"I think," Hermione offers timidly, "that I'm going to go home to take a shower tonight."
Ron snorts in shock. "What, like home home?" he questions.
She nods.
"But…why?" he asks once he realizes she's serious.
"I dunno." She shrugs. "Just to get out of everyone's hair for a tad. Give your mum a break, keep her from feeling like she has to be in hostess mode all the time, you know."
His eyebrows furrow. "No, I don't know. She likes having people to look after. I'm being totally honest when I tell you that she thinks of you as one of us."
"I believe you. But still. I need a change of clothes, anyway."
"You can wear some of mine," he disagrees instantly.
She shakes her head. "I'd really rather just run home. I won't be long."
He rakes a hand through his hair. "I guess I can't really stop you, can I?"
She smiles in triumph, and then agrees with him. "No, you can't."
They're quiet for a moment, regarding each other; Ron, wondering why she actually wanted to leave the Burrow, and Hermione, considering how ridiculous it was that once they had agreed that she would leave, she was finding it hard to go.
"Hermione?" he implores in the silence.
"Hmm?"
"Will you still wear my clothes?"
She can't help but grin a bit at this. Letting out a short sigh of acceptance, just so he doesn't get too full of himself, she agrees. "Alright."
He smiles full heartedly and shuffles across the room to pull an old tee shirt and boxer shorts out of his dresser. He walks back across the room and holds them out, presenting them to her. She takes the clothes, but as he bends down to kiss her goodbye, she cuts him short.
"But!" she exclaims.
He groans and lets his head drop onto her shoulder in defeat before straightening up again. "But?" he asks unwillingly.
"You have to promise me something."
"Sure."
She assumes a business-like tone and becomes the no-nonsense Hermione that he knows and loves. "Repeat after me."
"Mione," he complains bitterly.
"Do it Ron, or I'm not wearing them," she threatens, holding the clothes back out to him.
He sighs in acquiescence. "Fine."
"Hermione," she starts.
"Err…why are you saying your own name?"
"That's part of it, you git."
"Oh." He smiles sheepishly, silently asking for forgiveness.
"Hermione," she repeats.
"Hermione," his voice cracks a bit, and he clears his throat.
"I understand that I do not own you,"
"Aw, come on, you can't be ser-"
"Say, it Ron!"
He groans but complies. "I understand that I do not own you," he mutters.
"I know that though you may be wearing my clothes…" She waits patiently while he repeats the words.
"I do not hold any kind of power over you," she finishes.
"Hermione, I'm honestly offended that you think I don't already know all –"
"Humor me," she interrupts.
"I do not hold any power over you," he says, not completely succeeding in keeping the sarcasm out of his voice.
"Thank you," she says simply as she stands on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss his jaw.
"It's just that…" she continues. "I just feel like sometimes you have this insane hold on me, like you could ask me to do anything and I'd obey without a second thought. It scares me, sometimes," she admits.
He hugs her to him tightly. "That's ridiculous, and you know it. Now, repeat after me."
"What?"
"Humor me." He uses her words from before.
She exhales heavily, and he takes that as consent.
"Ron," he says regally.
She bites her lip before repeating, "Ron."
"I understand that I am my own person."
"I swear to god, Ronald, if you are making fun of me…"
He squeezes her in the embrace they are still in. "I'm not."
She regards his serious face for a few moments. "I understand that I am my own person," she finally says.
"No matter how strong my love for you may be,"
She rolls her eyes and catches his smug smirk, but repeats the words nonetheless.
"I still have complete and utter control over who I am and what I do," he says.
"I still have complete and utter control over who I am and what I do," she finishes quietly.
"Better?" he asks.
She nods before thanking him again.
He bends to claim the kiss that he attempted to steal earlier, and this time is rewarded with her lips molding to his. She breaks off after a moment, saying, "Well, I guess I'm off, then."
"Don't take too long. I'll miss you."
They kiss again, and then she steps away from him before apparating to her home. The home that neither of them really consider her home. Not anymore, anyways.