DISCLAIMER: I don't own ANY of It. Damn Shame. (. Well, that being said I can feel all important and do this. A/N: Hee Hee, I'm an author. Ok, you all want a happy ending with another chapter. Here's another chapter, and I guess it depends on your perspective as to whether or not it's happy.

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She was sleeping. Her pain was not by a long stretch gone, but it was an unconscious pain, one that she could feel in the pit of her stomach, through to the bottom of her broken heart, and throughout her weary worn out body. But right now, she was asleep.

Hermione did not dream. She had cried herself to sleep, still lying on Ron's chest. She was awakened by the curious sound of a cackle and footsteps. She opened her eyes to see what had woken her, but her eyes traveled no farther than Ron's face. When she could see again, after the torrent of tears had passed, she glanced about for the source of the noise. She must have imagined it, because there was nothing there.

Hermione finally realized that there were others that cared about Ron and they should be notified. She thought of Ginny, Harry, Mrs.Weasley; everyone that would be so heart-broken over Ron. He had touched so many lives; how could they ever bounce back from such a terrible loss?

Just as she laid her head to Ron's to give him one last kiss, she heard more footsteps. This time certain of what she'd heard, she looked up to see Harry, Ginny, and Professor McGonagall running up the steps. Harry and Ginny took one look at Hermione still sprawled over Ron's lifeless form Ginny sank to her knees on the spot, and began to bawl. Harry hurried to Hermione, took her in his arms, and cried with her. Professor McGonagall walked to Ron, and felt for a pulse. She began to question Hermione gently.

"Ms. Granger, what happened?"

Hermione pulled away from Harry and looked at the questioning faces of her friends. She began to explain about the note, the fight, everything she could remember up until she woke up.

"Draco Malfoy did this? I just don't see how. He's just a boy!" Professor McGonagall looked absolutely shocked.

"I'll kill him. Where is he? I'll rip his head of and roll it down a rocky hill into the ocean. Where is the bastard?"

Ginny yelled all of this at the top of her lungs, a menacing glint in her eyes they had never seen. Harry rushed to her, and-like he did for Hermione-took her into his lap and cradled her to him while she cried. He kissed the top of her head and whispered how he'd like to get his hands on Malfoy as well, but they couldn't right a wring with another wrong.

"Well, I expect I should get him to the Hospital Wing until the rest of the Weasleys arrive. Harry, take Ms. Weasley and fetch the Headmaster. Ms. Granger you may come with me."

With this, Harry gently picked Ginny up and walked out with his arm supporting her around her waist. Professor McGonagall raised her wand, and Ron's dead body floated four feet off the ground towards the Hospital Wing. Hermione took a look around the Astronomy Tower, knowing she'd never be able to return here again, before following McGonagall and Ron.

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Ten minutes later, Hermione sat by Ron's bed holding his limp hand, and crying silent tears. She looked up with a vacant, soulless expression on her face when Dumbledore entered the room in front of Harry and Ginny, still linked together with Harry's arm around her waist.

In their minds, Harry and Ginny thought how horrible the blank look in Hermione's eyes was. It was as if she had given up on the thought of ever having a complete life again.

Dumbledore hurried to the bed. He removed a piece of paper from his robes. He turned to Hermione.

"I received this two days ago, and thought that it may have some significance later on, so I did not dispose of it. It came from an anonymous sender, and I believe that it was a one Draco Malfoy. I believe he had this rather terrible act planned for quite some time. I think that he sent me this passage so that I would dispose of it, and later learn that it was just what we needed, therefore, making it out that Mr. Weasley's death was on our heads."

As Dumbledore said this, Hermione read the piece of paper quickly, a light suddenly shining in her eyes. It read:

The counter-spell for the Extremifus phonally Kadvra spell is quite simple, especially considering the complexity of the dark spell that had been performed in order to need the counter-spell. The spell, which means false death, is used so that enemies can bestow it up their target, who is not really dead but only giving the appearance of death, and later reveal that the recipient of the curse was indeed buried when they were alive. If the spell is left upon the cursed for a period of forty-eight hours, death passes from an illusion to reality. It can be undone by using the incantation: Banisha Javra Evile.

"Do you think it will work?" Hermione asked this eagerly, an expression of elation on her face as bright as any anyone had ever seen on her face before.

"Ms. Granger, I believe it is, but I don not know for sure. Please do not get your hopes up."

"They aren't up. No up expectations for me!"

Hermione said this cheerfully, however, and Dumbledore thought it might have been better to have told her after he had said the incantation, in case it hadn't worked.

"Banisha Javra Evile1"

Dumbledore said this as he placed his wand to Ron's heart. Nothing happened. Ron did not stir, or sit up and give them his dopey grin. There was no sign of life whatsoever.

"Maybe it takes a bit to work," Hermione said hopefully.

Harry had been standing, looking thoughtful this whole time, looked up now as if something had just hit him.

"Mione," he started slowly, "Remember that book you got me for Christmas this year? Defense Against the Dark Arts for Incompetant Wizards? Well, this spell was in it, I remember now. The counter-spell is-well it's- Mione, I'm sorry, it's supposed to work immediately."

"You are sure Harry?"

Dumbledore asked him gravely, looking through his half-moon spectacles.

"I don't want to be, but yes, I am 100% sure."

Hermione began to weep again, then nodded, looking determined.

"Fine, then, I'll just have to find a way to go on. Ron would have wanted me to."

Ginny came over then, kneeled next to Hermione, and enveloped her in a bone- crushing hug. They held one another and cried.

"Ginny, I loved him so much. He was my life. Malfoy killed me just as surely as he killed Ron. He must have performed a different spell. I bet he did send that clipping just to get our hopes up."

"Hermione, I'm going to miss him, too. He was my brother for cripe's sake! I loved him more than I ever let him know, but we have to go on. Life has to go on. He wouldn't want us to become shells of the people we were." Harry was watching this exchange with tears in his eyes, but not wanting to interrupt. He spoke then.

"Ginny,. We should owl your parents, and then I'll take you upstairs to bed."

Ginny gave Hermione one last squeeze and nodded, getting up and walking to Harry. They embraced, and remained locked in that stance for quite a while. Despite the pain she was in, Hermione managed a smile as she witnessed the exchange between her friends. They really do care for one another, but why don't they realize it? Hermione thought to herself.

They turned to her after this, and Harry asked,

"Mione, are you coming?"

"No, I'm going to stay here until the Weasleys get here. I don't-I don't want to leave him."

Harry looked as though he were about to comment, but thought better of it, nodded and walked with Ginny out of the room.

Hermione lay with Ron on the bed until nightfall, when she fell asleep there. She dreamed of Ron and the things she had never had with him. She cried in her sleep that night.

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Hermione was awakened by a gentle squeeze to her shoulder. She thought to herself that the Weasleys must be here, but when she opened her eyes, it was still dark. She then turned to see Ron, sitting up in bed. She let out a shriek of joy and flew into his arms.

"RON! Oh, Ron, you're alive!"

She smothered him with kisses, and he returned them eagerly.

"Ron, oh, I thought you were gone for good. I got a not-thought it was form you-Malfoy was there. Oh, but it doesn't matter now, you're alive!"

"Yea, Mione, I'm alive."

They lay in each others arm, Hermione touching and kissing Ron every few seconds to be sure he was there. When at last, they decided they had to, they began to discuss the occurrence of that night.

"Ron, after Malfoy blacked out, what happened?"

"He and I fought, and he cursed me with that curse you all were talking about earlier. I could see and hear everything you were saying and doing. It was like I was floating above, watching everything that happened. I saw you crying, and more than anything, I wanted to tell you that I was fine, don't cry, but I couldn't get my body move. It was horrible. After Malfoy cursed me, he disapparated, and that's the last I saw of him."

Hermione listened up to the end of Ron's story with a look of sadness on her face. At Ron's last words, she smiled and looked frustrated at the same time.

"Ron, it's the most wonderful thing in the world that you've come back to me, but the first thing your going to do when we settle all this business is read Hogwarts: A History. Ron, love, you cannot apparate or disapparate on the Hogwarts campus! Honestly, I have told you so many times!"

Ron smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, well, then he disappeared, and I assumed he disapparated. I guess he just learned to turn himself invisible."

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment, then frowned.

"What are you thinking, Mione?"

"I cried myself to sleep up there, but I woke when I thought I heard a cackle and footsteps. When I didn't see anything, I assumed I had imagined something. It was Malfoy! He was enjoying himself, watching his plan at work. He wanted to kill me, and he did."

With this, she looked up at Ron.

"You know, he saw that you were my life, and he used it to take mine away. I love you so much, Ronald Weasley, I didn't think I could pick up my life again after you were gone from it."

"Mione, you know I love you more than words. I just blew a chip when I saw him attack you. If anything had happened to you.well, I understand what you were feeling. I love you so much. I know this is not the most romantic moment, or the most appealing location but here it is. Hermione Granger, when we graduate Hogwarts next year, and we both become successful at whatever we do, will you marry me?"

"Ron," she replied kissing him, "Do you even have to ask?"

They remained locked in their embrace until the two fell sound asleep.

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"Ron! HE'S BREATHING!"

Ginny shouted this as she entered the Hospital Wing at four-thirty that morning. Hremione raised her head at the noise. She climbed off of Ron, and walked to Ginny.

"He woke up at two this morning, I guess the counter-spell really did just take a bit to work. So what brings you here at four-thirty in the morning?"

"Well," Ginny said eagerly craning her head to watch the rise and fall of Ron's chest, but not wanting to wake him, "We've caught Malfoy! He was found by no other than Snape, packing his trunk, presumedly to leave Hogwarts. He's being detained in Dumbledore's office. He goes on trial a week from today. With Ron's testimony, he'll be tried as an adult, and sent to Azkaban. Like father, like son. Said he wanted to make a name for himself in the name of the 'Dark Lord'."

Ron began to stir, and Ginny ran to him. He sat up and grinned his dopey grin.

"Hey, Gin. Miss me?"

Ginny squeled and gave him a hug.

"Ronald Weasley, you scared me past the point of death. I thought we'd lost you for good. Oh, I love you, big brother!"

"Love you too, sis. Now go and fetch Harry and the others."

"Oh, and Ron, just to let you know, I have broken up with Seamus."

"Is that so? I knew it wouldn't last. Why are telling me this now? I've just come back from the dead. Why is this at the top of your list of things to tell me?"

"Well, because, I thought you should know that in light of the..um. event that occurred last night, Harry and I realized our feelings for one another, and I am going out with him."

"What?!?" Ron roared.

"Oh, I am so glad! I saw it last night, but I was so broken, that I couldn't do anything about it then."

Ginny smiled and rushed out of the room. She returned not only with Harry and Dumbledore, but with the whole Weasley clan.

They all exclaimed over Ron and how he was looking so well. Fred and George joked over how Ron pulled them away from good business to "play dead". They all knew how close they had come to losing Ron, but made light of it. At the end of the day, it became an experience to remember, but just another milestone in life. Ron had almos died, but Malfoy would be put in jail. Life would return to normal.

"Well, Mione, I guess it goes without saying, but I love you. Thanks for standing by me."

Ron said as they walked to classes the next day.

"Ronald Weasley, you had better love me! Because I love you too much for you to put me off."

Ron dropped his books and picked her up swinging her around, then pulling her to him.

"You know what, Hermione? We are going to define the cliché "Happily Ever After".

"We are, are we?" she laughed and said, "Put me down we're going to be late for Potions."

He set her down muttering,

Woman has a one-tracked mind!"

And they rushed off to class laughing together.

END

A/N: Hope you liked this happy ending, unless you are a Malfoy fan. I like him as much as the next person, but it worked for the story. Please R/R! Love all those who reviewed. You made this totally worth writing. Thanx! Look for my other stories to be published soon. Let me know if you want me to e-mail you when they are published on the site. XOXOXODayDreamingMuggle~Tori