The wind rustled as Harry stared at Ron. He wanted to thank his best friend in so many ways. Firstly for fishing him out of the ice cold water which he (obviously) was going to die in if he hadn't come, what with that damn horcrux trying to kill him and all. Secondly, for even coming back. With the things going on between them, Voldermort and everything else, he needed all the friends he had. And Ron was practically his best one.

Ron was trembling, sword in hand, looking down at the locket that he apparently was supposed to destroy. A frightening prospect. Harry watched the faces, bodies and torso's of him and Hermione emerge form the locket looking strangely distorted and stare up at Ron. He drew a deep breath, wondering why they were there.

"Why listen to the boy?" the miniature Hermione said with a flash of her hair."He's always made you're life a living hell, what with being famous and all."

"She's right." Said Harry. "And I'll most likely never return the feelings you've been harnessing for me. I'm going to go off with your sister and most likely rub it in your face. You've always been second Ron, my shadow, my non-existent side kick. No one ever notices that you do just as much work as me."

Ron's face reddened and his hands began shaking. "Ignore him Ron." Harry whispered, still shivering from cold. "It's not real. It's just Voldermort talking. Tom Riddle."

"But what he's saying is true." Ron said looking down in shame.

Harry looked at Ron, confused. "What feelings then? Do…" his words were a whisper.
Do you really hate me Ron? Is that why you left?"

"He'll never know the way you cry at nights for the feelings that you can't explain."

"Ron what feelings?"

"He won't know that when he hugs you after a Quiddich match, it sends you reeling off into a bliss you don't understand."

"Ron please, what is he saying?"

"All those times you fought and it broke your heart, did he ever care to look beyond your eyes and see the tormented soul there?"

"Ron?"

"Did he ever care?"

"Ron, don't listen, I do care for you, you should know that! Ron! Just stab it!"

"Did he ever love you? Does he love you now?"

With blinding fury, anger, hurt and embarrassment, that a fucking talking locket had to go tell Harry about his unnatural feelings before he did, Ron drove the blade of the sword deep into the locket and screams and blood and smoke began squirting and hissing from it, showing that it was indeed dying, losing the little piece of Voldermort that had been there.

Ron looked away from it, not standing the pain anymore, and walked into a clear patch of grass as the last wailing screams were heard. Ron eyes were filling with tears.

He sat down and covered his face. "Ron?" Harry said after staring for a few minutes at the broken locket. He walked up to the distressed boy, and by the shaking of his shoulders, he knew he was crying and wasn't sure whether to hug him or just settle on giving him some space. Finally he just petted Ron's shoulder, staying close but not too close so Ron could have an excuse to bite his hand off if he so desired.

"Ron, what that…what it was saying, you know it wasn't true. None of it. You're just as important as Hermione and I. A lot of people may think that you're not but, we know better. We know you're important. We know how smart you are. Hermione loves you so much."

Ron looked up at Harry who saw tears were really rolling down his best friends cheeks. He felt awkward. "Don't you?" he said tearly.

"What?" Questioned Harry.

"Love me?"

Harry saw that Ron truly wasn't sure and his heart lurched. "Dammit, of course. But how do you feel about me? What was that about? Ron, do you hate me?"

Ron turned his head away and laughed. "Hell no." he said passionately.

Harry sighed, obviously glad, and Ron felt good to know that he cared.

"Then, what is it?" Harry felt courageous enough to card his hand through his best friends shocking red hair, away from his eyes.

Ron looked down, wiping the remaining wetness from his eyes, and then smiled shyly at Harry. "It's stupid." He finally said, losing his nerve.

"What is it Ron?"

"I'm jealous of you." Ron admitted

Harry blinked. "Ron." He said reassuringly. "You know you're my best-"

"And I love you."

Harry tried not to think about the way he was feeling, the rate his heart was pounding, the feeling coursing through his veins. Ron did not mean the way he was thinking. As many times as he'd thought he might, thought things about Ron he knew he wasn't supposed to, he knew Ron did not mean the way he was thinking. He meant the normal way of course, the way that all best friends felt for reach other.

"I love you too Ron. You know that. And I know you love me. We're…we're best friends." He hoped his voice didn't betray him.

Ron sat up sharply, making Harry jump back. Looking into Harry's eyes in a way that made him unable to look away. "Damn you for making this so hard Harry. I love you. You know, the other way."

Harry blinked, twice, then looked down at the grassy ground, suddenly finding it a very interesting place. "Oh," he said quietly, not willing to look up. But eventually he had to, and Ron was still staring at him, obviously waiting for something to happen.

They were slowly leaning in closer, neither making the first move. Harry didn't know what he wanted anymore. This wasn't right. It really wasn't. Ron was a boy, which be some rule, meant he wasn't allowed to kiss him. But he loved Ron, he really did, and always had. Could he really resist?

For a boy with moral values, ethics and all the wonderful things that made up a good hero, Harry knew he want supposed to kiss Ron.

It was a good thing he had none of those.

Ron trembled, and he was the one who moved the inch to close the space between their lips. Harry's hand came up to cup his cheek, as he tiled his head, pressing his tongue into Ron's mouth as he'd so often fantasized about.

They did that for a while, meeting each other for the first time in their own way . Harry trailed his freezing hand up Ron's shirt, loving the warmth, never wanting to let go.

"Ron," He said against his best friends lips.

"Yeah?"

"Never ever leave me again, okay? Please."

Ron pulled Harry into his arms, encasing the other boy completely and kissing his nose affectionately. "I promise."

Harry's body had found its way into Ron's lap, and they were sitting facing each other, Harry's legs on either side of Ron, and Ron the same.

Harry laid his head in the crock of Ron's neck, stroking the still damp hair that curled at the base of that neck. He wasn't going to admit how much he'd cried for Ron. More than Hermione. And he thought he'd been grumpy before…

Shit, they had a lot of explaining to do to Hermione, but he knew she didn't really love Ron. Not like he did. He also knew she knew. Most likely the reason everything was feeling so natural, was because Harry had dreamt about this so often. Maybe it was just fate.

They shared another kiss, soft, simply lips pressed against each other, Ron's arms around Harry's neck. He wasn't cold anymore.

"Never leave me again." Harry repeated.

"After all you were always the thing I'd miss the most."