A/N - This one's a bit soppy but I had fun writing it:) Sorry bout the confusion of the ships in the fic. Hopefully it's all sorted now. Please read and review, much appreciated.

Chapter 9

The night before the final battle Harry, Ron and Hermione were in Grimmauld place. They didn't know at the time that tomorrow would be the fateful day when good clashed with evil in the form of Harry and Voldemort; they knew, however, that the battle was imminent.

Harry was downstairs in the kitchen going over plans and tactics, diversions and evacuations sites. Hermione had had enough, as had Ron, so they were upstairs in Hermione's room, trying to relax.

Hermione was led on her bed, turned slightly towards Ron who was led next to her, propped up on his elbow. Hermione's eyes were closed but she wasn't asleep. She felt Ron move slightly and then felt him put the stray strands of hair that were falling into her eyes back behind her ear. His hand stayed resting on her hair, his thumb stroking her face. She breathed in deeply, relaxing at his touch. His hand moved and she felt him stroke her eyelashes. She smiled.

'I still don't understand why you like doing that,' Hermione said quietly.

'I don't know myself really, but it shows you trust me,' he replied.

'How does it show that?' she said, her eyes still closed and her eyelashes still being stroked by Ron.

'Well you only let people you really trust near your face or your eyes. If you think someone's gonna poke you in the eye you aren't gonna let them near you are you?' Hermione smiled.

'No I suppose you're not.' Ron moved his hand away from over her face and took her hand in his. She opened her eyes and looked into his. Ron's face suddenly became serious and he sat up crossed-legged facing her.

'What?' she asked, panicking ever so slightly.

'Just stay here, I'll be back in a minute.'

'Ron wha-'

'Just stay there or I'll hex you,' he replied with a smile. She relaxes and laid back down on the bed, having sat up as Ron left the room.

Ron returned a minute later, carrying something in his hand. Hermione sat up as he entered. He sat on the edge of the bed and took her right hand in his left.

'Hermione,' he paused, trying to figure out the best way to say what he wanted, 'Hermione, no one knows what's going to happen in the next few days. Anything could happen and I need you to know some things in case anything happens to be or, Merlin forbid, you. I need you to know that I think you're the most beautiful, the most intelligent, and the most caring person I know, and most importantly you're my best friend as well as my girlfriend. I couldn't ask for anything more.

'I…I've always felt embarrassed saying stuff like this…but at the minute there's nothing more important than me telling you how I feel,' he takes a deep breath and looks directly into her eyes. 'I've fallen in love with you Hermione Granger and I can't see there being anything that's gonna change that. I want you to have this, I got it when I went to see Fred and George in Diagon Alley last week.'

He took the box from behind his back and opened it so she could see what was inside. The box contained a ring, a solid silver band with the words 'te amo' engraved on the inside. Ron took it out of the box and took Hermione's right hand.

'It's been enchanted with a spell that kind of records the way I feel about you, so that when you say the spell 'sensus salvus' and you're wearing it you can feel how I feel about you. At these words Hermione couldn't keep her tears in anyone. As one escaped her eye, Ron placed the ring on her third finger on her right hand. He leaned forward and kissed her softly. When he pulled back her eyes didn't leave his.

'Ron, I…I don't know what to say. The ring is beautiful and the way I can feel how you feel, is just,' she pauses, searching for a word to express how she felt; she couldn't find one good enough, 'there aren't any words I can say to let you know how much this means to me, and I hope you knew before now that I'm in love with you too.' Ron beamed.

'I had a good idea.'

'Good, and whatever happens, if we survive everything. I'll always be there for you, every single day, ok?'

'Same here.'

'I love you Ronald Weasley.'

'I love you too Hermione Granger.' They moved together and kissed once again, before holding onto each other in a hug as if their lives depended on it. After a couple of minutes they both changed into their pyjamas and climbed into bed. As they fell asleep they held each other, and not until they woke up the next morning did they let go.

'Hermione?'

The friendly voice reached her brain and she blinked bringing her eyes back into focus.

'Hermione, are you ok? You've been in a dream world for a couple of minutes.'

'Erm, yeah I'm fine,' she replies, 'sorry I was just thinking about…' she looked at the ring on her finger, 'you know Ron bought me this?' she asked Ginny.

'Actually I didn't. I knew it was new but I've only seen it a couple of times and I've not got round to asking you about it.'

'Well Ron gave it to me the night before the final battle. We didn't know it was going to be the next day but it was. It was the first time he told me he was in love with me, and as it happens it was the first time I told him the same. I'd known for a while but I didn't want to say it because I didn't want to put him under any pressure to say something he wasn't comfortable saying, so I kept quiet. I was so happy when he said it and then he gave me this,' she took the ring off her finger and gave it to Ginny.

'Te amo,' the younger witch said as she read the inscription, 'wow, I didn't know Ron had that much romance in him.'

'Well that's not all; it's bewitched too. He kind of recorded the way he felt about me in it. If I'm wearing it and say 'sensus salvus' then I can feel the way he did.'

Ginny looked taken aback by the effort Ron had put into his present.

'Ron did this?' she asked. Hermione smiled. With Ron's past form when it came to feelings it had come as a shock to her as well. Her smile turned serious.

'I get angry with myself sometimes, 'cause if he hadn't said anything that night then neither would I and he wouldn't know how I felt.'

'Oh Hermione, he knew how you felt; every time you looked at him you said it in your eyes. Even Ron couldn't ignore that.'

'Yeah but, why do we always wait to tell people how we feel? We always presume that we'll have tomorrow to do things and get things sorted, but one day we won't,' she fell silent, willing herself not to cry for the second time that day. She failed, tears spilled from her eyes.

Ginny moved her chair next to Hermione's and put her arm around her friend.

'Oh Hermione don't cry. At the end of the day you did tell him how you feel, and when he wakes up, 'cause he will wake up, you can tell him everyday, and he can do the same to you,' Hermione smiled, 'and then you can get married and live happily ever after!' Ginny ended with a grin.

'Merlin if it's not Harry marrying us off it's you! Is there something in the water?'

'No, but I am putting my name forward as chief bridesmaid in advance, before anyone else does!'

Hermione laughed.

'Yeah ok, but only if I'm yours.'

'Deal!'

'Just please don't mention the whole wedding theme to your mum, it's bad enough with you and Harry just joking about it but-'

'Hermione let me stop you there,' Ginny interrupted, 'do you honestly think that as soon as mum knew you and Ron were officially together she didn't start mentally thinking about the two of you getting married, thinking about what colours you might like, how many bridesmaids and page boys there'd be?'

'Oh Merlin above! Fine just no more talk about wedding's around Ron please. As I told Harry, he'll stay asleep forever 'cause he'll be convinced he's walking down an aisle as soon as he does!'

Ginny laughed.

'Ok, promise.'

Hermione stood up.

'I think I'll go and freshen up before anyone else arrives. I'll be back in a minute.'

'Ok, be careful.'

Hermione looked at Ginny in a puzzled way.

'Be careful? Ginny I'm going to the toilet and coming back again, what could possibly go wrong?'

'Yeah ok, I just got so used to saying it every time I said goodbye to someone, I guess some habits take a long time to get rid of.'

'Don't I know it!' Ginny looked at her questioningly, 'I'll tell you when I get back.' She moved past Ginny's chair and left the ward.


Chapter 10's on its way but I still need to read it through before I post it. Shouldn't be too long. Please review this chapter.

Step ;)