Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter, Stephen Colbert or the song titles I use for chapters.
Chapter One: Better Together
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“This wand is more trouble than it’s worth,” Harry smiled and twirled the wand in his hand like a baton, “And I’ve had enough trouble for a lifetime.” Ron, Hermione, and Harry all laughed at that very true statement. “Are you two coming down with me, or are you going to make up for several years of lost sexual tension?” Ron and Hermione looked at the floor and turned a deep crimson colour.
The trio left the headmistresses office and descended down the staircase in a peaceful silence, because they sure as hell needed it! They walked down the rubble filled halls from all the destruction and chaos that was there less than an hour ago. Everything was quiet until Harry broke it. “I’m gonna go find Ginny, you two do whatever, but spare the details.” He put on a mock-begging face.
“I’d hit you right now,” Ron started, “but I’m too bloody tired to do it.”
“You’re not the only one.” Harry turned and he left to find his ex-girlfriend.
Ron looked towards a half-asleep Hermione. “’Mione, you ok? You look like you’re gonna pass out.” He shook her lightly and her eyes opened slightly, “Hey, sleepy,” Ron said grinning, “Looks like we need to get you to bed.” She rubbed her eyes.
“That sounds perfect; just guide me to your bed.” Ron looked shocked, to say the least.
“My bed?”
“Well, you can’t go up the girls’ staircase and I’ll most likely fall down.” Hermione looked at Ron’s confused face and chuckled. “Just grab my hand and lead me to the bed.”
Seeing he might not have another chance to do that, Ron grabbed Hermione’s hand and walked to the Gryffindor common room. Even though her hand was cut and bruised, it sent shivers down his spine. It was soft and warm, like a gift from heaven above to Ron. He could get use to it.
About halfway to the common room, Hermione was starting to get a little wobbly and almost fell down, but Ron saved her. “Ron,” he looked into her cinnamon eyes and she looked back into his ocean blue ones, “can you carry me? I don’t think I can make it, I feel like I’m drunk.” She giggled a bit, which is most un-Hermione like, but at the same time just like her. Not wanting to upset her or make her fall again, he picked her up and carried to his bed while she had her arms around his neck.
As soon as they got to the empty common room, thank God, Hermione was asleep in her love’s arms, sleeping better than she ever slept. Ron looked at her beauty, admiring her peach coloured skin, to her soft and curled brunette locks. How and why he didn’t make a move before, remains a mystery. He wanted to see that beautiful, clever bookworm to sleep in his arms the rest of his life.
He lowered his mouth to her ear and breathed “I could never live without you” and kissed it lightly, though she did not stir. He took his sleeping angel up to the boys’ dorms and set her down on the bed and put a blanket while he went to take a shower and change into some fresh clothes he left at Hogwarts in his sixth year. He looked one last time at Hermione and went to start a nice, warm shower.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
The sound of running water woke Hermione with a start, especially since it was one place she never woke up in. It took a few moments to gather her thoughts “Ron, where are you?” she asked out to apparently no one, but then she heard the water turn off. Ron came out with a towel around his eyes. “Thank God, I didn’t know where you were.” She tried to get and hug him, but he put his hand on her arm to gesture her to sit down.
He pushed some of her hair of off her forehead and kissed. Hermione raised an eyebrow, “Who are you and what have you done with Ron Weasley?”
He again kissed her forehead, “What’s wrong? You know, you’re not the only one who can be sensitive.” Ron merely chuckled at her shocked expression after his statement.
“You’re so… different. I kind of like it.” She smiled weakly.
“Yeah, well, war can do that to a person.” He smiled back, “Um… Hermione? Can you turn around?”
“Why?”
“I need to put some close on, unless you want to see me naked.” He laughed at Hermione’s deep red cheeks. She turned around, although she was very tempted to look at his muscular, wet body. It was a few minutes before she said, “Can I have a shirt and some boxers?”
“Why?”
Hermione looked at him and giggled, “So I can have something to wear, because the clothes I have on are bloody, torn, and sweaty from the battle we just fought about two hours ago.” He looks so cute when he’s confused. “So… are you going to get them for me?” she asked again. He shook the image of Hermione in his clothes out of his head and went to his dresser to fetch her some clothes of his.
He came back a few minutes later with a pair of pale blue boxers and a black muscle shirt and gave them to her. “That Okay?”
“It’s perfect. Now, can you turn around so I can get dressed?”
“Aw, do I have to?”
“Yes.”
“But why?”
“Don’t test my patience, Ronald.”
“Okay, okay.” Ron threw his hands up in mock-defeat. “You win, but next time I’m watching.” Ron said melodramatically as Hermione rolled her eyes as she replied “We’ll see.”
“That’s a yes.”
“Now it’s a no.”
“Damn.”
“Ronald, don’t swear.”
“Come on, you like it when I swear.”
Hermione bit back a laugh, “No, you like it when I swear. I hate it when you swear.”
Ron looked at her and smiled, “Yeah, I do love it when you swear. And I forfeit, I’ll turn round.” He spun around on spot and Hermione got undressed. It took almost all his might to not turn to her a look at her beautiful self. It sent shivers down his spine just imagining it. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to get the impure thoughts from his mind before he got too, um, excited.
“Okay, Ron, you can turn around now, I’m done.” Ron turned around to see Hermione with cuts and bruises all down her arms and legs, she looked so hurt, but she stayed so strong. He wanted to break down and cry at the state of her, it almost killed him to see his ‘Mione like that. He wanted to tend and care to each cut or scrape or bruise and kiss until it was completely healed. Ron felt a tear escape his eye while he looked helplessly at Hermione.
“Ron, are you crying? What's wrong?” she looked towards Ron who just stood in shock at the state of her. “Your-Your body is covered in, oh my god, look at you, Hermione! God, you look a wreck!” Hermione was about to say something, and Ron could tell what it was, “No, it’s just, all the cuts!”
“They’ll clear up, stop making a big deal and get in the bed!” Not wanting to make her angry, Ron sat down on the bed next to Hermione and put his right arm around her. She seemed to notice he was shaking. “Ron, I’ll be fine, they’re just cuts.” She studied him for less than a moment. “It’s not just about my body, is it?” Ron was still crying quietly, and nodded his head.
“I just can’t believe he’s gone, he was George's other half. He can’t get that other half anywhere else. I’m gonna miss him, I’m gonna miss them all.” He wiped his eyes with his shirt as Hermione buried her beautiful bushy head in the crook of Ron’s neck as tears of her own started spilling out. “I mean, Remus and Tonks just had Teddy less than a damn month ago! Colin was a year younger than us, and he died fighting. Those fifty other people in the Great Hall lost their fucking lives for the good of the wor-” Hermione put her finger over Ron’s mouth to stop his rant.
“Ron, look at me.” Hermione’s intelligent eyes got lost in Ron’s beautiful pair. “We will all miss them, but we can’t put our lives on their deaths, it’s not what they would’ve wanted. Understand?” Hermione’s eyes were now extremely tearful and were now shaking. “We can’t let this get to us. I know it’s bloody horrible, but I believe we can do this.”
Ron kissed her forehead head lightly, “How did you get so smart?”
“Ron,” She put her head on his well-built chest, “I believe we can do anything. It has nothing to do with knowledge or intellect.”
“Hermione,” Ron pulled her close to him, “It has everything to do with that stuff, and just not book smarts. Everyone needs something to believe in, and if you believe, than I believe.” After that, he buried his face into Hermione’s soft hair and went into the best and most well deserved slumber of his life.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Hermione woke up about four or five hours later feeling something strong around her waist. As she remembered she had fallen asleep with Ron. She simply smiled to herself and curled up closer to Ron, waking him up.
“Whoithat?” he said, slightly dazed. “Oh, hey, Mione. When’d you get here?” Hermione looked at his confused face and giggled.
“I slept here, remember? You carried me, gave me clothes, and kissed my forehead? Any of this ring a bell.” She was still giggling as Ron’s expression turned to realization. “Now you get it!” She tried to get up but he just squeezed her body against his once more.
“Where do you think you’re going?” He looked at her with a lopsided grin on his face.
“To take a shower, I need to relax for a bit and those help me. Don’t worry,” she added looking at Ron’s slightly disappointed face, “I’ll be back in about 15 minutes. Besides, don’t you want something to eat?”
“You know me all too well. Want anything while I’m down there?” He started to put on his socks and trainers. “Toast, bacon, pumpkin juice?” he went and picked up a towel to give to Hermione and kissed her forehead again. “Coffee, bagels, tea? They’ll most likely have something you like. Mione?” She looked lost in thought.
“Hmmm?” She came out of her trance. “What was that last part? I got distracted.” Ron looked at her questioningly. “Why so you always kiss me on my forehead? Why never my mouth or cheek or nose?”
“Because,” he kissed Hermione’s forehead again, “I like your forehead. But I also like you nose,” he kissed her nose, “you cheeks,” he kissed both cheeks softly, “and your lips.” Ron captured Hermione's lips for a second or two and was returned with a soft moan from Hermione. “That answer your question, or do you need more reassurance?”
She licked her lips. “Maybe later, and I would love some toast and juice after my shower. But I’m going to put a locking spell on the curtains. Just tap the curtain three times with your wand and say ‘chess’.” And with that, she went into the bathroom and turned on the water.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Ron made his way down to the Great Hall in silence, ignoring all the call as “Congratulations, mate!” “You did it!”, and from the occasional fan girl “I love you!” and “Shag me!”. He honestly didn’t freaking care! He was too damn happy that the war was over, and he finally got Hermione. Well, she got him, but all the same!
“Hey, Ron, where were you for the last, oh say, five hours?!” Harry rushed over to him. “Where the hell have you been? You just go off with Hermi- oh, I see.” Harry was wearing a smirk worthy to Malfoy’s, “So, was she a good shag?” Harry started laughing at Ron’s shocked face. “Mate, I’m ONLY kidding!”
“Yeah, well, you better. By the way, how are my parents?” He went from shocked to worried in less than a second. “Are they okay?”
“Well, they’re better than expected, which is still pretty bad.” Harry looked at Ron’s regretful face. “We did all we could. I’m sorry, mate.” They exchanged a brotherly hug and Ron went to find his family.
“Ronald!” Mrs. Weasley hugged her youngest son and kissed both his cheeks, “I’m so glad you're okay, we were beginning to wonder if you were dead!” Mrs. Weasley had tear streaks all down her face and bloodshot eyes with bags under them. To say the least, it had been a long night for her. Not mention the rest of the Weasley’s.
Ginny stood up and hugged her brother and asked “Have you seen Hermione? She wasn’t in her bed last time I checked.”
“Yeah, funny story about that. We sort of, well, spent the night together.” Ron's face turned completely pink. “She was with me last night. Sorry to worry you.” His face turned a crimson colour, if possible.
Ginny made a big “O” with her mouth, as did Percy, Charlie, and Mr. Weasley. Bill and George gave each other knowing glances. But they were all surprised at what Mrs. Weasley said next.
“Finally! I thought you two would never get together! Oh, Ronnie!” She gave him yet another bone-crushing hug, followed by two kisses on his burning cheeks. She turned to the rest of her family, “Well, we all know it was bound to happen sometime!”
“Well, I’ve got go. I promised I’d bring Hermione some food, so, bye.” He grabbed a plate full of toast and a pitcher of pumpkin juice and left his awe-struck family and a smiling Mrs. Weasley in his wake. He think he heard Ginny say “Did I mention you are the coolest mother ever?”
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
When Ron got up to the Gryffindor boys’ dorms he saw the curtains shut on Ron’s four-poster bed. He tapped the curtain three times and muttered the password to find Hermione reading on his bed. He smiled at his clever bookworm reading Twelve Fail-Safe Way to Charm Witches. Wait, she’s reading what?!
“Um, I brought you what you wanted.” Hermione looked up from the book to see Ron looking extremely uncomfortable. “Uhh, I, uh, it was a gift.”
“Uh huh,” Hermione pulled Ron down on the bed and kissed him, a kiss that lasted a second but utterly took him by surprise, “I can tell from the message:
“Ron,
Stop being a fucking arse to Hermione and read this book!
Gred & Forge”
She turned to look at Ron, “I’m guessing that’s Fred and George?” She kissed him quickly again. “I think it’s cute. You read a book for me, and that means something.” She took a piece of toast and ate it. “It shows that you really care.”
“I do. And, I think we’re better together than apart.” He lay down next to his favourite bushy-haired witch and just watched her while as she read his book. He loved the way her lips curled as she read something amusing to her, and how the rest of the time she looked very serious. Then he suddenly realized what he had to do. What he was destined to do with the rest of his life.
“Hermione?”
“Hmmm?” She was still looking down at the book.
“Marry me?”
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Cliffy! Aren’t I evil? Well, maybe if you review enough I may post the next chapter soon.
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