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            It was two days after the battle of Hogwarts, in which the three young wizards had slept.  Two days since the dark lord had been dead. Two days since people lost their lives in a fight for their freedom, which some of them had never experienced. Two days since two teenagers finally realized their love for each other after seven years. They both realized they were blind to their love for the other.

“Hermione,” Ron said, gently shaking her slumbering body. With just the lightest movement, Hermione woke and stretched her arms widely. She rubbed her eyes, which she hoped would help her wake up, which only made it worse.

            “Ron?” She asked, looking at him or what was the handsome, ginger haired man standing in front of her.

            “Yes?” He whispered, being careful not to wake his sister, whose wrath he feared, as she slept in the bed across the room. “I’m here.” He said. Hermione fluttered her eyes, assuming that this was a dream and Ron was just her imagination. When she stopped, he was still there, looking at her with loving eyes.

            “What are you doing here?” She asked, sitting up in the bed, tucking an untamable piece of her hair behind her ear.

            “I came to get you. I wanted to show you something.” He said, sliding his hands into his jean pockets. Hermione crawled out of bed, pushing her hair back as much as she could, and walked over to the dresser. She threw on a fresh pair of jeans and a clean t-shirt, and walked over to Ron. They then began to walk through the broken corridors, and shattered glass. As they were walking, Hermione accidentally bumped her own hand against his. She looked at him, hoping that he didn’t notice. He noticed, but instead of what the usual Ron would do, just ignore it and keep going; he took her hand into his.

            “Ron,” Hermione said, after a long silence. “It’s still dark out.” She said.

            “Bloody Hell. It’s four thirty, it’s after hours.” He said, stopping and looking at his watch. He began to turn around, but Hermione caught his arm.

            “So we break the rules.” She said, smiling.

            “I like this Hermione.” He whispered into her ear, smiling, and continued to walk on. It took them another three minutes, before they reached their place of desire. It was on the edge to a lake, next to the Quidditch pitch, adjacent to the Black Lake. It was a small lake; this water was blue, but just thick enough to not be able to see through it.

            They both sat down on a soft spot of grass, and just sat there, thinking. Ron was thinking of should and why would he want to get together with Hermione.

            ‘I mean, we kissed and all, but it would be weird. We fight all the time, and I left so she might think I’m not committed. Which I am, bloody well committed. I didn’t quit the Quidditch team like I said I would. But then again, I’ve always like her. I just never had the guts to admit or think it.’ He thought. But Hermione, on the other hand, already knew that answer and was thinking about something else.

            ‘The war was such a tragic occasion that took place at Hogwarts, of all places. All the people that died, all the blood and tears that was shed, it’s all just too terrible. Just too terrible’ She thought. They both sat there, in silence, just causally thinking about things. Right before the sun was about to rise, Ron spoke up.

            “So.” He said, awkwardly. He had wished he would’ve just settled with the non-awkward silence.

            “So what?” She said. “So what are we doing? So why is this happening? So happy that Voldemort’s dead? So what?” She asked. Hermione was a very curious type of person, and Ron was the one that was a stubborn type of person.

            “So everything.” He said. “So everything Hermione.”

            “What do you mean so everything?” She asked, looking at him. “Because what I would mean by ‘so everything’ would be that ‘So everything’s better now’.” She explained.

            “Yeah, different too.” He said, twiddling his thumbs.

            “Yeah. Different.” She said.

            “When did you realize?” Ron asked, and she was confused about what he had asked her. “When did you realize that you loved me?” He asked. That’s when she was cleared up. She thought about it, and bit her lip.

            “Ummmmm….” She said, thinking of what to say. “I always did.”

            “Really? Even when we would fight?” He asked. She nodded, looking him straight in the eye. He then dropped his hands on his legs, and admitted something that he had wanted to for years. “Because I did too. Just I didn’t really want to admit it.” He said.

            “Me too.” She said, looking at him lovingly. Silence passed between them, slowly but with the right amount of tension. “So you’re still in S.P.E.W right?” She asked, ruining the moment “Because with the war and everything they are going to be….” She said, but Ron’s voice made her stop talking.

            “Hermione. I’ve always been in S.P.E.W haven’t I?” He asked. She then looked down, crossed her arms, and muttered something that Ron could barely make out.

            “But you haven’t done anything.”

            “But I will.” He said. “And I have, you just don’t know it.” He said looking at her with his eyes squinted. He had indeed gone down to the kitchens, after hours, courtesy of Harry’s invisibility cloak; and helped with the house elves for hours.

            “You never did anything. The only thing that you did was mock my hats that Dobby was wearing.” She said, stubbornly crossing her arms. He was beginning to get annoyed with this Hermione. He shouldn’t have woken her up in the first place. All he wanted to do was to watch the sunrise and to be with her. ‘Why not to both?’ He had asked himself as he got out of bed that morning.

             Bloody mistake.

            “I did too. I would go down to the kitchen and help the house elves. I once was a therapist to Winky and to Dobby one time also.” He said, thinking of the poor house elf who had risked his own life to save Harry’s.

            “So did I.” She said. “Why didn’t I see you?” She asked.

            “What nights did you go on?” He asked.

            “I didn’t go in the nights. I would go in the mornings in the week and afternoon in the weekend. Why?” She asked.

            “I would go nights for five times a week. Mostly from eleven to two or three.” He explained.

            “You’re Winky’s therapist!” She said, restating the already said.

            “Did I not just say that?” He asked, confused.

            “Yeah but she talked about you all the time. She was all happy on the weekdays unlike the weekend which I thought she was potentially suicidal.” She explained. “You made my time with them a whole lot easier. I had always thought it was Dumbledore, but I never got the chance to ask.” She said, looking down thinking of their late headmaster.

            “He knew I helped out after hours.” He said. “He was the one that covered for me the one time Snape caught me.” He explained.

            “So, the amazing sneak, Ron Weasley, got caught breaking the rules?” Hermione asked, mocking him, and slightly pushing him with her own body.

            “I always get caught breaking the rules.” He admitted.

            “By a teacher.” She said. He nodded and she continued on. “You know, Winky really liked Dobby.” She said.

            “I know, he was in all of her dreams. I just saw her after she had gotten the news that Dobby had gone, and she was in pieces. She ran off before I could talk to her.” He said.

            “She ran to me.” Hermione explained. “She asked where they buried him, and I told her I would take her as soon as I could.”

            “Then why don’t we?” He asked. “We could both take Winky to Shell Cottage.” He said.

            “That sounds nice.” Hermione said. “You know, quoting your sister here, I never gave up on you. I was always hoping that you would realize or even consider me. But then again, I thought about it. I thought you wouldn’t like a bushy haired, smart, ugly girl like me...” She said, gradually lowering her voice and ending at a whisper.

            “Who ever said you were ugly?” Ron asked. “Because whoever it is, I am going to beat them into bloody pieces.” He said.

            “It was you Ron. Remember, when we were little you would talk about me to Harry?” She asked. “That’s how I ended up in the bathroom when the mountain troll came in.” She said.

            “You know that I only did that because I was too obnoxious to admit that I actually liked you.” He said.

            “I didn’t until you just said that. I thought you really meant it.” She whispered, looking down. Ron moved closer to her, and put his arm around her.

            “You know, I was blind Hermione. I never realized your beauty, until you on the run last year. But I have never thought of it more than I did two nights ago, and today of course.” He pulled her closer than she had been before.

            “Why two days ago? That was the battle of Hogwarts.” She said.

            “While you bit your lip and stuck your tongue out while you were focused on something, I found it to be cute.” He said. “And when you were fighting all those death eaters, you were just so beautiful, tearing them to shreds.” She laughed, and turned to face him. Their faces were six inches apart, and Ron moved her hair out of her face, as it had fallen in front of her face once more.

            “Is this a good idea?” Hermione whispered, her eyes looking into Ron’s and then at his lips.

            “Whatever your heart tells you ‘Mione.” He whispered. Hermione leaned up and kissed him. Just as they began to kiss, the sun rose above the mountains and forbidden forest, lighting up the grounds. Ron and Hermione broke apart and smiled at the sunrise, and back again at each other. It lit up the grounds, the lakes, the pitch, everything so beautifully. Hermione then sat there, taking in Hogwarts’s beauty, and took in the moments in life, that go by quicker than we all wish they would.