We both jumped and turned around to Hermione's tinkly voice. She stood there, holding Malfoy's hand. Her cheeks were rosy and she had a purple fuzzy hat pulled over her hair. She smiled at us.

I looked at Malfoy who nodded coldly. "Weasley," he said. Oh, be still my heart.

Fucking Malfoy.

Oh, Hermione, right.

I nodded back. "Malfoy,"

"Wow," Hermione observed. "Can you guys be just a little more loving? Or is that just too much to ask,"

"I'll let you say your goodbyes," Malfoy cut in on her. The way he talked to her was different from the way he talked to Harry and I, and the way he used to talk to her as well. This time, he was more gentle... more... human.

Hermione nodded and watched as Malfoy strode away to check up on the bags.

"This is it," she said, smiling excitedly at us and inhaling. "Oh, I can't wait! I've read three books on The Big Apple and have already used a phone to call two witches at the office I'm working at. Did you know that over there, they use telephones?" she smiled.

Harry smiled at her. "We'll miss you,"

"I'll miss you too, Harry," her voice got softer.

I was as transparent as Snape's sparkly personality.

"Well," she began. "I'll definitely write you guys everyday!"

Harry looked at me and grinned. I grinned back weakly.

"And you'd better write back, too! Don't forget!" she finally finished.

"We won't," I finally said.

She looked at me. "Bye Ron," she began softly.

Here it comes. The awkward as anything hug.

She leaned in and hugged me.

There we go. That hit the spot. Lukewarm and uncomfortable. And yet, I wanted to hold onto her forever.

"Bye Harry," her voice had returned to normal again and she practically flew into Harry.

Bloody hell. He could make a living off of these predictions.

When they had let go, she looked at us with tears brimming in her eyes. "It's going to be different without you guys..." she croaked.

"We'll you've got Draky Poo," I said dryly.

She looked at me and shot me half a glare. "But you guys are my best friends... oh! What am I doing? I can't leave!"

Then don't...

Don't leave... let Malfoy go, stay...

With me.

"You have to, Hermione," Harry said sternly.

Note to self: give him a good beating later.

She nodded. "I know... but I'll just miss you guys so much,"

"You've been working for this all your life," I finally said.

Was that really my voice that just floated through the air?

Note to self: after you give Harry a beating, offer yourself one too.

"And plus, we'll definitely come visit," Harry promised.

"Okay," she finally said. "I've got to go..."

No.

NO!

"No!"

Both Hermione and Harry looked over at me in surprise.

"Not before I get another hug," I said weakly.

Hermione smiled at me and cocked her head to the side, looking at me a little funny. No, she was studying me... just like she had before.

"Of course, Ron,"

Awkward hug number two.

Then she gave Harry a decent one and began to walk.

"We'll write!" Harry yelled as he waved at her.

I stood there, statuesque and watched as she jogged over to where Malfoy was waiting for her. My heart was hurting, and the skies grew more grey.

"Ron..." Harry started. He looked at me closely. "Ron!" he cried. "Blimey. You've got tears in your eyes..."

"Do I?" I wiped them hastily away. "Well, damn allergies,"

"It's winter," Harry said dryly.

"So?" How was this relevant?

Harry sighed. "You should have told her, and stopped her,"

"And just jeopardize her future?"

"Hermione got so many job offers, Ron... she's only going to New York because Malfoy's going to be there, and you know it,"

A part of me knew that. Or wanted to believe that. But that didn't make this any easier.

I buried my head in my hands and chocked back a sob. This was so bloody embarassing, to be crying in front of Harry. He patted my back.

"I guess it's for the better... you can finally move on,"

I nodded. "Do you want to go grab a bite to eat?"

"Sure," Harry nodded. We began walking the other direction and Harry did all the talking. "You've still got me, you know... it's better this way. Who needs girls? Right? Anyway... where do you want to eat? Maybe at----"

"Hold on," I whispered and took off running in the other direction. I could hear Harry yelling behind me.

I'm out of my mind to be thinking I could accomplish this. But that over priced over produced overly exaggerated airport scene in that movie inspired me. This one goes out to you, you bloody awful movie, you.

"Hermione!" I yelled when I had finally spotted her. This was it. This was it.

She looked at me in surprise, Malfoy stood at the step above hers and observed me curiously as well.

This is it.

Note to self: this is it.

"Hermione," I breathed.

She froze.

"What's the meaning of all this?" Malfoy demanded, making his way down the steps. "This isn't the place or time, Weasley."

"Draco," she said softly. "Wait for me, I'll be a minute,"

He was about to protest but read her expression loud and clear. She stepped off the steps and faced me.

"Ron... I don't understand... what's going on?."

"I..." I trailed off. I fumbled with my gloves and straightened them.

Who. Cares. About. The. Gloves.

"Ron?" she pried again. "I have to go, what is it?" her voice had grown a little more authoritative, as it always did when she was lecturing Harry and I.

I just stood there and looked at her dumbly. I don't know why I bothered with the damn gloves so much anyway, my hands had already gone numb. I was standing in front of the girl I loved, about to leave for the States. And I couldn't say it. It was now or never, and never was nibbling on my earlobes, kissing my lips, putting her hands all over me. Never was seducing me and I was falling into it, yet again.

"Ron!" she cried. "I really do have to go," she was angry.

I knew she was angry. Hermione was a smart girl. She may not have known what I wanted to say, but she knew as much to the point where she knew that I had something very important to tell her and she was angry because she felt like I couldn't trust her to take it all in. Bloody hell, did I know this girl inside out or what?

Probably not. If I did, I would have found some way to tell this to her earlier.

"Okay, I'm going to go now, Ron," she said quietly. "I'll write you,"

My heart was attacking my insides and I felt about ready to crash.

This wasn't worth it. I was tired from carrying the weight of this for so long, and her leaving finally would be giving me a chance to let go of it all.

Goodbye, Hermione...

"Goodbye, Ron," she said and turned her back to me.

So much for the whole airport scene.

"Bye," I croaked pathetically, staring at her backside as she slowly made her way to the doorway of the train. I felt my hands shaking and saw that my feet had picked up their pace and went the wrong direction.

"Other way!" I hissed down at them. I knew I couldn't blame my legs, but what the bleeding hell was going on?

"Hermione!" I finally called out, barely recognizing my own voice. "I love you,"

She froze, her back still to me. I watched as she slowly turned around, her eyes wide. I tried to read her expression, but I could barely manage to stand still at the moment.

"I mean, er... no. Wait, yes! Oh, damn it. Just hear me out," I started desperately. "I've fancied you since we were kids. You know that much. But what you need to know is that I still do, and it's pathetic because it's in this little boy way. The way they feel when they get nervous and shy and scared to tell you how they feel,"

"You should never feel scared around me..." she said, stepping a little closer to me.

"I know. I know that now," my voice had grown a little more calm. "I... I just... Hermione, I love you. I don't know if it's too late but I really do. And I would do anything for you,"

She didn't speak, I'm not sure if she was breathing.

"And coming from me, that's a lot," I said, attempting to add a bit of humor into the moment.

"Oh, Ron..." she breathed softly and she fell forward and into my arms.

I wrapped my arms around her and tilted my face up to inhale the sharp scent of the winter air. She wrapped her tiny arms around my waist tightly and I could hear her warm mouth breathing softly. Never had I felt that I was needed, and that I was loved by someone. This was wonderful. This felt brilliant.

This felt so right.

"I love you," she whispered.

Finally.

And she let go and two small tears flowed freely down her face. "And I'll always love you... don't ever forget that,"

I nodded stupidly, my whole body feeling cold and numb once again.

"Thank you for telling me," she finally said awkwardly. "I've got to go... please come visit me soon, okay?"

"Wait," I croaked. I grabbed her hand and she looked down at it in surprise. But she didn't let go. I stared down at our hands. "Stay..."

She looked at me and bit her lower lip, her eyebrows scrunched up and more tears building up in her eyes. "I can't," she whispered. "Draco's waiting, my job's waiting... Ron, you're too late,"

"But I've been waiting!" I cried. "I've been waiting longer than you have for your job and definitely have waited longer than bloody Malfoy has, Hermione... don't you understand?! --"

She grabbed me by the arms and wrapped her arms tightly around me, I could barely breathe. I think the reason I was still able to was because I was holding onto her.

"I understand. Ron. I understand. And I swear to you that if there is a chance for us, it'll happen one day, okay?"

"Okay," I said weakly. "Okay,"

"I love you," she said. "You know all this.. that you've been there for me more than Draco ever has at Hogwarts and you've treated me much better than he has those years he was such a git in school... you're the best, Ron... and nobody could ever take your place,"

I nodded and watched as she took the steps up to the train, her eyes were red and her face was stained with the afterglow of tears. I gently place my hand on her cheek.

"Take care of yourself, because I can't be there right now," I said. "And make sure Malfoy loves you right,"

More tears fell down. "I will," she said.

"And... Hermione?" I asked softly.

She looked at me curiously.

"I was a more wicked friend than Harry, right?"

She finally laughed. "Bye Ron,"

The doors finally shut. I turned to catch Harry walking over to me.

"So I take it you told her?" Harry stood next to me, breathless. He was still smiling though.

"Is my face the color of my hair again?" I asked him.

Harry grinned at me and nodded. "So you're going to tell me all about this over dinner, okay?"

I nodded and Harry and I began walking, making our way out of the station.

"So I created my own little 'airport scene' today," I said.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. And I think I did a pretty good job," I grinned.

Harry smiled at me. It was a different kind of smile. I could sense something else... something that was rare. I think he was... proud of me. I think I was proud of myself. More than anything he was happy for me. And I had to admit, I felt just a little better about letting her go.

"Yeah? I'll send a letter in to the director telling him to keep you in mind for his next role. Now where did I put that picture of you where you're wearing that sweater your mum made for you the year she claimed lavender and bows for boys were in style...?" Harry trailed off and looked towards behind him where I followed his gaze.

Hermione.

She had taken off and was running toward us at a tremendous speed and to my surprise, she ran right into my arms and hugged me.

Not awkwardly. But she hugged me. Perfectly.

"I can't stand not having a proper goodbye," she said looking up.

I smiled down at her, at a loss for words.

We finally let go and she leaned in to kiss my cheek.

"You are the more wicked friend, Ron," she whispered before she turned away to wave at Harry and jog back to her train.

I stood there with Harry and we watched as the train slowly churned its way out of the station and made its way. The line grew thinner and thinner under the heavy winter sky until it disappeared.

She was really gone now.

She had chosen Malfoy.

But I couldn't stop thinking that a part of her had maybe chosen me.

I took out my wallet to check how much money I had for dinner. A faded photograph of Harry, Hermione and I during our time had Hogwarts shined up at me as soon as I opened up my wallet. The three of us were laughing, and all of a sudden I, in the picture, put my arm around Hermione and kissed the top of her head. She looked at me and then grabbed me and we began to just lock lips intensely.

Bloody hell... what the...?

I looked up at Harry who was sheepishly putting his wand away, tucking it into his back pocket.

"Nice one, Potter," I said.

He grinned.

Note to self: cancel that scheduled beating.

After all, he helped me create my own 'airport' scene.

And I swear to you that if there is a chance for us, it'll happen one day. Hermione always stood true to her words. And I'm not an idiot (really), I know she wasn't making any promises. She could be completely wrong. But then again, she was usually completely right.

I won't wait for romance, I'll just wait for her.

Until then, I should really see about calling those movie casters, yeah?

I could pull off that heartthrob role very well, don't you think?

Minus the purple and any bows.

Note to self: keep mum off the set.