Taken from my 'Timestamp' challenge over on LiveJournal, Solstice Muse asked for the night before Chapter 5 in 'The Seven Ways I Cry'. I've you've read that story then you may tear up a little, if not, then it should just be a nice fluffy read! :D


He could smile like this forever

...

He loved feeling like this; content, happy, and peaceful. His life was everything he wanted it to be. He had a job he loved and could get passionate about, but most of the time he could leave it at work and have a life outside the office. And then when he got home he came home to the most beautiful woman in the world.

He didn't care if she was inky from writing, hot and bothered because she was cooking, or tearful because she had been watching one of her favourite programmes on the telly, or reading one of her favourite novels that was guaranteed to make her cry.

She had turned away from him in her sleep, her hair was a large mass behind her and one of her hands held the other in front of her face. He had stopped teasing her about turning away from him, but he had played it up for about a month, perfected his 'puppy dog pout' as Hermione had called it, and managed to wind her up a little.

He loved her so much. He loved that they'd been married for five years, well, it would be five years tomorrow. At the time, some people had voiced their concerns that they were too young to get married. If Hermione had listened to them and wanted to wait, he wouldn't have minded. He knew they would get married, the intention was always there, but if Hermione had said 'lets wait a few years' then he would have. But she hadn't, so they hadn't, and she had been Hermione Jean Weasley for five years. Nearly.

He shuffled nearer to her and gently kissed her neck. He couldn't help but smile against her skin as memories of the previous hour came back to him. He adored the way she kissed him and it turned him on so much when she sucked on his neck. He loved the way her body fitted against his, the way her skin felt, soft and warm, and the way she could drive him crazy with one look.

They had taken their time, had kissed for what seemed like hours before moving on. What was the point in rushing when they had all the time in the world?

Hermione stirred in her sleep and rolled onto her back. He propped himself onto his elbow and looked down on her. He couldn't help but lean down and kiss her gently. She didn't respond, but he didn't mind, he could watch her sleep for hours and he'd never get bored.

He rested his hand on her hip and drew circles on her skin with his fingertips. After a while she shivered and tried to move herself away from the sensation. He smiled and kissed her forehead.

'Sorry, my darling, didn't mean to tickle you in your sleep.'

Hermione mumbled something incoherent and Ron kissed her. He suppressed a giggle, knowing that Hermione would have something to say to him if she knew he was quietening her with a kiss in her sleep, as well as doing it when she was awake. She could hardly talk though. He hadn't finished casting the contraception charm earlier before she had kissed him and obscured his view of his spell casting with her hair.

He moved his hand to her stomach and left it there. Their conversation from the other night came back to him. They had talked about what characteristics they wanted their children to inherit. He had loved talking about them, even though 'they' were just a thought in the future. He had felt a twinge of disappointment when Hermione had said 'well, maybe one day.' Why 'one day'? Why not soon? Why couldn't they make that step now? They were happy, they were settled and they had had each other for five years. Wasn't now a good time to make that commitment?

He thought about becoming a dad and what it would mean for him. Images filled his mind, all of them happy and it was then that he made his decision. He would ask Hermione tomorrow about the possibility of starting a family. He didn't think she would need persuading. Obviously he was expecting some sort of logical reason to come back at him, but he knew that she wanted children, even though she had shrieked rather loudly when he mentioned numbers like four and five.

He glanced up at the alarm clock and realised he had to be awake in four hours time, so it would be a good idea to go to sleep. He lay on his side next to his wife and gently covered her waist with his arm.

'Sweet dreams, my love.'

He closed his eyes and smiled. He had everything to smile for, and the rest of his life to smile through.

He could smile like this forever.