Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's note: Thank you Alayna, StRaWbErRiEs AnD BlUeBeRrIeS, Evie Jasmyne, Emily, WinterButterfly, and powerpetal for all the reviews! They keep me writing. Hope you like this chapter.

Chapter 4

As the sun melted behind the rising stars and the breeze crept slowly to bed, Professor Hermione Granger headed off toward the Quidditch field. Hogwarts stood like a giant amongst aunts, peering down with watchful eyes. Hermione never felt scared or alone wandering through Hogwarts' grassland. There was something comforting about the giant that stood behind her, something that made her feel as if she was protected.

Gliding slowly toward the pitch, she wondered what she was about to say and do. She was certain for one thing: she could not wear her heart on her sleeve. She could not let Ron see any emotion escape her, except her anger toward him on behalf of her students.

Preparing herself for the worst she stepped onto the field, but no one was in sight. "Ron?" she called out. No one answered.

Turning around, she was about to head back, relieved. However, as she looked up into the night sky, she saw him. He was soaring, twisting, and looping through the air like he had no care in the world.

"Ron!" she yelled out. "Weasley!" But he didn't stop. This continued for about three minutes until Hermione understood that her effort to get his attention would not work by yelling.

As she looked to her right, she saw a pile of broomsticks lying on the grass. Grabbing one, Hermione took off from the ground and attempted to get Ron's attention. She was waving her hands in the air and yelling his name, but he was too distracted to notice.

Hermione was starting to get annoyed. She had not come up here to play tag.

Then she had an idea. "Why had I not thought of this before?" she wondered, hitting herself on the head with her hand.

Pulling her wand out of her cloak, she fired gold flares into the sky. Ahhh HA! He had seen them. He turned around to look at the flares, not noticing where he was flying. He was diving toward Hermione, head still turned.

"Oh, good Ron, now you get the idea," she said out loud, nodding to herself.

Ron was still looking back to see where the flares had come from.

"Ron! Ron, you're getting too close. Ron, turn around! Ronnnnn!!!"

But it was too late, as Ron's head whipped around in midair he collided with Hermione and she fell from her broom.

When his brain acknowledged the situation he dived as fast as he could to reach her. "Come on…come on!" he yelled to himself.

The sun was gone causing low visibility and the only light was from the specks in the sky and the bold moon that was covered by a patch of clouds.

The flares continue to shoot from her wand as he raced to her, creating an obstacle course for him to dodge in and out of.

"Hermioneeeee!"

Bang!

They had both reached the ground with a loud thud. Movement ceased and the darkness swamped over them. There they lay, peacefully. Hermione's head on Ron's chest and Ron's arms grasping her tightly; but neither seemed to realize their state because neither was conscious.