It was past midnight, and the frigid air whipped past her cheeks as she skated across the frozen lake. There was less than a week to go until Christmas, and Hermione needed some time to think. Not about her schoolwork or books, about someone. About Ron.
Could she really have fallen for her best friend? Everyone had always told her that the two of them would make a great couple and that he liked her. She had been almost positive that they were right about the second part, and she was glad about it. It was great to think someone liked you as more than a friend, even if that person was your best friend, but sometimes you don't realize how much you like that feeling until it's gone.
Recently, Ron had started coming to Hermione for advice, dating advice, and of course she willingly helped him out, or at least tried to, but the more he came to her, the more jealous she felt. Hoping that it would clear her mind and help her to think, Hermione decided to go skating on the newly frozen lake. As she glided across the ice, she had no idea that someone else was walking across the school grounds, unable to sleep as well.
Ron Weasley had been looking out his window when he noticed that someone was on the lake. After watching the person skate for a while, he decided to go for a walk, hoping to find out who Hogwarts' mystery skater was.
It had started to snow lightly as Ron reached the edge of the lake. Wishing that he had brought a pair of skates, he began to cross the lake, trying hard as he could not to slip. He was nearly halfway across the lake when he caught a glimpse of her face. His eyes lit up. Out of all the people who could've been out here skating, it was her, the one he would've wished for. He quickened his pace, eager to reach her, just to talk to her, to hear her voice.
He was only a few feet away, fifteen at most, when he noticed it, a rather large crack in the ice right behind her. He was about to call out to her, to warn her of the crack when she spotted him.
"Ron!" she exclaimed, as she turned to skate towards him, "What are you doing out here?"
"Hermione, look out!" Ron shouted, but it was too late. Hermione had skated onto the crack and, evidently, a patch of thin ice. Hermione's scream pierced through the night sky as the ice gave way and she plunged into the freezing water.
Ron saw it as if it happened in slow motion. She was skating towards him and he saw the crack growing bigger while more smaller cracks began to appear, then he heard two voices, one hers, screaming for her life, and the other his, shouting her name. The next thing he knew he was running to the spot she had just vanished from.
As he neared the hole in the ice through which she fell his eyes frantically searched for any sign of her. Peering down into the water, his eyes filled with worry and fear he saw something move. Quickly, he reached down into the frigid water, and grabbed at it, ignoring the pain from the cold water.
Hermione's heart was racing underwater, hardly able to think because of the cold. Suddenly she felt something grab her hand and begin to pull her up. She gasped for air as she reached the surface, feeling so dizzy she was hardly able to keep her eyes open. She felt him pull her completely out of the water, and lay her down on the ice.
"Hermione!" He said frantically, "Hermione, please don't do this to me." Ron looked her over, fear building up inside of him. He put a hand to the side of her neck, relieved to find a pulse. He checked her breathing and called out her name again. "Hermione, please answer me."
She tried to say his name, to thank him for saving her life, but she couldn't. All that she could produce was a feeble grunt, but that was good enough for him. He sighed with relief and at once performed a heating spell on her, hoping it would help, which it did. Within a few seconds Hermione had opened her eyes to find herself staring into his blue eyes, filled with concern.
"Thank you, Ron." She said, still staring into his eyes
"Well what was I supposed to do?" he said jokingly, "Let the woman I love drown? I don't' think so."
It took a few minutes for Ron's words to register in her mind.
"Did you really mean that?" Hermione asked, when it finally did.
"Yeah," Ron mumbled, blushing, "I really did. I love you Mione."
Ron wasn't sure what her response was going to be. Before he had time to regret what he just said, fearing she would reject him, he was met with a huge hug from her.
"I love you too, Ron." Hermione whispered into his ear, "I always will."
Pulling back slightly from their embrace, Ron cupped her chin in one hand, the other hand holding hers. Leaning in towards each other, their lips made contact. Their kiss wasn't wild or meaningless; it wasn't just a kiss. It was simple, and innocent, and passionate. More than that, it was a promise between them, to always be there for each other, and to love each other for all times.
Slowly, Hermione pulled out of their kiss. For a few minutes the two of them just sat there, staring into each other's eyes. They would've stayed there all night, just like that, if Hermione hadn't sneezed.
"Here Mione. Take off your cloak, its soaking wet." Said Ron, suddenly realizing that they were still outside. "Take this." He added, handing her his own cloak, which was considerably drier. Hermione whispered a thank you, and quickly put on his cloak.
"I'd better get you inside. I don't want you getting sick." With that, he picked Hermione up, and began his way back to the castle.
Hermione sighed, "My knight in shining armor." She said smiling.
"More like rusted armor." Ron murmured jokingly to himself, as the two neared the castle.
Hermione sighed deeply and smiled as she leaned into Ron. Who would've thought that all her dreams would come true tonight?