And here it is! The second part of Fred's funeral. This was a big scene in the story for me, because Ron and Hermione are going to sort out exactly what to do with their relationship. I really enjoyed writing it; so I hope you'll enjoy reading it! Warning: lots of fluff!

Hermione choked on her butterbeer while Ginny stared agape at Luna. "Luna! You're joking! You're.. wow, congratulations!" managed Hermione, still coughing.

"Well, I haven't said yes yet, but thank you for the congratulations."

"Luna Lovegood! How dare you not tell me about that!" Ginny was indignant.

"Well, I have now, have I not?" The response from Luna was less than satisfactory for Ginny, but she knew better than to reason with Luna's logic. Instead of retorting, she half-stood from her seat and fiercely embraced her friend, a smile brightening her complexion.

"Are you going to say yes, Luna?" asked Hermione, now recovered from her coughing. Ginny returned to her seat and stared intently, waiting for an answer.

"I hardly know. Neville's wonderful, and he's been a very kind person to me. I haven't really put much thought into it, you know, since it's the Nargle season now. I was so busy trying to hide my things away, I didn't really have time to think about it…"

"Luna. Luna! You're going to have to give him a reply sooner or later, you know that. Do you like him?" interrupted Ginny, knowing that talk of Nargle would continue unless someone stopped it. Luna seemed to be woken from a dream and stared at Ginny and Hermione in wonder.

"It would be nice, I think, to have dinners and lunches and strolls with Neville. Does that count?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Ginny and Hermione in unison.

"Then, I guess yes is my answer."

After considerable amounts of squealing, Hermione and Ginny summoned Neville from the dreadful aviatomobile game. Placing Luna in front of him, Hermione and Ginny left, leaving a scarlet Neville looking nervous and embarrassed. "And who would've thought!" exclaimed Ginny, still reeling from the revelation. Hermione chuckled in reply, as they seated themselves on the chairs once again. She looked at Ron, who was still playing chase with Harry on the aviatomobiles, her mind still on the latest pairing of her friends. It was her and Ron now. She knew that at last the talk with Ron could not be put off. She had to face it, the embarrassment, the awkwardness, the uncertainty.

"Hermione, what about you? And Ron?" asked Ginny quietly, yet Hermione did not have trouble hearing her above the noise around them. Of all the choices she had had to make – and her share of decision-making was incomparable to any other person of her age – this was the hardest. He was her best friend, and to enter into something beyond that close friendship bore risks. If it didn't work out in the end, she would face losing her best friend, and perhaps estranging her two best friends. But on the other hand, she knew that if she did not carry through with this, not only would she regret it, she'd also have to endure the awkwardness between herself and Ron. She knew that if she didn't accept and embrace what was between her and Ron, he would have difficulty trying to be her friend in the same way again. Perhaps she had already made her choice that day she lost control and kissed him. Perhaps there was really no going back.

"I… I don't…"

"Hermione, you two have been going on for years. You can't possible rein it back now!"

"But what if I have to? What if it all turns out wrong in the end? I can't lose him. He's my best friend! I mean, I like him and all; but if anything goes wrong, I won't ever forgive myself."

"Hermione, you haven't seen him look at you, have you? Well, of course not, for all his daftness, he manages to hide that quite well. Hermione, you have to talk to him. This isn't something you can just decide on your own. You've got to talk to him."

"Oh Ginny, I don't know… I'm not really sure…"

"Harry! I'm hungry, let's get some food." With that and a wink, Ginny left Hermione with Ron, who had now descended from his aviatomobile.

Hermione watched as Ron seated himself beside her and gulped down her butterbeer. She knew she was fidgeting, but she was beyond caring now. Right now, all she could think of was how to open the conversation. Before she could start, however, Ron spoke.

"I'm nervous too."

"W-What ?"

"About this. I mean, it's all kind of mind-blowing, isn't it? Here I am, sitting in Fred's (he looked about for George before he continued) funeral, deciding how to talk to you. Blimey, Hermione. You! You, who's been my best friend for a million years. You, who I have bickered and argued with for all my lifetime. You," at this, his voice lowered, "who kissed me with every bit of yourself in the thought that we wouldn't live to see another dawn." She had to admit it; this was definitely not what she had in mind with which to start the conversation, nor could she put it more eloquently. She didn't know what to say or how to respond. She did know, however, that she wanted to have this conversation outside, where they could be alone and not overheard. "Let's go outside, I need some fresh air."

Outside, a soft summer breeze waltzed about them, for which Hermione was grateful, as she could now think clearer. She sat him down on the grass beside a gum tree before sitting down as well, mentally preparing what to say. Before she could get the words out, however, they heard two approaching voices.

"George, I really am alright. I mean, I'm obviously not alright alright, but I'll pull through. So, don't you worry about me." It was Angelina's voice, sounding like she had a cold, but otherwise steady. Hermione remembered that Fred had talked about going on dates with Angelina once, but she couldn't remember whether that was in her fifth or sixth year.

"Ange, what I wanted to ask you was: do you want to come to the Wheezes and work with me? Now that Fred's… gone, I need an extra pair of hands."

"Oh. Umm, sure, I don't see why not. I haven't an idea what I want to do with my life yet, so yeah, working at the Wheezes would be cool. And," her voice reduced to a mumble, "it's probably the least I could do for Freddie." A moment of silence ensued, and Hermione guessed that they were both thinking about what the loss of Fred meant to both of them. After a short while, though, George replied, though Hermione could tell that it was with feigned calm,

"Okay. That's settled then. Let's go back inside; I'm craving firewhisky."

When George and Angelina walked away, the silence became unbearable. Hermione knew she had to say something, anything at all, to break this awkwardness.

"Ron…"

"Hmm?"

"You had dirt on your nose when I first met you."

"Haha. Okay… that was just a tad random, Hermione."

"You were performing the most non-magical spell I've ever heard. You teased me about not having friends but then saved me from a troll. You and Harry talked to me when everyone else thought I was the insufferable know-it-all. You relied on me for all your tests, but I relied on you for strength. You and I, we share this friendship that's so powerful I'm continuously taken aback by it. I don't want to lose this."

"I don't want to lose it either… but I'm not exactly following what you're trying to say here, Hermione."

"I've just been so… uncertain and confused. I so, so desperately want to continue what I started with that kiss, but at the same time I'm so afraid that I might lose you because of it." She had said it. Now, she stopped and waited for his response.

"What do you mean, lose me? Why would you ever lose me?"

"Ron, don't you see? If this, between us, doesn't end up well, then we might find it awkward to speak to each other again. And I don't want that!"

"Hermione! Aren't you just going a bit ahead of yourself here? I… Are you honestly going to say no to what's between us, just because of that?"

"No, I…"

"Hermione, I'd fight Voldemort – no, three Voldemorts – just so I could have a chance to know what it feels like to take your hand in mine, to hold you in my arms, to… to feel your lips on mine again." She was speechless. She had no idea that his feelings ran that deeply. She suddenly remembered back to the day after the battle, when she had wondered whether this red-headed boy would love her like Snape loved Lily. It was still quite a stretch to imagine that of Ron, but the thought re-entered her mind nonetheless.

"But Ron, someone has to think of the consequences. Of all the possibilities."

"I thought the War had taught us to make the most out of everyday. You are the possibilities, Hermione. We've gone through so much, I would honestly tear the world down before anything stops me from taking your hand and moving forward with you."

He was becoming so much more persuasive than she had expected, and Merlin, it was hard to refuse him, when his blue eyes implored her like that. She knew, however, that she could not let her emotions take reign of her; she had to find out just how serious he was about this.

"Suppose that this doesn't end well, what then? Ron, look at Harry. He can barely look at Cho now. It's so awkward between them. I just can't bear to think that we might one day end up like that."

"Hermione, Harry barely put any effort into that relationship. Ours is one that I will fight to preserve. For a relationship to fall apart, the two are either too different or have simply grown out of each other. We are and will be neither of those. I know you, better than anyone else in the world – save Harry – and you know me, better than anyone else in the world. I just…" The rest of sentence was drowned as Hermione reached over and kissed him.

Second time they'd kissed, and she'd initiated both of them. The thought made her want to chuckle, but it was becoming harder to think. She relaxed against him as he pulled her closer, his hands cupping her cheeks, deepening the kiss. She weaved her fingers into his hair, her attention concentrated singularly on the lips that were melting into hers. Once again, it was that feeling as though the world had blurred and there was nothing in the world but them two. It was as if someone had attached wings to her heart, the way it was beating about her chest, threatening to break free. This was right. It felt right. And there was nothing that would stop it. Both Ron and she would make sure of that.

After what felt like a century, yet all too soon, they broke apart. She was trying to regain her breath, and Ron watched her, intently. She whispered, "I couldn't have lived with myself if I'm giving up on what's between us. I was just so worried and confused before. I had forgotten just how much I want this. How much I want you. How much I need us to happen."

"Hermione, it's alright. Everything's fi…"

"No," her voice raised, "Ron, you don't understand. It felt… It felt as though something gripped on my heart, trying to crush it. My own reason tried to suppress what my emotions cried out. I've never had to battle with myself like that… I was terrified." Knowing he had to choose his words carefully, he first put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in closer.

"Hermione, I've talked to Harry about it before. He was talking about Ginny – which, I admit, I felt quite weird about – and what would happen if it didn't work out. We spent hours talking about it. And in the end, all the consequences that he listed were nothing compared to his desire to be with her. Same goes for me. No reason nor potential consequences will stop me from wanting to be together with you, Hermione. I don't care about thinking of what may be right now, but I don't want to move on in our lives and one day thinking of what could have been. I have heard before of the reasons you are afraid of; but I don't give a flying pixie's arse. You are what I want. So yes, I do understand, Hermione. I understand completely."

It was uncharacteristic of Hermione to be at a loss for words; but the red-headed boy, on whose shoulder she leaned, had pushed that boundary thrice today. Instead of futilely searching for words, she took his hand and weaved her fingers through them. It felt right and fitting, as though the entwined fingers symbolised the times that they had spent together laughing, crying, bickering. At that moment, no words needed to be said. They both understood.

Suddenly, a chuckle came from behind them. Turning around, Hermione saw George sitting on a park bench that he must have conjured, raising a mug of butterbeer to them. Scarlet, Ron grabbed Hermione's wand and hissed, "Silencio." Instead of rendering his brother mute, the wand shot bubbles from its tip. Ron turned to Hermione, perplexed. The answer came to an equally confused Hermione after a moment: "Ron, it's the trick wand." George burst out in laughter, and after a short while Ron and Hermione joined him. None of them seemed to be able to stop laughing as the wand continued to shoot out bubbles, illuminating the afternoon sky with a particular glitter.

Harry, Ginny, Neville, Luna and the rest of the Weasleys, upon hearing the laughter, came outside, only to see a rain of bubbles. Seeing their confusion about the laughter, Ron uttered a string of spells that produced no effect but more bubbles: "Silencio! Reparo! Lumos! Wingardium Leviosa! Muffliato!... Harry, it's a trick wand!" One by one, they all began to laugh, as though it was just another one of Fred and George's jokes.

Please let me know what you think of how I finished this chapter. I personally really liked it, but reviews would be great! Thanks. ;) A little slip about the upcoming chapters: they're planning Snape's funeral and talking to the Daily Prophet; but most of all, the trio will have to meet Draco for the first time after the Battle of Hogwarts. Will there be a delicate change in Draco's relationship with them, particularly Hermione?

Keep an eye out for updates!