A/N: Hey guys!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Yes yes, it's that time of year once again! And so, as my present to you all, I'm going to upload not one but TWO chapters!! Because I love you all! I'm sure that the fact that the two chapters go hand in hand has nothing to do with this decision!! Hahaha…Anyway, I hope you all enjoy, this is my favorite part, personally, and keep reviewing!! Please! Or else! I'll be forced to sit and think of something threatening! And me thinking is not a pretty sight…

Disclaimer: Hell no! I don't own no Harry Potter! (if you noticed, I used a double negative, technically meaning that I do indeed claim to own Harry Potter…) No!!! Just kidding!!! I wish. Seriously I do. That would be awesome! If any of you know where I could possibly buy Harry Potter and all his friends, please tell me, I would really really appreciate it! Plus, it would get me one step closer to reaching world domination…

Oops! Did I just say that out loud?? Anywhoozle, carry on! You'd all better love this part of the story or else you have no heart!!! Hehe, strange mood I'm in today…

Chapter twenty-three

Discovering Divulgence

Ron walked over to the table and sat down in Hermione's empty seat, knocking over her shoes. He picked them up and held them in his lap, confused. He looked at Harry, too afraid to even glance at Ginny in her current state.

"Harry, what did Lavender do?" he asked hesitantly.

"Well Ron, she completely screwed things up for you and Hermione...she lead her to believe that you were, well, using her, since you hadn't asked her to be your girlfriend and whatnot...Hermione's pretty upset, you'd better go find her," Harry finished quickly.

Ron didn't even stay to ask which direction she took off in, he just dashed for the door. Harry silently wished him luck, he knew this would be difficult...

Ron ran outside and onto the lawn. He ran for ten minutes, not even aware of the shoes still in his hand. After the ten minutes he stopped, out of breath. He had no idea where she could have possibly been. He had stopped by the lake, and walked over to look in the water. He could see the squid swimming around the bottom.

Hey, giant squid, have you seen Hermione? You know, that incredible 6th year, with the beautiful eyes and long brown hair who's likely to hate me for the rest of my life? Has she perhaps jumped in to join you? Ron thought to himself, and possibly to the squid as well. Ron sighed and was about to sit down when he heard a soft cry. He quietly followed the noise until he reached the edge of the forbidden forest. He saw Hermione slumped down at the foot of a tree, her head buried in her knees. He silently sat down next to her and put her shoes on the ground next to him.

"Hermione..."

She looked up at him, her eyes red from crying. She really hoped that he did love her, even though she believed every word Lavender had said...

Ron sat down next to her. He pulled her hands away from her knees and held them in his. He pushed her hair away from her face, and he could see just a hint of a smile hidden on her face.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"Hermione, I-well, I guess I didn't want to say this before, because I wasn't sure of how you felt about me, but then this morning I heard you downstairs with my sister, I heard you talking, and I thought it was too good to be true, I was so happy, and...well, Hermione Granger, I like you. I like you very much… No, wait. Hermione Granger...I-"

He paused for a second, he was distracted by the grin spreading across her face, it was so pretty-

"I love you very much."

Ron could feel relief take over him like warm water on ice. He felt so much better now that he had confessed. His heartbeat was accelerating steadily.

Hermione wasn't sure what to do with herself, so she stayed silent as she processed all of this. He loves me, he loves me, is he serious? What, of course he's serious, he wouldn't joke about something like that... She was almost too involved in her thoughts to notice the look of concern in Ron's eyes. She couldn't see him like that, he had to know that she loved him too. She couldn't hurt him in any way, anymore. But the words she planned on saying didn't seem to come out, because she suddenly found herself kissing him overpoweringly.

Ron couldn't believe it, this was one of the best moments of his life, along with the broom closet, and waking up next to her, and sleeping in the common room, and...when he thought about it, all of the best moments he could remember involved Hermione. It was a very comforting thought, to know that she was such a prominent part of his life, that she was always there, that he couldn't live without her...he couldn't live without her. Not one day. He suddenly pulled away from Hermione's lips and looked her straight in the eyes. Hermione listened apprehensively.

"Hermione, will you be mine? Will you be my girlfriend?"

Hermione's eyes lit up as though they reflected the rising sun. He finally asked her, and it was the best feeling in the world.

"Yes," she whispered. This time they watched each other peacefully. Ron thought she had never been more beautiful. Hermione tilted her head to the side as she looked at Ron in the moonlight. He looked so cute with his shy grin and his shining eyes. She leaned in to kiss him again, this time equally passionate yet more relaxed and steady. She suddenly noticed that her feet were cold, so she slid them under Ron's legs hoping he wouldn't notice, since they happened to be kissing. Ron did notice though, so he stopped, chuckled a little, then reached for her shoes and slipped them back on her feet like he had earlier. She suddenly felt him swoop her up into his arms. He kissed her lightly once more, then carried her off towards the castle, Hermione giggling dizzily all the way.

He carried her all the way back to the entrance hall, and they both had the biggest grins on their faces. As soon as he set her down, he asked her for their first dance. Hermione graciously accepted, and they made their way to the middle of the dance floor. Lavender and Parvati were sulking in the corner, still in their soaking wet dresses. If they went back upstairs, they wouldn't have anything to change into, so they wouldn't be able to come back down; after a little while this idea didn't seem too bad to Parvati. But Lavender refused to leave. She was still determined...

Harry saw the two of them return and felt a little relieved that they were okay, but now he was worried about Ginny. Where had she gone off to? She had gone to look for Hermione but hadn't come back. Harry decided to wait a few minutes to see if she would return, but the minutes seemed to pass like hours for him.