A/N: Tsk, tsk. Shame on me. I have not updated in five months. I am such a bad person. But here it is! I have finished this story, finally, but I will post each chapter separately even though I knowI should post it altogether. Well, a little note to start it off. I hate this chapter. Actually, I hate all of them. They all seem so banal and insipid. To be frank, it's just boring.But your opinion matters to me more than my own. So, read and review, and (hopefully) enjoy.
Ron and Hermione walked along the empty corridors in awkward silence. Both were ashamed of what had happened earlier in the day, and both were too obstinate to apologize to one another. Neither said a word, so silently they patrolled the school.
Occasionally one of them would open his or her mouth, as if to say something. But each time they quickly shut it, lest the words "I love you" would escape rather than "I'm sorry." And so they continued to walk in silence, once in a while their hands brushing against each other ever so gently.
They walked quickly, their eyes looking for any signs of transgression. Ron's eyes frequently wandered to the beautiful young lady on his left. She was gorgeous when she was angry at him. Her cinnamon eyes would narrow, and her lips would form into a slight pout. Her cheeks would form a deep shade of red and she would purposely walk faster than she normally did, which eventually made her tired.
After quite a bit of walking through the halls of Hogwarts, Hermione suddenly stopped and leaned against a pillar to catch her breath. Ron, who had no trouble keeping up with her because of his long legs, chuckled softly to himself.
Hermione stood stationary for a couple minutes, and then stood up straight and began brushing imaginary dust off. She started to walk off again but abruptly came to a halt when Ron spoke to her.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," Ron blurted, for he couldn't take this silence between them any longer. "I was a prat, and I shouldn't have been. You were right. You're always right. I was wrong to say otherwise. Forgive me?"
Hermione was taken aback. It usually took longer than an hour for one of them to apologize. She was about to decline his apology, but her heart softened at his imploring blue eyes. She could never say no to those eyes.
"I forgive you, Ron," Hermione replied. "And I should apologize as well. I shouldn't have called you a prat. It was uncalled for and terribly impolite. But if you would only do your own homework instead of copying off of my mine you'll be much better off after seventh year. I won't always be around, you know."
Hermione's final words hit Ron like lightening. She was right, again. She wouldn't always be around. Seventh year was just around the corner, and if it was anything like the past six years it would pass by in a flash. Especially since they were bound to participate in the war, the love of his life may escape him forever. And there wouldn't be anything that he could do about it.
Ron became eerily silent after Hermione's response to his apology. He couldn't stand the thought of losing her. Life without her would be an endless torture of excruciating pain and eternal suffering. He watched her and knew that he could not live without his beautiful 'Mione to brighten his day.
"Ron," Hermione said, "Are you okay? You look pale."
"What?" asked Ron? "Oh, I'm fine, Hermione. Just daydreaming I reckon. But I'm fine."
"Okay then. I suppose we should get back to our duties. My breath's all caught up now."
Ron nodded and they continued to walk down the corridors. Hermione's words reverberated in his mind, and he could not shake them out. Twice Hermione heard him mutter the words "Shut up", and three times he received a lecture from her for not paying attention to the nonexistent happenings of his side of the hallway.
Deep in his mind Ron's conscience told him that he ought to tell Hermione of his secret feelings soon. And by soon, what was meant was really soon. He did not have much time left. Ron silently argued back that he had plenty of time. It would be months and months until seventh year ended. And Harry, Ron, and Hermione would survive this war of course. Good always conquers evil. But, disagreed his conscience, you never know what might happen. And that was a good point, Ron thought. Just because they were a part of the Golden Trio doesn't mean that they will always survive everything that they undergo.
Ron, once again, gazed at the intelligent witch. If one of them died before he ever got the chance to kiss her, to hold her in his arms, and whisper "I love you" lovingly in her ear and hear her whisper it back then life would just not be worth living.
But he couldn't tell her now. Not when they were patrolling Hogwarts. If Hermione did not feel the same way he did about her, then it would be incredibly awkward between them. With one more note Ron could arrange a meeting, and if Hermione did not like who she saw then she would have the chance to escape. Just one more note, and Ron's fate would be determined and changed forever.
Ron and Hermione finished their walk around the corridors at around two, at which time they were due in Potions. Ron was a bit rueful when their shift was over. He always enjoyed the times when he and Hermione were alone together. These were the times where they could get to know each other a little better without Harry nagging at them every other second.
The two of them walked into Snape's classroom, and Ron was relieved when he saw that Harry had brought Ron's essay with him. It was a bit crumpled, Ron realized, but Hermione agreed to cast a non-wrinkling charm on it.
Throughout all of Potions, Ron could not stay focused on the assignment. Despite his numerous attempts to keep his mind off of the firm countenance of Hermione Granger and the note in which he had to send very, very soon, he was constantly pouring the wrong ingredients into his cauldron and pouring the correct ingredients in the wrong amounts. So, instead of creating a light blue liquid with a thin curl of smoke floating into the air, Ron created a murky, thick, brown substance that spread a hideous odor throughout the classroom.
Snape smirked at the opportunity to embarrass Ron and was gleeful at a reason to take points away from Gryffindor. Ron turned a light shade of red as his fellow Gryffindors glared at him from the sides. From the corner of his eye Ron noticed the bemused and concerned look in Hermione's eyes. Ron had never been excellent in Potions, but he also had never been this distracted. Ron could not suppress the smallest grin at the idea that Hermione was worried about him.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione had only History of Magic to go to before lessons were finished for the day. Ron took this period to create drafts of his letter. Throughout the entire lesson Ron was seen scribbling on a piece of parchment and continually crossing things out. Every time Harry tried to sneak a peak at what Ron was writing (although Harry did have his suspicions), Ron would quickly turn the parchment over and whisper angrily at Harry to mind his own business.
Ron had no idea of what the letter would contain. How could he possibly word it? Should he write it as a poem, or just a regular letter? And what sort of flowers could he include?
Ron wrote and rewrote his letter a thousand times, until suddenly he had a revelation. A light bulb turned on his mind and he whispered, "Yes!" out loud. The whole class turned to look at him. But Ron ignored them. He was too busy writing. Once he had gotten it absolutely perfect, he copied the letter over again on a fresh sheet of parchment in the neatest penmanship he could possibly muster and folded it so that it could fit neatly in his books without anybody noticing it.
When class was dismissed, Ron told Harry and Hermione that he would see them later. He had to do something important. After leaving his friends, Ron raced to the dormitory to hide the letter until Wednesday morning. Inside his journal, he made a little reminder to himself to find the roses he required. After shutting and locking his trunk, he went down into the common room and found Harry and Ginny sitting very closely together, not kissing much to Ron's relief, and Hermione sitting as far away from them as she could with a book in her hands.
Ron strode toward the bushy-haired beauty and casually took a seat next to her. Hermione, sensing his presence, said,
"Hello, Ron."
"Hi, 'Mione. What are you up to?"
"I'm reading, Ron. What did you have to do that was so important after History of Magic?" asked Hermione, looking at Ron suspiciously.
Ron grinned slightly to himself.
"You'll find out in due time, Hermione."
Hermione raised her eyebrow skeptically. Harry and Ginny, now noticing Ron's presence in the room, greeted the latter politely. The four of them proceeded to tackle some of their homework before dinner.
That night, in the boys' dormitories, Harry asked Ron the same question that Hermione asked him earlier that day.
"I guess I should tell you," Ron said slowly, "about my little secret."
Harry raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Ron cleared his throat and Harry waited patiently for Ron to tell him what he already knew.
"Yes, Ron?" Harry replied.
"You see, mate, I'm X."
Of course, Harry wasn't surprised at all. After all, he already knew that. He merely nodded and smiled. Ron was puzzled at Harry's reaction, since he never told him about his feelings nor even hinted about them.
"You're taking this well," Ron commented.
Harry chuckled and said, "I guess I should tell you, mate, about my little secret."
"Your little secret?" the redhead echoed.
"Yes. Do you know how you asked me to get your essay in your trunk earlier today?" Ron nodded. "Well, your journal was left un-charmed, and I've been wondering why you have been acting so weird lately so I figured the only way to find out was through your journal. I read it and I found out about you and I'm sorry. Are you mad?"
Ron laughed.
"I'm not mad, Harry. But you didn't read about my dream, did you?"
"No."
"Good."
They didn't say a word after that. Ron wrote in his journal again and Harry went down to meet Ginny for a little late night rendezvous.
A/N: See, didn't I tell you it was dull? I've become a little less enthusiastic since I started writing this. Next chapter will be up soon, if anybody's interested. Read and review, please! It would certainly make my day!
