Disclaimer: I don't own anything, but enjoy my imagination with J.K. Rowling's characters.

Chapter 1

"Darling, we have to get out of bed, it's nearly three in the afternoon." Hermione purred. Her breath tickled Ron's ear, sending a jolt through his body and straight to his groin.

"Do we have to? It's not like you have classes at your muggle university today…not that I understand why on earth you're even taking them…"

"They're good for me! Both my parents are muggles and in a way I'm accomplishing a dream that they had for me. It's not like its hard either, how these students find a 24-credit load impossible is beyond me. It takes me more time to write a potions essay for Snape than it does to do an entire week's coursework!"

"I know, I know, Hermione. Everyone knows how brilliant you are, I just don't see the point since you've already gotten your degree for St. Mungo's and could already be working as a healer, but instead you've decided to waste your time on knowledge completely useless for our kind!"

"How has this turned into an argument? I started off by just saying that we should get out of bed for a change, since we haven't left for almost 18 hours!"

"Because you didn't enjoy those 18 shags…"

"Oh shut it Ron. Anyways, I have to go see Ginny. We're going shopping before going out with Parvati and Padma." Hermione reached for her robe and slipped it on.

Ron sat up and stared at her body. His eyes were hard and he purposely avoided looking at Hermione in the face.

"What is it?" She said, dreading his answer.

"Where are you guys going?" Ron asked. His voice had an edge to it. Hermione knew that she had to choose her words wisely.

"Well, Ginny and I are going into muggle London to find some clothes, and then Padma has suggested this new club that's opening in the Wizarding section of Edinburgh… They have a floo network set up, so we were going to leave from Ginny's flat…"

"Haven't you been going out enough? You went to some bar last week with that girl, what's her name,"

"Susan?" Hermione ventured.

"Yeah, Susan, the Hufflepuff girl. I don't want you just going out and getting drunk and acting like a,"

"Like a what Ron? A slag? Is that what you think I'm doing when I'm out? How many bleeding times do I have to tell you, I LOVE YOU. There is only you! When I'm going out, it's so I can enjoy some time with my friends! My GIRL-friends. We like dancing, and drinking together, but that doesn't translate to me sticking my tongue down every bloke's throat!" Hermione was on the verge of tears.

Ever since she and Ron had moved in together, their relationship was feeling more stressful than happy. Ron was working for the Department of Mysteries, and was constantly active as Kepper for Harry's side-project of a quidditch team, the Stealth Stags. But the busier his life became, the more he tried to control Hermione. He wanted her all to himself, and as he gave up his social life as a party-boy, his jealousy flared when she stayed behind.

"I've seen how you are when you're out, when you've drinking too much. Merlin, do you know how hard it is to watch you!"

"Not as hard as it is to see you. You're no better! Should I remind you of that incident with that bitch from Hufflepuff two years ago? Thank god she wasn't slutty enough to accept your advances when you reeked of firewhisky. And you never even go out with me so how do you know what I'm like?"

"The last time I was with you, you were crying and vomiting in the bathroom."

"That was one time. I hadn't seen my friends in two months, and we took a few too many shots. I've already apologized to you."

"Whatever, 'mione. I know that there's nothing I can do. I can't control you and I can't tell you to stay away from your friends. I just worry about you, I care about you so much and I think that you're too smart to be doing all this stuff." Ron looked at her wistfully.

They had been together for so long, and he had always loved her. But he had fallen in love with the simple Hermione. The one that didn't care about her clothes, that would rather be in a library than a party (not that she didn't love both equally, but she had finally accepted the benefits to her wellbeing of the latter). Nonetheless, the more she found herself and grew as an adult, the less she needed him, and the more vulnerable he felt.

"Ron, I love you. With every ounce of my being. And I know that you don't like it when I go out, but I need it, for me. I need you to trust me, because I can't go and be myself when I'm worrying about you. I'm yours and you need to know that…I thought you did, but this conversation keeps coming up and we just need to establish where we are."

Ron sat up with his feet resting on the floor and just looked at her and nodded. She walked over to him, and standing between his legs looked down at his face and cradled it in her palm. She kissed him softly and felt his large rough hands moving gently up and down the backs of her slender legs.

"I have to go shower." She whispered to him.

"I could join you…" Ron said, his voice in a low growl.

"Oui oui, monsieur." A smile spread across Hermione's face as she wrapped her arms around Ron's neck and rested her chin on his muscular shoulder. Relief flooded through her body and she silently prayed that things would be okay.