Ron is still in there. He is still blaming himself. It’s been a week and he’s still paralyzed with grief and guilt. I don’t blame him for acting this way. I feel guilty about what happened. I miss her so much it hurts, but I’m sure that my pain can’t even compare. I can’t criticize his behavior. How would I act if this had happened to Ginny? Would I behave any differently?
All of these thoughts went through Harry’s mind as they did every time he approached Ron’s door for any reason. He knocked on the door and, as usual, heard nothing from inside. He turned the knob, went in, and saw that Ron was standing at the window.
“It’s dinner.” There was the usual silence. “You know you really should come down. Ron, think about your mum. She’s really worried.” Ron walked over and lay once again on the bed before he spoke.
“I know, I am not trying to hurt anyone... I just can’t.” He rolled over to face the wall. Harry had meant to argue, but some kind of commotion downstairs caught his attention.
“Fine,” Harry conceded and left the room to see what was happening. Harry had almost made it to the bottom of the stairs when he realized what the commotion was about. Walking through the kitchen surrounded by Lupin and the Weasleys and being pelted with questions from all sides was Hermione! Harry was paralyzed staring at her. She looked exhausted and rough. Her robes were dirty and ripped and her face look tired and full of concern as she talked. Harry could barely hear her over the din of the other voices. She was asking if everyone else made it back okay. As she repeated this question, she became more and more agitated and Harry knew that she was really asking if someone specific made it back okay. Control of Harry’s body returned to him and he raced back upstairs calling Ron’s name. Ron heard him calling and yanked open the door.
“Listen, I said no dinner. Mum will just have to understand!” he yelled at Harry.
As Harry reached the landing, he blurted out, “Ron, it’s Hermione!” Harry didn’t even finish her name before Ron was past him and flying down the stairs. Just as he arrived at the bottom, he heard Hermione’s voice.
“Everybody stop!” she yelled. “What about Ron? Did he make it back?” She looked questioningly around and her eyes stopped at the bottom of the stairs where Ron was standing. The second that he caught her eye he ran to her and hugged her as tight as he could. He wanted to say that he was so desperately sorry; he wanted to thank her for trying to keep him safe; he wanted to tell her that he loved her. All of these thoughts swirled around in his head during their brief hug all fighting for dominance, fighting for a voice. Still holding her, he looked into her face and none of them won. He merely leaned forward and gently kissed her. She returned the kiss and it became more intense.
During this scene, Harry was on the stairs watching it happen. He couldn’t keep his eyes from Ginny who had tears rolling down her cheeks, a mixture of happiness, relief, and even pain on her face. She noticed that Harry was looking at her and she turned away to wipe the tears from her cheeks and compose herself.
When Ron and Hermione broke apart, they remembered there were other people were in the room. As Ron pulled his hand away from her waist, he realized that there was blood on it.
“Hermione, you’re bleeding!
“They really didn’t want me to leave,” Hermione said with a touch of humor in her voice. “It really isn’t as bad as it looks.” Ron’s face contorted with worry.
“Mum, Hermione’s bleeding! You have to do something!” Mrs. Weasley and Ginny supported Hermione as they took her to get cleaned up and bandaged. Ron was waiting impatiently at the kitchen table for news about Hermione. Finally some time later, Mrs. Weasley walked into the kitchen and took a seat next to her youngest son.
“Is she okay? Can I see her? Where is she?”
“Wait a minute!” said Mrs. Weasley. “I can only answer one question at a time. She will be fine, but she is very weak. She is exhausted and the best thing she can do to heal is to get some rest. She is on the sofa in the sitting room but-” Ron stood to go, but his mother pulled him down again. “But, I gave her something to help her sleep. You can do nothing for her tonight. So, I suggest that you stay here and eat dinner with us or you go to bed early and get some good sleep, the kind you haven’t had in a week.” She reached up to brush hair out of her son’s eyes. She put her hands on his shoulders and looked directly at him, her voice became softer. “Ron, she is safe. There really is nothing you can do for her now.”
Ron suddenly felt so overwhelmingly exhausted. With all the tension and stress of the past week ebbing from his body, he found that he could barely keep his head up.
“You’re right mum, I’m gonna head to bed. Thanks.” He gave his mom a hug, went upstairs, and fell onto his bed ready for sleep in a way he had not been in what seemed like forever.
Ron woke from his dreamless sleep in the middle of the night and the pain and guilt that had plagued him rolled over him like a thick fog. Suddenly his eyes opened wide as he remembered the events of the night before.
She was here! She was safe! He had kissed her!
Partly to prove that it wasn’t a dream and partly because he just ached to see her face, he put on his robe and headed downstairs. He opened the door to the sitting room and saw that there was no Hermione. There was bedding and some of her things, but she was gone. Ron went into the kitchen and noticed that the back door was open. He looked out and saw Hermione sitting on one of the steps that lead down to the garden. She was staring up at the sky.
“Should you be out here? It’s chilly,” Ron asked. Hermione looked up at him and smiled. She patted the place on the step next to her and Ron sat down.
“I woke up and I desperately wanted to see the stars and enjoy the night.” As Ron sat down, that old awkwardness crept in and he didn’t know what to say.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked rather lamely.
“Yes I am, and I can’t begin to say how happy I am to be back here with...” Her face went red and she looked away.
“I’m glad you’re okay. I missed...I mean, I...” Ron trailed off. Then suddenly, it hit him. This is the way it always ended up between them. Did he want that again? “NO!” he said louder than he had intended and it caused Hermione to look at him in bewilderment.
“What?” she asked
“No!” Ron repeated more calmly, “no more, Hermione. We always let ourselves get awkward and nervous and nothing ever gets said, nothing ever changes. There are things that need to be said, Hermione. I thought about this over and over while you were gone, what I would do if I had another chance. Well, I have one and I want to make some things clear. First, I am so unbelievably sorry for treating you like that the night before our mission. I am sorry for letting so much time go by and not telling you how I feel. So, now things are going to be different. I am going to hold your hand and I am not going to be nervous about it. I am planning to sit close to you as often as possible. I plan to hold you and kiss you and I plan to tell you often that. . .” Ron trailed off, seemingly gathering strength. He looked straight into her eyes “…tell you that I love you.”
“Ron,” whispered Hermione. He put his arms around her and as she leaned against him, he noticed how tired and weak she was. “I love you, too. You were all I thought about the entire time I was gone. I can’t believe we were so stupid and never let ourselves say it before.” She kissed him and pulled him into tight embrace.
“Let’s get you back to bed. You need your rest.” Ron helped her stand and she leaned on him as he led her back to the sitting room. He helped her into bed and kissed her. Ron grabbed a spare blanket and lay down on the floor in front of the small sofa. And while still holding hands, they both fell into a peaceful sleep.