Chapter Ten - Complete

Come to me now
And lay your hands over me
Even if it's a lie
Say it will be alright
And I shall believe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You shouldn't be out of bed!"

"Buffy, if you don't get off my ass, I'm going to hurt you."

"I don't want you to hurt yourself before the wedding tomorrow."

"BUFFY!"

"Sorry!"

Dawn rolled her eyes and walked into her hotel room, Ron behind her. The nurse at the hospital told her she wouldn't suggest checking out just yet. But after six days, Dawn was stir crazy.

And since when did she listen to authority anyway?

"I think I finally convinced your sister that you're capable of unpacking without assistance." Ron said smiling.

"Thanks." She grinned. The grin faded, however, as Ron stepped out of the doorway and into the room.

Because they were back at the hotel. Rooming together. Alone.

And that meant they were going to have to talk.

Dawn threw her bag on the floor. Ron closed the door behind him. She didn't notice him lock it as well, muttering a silencing charm.

Dawn sighed. Ron came up behind her and she turned around. Before she could say a word, he pulled his lips to hers.

Dawn's eyes shot open. This was not what she was expecting. At all. But it was fuel for the fire, because all coherent thought disappeared as his hands found their way up her shirt and she closed her eyes, deepening the kiss.

Dawn tugged at the bottom of Ron's shirt, untucking it. She undid the buttons in record time, and the shirt slid off of his shoulders. Ron yanked her shirt over her head, and she crushed her mouth on his, tongues dueling in a fight for dominance. This wasn't what either of them was used to. This was raw, heated passion, fueled by a desire that hadn't been sated for two months too long.

Ron pulled at the waistband of Dawn's pants and they fell to the floor. She kicked them aside and pulled his pants and boxers off at once, kicking them aside as well. While all of this happened, their mouths never drew apart, his hands moving over her body, her desperately craving the contact.

The two of them fell back onto the bed, him on top of her. Ron pulled away for a moment, just looking in her eyes, searching for anything that would show him that she wanted this as much as he did.

Sensing his thoughts, her fingers trailing up and down his spine, she said close to a whisper as he trailed kisses down her neck and shoulders, "Tell me it'll be alright."

Ron brushed his fingers over her face and down her arms. He knew what Dawn really meant, because he felt it too -

Even if it's a lie, tell me you love me, because I need you more then anything else.

"It's alright," he whispered, his lips once again descending on hers, their bodies responding with the contact, all thoughts of love and explanations flying out the window.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I'm broken in two

And I know you're onto me

That I only come home

When I'm so all alone,

That I can believe -

That not everything is gonna be the way you think it oughta' be

It seems like every time I try to make it right it all comes down on me

Please say honestly you won't give up on me

And I shall believe

And I shall believe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dawn's eyes fluttered open and she glanced at the clock - 1 AM. She had no idea how long she was asleep for, nor did she care. Her back was to Ron, and she silently wondered whether or not he was asleep until she felt his fingers brushing up and down her back. She shivered and turned over to face him, a smile coming across her features.

"I thought you wanted to talk."

Ron gave her a sly grin. "Funny, I didn't see YOU trying to talk either.

"Didn't want to." She paused. "I don't know what I wanted besides you."

"I know the feeling. It was..."

"Lusty, driven desire?" Dawn offered.

"An overabundance of it."

Dawn sat up, pulling the sheet up to her chest. She leaned against the headboard of the bed and sighed as Ron pulled on a pair of pants. He picked up his shirt, paused, and threw it to Dawn, who smiled and slipped it on. She got up to the last two buttons before Ron leaned over and kissed her. Dawn's hands moved up to his shoulders and stayed there, although his hands were once again finding their way up her shirt. She moaned softly. Although she was enjoying the feeling of his hands on her skin, something told her they needed to stop for a while.

"Wait," she said softly, still kissing him. "Wait." She put a finger to his lips. He just looked at her and nodded.

"Right. Talk." Ron leaned back and pulled Dawn into his lap. She leaned back against him, her hands in her lap, his hands on her shoulders.

They sat in an awkward silence. Dawn looked up at him. "One of us has to go here."

Ron sighed. "I know."

Dawn whispered something, but it was so quiet that Ron didn't hear it.

"What did you say?"

Dawn played with her hands in her lap, looking down. "Did you mean it?"

Ron was about to ask what she meant, but the scene by the Diner came flooding back to him.

"The only thing I'll ever regret is falling in love with you." He said, not realizing he had spoken aloud. Dawn winced, her eyes closed.

"Dawn, look at me."

Dawn didn't move.

Ron moved in front of her and lifted her chin, looking into her eyes, eyes that held love and - was that despair? "You didn't really believe that, did you?"

"I don't know what to believe." She shook her head. "Somewhere, I knew it wasn't true. You were just angry, and who could blame you. But it just - I just -" She looked up at him. "I didn't know what to think."

"Do you remember when I found you? You asked me how you could know it was me. And I told you, you could. Because I love you."

Dawn's eyes filled with tears. "I love you so much. And I'm sorry I ever made you think otherwise." She sniffled.

"Dawn - "

"Wait. Can I tell you the truth? All of it? Please. I need you to know. I needed you to know a long time ago, when I first realized you were getting suspicious."

"Okay." Ron pulled back. "I'm listening."

"When the three of you came over for my birthday, I told Harry I was having trouble controlling myself. Things were happening that I couldn't explain, and I knew it had something to do with being the Key and the power I have from that spell we did. I wanted help controlling it, and I knew that if I told you or Buffy you would worry too much. So, Harry offered to help at night at the WIL. Alone. And I agreed. All that time alone together...Willow warned me that this would happen, but I didn't listen because we're just friends. Then, the night...well, we were sparring, and he knocked me to the floor, and I pulled him down with me and...something just clicked and...I lost control. But I pulled away. Because somewhere, I knew it was wrong. Because he loves Hermione. And I love you. And, just as I was hoping to sort things out," she made a gesture with her hands, "this happened."

Ron looked at her. "Do you love him?"

Dawn sighed and walked over to the front of the bed. "I don't know, Ron. I've asked myself that question at least a thousand times. I mean, I have feelings for him, there's no use denying that. But, like I told Hermione - love? Maybe." She turned around. "But never as much as I love you. I feel - complete when I'm with you. These past two months, I've felt so alone. Every time I tried to make things right, it all came crashing down on me. And all I wanted to hear was that you didn't give up on me."

"I never gave up on you." Ron said, stepping up to her. "I was just so confused and angry. I felt betrayed, not only by you, but by my best friend. I was hurt, and I didn't know what to do about it. I tried speaking to Harry, but that didn't go over very well, and - I don't know. In the end, Buffy was right."

Dawn looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, she said that if we didn't end this right away, it would blow up in our faces. We would have a huge fight, followed by some unexpected chaos that would force us to face each other, and then we would talk, kiss and make up."

Dawn grinned. "Well, so far we've talked." She put her arms around his waist. "Are we going to kiss and make up?"

Ron smiled. "As you wish."

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Open the door

And show me your face tonight

I know it's true

No one heals me like you

And you hold the key.

Never again

Will I turn away from you

I'm so happy tonight

But your love is alright

And I do believe -

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry came back from the WIL headquarters to see Hermione curled up in a ball on the bed in their room.

Their room. That would sound so much nicer if it didn't mean that now they would have to talk. He absentmindedly wondered if Ron and Dawn were talking at this very moment. He couldn't tell, even though their room was right next door.

Harry went over to Hermione and kissed her forehead. She stirred, but didn't awaken, so Harry contented himself with just watching her sleep for a while. He lay down next to her, and was dozing off when he felt a lazy hand caress his cheek. He opened his eyes to reveal Hermione looking over at him, eyes tired, but full of want and need.

For him.

Harry reached over and kissed her gently. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was, how he would never turn away from her like this again, how happy he was that she had forgiven him, that nothing in his life made sense unless she was a part of it - but most of all, how much he loved her. "Are you sure you don't want to - "

"Shh...." Hermione said, shushing him with a kiss. "Act now. Talk later." She grinned, as if a thought had just occurred to her. "After all, actions speak louder then words."

Harry smiled. "Funny you should say that. Because I was just about to let you know how much you really mean to me." He swept her up into his arms. "And I didn't intend on saying a word."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and sighed. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Then show me."

And he proceeded to do just that.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

That not everything is gonna be the way you think it oughta' be

It seems like every time I try to make it right it all comes down on me

Please say honestly you won't give up on me

And I shall believe

And I shall believe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

There was a soft knock at the door. Ron got up and took a quick glance back at Dawn, who was still sleeping. He smiled and answered.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Is everything okay?"

Ron looked behind him. "Oh yeah. Everything is fine. Better then it has been anyway."

"Yeah, I know the feeling." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Look, Ron, I - "

"Harry?"

Hermione came out of their room rubbing her eyes. She was wearing a tank top and a pair of Harry's sweats. She saw Ron and blushed. "Hi."

Ron grinned at Harry and arched his eyebrow. Harry shrugged. Hermione swatted his arm and asked sleepily, "Is Dawn awake?"

"No."

"Yes." Dawn's voice was groggy. She came to the door dressed yet again in Ron's shirt and a pair of shorts. "Come inside. You're going to wake Buffy, and then you're going to be at the pointy end of her stake."

Dawn and Hermione shared a laugh as Harry and Ron scuttled inside. Dawn closed the door behind them.

Dawn sat down on the bed. Ron came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. She smiled and closed her eyes. Hermione had her arms around Harry and was casually stroking his neck.

"Hermione, I'm going to fall asleep if you keep doing that." Harry said absently.

"Go to sleep then. I'm sure you're tired." Ron said grinning. Dawn started laughing.

"You should be one to talk. And you stop laughing. I'm sure there's a reason you're wearing someone else's clothes."

Dawn glared at Harry, grabbed a pillow and hit him with it.

"Oh. We're going to be doing this again are we?" Harry said as Hermione handed him a pillow. He went to hit Dawn, but she ducked, and he ended up hitting Ron instead.

"This. Means. War." Ron grabbed a pillow and hit Hermione with it, and the four of them engaged in a massive pillow fight. Dawn hit Hermione and squealed as Harry grabbed her sides, tickling her, and moved her out of the way, pushing her onto the bed.

"Oh no you don't Potter." Dawn said glaring playfully. She tripped him and he fell right on top of her. Ron and Hermione watched, amused, wondering what was going to happen.

There was barely a moment of awkwardness before Dawn started to shift. "Harry, I need to breathe."

"You pulled me down."

"Get off!" She said laughing. He did and glanced at Ron who grinned. Dawn stood and backed up a step. "No."

Hermione went to stand next to her. "Don't give me that look. Leave her alone."

"Oh, but why?" Ron said as he and Harry pounced.

Dawn squealed as Harry started tickling her. "'Mione, get your boyfriend off of me!"

"I can't!"

Dawn was able to flip so that she was straddling Harry. "Ha!" She said triumphantly, just to be pushed to the floor by Ron, who was still tickling her.

"Ow! Okay! Okay! Uncle! Uncle! I give!"

Harry advanced on Hermione who screamed, "I give up!"

Ron sat up and Dawn ended up in his lap, still giggling. They got up and sat on the bed next to a still giggling Harry and Hermione.

"That," Dawn said giggling, "Was more fun then I've had in months."

"I believe the cloud has lifted." Ron said. "How about you?"

"A resounding yes, thank God." Dawn said, snuggling in his arms. "And now I'm all sleepy."

I'm - " Hermione was cut off by a yawn. She smiled sheepishly. "Me too."

"Go to sleep." Harry said, giving her a quick kiss.

"Mhm." Hermione mumbled, as she dozed off.

The four of them were soon asleep, content that things were finally sorted out, but not before Dawn looked over at Harry, who gave her a quick glance, and smiled. She smiled back and fell into a blissful sleep.

~*

I shall believe...

TBC...

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