A/N: Thank you for reading and reveiwing. I love to hear the comments and suggestions that people have. One more chapter after this to go. So thanks for sticking with me.
"I made up the story about Lavender. I never saw her; in fact last I heard she still hated you…" He was going to kill Ginny. It was her fault that he was in this mess; dinner had been a pleasant affair up to the point that she had mention Lavender after that it had all gone down hill. His sister kept jabbering away and all he caught were words, sorry might have been mentioned but he wasn't sure but he really didn't care. If she had just kept her mouth shut tonight, he and Hermione would still be talking, and he wouldn't have called her a… He hadn't really called that had he? Way to go Weasley. This wasn't Ginny's fault it was all yours.
Silence. Ron wasn't sure how long ago Ginny had finished and he still wasn't sure of much of what she had said but her face spoke volumes. She really cared for him and thought she was helping tonight; he was the one that put his foot in his mouth. No matter how hard Ron tried to blame this on her it really was his fault.
"Hell. I am a right prat aren't I?" The words were out of Ron's mouth before he could stop them and he shook his head.
'Bout time you figure that one out." Harry laughed. Traitor.
His sister joined in with Harry and their laughter rang throughout the flat. Then suprising him Ginny enveloped Ron in a hug. They usually weren't that demonstrative. Often times showing affection as a Weasley sibling usually meant that you teased or abused one another. 'Smack'
"Hey what was that for?" Ron muttered rubbing the back of his head, secretly pleased that Ginny really did care about him.
"That was for being an idiot." She answered and then going up and kissing him on the cheek she finished "and that was for finally realizing it."
He had to laugh about that. He had realized a long time ago he was an idiot when it came to Hermione. She just got under his skin more than anyone else could, she knew what buttons to push and she never had any problems in pushing them. When he was in a temper most people would stay away but not her. She would just come and push and provoke him until he gave way to her. She could make him feel he was special and there was no one else that mattered to her as much as him, then in the next instant she could make him so angry that he wanted to shake her, but he would never do that, he would never hurt her. That is just what I did though, I hurt her and I never touched her.
It was just that what she said tonight had hurt him; he valued her opinion and friendship so much that when she had brushed him off he didn't know how to react. He had done what was second nature to him now. He pushed back. He had said what he knew would hurt her the most and he hadn't stopped when the warning voice in the back of his head and told him he had gone too far.
"She is more than an old friend, Ron." The venom in Hermione's voice jolted Ron to his feet.
How could she even think that after all these years he still had feelings for anyone like Lavender? He had been seventeen for crying out loud and had just found out that he seemed to be the only one that had never had anyone else. Lavender had been there and more importantly she had been available. He needed her at that point, he truly wasn't ready for anything more solid and stable when he was in school.
"What are we Hermione seventeen? You are acting like a jealous school girl. Will you just let it go already?"
"I'm acting like I'm seventeen? I'm not the one who is jumping at the chance to have drinks with my old girlfriend."
"Old, Hermione did you catch that. Not present girlfriend, old girlfriend. Honestly woman you would think that I was dating her now."
"Well Ron, what's holding you back nothing is stopping you and if it is the tart you want then you are welcome to her."
They were both standing now, inches away from one another, and he was at a loss what to do. He knew what he wanted. Hermione had been an unattainable fantasy since he was fourteen and years later she remained in that same spot someone that would never be available to him.
"Hermione," he started
"No Ron. Do you know what I am tired of this." She said gesturing between the two of them "You have always gone for what was cheap and easy so I guess you get what you pay for."
She was infuriating. Did she truly not know him? Did she really think he would be stupid enough to choose Lavender over her again? Even if all they had was friendship it meant too much to him to give up.
"Hermione," he growled but she moved towards the kitchen door.
"We're through here Ron. I suggest you go home."
He reached for her arm to stop her from leaving the room but she shrugged him off and stormed into the living room. He knew that he should stay and wait for them both to calm down but she was being totally unreasonable about everything. Ignoring the voice in his head that told him to stop he pushed open the door and marched into the living room, yelling at her for walking out on him, no, on them.
The sound of apparition stopped him from reliving the rest of that memory. It wasn't as if he would ever forget it but it was nice that something had stopped him from remembering the rest. He wondered who could be here. Ron started to get up and see who the unexpected visitor was when the voice froze him in place.
"Harry?" Hermione's voice came from the hallway "Harry, are you here?" he felt his face blanch and he struggled to breathe. What was she doing here? Harry said that she was sleeping.
He forced himself to look at her as she entered the room. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot and it was because of him. He wanted to jump up and apologize right then. Tell her that he was an idiot and beg for her forgiveness, but Harry beat him to it. He pulled her back into the hallway and Ron could hear a muttered conversation taking place. He sunk back into the chair and hung his head. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready to face her again. She didn't want him, didn't want anything to do with him, and honestly he didn't blame her.
"Gin," Harry's voice broke across the awkward silence in the room, "why don't we leave these two alone."
Ron wanted to moan. They couldn't leave him Hermione was going to kill him. Tomorrow Ginny would come home and find his body sprawled across the living room floor and Hermione standing smugly over him. Ginny had to stay and knowing that she was his only hope he moved his eyes to her. His sister seemed to agree with his assessment of the situation but Harry didn't give her chance to vocalize this agreement or insist that she stay. "We will be at your flat if you need us. Com'on Red." Harry remarked to Hermione, leading Ginny out of the room. Ron noticed that Hermione nodded her head at his parting words but her eyes were still fixed on the floor.
Then before he knew it, he and Hermione were alone.
It felt like ages that they stood there looking at everything in the room except each other. Ron had found a rather interesting spot on the floor, if you looked at it at the right angle and with the right light it sort of looked like Buckbeak. Okay not really, but it was easier than meeting her gaze. He could feel her eyes on him and was ashamed that he couldn't at least look at her. Didn't he owe her at least that? They had been friends too long to throw it away over feelings that he had but she didn't return. Moving slowly as if it took all the strength he possessed he finally raised his head and looked into Hermione's eyes.
He wished he hadn't. For all the years Ron had known Hermione he thought he had seen every emotion play across her face, he was wrong though. For the first time Ron saw defeat in her eyes. She looked helpless and weary and he had caused that. Ron didn't deserve her friendship let alone her love. What had he been thinking? She deserved someone who was so much more than he was.
He was ready to make his excuses and leave. He didn't know where, all he knew was that he could not be around Hermione now and maybe not for a while. The ministry had offered a two month supplemental training program, maybe he should sign up. The classes were in Ireland and it would give him time to sort things out.
Before he could leave though he saw here eyes change from defeat to something he remembered seeing years ago, resolution. Brandishing her wand with more skill and grace than should be legal she raised the wand and pointed it at him.
Hell, its sixth year all over. Ron thought and knowing that a hex was headed his way he scrambled out of the chair and looked for a means of escape. Knowing there was no other way out he dived behind Ginny's couch and hoped that it was enough to shield him from Hermione's wrath.
He waited for the dreaded curse but instead Hermione's voice rang through the apartment.
"Ron," she asked worriedly "Ron are you okay? What's wrong?"
He wanted to breathe a sigh of relief. Not only was she not going to hex him but she actually sounded worried about him. Maybe this wasn't as bad as he thought. Maybe he could still fix this.
"Ron, answer me." Her voice seemed to rise in decibels as her worry increased. She was going to really kill him when she found out the reason that he was behind the couch. Maybe if he just acted like it was perfectly normal to be behind the couch. That was it.
"Ah, I'm fine." He answered still cowering behind the couch "Just, um, looking for something."
"What are you looking for Ron?"
Oh great now he needed an answer. "Well, um, you see…"
"Ronald Weasley." Oh great her anger was back now. "Why are you behind the couch?"
Well he might just have to tell her the truth now. "ithoughtyouweregoingtohexme" There he had done it, he had told her, maybe it was better that he still remained hidden behind the couch.
"I'm not seventeen any more Ronald." Was her only answer. Maybe he was safe from canaries or boils but he still wasn't sure if it was safe to surface. As if answering his question she muttered "Imperturbatus".
Why'd you shield the room Hermione?" Ron asked coming up from behind the couch finally thinking it was safe to revel himself. "Don't you trust them?"
"I trust Harry." She answered
Ron was shocked. Just exactly was she trying to say. If truth be told he didn't trust his sister in situations like this either. In fact if Hermione hadn't shielded the room he probably would have before they really started to talk. But it wasn't Hermione's place to insult his sister like that.
"Are you trying to tell me you don't trust my sister?"
"No Ron that isn't it at all. Why would you think that? Of course I trust your sister." She answered not looking at him at all. Ron was sure that she was lying. But he really didn't want to fight with her anymore.
"No you don't" he smirked
"Ron, honestly, Ginny is one of my best friends and"
"and you don't trust her anymore than I do. Hermione you know she won't leave us alone. She has been after the two of us to get together for years now surely you noticed." Ron immediately regretted his words. Smart Weasley; admit that your sister has been trying to push you together. You might as well have admitted your love to her right here.
He waited for her to storm out or deny his claims. He couldn't look at her anymore. Maybe there was time for him to take it all back but he didn't know how. It was Hermione's laughter that broke him out of a trance.
"Oh, I haven't missed them Ron." She smiled sitting on the couch "Remember the time that she locked the two of us in the attic at the Burrow? Or what about the time at Fred's wedding when she made sure that I caught the bouquet and you caught the garter. I swear subtle is not a word in your families vocabulary."
This was good. This was familiar to him; talking with Hermione laughing back and forth. It was almost like events from earlier this evening hadn't happened. Almost. But that wasn't going to stop him from enjoying this brief moment of levity before plunging into the subject that they had avoided for too long.
"Oh, I know it." Ron said a grin spreading across his face, joining her on the couch. "Remember when Bill cursed us that we couldn't be more than five feet apart at all times?"
"We were lucky that Charlie finally took pity on us and broke the curse."
He had forgotten it had been Charlie that had ended it. That had been his last trip home. The last time he had ever seen his brother. As if sensing his thoughts Hermione reached for his hand and took it in her own.
"I still miss him you know? When ever I saw him he was always ready to listen or tease."
"Yeah he was. He liked you, did you know that?" she shook her head and he continued "Every time he wrote he asked how you were or what you were doing. Merlin he even asked if I had plucked up the courage to ask you out yet." Ron blushed at this confession he really hadn't expected to ever admit that to anyone.
Expecting Hermione to pull away after that he started to move his hand away from hers, instead she gripped tighter and spoke in a voice so quiet that had Ron not been really listening he would have missed it.
"He always told me to not get discouraged, that you would come around eventually. He gave me hope that this was going to work out, Ron. I wish he was here now."
Me too. Ron thought. Charlie's death had hit him harder than anything else in the war. He had always seen his brother as indestructible someone that had beaten the odds over and over again. Then he was gone. For the first time Ron had realized what it was like to loose someone so close and it had hurt. He didn't know what he would do if he was to loose anyone else. That is why he had kept Hermione at bay for so long. He couldn't have her but he couldn't bear not having her near either.
"Ron," her voice seemed small again and he noticed that she her eyes seemed to show defeat again. "I am sorry for earlier. I didn't mean what I said. I wish I knew why we did this why we seem to fight at every turn."
Hermione continued in her ramble but Ron had stopped listening. All he could focus on was Hermione and how close she seemed and that look in her eyes, he had to change it. He wouldn't let her be defeated anymore. Leaning closer he cut off her sentence and pressed his lips against hers.
It was as if time had stopped. He was kissing Hermione Granger and she wasn't pushing or pulling away. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers a smile slowly spreading across his face.
'I love you'
There he had finally said it. Ron let out a sigh as Hermione gripped his hand harder.
"I love you too, Ron." She said but didn't look at him. In fact if Ron didn't know better she almost looked upset again, weren't they supposed to be happy now? He placed his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him.
"But?" he questioned
"But I don't know if 'I love you' is enough anymore."