A/N: A bit of laugh, a bit of cry, a bit of Ron, and a bit of Hermione. ;)

Ron sat alone and sighed, looking up. The leaves ruffled calmly and sweetly above him, and a soft breeze swept his skin. As the breeze past, he could feel the grass tickling his bare feet and hear the lake ripple in the distance.

He was sitting against a Tree that was hardly taller than he was, with beautiful colorful buds sprouting from all branches. There were many different flowers all around him of any color you could name. This was one of the most beautiful places in Hogwarts, and a place not many had ever seen. He and Hermione had discovered it two years ago, in their fifth year. Ron had wanted to share it with Harry, but Hermione had had different plans.

Flashback

"I just can't believe her! Making Harry do all those awful detentions just for speaking his mind! He doesn't deserve to be up there right now! I just… REALLY don't like her!"

Hermione and Ron were taking a walk around the ground, while once again Hermione was storming about their awful DADA teacher.

"Ya, Hermione, I agree. That woman's a (A/N: ahem), but there really isn't anything we can do about it now is there?"

"I guess not… But I mean, really! Who does she think she is, making Harry-"

Hermione kicked a bush, and as her foot made contact her eyes widened and she yelped with pain.

"OW! That plant is really hard, Ron! I wonder what's making it like that…"

She looked all around the plant, but couldn't see anything strange. Ron stood back, looking a bit reluctant, as Hermione pulled out her wand. She muttered a soft spell, and Ron's eyes widened as he saw a door appear right in front of their eyes. It was a beautifully decorated door made of ivory, and covered with ivy. Neither of the fifteen-year-olds had ever seen it before.

"Wow!" Hermione said, nearly at a whisper, "That spell only works on really well hidden passages! It's NEWT level, so not many people are supposed to be here…"

This knowledge, of course, made Ron jump at the door and yank the handle open. Both of the kids gasped when they could see inside. There were vines, trees, flowers, and any other plant imaginable surrounding them. The burst of color and beauty made Hermione squeal with pleasure.

She stared, smiling, at all the wonderful plants for about five seconds, then ran into the garden to explore. Ron bit his lip and followed, still a bit reluctant.

"Oh, wow! Look at this Ron! And… Oh my goodness! Look over here! Ron, look! Its so… wow!"

As Ron followed her around, he had to admit that the garden was very lovely.

"Hermione, we should go tell Harry about this! The three of us could just have it all to ourselves!"

Hermione didn't answer for a second or two, but when she did she said "Ron… I actually don't think we should. I mean, don't you think that the two of us should kind of keep this garden… a secret or something. We need a place for ourselves. A place we can just relax, a place where we don't need to be strong for Harry all the time."

End of Flashback

And they made it into just that. Whenever Harry had a particularly bad fit, or whenever Ron and Hermione couldn't stand to act like everything was okay around him, they came here. Many of their most serious, longest discussions had taken place in this very garden.

Flashback

Ron and Hermione slowly pushed the door open. Peeking inside, Hermione gasped at the gardens beauty, just like she did every time. Ron looked down at her, and they began their routine walk around the edge of the garden. Every once in awhile Hermione let out a dry sob.

It was the last day of their fifth year, the train would be arriving early the next morning. Harry was in his dormitory, and Ron and Hermione had decided to take a quick trip up to the garden before the feast.

Ron looked down at his friend, who had tears streaming down her face now. He attempted to hold back his own tears and he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulders.

"I…. I just… don't…" Hermione babbled through silent sobs. "It's just so unfair!"

"It is." Said Ron, "I agree, it is."

"I mean, why? Why did Sirius have to die? Why does Voldemort still have to be alive? After all of that, why do we have to be the ones strong for Harry?" Hermione cried, her head on Ron's shoulder. Ron stayed quiet.

"I know it's a terrible thing to say," Hermione continued, "But sometimes I just wish…. Sometimes I wish we had never become such good friends with Harry. I mean, I love him like the best brother in the world, but…. Just think about it. Wouldn't things be so easier if we just didn't know him? Everything would be so… different."

"Hermione…"

Ron drew a deep breath to steady himself. He had often thought about this in the past, but had never truly wished himself to be separate from His best friend.

"Hermione, I know how you feel. I guess. I mean, well. You do love Harry, right? I mean, you know, like a brother, right? Its just, well, he needs us. And He's our best friend…."

"Ron," said Hermione, tears continuing to fall from her face, "Ron, I know. I know. Harry is our best friend and he does need us right now. I didn't mean it. I'll never say anything like that again, I promise."

Ron bit his lip, trying not to cry. Hermione's tears had subsided a bit, and they were now walking in silence.

After a few minutes, Hermione burst into loud, angry tears again and, throwing her arms around Ron in a tight hug, sobbed, "I juts can't believe it!"

End of Flashback

Ron looked back down at the flowers, remembering that particular moment in the garden. Hermione had been so upset, so weak looking. He never, ever wanted to see her like that again. Ever.

Of course, after fifth year, Harry cooled down a bit. He seemed to get over his 'I-feel-so-sorry-for-myself' stage, and had proved himself to be more useful in fighting Voldemort, who was now gone forever. After a while Ron and Hermione found that they didn't need the garden to dwell in as much as they used to. This didn't mean they never came to the garden, of course. In fact, the garden is where they first confessed. Where they confessed what they had both been pushing aside for many years.

Flash Back

Hermione and Ron were relaxing under a peach tree in the Garden towards the end of sixth year, having one of their laid back talks about whatever came to mind. Harry was at Hogsmead with Ginny, but Ron and Hermione had decided to stay back and let them be alone for a while. They were laughing about one thing or another, Hermione sitting with her back against the tree and Ron laying sprawled out on the ground.

"So Ron," said Hermione in her fake physiatrist voice, "What was going on between you and Lavender in the Great Hall this morning?"

Ron raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "Well," he joked, "It started out with a simple snogging session, but after a few hours we got tired of-"

"RON!"

Ron laughed and said, "Ah, yes. Just like Parvati the night before that, and Fleur the night before that!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, saying, "You're so full of yourself Ron. You haven't ever touched a girl in your life!"

"Oh ya? How can you be so sure?" Ron joked rolling over onto his stomach to look at Hermione. "And if you're so ready to insult my love life, what about yours?"

Hermione laughed and flicked an acorn at Ron, who ducked his head, causing it to bounce lightly of a tree behind him. "I have my eye on someone."

Ron sat bolt upright, his eyes wide.

"Who would that be, Hermione?" He asked, a tad bit to carefully.

Hermione smiled to herself. She knew perfectly well that Ron fancied her. She'd known it since fourth year, when he'd practically gone mad over Victor Krum. Hermione had simply begun to fancy him sometime in fifth year, when he had matured more into a faithful friend for Harry, and a quite young man. Why would she keep him waiting for so long? The answer was easy; she wanted him to admit it to himself and find the courage to ask her out himself. Like that was ever going to happen.

"Ya, right Ron. Like I'm going to run off and tell you whom I fancy! It would get to him in a bolt of lightning!"

"Aw, c'mon 'Mione! I promise I won't tell him! Do I know him very well?"

"hmmm…. Yes, I believe you do. I'm not entirely sure though."

"Hermione! Is it Harry?!"

Hermione laughed out loud at that. "Ron, why on earth would I fancy Harry? He's like a brother to me! Besides, he has Ginny to take care of."

Hermione laughed at the look on Ron's face; a mixture of relief at Hermione not liking Harry, and resent at his best friend dating his little sister.

"Hermione… please tell me." Ron begged, putting on his puppy dog face.

Hermione smiled and sighed, saying, "I can't tell you because then you'll tell him. I don't want anyone to tell him because I want him to find out he likes me on his own. Once he figures out, I'm hoping he'll have the guts to ask me out. But until then, I'm fine waiting."

Ron paused for a minute, before looking her in the eye and saying, "Well, maybe he just needs a bit of prodding. Maybe he's just scared what your reaction will be if he admitted his feelings. Maybe if you told him how you feel, he would brave asking you out and then both of you could be happy."

Hermione was silent for a few minutes. She stared at the grass sprinkled with purple and blue flowers, thinking hard.

"Ron?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"I love you."

The couple emerged from the garden an hour later, beaming.

End of flashback

Ron smiled slightly at the memory of their first kiss, but the smile quickly slipped off again, replaced by the gloomy look that had been around so often in the last three weeks. The look that showed up when someone was simply too sad to cry. The look that showed up when your heart had been stabbed and was hurting too much to bleed. The look that showed up only when your best friend had just defeated an evil lord, and was now in St. Mungo's, ready to die at any time.

Ron heard the distant door to the garden creek open, heard someone running in. He was about to call out, but found himself unable to speak.

"RON!" Hermione screamed, running through the garden, "RON, WHERE ARE YOU?"

As Hermione appeared through a thick patch of trees, she saw Ron with his forehead resting in his palms.

Hermione walked up to Ron, her face stained with tears and her breathing ragged, and dropped down next to him. Her eyes were wide, looking straight ahead of her. Ron stayed in the same position, waiting.

"He's gone…" Hermione whispered, tears streaming down her face and dropping on her knees. "He's…. gone. Forever."

A single tear dropped from one of Ron's eyes, slowly making it's way down his face, and landing on his lips. It was the first time he had cried since he was nine years old, the first time Hermione had ever seen him do such a thing. You were never too sad to cry.

Ron looked up at his girlfriend, who was sobbing into her hands. He reached out and pulled her into a warm hug, and her hands were replaced with his shoulder. They sat like that for countless time, Ron slowly rocking the sobbing Hermione back and forth.

"He'll never be gone. Never. Harry is still with us right now, he's part of us. Harry did what he's wanted to do for years. Voldemort is dead, and he's with his parents now. All three of them are watching over us right now, Hermione."