Ron was gone. They couldn’t find him. Anywhere. What a load of rubbish thought Hermione. You idiots could find him, if you were even looking. You just don’t want to risk your own necks to find him, that’s all. The ministry wizard sighed. I bet your tired. Lying is hard, isn’t it? You know you are. Don’t deny it. Don’t lie to me. I can tell. The feeble old wizard turned around. “We are terribly sorry, Miss Granger. We know this might have come down hard on you…” You mean like the brick I wish I could smash on your overlarge head? “…but we really did try. There is no hope left. He has been gone for almost four years now…” You think I don’t know that? “…and like I said, we are terribly sorry. It will cost us too much money to continue...” Oh. It’s MONEY that is causing you this terrible suffering. My gran’s rear end it is. “…Christopher, will you please escort Miss Granger out?” A man came walking towards her. His face… those eyes…so familiar… “AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!”

Hermione Granger sat upright in her bed, Voldemort’s face still fresh in her mind.

As Ginny awoke from her side of the room, Hermione remembered that she was in the Burrow, not at the Ministry, and that Voldemort was no where near her. “Mione, you okay? That dream again?” Ginny’s face loomed out of the darkness.

“Yeah, sorry that I woke you up. It just…well… I don’t know what it means, or if there is something wrong with me. I can’t stop remembering that day. I mean, of course You-Know-Who wasn’t there, but I was so angry, and I miss him so much. Why did he have to disappear?” Hermione had surprised herself by starting to let out loud, tear-filled sobs. It had been seven years, seven years exactly since he had disappeared. She thought she had gotten over that, but then, she figured, she never would. She walked over to a small beautifully carved wooden box Ron had given her the night before he had disappeared, the night they had graduated from Hogwarts. She carefully lifted the wooden lid, and as soon as it fell back on its hinges, it emitted one of her favorite songs:

There is something that I see
In the way you look at me
There’s a smile
There’s a truth in your eyes
But an unexpected way
On this unexpected day
Could it mean this is
Where I belong
It is you I have loved all along

As the music played, a small picture in the lid showed Ron and Hermione sitting in an apple tree, smiling down at Ginny, who was taking the picture. How had Ron known? They were good friends, but Hermione never thought that he really loved her, as she did him. That night was so unforgettable. They had been fighting over something and suddenly, he pulled her into a bone-shattering hug. Then he had slipped the box into her hands and walked away. As she thought more about him, the stronger the light in the little box seemed to glow. It had never done this before, but Hermione was too caught up in her thoughts to care. Her hands trembling, she carefully picked up the small bouquet of forget-me-nots and roses the Ron had given her. She inhaled the wonderful fragrance that had been magically preserved.

“Hermione, I know you love him.” This jerked Hermione out of her daydream. Before she could answer, Ginny started to talk again. “It was obvious. I mean, by the look on your face every time you saw him, and Ron’s face looking at you. Harry knows it too, because Ron told him. And me. He wanted to know your favorite song and I told him and well…please don’t be mad at me!” She said this very fast so it came out like, “Itwasobviousimeanbythelookonyoureverytimeyousawhimandronsfacelo okingatyouharryknowsittoobecauserontoldhimandmehewantedtoknowyourfavoritesonganditoldhimandwellpleasedontbemadatme.”

Hermione blinked. “Mad at you? Why on Earth would I be mad at you? And why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Ginny smiled. “Oh, I have my reasons. Hey, I think I smell Mom’s waffles. We better go downstairs and get some or Fred and George will have them all.” As Hermione went down the seemingly endless staircase, she couldn’t help but wonder, what were Ginny’s “reasons”?

For the first time that day, Hermione was alone. She'd spent most of the day with Harry. They had gone out for a Muggle Birthday, as Harry had called it. Oh, it had been fun, yes, but nothing was ever much fun anymore to Hermione. She knew Harry was doing everything he could to snap her out of it, and no matter how much she loved him for trying to help her, she knew it was never going to get better.

"Hermione?" There was a gentle knock at the door. It was Mum.

"Come in," Hermione sighed.

The door creaked open, and Hermione watched her mum take in the scene. Hermione, sitting alone on her bed in Ginny's room on her birthday. "Oh, sweetheart," she whispered, and sat next to her daughter. "Are you having a good birthday?"

Hermione shrugged. "About as good of one as I can, I guess. Number seven."

"What?" Mrs. Granger looked confused.

"Number seven. Without him," Hermione whispered, tears welling in her eyes as she looked away sharply.

"Hermione, love, you need to get past this. He is either gone or he isn't. You've done everything within your power to find him. Now is when you must stop, dearest, and let him find you."

Hermione stood suddenly, stepping away from her mother. "Mum, you don't know, do you? I have to find him. Even Harry is starting to give up. I see it in his eyes every time I look at him. And Mum, I never thought Harry would give up. Never." Tears rolled down Hermione's cheeks. "He just isn't the type. I know my best friends. I know Ron would come home if he could, but he isn't. And I know Harry would go after him, but he can't. So that leaves me."

"Darling, there are times in life when one must accept that their life is different. Ron may never be coming home. You must accept this. I hardly want to discourage you, darling, but this pining is getting ridiculous. I know that you loved him very much but-"

"I'm not pining!" Hermione exclaimed, growing angry. "I'm not! I just KNOW he's out there, Mum! Waiting for me to come! It's up to me to save him, and I can't because there's a whole BURROW full of people who won't let me!"

Mrs. Granger shook her head sadly. "I didn't mean to anger you, Hermione. Let's listen to music to calm us down, alright?"

Hermione smiled softly through her tears. It was something they'd done as long as she could remember. "Alright."

Mrs. Granger handed Hermione her wand, for she had found it in the living room and that was the whole reason she came up in the first place. Hermione flicked her wrist and Ginny's ratty old radiop clicked on.

She doesn't know what's right,
She doesn't know what's wrong.

Hermione's eyes widened. She knew this song by heart. Her mum was a fanatic for the Eagles, an American Muggle band. Usually one of the CD's music drifted through the house Hermione grew up in, and this was one of her mum's favorites. She'd heard it a million times. But never had she heard it like this.

She only knows the pain that comes,
From waiting for so long.

Mrs. Granger looked into her daughter's eyes at these words, and suddenly she understood. Hermione wasn't pining, not at all. She was simply loving, and continuing to love. Letting go, to her, meant to stop loving, and she would never stop loving that redheaded boy. Mrs. Granger blinked back tears and opened her arms to her daughter.

And she doesn't count the teardrops,
That she's cried while he's away.

Hermione flung herself into her mum's arms, weeping. She knew Mum had finally understood. At last.

"Shh," her mum whispered, rocking her gently. "It's alright."

Because she knows, deep in her heart,
That he'll be back someday.

For a long time they sat there, clinging to each other and crying. Hermione felt Ron's presence, like she did when she needed hm the most. This told her that he was there for her, still very much alive. And never would she give up. And never would she let go.

She was going to find him.

“Ginny, you shouldn’t have!” Hermione squealed in delight as Ginny walked into the room with an Airedale Terrier puppy. It was about three hours since she'd spoken with her mother. “That is the most adorable dog I have ever seen!”

Ginny blushed. “Her name is Sugar. Wonderfully original, I know, but on her stomach is this white spot that looks like sugar, hence the name. I knew you liked Airedale’s, so I went to a wizarding pet store and bought her.”

“Here, Sugar!”

The dog immediately jumped on to Hermione’s lap, curled up, and went to sleep. Hermione smiled down at the dog, curled up on her lovely birthday attire. She was wearing a maroon top with thin spaghetti-straps with a long ruffled black gown that ran to the floor. Besides Mrs. Weasley’s usual hand knitted sweater, a box of Filibuster’s No Heat-Wet Start Fireworks from guess who, a lovely pair of earrings from Percy and his wife, Penny, a Muggle telephone from Mr. Weasley (Hermione kindly gave this back to him, because she could tell he wanted to mess with it), and a WWN(Witching Wireless Network) radio from Harry, Sugar was the most interesting gift of all. Once again, her thoughts were interrupted.

“I’ll to the dishes now.” Mrs. Weasley was saying.

“Oh, no, don’t worry about them. I’ll do them.”

“But Hermione! You’re the birthday girl! You can’t possibly…”

“It’s okay, really. You guys go upstairs, it's half past ten, I’ll go to bed in a minute. Really, it’s alright.” She added convincingly at Mrs. Weasley’s worried face.

“Well, if you insist…goodnight, dears.”

After everyone had said their goodnights, and Hermione was left alone in the kitchen, she decided to face the sink full of dishes while listening to music. She grabbed her radio and flicked the switch. “Welcome back to WWN. I have something special for you magical folks out there. Here’s a song by the Muggle singer, Dana Glover. That’s right. Muggle. From know on, every week we will be playing one Muggle song, just for you curious magical folks!” said the DJ happily. He sounds like Mr. Weasley, thought Hermione as she rolled her eyes. Slowly the music came on:

There is something that I see
In the way you look at me
There’s a smile
There’s a truth in your eyes
But an unexpected way
On this unexpected day
Could it mean this is
Where I belong
It is you I have loved all along

As the music went on, Hermione absentmindedly grabbed the mop by the door and slowly started dancing around the room. This was crazy. She missed him so much she was dancing with a mop. A mop! Hermione, old girl. What are you thinking? As she turned away from the door, an oddly farmiliar voice came from that direction. “You would make a beautiful dancer.”

Hermione blushed. As she turned around she started to say, “I was just…just…” The sight that greeted her drove every fathomable excuse from her mind, leaving a blank but joyful buzzing.

Ron was standing in the doorway, holding a bouquet of roses and forget-me-nots.

Hermione blanched. After so much waiting, just for him to be here, like this, on her birthday. She felt nauseous with pleasure. But this couldn't be real. She must be dying, because wherever Ron was had to be Heaven. She leaned forward and cracked her head on the broom handle. A sharp pain started in her forehead. No, she thought above the ringing in her ears, I'm certainly alive.

He sort of smiled. “That’s my name.”

How could he be sarcastic at a time like this? “Ron, where were you? Why did you leave? Why…?” Hermione reached up and gave him a gentle slap across his freckled face. Though it wasn't hard, her looked visibly hurt. "That was for leaving me, you slimy git."

“But Mione, I thought…didn’t she tell…”

Hermione cut him off. “And this is for coming back.” She reached up and kissed him gently.

 Ron pulled away from her kiss hurriedly. Hurt, Hermione turned away, but Ron seemed too preoccupied to care.

“Hermione, I told Ginny…”

“I can’t believe Mum is making us do this…”

“…When we have important work to do…”

“…Those Chin-Clamping Crisps have to be done by tomorrow…my god.”

The twins had just walked into the kitchen. “Ron?” They were flabbergasted. “When…how absolutely corking! A surprise appearance!” Hermione shook her head. Here she was, sseeing Ron again, and the twins march in and laugh it all off. Suddenly overcome by a wave of joy as reality sunk in, she dragged the three of them upstairs. "Accio!" Ron flew towards her, his eyes wide with surprise, and she linked her arm through his. However, the twins still stumbled along in the pair's wake.

“Slow down, Hermione. Is there a stampede of Blast-Ended Skrewts behind us?”

Hermione burst through Ginny’s door. “HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME?” she thundered, startling Ginny. “HOW COULD YOU NOT…” Hermione burst into joyful tears. The entire population of the Burrow (which was quite large due to the birthday celebration) thundered into the room. Mrs. Weasley's startled eyes absorbed the scene rapidly, and then she visibly melted at the sight of her youngest son.

“MY BABY!” she wailed “MY PRECIOUS BABY! MY LAMBPIE!” Then she gave Ron one of her famous bear hugs, until his face had turned blue. Hermione couldn’t help but snort with laughter. My lambpie? Oh, she was going to have great fun with that, later on. Harry, the twins, and Ginny were having troubling controlling their laughter and tears of joy as well. I wonder what Percy, Charlie, and Bill would say if they were here? Harry and Ginny were engulfing Ron in hugs, and as soon as they broke apart, he turned to Hermione.

“Not until you explain.”

He nodded and they went back downstairs. As he plopped on to a chair, everyone started throwing questions at him. He raised his hand for silence, then took a deep breath and he started. “Before I start, I need everyone to understand something. One, Voldemort is dead…” Everyone’s faces brightened, but stopped at the look on Ron’s face.”…And so are Remus, Neville, and Katie Bell.”

Harry put his head in his hands. Ginny was the only one who heard him, but he was softly saying, “Not Remus, no, not Remus. Can’t be, not Remus.” Ginny softly put an arm around him and kissed the top of his head.

Ron continued. “I have to apologize to all of you, for leaving without saying goodbye, but I knew if I told you, you would have made I impossible for me to go. I knew that Voldemort…”

“Stop saying his name!” hissed Mrs. Weasley.

“You better get use to it, because I won’t. I finally realized that there was no point in saying You-Know-Who or the Dark Lord. He does have name, you know. Anyway, I knew that Voldemort was going to try and kill Dumbledore. I had gotten a note, rather odd, but I knew what was going on. Here it is. Can you spot how I knew, ‘Mione?”

Hermione took the note and unfolded it. It read:

Dear Mr.Weesley,

I haven’t ben notified about your upcoming graduation. I am teribly sorry about not being there, but I’m sure you well understand. By the time yoo get this letter, my vacations and your graduation will be at it’s end.  I  am dum struck by the weather in the Bahamuos. It’s raining very hard here, but late won’t let my hopes down. I think it’s supposed to be imbearably hot tomorrow. I shudddder at the thought of having to be burnt by the sun. Maybe I will find some nice hotel.

Thanx for understanding,

Mr. Kinkle Karfery

Hermione gasped.

“Do you see? Every time there was a letter missing, or a letter that was wrong, I jotted it down. Oh, and Mr.Karfery runs Karfery’s Kwick No-Hassle Broom Rental. I met him when I went to Germany. He is really a clumsy, but nice old fellow. Of course, he didn't write this letter.”

“But don’t those letter spell out, oh my goodness.” Hermione shook her head.

“Yeah, Dumbledore’s Next. I realized that and knew I had to go. Karfery works for the Ministry too, and found out. I had to go. I couldn’t let anyone get killed. So I left, and went to Hogwarts. I told him, and he said he would keep an eye out. Now, I went to Hogwarts five years after the night I left. I stayed there for a year, and then he showed up. And…”

Harry interrupted this time. “He went after Dumbledore. But then, how…”

“...how did you kill him?" Hermione whispered, her eyes wide. "The prophecy said only Harry had the power, you know, be either murderer or murduree."

"I didn't, in a sense. He killed himself, on accident. He tried to kill me-"

Hermione sucked back a sob and Ron's gaze fell on her, but it was unreadable.

"And there was a... miror... or something of that sort... behind me. The spell rebound upon him... like... like... when he tried to kill you, Harry! And then the spell hit him but he didn't die. He screamed, and the spell went right through him, bringing him with it and shattering the window behind him. Then... I dunno, he fell out the window. I ran and looked down, half expecting me to point his wand at me and kill me for sure, but he was dead. The... the fall killed him, I guess. Remus was there fighting him when I arrived, and I said, 'Remus! The prophecy!' and he gave me an odd look and kept fighting. His eyes were blank."

"Memory wiped," said Ginny softly, and Ron jumped and turned around to nod at his sister.

“But what I don’t understand is why Malfoy was there.”

“Who?” Harry was open-mouthed.

“Yeah, Malfoy. He was trying to block Remus, Neville and Katie, who showed up by that time. They thought their combined spells could do what one could not. And then Malfoy ran for it for a little ways when he saw me, but suddenly he did something really weird. He stopped and called back, “How’s everybody? Your friends and all.” I told him I didn’t know, and he said that I was lucky, that I had my family and friends. I found out a couple days later that Voldemort murdered his parents, his other relatives, and this is what really got me, his wife. But guess who his wife was.”

At the same time, everyone said, “Pansy.”

“No, not Pansy, but Parvati Patil. No joke. I guess he loved her more than anything, but she didn’t want to be a Death-Eater. She wouldn't let him either. So Voldemort went on a rampage, killing everybody in his family, and just barely missed him.”

Hermione was having troubling absorbing this all. “Parvati? Of all people! I mean, I thought that she liked that one French boy.”

“So did I.” Ginny looked just as puzzled.

“Don’t ask me. I think Malfoy suddenly changed a little bit, ad this false sweetness, if I dare say that, and Parvati just ended up getting in touch with him somehow.” Ron sighed and rubbed his head. “Anyway, it’s nice to be home. I missed you guys.”

Hermione had other thoughts on her mind. “Ron, what were you doing for the five years before you went to Dumbledore?” She had feeling she knew what he was doing, and where he was, but she was praying that she was wrong. At first, Ron didn’t answer. “Ron?”

Ron was now a bright red. “I was um…well, I was living in Rochdale with my, er, wife.”

Mrs. Weasley gasped and Harry narrowed his eyes. Ginny gave a shriek of anger. Hermione wanted to scream, to kick something, to throw herself on the floor and beat her fist on the ground. However, she didn’t. She calmly turned around, to look at Ron. “I see.” And with that she walked upstairs, fighting desperately to hold back her tears. As soon as she reached Ginny’s room, the pity party began as she flung herself onto her bed and sobbed uncontrollably. He had gotten married! Married! She couldn’t believe this. She loved him, he knew it, he loved her too, and he had gotten married! She sobbed even harder.

A sudden knock on the door and Ginny came in. “Hermione, you okay?”

“Yeah, just fine.”

Ginny smiled nervously. “Listen, before you totally beat yourself up, let me tell you something. Ron only got married because he thought you would hate him for leaving.”

“He is so stupid. I could I ever hate him?”

“Well, you seem to be hating him right now. But Hermione, his wife is dead. She died when she was havi- I mean she died in a car accident. A real bad one. He feels terrible seeing you like this, and he still loves you, you know that. He told me in his letter that he was coming back for a couple different reasons, but the first one was to see you. Not anybody else, but you, ‘Mione, you. He loves you. Get it through your head. He came back for you.”

Another knock on the door, and Ron came in. “Uh, Gin, could I talk to Hermione. Er, alone?” Ginny nodded, and walked out of the room.

“Hermione, I’m really sorry. It’s just, I thought, oh god, this is hard. I know your mad, ‘Mione, but…”

Hermione cut him off. “But why did you have to leave? For seven years, seven years Ron! Do you know how hard it was? Every moment of every day I was wondering if you were hurt or dead or…” Hermione started to cry, her head in her hands. “I thought I’d never see you again. It was so hard on me, Ron, and everyone else.” Ron slowly wrapped his arms around her, and Hermione let him. “And when Harry proposed to Ginny, she almost said no because she was worried about you. And this whole time you were... married.”

Ron smiled to himself, pretending he hadn't heard the last bit. “I’m glad she didn’t. Listen ‘Mione, I have something really important to tell you…”

A split second after he said that, something came hurdling into the room at full speed, and the last thing Hermione heard before it collided into Ron was, “DDDDDDDAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYYYYY!”

A small little girl (view illustration here)with Ron’s flaming red hair had run into the room. Her pigtails were flying behind her, and she gave him the biggest hug she could possibly manage. Ron tried to get her to loosen her grip, but she clung to him like paper to glue. “Daddy, the mean guy twide to touch my Woger.”

“Oh he did, did he? Well, I promise he won’t touch your Woger again. Now sweetie, can you go back with the mean old man, and go to bed?”

The little girl put her thumb in her mouth and thought for a moment. Finally she sighed. “Okay, Daddy. But he can’t touch my Woger!”

“Alright. He won’t.”

Then, shocking Hermione even more than she already was, Dumbledore entered the room. “Ron, I’ve talked to your family. Is Emma going to come near me?”

“I think so. Just don’t touch her Woger, or she might kick you. She is the most protective thing.”

“Well, if she is any worse than you, she might be a hopeless case. I'll never forget trying to convince you to let this one-" he gestured kindly at Hermione- "out of your sight during the raid in sixth year. You wouldn't let me take her to the hospital wing after her arm was...” Dumbledore trailed off, glancing at Emma. He let his eyes twinkle for a moment before gently taking the little girl out of the room.

“You have a daughter?” Ron looked hurt again at the way Hermione said it. She realized this and corrected herself. “I don’t mean it like that. But still…”

“Yeah, I know. I was going to tell you, but she got here first. Dana, she was my wife, wanted to name her Emma after some muggle something and rather, don’t ask me.” Hermione had an pensive look on her face. Dana…Dana…She knew she had heard that name somewhere. It was a common name, but something about it sent a chill down her spine. Hermione quickly hugged Ron, stood up, and ran downstairs to her portfolio (Hermione was a wizarding artist and interior decorator, because she lost her job as an Auror) and snatched out a picture. She wheeled around to face Ron, who had followed her. As she held up her picture, she said, “Ron, who does this look like?”

He studied the painting for a moment, then said, “That look’s exactly like Dana did, why.”

“What was Dana’s maiden name?”

“Harrison, but why…”

Hermione gasped. “My goodness, Ron. You married a Death Eater.”

Ron shook his head. “Excuse me? Did you just say Dana was a Death Eater?”

Hermione nodded, unable to say anything. It hurt her heart to watch his face.

 “Are you sure, 'Mione?" Hermione nodded stonily, but inside she was dancing.

"Positive. I got this painting during Auror training, it is all the known death eaters and their names. I always kept it in my portfolio. Just in case."

Ron glared at Dana, and then whispered, "You know how she died?"

Hermione nodded, "A car crash, Gin-"

"No," Ron whispered. "She died during surgery, but she never told me why-"

"OF COURSE!" Hermione squealed. "She was having the Dark Mark removed, and that kills someone, Death Eaters often try it, you know, go to removal surgery, and their arm simply explodes. They know it will happen, but they never think it will happen to them, they're basically in denial. An infection travels rapidly from the destroyed tissues to the heart and brain, killing them within 2 hours."

Ron grinned in spite of himself. "Once again you've swallowed the textbook, eh?"

Hermione didn't smile back. She sighed and gave Ron another hug. "Why did she lie to you?"

Ron shrugged, looking horrified. Hermione looked at him and slowly, they started to lean together, closer, and closer...

"Ahem?" Harry stopped suddenly in the doorway, turned 'round, and marched out. Hermione jerked away from Ron selfconciously and giggled in a nervous sort of way. A moment later he peeked around again, wondering if it was safe yet.

"Um? Hermione? Oh, hi Ron." Hermione giggled again. "Um, er, let's take a walk. See you, Ron."

So Hermione let Harry drag her away from Ron so they could have a private discussion.

"Harry, oh, Harry, I just don't understand," sobbed Hermione as soon as they sat foot out the door.

"Hermione, s'okay, it'll all be fine soon." Harry gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek. Hermione glowed. Ginny, who was weeding the garden, flushed, and Harry winked at her. "No, really, Ron's just... confused." He finished lamely.

How could he say Ron didn't love Hermione any more? Was it true? Would he ever forget Dana, would Emma stay with him forever? He thought Ron still loved her, but gulpin' gargoyles, this was hard. Hermione was head-over-heels for him, and Ron had gotten married and had a child, so would he still love her?

“Night, Harry.”

“What? Oh, right. Night Hermione.” She gave him a hug and walked back into the house.

Ginny came over to sit next to Harry. “So, what’s up?”

He sighed. “Hermione and Ron. I don’t think he loves her anymore.”

Ginny rolled her eyes in a way that plainly said Males. “Of course he does. He came back her for her, you know. Wrote it in his letter. It was totally obvious, anyway. He loved her so much he got married because he thought she didn’t love him. Emma is real sweetheart, you know. She is just like Ron, but is probably smarter than Hermione was at that age.”

Harry suddenly slapped his hand to his forehead.

“What?”

“Oh, Gin. I just remembered that Christopher Garret is bring his daughter to our wedding.”

Ginny groaned. “Not Fiona! That horrible little know-it-all is going to ruin my beautiful wedding!” She slumped back against the step.

“I know. Hey, if we put her in a straight jacket, she won’t do anything.”

“Harry! We couldn't even think about that! Tania Garret is my best friend!”

“Well, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.” Harry mumbled under his breath.

Meanwhile, back in Ginny’s room, Hermione was absent-mindedly sketching a wedding dress. Without thinking, she put a woman who looked remarkably like her in the dress, and finished it. There, she thought, my dream gown. It was a sleeveless, strapless white gown, that had a skirt that billowed out about two feet from the legs. From the waist, rows of small, glittery seed pearls formed the shape of flowers on vines. The dress had an under-layer in the back, so a small piece of ribbon could crisscross down the back without showing much skin, and end in a reasonably sized bow. The veil was held up by a wreath of small pink roses, and flowed down past the hem of the gown.

Ginny walked into the room and Hermione quickly put away her drawing. Ginny collapsed onto her bed. “Night, Hermione.” was all that Hermione heard before Ginny was fast asleep.

She pulled out her sketches again and looked at the flower-girl dress. It was a small, short sleeved white dress that had a navy blue ribbon around the waist. The bridesmaid dress was the same color as the ribbon, but it was held up by spaghetti straps, and had a shawl of the same blue. Hermione sighed. She was never going to get to sleep if she kept thinking about him. So she pulled on her shoes, a pair of jeans, and a sweater and went out side, quietly, as to not wake anyone.

As she climbed the hill to the apple orchard, Hermione started to remember a song her mother once sang to her. Hermione slowly sat down next to the lake and began to sing to herself:

Free…
 the dream within
The stars are crying
A tear... a sigh
Escapes from Heaven
...And worlds end.
Breathe…
 the dream within
The mystifying
...We tremble and spin
Suspended within...
Look beyond
Where hearts can see
Dream in peace
Trust love... believe

To Hermione’s surprise, a voice joined hers. As the song came to an end, she could see that Ron had come up behind her. “You know that song?”

He nodded. “I use to sing it to Emma to get her to go to sleep. I love it.”

“Me too. Why are you here anyway?”

“Couldn’t sleep. You?”

“Same here. How did you find me?”

“It’s like a fairy tale. The beautiful princess sings, and the prince follows her voice.”

Hermione blushed as her hair. still thick and bushy, blew in the wind. Thank god it’s dark. I’m probably the color of a tomato. Ron was still talking. “Hermione?”

“Hmmm?”

“I’m really sorry I didn’t write or anything. I just thought after I had been gone for such a long time, and since I was married and all…”

“Don’t worry about it Ron. You apologized, and I... I can accept that. Still, why were you afraid to write me?”

“Because I thought you would push me off a cliff when I got back.”

“What, like this?” With that, Hermione pushed him into the pond. As he stood in the water, dripping wet, Hermione cracked up.

Ron stretched up his hand, and said “Can you please help me up?”

Hermione knew exactly what was coming, and put her hand out anyway. He pulled her into the water. As soon as she came up she turned to him and said, “I knew that was coming, silly.”

He blinked. “But did you know this was?” And he kissed her.

Fireworks exploded in Hermione’s head. He kissed her! He kissed her, he kissed her, he kissed her! She didn’t kiss him, he kissed her!

Ron smiled. “What do you say we give it another go?” Hermione hugged him. “As long as you don’t go and disappear for seven years again. Then I would never want to see your sorry face again. Understoond?” He nodded, and much to Hermione’s surprise, he picked her up and carried her out of the pond. Hand in hand, they walked back to The Burrow.

 Ginny looked out her window. Ron and Hermione were walking back towards the house holding hands. “YES!” Without thinking she started to jump up and down. “YES!” Then realizing what she had done, quickly lay down, and fell asleep again.

The next morning Ron woke up to a soft tapping on the door. “Come in.”

The door opened. “Hi. I just brought you some breakfast.” It was Hermione, carrying a tray with bacon, eggs, toast, and a fresh bouqet of roses and forget-me-nots in a small glass vase.

“Where’s Harry?”

“Oh, everybody went to Percy’s display on cauldron bottoms.I'm so glad he made up with the family,  aren't you? I got out of it by saying I would keep you company.”

“I’m glad you did.”

Hermione blushed again.

“Here, this is something I want to show you.” Ron pulled out a small book, which had the words Memories and Photographs scrawled in fancy writing across the front. He flipped open to a page and then handed the book to Hermione.

“Oh my goodness.”

The picture was of the two of them, the night they had graduated from Hogwarts. Hermione remembered that dress she was wearing. It was a teal color, with spaghetti straps and a small white rose at the collar. She and Ron each had one arm wrapped around each other, and one arm in front of them, out out their awards to the camera.

“Those were the good old times. Before I found out what balls of fire kids can be. And what it's like to be married. To someone you never loved.”

Hermione's breath caught. She stared into his eyes, and they held every ounce of his apology. She choked back a sob and pulled him into a tight hug. Everything was alright now. And it always would be.

Ron finally spoke. "But I love Emma very, very much."

“That was obvious. But, Ron, who’s Woger?”

He laughed. “Oh, that’s her teddy bear. His name is really Roger, but she has trouble with R’s.”

“I figured that out. But really, who’s Roger? Why did she name him that?”

He blushed. “Oh, Roger was Dana’s dad. He died, too. She only liked him because he gave her Fizzing Whizbees.”

Hermione laughed, but stopped at the look on Ron’s face. “What?” He looked at her, his eyes so glass-like it made Hermione shiver.

“It’s just, oh never mind."

Ginny slowly opened the door to his room, just wide enough to peer in. The two sat together on Ron's bed, hugging. Yes! It had worked. Ginny slowly shut the door and apparated back to the exhibit before she was missed.

Hermione was ready for her first date in many years. They were planning to go to a movie, but first, they would go walking to the lake nearby the Burrow for a moonlight stroll. As Hermione pulled on some khaki capris and a pretty floral patterned tank top, she wondered if Ron would...kiss her. Her hair was done up in a lovely bun, revealing her pretty face. She headed down stairs to wait, Ron said he had to go get something, he told her not to dress up, so she didn't.

"Hi, Hermione." Startled, Hermione whirled. Harry was sitting on the couch, drinking pink lemonade. He gestured at the pitcher and the empty seat next to him. She dropped into it, her stomach churning as she poured herself a glass.

"Hermione?" Harry spoke again. "Are you...mad at me?

" "Mad at you?" Hermione couldn't believe her ears. "Why on earth would I be MAD at you?"

Harry shrugged. "You just have been so...withdrawn lately. You're not how you used to be."

"How do you mean 'used to be'?"

"Well, in Hogwarts, we laughed and joked, we had adventures, but now, you're so...I dunno...cautious, maybe? Ron is fine, I am fine, you are fine, Ginny's fine." He smiled slightly as he said Ginny, and once again Hermione was amazed at how they were getting MARRIED! It seemed only yesterday, on that ride to Hogwarts, sixth year, when Harry asked Ginny out.

"What's wrong?" Harry brought Hermione back to Earth with a WHUMP and her thoughts scattered.

"Oh, Harry, I don't really know!" Hermione was feeling like she did know, but just didn't want to say. "Well, I guess, I am worried about you, my best friends, you two are like my...brothers. You two are my enemies, the ones who bring me back to Earth when I am floating in thoughts, you just did that, you've saved my life countless times, Harry, Ron has, too, and you're my friends, and simply that should be enough. You, Ron, and I come as a buy-one-get-two-free deal. We are like Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle once were, always flanking each other. I would be lost without you, Ron, or Ginny. I was sort of mindwarped when Ron vanished, I still am not back. But, Harry, I will be soon, I promise." She sighed and gave Harry a quick hug. Taking a sip of her lemonade she said, "Was that a good answer?"

"Yes."

"Good. Because the front door just opened, and I hear Ron coming."

Sure enough, in walked Ronald Weasley, with two fishing poles slung over his shoulder, a smile on his face. "Is fishing a good beginning to a date, Mione?"

Hermione burst out laughing, her face was glowing. Harry noted to Ginny later that he hadn't seen her that happy in seven years. "Oh, oh...you...Ron!" She leapt up from the couch and threw her arms around his neck. "You're cool, you know. How did you know I love to fish?"

"I didn't. I hoped you did."

Harry laughed at Hermione's emotional outburst of joy. "Well, I'll leave you two to your own...devices," He said wickedly.

"Shut it, Potter." Ron was grinning as he spoke. Then Hermione left Ron's side, threw her arms around Harry, and whispered, "Thanks for talking with me. I needed it." Then she bid him and Ginny good bye (Ginny had walked in with Ron) and headed out the door, her arm linked with Ron's, a fishing pole over her shoulder.

"Well, I hope they have fun," said Ginny.

Harry grinned at his fiancé. "D'you wanna follow them?" Ginny looked stunned.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" she roared. "How could you think of such an idea?"

"I was kidding, kidding, kidding!!!" Harry said in a false panicky voice. Ginny began to lecture him on privacy, but he shut her up with a kiss, then headed off to ask Fred and George how the Chin Clamping Crisps were going.

As Hermione and Ron walked up the hill to the pond, Hermione once again was lost in thought. She was nervous, and had butterflies in her stomach, but that wasn’t the feeling inside her. She really wanted to pour her heart out to Ron, to tell him what it was like with him gone, what it was like with him back, but she didn’t know when to do it. He guided her over to a small dock, and as Sugar went over to play with a butterfly, he turned to her.

“Hermione, are you okay?”

She softly mumbled, without thinking, “His laughter…sparkled like a splash of water in sunlight. Joseph Lelyveld.”

Ron turned to look at her. “What?”

Hermione blushed. “Oh, sorry. It’s a quote.”

 He grinned. “I know that. But what does a quote have to do with you being okay or not?” Hermione sighed. Here goes nothing. “Ron, can I tell you something?” Before he could answer, she continued. “Sugar, get off. Anyway, Ron when you left, I sort of, lost it. I was mind warped, if you will. Nothing else mattered to me but finding you. I lost my job as an Auror. I didn’t talk for a while, and had trouble even functioning. Yes, it hit everyone very hard, but me even more. I don’t know why, but it did. I started to read, sometimes for hours at a time, and I found a book of quotes that comforted me.” Ron laughed. “When do you not read?” Hermione shot him a look. “I read a lot, but I mean, sometimes I read for 12 hours at a time. I have memorized that book of quotes, and finally found one that kept me going.” Hermione paused. Ron grinned again. I wish he would stop flashing that gorgeous smile. Hermione shook her head. Stop it, Hermione. You don’t need to keep thinking like this.

“Yes?”

“Oh, sorry. Anyway, that quote was Never forget that the most powerful force on earth is love, Nelson Rockefeller. I knew then that you would come back, and you did.” Ron fell absolutely silent, gaping at her.

“Her-her-Hermione?”

“Yes?” Hermione looked at Ron and was shocked when he bent down and kissed her.

"I've been wiating for that," Hermione whispered, staring at her hands.

“Y-y-you have?” He stammered.

She nodded and suddenly, the fishing pole Ron had baited and cast for her while she was talking began to shake in her hands. “I got one!” She threw her weight back and dragged in a large bass.

Ron grinned. “Hey, how'd you catch that big thing?”

“I guess it's just my animal magnetism!”

“Shut up!”