In Which Ron and Hermione Talk at Last.

SMACK!

Ron crashed to the ground. He opened his eyes blearily, muttering "Harry...why'd you..." then, as he pulled his eyes properly into focus, he saw Harry's figure, leaning above him, grinning broadly. Then his brain registered that there was someone hugging his chest, crying. He propped his head up, so as to get a better look at the person. "Hermione!" he gasped.

"I was so worried I wouldn't make it," she sobbed. Harry gently pried Hermione's body from Ron, and helped them both up off the grass. Then Hermione launched into telling them everything that had happened since her conversation with Ginny by the common room fire. "So Harry, you'd better get back up to Gryffindor tower, I just know Snape will be lurking around somewhere, and you haven't got your invisibility cloak with you!" she concluded.

"Don't worry, I'm going," Harry replied. I wouldn't dream of staying any longer, anyway," he said with a smirk.

Ron's ears turned scarlet, and Hermione looked at the ground, embarrassed.

"See you two lovebirds later," Harry smiled, as he started jogging towards the castle.

Hermione and Ron walked uneasily back to the oak tree, and sat down together. After a minute of tense and embarrassed silence, Hermione finally broke the ice between them, and, picking up Ron's hand off his lap, she slowly entwined her fingers in his.

"Blimey!" Ron said softly.

"I'm so glad I made it," said Hermione. "and I'm sorry if I caused you any pain when you thought I wasn't coming. Or when I accidentally knocked you to the ground. I saw the look on your face, and I don't know what came over me! I just had to hug you, and show you how I feel. I just got a bit carried away while I was running towards you to do so."

"None of that matters any more, Hermione. All that matters it that we're together, and how we feel about each other."

"How we feel about each other?" Hermione could feel a slight smile playing across her lips. "How about you show me?"

Ron mumbled something incoherent. Hermione stroked his hand reassuringly and moved ever so slightly towards him. He moved his face in towards hers and slowly their lips met. As they shared their first kiss together, it felt as if time had stopped just for them, and neither could hear any other sound then their own hearts racing. They kissed gently at first, then as their lips explored each others, with more passion.

Ron couldn't help wondering why he'd been such a git and hadn't done this sooner. He couldn't believe how great it felt, to be snogging the girl of his dreams.

As their lips reluctantly parted, Hermione said "So, Ronald Weasley, does this mean you want to be my boyfriend?"

"Only if you want to be my girlfriend," he replied. They both smiled, and Hermione wrapped her arms around him in a tight and loving embrace. Ron hugged back just as tight, and soon they were up against the old oak tree, passionately kissing again as if their lips had never been parted. The stars shone brightly above them in the sky, and danced just below them, reflected in the lake, and they sat enthralled in each other, Hogwarts newest, and most in love couple.

Ron and Hermione continued to kiss for hours, but it felt like only minutes had passed when Hermione looked at her watch and gasped. "Ron, it's almost 11:30! Prefect are only allowed to be out until 11! Ooh, we're going to be in so much trouble if we are caught out here."

"Yeah..." said a dreamy sounding Ron, lightly touching her neck and leaning in for another kiss. It felt so good, he never wanted it to end.

After they broke apart, Hermione said "Come on, handsome, lets head back to the castle." and she ran her fingers lovingly through his hair.

"Handsome?" Ron was shocked. No one had ever said he was handsome before.

"Oh, Ron, don't you know? You've always been handsome to me."

Although Ron's ears went red, his cheek's flushed with pleasure. He loved the hearing a beautiful girl say such wonderful things to him. He stood up and held out his hand to help Hermione up. When she was standing he took her in his arms and whispered in her ear "You are the most wonderful girl I have ever known, and even if you wake up tomorrow morning, and change your mind about being my girlfriend, I am so happy that we had tonight together."

He kissed her lightly on the cheek and pulled away, taking a hold of her hand as he did so. They started towards the castle, and Hermione said "I'm so glad that we are going to be together this year. Last year was the worst yet. It was like torture! I just wanted to reach out and touch you, but I was so scared of what you'd say. It took all the inner strength and resolve I had to give you that kiss before your first Quidditch game!"

"I'm glad you did, it was the only good thing about that day. I remember when I first kicked off, I could barely fly straight." A faint smile came to his lips as he said the last part. He was amazed at how easy it was to talk to Hermione now that the fear of rejection had left him.

Far too quickly they reached the steps and were walking up them toward the huge front doors. Hermione was amazed at how it had felt like it took forever to run towards Ron, yet when she wished time to slow down because she was enjoying being with him so much, it simply sped up, and she was at the castle in an instant.

They walked through the entrance hall together and ascended the first flight of stairs, trying to be as quiet as possible.

They were almost at the fat lady's portrait when a sinister voice from behind them said "Well, well, what do we have here? Two Gryffindor prefects out after hours?
Tut, tut, this will never do."

Ron whirled around, and Hermione jumped. She too turned and saw that it was Snape again, though she already knew from the sound of his voice.

"I think that will be 50 points, each," Snape said, and Ron's jaw dropped. As if answering Ron's thoughts, he continued "As I have already reminded Miss Granger once tonight that she is a prefect, and here she is again, with another prefect, setting more bad examples."

The three stood there glaring at each other.

Snape said "I would ask what you two are doing out of your dormitories at this time of night," his gaze lowered to their entwined fingers "but that is fairly obvious. I shall be notifying all of your teachers so they can make sure you pair are separated in class. We can't have you distracted, now, can we, Weasley, is your grades in defence against the dark arts are anything to go by." He looked as if he would like to separate them permanently. "Now get to bed." With that, he swept off.

They went through the portrait hole, and Ron exploded. "What a stupid git! Separating us? And he knows that you, me and Harry get the top marks in defence against the dark arts! Ever since he took over, he's been trying to change that, though!"

"Just ignore him, Ron," Hermione said calmingly. "He's just trying to cause problems. Even if he does separate us in class, who cares? He can't do anything about after class."

"Yes, but I like talking to you in class."

Hermione smiled. "Don't worry, I'll find a way for us to still be together in class, if it means that much to you."

"Well," Ron said "it does." Hermione beamed at him.

Then she said "As much as I hate to say this, we'd better go to bed."

They shared one last goodnight kiss, and each walked up their separate staircases, to their dormitories. Neither could help wondering if the next day would be as great as this one had turned out to be.