Later that fateful afternoon, Hermione had been trying to get Ron alone and talk about what had happened in the backyard. But Ron seemed to sense this and had thrown himself into the loudness of the Weasley family and friends that were a constant this summer.

Hermione tried again after supper. "Ron, I need to..." These words were barely out of her mouth when he slipped away, feigning a chuckle and saying "I need to talk to Lupin." She wrung her hands together, a nervous habit she'd picked up from watching Mrs. Weasley. She felt bad about this situation, but she didn't want what she'd done to change their friendship. She had always thought Ron felt the same, but it seemed as though she had been completely off base.

"I need to talk to you," she said insistently, grabbing his arm so he couldn't slip away again. She looked up at his face and saw one full of embarrassment, much as she had left him the day before. Fred had apologized profusely for his interruption(which was unusual for him), but Ron had ignored him and had spent his time talking to everyone but Fred and Hermione.

Hermione's try to talk to Ron was interrupted by a loud tapping sound coming from the front room window. She heard George say, "Isn't that Hedwig?" Hermione and Ron both rushed to see. It was indeed Hedwig, looking slightly ruffled, but a sight for sore eyes. Ron opened the window, let her in, and took the letter that was tied around her front leg.

"Open it!" Hermione urged. Ron unfolded a tiny bit of parchment that had only a few words written on it. Ron looked it over quickly, and shot a grin first to Hermione, then to Fred and George. "He's okay! And he's destroyed Hufflepuff's horcrux!"

Fred and George clapped each other on the back saying things like "Thata boy!" and "I knew he could do it!" Ron let out a sudden whoop of joy and hugged Hermione on the spot, lifting her feet from the floor. She let out a nervously stifled "Oh!", and Fred and George knowingly left the room, giving each other looks.

Ron put her back down and looked at her in a way he never had before. Hermione got embarrassed and looked at the wall behind Ron's head. Maybe she hadn't misread his feelings after all. But she had to find out once and for all, and that moment was the best time to do it.

"Ron... I...," she faltered. "I...I...I..," He leaned in close and whispered in her ear, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Me too," he said. And he kissed her.