Warrior Cats: The Four Clans

Ron and Hermione ;; "As The Sun Sets"
Set ;; Sometime in the future

"I still don't see why we couldn't have just apparated." Ron grumbled from behind the wheel. 

"Because it's nice to just drive there, isn't it?" Hermione asked from the passenger's seat. 

"Slow is more like it." Hermione rolled her eyes at his persistance to be difficult. 

"We're almost there." She said. 

As they stepped out of the car, they were greeted by a chilly breeze. Hermione walked around to the front of the car to meet Ron. She crossed her arms and shivered a bit. Ron quickly removed his coat and put it around her shoulders. She smiled up at him, "Thank you, Ronald." He smiled back and put his arm around her waist. 

They walked down the beach and to the water's edge, looking out over the ocean. The waves crashing onto the shoreline, the sea birds flying over their heads. Everything felt perfect. It felt peaceful. Hermione kicked off her shoes and rolled her pants up. "What are you doing?" Ron asked. She walked forward a bit and stepped in the line of the waves, letting the water lap at her feet. Ron copied her, and joined her in the water. 

"My mother, father, and I used to do this." Hermione said smiling. "When the waves come in, they grab the sand, and pull it back into the ocean, and your feet sink." She said looking up at Ron. 

He was smiling at her. "Watch!" She said, as another wave came in. Wave after wave, and it got noticable. You couldn't see their feet anymore, the sand was nearly up to their ankles. 

"Hermione?" Ron asked looking down at her and smiling. 

"Yes?" She asked looking up at him, the sun making his brilliant red hair burn like fire. 

"I love you." A blush crept onto her cheeks. 

"I love you, too." Ron leaned down and kissed her. 

Hermione never thought she would be this girl. The girl who was with the man she loved, on the beach, with nothing but the waves as their music and the wind carressing their faces, and the sun setting in the background. It was as if the world was gone, completely faded away, and the only thing there, was them, and this moment. And she wouldn't have it any other way. 

I wrote this because I hated the goodbye Ron and Harry had as Harry left for the forest in the movie. The directors butchered their friendship. So I wanted to write something as my own little interpreation.

"And I think you have too." 
"I'll go with you." Hermione's voice quivered. Ron's mind drifted as the reality of the situation hit him like a brick wall. Harry was going out to the forest, and he didn't intend on coming back alive. Ron thought of any alternative. Anyway that maybe he could take his place. Maybe they could come up with a side-road, as they've done for the past 7 years. They've always figured out ways to accomplish things, so why not find another way here? Why does this time have to involve the casualty of his best friend? 
Hermione was hugging him now. Ron watched as Harry's eyes drifted up towards his. Ron wanted to say something, anything, but his voice wasn't working. Harry turned to walk down the steps, Ron and Hermione watched him walk all the way down, until he was out of sight. Ron just stared at the empty stairwell, thinking maybe Harry would come running back, maybe he thought of something they hadn't tried yet, maybe he was joking. Yeah, maybe this was all some big laugh and everything will be okay. But a voice inside Ron told him this was the only way. Harry had to die. 
"No." Ron managed. 
Hermione turned towards him, tears still streaking down her face. "What?"
"No.'' He said again, and began walking down the stairs. 
''Ron, where are you going?'' He heard her soft footsteps following him. 
''He's not going, I won't let him.'' 
''Ron!'' Hermione quickened her pace until she was in front of him, but Ron ignored her, and tried to go around her. She pushed on his shoulders. ''Ron, he has to go!''
''How can you say that? How can you just let him walk away like this? You might be able to let him, but I can't. I won't.'' He tried to push past her again but she put her hands on his either side of his face. 
''Ron,'' She whispered. Her eyes locked with his, and his own despair was mirrored back. He watched as tears fell from her eyes. 
''I can't let him I can't.'' He whispered and felt tears threatening to fall from his eyes. 
''I know, I know.'' Hermione whispered. But we have too.
Ron felt his breath catch in his throat. ''Why?'' The question was so innocent. Like a child asking his mother why things happened the way they do. 
''Because he asked us too.'' She took the sleeve of her jacket and began wiping the dirt away from his face. 
Why would someone ask their friends to let them die? Why would someone want to die? Why would anyone want to die? Why did Harry have to be so selfless? Why, why, why. That was all that was swimming through his head, and he couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't be strong for her anymore. He couldn't do it. This was too much. He clamped his eyes shut, but the tears came anyway. He broke into sobbing, and he couldn't hold himself up anymore. His knees grew weak, and he fell onto the step. '''Mione, he can't die.'' He managed to get out. She knelt in front of him, pushing his hair back from his forehead like his mum used to do when he was ill or upset. He watched as her own tears fell into her lap. ''He can't die.'' He said again. He sounded pitiful; his voice was thick with tears. 
Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him into her. She didn't say a word, she just held onto him, as he cried into her. 
He didn't get to tell Harry anything. How much Ron really cared for him. How much Ron appreciated everything he did. How much Harry meant to him. How much he truly loved him. 
Hermione pulled away slightly, and cupped her hands around his face. Ron looked up ever so slightly, and her lips met his again. This was different than the one in the chamber. This one had every bit of passion and fear they felt right at this moment. Their tears kept flowing, and it was difficult to say whose was whose, they were so close. So lost in this one moment of losing their best friend, they were one. She pulled away, and wiped his tears away. 
''Harry left us with a job Ron. We have to kill the snake.''
''I can't.''
''Yes, you can.''
She believed in him. Even after he crumbled before her. She still believed in him. And he knew Harry did too. Kill the snake. That's what he left them with. He picked up the Basilisk fang from the stair, and stood up. Hermione stood with him, a strand of her hair fell into her beautiful tear stained face. He gently tucked it behind her ear, and then held up the fang. ''For Harry.'' He said.
''For Harry.'' She replied, her voice still held a slight quiver, but a smile caressed her lips. They turned, hand in hand, and began their search for the snake.