Chapter 5


I awoke in the dead of night. I peered from my bed to make sure that all the other girls were asleep. Quietly, I tiptoed over to my wardrobe and took out my dress. Peeling off my pajamas, I slipped on the little red dress. I ran a quick brush through my hair and dabbed on a little mascara. Making sure not the wake anyone, I made my way down to the common room. As I passed a mirror, I stopped to ponder my reflection.

The person staring back at me seemed so… ordinary. I didn’t cake on makeup like some girls did. My hair wasn’t anything special, sometimes just a frizzy mess. I couldn’t seem to find what Ron could find so appealing about an ordinary girl like me.

I slipped from the common room and crept around the castle. The dimly lit hallways led my way to seventh floor corridor. I stared up at the blank wall and imagined what lay behind it. I closed my eyes and thought, “I need to see Ron.” I opened my eyes to see two large wrought iron doors towering over me. Exhaling, I stepped forward and pressed my weight against the door. It opened to reveal one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen.

The Room of Requirement had been turned in to a private ballroom. The floors were marble as well as the pillars that towered over me. They had ivy wrapped around them, reaching for the top. Windows surrounded the room, stretching from the ceiling to the floor. However, the ceiling wasn’t a ceiling at all. The night sky scattered with stars shone brightly above. The large phonograph we had used in preparation for the Yule Ball fourth year was off to the side. And there he was.

Ron was wearing a muggle suit as opposed to the usual dress robes. His hair was neatly combed unlike the natural bed-head he normally sported. His eyes shined like the stars above and his smile beamed as bright as mine. He lifted his hands, panning the room. “What do you think?” he proposed.

“It’s absolutely wonderful,” I relished. He placed the needle to the record and a static rendition of “La Vie en Rose” began to stream out. The trumpet spoke of love, the same love that could be found in both of our faces. Ron walked over to me and offered his hand. I placed mine in his and he pulled me to him. He positioned his left hand on my waist and we began to waltz around the ballroom.


Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose

When you kiss me heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose


We moved to the music and the beat of our hearts. He was light on his feet and took us all around the room. He spun me away and brought be back in, my back to him. I craned my neck to meet his eyes. “Where did you ever learn to dance like this?” I posed. He smiled, remembering.

“Mum taught all of us the summer before our first year of school. She said it was something that every man should know how to do, and to do it well.” He laughed, his chest vibrating against me. “I took to it almost instantly. This is the first time I’ve really gotten to show off my skills.” He flashed a grin and I could only laugh.

I had forgotten all of the horrors of the day, all that lay behind, and all that lay ahead. There was only him and I. This dance, this moment was all that mattered to me. He was all that mattered to me.

He spun me back to face him. The song ended and all that could be heard was the rain drops rapping on the window panes. Ron cupped my face in both of his hands. I closed my eyes in the moment. His lips pressed upon mine and I returned the gesture. His hands moved to wrap around my waist and we began to sway to the music the shower outside was composing.

We became lost in each other. Time seemed to stop and there was only us. Reality itself seemed a distant concept, our love the only attainable thing in the world. I knew everything would be alright between us, no matter what forces tried to keep us apart. I knew then that Ron would fight against all odds to be with me. He didn’t have to tell me with words; I just knew.

After what seemed like a life time, we slowly broke apart and stared into each other’s eyes. Our love was visible. Ron brushed hair from my face and rested his hand against my cheek. I pulled myself to him, his arms closing protectively around me. His lips moved to my ear. “I love you Hermione,” he whispered.

I had already known that he loved me. But hearing him say the words out loud was an entirely different reality. I raised my head from his chest to look at him. His eyes seemed nervous, unsure of my thoughts. I smiled and brought my hand to his cheek.

“I love you too, Ron.” He leaned down and kissed me tenderly. He tore away from the kiss and pulled me into another loving embrace. We held each other for what seemed like an eternity. The rain had ceased bring silence to the room.

“I will love you forever, Hermione Granger,” he said breaking the silence. “No matter what life may bring, that is my promise to you.”