had to get away from her.

Behind him, the kitchen door swung open and footsteps made their way over and stopped a few feet away.

He already knew who it was. Who else could it be? That's why he didn't want to turn around. Instead, he grabbed the sponge and started washing the plate on top of the pile.

"Ron?" Hermione sounded cautious. Ron winced. Her voice was not something he wanted to hear now. He didn't want to hear her rejection, explanation, or apology. Everything was getting too much for him, and his eyes started getting teary.

"Ron, I'm sorry. I--"

"Wait." Ron swallowed the lump that formed in his throat, but continued scrubbing. "Look, don't be. I understand. I mean, I don't understand. But I'll try to.

~ * ~

"I mean, here I am asking to kiss you when I never actually told you how I feel. I just...I thought you knew. I thought I didn't have to say it."

Ron just kept talking—talking about getting his hopes up and apologizing in several different ways for several different things. He must have scrubbed that same plate for five minutes now.

"...and if you want to forget about any of this, forget about today, I'm fine with that. Just...just please don't stop being my friend."

"Are you done?" I asked mock impatience.

"Sorry." Then Ron did something that caught me a little of guard: He sniffed.

"Ron, are you...are you crying?" I ran up to him and turned him around so fast that he dropped the plate, making it fly to the floor and break into tiny pieces. At first, we just stared at those pieces, and then he leaned against the counter and looked at anything but me. But he couldn't hide the tears falling down his face or his red, watery eyes.

"Oh, Ron...." I put my hands against his face and wiped away his tears, just as he had done for me earlier. "Look at me."

He shook his head, eyes stuck to the window at the far left corner. I was getting really impatient now. Ron could be so stubborn. He doesn't want to look at me? Fine! I'll make him.

I suddenly placed my hands behind his neck and pulled him down, giving me a hard kiss on his lips.

At first, he didn't respond. But, he did look at me, eyes wide in shock.

As I was closing my eyes, I saw that he was closing his too, and he began responding to my kiss. As soon as he did so, our rough, one-sided kiss turned into a soft and sweet kiss shared by two. Every annoyance and impatience disappeared, and I was suddenly brought to a state of blissfulness.

His hand made their way around my waist as our kiss deepened. He then spun us around so that I was against the counter.

I suddenly heard soft footsteps from beyond the kitchen door and pulled away.

"Hide," I whispered to Ron.

"What?"

"Get down." I pushed Ron down so he was ducking behind the kitchen's center counter. And as soon as he was hidden, Daddy bursts into the kitchen holding up a golf club.

"Hermione?!" He let out a sigh and put the club down. "It's all right Susan, it's just Hermione," he said turning behind him. Then back to me, "What on earth are you doing?"

"Washing the dishes," I said, trying to sound as casually as possible.

"Then what was that noise we—Oh my god, is that my good china?!" Mum yelled as she pointed at the shattered pieces on the floor.

"Sorry Mum. I dropped it when I was...dancing. Sorry."

"Sweep the pieces up, young lady, and then get to bed. We'll take care of the dishes tomorrow. Right now, you need your rest."

"Yes, Daddy." With that, Daddy grabbed Mum and headed back out. As they left, I heard Daddy saying, "It's ok, dear, it's just a dish. We'll get a whole new set tomorrow."

When I heard their footsteps disappear, I walked towards the door and opened it slightly, just to make sure they were really gone.

I felt Ron come behind me and felt he warm breathe on my ear as he said, "That was too close."

"Yeah...." I turned around and hugged him. He hugged me back.

"You have to go now," I said after pulling away shortly.

"But I can help you sweep--"

"I know my dad. He'll come back down after he calms Mum and help me."

Before he could say anything else, I grabbed his hand and quickly led him to the fireplace.

He took some Floo Powder and threw them into the flames. Then he stepped in. But before he said his destination, he said—

"I love you."

"I know." We heard Daddy coming down the stairs. We quickly leaned forward for a last kiss. "I love you, too. Now go!" I whispered.

"The Burrow!" Ron said a little louder than I had hoped he would.

"What was that?" Daddy asked from the bottom of the stairs.

"What was what?"

"I thought I heard Ron."

"Daddy, you're hearing things. Why would Ron be here at this hour?"

"I could have sworn I--"

"Could you help me sweep up the plate pieces?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. Of course. That's why I came down here. I'll get the brooms." Then he turned towards the kitchen.

Phew! Too close indeed.

The End

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Please review. Thanks for reading. ~ Redd