AN: I mean to have this chapter up way sooner, but I got a real big kid job for the end of the school year which kept me quite busy. Anyway now that it's summer vacation I hope I have much more time to write.

While Hermione slept, Ron dozed at her side. He woke up with a terrible crick in his neck from sleeping hunched over. The sun was just beginning to filter in through the window, Hermione continued to sleep.

She looked peaceful for the first time since arriving at St. Mungo's. She was breathing evenly without the aid of the bubble head charm and she even had some color return to her cheeks.

Careful not to disturb her Ron lifted her fingers to his lips, gently kissing each one. He wondered to himself how many more times he would get to feel her skin against his lips. It was an absurdly painful thought.

As the sun rose higher into the sky Ron watched Hermione sleep. He watched her take slow deep breaths and he found himself holding his every time she took a second longer to inhale. Would this feeling of impending doom ever leave?

Hermione stirred and the first thing she saw was Ron's face. He looked exhausted and far too thin, even by Ron Weasley standards.

"Morning sleepy head" said Ron forcing a smile, "Feeling better?"

Hermione nodded although she still felt quite weak and achy.

Just then a nurse came in with a tray containing a bowl of porridge and a glass of pumpkin juice and set it over Hermione's lap.

After seeing Hermione's skeptical face the nurse said, "Eat up dear, you need to get your strength back."

Hermione took a bite of the porridge and chewed it meticulously. The nurse seemed satisfied and left the two alone. Hermione swallowed laboriously and pushed the tray away. "You can have it if you want," Hermione said indicating the tray.

Ron shook his head, "I'm not hungry."

Hermione wondered when the last time he ate was. He looked so thin. Hermione was about to press the issue when the rest of the Weasley clan burst into the room.

"Hermione dear! It's so good to see you awake," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed kissing her on the forehead. "I've just talked to the healer and they say you can go home today as long as you stay on bed rest for at least a week," Mrs. Weasley continued.

Hermione felt a rush of relief, she would much rather be at the Burrow than stuck at St. Mungo's. Honestly, hospitals has always given her the creeps, and the less time she had to spend in them the better.

"Bed rest for a week, but I'll miss Tonks' and Lupin's funeral!" Hermione exclaimed as the realization dawned on her.

Everyone shuffled around sheepishly, "The service was yesterday, dear" said Mrs. Weasley patting the back of Hermione's hand. Hermione felt tears prick at her eyes. She reached out for Ron's hand only to find it wasn't where it had been since she'd woken up.

Hermione looked around the room, briefly forgetting the missed funeral service. Harry, Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Percy. The only people missing were George and now Ron.

"Where'd Ron go?" Hermione asked trying not to sound panicked.

"He said he was going home to get his room ready and shower and stuff." Ginny said, "He said he'd meet us there."

Before Hermione could dwell on it too much, Mrs. Weasley began mobilizing the Weasley clan to return to the Burrow and before she knew it she was in the Burrow living room still dressed in her pajamas. She was leaning on Harry because her legs were still quite wobbly.

Hermione noticed Ron standing at the foot of the stairs. He was wearing clean clothes and his hair was still damp from the shower. Hermione wanted to run to him and chastise him for leaving without telling her where he was going, but as soon as she tried to move her head began to swim and she ended up slumped against Harry.

"Up to bed!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed seeing the color drain from Hermione's cheeks. "Most of us are heading to the Ministry for the afternoon, but Harry, Ron and Ginny will be here to look after you. Remember stay in bed." Hermione nodded weakly, she had a hard time picturing herself doing much else today.

Harry helped her to the stairs where Ron helped him escort Hermione up to Ron's attic room. Ginny followed close behind joking about catching her if she fell.

As soon as she was in Ron's bed, Ginny jumped on after her and blurted, "Are you two really married?"

Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but Ron beat her to it. "'Course not! Do you really think Hermione would do something so impulsive?"

Ginny looked disappointed, but not nearly as disappointed as Hermione felt. She didn't know what she'd been expecting. For Ron to say not yet and whip out a diamond ring? They weren't even dating, not really. His little lie had meant nothing, he just didn't want her to be alone, thats what any good friend would do.

"I thought it was a perfectly reasonable question seeing how you two have been mooning about ever since the battle," Ginny retorted.

Harry noticed how sad Hermione looked at the direction the conversation had taken. He made a mental note to talk to her about it later. "Hermione, you look tired, we'll leave the two of you alone. Right Ginny?" Harry said throwing Ginny a pointed look. Ginny was about to protest when Harry grabbed her by the arm and led her out of the room. Ron and Hermione could hear the two of them arguing down the stairs. Harry muttering something about privacy and Ginny hissing she didn't want to miss anything.

"Merlin, those two should just get a room already," Ron groaned.

Hermione nodded absentmindedly. She was still wrapped up in her thoughts.

"Are you ok, Hermione?" Ron asked, looking at her with concern.

Hermione shook herself from her revery, "Yeah, just feeling a little gross is all, I haven't taken a bath since I've been at St. Mungo's."

"You are looking a little disgusting," Ron said wrinkling his nose in fake disgust. Hermione punched his arm weakly. Ron smiled and leaned in to kiss her forehead but remembering his promise to himself, he stopped short. This was not lost on Hermione.

"I'll go draw you a bath," Ron said awkwardly. Hermione got out of bed to follow him but her knees buckled. Ron caught her before she fell.

"Thanks" Hermione said embarrassed that she couldn't walk a few feet on her own.

The feeling of Hermione in his arms was torture. He wanted to kiss her and hold her. He was slowly realizing that spending the rest of his life watching Hermione with someone else would be pure torture. But she deserved better he reminded himself, she deserved someone who could actually stop bad things from happening to her not cause more.

He led Hermione downstairs to the bathroom and drew a bath in the small tub. Once he turned off the water he turned wordlessly to leave.

"Ron? Stay?…Like before" Hermione asked. Ron couldn't help but notice how small she sounded.

"Hermione, our tub isn't exactly like the ones at Hogwarts if you haven't noticed. I'll be able to see…" Ron couldn't finish the sentence because his pants had already began to tighten uncomfortably just thinking about what he could see.

Hermione almost blurted that she didn't care what he saw, but stopped herself just in time. "You could just turn around," she said thankful for the more diplomatic answer that came out of her mouth.

Ron gulped and nodded. He turned around. Ron could hear Hermione's pajamas fall to the floor and the movement of water as she got into the tub. Hermione sighed contentedly as she sunk under the bubbles. That sound made Ron's blood boil and his breath catch in his throat.

Hermione watched Ron with his back to her. She thought about the first time she had ever thought of Ron as more than a friend. She had liked him since the first day on the train, but being eleven she hadn't really given it much thought, especially after he started picking on her. She hadn't thought about him as more than a friend until the summer of their third year when she went to the Burrow to visit Ron without Harry.

Ron had written to her from Egypt, she practically had the letter memorized.

Dear Hermione,

Egypt is great! You would love it, everything I see makes me think of you because its all stuff in books. I got you a cool gift, but you have to wait until your birthday to have it. Anyway, we'll be back the week before term and I was wondering if you wanted to come stay at my house and then go to London with us to meet Harry.

Regards,

Ron Weasley

She had begged her parents for a month before they finally agreed to let her go. They were somewhat reluctant to let their thirteen year old daughter cut her time with them short, especially to spend time with a boy.

At first it was a little strange being with Ron without Harry, but they soon settled into a friendly rhythm.

Then, one afternoon they were outside sitting in the orchard when Ron asked if she wanted to go for a broom ride. "You know I'm rubbish at flying," Hermione protested.

"Ok, you can just ride on the back of mine." Ron replied. Hermione reluctantly agreed. Ron mounted his rather old, beat up broomstick and said, "Now, just wrap your arms around my waist and hold on tight."

Hermione obliged, and Ron took off. Hermione expected to feel the same nervous feeling she usually got riding a broomstick, but holding on to Ron she felt remarkably safe.

When they landed, Hermione couldn't help but notice that Ron had gotten quite a bit taller over the summer. She also noticed that he looked quite handsome with his windswept hair and shining blue eyes. Hermione had blushed and looked away, but ever since that day she had never really thought of Ron as just a friend again.

As she sat naked in the bath with Ron only a few feet away she also couldn't help but remember the first time she thought of Ron as more than someone she had a crush on but as someone she was…well, physically attracted to.

It was their fifth year. She and Ron had just had a row about something she couldn't remember anymore and she had stormed upstairs to her dormitory to go to bed. Her blood had been boiling with anger as she fell asleep.

She began to dream about the row she and Ron had earlier that night. It was happening exactly as it had in real life, except when she turned to storm off, Ron grabbed her upper arm and pulled her back to him and began to kiss her forcefully. Before she knew it she was kissing him back. One of his hands was tangled in her hair and the other was moving up her skirt. His hand was cupped on her bottom and pulling her into him. Once she was pressed up against him, she felt how hard he was.

Before the dream went any further she had been jolted awake by the sound of Parvati slamming the door as she entered the dormitory. That was the first time Hermione had ever felt like that about anyone before. She had never wanted anyone so badly as she had wanted her best friend in that moment. It had been weeks before she could look at Ron in the eyes again, luckily for her he thought she was just giving him the cold shoulder because of their fight.

Turing her thoughts back to the bathroom, Hermione finally broke the silence, "Ron?"

Ron almost turned to look at her forgetting himself for a moment. Luckily he stopped himself at the last minute. "Yeah Hermione?" He responded.

Everything Hermione wanted to say got lost on her tongue, all she could think to say was, "Thank you for staying."

"It's nothing" Ron replied lamely.

Ron heard Hermione take a deep break and exhale slowly. "Ron, as soon as I'm better I'm leaving for Australia." This time Ron really did whip his head around, luckily Hermione had finished her bath and was wrapped in a towel.

"Like hell you are!" Ron exclaimed angrily, "Are you thick? Clearly you still have a giant target on your back and you want to go gallivanting off to another country?"

Ron didn't think he had ever seen Hermione look so furious. "Well, lucky for me you're not my boss Ronald Weasley," She spat as she stormed out of the bathroom.

Ron groaned as he buried his face in his hands. Was it even possible to have a conversation with Hermione without putting his foot in it? He gave Hermione a few minutes to change before climbing the stairs to his room.

He knocked tentatively on the door. "Go away," said Hermione, it was clear that she had been crying.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Could I please come in?" Ron said softly. Ron chose to take Hermione's silence as permission. Hermione was sitting on his bed clad in a clean pair of pajamas. Her arms were wrapped around her knees and she was facing away from him. Ron sat on the bed next to her. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

"I don't even know if they're ok," she sniffled. Hermione had been forcing her parents from her mind for the past year. They were better off gone. As a matter of fact, they still were. Ron had been right, she was still a target and by default so were they. It still didn't make her miss them any less.

Ron wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulder. She turned to face him. Ron reached up tentatively and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "They're ok Hermione, they're safe," said Ron hoping he sounded more confident than he was. "I'll go with you, whenever you want to go," Ron said before he realized what he had said. He mentally chastised himself; he was supposed to be distancing himself, but he just kept getting more and more tangled up in her.

"Really?" Hermione asked looking up at him with shining brown eyes.

"Course, thats what friends are for."

Hermione cringed inwardly at the word friends.

"I do think we should wait until things die down a bit. Make sure its really safe, you know?" Ron continued bracing himself for the backlash. Surprisingly it didn't come, Hermione only nodded.

They sat like that in silence for a while, until Ginny burst into the room followed closely by Harry. "You guys have to open the envelopes from Mrs. Creevy!" She exclaimed waving the thick parchment envelope in their faces.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, she had completely forgotten about the envelopes.

Ginny grabbed Ron and Hermione's envelopes off of the dresser next to Ron's bed, "Just open them!"

Harry had joined them on the bed with his own envelope and was watching Ron and Hermione expectantly. They tore open the envelopes and each pulled out a thick leather bound book. Hermione gasped when she opened it, they were photo albums full of photographs taken by Colin. Tears sprung to her eyes as she began to thumb through the pages.

All four albums had different photographs specifically for the owner of each book. "The letter from Colin's mum said that Colin had been working on them for years," said Harry.

The pictures at the front of the album were the oldest, and they weren't moving. Most of the older pictures had them holding hands up to block their faces from the camera. There was a particularly funny picture of a disgruntled Harry and a beaming Lockhart. As well as a picture of Harry with no bones in his arm.

There was one in Ron's book of Hermione in the hospital wing just after she had been unpetrified in their second year. She was reading a card that Ron had left at her bedside. She had a sweet smile on her face and she was clearly blushing. Ron tilted the book to show Hermione and Ron laughed because she had the same look now as she had in the picture.

As the photos progressed, they began to move joltily as Colin worked on his developing technique. It also turned out that Colin was quite a good photographer, much better than any of them had guessed. There were photos of big events, like Halloween feasts, the Yule Ball (which Colin must have snuck in to), and Quidditch matches, but the four agreed that their favorites were the ones that depicted every day events at Hogwarts. Ginny leaning over a bubbling cauldron in potions class, Hermione surrounded by books in the library, Harry and Ron playing chess.

Hermione tried to flip quickly past a picture of her dancing with Krum at the Yule Ball before Ron could see, but he stopped her and flipped back to it. "You looked really beautiful that night," he said. Ginny made fake gagging noises and Ron turned crimson.

Hermione's heart fluttered, he had never called her beautiful before.

Colin had also managed to capture their evolving relationships in a particularly beautiful way. If Colin was able to see their feelings so transparently, how had they all been so thick, Hermione wondered.

There was a picture of Hermione and Ron doing homework together in the library, Hermione guessed it was around their third year. Hermione had her nose in a book and Ron was watching her as if entranced.

Another photo showed Ginny in Quidditch robes brandishing a snitch and Harry hugging her enthusiastically.

Ron and Hermione asleep in the common room by the fireplace some time during their sixth year. Hermione's head slumped on Ron's shoulder and Ron's head lolling against Hermione's.

Harry and Ginny hand in hand walking by the lake.

Hermione and Ron on prefect rounds arguing playfully.

"He was really quite good," Ron said as he turned to the last page which had matching pictures for all of them. The four of them in dress robes after Dumbledore's funeral, they were all smiling although it looked somewhat forced. The clouds rolling in over the lake in the background looked quite ominous, but their was a ray of sun shining down on them.

The others muttered in agreement.

The others began talking about memories captured in the photographs, reliving the times when things were simpler. Ron flipped back to his favorite picture. It was one of the first in his book. It was before the first Quidditch match of their second year. Harry was in his scarlet Quidditch robes with his Nimbus 2000 in one hand and his other draped over Hermione's shoulder. Hermione was in the middle, she was smiling with a huge bucktoothed grin and she had an arm around Ron and Harry's waists. Ron was on her other side with a lopsided grin on his face, his arm perched on Hermione's other shoulder. They all looked so young and carefree. Ron missed that; why did things have to be so complicated now?

AN: I hope you liked this chapter. Please keep reading and reviewing!