Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot or otherwise stated!

Thanks for the reviews guys! I was hoping for a little more since I only got 4 but whatever… Thanks to:

Hollyg20- one of my few main reviewers, maybe I should make Ron a bit more obvious then, right? Like his character?

And ickle-princess another one of my main reviewers just recently,

bb- yeah I know, but don't you ever do that? Like you're first really good friends with someone, and you touch them (don't take that the wrong way lol) all the time, but when you start liking them, you don't really like to…right? At least that's the way I'm trying to make them feel.

AmandaT- THANKS

Oh yeah, this will be a little corny! Harry and Hermione finally confess! OoOoo…READ ON!

Ch. 10

Harry woke up on the staircase an hour later, his face up against one of the steps. He rubbed his face ruefully. 'Great,' he thought, 'I fell asleep on the bloody staircase.' He stood up slowly and looked over to his right and saw that Hermione had made it up a little farther than he had before also falling asleep.

The wooden railings supported Hermione's head awkwardly. Her expression showed of blissfulness and her mind was off in dreamland.

Harry teetered down the staircase, stumbling a few times due to the fact that his body, including his legs, was a bit sore. He twisted his neck, wincing as he heard it crack. He walked up to Hermione's side and bent down to shake her silently.

"Hmmm…." Hermione muttered groggily. "Leave me alone…" When Harry called out to her softly, her eyes fluttered open slowly. "Harry? What am I doing on the staircase?"

"I don't know. I fell asleep on the staircase. I guess you did too."

Hermione sat up rubbing her head where it had laid against a corner of the step. Then she remembered and gasped. "What about Ron! Come on!"

She took Harry's arm and dragged him down the stairs and out the portrait hole. They ran along to the hospital wing. At the door, they met Madam Pomfrey, who was just coming out. She held up a hand sadly.

"I'm sorry there's nothing I can do for Ron. I was just about to get Professor Dumbledore. He might have a chance of surviving if he is sent to St. Mungo's soon. He hasn't been responding to the potions I gave him. I'll be back. You can go in and visit him. I can trust you not to hurt him." And Madam Pomfrey left, shaking her sadly.

Harry and Hermione stood there for a second, stunned. Then they heard quiet footsteps behind them. Harry turned around to see Professor McGonagall walking hurriedly toward them.

"Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger! I thought I told you to get a good night's sleep!"

"But Professor, we wanted to make sure that Ron was okay!" Hermione protested.

Professor McGonagall stopped for a moment and her face showed of sorrow. "Fine, but in an hour if you are not back at your dorm then…then…" She broke off her sentence when she couldn't find the right words. Seeing that she didn't want to punish Harry and Hermione after what had happened to them, she cleared her throat. "Ahem…just be back at your dorm in an hour." And she turned to walk away, holding back a depressed sigh.

Harry and Hermione looked at one another, then Harry reached out slowly to open the door. They walked in slowly, seeing Malfoy and the other Slytherins lying on hospital beds. At the far corner of the room lay Ron. Hermione ran to his bedside. Harry walked slowly down the aisle, spitting by Malfoy's bed as he passed, his eyes full of contempt for him.

"Oh dear, he looks so pale…" Hermione bit her lips, worry showed on her face. Harry walked to her side and put a comforting arm around her. "Now, I'm sure he's going to be fine," he reassured her, his voice breaking.

It was true, Ron was indeed very pale. His face was an ashy white and he was completely still. Had it not been for the fact that his chest was slowly, ever so slowly rising up and down, they would've thought he was dead.

Hermione let out a sob and turned to bury her head in Harry's chest. "I know…he was bad and all…but that isn't worth dying over, is it? Besides, he saved your life."

Harry hugged her closer to him. "Shh…it's okay…I know he saved my life…do you think I could live with that on my mind if Ron…died?"

"No…" Hermione was still softly crying, her noise muffled by Harry's chest. "Harry?" she asked, looking up at him, tears in her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I have to tell you something…I was going to tell you tonight…but with all that happened…"

"Yeah, I understand. What were you going to tell me?"

"Well…" started Hermione, crossing her fingers behind her back. "First I have to make sure you won't tell anyone."

"Of course," Harry nodded.

"Okay, well you remember that I told you about that guy right? The guy that I liked?"

"Right…" replied Harry, his heart starting to ache a bit. 'Please tell me it's not Ron.'

"Well, just to let you know, it isn't Ron."

"Oh…I see…" 'Yes!'

"And it isn't Tom either…" Hermione looked up into Harry's eyes. They were full of anticipation.

"So it's Rob?" asked Harry, his throat tight.

Hermione put her head back on Harry's chest slowly. "No, you silly, it's you…"

Harry pulled away and looked down into her eyes. "M-…me?"

"Yes…" replied Hermione a little nervously, hoping that she wouldn't regret telling Harry. "Now that I told you, you have to tell me…" 'I hope it's me…' she winced a little, preparing her heart for a heartbreak just in case.

Harry sighed. "Fine…It's…it's…you Hermione…it could only be you…" He locked eyes with her and smiled gently, pulling her back into a hug.

"Rea-…really? Are you joking?"

"How could I joke about something as serious as love?"

"You- you love me? For how long?" Hermione pulled him closer, surprised.

Harry put his head on top of her. "Ever since that battle with Voldemort. You were always at my side in St. Mungo's. That's when I realized that you've always been there for me and that I loved you. And what about you?"

"Ver sic du ent ot wit Co…" Hermione's answer was muffled by Harry seeing as she was holding him so close.

"Say what?"

"Oh, soddy…" Hermione pulled her head away. "Ever since you went out with Cho…"

Harry made a face. "Yech…how could I have ever liked her…I should've realized that I loved you sooner."

"Yeah Harry it's all your fault! We could've gone out together earlier if it wasn't for you!"

Harry looked hurt for a split second then tried to cover it up with little success.

"You know I'm joking, Harry…right?" Hermione frowned and looked up sadly at him.

"Err, of course I do! I just wanted to see what you would do…" Harry gave a nervous laugh.

Hermione hid her grin and smacked Harry's arm soundly.

"Oww! Cripes Hermione, you have a strong hit for a girl!" Harry rubbed his arm.

Hermione leaned closer to Harry, her face inches away from his. "And what is that supposed to mean, Mr. Potter?" she demanded, her eyes aflame, but a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Umm…you have a strong hit when….when…uhh…right, you have a strong hit, that's the whole point. I mean, err, it's a good thing!" Harry said quickly.

Hermione gave Harry an exasperated smile and shook her head. "Thank you," she said sweetly. Then she leaned in and gave him a little kiss on the cheek.

Harry looked surprised and blushed. When he recovered, he leaned in closer, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissed her on the lips tenderly. Hermione was shocked but soon closed her eyes, starting to kiss back.

"Ahem!"

Harry and Hermione halted immediately and whirled around quickly to see Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey standing at the door. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at them.

"Hello, Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger."

Harry and Hermione let go of each other immediately and both blushed deeply, finding the patterns of the floor very fascinating.

"Now is not the time to be discussing your…ahem…personal affairs. We are here to take care of Ron." Dumbledore walked to Ron's bedside, followed by Madam Pomfrey. Two other people came in. Their uniforms read St. Mungo's.

"This one," said Dumbledore pointing at Ron and beckoning to the people. One of them made a floating stretcher to appear with a flick of his wand. Another flick brought Ron floating out of his bed and strapped onto the stretcher.

Hermione grabbed onto Harry's arm. "Professor Dumbledore, is Ron going to be alright?"

Dumbledore's eyes became uncertain. "I don't know Hermione, it's still too early to tell."

One of the healers nodded to Hermione. "Don't worry miss, we'll do our best to keep him alive. You're welcome to come visit him if he wakes up."

Hermione's heart stopped. 'IF he wakes up? What's that supposed to mean? He will wake up…right?' Hermione tried to convince herself.

Harry thought the same thing. 'He's gotta wake up, I couldn't live if he just…leaves like that.'

The healers walked out the door, so casually that you'd think they were going on a walk instead of having an unconscious, close to death, person floating behind them.