A/N: What follows is an extremely short chapter because it actually belongs tacked-on to the last chapter I posted. Personally, though, I find this one much more scrumptious a read because there's plenty Ron/Hermione goodness to go 'round…and 'round, and 'round :)

Ginny's advice had been simple. "Tell her when it feels right," she had said, "don't disguise it with frills and presents; those are the things you do to remind her you love her. When you tell her for the first time, let it be from your heart. It can't get any better than that." She'd made me feel infinitely better as I'd been worrying about how I should tell you for months, now. In a way I didn't doubt that you already knew how I felt, but I also knew that hearing the words said would only solidified my feelings. I think that what made me most afraid wasn't the part where I told you how I feel, it was the part right after, where you would theoretically respond with "I love you too." My greatest fear was that you wouldn't say it back, not because saying it would be expected, but because it would mean that you didn't actually feel what I felt for you. The knowledge that you didn't love me back even an ounce of how much I loved you would be unbearable for me. I guess I needn't worry so much because deep down I knew that you loved me. I mean, if you were actually crazy enough to date me, there was a strong possibility that you'd lost sense enough to actually fall in love with me. The truth was, Harry teased me about this every day, but I actually wondered whether or not it was true. What could have possibly attracted you to me? We were friends, and as friends we'd been perfect. I had wanted more for years, but then it was you we were talking about. How could I not have fallen in love with you? How could you ever have fallen in love with me?

I wasn't at dinner that night, having instead opted to sulk in my room. Harry would no doubt come looking for me soon, as it wasn't really like me to miss a meal. In fact, I knew I'd be regretting this when my stomach began crying out for food in the middle of the night. I never expected it to be you who would walk into the boys' dormitory, however. You looked pale, your face strained. My first thought went to Harry, and I got up abruptly from my place on the floor, at the foot of my bed.

"What's wrong, is everyone all right?" I asked, the colour probably draining from my own face as I asked the question.

"What? Oh, everyone's fine!" you reassured me at once when you realized what I'd been thinking. "That's not it, I, well that is," you faltered, and I looked at you, a puzzled expression playing over my face. "Do you think we should stop seeing each other?" Your voice was shaking, as you asked the question, but it didn't even compare to the way my entire body, right down to my heart, had begun trembling. I felt myself slide back down to the floor, too stunned to do or say anything.

"I—is that what you want?" I looked up to meet your gaze, and saw unshed tears glistening there.

"No," you answered, "but isn't it what you want?" You sat in front of me, keeping your distance I noticed. Your question took me entirely by surprise. How could you ask that? How could you even think that?

"Where did you ever get that idea?" I asked, getting on my knees in front of you. A lone drop slid down your cheek, and I longed to catch it with my thumb and sweep it away with my lips.

"You've been acting so distant, lately, and you weren't at dinner tonight, and that's not like you. I just, it's almost as though you've been avoiding me, and I hate it, Ron. I hate it. If there's something you need to tell me, just tell me. If there's something bothering you, then just come out with it. I mean it, Ron, I don't like—"

"I love you." I hadn't expected the words to leave my mouth, but then I thought of what Ginny had said, how I should just speak from the heart and not disguise my words with gifts and frills. This was as honest as it could get, my kneeling on the cold floor, in the middle of the boys' dormitory, and you looking at me as though I'd just grown another head.

"What did you just say?" You asked incredulously, a smile playing over your eyes as another tear rolled down your cheek. I didn't hesitate this time, and wiped it away with a sweep of my thumb, pressing my lips to your temple and taking in the smell of your hair.

"I said that I love you, Hermione." It felt as though a giant weight had been lifted off my chest as I said the words again, and I took a deep breath. "I love you, and I've been going out of my head trying to tell you all this time, because the truth was that I was scared. How could I tell you how I felt, how I've probably always felt? It scares the hell out of me that I could care so much about someone and not know how that person—"

"I love you too." I heard you say the words, and I couldn't help the smile that crept over my face. Anyone could have walked into the room, but I didn't care. I closed what little distance there was between our lips and swept you in my arms. Had we been standing, I don't doubt that the desire to spin you around the room would have taken over.

"Say it again," I looked into your eyes, my heart swelling.

"I love you, Ronald Weasley," you said, and my world was finally complete.