CHAPTER SEVEN: IF I DON'T TELL YOU NOW

Ron stared at Hermione's haggard expression, his heart twisting painfully. She looked so sad and lost, like she'd never be happy again. Ron glanced down at his hands knowing that even though his family had lost everything that they'd had in that fire, he couldn't bring himself to feel as sad as he did whenever he looked at Hermione.

He watched as she sat with his sister, Ginny, both holding hands in front of a fire-less fireplace, crying and consoling each other. He felt his own eyes tear as liquid flooded Hermione's dark eyes and spill over her trembling lips. She stroked Ginny's hair and after they had hugged goodnight, Hermione stood.

"I think I'll just head up to bed," she muttered to no one in particular. It was only he, Harry and Ginny in the room as the rest of the order had gone back to the ministry to take care of more matters. Harry, who had gotten up to put his arms around Ginny, looked at her, his green eyes filled with concern. "I'm fine Harry," Hermione said before he had a chance to open his mouth. She silently shuffled out and Ron felt his legs spring him to a standing position. Harry had already turned his attention to Ginny, who was crying once more, so Ron swept from the room without another word and followed Hermione upstairs, slipping into her room just as she had made to close the door behind her.

I've kept it inside for the longest time
And I can't keep keeping it in
All this love that's inside my heart
Maybe it's safer not to say that I care
Maybe this road won't lead me anywhere

He had known what he was going to do even before his body had propelled him up the stairs. There was no wasting anymore time. Now he was sure of it. Ever since the fire had raged, radiating around Hermione's hair like a morbid sort of halo and seeing the fear in her eyes, he knew that he was going to tell Hermione how he felt. How many times did he have to come close to losing her before he would open his mouth? He didn't care anymore if she felt the same way or not, if anything more would become of them, because after this evening, he felt certain that these moments wouldn't always be given to him. She would know what he felt and if anything were to happen to either of them throughout this battle, Ron would at least be able to console himself with the fact that he had faced his greatest fear and had told Hermione that it was only her that made any part of this war worth fighting.

Hermione turned to him with tear-filled eyes and he strode over to her, gathering her in his arms without a moment's hesitation. He gripped her tighter to him as she buried her face into his neck and cried.

Standing there for what could have been hours, but felt like seconds to Ron, he listened as her cries quieted and her shoulders ceased to shake with her sobs. She pulled her head away to gaze at him and Ron automatically brushed away the tears still clinging to her cheeks. Gazing down at her, he wondered what it possibly was that held him back from telling Hermione that she was everything he was ever looking for.

"Hermione…"

But if I don't tell you now
I may never get the chance again
To tell you that I need you
Tell you what I'm feeling
If I keep these feelings in
And if I don't say the words
How will you hear what's inside my heart
How will you know it
If I don't tell you now

"Shh Ron. You're here now. You did everything exactly how I ever dreamt you would if I ever needed you. I know…I know…" she murmured. As tears clung to her lashes, her eyelids fluttered shut and Ron felt trembling lips press gently over his own, so softly it was as if a butterfly's wings had lightly grazed them as it flew.

Ron felt as if his heart would burst from his chest, it expanded with joy at the touch of Hermione's lips that it nearly felt like a pain in his chest, the love pouring from it so great. Deepening the kiss, he pulled Hermione to him ever closer and willed his kiss to show her that he loved her, that this was all he'd ever been waiting for.

I'd do anything to be in your dreams
And I can't stand standing by
With this dream that's inside my heart
Maybe I'm only gonna make a mistake
And there's a chance maybe my heart will break

Hermione clung to him and returned his kisses feverishly, revelling at the heat that her blood caused as it coursed through her veins. In the wake of the horror and grief that had struck, she felt as if she were floating, her heart pounding, she hungrily ate at the feeling of being alive. Her hands roamed of their own accord, slipping through Ron's hair, touching his shoulders, his back, caressing his face, it was as if they had minds of their own, frantically making sure that what stood before her holding her so closely was real and not a cruel trick her grief-stricken mind was playing on her.

Ron felt a tear escape through his closed eyes. As he felt Hermione's fingers gently brush against his cheek, he battled with the emotions inside him, wondering how he could feel so happy when darkness and evil had surrounded them mere moments ago. Shaking away those thoughts, he grasped hold of the joy and utter happiness that was being in Hermione's arms and told himself it was because he had seen what terror was like. He had now just experienced loss beyond his beliefs that he needed to appreciate the simple miracle that love wove.

How will you know what's inside my soul
Oh it's driving me crazy
'Cause you can't see
You're the world to me
I'm so afraid to say
The way that I feel for you

Gently, as if floating, they fell onto Hermione's soft covers, carried on the love that stole around them. Feeling without thinking and loving without words, Ron and Hermione gave in to the emotions that had coiled beneath the depths of their secret hearts. Mouths gently exploring, whispers gently caressing, skin kissing skin, the world melted away.

Time ticked on and slowly the sun began to peek through the open shutters of the bedroom window and landed cheerily across Hermione's sleeping eyes, though she did not wake. Beside her, someone had chosen not to slumber.

Ron stared down at the sleeping face of Hermione. 'His' Hermione, he thought his heart swelling with pride at the beauty that slept on before him. He caressed her cheek with trembling fingers, still not able to fully comprehend how his dreams had finally come true.

Gently, he leaned over and kissed the lobe of her ear. "I love you, Hermione," he whispered, ever so softly. Raising his head, his eyes met Hermione's clear gaze and she smiled at him.

"I love you, Ron," she whispered to him, a smile touching the corners of her lips. Slowly they joined together in a reverent kiss, love consuming them once more, causing their souls to take wings and soar quietly into the air…and somewhere miles away or hidden, halfway around the world, the Dark Lord raised his head and frowned.