Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot except for the part at the end about "us". That belongs to Arabella in "Getting to the Point" but I loved the idea sooooo much! So sorry! Anyways, the song is Silence and I don't know who it's by. It's a slow ballad and is so pretty!

A/N: Thanks to Pacific Rose (again) for betaing and warnings for R rated themes and ultra fluffy scene near the end of this chapter.

At last, I have clarity.

Took a while, it took a long time,

But now I can see.

Ron Weasley was sitting in the empty Gryffindor common room at night, staring at a pretty girl surrounded by books. She would consult the pages of a volume, and then grasp her quill and scribble away, transcribing her newest finding or thought. Ron smiled. It was one of Hermione's most repeated gestures, and yet, it seemed that the smile that came at each idea grew brighter every time

He knew now. He understood all of his feelings, from the past few years to just last month. He knew he loved Hermione Granger with all his heart, and always had. Gathering up his courage, Ron stood up and walked over to Hermione's table, sitting down opposite her.

I learned to let go,

It was the hardest lesson of all.

But I gave you my love,

In silence. Silence.

"Hey."

Hermione looked up at Ron.

"I need to tell you something," stated Ron. "Now."

"All right." She closed her books and put the cap on her inkbottle so it wouldn't dry out.

"Just let me say everything without interruptions, okay?" started Ron. Hermione nodded. "We haven't spoken since that row, but I've thought a lot over the break and everything." He took a deep breath. "I've decided that if you want to be with Viktor, I respect your wishes. No wait," he said as Hermione opened her mouth to say something. "But I want you to know that…well…I…I love and…" he looked away from her. "I've always loved you but I was scared and stupid. I understand if you prefer Viktor and I'm willing to let go out of love. I'll still love you forever in silence." Ron started getting up to leave without looking at her.

"Wait!" cried Hermione. "Are you saying you loved me at the Yule Ball, then too?"

There would come a time in my life,

When I'd face what was real.

I'd turn a blind eye,

I'd feed the light, to afraid to come clean.

Ron sat back down and looked deeply into Hermione's eyes causing her to look away. "The deepest regret of my life, I came face to face with my fear and I failed to prevent it. I had my chance and I let it slip away. It's completely my fault and I know now that I can't keep blaming others for it."

But I learned to let go,

It was the hardest lesson of all.

But did you ever know?

I gave you my love in silence.

Ron sighed. "I just wanted to tell you. I don't think you ever knew how I loved you." Hermione stood up and walked around the table to Ron. She took his large hands and pulled them up so that he stood up in front of her.

"I choose you, Ron," Hermione whispered. "It's always been you."

He gently pressed his lips to hers hesitantly, waiting for a response. She parted her mouth slowly and gasped as his tongue twined with hers in a burst of warmth and need.

His arms wrapped around her body, bringing her as close as possible, his large hand on her lower back and the other caressing the back of her head under the layers of bushy hair.

They broke apart gasping for breath, their mouths a centimeter apart, breathing into each other, Ron's gaze intimately locked onto Hermione's.

"Wow," whispered Hermione and she leaned in for another kiss. Ron backed her up until she was pressed into the wall, his hands now on her hips, thumbs rubbing her waist line. Hermione's hands where exploring his coarse wonderfully red hair.

"Ron," said Hermione breathlessly as Ron started doing things to her jaw line and neck. "What does that make us?" Boyfriend and girlfriend didn't seem right.

Ron stopped by her ear and murmured, "Us," and proceeded to make his way back to her lips. "Do you think it was fate or destiny for us to be together?" he said grinning into her eyes.

"Oh, Ron," she laughed.

A/N: There you have it: my first chaptered story finished. For those who didn't know, fate and destiny are the same things, which is why Hermione laughed at the end.