Both Ron and Hermione were quiet around each other for the next few days as they were never alone together; both were desperate to face each other on certain subjects and were afraid that if they talked to each other then things could go horribly wrong. Therefore, by the end of the same week of the incident Hermione initiated some alone time by going outside to enjoy the sunshine.

As she lay on the grass twenty meters or so from the house she looked up at the sky, one arm shielding some of the sun's rays from her eyes and the other messing with the long strands of grass. She was hoping beyond hope that Ron would see her and decide to join her, she could feel that the ministry was close to finding her parents and she needed to tell Ron how she felt before that happened, she felt that she wouldn't have the strength to tell him once she became just a friend to him again. To tell someone that you loved them as more than a brother could be interpreted as anything, to say that you love them as more than a friend could only mean one thing.

Ron was in the kitchen when he glanced momentarily out of the window, he continued on with what he was doing until he stopped dead in his tracks. For a moment he swore that he had seen something out of the corner of his eye when his sight had wandered from what he was doing, turning back to the window he looked out of it again to see Hermione lying on the grass. Alone.

This is it, Ron thought as he placed the bread knife on the worktop, finally my chance to ask her about her relationship with Fred. Just be bold and remember, no sarcasm, remember Harry's lecture, do not screw this up! Once you've done that then tell her you like her, the worst she can say is no.

Picking up the sandwich he had just made, he gathered his courage and headed outside. He had felt confident in the kitchen yet with every step he took across the field towards Hermione the more he could feel his determination ebbing away from him. He was worried, afraid that if he carried on like this then by the time he reached Hermione he would be back where he started and would have to make up some stupid conversational excuse to cover it up.

After a walk which seemed to last a lifetime, Ron eventually reached her. He looked down at her, marvelling at the way her hair seemed to act like a halo the way it was splayed out around her head with the midday sun catching it at a positive angle. She had her eyes closed and looked like she was peacefully asleep. It was nice just for that minute to take in the figure of the angel he knew would never be his.

Hermione vaguely felt his presence as he made his way into her space, her bubble she had isolated herself in, yet she didn't open her eyes. She wanted to take this opportunity to just feel him close to her before she broke the spell and they went back to being awkward around each other. Pretending to be sleeping meant that she could savour the memory of them both being within a five-meter radius of each other without either arguing or feeling any tension. She was only drawn out of this as he stepped further forward his figure cast a shadow over her, blocking out the sunlight.

Opening her eyes she looked up at Ron, he stared back down at her, a look of grave concentration on his face as if trying to muster strength before admitting defeat against an internal struggle and sitting down next to her. Handing Hermione half of his sandwich Ron lay down next to her so that they were both head to foot on the grass beside one another. He looked up at the sky before closing his eyes to think, Hermione in turn mimicked this action.

This is the moment you've been waiting for Hermione, tell him you like him and get it over and done with. You need to know how he feels or else you're going to continue thinking like this for Merlin knows how long. You know you want to find out, if he got another girlfriend it would destroy you and if you lost him in the oncoming battle… Tears formed in Hermione's closed eyes as she thought of this reluctantly, she brushed them away before they could begin to roll down her cheeks, glad that Ron also had his eyes closed. Well, it's a terrible thing to think about but you know you'd regret it. You know what it would be like to lose him, so ask him. Go on Hermione, you've always spoken your mind, what's stopping you this time?

As Ron's eyes closed to the glare of the late summer sun, his thoughts opened to the situation in hand. Gather your strength Ron; this is Hermione you're talking to. You're best friend, you've always been able to be honest with one another. The first part should be easy at least, asking about her and Fred is something you have a right to know, Fred being your brother after all. Ok, the second topic may be a bit more difficult but you've known each other for six years, she'll respect you and set you straight if you've misread the signals, otherwise she'll tell you that she likes you too and everything turns out fine. Better to know now than never.

He opened his eyes and took a deep breath, looking across to Hermione, 'can I ask you something?'

'Sure,' she replied, not making a move to open her eyes, she just took the questioning in her stride.

'Why did you kiss Fred?'

He watched as her nose wrinkled slightly and she gave a small, apologetic chuckle as she opened her eyes, 'you saw that, huh?'

'Yeah, kind of wish I hadn't. Back to my question though,' he couldn't take her avoiding his questioning. He wanted answers before he lost the will to be polite and turned to sarcasm.

'I didn't kiss him,' she replied simply, propping herself up on her elbows and looking across at him, bending her right leg to a right angle to steady herself.

He copied her actions until their positions were symmetrical then shot her a look of confusion, 'you did, Hermione. Don't deny it, I saw you.'

'You saw what you wanted to see, Ronald,' Hermione retorted, immediately irritated by the fact that he didn't seem to believe her, 'you wanted to see a fault to pick at and you saw the situation you needed as leverage.'

This made Ron snap, it had only been a minute since the conversation had been initiated and sarcasm was beginning to weave its way into his words. He knew what he had seen and didn't like that he was being told that what he thought he'd seen were lies based on misperceptions, 'I think I know what kissing someone looks like, Hermione. I've done enough of it myself. Remember Lavender?'

This provoked a hurt look from Hermione, 'Look! He kissed me, not me him. I didn't even respond to it, rather pushed him away because I felt I was being unfaithful to…' she stopped herself before she could give away her secret.

Ron, however, hadn't noticed and continued to throw accusations at her, 'could've fooled me, the way you were clinging to him. You were all over him!'

'What do you care anyway?' Hermione shot him a look of irritation.

'I don't,' Ron said quickly as if to defend himself automatically, 'it's just that he's supposed to be a brother to you.'

'In case you've forgotten, so are you,' Hermione snapped back.

'Which is why I'm protecting you,' Ron's voice became louder and more beseeching.

'From who, your own brother?'

'From everyone, anyone who could hurt you,' for a tenth of a second Ron thought he may have overstepped the mark and admitted too much to her, taking the protective role too far.

Apparently he hadn't, at least not enough for an enraged Hermione to notice.

'And you think that your own flesh and blood is capable of hurting me?' Her tone became higher pitched with every word she shot at him.

'I don't know! But he knew mum's rule, he overstepped the mark!'

At this point, Hermione sat fully upright, leaning in towards him and levelling her gaze with his. By this time she was furious, as Ron looked deep into her chocolate brown eyes he could see so much emotion welling up inside them. Fear, loathing, annoyance, hatred, confusion and disappointment; more emotions than his teaspoon sized emotional range could ever comprehend.

'No,' she stated, shaking her head violently, 'he ignored your mum's rule because he knew that my change in circumstances doesn't matter,' the volume and determinedness in Hermione's voice increased more rapidly now, 'He still respects that I'm different, that I'm not a Weasley!'

'What's wrong with being a Weasley?' Ron replied accusingly.

'Nothing, but it's not who I am, I'm a Granger. I want to be a Granger, I have a right to be who I want to be, to set my own standards as to what my relationships are.'

'I've always wanted you to be a Granger, Hermione. Why can't you see that? You becoming part of the family like this is something I would never want,' he sat fully upright and leaned in towards her, his icy exterior began to melt. He needed her to understand, he wanted her to know his feelings without having to tell her them himself.

'Well, thank you Ronald! Glad to see that you're so welcoming to me,' Hermione spat venomously at him, taking what he had said completely the wrong way, 'being a Weasley hasn't been easy for me if it makes you happy. It's meant changing my feelings, my priorities…'

'In case you hadn't noticed,' Ron cut in sharply, 'I've had to change my feelings too…' There was a sudden chilling change in the atmosphere as they reached the most critical part of the argument, as they always would, where one was almost certain to offend the other with the next remark. Knowing that he was usually the one to administer this remark, Ron lay back down again on the soft grass and reached up with one hand, ruffling his hair in despair, attempting to control himself before he did something drastic.

'Why?' Hermione snapped unfeelingly after assuming that Ron was trying to avoid a questioning on this last point by breaking eye contact with her, 'It doesn't affect you, it just gives you a reason to ward my away from guys by,' at this she mimicked Ron and made quotation marks with her fingers '"doing the brotherly thing"!'

With this statement Ron snapped, sitting back upwards abruptly he gave Hermione an unforgiving stare, 'The change in your last name has been the only thing stopping me from facing my feelings for you.' Realising his confession the moment it had escaped his mouth, Ron automatically covered his face with his hands and groaned audibly, this hadn't exactly been how he'd picture telling Hermione that she was more than a friend to him.

Hermione, however, was touched by this statement and vaguely hopeful as she noticed the embarrassment and hidden caring radiating from Ron at that moment, turning over onto her front and lying down next to him, she reached out her hand and removed his hands from his face. She then lowered her voice to a gentler tone, 'What feelings, Ron?'

All he could do was lie there looking up at her as she cocked her head to one side, interest and hope welling up in her entrancing brown eyes. He could feel colour draining from his cheeks and replacing itself in the tips of his ears, there was no getting out of this one.

'My…'

'Hermione!' A shrill and excited voice broke their moment of admission, both looking towards the source of the interruption but neither getting up from their current position, they met with the sight of Mrs Weasley rushing out of the kitchen towards them. As she got within five meters of them she stopped, catching her breath.

'Hermione dear, it's your parents. They've been found.'