A/N: I'm so happy you guys like this story. Hopefully you will enjoy this Ron and Hermione bit.

Disclaimer: Heck yes son.

Thank You: You guys are sweeeet! the1auror, hogwartsgirl52, Mischief Bebe, emma-watson03, Azkaban Fugitive, aduck8myshoes, Chofita,Pepstepper16, Oasis Blackmore, Miss Finnegan, and PotterSnitch7 times two! Thanks forreading and reviewing!

Checkmate

By: Silver Ice

Ron and Hermione spun to the slow song that was playing. Hermione watched the other smiling couples and couldn't help grin herself when she saw Harry and Ginny sneaking out of the Great Hall. The night was going so perfectly.

The song came to an end and the two made their way to the refreshments table, eager to get something to drink. Ron pushed gently through the people and reappeared with two glasses of punch. "Here you are Hermione," Ron said, giving her the glass that was filled more.

"Thanks Ron. I'm so thirsty," Hermione declared, taking a quick long drink of punch.

"Me too!" Ron said, nearly finishing the whole glass in one drink.

"Want to sit down for a while? My feet are ready to rest." Hermione said, her feet already throbbing from over an hour of dancing.

"Yeah. Let's sit over here," Ron said, pulling Hermione towards the first available table he saw. Ron sat down after Hermione and scanned the dance floor to see how Harry and Ginny were doing. He frowned a bit when he couldn't see them.

Hermione, seemingly reading his thoughts, spoke, "If you're looking for Harry and Ginny, they left the Great Hall a while ago."

Ron looked worried for a moment and then he sighed. "It's still a weird idea for me, Harry and Ginny together." Ron said, his brotherly instincts kicking in.

"I know you're worried. You don't want to see your sister with anyone, and you don't want to see her get hurt. It's Harry though. He's your best mate. If ever there was anyone for Ginny, it's him." Hermione explained comfortingly, placing her hand on Ron's.

Ron seemed to grow tense for a minute before smiling and squeezing Hermione's hand. "You're right. Harry's a great guy. I know he wouldn't ever hurt her. He's a hundred times better than Michael or Dean. Still, the thought of them snogging is more than I need." Ron said, trying to shake the image out of his mind.

"Yeah. Well you'll just have to think of other things. Like Quidditch or maybe your studies." Hermione said with a smirk.

"Studies? Yeah, I'm not sure that's at the top of my list of things to think about." Ron said, rolling his eyes.

"Well then what is at the top or your list?" Hermione asked in curiosity.

"I don't know. I guess maybe Quidditch, and you know, other things." Ron said, blushing brightly as he realized that Hermione was at the top of that list. "Let's dance again." Ron exclaimed, pulling her back onto the dance floor.

Hermione waited for a while and as another slow started she spoke again. "Other things?" Hermione inquired, wondering what could make Ron blush so badly.

"Yeah. You know. Like you." Ron said, almost whispering it.

Hermione had heard it though, and it had taken her aback. Ron thought about her. Hermione felt like jumping up and down and hugging everyone.

Ron, however, began to panic, mistaking Hermione's silence for a lack of interest. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out. You probably hate me. I sound like such an idiot! What was I thinking. I ju-" Ron stopped rambling as Hermione gently placed her hand over his mouth.

"Ron. Calm down. I don't hate you! I would never ever hate you." Hermione said, putting her hand back around Ron's neck.

"I just admitted I think about you all the time. I just thought you'd be a little freaked out." Ron said, amazed at the confessions that were coming out of his mouth. He had all but told her that he was head over heels in love with her.

"Well. I would be a little freaked out if that had come from anyone else. It's all right if you say it though, because I think about you all the time too." Hermione replied, inhaling sharply as the words left her mouth.

"You-you think about me?" Ron asked, truly shocked.

"Yeah." Hermione whispered, now blushing herself.

"Do you think about how annoying I am?" Ron questioned, wondering exactly what Hermione was thinking.

"No. I think about your smile and I think about your laugh. I think about your hair and your eyes. I think about all the great times we have together and all the great things you say. I think about how glad I am to know you." Hermione said, not feeling brave enough to admit she thought about them together.

Ron pondered what Hermione had said for a moment. He thought about all the times Harry had insisted that Hermione really liked him. Ron gazed into Hermione's cinnamon eyes, remembering all the days he'd spent just watching her.

Ron wasn't sure when he'd fallen in love with Hermione, but standing in the middle of that dance floor, swinging back and forth with her in his arms, he knew that he could never live without her. "Hermione, I think about you in every way possible. You just amaze me. You're smart, you're fun, you're everything a good person should be." Ron said, watching as Hermione smiled.

"Oh Ron I-" This time it was Ron who wouldn't let Hermione finish her sentence. Pushing aside fear and consequence, Ron raised Hermione's chin and lowered his lips to hers. Hermione pulled in closer and kissed back deeply.

Years of friendship, flirting, and fighting had been leading to this very moment. When they pulled apart Ron was the first to speak. "Hermione, I've known you for years and I can confidently say that I am madly in love with you. Say you'll be my girlfriend." Ron said.

"Ron, of course I'll be your girlfriend! You don't even know how long I've loved you!" Hermione exclaimed, pulling in even closer and resting her head on Ron's shoulder.

Ron looked down at Hermione, who was grinning widely. A fast song had started but neither of them noticed as they continued to sway together slowly.

A/N: Well. PotterSnitch7 said I should have seven chapters. So I suppose I could do that. The next chapter will be the last. A short little epilogue of sort. Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing! Please keep reviewing!