It's Never Too Late

Ron pulled out his half-finished Transfiguration essay and stared at the parchment in frustration. If he'd just kept his big mouth shut, Hermione have been willing to help him research his topic, and he wouldn't be sitting here in the library alone while everyone else was at dinner.

He sighed, angry with himself. He had run last night's scene over and over in his mind, and each time he felt like screaming.

"Hey, Ron, can you pass the big green book over here? I haven't checked that one yet." Harry absently pointed his quill across the table. Ron nodded and pushed the book towards Harry, while Hermione gave them one of her looks over her Arithmancy notes.

"What?" Ron asked in exasperation. Hermione has been shooting disapproving glances at them for the past hour. Might as well let her get it off her chest.

Hermione set her notes down and glared at them. "That book won't help you. It's about same-species transfiguration, and we're supposed to be writing about cross-species transfigurations."

Ron and Harry rolled their eyes at each other - it didn't go unnoticed. If anything, it fueled her indignation. "If you had started your essays two days ago like I suggested, you--"

"Oh, come off it, Hermione!" Ron was angry now. Why did she always feel the need to lecture them on their study habits? And why did he always have to rise to the occasion?

Hermione's eyes reflected her hurt, and yet blazed with restrained fury. "I'm only saying that you--"

"I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING!" Ron could feel the heat rising in his face. "I've had ENOUGH of you telling me I'm responsible and stupid! Just because I'm not a bloody know-it-all like you doesn't mean--"

"STOP! Stop it!" Harry pushed in between them and held up his hands. "This is stupid! It's not worth ruining your friendship!"

"What friendship?" Hermione's hoarse whisper reached out and burned Ron like a hot poker straight from the fire. He finally looked at her - really looked at her - and saw tears in her eyes.

"Look, 'Mione, I'm sorry. I--"

"Forget it, Ron. Just forget it." She turned away to leave the library, but Ron caught her arm. She pulled away as if his touch were poisonous. "Just stay away from me, alright? Stay away."

And now, here he sat, alone with his tortured thoughts and his unfinished homework.

If only he could take his words back. If only he could make it right.

But this time, he feared it may be too late.

Just stay away from me, alright? Stay away.

Hermione's words still rang in his ears. Ron rarely felt like crying, but lately he just wanted to go somewhere by himself and let the tears flow freely.

So he did. He grabbed his warmest coat and a scarf and left the dormitory to the sound of Seamus' snores. He walked quickly and quietly, although he knew no one would be in the Common Room at this hour, and made his way through the portrait hole, down the corridors, and out into the crisp morning air. He took a deep, shuddering breath and trudged down to the lake, taking a seat under a huge oak tree.

Why couldn't I have just kept my bloody mouth shut? The question had been plaguing him, keeping him up at night. Now I've destroyed our friendship, and for what? He let out a frustrated moan and buried his face in his hands. There's no way she'll forgive me now. It's too late. She won't even come near me.

Hermione had given him the cold shoulder all wekk, even choosing to stay away from Harry. As a result, Ron felt that he had obliterated the friendship between all of them. He knew it wasn't fair for his idiotic words to ruin life for Harry too, but what was he supposed to do?

"WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO???" His anguish flew out into the open sky, and he felt a tear fall down his cheek.

"Ron?" Harry's voice sounded from behind him, and Ron quickly wiped his face on his sleeve.

"Yeah, I'm here." He turned to peer around the tree trunk and saw Harry moving cautiously towards him, a concerned expression on his face. "What do you want?"

Harry looked surprised at Ron's rude comment, but at this point, Ron just didn't care. Might as well alienate them both so they'll at least have each other.

Harry slid down onto the grass next to Ron. "Just wanted to see how you're doing, you know--"

"I'm fine, alright? Just leave me alone!" Ron let his anger at himself purposefully overflow onto Harry, pushing away the guilt that gnawed at him. "I don't need your pity or your bloody advice! Just go away!" Now he really was beginning to hate himself.

But Harry just returned Ron's glare with one of his own. "Don't be such a prat, Ron. I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work. I do pity you because you're letting your stupid pride stop you from making things right with Hermione, and you do need my advice, whether you want it or not."

Ron stared at his friend in disbelief. His words were harsh, but every one of them was true. "Fine, then. Don't hold back. Tell me what I should do and get it off your chest." He sighed. "I know I've been an idiot, but I haven't got a bloody clue what to do about it."

"Well, first off, you've got to find Hermione and apologize for what you said to her. She didn't deserve it, no matter how annoying she was being."

Ron grimaced. "I know, I know. But she just gets under my skin! What is it about her that makes me so crazy? Anyone else and I would have just ignored the nagging, but Hermione... I dunno, Harry. She just does something to me."

"And you still haven't figured it out? C'mon, Ron! It's so obvious!"

Ron jumped to his feet and stalked down to the edge of the water before turning on Harry. "If it's so bloody obvious, WHY DON'T I KNOW?"

His words echoed back to him and Harry just looked at him in confusion. "Ron, are you telling me that you're so thick you haven't noticed that Hermione fancies you?" Harry shook his head. "Good lord, Ron! I'd wager you don't even realize that you fancy her too!"

"WHAT?? ARE YOU INSANE??? BLOODY HELL, HARRY!" He threw his hands up in frustration. "WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT??"

Harry was doubled over with laughter, clutching his side, but at Ron's quelling look, he tried to calm himself down. He obviously realized just how clueless Ron really was. "Sorry, mate. I honestly thought you knew!"

Ron was looking at him in shock. "Harry, have you gone mad?"

Harry grinned, which only made Ron more upset. "Look, Ron, I'm serious. Figure out what you really feel and then go apologize to Hermione." He started to walk away, then turned back and gave Ron a hard look. "Think about it, Ron. What's more important, your friendship or your pride?"

Hermione sat alone in the Gryffindor Common Room after everyone else had gone to bed. Not that it really made a difference - she hadn't been talking to anyone when the room was crowded anyway.

The past few weeks had been awful. Ron now avoided her completely, and Harry... well, he tried to spend time with her, and she appreciated the effort, but she could tell that this was wearing on him.

The last time she and Ron had been this angry at each other was during their third year, when Ron had thought her cat had eaten his pet rat. But now... now Hermione felt the full weight of guilt. She knew this whole mess was her fault. If only I'd kept my mouth shut! Why do I always have to nag them? Why do I always have to be right?

She had replayed the argument over and over a thousand times in her head, and every time she could feel her heart breaking a little bit more. She knew she had deserved Ron's anger, but it didn't lessen the pain. The thought struck her that if the words had come from anyone else, the sting wouldn't be so bad. Malfoy calls me a mudblood every other day and I can shake it off. So why does one insult from Ron make me feel as though my world is falling apart?

You know why, another voice spoke from within.

Because he's my friend, she argued with herself. Because I care about him.

Liar. Come on, be honest. You love him.

Hermione sat up straighter. The thought surprised her... or does it? Her jaw dropped and her heart raced as the full impact of those words hit her straight through the heart. Do I love him? Do I really love Ron Weasley? She put a shaky hand to her mouth and let out the breath she'd been holding. Suddenly everything was so clear. I do! I love him! I can't believe I never saw it before!

On the heels of her joy came another thought, swooping down on her like a vulture. I love him, but he hates me.

She descended back into despair, tears blurring her vision. The light of hope rarely lasted long, but she had destroyed it before it even had a chance to truly shine.

Ron sat alone under the large oak tree. It had become his favorite midnight hideaway, and thanks to Harry's invisibility cloak, he was out here almost every night, sorting through the multitude of thoughts that tumbled around his brain. Tonight was no different.

He leaned his head back against the trunk of the oak and sighed wearily. He had finally accepted what Harry had said, but now he didn't know what to do about it. Yes, he fancied Hermione - loved her, if he was honest with himself - but she definitely did not feel the same way about him. Every time he got up the courage to find her and talk to her, the memories and the fears came rushing back.

Stay away... what friendship... just stay away...

He'd ruined his only chance with Hermione Granger before he'd even known the chance existed.

She was sitting in the windowsill, her legs drawn up against her chest and her forehead resting on her knees. Ron hadn't expected anyone to still be awake at this time of the night - okay, morning - but there she was, all alone, making his heart ache. He desperately wanted to believe that she was waiting for him... Don't be stupid, Weasley. You blew it, remember?

His heart did not want to listen to his brain. Ron took a step towards her, half of him hoping she would notice him, the other half telling him to run before she did.

He didn't have a chance to decide which option he wanted more. As he took another step, his foot slammed into a table leg, and Hermione's head shot up.

Ron would have given anything at that moment to be able to go back in time and make the decision to run away, but now it was too late. She had seen him.

Her eyes registered surprise at the sight of him, and then fear, quickly followed by a profound sorrow that pierced his heart. He watched as her eyes filled with tears and her chin quivered. Before he could say a word, she jumped up from her seat and dashed across the room, throwing open the door to the girls' dormitory.

Fortunately, Ron was fast on his feet. He grabbed her by the wrist before she could escape to her room and gently tugged on her arm. "Please, Hermione, don't go."

She kept her face turned away from him, but he could still see the tears on her cheek. "Let me go, Ron," she whispered. "Please let me go."

He shook his head, although he knew she wouldn't see it. "I can't Hermione. I have to tell you something." When she didn't answer, he resorted to begging. "Please, just give me five minutes and then I promise I'll leave you alone." He swallowed hard. "I promise I'll never say another word to you if you don't want me to."

Time stretched on for an eternity before Hermione finally nodded, almost imperceptibly, and allowed Ron to lead her to a seat by the fireplace. Even after he sat down beside her, she wouldn't meet his eyes. Her posture remained stiff and cool.

Maybe it will be easier to get this out if I don't have to look at her, he thought before opening his mouth and plunging into the fearsome unknown.

She didn't know if she could survive the full five minutes she'd promised him. It was torture - the waiting, the not knowing. She wrapped her arms around her middle to shield herself against what would surely be complete and utter rejection. She couldn't bear to look at him. She didn't want to see the look on his face when he said the dreadful words that would shatter her soul.

She heard him take a deep breath before he spoke. "Hermione, I want to say, first off, that I'm sorry for what I said to you. You can't imagine how much I regret ever opening my mouth and hurting you like I did."

Hermione looked at him in surprise, but his gaze was on the floor. She shook her head in disagreement, but she couldn't make her voice cooperate. No, Ron, no. It's my fault! It's all my fault!

He was still talking, oblivious to the turmoil going on inside of her. "I know I've been an idiot, and I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I'm gonna ask for it anyway." He raised his eyes to hers. "Please, 'Mione? Will you forgive me for being a jerk?"

Her brain didn't seem to be connected to her mouth - or to the rest of her body for that matter. Say something! Anything! Yes, Ron, I forgive you! I'll always forgive you! I love you! But the words wouldn't come. Instead, she sat there and stared at him like a fool.

He looked away, but not before she saw the pain in his eyes. "Okay, well..." he swiped a hand across his face. "I, er... I just thought I'd ask." A forced smile. "Guess my five minutes are up." And with a last glance at her, she stood and walked away.

Hermione's heart felt empty, barren, hollow. Why? Why couldn't she tell him how she really felt? Why was she such a coward? It's too late now, she thought as she stared at the door he'd closed behind him. I missed my chance. It's too late.

She jumped as the door to the boys' dormitory suddenly swung open and Ron burst into the Common Room again, an odd look in his eyes. All her breath left her body as he stopped in front of her.

"I'm not done. I have to tell you one more thing, and then I'll leave you alone, for good this time." He jammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and looked her straight in the eye. "I'm in love with you, Hermione Granger, and I'm dying inside. You're the reason I get up in the morning, the reason I take another breath. The past few weeks have been hell for me, and I can't bear another moment without telling you how I really feel." He nodded, as if assuring himself that he had successfully completed his mission. "That's all I have to say."

He turned to go, but this time Hermione found the courage inside of herself to say what had been in her heart for weeks. "I love you too, Ron."

She watched as he paused and then slowly turned back to her. "What?"

Hermione couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up inside of her, bordering on the hysterical. "I said I love you too, Ron. I'm so sorry for everything I've said and done - I regret it so much! I need your forgivenesss, not the other way around."

Ron was staring at her, his mouth open in shock. "What?" he asked again. "Are you serious, Hermione? You really love me too?"

She smiled, her first in weeks. "More than you'll ever know."

Ron gave a triumphant shout and pulled her into his arms, twirling her around the room. She laughed at his exuberance. "Ron! Hush! You'll wake the whole dormitory!"

He stopped twirling and grinned down at her. "I don't care if I wake the whole castle."

Hermione and Ron were too lost in their first kiss to notice the room filling with Gryffindor onlookers who were curious to discover the cause of the ruckus.

Ginny shook her head in disbelief. "What do you make of that, Harry?"

Harry grinned at the sight of his two best friends. "I think it's about time."

FIN