Chapter 4

Getting from the hotel lobby outside to the boardwalk was all a blur for Hermione. She felt Ron's hand, leading her around, but nothing else. When she realized anything at all, she was standing on the beach, inches from the shore. She looked down at her sundress, thinking, "Why am I wearing this, it's dark outside…"

Ron tilted her head up with his hand and looked into her eyes. She understood what had happened and what was happening. He smiled at her and smiling back, she hugged him once more. Ignoring her exposed knees, she sat directly in the sand, and with Ron towering above her, she began her explanation.

"Ron, please, I need to explain everything. Harry is nothing more than a friend, I promise you. All my mother meant was that I was concerned because of the closest people to him dying, all I meant was I was concerned, not in love with him. And that guy at the bar, oh that asshole of a guy, he was nothing, I was just tired, Ron, so tired of waiting, that I just batted my eyes and he gave me his number, I was so nervous, I wasn't planning on calling him. That whole thing was just a confidence boost, I thought I was special for two seconds, until he was all over another girl, then I realized I was nothing. Then I realized that I had you and that's all I needed and Ron I'm so sorry."

She sealed her message with a salty, teary, kiss on the lips.

"I really love you, Ronald." She spoke into his mouth.

He was speechless, which was a benefit, seeing as how he didn't want to say a word to mess anything up. He just kept kissing her back, minutes after minutes passed and they were still attached at the lips. Their hands roamed shoulders, cheeks, backs, they just couldn't stop. They were making up for lost time.

"I've loved you ever since that troll in the bathroom."

Hermione giggled and said, "When I told you that you had dirt on your nose, I was hoping you'd ask me to get…just so I could touch your face."

Sitting in the sand, rambling until sunrise about every time they thought about each other was another way to make up for lost time. Twirling sand in her hair, Ron was laying beside her, sideways while she was on her back, face towards the sky. Neither of them noticed the sky growing lighter with each passing hour of memories.

"Close your eyes, Hermione" He kissed her again and again they didn't even pause when a pair of voices were talking

"They've been gone all night, I have no clue where they could be."

"If anything has happened to him, oh I don't know what I'll do!" came a worried motherly voice.

"If there anything you can do if you lose them?"

Ron and Hermione were just getting wrapped in the moment when a roar of laughter came from behind them.

It was the Twins.

Fred and George came romping up beside them doubled over with laughter, tears in their eyes.

The sang in unison "Ickle Ronnie has a girlfriend!"

They both blushed as red as the rising sun.