Chapter 12

"Harry, mate, wake up," Ron shook his friend gently.

"What," Harry mumbled opening his eyes.

"Why don't you go take a nap on the couch? You look exhausted. I'm back. I talked to Ginny, I ate, its o.k." Ron smiled.

Harry stood up slowly stretching. "I'm really glad you're o.k. Ron. I think I'll take you up on that nap offer. See you," Harry patted Ron's shoulder and left the room.

Ron resumed his old seat and looked over at his brother. George looked so pale and sick. Glancing at Hermione he made a decision. He kissed her gently on her forehead and pulled his chair over to George's bedside.

"Hey there George. I realized that I haven't talked to you since we left home. How horrible of me," tears started to fill Ron's eyes again. "I know you probably can't hear me. I was talking to Gin earlier. She asked me if you were going to die," drip, a tear rolled down his cheek. "Not ever. I told her not ever are you going to die. You can't die. What would Fred do? What would Ginny do? What would I do? I know I can be a great prat sometimes," drip, another tear, "but you know that I always looked up to you. You were always funny like Fred but you could be serious to. I could talk to you. Amazingly sometimes you actually listened. I don't know what this family would do without you. You can't die. Not now. Not after so many people have already been taken away," Ron wiped his eyes. "I just wanted you to know."

Ron started to get up when he heard a voice. It was so quiet Ron thought he had imagined things.

"That was beautiful Ron," the voice was real.

"Hermione!" Ron whipped around to face her bed.

Her eyes were open and she smiled. She still looked weak but there she was, awake.

"Ron," she smiled. "Hello."

In less then two minutes Ron had gotten Harry, Ginny and Fred up to Harry's room. All stood around the bed, a new hope in their hearts. Hermione couldn't speak very much, she was still tired but she smiled a lot, tears on her cheeks as each of them hugged her. They all decided it might be too much for everyone to be in the room at once with her and took turns visiting her as the others waited in the hall. Ginny went first, Fred took a short turn and Harry went in after. Ron had volunteered to go last. He had something special he needed to say to Hermione.

Finally Harry emerged and smiled at Ron. "Go mate, tell her."

Ron took a deep breath and entered the room. It was like nothing bad was happening anymore. When she woke up they all forgot. They all were happy. He made his way to her bed. Her smile made Ron's heart melt.

"Hi," he sat down.

"Hi," she spoke, her voice still no higher than a whisper. "Ron, I've been waiting for you, you promised me you'd tell me what happened. I didn't let anyone else tell me. I wanted to hear it from you," for someone so weak she seemed so strong.

"Well," he said taking her hand. He told her everything. From the time she went into her fit up till that exact moment. "And now I'm sitting here with you, happier than I have ever felt."

Hermione blushed. "Ron, I need to tell you something. Something I should have told you so long ago. This war, these times, it's going to be hard and I can't go on keeping it from you incase something happens."

"Shhhhhhhh." Ron put his finger to her lips. "I need to say something first. Before I lose my courage. Hermione, since the moment I saw you…" he paused, scared to continue.

"Ron," Hermione urged him.

"I love you Hermione, I loved you then, I love you know and I'll love you always," He closed his eyes and opened them again to see her smiling at him.

"Ronald Weasly, you don't know how long I've been waiting to hear you say that," she began to cry. "I love you too, with all of my heart and more."

Ron couldn't explain how he felt at that moment. He kissed her forehead and pulled her into a hug, careful as not to hurt her.

From outside they could hear the cheers of the others.