AN: Written for a challenge on SAYS (Eyriana's Title Challenge). Enjoy! My first Ron/Hermione! Wow, and I said I'd never write one!
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Ron rolled over and faced his wife. She sighed, but it wasn't the nice, post-coital sigh he would have liked – no, expected, even. He frowned.
"What's wrong, Hermione?"
Hermione looked up at him, a small frown on her face. She sighed again.
"Sweetie, I'm just thinking that our love life is getting so stale. You're a wonderful lover; don't get me wrong, but everything's always the same. I mean, we go to Pepper for dinner on the Wednesday and we share the chicken. We come home and you kiss me at the door. I pull you through to the bedroom and we sit on the bed and kiss for approximately ten minutes. Then you take off my shirt, while playing with my hair. It never changes. I could go through the whole bloody ritual in my sleep, because we've done the same thing so many times. I feel as though I'm doing it in my sleep, for god's sake. I need some spontaneity!"
Ron had been silent through his wife's speech, and he remained silent for a further two minutes after she had finished, completely shocked. He had never had any problem with routine before. It made him feel secure, and he had always imagined that Hermione felt the same way. He looked at her again. She had the beginnings of tears in her eyes and Ron pulled her to him quickly.
"Shh, shh…sweetie, don't worry, I'm not mad or anything. I'm just a bit…shocked, is all. Erm…how about, tomorrow, I'll take you out on a date, and we'll be spontaneous!"
Hermione snorted, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.
"How ironic. Planning to be spontaneous."
She saw the look on Ron's face and smiled apologetically.
"Sorry. No, that's a lovely idea. Thank you. I love you. I do, really."
Ron smiled and kissed her. "I love you, too."
Hermione kissed him back. "Wanna try being spontaneous now?" she asked, sliding her hand up his thigh.
Ron grinned against her mouth. Maybe he could get used to this spontaneity thing.
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Hermione slammed the car door closed, turning to Ron with a small smile. Ron smiled back, feeling uncharacteristically awkward. He pushed the gearstick into drive and looked over at his wife.
"Ready to be spontaneous?" he asked, and she grinned, leaning over and pulling him into a kiss.
"Ready," she replied, drawing away, her hands still around her husband's neck. Ron grinned, feeling slightly dizzy.
"Sure?" he teased, and Hermione punched him lightly, laughing.
"Yes I'm bloody well ready! Let's go, then!"
Ron grinned and pulled out of the driveway. They drove for around an hour, the windows all down, letting the breeze coil and twist through the car and cool them. Hermione's hair, all loose and undone, flew over her face. She let it, trying just to enjoy the situation. Ron looked over at her every few seconds, smiling. They talked properly for the first time in months; good talking, about everything and nothing, and laughter – lots of laughter – until their stomachs hurt.
After a while, the talk trailed to a halt, and a comfortable silence replaced it. Occasionally they would look at one another fondly, but that was all that was needed. And then they saw the beach. It was over a hill – the blue water shining up at them, and there didn't seem to be anywhere to drive down to it. They looked at each other excitedly, like school children, and Ron stopped the car on the side of the road. They laughed at their own daring and climbed over the fence that separated the road from the field that ran down to the water.
"Race you?" Ron said, and Hermione grinned.
"Ok!" she exclaimed, and pushed him down, racing off before he could get up again. She heard his shouted laugh behind her and then the sound of his footsteps behind her. She ran faster, and before she knew it, she had reached the sand. Her feet shifted in the sand, trying to gain some kind of grip. Just after she had gotten her balance, Ron came sprinting down after her, and, unable to stop, ran into her, pushing Hermione down into the sand.
"Spontaneous enough for you?" Ron whispered as he kissed her. Hermione reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. A shower of sand fell out of it into her face. She laughed and kissed him again. Ron pulled away and smiled fondly down at her.
"You know, that water looks quite nice," Ron said slyly, and Hermione gasped as he picked her up.
"No! Ron, don't you dare! Don't you-" she broke off, giggling as he pulled her dress over her head. He kissed her again, putting his arm under her leg. She swung them gently against his chest, smiling at him.
"Gods I love you," Ron said, smiling at her. She grinned back.
"I love you more," she said, poking him affectionately on the tip of his nose, and he groaned.
"Oh no! We've become the horror couple who do that!"
"Hey, no-one's around. We can do what we bloody well want. And I want to go skinny dipping. Are you with or against?"
Ron put on a mock serious face, and then put Hermione gently down.
"Do you even need to ask?" he asked, laughing as he pulled his shirt over his head. Hermione laughed and undid her bra, letting it fall on top of her dress.
They pulled and pushed each other towards the water, laughing and singing and talking in the bright sun, which had decided to come out from behind the clouds. They stood together in the waves, up to their waists, and kissed. The salt on their faces tasted like freedom and impulsiveness, and they grinned at each other. They stayed together in the water for a long time, dipping and diving in the waves together, and then pulling each other up to stand on the sandy bottom, waves lapping at their hips, and kissing tenderly. Hermione held Ron's face in her hands, just gazing at him. His blue eyes reflected the water.
They were so caught up in each other that they didn't notice the chatter of the tourist group who were picking their way around the rocky corner. They didn't notice them as they came onto the beach, laughing and talking, or when the tourist guide saw the piles of clothing and let out a loud bark of laugher. They only realised that they were no longer alone when one of the tourists took a photograph of them kissing.
They pulled apart, mortified, looking up at the beach. When they saw the tourists they turned to each other, horrified, and then ran out onto the sand quickly, grabbing their clothing and running up the field again, without looking back.
They heard the shouts of laughter from the tourists below and tried to ignore them, until they reached the car. Ron pulled open the door and got in quickly, not bothering to put his clothes back on. Hermione imitated him.
Then they sat in the car, shivering, not looking at each other. After a long moment of silence, they looked at each other.
"Do you want to go to Pepper for dinner?" Ron asked weakly, and Hermione nodded, blushing.
"Yes, I think that's a good idea. Not much chance of humiliation on a massive scale there, I think. Want to share the chicken?"
Ron nodded. "Yup. Unless you feel like doing something else spontaneous."
Hermione shook her head firmly, still slightly pink.
"Darling, spontaneity is highly overrated. Please drive, the tourists are coming up off the beach, and they still have their cameras."
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AN: Hey, you know what's a cool idea? Reviewing. It's like this new craze or something. You should try it. Quickly now!