It was thenthat Ron saw Hermione walking towards him. When she reached him she grabbed his had and said "will you go on a walk with me?"
Who in their right mind would turn down a walk with her, tonight of all nights? "Yes Hermione I would love to go on a walk with you." Leaving Harry to his own problems and to think of what he had just been told they walked until they reached the castle entrance doors, and out onto the grounds. "Hermione you must be cold, I mean you only have two straps for sleeves." Hermione smiled at least he was trying. Graciously she took his coat and draped it over her shoulders. They continued walking on the newly fallen snow, hand in hand.
"Ginny wanted to talk to me about Harry. She swore she saw him tonight. She still loves him Ron, she always has. I know you know that but I think you also know something about Harry. I need to know what it is."
"Hermione, Harry is here he kicked me because I hadn't asked you to dance yet and then asked me if Ginny had seen him. I never got a chance to ask why he was here but I am sure it has to do with Ginny. He loves her too but is afraid of getting hurt and hurting her."
"Sounds like someone else I know."
"What do you mean by that Hermione?" Ron asked a little to self-defensive then what was intended. The meaning started to register.
"Ron tell me now how exactly do you feel about me?"
Ron was shocked at her forwardness, she was never this forward.He had planned on telling her but not like this, he started to mumble then figured he might as well tell her the truth. "Hermione when we first met I hated you." This wasn't how he wanted to start but pressed on figuring there was not point backing out now. "Then that hate turned to friendship. We have been mates for a long time, yes we've had our rows thats what friends do, but we are friends nonetheless. It was our fourth year when you went to the Yule Ball with that git Victor Krum" Ron held his hand up to quiet her protests and pressed on. "I realized there might be something more. I was a prat to you because I was jealous. Hermione I loved you then and I still love you today."
Hermione looked astonished she stood there for a while just contemplating what he had said. Finally she spoke "I knew there was something other then friendship there but I never thought it possible that you felt the same." Ron didn't hear the rest of what she said did she just say what I thought she said "felt the same" when he finally realized she was still talking she simply said the words he had wanted so much to hear "Ronald Weasley I love you, I always have."
With that he pulled her close to him and gently kissed her lips. The music started to drift through the walls. Ron heard the words to Chances are. Was fate helping along tonight? Slowly they began to sway to the haunting notes and words that Ron knew he would never forget, okay so in truth maybe he would, but the memory of this moment would linger for many years to come. The words of the song began to register he realized that the song spoke of their own journey to this moment tonight.
All the rules of logic don't apply
I long to see you in the night
Be with you 'til morning light
I remember clearly how you looked
The night we met
I recall your laughter and your smile
I remember how you made meFeel so at ease
I remember all your grace and your style
And now you're all I long to see
You've come to mean so much to me
Chances are I'll see you
In my dreams tonight
You'll be smiling like the night we met
Chances are I'll hold you and I'll offer
All I have
You're the only one I can't forget
Baby you're the best I've ever met
And I'll be dreaming of the future
And hoping you'll be by my side
And the morning I'll be longing for the night
For the night.
Ron bent his head and kissed her again. This time the kiss spoke for itself. With every passing second it became more passionate and more meaningful. They stopped swaying and enveloped their whole selves into the kiss. Their arms crept around each other and their love for one another embodied each other both mind and soul. When they finally broke apart many minutes later, they simply smiled at one another. They both knew that they could never look at one another in the same way ever again. Ron finally spoke, "You must be cold, you wana go inside, back to the ball or somewhere?"
"Yes I would love to go back to the ball. I am really enjoying myself tonight Ron."
"Are you sure its not the snogging your enjoying Hermione?" Ron answered with a smirk.
"Okay so that does help but I really am enjoying myself." With that they walked back into the great hall arms completely around each other at this point Ron didn't care if anyone saw him tonight for he was with Hermione. The one person that he truly loved and cared about, and better yet she knew it. As they swayed to the songs Ron knew that no matter what the New Year brought that they would have each other. We have a mission together I will be able so protect her. Was all he could think of when he considered the mission the Order had given them. But he was trying so hard not to think of anything but Hermione and himself.
Finally the band stood to make an announcement. "We are about to play the last song for the night. As is tradition it is a slow song. After the song is over I have been asked to request that the prefects stay and help clean up the Head boys and girls are suppose to make sure everyone goes straight to there common rooms seeing that it is after hours." With that the music intoxicated the dancers and slowly the music died away.
The great hall burst into applause at the end of another great ball. Ron turned to Hermione "well I guess we better go make sure everyone makes it back alright."
"Yeah I guess your right." They walked back to the common room, Ron secretly hoping that it would still be empty when they reached it. He wanted so desperately to lean over and kiss her. But he didn't know how she felt about him kissing her that often or in public.
But his hope was crushed when he got nudged in the side. When he looked over there was no one standing there and he knew all to well that it was Harry under his invisibility cloak once again. Ron was getting aggravated with him. Getting him to ask Hermione to dance was one thing but he needed to butt out of his bloody love life. "What" he said a little to loud.
Hermione looked over slightly puzzled. "I didn't say anything."
"I know, we have a hidden common friend that is meddling in my personal affairs again."
"Ron, Hermione, I need to talk to you in Ron's room ASAP." With that Harry disappeared or rather was completely silent. Finally when Ron and Hermione made it to Ron's room half an hour later they found Harry sitting on the bed his head in his hands. "Oy mate what's up?" Asked Ron as he entered the room. Harry looked up to find his two best mates standing before him.
"Well I need some advice," started Harry. "Its about…"
"Ginny" interrupted Hermione. "She still loves you, you know."
"Actually I didn't know. I was hoping that those feelings were still there but I knew that there was a possibility that she had moved on to some one else. And I thought it was unfair to hope."
"Mate." Ron started then looked at Hermione and decided to let her take the lead.
"Harry, that shows how much you understand girls. Ginny has always had feelings for you. She cares more for you then any other person in her life. There never was anyone else. Yes she was heart broken when you broke it off with her last year but she understood that you were trying to protect her. Harry you need to understand she is not a little girl. You and Ron need to stop treating her like one. She loves you more today then she did then."
She pressed on "It is truly up to you Harry to decide how you feel about her and what you are going to do about her feelings. Are you going to simply ignore her love like Ron and I have for so many years or are you going to chase love and hope that it can over come all obstacles? What ever you decide please be considerate of her feelings." Ron was astonished he had never heard Hermione talk this way about anything in his life. She was so full of spirit and energy he thought she would burst. What was it about girls when they talked of romance and love? Harry stood and looked at both of them, smiling. They sat looking at one another in silence for what seemed like an hour to Ron.
Harry broke the silence, "I know that Voldermort is out trying to kill me but if Ginny will take me as I am then I am willing to take a leap of faith. Nothing worth having is ever easy, Hermione you taught me that. Things will change I mean look how the summer has changed all of us. But if we stick together we can accomplish anything. Ron I love your sister and if she will have me back I plan to make her mine forever."
Ron was flabbergasted "Um mate what exactly do you mean by that? You know 'mine forever'?"
"Ron I am going to ask her to marry me." At that both Ron and Hermione jumped to their feet dumbfounded jaws dropped.
"Wow are you sure you are ready for that? It is a huge step you know," whispered Hermione.
"I know Hermione but I am ready. I am sick of telling myself that I am not good enough for her and that I can never have her. I now know that she still loves me and that I do have that chance. Love chooses you, not the other way around.
Hermione I need you to go get Ginny for me, I must speak to her tonight, before I change my mind. Please go I must speak with her." With that Hermione turned to retrieve Ginny from the girls dormitory.
Soon as she was gone Ron turned to his best mate and said, "Are you crazy Harry?"
"I think I am Ron, crazy in love. There has not been a day that I don't wish I hadn't been a selfish prat and wish that I could change what I did; I wish I could rewind time. I have loved her for more years then I care to share."
Ron's jaw dropped could it be that Harry knew exactly how Ron had felt all these years and just not told him. How had Harry hid this from him? How could Harry like his kid sister, like her enough to marry her? "You know my mom will not exactly like the whole idea. She'll say that you are rushing into things because of Voldermort." Ron never had a chance to finish because just then the door slammed open.
Ginny standing in the doorway still in her dress robes but apparently she had been getting ready for bed. Her face was ghostly white with the lack of make up not helping her complexion. Hermione was the first to speak "If either of you need Ron or I, we will be down stairs." Ron didn't have a chance to protest before Hermione grabbed his wrist and pulled him out the room closing the door behind them. "They deserve this moment to be private."
"Can I at least use an extendable ear?" Hermione was shocked and furious the fury showing in her eyes.
"Ron, Ginny is going to hear for the first time how Harry really feels about her. If you were in her shoes would you want someone listening in on the conversation? Besides extendable ears don't work in Hogwarts." Hermione was right that he would never want Ginny to walk in on him telling Hermione how he truly felt.
"Your right, Ginny maybe my kid sister but she deserves her privacy. I would never want her walking in on me telling you that I love you." His checks flushed once again allowing his face to matching his hair. He did that so often lately yet he didn't know why. Suddenly Hermione swept her hand behind his neck and pulled ever slightly until there lips touched.
Hermione broke away and whispered to him "would you want your sister to be a part of this?" Ron knew she was right, she was always right; he knew she was right the first time. Why can't she just shut up and kiss me?
"Ron? What are we exactly?"
Ron looked at Hermione and once again pulled her close "you are my Hermione." Hermione's face fell she had been hoping for girlfriend. Suddenly Ron saw her face and tried again, "we are dear mates and I am a git for not telling you my feelings sooner. Hermione? Will you be my girlfriend?"
At this her heart soared "YES! Yes Ron I will be your girlfriend."He grabbed her waist pulled her off the ground and spun her in circles. When he stopped a few seconds later he bent his head towards her, before he could kiss her again Ginny entered the common room hand in hand with Harry.