I hadn�t seen Hermione since she fled my room after that kiss. Mmm� Just thinking about it makes me melt inside. That kiss� it was more than just a good kiss. It was more than shooting stars going on in the back of my head. It was like a wake up call. Like a fire alarm was going on inside my brain, telling me that this was right. That Hermione and I were meant to be. I had to tell her this. I didn�t care if she returned my affections or not, but I had to let her know.

Then something hit me. The way Hermione acted around me for so many years� everything just started to click into place. My heart soared. Of course she�d return my feelings! She was definitely mad about me! � I think� No matter, I�ll know as soon as I can find her.

It was really odd to find Hermione missing. Especially today. Today was the 7^th years� Leaving Ceremony. Hermione wouldn�t miss this for the world! And yet, no matter where Harry and I searched, she was no where to be seen. I really missed her.

Harry was talking to me only because he had to. It�s really horrible hearing the spite in his voice. I�m not sure he�ll ever forgive me for it� I wouldn�t blame him in all honesty. If it were the other way around, I would have bludgeoned Harry to death.

A flash of blue and white blurred past my sight. I looked more closely at the spec and instantly recognized the person.

Hermione.

There you are
In a darkened room
And you�re all alone
Looking out the window

I paused in the doorway and admired her. Her hair was windswept and gorgeous. Her blouse was tucked into her skirt rather hastily � very unusual for Hermione. She was so focused on the view outside that she was barely moving. I was about to make a move forward when Hermione suddenly turned.

She looked different. Like something about her was � missing or � off. Her hair was damp from the rain outside and was plastered to her paler-than-usual skin. I looked into her eyes and saw that those usually vivacious tea-colored orbs were blank and empty. All the knowledge behind them was drained.

Your heart�s cold and lost the will to love
Like a broken arrow

I was inclined to call out to her� but something held me back. I don�t think she actually saw me. Her eyes were focused � if you could call it focused � elsewhere. Quicker than I could react, Hermione dropped to her knees and began to cry. Again, something held me back from rushing up to her and scooping her up in my arms until her sobbing dimmed. Instead, I continued to watch.

She started to wail out some words. All I could make out was �Never�ever� mistake�horrible mistake�but� hate� liked it��

It didn�t make any sense. Maybe I should make my presence noticed�

Here I stand in the shadows
Come to me, Come to me

I cleared my throat and Hermione looked up. Almost immediately, she turned her gaze downward again. I rushed down beside her, placing my arm on her back as she had done to me only a couple of nights ago.

�Hermione, what is it?�

�Nothing��

�Nothing? You were crying and wailing!�

�It�s my mess Ron, not yours.� Her words cut me. Hermione was usually kind and good-natured. This was certainly out of character.

She sighed under my arm. �So� do you have anything you wanna say, Ron?� she asked in an exasperated tone.

�Ummm� yeah��

�Well�?�

�Er� I� er� likeyouwoulddance me?�

�What?�

Can't you see that

�Would you �er� like to go to the dance with me?� I mentally kicked myself for not saying what I originally intended to.

Nobody wants to be lonely
Nobody wants to cry
My body�s longing to hold you
So bad it hurts inside
Time is precious and it�s slipping away
And I�ve been waiting for you all of my life
Nobody wants to be lonely, So why (why)
Why don�t you let me love you?

�Oh! Oh, sure Ron.�

�Well�er� shouldn�t we� umm� get to breakfast?�

�Oh yes, I suppose you�re right.�

*

It was a mistake. A horrible, horrible, wonderful mistake. No! Not wonderful! Horrible! I never ever should�ve done that! Why�d I do it? I know why: Ron. I felt so � rejected � and it was an easy fix. Draco would do it with any girl. I wanted to spite Ron� and I was upset and confused� and dear God I did it with Draco Malfoy!

I didn�t speak much during breakfast. I couldn�t get my mind off of what I had done the previous night. I felt so angry! I had to wake up in a strange room and find my way back to Hogwarts by myself! Argh! My anger would Not. Stop. Then something hit me, knocking all the wind out of me.

We didn�t use protection.

Can you hear my voice?
Do you hear my song?
It's a serenade
So your heart can find me

�Hermione? Hermione are you alright? Wake. Up. Hermione!�

And suddenly you�re flying down the stairs
Into my arms baby

My eyes shot open to see Ron and Harry crowding around me. I was on the floor of the Great Hall, with many faces peering at me. I couldn�t take it! I bolted upright and ran out of the room.

I knew Harry and Ron were following behind me� but I wished they wouldn�t. I couldn�t stand to look at either of them after how shamefully I had acted.

�Hermione!�

�Slow down!�

I ignored their calls and locked myself in my dorm. I needed to think.

Okay, I had �sex� with� Malfoy. And we didn�t use protection. And he�s � in me now! A scream escaped me as I raced to the nearest bathroom.

I jumped into the scalding water scrubbing myself as hard as the soap would allow me to, trying to wash off the smell of lemons and Malfoy and the slimy feeling that coated me. But no matter how much I attempted to clean myself, the feeling lingered and I knew there was no use trying to get rid of it with soap and water.

I climbed out of the shower and went back to my room, trying to dry my hair as I walked.

Okay, what are the chances that one of his � little � men � could actually make it that far? I�ll still be fine� I�ll just wait a couple of weeks � and if nothing happens� I�ll be fine� fine� fine�

FINE??? WHAT AM I SAYING? IF I GET PREGNANT I�LL BE SCREWED!!! I WONT BE ABLE TO GO TO FINNINGDON U!!! I�M BLOODY FUCKED UP NOW!!! I CANT GO TO F.U. I CANT GET MY MASTERS DEGREE IN HEALING AND � OH NO� RON. WILL. KILL. ME.

Before I start going crazy
Run to me, Run to me
Cause I'm dying

Ron opened the door, quickly blushing and turning his gaze downwards.

�RON! GET. OUT. OF. HERE!� I yelled, clutching tightly at the knot of my towel.

�Er� yes, er, umm, Hermione,� he said as he fumbled away.

After a few moments, I resumed drying my hair and dressed myself once more. I glanced at my blouse and skirt lying askew on the floor. I�d have to remember to burn those later.

I laid down on my bed and tried to think of something other than Malfoy�s body on top of me� I felt a guilty twinge pull at me and I immediately thought of Ron and Harry� But mostly Ron. No! I. Am. Over. Him. I shouldn�t be thinking about him! But� he asked me to the dance! Why would he? Does he�? Maybe he� NO! I will NOT get my hopes up for something that isn�t there at all. He probably just can�t find anyone else to go with him. That�s it. That�s all there is to it.

Nobody wants to be lonely
Nobody wants to cry
My body�s longing to hold you
So bad it hurts inside
Time is precious and it�s slipping away
And I�ve been waiting for you all of my life
Nobody wants to be lonely, So why (why)
Why don�t you let me love you?

There was a knock on the door. I looked up as the door swung open slowly.

�Are you� er� dressed now?� Ron�s voice asked timidly.

I walked over to the door. �No, Ron. I�m naked dancing with my naked friends and we�re taking turns walking over hot coals�nakedly� and we�re basking in our nakedness. Do you care to join us?�

Ron gave a nervous laugh. �Sure, only can I ask to keep something on?�

�Like what?�

�Everything.� He said simply. We smiled at eachother as we sat down on my bed.

�So��

�Are you alright?� he asked, �You fainted, you know.�

�Yeah� I thought as much.�

�So you�re okay?�

�Yes, Ron. I�m fine.�

�Good� So, er, we�re goin to the dance together, right?�

�Yes. You asked. I said yes. I�m pretty sure we�re going together.�

�Right. Good.�

�Ron, are you alright?�

�Yes� er, Hermione?�

�Yes�?�

�Hermione, I, er, really, really, umm, er, like you��

�I like you too, Ron.�

�No, not as a friend� I mean, like� you know��

�Like�?�

�Like� more than that��

I was stunned. I couldn�t think of anything to say, but I heard a quiet �Oh,� come out of my mouth.

�Er, it�s okay if you don�t like me back, and I�d understand if you don�t want to go to the ball with me anymore and ��

�Ron� I � liked you too��

�You do? I knew you did! I knew you�d say so! I knew I just had to make the first � wait a second� Did you say �liked?� As in �ED? As in past tense?�

�Er� yes��

�Oh� okay then� I�ll just leave now�� And he went out the door rather hurriedly.

Ron liked me. No, Ron likes me. What brought on this sudden change? And what am I going to do? Something stirred within my chest and my head felt light and empty. I felt like my body was floating, filled with only air inside. I knew I didn�t have to deny my feelings towards him anymore. And then I remembered the rest of what he said and my stomach suddenly knotted itself.

 �I knew you did! I knew you�d say so! I knew I just had to make the first move,� that was what he was going to say. He was so sure that I�d like him. That I�d � that I�d � leap into his arms and � and kiss him right there! The fact that he was so � so � confident in my reply � made my blood boil. What right did he have to say that? To think that? NONE! Why should I be waiting around for years while he notices me at the very last minute? Why should I get down on my knees and be ready to give up everything for him? I shouldn�t. And I won�t.

But� sure it took him a while� but he likes me! Should I just give up this chance because of a bit of pride? Should I give up a possible life of happiness and love for some stupid grudge that he�s not even aware of? Isn�t forgiveness part of any relationship?

*

�Ron?�

Ron looked up from his spot on the bed. �Hermione��

�Ron, I like you too!�

His face lit up. �Really?�

Hermione smiled. �Really, really.�

Ron raced over to Hermione and kissed her with longing.

I want to feel you deeply (feel you deeply)
Just like the air you�re breathing (breathing)
I need you here in my life

Hermione backed away. She felt that she had cheated on Ron. She had sex with Draco Malfoy only the night before and here she was playing tonsle tennis with Ron!

�Hermione, what is it?� he asked, holding her closely. �Are you alright?�

�I � I�m fine, Ron.� Hermione moved closer to Ron and they simply held eachother until Harry walked in.

�Oh� I�ll, umm, leave you guys alone�� He said nervously, looking only at Hermione.

When he left, Hermione looked at Ron and asked, �Is he still mad at you?�

Ron nodded.

�Don�t worry. He�ll get over it eventually. Harry�s not one to hold a grudge.�

�Yeah� I�m just waiting for the storm to pass.�

�Listen, Ron, I�ve got to go to lunch.�

Don�t walk away, Don�t walk away
Don�t walk away, walk away
No, no, no

�Hermione, wait!�

Hermione turned around, her dripping curls flying.

�Please stay. We should� talk.�

�Talk�? Ron, I�m really rather hungry� I barely ate anything during breakfast.�

�Alright,� he sighed. �I�ll go with you.�

Hermione really wanted to be alone, but nodded in agreement.

Hermione spent the rest of the day trying to avoid the red-head. She couldn�t stand the fact that she felt she had cheated� even though she and Ron weren�t and aren�t tied to each other.

It was time for the ceremony and the four house representatives performed their speeches, Hermione being the Gryffindor representative. She said her piece and sat down between Goyle and Neville as the crowd applauded.

Once Dumbledore had finished his speech, the students were called up alphabetically to receive their diplomas. Once Blaise Zabini had gotten her diploma, the 7^th years were given a standing ovation.

Then the students were cleared out while the Great Hall was decorated for the Leaving Ball.

Hermione, dressed in a strapless lavender dress that was cut to float down her knees and onto the floor so that her calves were revealed, and Ron, dressed in a formal muggle suit, entered the candle-lit Great Hall. Besides the candles and the starry ceiling, everything was dark. Couples were already dancing to a famous wizard boy band called Magi-X, moonlight outlining their features.

�Well, shall we dance?� Ron asked, holding out his hand.

�Certainly,� Hermione replied, her dark ringlets shone in the moonlight as she bent her head forward in a curtsy.

Hermione moved her hips to the rhythm as Ron tried, helplessly, to look cool while he bobbed his head to the beat.

After the song ended, a slower tune began. Ron moved closer to Hermione, placing his hands on the small of her back as she lifted her arms around his neck.

�You know, until you kissed me the other night, I must�ve been blind,� he whispered into her perfumed hair.

�Ron, that was a kiss good-bye,� Hermione informed.

�Oh� well, to me, it was a wake-up call. It just seemed right, ya know?�

�Ron, I�ve known since fifth year! Maybe longer!�

The boy suddenly realized what an ass he must have been to the love-struck girl.

�I�m sorry, you know, for not realizing it earlier. I should have.�

�Shh. It�s alright.�

�Hermione, it may have taken me a while to see it, but I love you.�

Nobody wants to be lonely
Nobody wants to cry

Hermione took a step backwards. �You what?�

�I� love you.�

�Don�t.� Hermione�s expression was serious. �Don�t say � that� unless you mean it.�

�Hermione,� Ron moved closer, �I love you.�

Hermione�s heart swelled with joy. She flung her arms back around him and squeezed him tightly. �I � I love you too!�

Ron pulled back to look at her. Her face, splashed in moonlight, had an eerie glow, but she was the same old Hermione � only she was grinning like an idiot. Ron pulled her into a lustful kiss.

Nobody wants to be lonely
(I don�t want to be lonely)
Nobody wants to cry
(I don�t want to cry)
My body�s longing to hold you
So bad it hurts inside

People around the kissing couple paused their dancing to stare. Ron and Hermione, however, didn�t notice these people. All that they were aware of was each other�s body.

Time is precious and it�s slipping away
And I�ve been waiting for you all of my life
Nobody wants to be lonely, so why (why)
Why don�t you let me love you?

Ron slowly pulled away, not wanting to. He looked down at Hermione with her swollen lips and a dreamy look about her.

�Listen,� he started, �I know it�s sudden, but� you and me, it just feels so right� and we�ve known each other for years now� being friends and all� and I always knew I would be spending my life with you� and Harry of course� but he�s kinda mad at me now� but he�ll get over it � do you get what I�m trying to say?�

He looked at Hermione�s perplexed face. �Ron, you just spoke a bunch of nonsense.�

�That�s my point! You ��

�Your point? What the hell?�

�You � you�ve got this hold on me� and it makes me say nonsense around you� don�t you see? It always has ��

�I�ll agree with that.�

�And I was a bloody fool for not knowing it sooner, but I was blind� and I know now that I love you ��

�You know, saying �I love you� so frequently makes it sort of loose it�s magic��

�Sorry, but it�s true. And I�m only trying to make up for all those years where� I couldn�t see it. But, I can now� and I do� and you and me � it�s just � right. We�re meant to be together Hermione��

�Ron?�

The red-haired boy was so tall that, even down on bended knee, he was facing Hermione�s torso. Many people were interested in what was going on.

�Ron�?� Hermione echoed, nervously.

Nobody wants to be lonely
Nobody wants to cry

�Hermione Anne Granger,� he started. Immediately Hermione held her breath for what was to come.

�Will you marry me?�

In a rush of excitement, Hermione fell down to her knees and started kissing Ron, managing to gasp out a �Yes,� against his lips. Harry walked over and attempted to congratulate his best friends, but the two were so entranced with each other that the dark-haired boy decided to leave them to each other.

My body�s longing to hold you
So bad it hurts inside

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Draco Malfoy stood beside Mandy Brocklehurst, his date for the ball, and � like the rest of the 7^th years, watched Ron�s proposal to Hermione. Something inside Draco snapped as the brunette tumbled into the idiot�s arms. Rage built up inside him. It took all the will power he had to not go over there and take the Weasel out. How could Hermione � someone so kind and innocent, someone who would never do such a thing � sleep with him one night, and accept another � if you could call the overgrown carrot a man � man�s proposal the next?

Draco thought about what he had said to Hermione repeatedly that night � besides �I�m goin as deep as I can,� � and that was that he was wouldn�t come back again. After stating something like that, he couldn�t just waltz up to her and ask her to be his. But Draco wanted Hermione� he needed her.

And a Malfoy always gets what he wants.