Title: Christmas Eve I Love You
Author: Florida- Gal
Rated: PG
Genre: General/Romance
Summary: One-shot! It's been 5 years since Hogwarts. The famous trio was down to 2. What happened in 7th year? How did it affect their lives? Why does this Christmas mean so much to Ron?
***Christmas Eve 1996***
Ron sat with his arms around his girlfriend's waist. He had to be the happiest man alive. He had been dating Hermione Granger since the beginning of his seventh year, after he had confessed he had feelings for her. Hermione was shocked at first. She had always considered Ron as a life long friend, but a boyfriend? She wasn't sure of it at first. But, slowly, she fell for Ronald Weasley. Ron smiled. He and Hermione were sitting on the loveseat in front of the Heads' fire. Harry and Ginny were sitting and few feet away, on the couch, fast asleep. It was almost midnight. Only three minutes to go. Ron didn't care. He liked sitting with Hermione late at night. He didn't get the chance very often. Hermione and Harry were Head Boy and Girl and they always had somewhere to be. The only thing that Ron hated about his girlfriend being the Head Girl was that she always had to patrol the hallways at night, after curfew. That meant that he could only sit with Hermione in front of the fire when she wasn't busy. He missed her company when she was out.
Ron looked down at Hermione's angelic face. She smiled back up at him. When Ron had asked Hermione out, he was nervous. Not only was Hermione smart, but she was one of the most beautiful girls at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There were plenty of guys lined up to date her. There were even younger boys who would go out of their way to see Hermione in the halls. The other girls were jealous of her. Sure, they were sexy, but they liked to show off their bodies. They were the girls that the guys went to for fun. Hermione was much more than a beautiful face. She had feelings, too. She didn't parade around showing off her body and wearing makeup. She was natural.
Ron kissed Hermione's neck. She smiled. It felt so good to have Ron's warm lips on her cold neck. She put her hands on Ron's arms and lifted her face. Her full, red lips met with Ron's. Their kiss only lasted about ten seconds, but Ron favored every second of it. Hermione made him feel so special. Hermione took her hands off of Ron's arms and lifted his. She turned to face him.
"I love you," Hermione said, at the stroke of midnight.
Ron froze. What did she just say? Ron looked into Hermione's deep, brown eyes. He stared. She wasn't lying. Hermione had just said she loved him. For the first time. Ron had wanted to say those three words for almost two months, but he was afraid of chasing Hermione away. He didn't want to lose her.
"I love you, too," Ron said. Hermione's lips met his again.
"Ron?"
"Yes, Mione?"
"Can I tell you something?"
"Anything."
"But, you have to promise you won't leave me. I truly love you."
"I promise."
"I want you to be my husband. I want you to be my one and only. And, on Christmas Eve, five years from now, I want to sit on a loveseat with you. I want to cuddle up and sit in front of the warm fire. I want this moment to last forever. This is the happiest moment of my life. I want to do this again in five years, just to know that it is real."
"Why not next year?" Ron questioned.
"That's too soon. And," Hermione blushed. "Five is my lucky number. But, can we do this again in five years?"
"We can do this whenever you want."
Hermione smiled. "But, I want it exactly like this in five years." She laughed. "I even want Harry and Ginny asleep on the couch."
Ron laughed to. "Ok, five years it is."
Ron and Hermione kissed again. Hermione deepened their kiss. She wanted that kiss to be special. It was their 'I love you' kiss. Ron felt Hermione's tongue on his lips. He parted them slightly and her tongue entered. This was the first time their kiss was so passionate.
Hermione broke the kiss first. "I want to kiss you like that, too."
"I'm hoping I can kiss you like that again before five years."
"You're right," Hermione agreed, and she kissed him again.
***March 1997***
"Harry," Hermione said, as her best friend stormed out of the common room. Ginny stared at the portrait hole that had just closed. Ron stood.
"What is his problem?" Ron asked.
"I don't know," Hermione mumbled. "Gin?"
Ginny shook her head. "I'm going to go find him," She concluded.
"Ok," Ron said.
Ginny left the Heads' common room. Ron and Hermione shrugged. They didn't know what had just happened. They were studying for tomorrow's History of Magic test. Or, rather, Hermione was studying, and Harry and Ron were attempting to study. They hadn't been studying very long before Harry had stood. He stormed out of the common room without a word. Probably just nerves, Ron thought. I have them, too. Ron looked back down at his book and then at Hermione. He could see her eyes moving back and forth on the page, reading each sentence carefully. Ron sighed and looked back at his book. He didn't even get to sit down and begin studying again, before a shrill scream filled the air.
Ron turned and Hermione stood up, instantly grabbing her wand. They ran to the portrait and it swung open. Hermione looked left and right, not knowing where to go. There was another scream. It came from the left corridor. Ron dashed ahead, trying to keep Hermione out of whatever danger was ahead. Ron ran only about thirty feet before he stopped in his tracks. Hermione came running around the corner and bumped into Ron's back.
"Ron, what th--" She froze. Her eyes got as big as galleons.
In front of them was a horrible site. Voldemort. Harry was standing ten feet away from Voldemort. Ginny, on the other hand, was standing a mere six inches away from the evil man. Her hands were behind her back, held together by Wormtail's filthy hands. Harry had his wand out. Though, Ron and Hermione knew it was no good in Harry's case. His wand wouldn't work against Voldemort's. Voldemort's evil laugh filled the hall, bringing Ron and Hermione back into reality.
"Harry," Hermione breathed. She stepped forward.
"No, Mione," Ron said, sticking his arm out. That's when Voldemort noticed that the whole trio had arrived.
"So, Potter," Voldemort said. "Your friends did come through for you. Now, who to kill first?"
Ginny screamed again.
"Shut up," Voldemort hissed.
She screamed again.
"Shut her up," Voldemort ordered Wormtail.
Wormtail put his hand over Ginny's mouth. She bit him.
"Damn," Wormtail said, grabbing his hand. This caused him to remove his right hand from Ginny's arms. Ginny ran into Harry's arms. Hermione followed. Ron ran after her.
"Well, let's see. Well, Potter, your friends made this easier for me. I can just kill you all at once."
Ginny had her arms wrapped around Harry's neck. Hermione had hugged her friends, but backed off. Ron came up behind Hermione, grabbing her around the waist.
"I guess I'll kill you and the redhead, Harry," Voldemort said.
"Avad---"
"No," Hermione screamed, breaking free of Ron. "You will not kill them, you, you... You coward!"
"You're the mudblood, are you not?"
"I am a witch," Hermione said firmly.
"Blood never changes with magic," Voldemort said. "I think I'll get rid of you first."
No! Ron's brain screamed. Not Hermione. Not my Mione. I love her, you can't take her! Ron felt his legs moving. He ran to Hermione. He was almost there, his arms outstretched.
"Avada Ke---"
All went black.
***Present Day, Christmas Eve, 2003***
Ron sat on the love seat in front of the fire. He was in Harry and Ginny's home. They were throwing a Christmas party for the Weasley family. Everyone was there. Everyone but Hermione. Oh, his beloved Hermione. It had been almost five years since her death. He sighed. He remembered how Voldemort had used the unforgettable curse on the love of his life. Before Ron heard the whole curse, he was out. He didn't know what it was that knocked him out, but he was out. He didn't awake until four days later. He had awoken in the hospital wing. The first thing he asked was 'Where's Hermione?' But, his question went unanswered for quite awhile. No one could bring themselves to tell him.
Harry and Ginny said they didn't know what had happened after Ron passed out. All they remembered was that Hermione was gone and Ron was lying unconscious on the ground. Harry was able to defeat the Dark Lord. How? Harry and Ginny never said. They were too overwhelmed from everything to discuss it. Ron looked at his watch. It was eight twenty. Ron clenched his fire whiskey. His cold, blue eyes stared into the hot flames of the fire.
"Uncle Ron?" A small voice asked. Ron looked down at his four year old niece, Brianna. She was Fred and Katie's daughter. She adored her Uncle Ron and hated to see him sad. Ron looked into those innocent green eyes and ruffled her wavy, Weasley red hair. She could soften anyone's heart with that tiny, sweet smile of hers.
"Yes, Bri?"
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, Sweetie," He said, picking her up and putting her on his lap.
"Are you sure? Your eyes look sad. You are very quiet, too."
"I'm just thinking."
"What are you thinking about, Uncle Ron?"
"The past."
Brianna looked confused. That was fine with Ron. He didn't want to explain his broken heart. She put her head on Ron's shoulder and hugged him.
"I love you," She said, and slid off his lap.
'I love you.' Hermione's voice rang in his ears.
Ron continued to sit and stare into the fire. No one knew what was wrong with the twenty-two year old man. They wouldn't. Ron had never shared the night in the common room when Hermione told him she loved him. They didn't know that tonight, at midnight, would be the five year anniversary.
One by one, the Weasley family started to leave. They all came in to tell Ron goodnight. He would mutter a short goodbye and Happy Christmas, but his eyes always trailed back to the fire. He saw her face in the flames. Around eleven fifteen, every adult and child of the Weasley family was back, safely, in their homes. Ron continued to sit on Harry and Ginny's loveseat, looking into the fire.
At eleven thirty, Harry and Ginny came in and sat on the couch. Harry put his arms around her swelling stomach. Ginny was seven months pregnant with their first child. A baby boy. They didn't bother Ron. Ron didn't notice them anyway. Harry was rubbing his wife's stomach as she fell asleep. By eleven fifty, both Harry and Ginny were sound asleep.
Ron looked at his watch again. 11:51. Nine minutes to midnight. Nine minutes until the fifth anniversary of 'I love you.' Hermione's face was in the flames again. 'I love you.' Eight minutes. 'I want you to be my husband. I want you to be my one and only.' Hermione smiled. 11:56. Four minutes. The tears were in Ron's eyes. I will not cry, he told himself. 'And, on Christmas Eve, five years from now, I want to sit on a loveseat with you.' 3 minutes. 'I want to cuddle up and sit in front of the warm fire. I want this moment to last forever. This is the happiest moment of my life. I want to do this again in five years, just to know that it is real. 1 minute. Ron looked at his sister and best friend. 'I even want Harry and Ginny asleep on the couch.'
40 seconds. Ron looked at Hermione's reflection in the flames. 25 seconds. She was still smiling. Ron forced a smile for the one he would always love. 10 seconds. The anger was fighting Ron's smile. 2 seconds. Ron grunted. At the sound of the clock striking midnight, Ron threw his fire whiskey into the fire. The glass shattered.
"I love you."
Ron turned. Is this real? "Hermione?"
"I love you, Ron. It's been five years. We made it. It's true. Our love is so deep that we were able to sit on this loveseat in front of the warm fire. Harry and Ginny are asleep on the couch, Ron. You are the one. I love you, Ronald Weasley."
Hermione's lips brushed Ron's. He kissed her, hungrily. Ron felt like he was seventeen again. Hermione pulled away. Ron ran his fingers over her cheek. She was gone.
"I love you, Hermione Granger," Ron whispered, a silent tear running down his cheek.
Author's Note: This was my first one-shot fic. I don't know about you, but I was moved when I was writing this story. I have tears in my eyes. Please review and tell me what you think. I don't know what inspired this story, I just sat down at my computer and started typing. Please, please, please, review for me! Luv ya!