All right my faithful readers, this is the last chapter. I know you weren't expecting it to come this soon, and actually neither was I, but the time comes when all good things end, and the time for this good thing to end is now. Thank you for reading, and don't forget to check out my next story. And now…

White Roses in the Rain

Chapter 17

The end

The room was still, and almost completely empty. Both the ginger-haired one, and the one sobbing seemed to stand frozen in time. Ron held Hermione's sleeve over her fresh wound. He stood, speechless for a few moments, something that was uncharacteristic for him. Hermione stared up into his eyes, willing him to say something, anything, to make it better.

"Hermione…I can't believe you would…" She had always been the show-off, that smart ass. The girl who always knew the difference between right and wrong, and always took the straight and narrow path. She was always strong and confident. Now she was scared, crying, and confused. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore, and Ron was just as scared as the girl sobbing into his chest.

"Hermione, why?" he demanded.

"I don't know…" sobbed Hermione.

"No Hermione. No more 'I don't know'. There's a reason, and I want to know why." he sounded more mad than upset, but in reality it was exactly the opposite.

"Because…it just makes the pain go away."

"No. It doesn't." said Ron quietly.

"You don't know that Ronald. You wouldn't understand." Hermione had stopped sobbing and was now yelling in defense.

"Oh yeah?" Ron pulled up his own sleeve up to his shoulder blade and revealed a heart with an X over it in the form of an old, faded scar.

Hermione stared. "I did it in 4th year, and I don't anymore. Yeah, it took the pain away, but you know what, it came right back, and it was 10 times worse. I don't want to see that happen to you Hermione, I-" he stopped.

"You what?" Hermione looked back at him in wonder, her eyes shining.

Ron sighed. "I don't want to see you get hurt. You're my best friend."

Hermione leaned forward and traced a finger over the scar on Ron's back. He shivered at her touch on his bare flesh. "I'm really sorry." She said. "I don't know why I showed you. Maybe deep down I knew you would understand. Maybe I just didn't want to carry the burden by myself. I won't do it again." she pulled down his sleeve over his scar. "I promise." Hermione looked down at her wound.

"I can fix that." said Ron simply.

"Really?" Hermione asked skeptically. "My arm won't fall off or turn purple or anything?"

"No…I don't think so" Ron's ears reddened characteristically.

He placed a hand over her flesh. She flinched as his skin hit her wound. He concentrated for a long moment, then his palm glowed warm and green. After a few seconds he removed his palm to reveal a new pink scar on Hermione's arm, in the shape of it's former wound.

"Wow…that's great Ron. I didn't know you could do anything like this." She bent over to examine Ron's handiwork. He punched a fit in the air and a silent "YES!" formed on his lips.

"I saw that Ron" she said with a chuckle. Ron smiled back, his ears turning red.

"So um…how was Harry?" Ron asked, running a hand through his ginger hair.

"I don't know. They were doing it when I got there. They said he'll be fine, but…" Hermione stared down at her intertwined hands, laying on her lap.

"I know. But I mean, at least you got a chance with him. That's better then being best friends with him and wanting him secretly…and you know…never telling him. I mean" he cleared his throat, a bit nervously. "that would be pretty lonely."

"You know Ron, I never realized it before, but there's a lot about you that I don't know." Hermione smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Yeah" he chuckled nervously. "a lot. So you reckon they're done with Harry's operation?"

"Yeah, I suppose." said Hermione, staring off into the distance.

"Should we go see him then?" Ron stood up and looked back down into her eyes.

"I don't think I can just yet. You go on without me. I promised Ginny I would keep in touch with her about what's going on, and she hasn't heard any of this yet."

"Ok, tell her I said Hi." said Ron.

"Sure"

They walked from the common room together, Hermione heading up to the owlry where she could think and write. Ron, up to the hospital wing to visit Harry.

The hallway was empty as Ron stood in front of the hospital wing door, as he had so many time in the past week. He knocked twice and after a few minuets Madam Pomfrey came to the door and opened it slowly.

"How is he?" asked Ron quietly.

"Just fine. The operation went very well. He's recovering now." she whispered back.

"Can I see him, then?"

"Well…If you promise not to make too much noise or commotion." the old witch looked over her glasses at him.

"I won't" said Ron as he stepped past her into the dimly lit room. Harry was in his usual bed, the very last one on the left aisle. He looked up as Ron sat down in the bed next to his.

"Hey mate" said Harry quietly.

"Hey. How are you?" Ron whispered back.

"My scar burns pretty bad. But they said that's normal. Other than that I'm ok." Harry talked a little louder. He reached over to the night stand for a glass of water. "How's Hermione?"

"She's ok. Well…sort of. She kinda did some stuff. But nothing that bad." said Ron. He debated in his mind weather or not it was right to tell Harry what he had witnessed.

"What did she do?" asked Harry seriously.

"Sh-she" Ron characteristically stuttered through his nervousness. "She cut herself."

"Dammit!" Harry slammed his fist down on the night stand. "She told me she would stop."

"Wait she's done this before?" asked Ron, taken aback.

"Yeah. She showed me after we got back to school. In the first week. She said she started it in her foster home. She told me she wouldn't do it again. I can't believe she lied to me!" he slammed the glass of water back onto the night table, where it shattered around his hand.

"Oh brilliant!" Harry yelled, staring at the water dripping down his arm.

"Reparo" Ron said hastily and reassembled the glass.

"Harry it's just a glass. Don't freak out." said Ron, holding up the now whole glass.

"It's not that! It's that Hermione cut herself! It's that she lied to me!" Harry was breathing heavily now.

"Why are you so mad Harry? I fixed the cut, and she promised she would never do it again. She's ok, really." said Ron, his voice shrill.

" I don't know…I just feel so. " He stopped for a moment, stared into space, and place a hand on his chest, over his heart. "It hurts. Right here…it's like…" like the world doesn't turn without her. Like even though we're broken up, she's all I think about. Like she's the only person who can make my heart beat faster and slower at the same time. She's everything to me….

"Harry…you don't…" said Ron with a gasp.

"I think I do…" said Harry sitting up suddenly. "Ron…Don't you see! I still love her! It wasn't Voldemort, it was me! It was me the whole time! I've got to go see her! I've got to tell her!" Harry jumped out of bed and placed a hand over his head, mentally kicking himself for getting up so fast.

"She's in the owlry!" shouted Ron as Harry made a dash towards the door.

"Where does he think he's going?" shouted Madam Pomfrey from her office.

"No idea" shrugged Ron as he slowly walked through the door, down the hall, and glumly back to the common room.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted and he ran into, and then stumbled through the owlry's door. The room was empty except for a brunette 4th year.

"Are you looking for that girl with the bushy hair? You just missed her. She's out by the lake." The 4th year pointed out the window towards the large mass of glittering water, rippling from a slow, steady rainfall.

Harry rushed back out the door and down the stairs. The only thing in his mind was Hermione. He wanted to find her, he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her that everything was going to be alright. That he would never leave her again and that he would love her forever.

When he stepped outside his first reaction was to the slippery surface of the stone path, and how uncharacteristic it was that it was raining at this time of year. He ran steadily in the direction of the lake, both his head and his heart pounding in his ears. When he first saw her, he stopped and stared for a moment. Was he really in love? Was he absolutely sure?

She turned towards him. Her eyes were glistening with tears and she bit her lower lip. He ran towards her once more. There was no doubt in his mind. He could not live without her.

"Harry, what are you doing out of bed? You just had surgery!" Hermione shouted as he came closer.

Harry ran up and threw his arms around her. He looked down into her eyes and brushed a piece of hair out of her face. "Hermione…I…" she looked up, longingly at him He leaned down and kissed her lightly, the scent of strawberries dancing around his senses. He ran a hand through her wet hair.

"Hermione. I'm in love with you."

Hermione pushed him away and turned away, crossing her arms in front of herself. "Harry, that's just some after effect that hasn't worn off. You need to go back to the hospital. It'll go away."

He grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, staring intently into her eyes. "Hermione, it won't go away. I know it won't."

"Harry, please don't say that. I don't want to be hurt again." Her tears now joined the raindrops running down her face and hair and the rain started falling harder around them.

"Hermione…I know it's right. I can feel it." he pulled her hand up to his chest so she could feel his soft steady heartbeat. "Right here."

"I'm sorry Harry…but I can't believe you. I want so bad for it to be true…but I know it isn't." she began to shake, possibly from the cold rain, or from the silent sobs trembling through her body.

"Hermione, why can't you just believe me?" Yelled Harry, into the sky. "I love you Hermione, If only there was some way I could show you!" Without warning, there was a large explosion of thunder from overhead, and a burst of lighting so bright, that for a split seconds their surroundings were bathed in blinding white light.

As the lightning cleared away, Hermione and Harry both looked up to the heavens. Falling silently from above them were not rain drops, but small flowers. White roses. They fell in a small circle around them. Hermione turned to stare at Harry. He was breathing heavily, and was feeling a bit lightheaded. He didn't know how, but he had produced a miracle. Not out of magic, but out of love.

"Oh Harry" Hermione cried and ran into his arms. " I would have never dreamed…oh"

"I knew it was you Hermione. From the first time you stepped foot into my house this summer, I knew you were the one I was meant to be with. There was never a doubt in my mind. They can get rid of the connection." He leaned down and silently kissed her. "But the magic never leaves."

He, of course was not referring to the magic between him, and the connection he shared with Voldemort, but the magic one feels when, in one moment, you know that everything is going to be alright, that your safe in the arms of someone you can love and cherish for the end of time, and never have to feel alone or scared again. The magic that can only be shared between two star-crossed lovers, destined to do things great, yet never knowing something could be so beautiful, until that moment. And most importantly, Harry was referring to the magic that you feel when you know, you have found that person you can love forever, and ever, and will never even stop to consider leaving their side.

And I'm happy to report, that Harry was speaking the truth in that moment. The magic never really does terminate. And neither does the love.

THE END

This story was characteristically written at 3 in the morning. If I ever decide to write a novel, I'm going to have some major sleep issues.

I must admit, I hate to see this story end. It was the first successful thing I have ever written in my entire life, and it would be nothing without you, the readers. I thank you so much for the reviews and even to those who didn't review, I appreciate you reading, and bringing my story to life. Thank you, thank you thank you. I plan on taking about a month or so off, and then its on to a new story. No, there will not be a sequel to this one. Please, even if you never reviewed before, drop me a review to let me know in general what you think of this story. I will miss reading all your kind and funny words. But hey, this aint the end. So remember to look me up. Because I'll be back.