Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the idea for this story. All else belongs to the wonderful J.K Rowling.

A/N: My authors note has changed as often as the chapter. I really like this chapter after it's been tweaked a few times. There's a few bits that still make me laugh (how sad am I?) and a few bits that just wouldn't be there without the awesome Rosie. I give her so much credit and dedicate this and the last chapter to her.

Chinese Whispers

Harry and Ginny reached the building not long after, and Ginny took the broom up to the windows, unconsciously mirroring her brother's movements from earlier that day.

"We need to get in," she whispered.

"No need," said a new voice from an open window. "We'll come to you."

Harry blanched as Ginny dived, clinging onto her for dear life as spells whizzed past his ear. He pulled out his wand and twisted around, trying to get a clear shot at one of the Death Eaters who was hanging out of the window.

Ginny grimaced, her face contorting with effort as she swooped down closer to the ground. Harry hung on tightly.

"Harry?" she yelled over the rushing wind.

"What?"

"Trust me!"

His arms locked more securely round her waist.

"I do."

She smiled at him.

Then the world turned upside down.



Hermione awoke a few days later in the hospital wing of Hogwarts. As she adjusted to the light she saw a sleeping redhead whose hair fell over her knee. Her left hand was tightly clutched in his as though he couldn't bear to let her go. She looked further to her left finding the curtains drawn around the bed. On the right sat a pale and fragile enemy.

"So you're awake then Granger? I didn't know if you would come through."

"What happened? How did we get here?"

"Well I hate to admit that I really couldn't let him kill you. I thought he just wanted you to get Potter, and even then I was under the Imperious Curse." Hermione looked at him with a questioning glance.

"You do believe that I really have changed, don't you?"

"I'm not sure." Hermione said, still quite groggily.

"Well I have. I was even willing to die in your place. Not that I really wanted to die, but I'm sure more people would miss you as you have a greater presence and make a greater impact." Malfoy said in a surprisingly sincere tone, though he would still have to work on it.

"You really shouldn't talk like that. It kills your image."

"I think saving you might have done that."

"Maybe. So what exactly did happen? When I saw the green flash I thought that was it. My whole life flashed before me and it really didn't take that long."

"There was a flash of green light but you weren't hit. When I realised what was happening I moved to save you. Of course my father wouldn't want me to save a Mudblood. It would ruin our family's reputation after all." Malfoy said with a tone of bitterness.

"Then what happened?" Hermione asked to break Malfoy's trance.

"Oh... well my father stepped in front of me to stop me from getting to you but I pushed him backwards and he fell over his robes and landed in front of you." Malfoy said, keeping his eyes firmly on his hands.

"I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be." Malfoy interrupted. "My father was an evil controlling man. He spent most of his time drunk and beating my mother or with his Lord."

"I'm still sorry. No matter how evil he was, he was still your father."

"The scary thing is that Snape acted more like a father than he ever did."

"Yeah, that is scary." Hermione said whilst stifling a giggle.

A grunt came from the bed to her left and she turned to Malfoy with a puzzled look.

"After my father was killed a few of his friends tried to capture me and I was injured quite badly. There was a massive uproar and the entire room became a fighting mass. Snape managed to get us out of the room through that really high window. Potter and Ginny found him when they finally got there. He's lucky to be alive but he still doesn't appreciate company." Malfoy said whilst motioning his head to the closed off bed.

"Do we know what happened to Voldemort and his followers?" Hermione asked.

"They got away, though some were left for dead. Potter got a few good hits, or so he says."

"Oh right. Wait a minute, how on earth did we survive a fall from that window?"

"Weasel... I mean Ron somehow found the secret hiding place too- really it mustn't have been very secret. Anyway, apparently he was hovering below the window and Snape just dropped me into his arms – I came to in a rose bush though Ron says it was an accident." Malfoy said with a questioning sneer at the red hared boy. "You were dropped but fell a whole lot more. Ron caught you though. It was a touching sight of course..." He said whilst proceeding to make gagging noises.

"Thanks... goodnight Malfoy." Hermione said as she closed off her bed from him.

She looked at her knight who was still asleep by her side. She pried her fingers from his hand and absentmindedly stroked his face and fiery hair. He stirred in his sleep, turning his head to face her.

"Hello, how are you?" Hermione asked, still somewhat groggily.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" Ron asked whilst he rubbed sleep out of his eyes.

"I'm fine, alive and ready to seize the day, all thanks to you."

"Don't you mean Malfoy?" Ron asked slightly bitterly.

"Of course Malfoy helped and deserves some credit but it was thoughts of you that made me want to get free." Ron blushed but Hermione continued, "I really thought I was never going to see you again and that could have killed me. But then I realised that if I just let that kill me then I really wouldn't see you again so I had to keep on going..."

"Would you really want to see me that much? I thought you despised seeing me- all I do is make you cry."

"Yes Ron you do make me cry, and you do make me get angry. That's not cause you're a horrible person and it's certainly not cause I don't like you. In fact it's the opposite. So much stronger than like, the only thing stronger than hate..." Hermione bit her lip as she brought up her courage to tell him the truth.

His eyes were like pools of water staring into the deep beyond through the bed covers. His bottom lip turned down, quivering slightly as he waited for her to tell him how much she hated him. It never came though. Instead he felt her hand run through his hair, her sweet breath blew on his neck as she leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"I love you."

"I knew it, I just knew you could never feel the same way I do. I mean why would you? You're beautiful, funny, smart, and worth a million of me..."

"Ron, did you not hear what I said?"

"Sure I did! You said you loathed me... how much more definite does it need to be?!"

"I didn't say that at all! I could never, ever, ever loath you cause I LOVE YOU!" Hermione exclaimed, followed by groans from the surrounding beds.

"Would somebody please pass me a bucket? I think I'm going to be sick!" Malfoy shuddered.

Ron sat stunned. That time he couldn't possibly hear wrong. He had to be dreaming. He pinched himself to make sure.

"What are you doing?" Hermione questioned.

Ron broke out of his reverie realising that it wasn't a dream and that she still didn't know how he felt.

"I was just checking I wasn't dreaming... I, uh, I mean I, err..." Ron said as the words caught in his throat. He still couldn't bring himself to say it. After seven years of telling himself that he wouldn't ever have to say it because it was obvious she didn't feel the same, she had just blurted it out. Loud enough for Malfoy and Snape to hear! Why couldn't he just say it? He fidgeted with the sleeve of his maroon sweater whilst avoiding her gaze.

"It's alright if you don't feel the same... I mean it was just something I had to say. I needed you to know before it ate me up inside."

His sapphire eyes met her chocolate, both filled with hope and longing. The many years of tension and fighting drawing to a mighty climax as they both realised their true desires.

"It's not that I don't feel the same Mione, it's just that I find it hard to admit it to myself, never mind to anyone else. It's such a strong emotion, I'm not used to feeling like...err... well feeling at all. I liked my blissful world of grunts for explanations..."

"You don't need to explain Ron. You don't even need to love me now. Even if you feel a fraction of what I feel it's enough." Hermione interrupted.

"I do love you. I love you with my entire heart. I've loved you since the first day I met you. You're eyes were pure and kind, even though you seemed to just be about books, I knew there was more. Even if I wouldn't admit it then, I loved you. I always will." Once the floodgates were opened Ron's feelings just flew out. He couldn't help but want to shout it from the rooftops that he loved her. He loved the most amazing girl in the whole world, and she loved him back.

I can't believe that it all seemed to work. Thanks sooooo much to my wonderful beta Rosie...what would I do without you? Not have a flight or fight scene (or a Disney party to go to!)

Anyway, there's may be one more to come so don't run away yet. I hope you liked the chapters and that the double update makes up for the fact that I have been mean and given you loads of cliff-hangers.

Clubbananna –was that quick enough for you?

Crisbo- I hope these chapters don't disappoint. If you ever call me Po again though I might just have to do a Hermione from book 3...

Bhekie- I hope you enjoyed these chapters!