Hermione didn't see much of Ron after the war ended. She had a lot to do, restoring her parents memory and explaining why to them. She spent time at the Burrow but not much of it was with Ron who spent most of his time in his room, sometimes with Harry but mostly alone. She couldn't blame him, he'd lost a brother and she wasn't angry but she missed him, and then she'd feel guilty for missing someone who was alive. So she mostly spent time in the kitchen with Ginny and Mrs. Weasley, who, with tears running down her face half the time, would teach the girls to cook to keep her mind off her son.
So in the fall Hermione set off for school with Ginny and spent most of her time incredibly lonely. She tried not to think about Ron. Not to think about his lips on hers and the fact that even in the middle of a war everything had melted away.
Hermione sighed as she grabbed her bag to get off the Hogwarts Express for Christmas vacation and headed to the platform. She stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed him. He was sitting on a bench with his head in his hands, his hair longer than she remembered and with a new scar on his right arm. There was snow stuck to his shoes.
"Here for Ginny?" She asked walking closer.
Ron looked up and his face broke into a smile, "No." He said looking her over, "No not Ginny…I…Hermione…I missed you." He reached out taking her bag. "Harry said I should apologize."
"For what?" Hermione asked following him through the barrier and into the noisy station, she barely registered seeing Mrs. Weasley, waiting on Ginny.
"For this summer." He scratched his head and looked down as Hermione gawked.
"Don't be." She said kindly, "You had every right. I'm not mad at all Ron, I missed you a lot though."
Ron stopped turning to look at her fully. "I was wondering if you might, you know, want to come over. I could make us dinner."
"To the Burrow?"
Ron smiled, "To my flat. I've got my own place Hermione and it's…well it's small but it's mine, my own place." He said and she knew how much that must mean to him.
Hermione smiled, "I'd love to come over, though you cooking makes me a bit nervous."
Ron shrugged, "I've had to learn to cook I live on my own now. We can apparate over here no one is looking." Ron said and held out his hand.
She took his hand and her heart beat quickened. Neither of them had worn gloves she noted with a smile. Next thing she knew they were standing in the hallway and Ron had out a key unlocking the door in front of him. "This is it." He said gesturing her inside.
It wasn't huge but it wasn't small either. It opened into a walkway that housed a set of stairs and to the right was the living room. As she made her way inside she noticed first that it smelled of Ron and second that at the small table in the equally small dining room was a set of candles and a bottle of wine.
Hermione gaped and glanced at Ron and his face was redder than his hair, "I…I was hoping you'd say yes and I…like I said I'm real sorry for the way I treated you over the summer." Ron said again.
Hermione turned to him, hands on her hips, in such a familiar gesture that Ron couldn't help but smile. "Ron Weasley I don't want to hear you apologize for this summer again. I know it was hard on you, it was hard on all of us and I don't hold it against you. We lost a lot, it was awful, I still sometimes think about it and just cry, and…" She stopped and smiled, "It's okay Ron."
He nodded and headed towards the kitchen, "I just thought you'd want to talk about…well I was thinking about spaghetti." He held up a box of noodles and waved it a bit to illustrate the point.
"Yes I am aware of the concept of spaghetti." Hermione said laughing. "You start the water and I'll pour us a glass of wine. My mom always said you should never cook Italian food without a glass of wine. Speaking of which I need to send her an owl so she doesn't worry."
It was incredibly domestic, Hermione thought and she sat on the counter, her feet dangling and watched Ron cook, he had refused to let her help. The conversation flowed easily as always, though also as always he was careful about not touching her. He filled her in on his job as an auror and how George had offered him a spot at the shop and she told him all about school.
"It's really lonely." She finished, "I'm glad I went back of course but it's lonely. I miss you and Harry a lot."
Ron smiled, waving a spoon and sauce went flying. Ron blushed and wiped some off his chin, "We miss you a lot too Hermione. I miss it, seeing you and Harry every day, well I still see Harry most days but not seeing you every day…" He shrugged.
"Come here. You've got sauce on your nose." Hermione said beckoning him over. She put down the glass of wine and wiped his nose. They both looked at each other for a moment, "Ron...I…"
He pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, "I really missed you a lot Hermione." He looked incredibly sad, "I missed you a lot." And suddenly his lips were on hers and it was different than last time, softer and yet more passionate. His hands were in her hair and then there was a loud noise behind him.
"Bloody hell." Ron said pulling away, "My sauce!" And he ran over to move it to a different burner.
Hermione felt faint and finished her glass of wine in one gulp. Ron plated the food in silence and they both sat down to another glass of wine that they both silently agreed they definitely needed. Hermione thought she might need a replenishing charm to make it through the evening without having a heart attack.
She had missed Ron too. She had yearned for him and fell asleep every night to made up scenarios in her head. She'd cherished every letter from him and ached for him. He'd grown into quite a man and he was even more handsome than she remembered.
"I've loved you since I was fifteen." She blurted out and Ron choked, but she'd started now, full steam ahead, she was tired of them acting like they weren't deeply madly in love with each other. It didn't even make sense they were just use to it at this point. And here they were sharing a romantic dinner and yet they were acting like they hadn't just made out in the kitchen, "I liked you since I was thirteen thought I don't think you really noticed me that soon, but I've loved you since I was fifteen and I reckon you love me too."
Ron coughed heartily into his napkin, "Hermione…"
"Damn it Ron can't you just tell me you love me too!"
"Of course I love you too!" Ron said, "I just assumed you knew. And you're right, I didn't like you as soon but you've always been much smarter than me."
"Glad that's settled." Hermione said unsure of where to go from there. She didn't really have much experience with boys, and she'd certainly never been in love before. So they went back to eating in silence, though catching each other's eyes and smiling.
"Did you hear about the capture of all those Death Eaters hiding in the mountains last week?" Ron asked as he finished his plate.
Hermione nodded, "Yeah, it was in the Daily Prophet."
"I was there." Ron said proudly, "That's where I got this." He pulled up his shirt to show her a cut on his side. "I got this one of my hand too but that happened a few months ago, got pushed into a mirror."
"Be careful!" Hermione said smiling. "I can wash these dishes if you want."
Ron blushed, "Hermione, I meant to ask you about that."
"About washing dishes?" Hermione said, "Surely you haven't lived here for months without knowing how to wash dishes."
Ron laughed, "No I have this thing." He pointed to the kitchen, "It's called a dishwasher and I bought the soap the man said to buy but I honestly can't figure it out Hermione."
Hermione laughed, "I'll show you." She lead him into the kitchen and started loading dishes while he leaned against the counter watching her. She had to do a lot of bending and she doubted he was absorbing a thing she said.
When she finally got it turned on he pulled her close to him, "I should have asked you this a long time ago, will you be my girlfriend Hermione Granger?"
Hermione nodded, "Of course Ron." And they were kissing again and it seemed it was better every time.
After what could have been any amount of time he pulled away, "Will you stay the night, I missed you so much I don't want you to leave yet." He put his arms around her waist, "I only have my bedroom but I promise I won't try to have sex with you."
"You won't?" Hermione said, looking doubtful.
"I wouldn't really know what I was doing." Ron admitted, looking more at the floor than Hermione.
"You didn't…with anyone…while I was away." Hermione said looking into his eyes the best she could with him being so interested in the floor but suddenly he was looking back at her.
"No. Of course not, I mean, you're the one I wanted. I always wanted you Hermione."
She started to say something about Lavender but for once kept her mouth shut, "Good. I think I'd be awfully jealous."
"You jealous?" Ron laughed, "I couldn't imagine, I mean there's a flock of canaries who probably could, but me, not at all."
Hermione blushed and looked up and stood on tiptoes to kiss Ron before snuggling in against his chest.