A/N: Well I'm sorry it's taken forever for me to update. It makes me sad I only really have one reviewer. And a few who pop in here and there. But I suppose I'm being selfish in that I should be lucky I have any reviews. And I just want to thank you quidditch7 for sticking with the story, and continuing to read it even when it might get slow. And as always thanks for reviewing. : ) Also I apologize if this chapter sin't as good as the last few, my best friend is on vacation and she's the one who usually reads over my stories and helps me edit so, yeah. I just figured, oh what the heck I'll just post it. I've kept them/her/him waiting long enough lol. : )

It seemed like days. They sat there, holding hands, scarcely talking, their breaths shallow with anxiety. There'd been no word on Harry or Ginny since Dumbledore locked the door. Hermione looked over at Ron who unclasped his hand from hers and began pacing the expansive office, running his fingers over the strange artifacts and sculptures. He'd stop about once every few moments to comb his fingers through his hair and rub his eyes. Hermione glanced at the clock on the east wall of the room. The time was 4 AM. It had been 5 hours since they were locked in here. She got up and went to stand by the window. The first rays of dawn were beginning to appear over the hills and the lake. She sighed shakily, and busied herself with fingering the locket she wore around her neck.

"What's in there?" Ron asked, breaking the silence.

"Nothing." She replied firmly, taking her hands from it, then thinking better of it and guarding it once again with her fingers.

"Yeah, right. What is it? Or possibly who? It couldn't be Vicky, could it?" Ron slapped his hand over his mouth, and Hermione whirled around.

"How dare you!" She screamed, "You said—you said you'd never mention it again! Don't you know that I hate fighting with you? Not just because it's annoying or it takes me away from important matters. But because it's you that I'm fighting with! You're the only person I have now with Harry and Ginny…" Tears flowed down her cheeks in quick succession.

"But I'm not always the only one am I? You always have had Harry and Ginny, so get yourself out of that one!"

She screamed, knowing that there was no way she could get herself out of it unless she wanted to tell him how she felt. Which she didn't.

"Accio locket!" Ron yelled. Hermione's eyes grew wide with horror. She slunk down to the floor, knowing what was to come. He'd see the locket and its contents, and that would be it. She buried her face in her hands and brought her knees up to her chest. She wished she could have been anywhere but there. She heard the slight gasp that escaped Ron's lips, and heard the locket drop to the floor. She then ventured to lift her tear stained face up to look at him. He had turned the unbearable shade of red he turned when he was embarrassed. He wouldn't look at her. He cleared his throat.

"Er—I," he started.

"It's okay Ron, really. I never meant for you to find out this way. Accio locket!" She took up the chain and re-fastened it around her neck, then went to sit near the fire in the big blue chair Ron sat in on their arrival at the office. Just then the door opened, and in walked in Professor Dumbledore and Molly and Arthur Weasley. Ron immediately got up and walked over to his parents.

"I'm sorry Mum. I should have been there."

"Shhh," Molly said, "They'll be fine. It seems one of He Who Must Not Be Named's curses was able to breach Hogwarts' border. Madam Pomfrey assures us they'll both be fine in about a week. Until then, however, you two are to stay close to each other. And please do not go and visit them until the last day. They won't know you, and it's quite difficult to bear. I'd hate for you to be frightened or upset by it."

"Of course Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said trembling. Her hands had a violent tremor in them, and she was finding it hard to breathe. Tonight's events coupled with the locket incident were enough to promise her a few very sleepless nights.

The Weasleys said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and the two were escorted back to Gryffindor Tower. Hermione sped up the stairs, hoping to catch a few hours of sleep before she had time to think about anything.

The next day was a blur for Hermione, she went to class, went to supper, went to bed. All the while she was next to Ron, though neither one said a word about anything. Hermione was unable to sleep, as per usual, and so decided that since she neglected her reading for that night, that she should do it. She reached the landing on the staircase, and glanced out into the common room. It appeared that no one was there, so she found her favorite spot on the floor in front of the fire, and set to reading her History of Magic book.

"So, tell me why there's a picture of me and you in your locket. A picture that is lacking our friend Harry."

Her heart skipped a beat and her stomach was overrun and conquered by massive butterflies. She slowly turned to look at Ronald Weasley. The one boy she'd ever loved, looking incredibly amazing by firelight. The flames danced in his blue eyes, and he stared at her with this strange sort of nervous smile playing at his lips. It was a look she'd never witnessed before. She wouldn't trust herself to think that it might be hope. She sighed.

"Are you truly that daft?"

"Yes, yes I am."

"Well alright. You asked for it," she took a long shaky breath and began, "I know we always fight, and we always have. We've always been those kinds of people. The ones who fight all the time because it's easier than facing up to what's really going on. Regardless, you've always been here. When Harry was detached from us, and it was just you and I at Number 12. It was like something snapped inside of me. It was like all of a sudden you weren't just Ron. You weren't just the boy I used to fight with at all hours of the day, the one who I had to reprimand on many occasions for not doing his work. You were this whole new person to me. And I guess it was then that I also realized that what I was feeling for you was not entirely platonic." She looked at him as he looked at her, his gaze unwavering and burning holes through her.

"So, what are you saying then?" He stated.

"My God Ron, you really are that daft aren't you?"

"I told you I was."

"I—I love you," she whispered, nearly inaudibly.

"Excuse me?"

" Honestly Ron… I love you," she finished and avoided his eyes.

"Look at me please Hermione." She did.

"I must say that was very eloquent, and beautifully said."

"But?"

"No buts. Come here." He gestured to a space next to him on the sofa. She sat there, careful to keep at least 5 inches of space between them. "Oh come on, I'm not contagious."

"Why did you find it necessary to take me out of my comfort zone?" She asked.

"I'm not in your comfort zone?"

"Not at the moment. It worries me that you're so calm." She turned from him. He took two fingers and took her by the chin, turning her towards him again.

"Would you like to know why I'm so calm?"

"Yes," she said, tears filling her eyes.

"Because I'm relieved."

"Relieved!" She said as though it was a horrible thing for him to say.

"Me too, Herm. Me too. Only longer for me."

"You too what?"

"Now you're daft," he paused a second, "I love you too Hermione." Her eyes grew wide, and a few tears escaped.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm bloody serious, what do you think?

"Well. I don't know." She blushed, which made him laugh. He took her hands. She looked him right in the eyes.

"It was ever since third year when you punched Malfoy."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he said sheepishly.

It was then that she decided to close the 5 inches between them. Their knees were touching, and her breath quickened. She steadied it, and leaned back into the softness of the sofa. Ron did the same, and glanced at her. Instinctively, she rolled over slightly so that her head rested on his chest. She could hear his heart, and it was beating rapidly. She placed one arm at his side, and draped the other one across him, so that her hand also rested on his chest.

"Hey Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Harry and Ginny are really going to be okay?"

"Sure, I mean Madam Pomfrey's amazing. I reckon they'll be back to normal in a few days."

"Yeah, you're right. Well we'll have quite the surprise for them when they get back won't we?"

"Well, what do you say, we string them on a bit. You know pretend nothing's changed, then spring it on 'em."

"Hmmm," Hermione replied thoughtfully, and settled deeper into Ron's warmth.