Well this is it. The last chapter of My Brother. Wow, there were times I never thought I would get here. I am sorry for the delay in this chapter. I was trying to get it just right and Hermione kept giving my problems. Special thanks to gracierose, really without her this story would not have a last chapter. Also thank you for all who reviewed. Honestly it kept me going. Look for a one-shot companion piece to My Brother coming soon called- Saying Goodbye (I promise it is all happy no breaking up or anything).

Ron sat immobile on the couch. He wasn't sure if he had heard her correctly. What did she mean love wasn't enough? He knew that Hermione was mental but really, she had to have some common sense- right? But looking at her and seeing how much it hurt her to say it he knew that she was telling the truth.

"Hermione, tell me what I need to do to make it work?" he asked desperately wanting to rid her eyes of the sorrow and pain that were held there. It wasn't supposed to be like this, they were supposed to profess their love for one another and then move into a relationship. One where he didn't have to worry about upsetting her anymore; where everything would be okay.

"Oh Ron," she said placing a hand on cheek. Her touch felt warm and comforting. He leaned into it savoring the feel of her hand, "I wish that I could tell you what you needed to do. But honestly, I don't know. For the first time in my life I don't know the answer. I just know that words can't fix everything now. Not this time."

He sighed knowing she was right, when wasn't she. They had come too far though for him to give up without a fight. Searching his brain Ron desperately looked for an answer. There had to be something that he could do. Somehow there was a way to fix this- he just didn't know what it was.

"Why not?" he questioned, he was serious he knew how she felt but truly didn't understand. He was a Weasley, they fought, they yelled, but in the end they loved each other and that made it alright. It didn't matter what the other had said or what they had done love fixed everything.

"It's just not Ron."

She infuriated him to no end. She had to have a reason of why love wasn't enough; if Hermione was anything she was logical. She had to have a logical reason why this wasn't going to work. Knowing that anger would get him no where; he took a calming breath and running his fingers through his hair he tried again.

"Hermione, I don't understand and I want to. If I love you, and you love me; why isn't that enough?"

"Love is more than a word Ron." Well he knew that. She didn't think he was that thick did she?

"I know it is more than a word, Hermione."

"Funny, you have never shown that. Never once have you showed me you love me. You tell me all the time you love me for this and you love me for that. But never once have you showed me Ron. You say you love me but I need to see it, I need to feel it. Make me believe it is true. Love just can't be a word for us anymore."

What did she mean 'he didn't show her that he loved her?' He had been trying to show her how much he loved her since they were at Hogwarts. He would do anything for her, hadn't he been the one that went searching for a flat with her? Hadn't he been the one that pulled together a party when she had gotten the job at the ministry? Wasn't he the one that sent flowers at every birthday or for special events? What else did she need?

"You're wrong." He said standing up and moving away from her. "I don't think love has ever been just a word for us Hermione. What do you think it means that I spent three weekends with you looking for a flat?"

"You were just being a friend Ron, you did for me what you would have done for anyone."

"Oh, come on Hermione. I didn't even go with Harry when he chose our flat. I did it to be with you." He said running his fingers through his hair. "What did I get you last Christmas?'

"That's hardly the point, Ron." She stuttered.

"No that is exactly the point Hermione. Do you know how long it took me to track that down? I looked for months, I owled all over and when it finally came on Christmas Eve, I couldn't wait even twelve hours to give it to you."

He looked over at her and noticed her head was hung and her shoulders were shaking. He hated when she cried. He hadn't meant to make her cry. "Hermione, look at me." He said softly. Hermione kept her head bowed low shaking her head a bit. "Damn it, Hermione look at me!" Moving back to her he crouched down to make her look at him. When she still refused he put his hand under her chin and lifted it up, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Look in my eyes Hermione. Look in my eyes and tell me that my love isn't enough for you."

She didn't know what to say. The words seemed to be frozen in her throat as she stared into Ron's eyes. She had always known that he loved her; well deep down she thought she knew it, but she had never expected this. Ron was kneeling before her almost begging her to love him. She couldn't turn him away. This had been her dream for almost a decade now and was she really willing to give it up this easily?

She was sacred. She wanted this, there had been very few times since knowing Ron Weasley that she hadn't wanted this to happen between them. But now that the reality was in front of her she didn't know how to act or what to do. She couldn't lose him. That is what stopped her from flinging her arms around him telling him everything was going to work out. She still wasn't sure if those three words were enough. There seemed to be a gulf separating them and she didn't know how to cross it.

She knew she didn't have much longer to decide. In a few moments Ron would stand up and leave. She had to give him a reason to stay, a reason not to leave her. Sighing she brought her hand up to cup his cheek, "I know that there is love there Ron. There always has been. But please try to understand, I…"

As predictable as ever Ron stood and began to move towards the door, her anger boiled. Why didn't he understand? Why couldn't he give her a chance to explain everything? Letting her temper get the better of her she jumped to her feet, "Ronald Bilius Weasley, don't you dare walk out on me, while I'm talking to you."

"Why not?" he asked spinning around and facing her, "You have already done it once tonight."

Not knowing what else to do she pulled out her wand and pointed it strait at Ron, "Don't make me do it Ron."

"Really Hermione, you think I am scared? Please, it's not like you haven't hexed me before."

Merlin, they couldn't go more than three minutes into a conversation without being at each other's throats. Taking what she hoped was a calming breath she lowered her wand and prepared to take the biggest leap of faith in her life. "Look Ron, I don't want to fight, not anymore. Just listen to me for a second and if after you don't agree with me or don't care, I won't try to stop you from leaving."

She held his intense stare with one of her own. After what seemed like an eternity he nodded and she took that to mean she had his attention. "I'm scared Ron. I am scared about what would happen to me if I let 'I love you' make everything okay this time. To many times we've let those three word solve our problems and then the next day we go back to where we were before, fighting the feelings that are there deep inside us. But this time Ron, I can't let it go back there. I'm tired Ron, not just physically either. My heart is tired. I don't know how many more times it can go through this."

He tried to cut her off but she put up a hand, indicating she was not finished yet. "Ron, do you know what it would do to me if I lost you? I would be devastated and I don't know if I would ever recover. But knowing how much we would be putting on the line if we were a couple- Ron that scares the hell out of me. I can't imagine my life without you; at the same time I am so scared of loosing you that I don't want to try something that could potentially make us both extremely happy."

She closed her eyes trying to stop the tears welling up in her eyes; she knew what she had to do. She had to take that first step. Regaining her composure opened her eyes and spoke again, "Despite all that though Ron, I am willing to try. I am willing to let I love you be the start of something grand; but this time it has to be all or nothing. I can't keep going on like this, but the decision is yours. Are we going to be a couple, or are we going to be best friends for life?"

Hermione made herself hold Ron's gaze and found it one of the hardest things she ever had to do. She saw the warring emotions play across his eyes and knew that he had the same concerns and reservations that she did. Trying to remember to breathe she mentally counted the seconds off in her head…thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three- oh come on Ron; you're going to give me a stroke if you don't hurry up and decide, thirty-six, thirty-seven…

"Hermione," he whispered so softly that if she hadn't seen his lips move she wouldn't have known where it came from, "I don't know if I can go back to being just friends."

She smiled and stepped towards him, her hand outstretched, "Well then, we will have to work on being something else."

He took her hand, and pulled her towards him. "Can we start now?" he asked before leaning down to kiss her.

When he pulled away, smiled and pulling him towards the couch answered, "I think we already have."

Forty-five minutes later Hermione found herself lying on the couch with her head in Ron's lap, items from an impromptu dinner spread before them. Ron's hand was gently playing with one of her curls as she watched the dying fire. So this is what it felt like to be safe and loved. It was nothing she was planning to give up anytime soon. Her silent reverie was broken though by growl coming from Ron's stomach and she couldn't help the giggle that escaped her.

"Does it ever get full?" She asked playfully.

"Hasn't yet." He retorted "Harry is always going on how our grocery bill is astronomically high."

Hermione smiled, sitting up and gathering the dishes from the coffee table, "You know he threatened to kill you tonight."

"Threaten sweetheart; he came over here ready to murder me where I stood. If it hadn't been for Ginny, you would be attending my funeral next week."

"I am surprised he hasn't come over yet though," she said lifting the imperturbable from the room and settling back down on the couch.

"Give him time." Ron chuckled. "He is probably just waiting for the dust to settle. I am sure he will be here in a few minutes."

"Probably. He did a lot for me tonight." Hermione mused.

"Well he has always looked out for you when it came to me." Ron answered, laying his head on her lap.

"He has." She said starting to run her fingers through his hair. Ron sighed and moved in closer. "But I don't think he is going to have to worry so much anymore."

"No, not anymore." Ron repeated his voice telling her just how tired he was. "Wake me when he gets her luv?"

"Of course." She whispered planting a soft kiss on his forehead.

Harry opened the door to Ginny's flat cautiously, not knowing if he wanted to witness what lay behind the door to the living room. He had persuaded Ginny to stay at Hermione's until he had a chance to check in on everything. And what a conversation that had been. It was just his luck to fall in love with a stubborn, fiery, beautiful girl.

He leaned against the door hoping to hear something, anything at all to let him know how things had gone. Silence seemed to be the only response and he debated within himself whether he should open the door or not when Hermione answered for him.

"Come on in Harry." It amazed him that she knew where he was all the time. She had had the same insight at school, leaving it near impossible for him to ever catch her by surprise.

He entered the room and saw Ron sprawled across the couch his head resting in Hermione's lap. She was staring into the fireplace her finger gracefully dancing through Ron's hair. Harry stood back and just took in the sight. His best friends, the two people who had stood by him for ten years had finally realized what had been staring them right in the face.

Not being able to stop the grin from spreading across his face he addressed Hermione, "So, I take it everything went well."

Hermione blushed but did not stop her actions, "Yes, it went really well."

Harry settled into an oversized chair next to the couch and continued to stare at his best friends. He couldn't believe how normal this scene was. It was as if Hermione and Ron had always been together; and maybe in a way they had. This is what they had been leading up to for so many years. This was just as things were meant to be.

"I never got to thank you." Hermione said, interrupting his thoughts.

"For what?" he questioned

"For looking after me. And I don't mean just tonight."

Harry couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "What else are brothers for?"