Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter universe and everything and everyone in it, I am just a fan who is letting my imagination run a bit wild. I own nothing.

- If you like this story and want to review that would be great…if you didn't like it review and let me know why as I am doing all this to try and improve my writing.

A/N:

Thank you jeevesandwooster for your wonderful reviews, I hope that you like the final chapter in this story. It's been great to know that someone has been reading the story and likes it…so…here's chapter three.

Chapter 3.

"Harry, what's going on?" Ron asked as he pulled his arm away from his friend and turned to glare at him.

He really was not in the mood for any games and just wanted to be left alone. He had been sitting in the common room, just staring into the fire and thinking moodily about what had happened over the space of the last 24 hours, when Harry had grabbed his arm and pulled him into the corridor. Before he knew it they were at the entrance to the astronomy tower.

"Ron, you have been depressed all day, if you had sat in the common room any longer tonight the first years would have burst into tears!"

"What are you talking about Harry? You're mental…I'm fine", he turned to walk away but the sound of Harry's voice stopped him.

"Ron, I know what happened this morning"

He was stunned. Harry knew? Who else knew? He didn't want anyone else to know, to look at him with pity in their eyes and think "Poor Ron". Besides, it was no-one else's business. But before he could say anything Harry spoke again,

"Ron, you don't know the full story, I don't know what's happening but I know that there is more for you and Hermione to talk about and the way the two of you have been avoiding each other and everyone else all day that's never going to happen. So I have decided to take some action".

There was something about the mischievous glint in Harry's eyes that made Ron feel a bit uneasy and did very little to diminish the annoyance he was beginning to feel.

"Harry, just leave it will you? If you heard everything this morning you'll know that she doesn't feel the same way I do, and I really don't feel like humiliating myself again thanks all the same", he turned quickly, trying to forget that the past day had ever happened when he heard the spell that Harry shouted.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

His arms and legs immediately froze and he fell to the ground with a loud thud. And although his ability to glare angrily at his best friend was significantly diminished by the spell, it didn't stop him trying. Harry's apologetic green eyes came into view as he was giving the stone ceiling the best glare he could manage. At least Harry had the grace to wince at the angry look and smile a bit sheepishly.

"Yeah…emm…sorry about that mate, but you're going to hear what I have to say, and if I have to use magic to get you to stay put and listen then so be it. Ron, as your friend and Hermiones, I am not going to let you both make yourselves miserable. And yes Hermione's miserable too. If you had actually talked to her today instead of ignoring her, you would have seen that. I don't know everything that's going on…and neither do you, and you're never going to know the truth if you don't talk to Hermione. Life's too short Ron, you and I both know that after everything that's happened, and all that I'm asking is that you talk to Hermione. Could you do that?"

Harry looked at Ron with eyebrows raised, obviously expecting some sort of an answer, to which Ron tried to pointedly glare at him.

"Oh right, sorry, forgot about that"

After Harry had released Ron from the spell and helped him to his feet, the friends stood in silence for a minute. Ron finally leaned back against the stone walls of the corridor, hands in his pockets, and looked Harry in the eyes. He sighed, and said,

"You really think I should talk to her?"

Harry was nearly holding his breath, hoping that he had gotten through to his stubborn friend.

"Yeah mate, I do."

"I just…I don't want to hear her say it again" Ron suddenly found his shoes very interesting as he continued, "…that she doesn't feel the same way…you know?"

"Ron, please just talk to her…give her a chance"

The tall redhead finally looked up and with a slight nod of his head indicated that Harry's mission had been successful. He was going to talk to Hermione.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Hermione is would you?"

"Actually…" Harry suddenly looked a bit embarrassed and awkward as he pointed towards the door that led to the astronomy tower.

"How do you know?"

"Well…now don't get mad Ron"

"Harry?"

"Yeah Ron?"

"Why would I be mad?"

"Someone told me that Hermione goes to the tower when she needs to think", Harry said quickly, hoping in vain that Ron would not really notice his use of the word 'someone'.

"Harry?"

"Yeah…"

"Who told you?" and although Ron had to admit that he did have a sneaking suspicion about who it might have been, he needed to hear Harry say the words.

"It was Ginny".

"Ginny knows!"

"Ron, she's friends with Hermione. She cares about you both very much and she wanted to help. Now are you going to waste time standing here, or are you going to go and talk to Hermione?"

Ron's gaze moved towards the heavy wooden door that led to the spiral staircase that guided the way to the top of the astronomy tower. As he took a deep breath and reached for the door handle, he half turned back towards Harry.

"Thanks mate", and he opened the door and stepped through.

With a bright smile Harry hurried back to the common room to up date Ginny on the progress of their plans. Part one was now complete. Part two? That was up to Ron and Hermione.

As Ron climbed his way up the spiral staircase, he tried to remain calm, to keep walking and to face Hermione. Harry was right; he had to know the truth. If Hermione didn't feel the same way about him that he felt about her, then they had to talk about it. Although it hurt to think of her not sharing the love he felt for her, he couldn't bear the thought of not having her in his life, even if it was to be only as a friend. The light from the lit torches that lined the walls of the staircase flickered across his face as he reached the top. Summoning every ounce of courage he possessed, he pushed open the door and his breath caught in his throat at the image before him. Hermione. She was leaning on the high wall that surrounded the tower, gazing out into the night sky, with tears running down her face.

"It's now or never", Ron thought to himself as he drew a slightly unsteady breath and moved towards Hermione.

"And I thought you didn't like heights"

She turned slightly towards him, quickly wiping the tears from her face and answered him with a small sad smile,

"I don't mind heights, it's the whole idea of hovering 50 feet in the air with nothing but a broom to stop you falling that makes me a bit nervous"

"Ah, I see". He joined her at the wall, standing beside her, looking out over the darkened grounds of Hogwarts. He couldn't look her in the eyes yet; he couldn't bear to see the rejection that he now knew was imminent in her beautiful eyes. But as he fought to remain calm he saw Hermione out of the corner of his eye, desperately trying to remove any sign of tears from her face. He couldn't bear to see her so upset.

"It's okay to cry you know"

She seemed momentarily stunned by both his understanding and his thoughtfulness. She was at a loss for words but found that none were necessary as they stood in silence for a while.

Hermione's voice almost startled Ron as she broke the silence and spoke in a slightly shaky voice that seemed to be so unlike her.

"I'm scared Ron", she seemed to gain strength from the actual saying of those words as she continued,

"No…more than that…I'm terrified. I thought that when the war was over I would be able to think about things without feeling like this, but now that everything's changing and everything's so uncertain…I'm…I'm scared Ron"

The thought of anything scaring Hermione to this extent almost broke Ron's heart. She shouldn't have to feel so frightened. He wanted to be able to protect her, to support her, but he wasn't sure that was what she wanted. He wanted her to be able to talk to him about her worries. He recognized a glimmer of hope in the situation as he realised that she was talking to him about her worries, and that he would listen. He would be her friend, a good friend, if that was what she wanted. He loved her too much to see her so upset.

"What has you so frightened Hermione?"

"It's nothing…" she sighed, tracing her fingers along the stone of the wall, "…and everything. The thought of leaving Hogwarts soon and going out into the world, the exams and what could happen, what if I completely forget everything and fail them all? What if I never get a job or what if the only job that I can get makes me miserable? What if I loose touch with the muggle world once I am a fully qualified witch? The thought of losing touch with my friends, with Harry, scares me… the thought of losing you terrifies me"

Ron looked to her as she spoke. How could she have pretended for so long that everything was fine when she was obviously so worried about so many things. He knew that she worried about things, but still…this was a bit much even for her. She turned to look him in the eyes as he spoke,

"Okay first things first, you are going to do fine in the exams… you know all the material and you will remember it. And secondly the exams are not the end of the world, you know that", he was rewarded with a small smile so he continued, "I am sure that you will find a job that you love and that you will be good at. You will never lose touch with the muggle world, it's a part of who you are, it's where your family is and whether or not you are a fully trained witch changes nothing about that. You may lose touch with some of your friends, but I can tell you for certain that you will never lose Harry as your friend", his heart broke as he added, "And despite what has happened I will always be there for you as a friend Hermione, if that's what you want"

"When did you get so wise Ronald Weasley?" she asked him with a smile as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Well…I had to grow up some time, right?" he smiled as he allowed himself to savour that moment for a split second, before he continued.

"And as for being afraid of what comes after Hogwarts…I see it as an adventure. Think about it Hermione…imagine the possibilities, sure… I am a bit nervous about what may be to come but at the end of the day I am excited about the unknown."

They resumed their watch over the darkened grounds for a minute before Hermione was once again the one to break the silence.

"There was something else Ron"

"What?"

"There was something else I was afraid of"

"What's that?"

The silence reigned for another moment as Ron's thoughts raced about what Hermione could be talking about.

"I wasn't completely honest with you this morning", she took his hand as she spoke and Ron had to remind himself to breathe as she continued. "I was scared about the feelings that I have for you Ron. I am used to being able to look at facts and figures, to find evidence to prove or disprove something, but the way that I feel about you is uncontrollable, unpredictable and impossible to measure", she turned to once again look into his eyes and Ron dared to hope that she shared his love for her.

"I am so sorry that I hurt you when you told me how you feel, I was scared that if I admitted how I felt, then it would hurt even more when I lost you. But I know now that it would make absolutely no sense to make each other miserable based on a fear when we could be so happy together. Ron, I can't imagine facing those adventures in the future without you by my side and…" she smiled as she said the words that Ron had convinced himself he would never hear from her, "I love you too"

Ron's smile was like a beacon in the darkness as he realised that Hermione did love him; that she shared his feelings for her. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and lifted from the ground in celebration. Hermione laughed lightly at his obvious happiness and when her feet touched the ground again she rested her head on his shoulder.

Ron was quickly realising that he had yet another perfect moment to add to his memories; he savoured this moment as he stood atop the astronomy tower with the woman whom he loved in his arms. He heard a whisper from Hermione,

"What now Ron?"

He looked towards the velvet sky with the shining stars twinkling and winking at the darkened world. He smiled and returned his gaze to Hermione as she lifted her head to look at him.

"Now? 'Mione, now we face whatever happens tomorrow together. Imagine the possibilities…who knows what a new day will bring?"

The End.