Author's note: This is my first fanfiction, and it is a little confusing, but hey. It is following Ron's train of thought, while thinking about Hermione. It takes place about six years after Hogwarts. I think that's about it.

Disclaimer: of course no infringement intended, I do not own Harry Potter, and of course never would. (same to J.K.R., a god in my mind, or the WB, even though you did not do everything quite to my liking.)

***

He quietly walked into the neat little apartment building lobby, and paused to look around. He could see her living here, being comfortable here, and existing here, in this Muggle existence, this Muggle world. He took a deep breath and tried to work up the strength to start the long walk up the stairs to the place she now called home.

After only seven steps he jerked to a stop, and collapsed onto the step beneath him. Head in his hands, he took and haggard breath, and once again thought over why he was here. 'Because you love her,' his mind whispered to him again. Silently he agreed, but stayed hunched over on the step.

'I can't do this, not after all this time, not after I was so stupid for so long,' he said to himself. Too much had happened, and too many things had been left unsaid to just start again now. He had spent so many years being oblivious to what was right in front of him, what he desired, and now it had to be too late.

He knew that she had completely disconnected herself from any type of magic. She had essentially become a Muggle again. She had had more potential than any other witch, or wizard as a matter of fact, that Hogwarts had seen for a generation. 'But she left it all behind, she left all of us behind,' he said again talking to himself.

It's like he did not understand, at times after everything that had happened, he wished that he could just leave too. But he did not have a past live he could just go back too, he only had the wizarding world, and he only had the pain that went with it. He knew that if he walked up those stairs, and knocked on her door, he would only open up all that pain again.

'I can't cause her that much pain again, not just to see her again, not just to be with her even one more time,' he yelled in his mind as he stood up and started to run from the building.

He was two blocks away when he turned around and started to run back to her building, run back to her. He had to convince her that their world was worth the pain, that his world was nothing without knowing that he might see her even briefly in passing. She had to come back, he had to tell her everything he never did, and all the things that he had learned and realized during her six years away.

He had made it to the top of the stairs, and was still running and out of breath when he made it to her door. He knocked immediately, not caring how he looked or sounded, only wanting to see her, know that she was still real, that those seven years together had not all been a dream, or some sort of wonderful and terrible delusion.

He rested his head on the door frame to her apartment and tried to catch his breath. Then he jerked up suddenly when the door opened, and there she was. He could not speak or move; he just stood and took in every aspect of her, every detail, each that was the same and each that had changed with time. He knew everything would be okay.

"Ron?" she asked as she stepped cautiously through the door. 'Everything will be okay,' he thought, 'it has to be.'

***

What did you think? I know that it is very short, but it being my first attempt. who knows. I might make the story longer, I get the inspiration, or if anyone thinks it should be. Thanks for reading. (