Fall To Pieces

(Chapter 17)

You're the only one,
I'd be with till the end
When I come undone
You bring me back again
Back under the stars
Back into your arms

-Avril Lavigne, Fall to Pieces

The next month went by so quickly for Hermione that every thing was one big blur. How she had managed to study for all her N.E.W.T classes was a miracle. Not to mention keeping up with the rapidly growing DA club and constantly having to help Harry and Ron with their own homework.

Before she knew it, she, Harry, Ron and Ginny were away from Hogwart's and at the Burrow for Christmas. Hermione's parents had gone on an anniversary/Christmas vacation for two, but Hermione was delighted to go to the Burrow with her friends.

They had already been at the cozy home for three days and each day had brought familiar faces to stay. All the Weasley's of course, Remus Lupin, Tonks, Moody, Hestia Jones and Kingsley (Who were currently dating) and even Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore made an appearance for the grand Christmas Eve dinner.

The burrow, already a small home, managed to become even more small and cramped as all the friends and family joined together at the table. It was honestly the best Christmas Eve Harry had ever had. There was an unbelievable amount of delicious food, and the overall feeling of togetherness brightened his spirits so much that it was the first time he had stopped thinking about Sirius's death and the impending doom of the prophecy.

Dumbledore sat at the head of the table looking as noble and cheerful as ever. Harry noticed that Dumbledore also looked as if a heavy weight had been lifted from him, a weight that would return soon.

Dumbledore stood and the table steadily fell into silence.

"Thank you all for coming and thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley for letting us come together in their wonderful home," He said and Mrs. Weasley beamed with pride.

"I think we can all agree that this is a well deserved break," He continued and soft cheers of agreement filled the room. "So here's to friends…and chocolate frogs!" Dumbledore said cheerfully and took a long sip from his glass, the others followed his lead.

The night continued on as well as the joyous tone. As it got late and people started to leave or go up to bed, Hermione noticed Dumbledore take Harry aside into another room. After a few moments Ron came over to Hermione looking for Harry. They both walked over to the room Harry and Dumbledore had entered, but they stopped short at the entrance when they heard the two speaking.

"Harry, I know I have not given you the attention you have needed the last two years, and you may not feel as friendly towards me now as you have in the past, but I must ask you. As a friend and your headmaster I ask you to not to go after Voldemort and fight him," Dumbledore said with concern.

"You can't ask that Professor, you know the prophecy! I can't avoid it," Harry responded with a frustrated tone.

"This is true, but you are only 16 Harry, you can not fight Voldemort now, you are not ready."

"So I should wait five years down the line till I'm ready, meanwhile Voldemort and his supporters kill innocent people. If you want this to end let me fight him, I'm the only one who can stop him!"

"You are not ready Harry! If you fight Voldemort and loose, which you most likely will, he will live forever and kill many more. Do you understand Harry? Promise me," Dumbledore finished sternly. There was a long silence and Harry finally whispered "Promise."

Hermione and Ron stood frozen. They could only comprehend parts of what they had just heard. Before they could move away from the door frame Harry stepped out from around the corner. When he saw his two best friends he stopped dead in his tracks. Judging by the looks on their faces he could tell that they had overheard.

He gave them a grim look "I have to tell you guys something," he said grimly.

Harry moved around his friends and headed up the stairs to his and Ron's room, they followed.

When they entered the room Harry closed the door carefully and turned to his friends, searching for the words to explain to them what he had kept to himself for so long.

For once, Harry was grateful that Hermione broke the silence.

"I thought the prophecy was destroyed," Hermione stated. Both she and Ron looked fearful and expectant.

"It was…but Dumbledore knew it from memory, he told me…" Harry explained and Ron and Hermione stared at him, their eyes urging him to continue.

"It basically said that I am the only one who can defeat Voldemort and if I don't, he lives forever…no one can kill him…Neither of us can live at the same time, one of us has to die…" Harry said quietly, trying with difficulty to speak as casually as possible. He saw his friend's faces. Ron looked pale and Hermione's eyes were brimming with tears.

"So…" Ron started to speak with a soft cracked voice. "You have to kill or be killed?" He asked.

Harry nodded, "Pretty much."

Hermione broke down. "That's not fair!" She shouted. Harry look at her with guilt. He didn't mean to keep this from them but he had had trouble accepting it himself. He placed a hand on her shoulder gently.

"Look, I want to thank you two for always being there with me, I've always dragged you both into this mess, the last thing I want to do is pull you further into it. When I do fight Voldemort, I'll be by myself; I don't want you guys there," Harry said calmly. His words made Hermione start to cry softly.

"No Harry!" Ron said angrily in protest.

"Yes!" Harry said now facing Ron. "It's what Dumbledore should be doing now anyways. The prophecy is about ME and Voldemort, not Voldemort and the order! This is my fight! Not Dumbledore's and NOT yours!" He finished. Ron didn't respond. He didn't want to get in a fight with Harry.

The silence was broken by Hermione sobbing.

"Harry," She whispered. Harry and Ron both turned to her looking at her sadly. Wanting to comfort her.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

Hermione took in a jagged breath.

"This summer…" she sniffed. "When Voldemort off-offered me to join him…I didn't tell you everything!" She cried.

"Hermione, what are you talking about?" Harry asked concerned.

Hermione gave him a warning eye, it was obvious she didn't want to say what she was about to say.

"I-I was tempted. I almost joined him. I didn't want to, I couldn't help it, he was saying such wonderful things I-"

"You what?" Harry asked angrily.

"Harry, I'm so sorry! I was so close, but I didn't do it-"

Hermione stopped speaking suddenly when Harry turned from her and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Hermione fell to pieces. Ron watched her as she sat on the bed crying into her hands.

Ron didn't know what to do. He was furious with Harry and is heart broke to see Hermione so upset.

Ron hesitantly moved over to the bed where he sat down beside her.

"Hermione?" He asked quietly, watching her for a reaction. Ron then cautiously reached his arm around Hermione's shoulder. "Don't cry, please, he over reacted-"

"No, He hates me, and I don't blame him, I almost betrayed him," Hermione sobbed, finally lifting her face from her hands and looked at Ron. Her eyes were red and puffy. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and make all her pain go away.

"You didn't though, that's what matters, and you were going to die rather than betray him. Anyone would have been tempted, that's what Voldemort does and if Harry can't see that, then he's a stupid Pratt!" Ron said honestly.

Hermione shifted her position on the bed so that she was face to face with Ron.

"I'm so sorry! You and Harry mean so much to me!"

"Hermione! Don't ever question your loyalty. You're the best kind of friend anyone could ask for!" He said and Hermione let a small smile escape.

Ron always knew how to cheer her up even though he was often the cause of her unhappiness. She loved that about him. He could make her feel so many emotions at once.

"Thank you," Hermione said honestly. Ron smiled back at her. Even after just crying Hermione was gorgeous.

"Come here," Ron whispered taking Hermione by the hand and leading her over to the dresser. "I want to give you your present now,"

Hermione didn't protest but followed him over to the dresser where he opened a drawer and pulled out a small black box.

Ron handed the box to her smiling and blushing. "Open it," Ron said handing the box to her.

Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes and took the small box into her delicate hands.

When she opened it, her eyes lit up with shock. Her small hand went up to her open mouth as she gaped at what was in the box.

"Do you like it?" Ron asked cautiously. Hermione found it hard to pry her eyes away from it. When she did, Ron saw that her eyes carried a spark of joy.

"I love it!" She said gleefully and pulled a silver chain from the box which had a small silver charm on it. The charm was shaped like an otter.

"It's your patronus!" Ron said excitedly.

"I know, it's beautiful," She said pulling the chain around her neck and clasping it.

Ron looked at the necklace now around her neck. It looked so beautiful on her.

Hermione smiled and suddenly engulfed Ron in a tight hug. She felt so good against him, so warm and loving, he didn't want to let go.

This was the longest hug he'd had ever shared with Hermione.

Then, very slowly Ron felt Hermione begin to pull away. Too slowly. Their cheeks brushed up against each other and their faces were so close. Ron could see deep into her glassy eyes and he could feel her warm breath against his lips. The lips he so badly wanted to press against hers. But he couldn't.

Ron suddenly snapped out of his trance and took a step back from Hermione.

"Er- uh, goodnight," Ron said quietly and started to leave the room. He was obviously so distracted that he failed to realize he was leaving his own room.

Hermione had felt so warm and safe with him near and as he left a chill and a deep pang of loneliness entered her soul. It was then that she realized. As she watched him move toward the door, she realized she loved Ron Weasley and no longer cared about anything else that was going on, she wanted Ron.

Without thinking she blurted out his name.

"Ron?"

Ron stopped in his tracks, his hand almost reaching the door knob. He turned back to face her. Holding his breath. Not knowing what to expect.

There was a still silence between them, but then, as if pulled by an unknown force Hermione started towards Ron at an unusually fast pace. And like Ron suddenly knew what to do, he was reaching out for Hermione. He finally touched her warm rosy cheeks and without hesitation or a second thought, he pulled her towards him, their lips finally meeting in an unbelievable, long-awaited kiss.

Hermione's breath was literally taken away. The adrenaline and emotions were rushing through her rapidly as she experienced the most amazing thing she had ever felt.

Ron's lips pulled away from hers only briefly before he captured her red full lips again more passionately, both wrapping their arms tightly around each other.

Neither had ever kissed anyone before, but this kiss was not awkward at all. It was natural and beautiful and Ron never wanted it to end. He knew that He wanted to kiss Hermione forever.

She finally pulled away, her lips swollen and her eyes filled with joy.

Ron looked at her, his smile wider than Hermione had ever seen it and she laughed.

"Hermione?" Ron whispered. "You didn't just kiss me because you're feeling overly emotional and vulnerable did you?"

Hermione smiled. "No!"

"How come you never said anything?" Ron asked astonished that Hermione felt the same way he did.

"How come you didn't say anything?" Hermione retorted. They both laughed together.

"Hermione I can't believe this!"

"Me either!" She said excitedly. Ron had never seen her act so girly.

Just as they engulfed each other in another hug the door creaked open revealing Ginny at the door way.

At first the three looked at each other shocked, but then Ginny smiled and walked past them muttering "It's about time!"

Hermione and Ron smiled at each other and Ron kissed her gently good night before she left to her room with Ginny.

They both fell asleep happier then they had been in a long time.

Yeah! Finally! I hope you liked it, review!