This is an early birthday present for Lucy (WeasleySeeker). I hope you love it!
For her nineteenth birthday, they weren't even together.
It was the eighteenth of September, and the first thought that crossed Ron's mind as he woke up was that Hermione's birthday was the next day.
As he sat up in bed, he dimly wondered what he could get her. She was at Hogwarts, finishing her N.E.W.T.S., so he'd have to send a letter wishing her.
And that was exactly what he did - or, at least, tried to do. Sitting at his desk, tapping his quill against his chin, he couldn't think of anything to say.
He didn't know what to say, or how to say it. Hermione was his best friend, sure, but she was also something more. They had kissed during the battle, but hadn't acted upon it yet, so Ron wasn't sure whether he could classify them as "together" or not.
That could change everything in a letter. If they were together, he should say something like, "I'll be thinking of you all day. Every breath, every step I take, is for you, honey."
But, if they were still only friends, he could only say something like, "Have a great birthday, Hermione! We all miss you, back at the Burrow."
Certain things were acceptable and certain things weren't, and Ron had no idea whatsoever on what was the path he should take.
(But he still had to wish her, or otherwise, he wouldn't be her boyfriend or best friend; she'd hate him for the rest of her life if he forgot her birthday.)
Ron sighed. Hermione always made him do things he'd never imagined himself doing.
(But wasn't that why he loved her?)
Dear Hermione,
Happy birthday! I hope you're having a good one. We all miss you, back here. I wish I had some kind of gift to send you, but I don't...unless you want one of the tw-sorry, George's joke products? (I think he's doing better now.)
Now I'm really not sure what to say anymore, because I'm not sure if you love me in the way I love you...but, even so, you are my best friend, and I have to make sure you know that. We may be kind-of together, but just having you around is enough for me.
(Well, that doesn't mean I wouldn't like you to kiss me again...because I would.)
Love (or friendship),
Ronald B. Weasley
A letter dropped in front of Hermione. Curiously, she took it out, wondering if it was, indeed, something for her birthday.
Ripping it open, she unfolded a letter from Ron, handwritten in all his messy glory.
Her eyes scanned the paper slowly, picking up each word as if it was a tantalizing sweet. When she was finally done, she set it down, hands shaking. She blinked her chocolate eyes, and quickly wiped away the tiny tears that were forming.
"Stupid Ron. Of course I love you!"
For her twentieth birthday, she was at the Burrow, celebrating the day with all the (living) Weasleys and Harry.
"Happy birthday Hermione!" everybody yelled as she walked down the stairs, still rubbing her eyes with sleepiness.
"Oh! You shouldn't have," she said, but the grin on her face told otherwise when she saw all the presents they were holding, and the cake Mrs. Weasley had baked.
"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed later on, after having eaten the fabulous meal Mrs. Weasley cooked up and opening all the gifts everybody had given her. "You're all the best!"
"It's your twentieth, Hermione," Mrs. Weasley said. "It's a big day! You're starting a new chapter of your life today, you know."
When she said that, Hermione instantly glanced at Ron. He knew what she meant.
He wanted it too.
After the sun had set, and everybody had turned in, Ron and Hermione sat outside on the porch, drinking in each other bathed in starlight and wishing a moment could last forever.
"Tomorrow's the beginning of a new chapter of my life that I want to spend with you."
"We can read it together."
For her twenty-first birthday, Ron decided to finally man up and take her out himself.
After the party last year, Ron realized that he wanted to spend time alone with Hermione on her special day - to show her how much he really loved her.
(Ron didn't like being so corny, but what can a guy do?)
That morning, when she woke up in their cozy flat (that they lived in, together) Ron laid out his pitifully cooked breakfast for her on a tray. It wasn't anything grand - in fact, it was just some scrambled eggs with toast - but the fact that he cooked it himself rather than using magic was enough to make Hermione happy.
"Where do you want to go? It's your birthday," Ron said. "We can go anywhere you want today - my treat."
Hermione grinned, setting down the orange juice. "Well, there's this one place..."
"This way!"
Ron obediently followed the exited Hermione around the Muggle - what was it called? Oh yeah, aquarium.
Personally, Ron didn't like it so much - there were too many people, and all these creepy fish kept staring at him through their glass tanks - but if Hermione liked it, then he did too.
"Look, a shark!" Hermione pressed herself up against the glass, and a shark stopped to stare at her. It then rapidly swam away, disappointing Hermione and all the other little kids watching.
Ron walked up and chuckled. "Seems like even the sharks are scared of you."
And that was the day Ron got slapped in the face by his girlfriend.
Later on, in the afternoon, Ron and Hermione sat on a park bench, underneath a shady tree, licking the same ice-cream cone.
Ron smiled. This was more his speed. Him and her alone was what he really wanted, and the ice-cream was just an added bonus.
"Are you having fun?" Lick.
"Loads. Thank you." Lick.
"Happy birthday, Hermione." Lick. "I love you."
"I love you t-umph!"
The ice-cream laid forgotten on the ground as the couple furiously snogged under the tree.
(Ron was never much for indirect kissing.)
For her twenty-second birthday, Ginny desperately convinced them to go on a double date with her and Harry.
"Please Hermione, come with us. Harry's been avoiding me lately and I don't know why. I hope he isn't cheating on me!"
Though Hermione and Ron were positive that Harry wasn't cheating on her (he was too noble to do such a thing) they couldn't turn down the frantically pleading Ginny.
"Are you sure you want to do this? It's your birthday, after all," Ron said, as he watched her put on some earrings.
"Of course I do! Anything to help Ginny," she replied, picking up her clutch. "Let's go."
At the Muggle restaurant, Ron found himself wishing that this really wasn't a double date. It was so awkward sitting with Harry and Ginny there; he couldn't say anything to Hermione that he wanted to. He needed privacy.
(Plus, Hermione was so pretty - she usually didn't dress up like this for their usual dates.)
"How's Auror training going, Harry?" Hermione eventually said, trying to break the silence. Ron rolled his eyes - she already knew everything, since Ron had told her.
It was a nice attempt though, and at least it got them pleasantly conversing. However, once the food came, they had an excuse to not talk and Ron basked in the easy silence.
Then the desert menus came, and things got complicated.
"I want the strawberry short cake," Hermione declared, and Ron nodded. She smiled, because she knew he hated that particular desert. On a normal occasion, he would have groaned, but today, for her, he stayed quiet and ordered something else for himself.
"Harry, let's share something!" Ginny said. "How about...the tiramisu?"
"Ginny, can we just skip desert and leave?" Harry hesitantly said. It was very unlike him, but once he put it out there, there was no turning back.
Ginny's face turned rosy pink. "Harry, we have to leave with Ron and Hermione. It's a double date, remember?"
"Ginny...please," Harry begged in a strangled voice. She looked at him oddly, knowing full well that someone like Harry would never talk like that under normal circumstances.
"I'm sorry guys, but I think...I think we have to go," Ginny said, shooting an angry glance at Harry. "I'll pay you back later?"
Ron rolled his eyes - that was some money he would never get back. However, Hermione just nodded and let them leave.
"That was strange. What do you think Harry's up to?"
"Think he's going to propose."
"Propose! Are you serious?" Hermione squealed, turning to face Ron. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"He never told me. I just guessed," Ron explained. "Lately, he hasn't been talking to any of us, and now that I think about it, he kept fingering his pocket. He must have had a ring in there."
"He must be really nervous, and wants to do it in private. That's probably why he wanted to leave." Hermione smiled softly. "I wish the best for the two of them."
As Hermione gazed dreamily off into the distance, Ron came to a realization. When would he propose to Hermione? They couldn't date forever, and Harry and Ginny had been dating for the same amount of time as they had.
Did he really love her, enough to want to spend the rest of his life with her?
(Yes.)
For her twenty-third birthday, Ron proposed.
He knew how it worked - he had seen it in action when he and Hermione had walked out of the restaurant last year, to find Ginny squealing and hugging Harry, with a new, sparkly ring glittering on her finger.
He knew what to say - he had asked Harry afterward, and received all the mushy dialogue that would make a girl swoon.
He knew what to do - get down on one knee in a romantic setting, gush out your love, and slip on a pretty (pretty expensive) ring.
All he didn't know was whether he would actually do it or not.
Ron was nervous out of his wits to propose to Hermione. Sure, they had been dating for four years now, and they were old enough - but Ron still had that old fear resurfacing - that she would refuse him.
He was too far in love with her; if she rejected him now, Ron wasn't sure if he would ever heal.
Now I understand why Harry was so bloody scared, Ron thought as he strolled with Hermione along the ocean. The city lights sparkled, and the waves gently rolled onto the sand. The setting seemed to be romantic enough.
"Hermione, t-there's something I need to tell you," Ron said, cursing himself for stuttering.
"What is it?" Hermione asked. "Is everything alright?" She knew him too well.
"Yeah," he gulped, but he knew he was already under her radar.
"Come on Ron, tell me. You know you can tell me anything," she said, and Ron felt like screaming. What he was about to tell her wasn't just anything; it was opening the next chapter of her life!
(They had been reading this one for too long.)
"Hermione, I-" Ron fell down onto one knee (a little clumsier than he wished) and Hermione's hand immediately flew to her open mouth.
"Hermione, I've loved you for a long, long time - ever since I first saw you, I think. I was just too silly to realize it then." Ron laughed dryly. "You've always been my best friend, and now you're also something more - my amazing girlfriend."
"We've been dating for a while, and now that I'm an Auror and you've got a permanent job at the Ministry, I think it's time to open a new chapter of our lives. You're a beautiful, intelligent, wonderful, fantastic girl, Hermione, and I'm so, so lucky to have you."
"Marry me?"
Hermione was worlds away from Ginny's reaction - at first, there was a silence. Ron's heart pounded loudly in his ears - it was all or nothing now.
Then the tears came, one at first, and then all at once - she was nearly sobbing as she gave him her hand to put the ring on.
Ron opened the velvet box, and Hermione's gasp was clearly audible. It was a gold ring, encased with cut white diamonds, sparkling brightly in the moonlight. It was expensive and exquisite - just like her.
The ring slid smoothly onto Hermione's finger, and suddenly, she seemed complete.
"Happy birthday, love."
For her twenty-fourth birthday, Ron almost died.
"Ron!" The doors burst open, and Hermione ran over to him, dropping onto her knees next to her husband. Taking in the battered up sight of him, she placed a hand over her mouth, and Ron knew she was about to cry.
"Please don't cry." He hated it when she cried - unless, of course, it was for joy, like when they got married.
She meekly shook her head, and the tears came anyway. "What...what happened to you?"
Ron sighed. He didn't really want to go into the details. He had been on a mission with Harry and a few others, trying to catch one of the few Death Eaters that hadn't already been caught yet. His back was turned for a second too long...and he paid the price.
"He's lucky he wasn't killed." Harry walked through the doors, Ginny following through. "What were you thinking, mate?"
Hermione squeaked, staring at him. He could have been dead.
"This isn't really how I wanted your birthday to go..." Ron began, coughing. Hermione just hit him ever so lightly.
"D-Don't ever do this to me again," she whispered. "I don't fucking care about what you do for my birthday - just stay safe!"
Ron gazed at her, and Hermione gazed back. His life was her life; if he died, she died.
Later, when he fell asleep, Hermione chuckled, running her fingers though his red hair. "You treat me too well anyways."
For her twenty-fifth birthday, they laid on their backs gazing at the clouds and let the world pass them by.
It wasn't as much as Ron usually did for her birthday, but it was enough for Hermione. After her gift last year (Ron's life) she was done with the extravagance and expensiveness Ron wanted to give her.
"Are you sure you don't want to go anywhere?" Ron asked for the tenth time. "I have money, we could go shopping-"
"How many times do I have to tell you? No! I want to stay right here." Hermione rolled over onto her side so she could look him in the eye. "All I want is you. Is that too much to ask for?"
"Too little." Ron pecked her on the nose, and she giggled.
They rolled over onto their backs again, and watched the clouds roll by. For a few minutes, the world seemed to be just the two of them, stuck in a single moment.
"I love you. You know that, right?" Hermione said.
"I know that," Ron replied. "I love you too."
It was silent once more. Hermione's hand dangled in between them; Ron's hand reached out and their fingers intertwined.
As the sun began to set, they stood up, stretched, and began walking back to their home.
"This is the best birthday I've had yet," Hermione declared. "Just the two of us." She laid her head on Ron's shoulder, which was somewhat of an uncomfortable way to walk, but neither of them cared.
Ron smiled, and ruffled her hair. He didn't think it was possible, but he seemed to fall in love with her more each and every day.
Hermione walked in front of him, and Ron quickly leaned forward and captured her lips with his own.
Their world stopped spinning as Ron dipped Hermione in the middle of the sidewalk. It was her birthday, they were in love, and they didn't give a fuck about PDA.
When they parted for air, Hermione touched her forehead to Ron's, smiling cheekily. Ron smiled back, loving her flushed cheeks and plump lips.
"We're reading this book together, remember?"
A/N: Long and fluffy Romione one-shot. Man, that felt satisfying to write.
Done for:
"One Day" Competition - Ron/Hermione on September 19.
FanFiction Tournament Competition - Shark and ice-cream.
400 Fragrant Prompts Challenge - Day 25: White diamonds
Pairing Diversity Boot Camp - Prompt #18: Forever
Fantastic Beasts Challenge - Crup
HP Potions Competition - Love Potion
Broaden Your Horizons Challenge - OTP
Holiday Category Competition - New Years
OTP Boot Camp - Prompt #50: Eternity.