What Now?

Harry Potter

Chapter1: Just the Beginning

The trio walked back inside Ron and Hermione hand in hand with Harry trailing behind them. A lot of things were running through them. Happiness, grief, exhaustion, and hunger just to name a few. Molly ran up to the three of them hugging them tightly after kissing their cheeks. No words were said for a while they were just glad that everyone that is still here is okay (for the most part). Harry looked around the Great Hall to see Neville and Luna as well as a bunch of other groups of students in conversation while part of the staff was trying to clean up and the other half helping take students to the Hospital Wing. Then he saw the Weasley's Bill and Fleur were helping Slughorn, Arthur was in a conversation with Kingsly, George was nowhere to be seen, Ron was comforting Molly as she cried on to him, and Ginny and Charlie were helping Hagrid. She made eye contact with him for a second before turning her eyes back to her second eldest brother. After a few minutes Hermione nudged him and pulled him aside.

"We should give Ron some time alone with his family," she said to him quietly.

"Yeah. I'm going for a walk I'll be back soon."

Harry walked outside while Hermione grabbed her bag and headed to the showers. As the hot water fell down her body her mind clouded with question like "What's next for us?" "Will I go back to school?" "Will my parents be able to set up their lives in London again?" but as fast as those questions flowed in her mind they disappeared. Her mind quickly filling with questions about Ron and their kiss. She's in love with him she knows that for sure, but what about him? Did he kiss her back because of the heat of the moment or was he sincere? When should she talk to him about it? Should she talk to him about it? Did he like it? Regret it? Should she say something first or wait for him to say something? Did he want to talk about it? All these questions were making her head spin and she felt weird not knowing what to do. She got out of the shower and after getting dressed went down to the common room to relax. A while after that she fell asleep. However, a few hours later she felt herself waking up. She slowly opened her eyes to see Ron on his knees in front of her with his hands on her shoulders and his eyes filled with worry. Without thinking Hermione threw her arms around his waist and started crying on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her back and rubbing it soothingly after pulling her closer to him. He kissed her head before starting to speak.

"It's okay Hermione. It's all over. We're okay."

However, she started crying harder as she thought about Mad Eye, Dobby, Fred, Tonks, Collin, Remus, Dumbledore, Sirius, Snape, even Cedric, and anyone else who all died in the long and painful war.

"It's okay," Ron said again.

A few minutes passed as Hermione's crying went from bawling to quiet sobbing. She pulled away from Ron and looked in his eyes as his hands moved from her back to cup her face whipping the tears off with his thumbs. She saw concern in his eyes and maybe even love. They stayed in that position for a while just looking at each other before Ron finally spoke up.

"I think we need to talk," he said.

"About what?" Hermione answered nervously.

"Us and our kiss."

"Okay," Hermione replied even more nervous.

Ron got up from the floor and sat down on the couch before running his hands through his hair and looking over at her. She got up and sat next to him. They sat quiet for a few moments not knowing where to start. Ron again spoke up first still looking at her.

"You kissed me," he started. "Why?"

"Well we might have died at any moment so like you said it was kind of now or never," she replied looking at the ground.

"Oh," he said looking at the ground as well not knowing what to say next.

"Ron?"

"Yeah?"

Hermione took a deep breath before saying the three words she has been wanting to say to him for over two years.

"I love you," she said quieter than attended.

"What?"

"I love you Ron," she said louder and more confident.

Ron looked up at her shocked. Did she just say she loves him? He was taken out of his shocked state when he felt a pair of soft lips on his as Hermione kissed him again. She placed her hands on his shoulders while his arms went around her waist as he pulled her closer to him. He was actually doing it. He was actually snogging the bushy haired beauty he has been dreaming about since fourth year. They kissed until they just couldn't anymore. Ron pulled away slowly resting his forehead on hers and looking into her chocolate brown eyes. He cupped her face again reality hitting him fast.

"I love you too Hermione," He whispered in her ear after their got their breath back sending shivers down her spine. After that he kissed her again before she could say anything back.

She tugged on his fiery red locks and opened her mouth to let him in as he requested by gently biting her lower lip. Warmth and pleasure sored through their bodies as they snogged and their hearts raced. Hermione pulled away after a few minutes and smiled at him before pulling him into a hug. She always felt so safe in him arms.

"Ron?"

"Hmm?"

She pulled away just enough to look at him before asking…

"What's next for us?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly "but whatever it is we have our whole lives to figure it out."

She chuckled before resting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders while his other hand grabbed one of hers wrapping their fingers together. They sat silently for a while just enjoying each other's company before quickly drifting off to sleep. Meanwhile while Molly and Arthur went looking for George, Ginny went looking for Harry. Ginny told Charlie and Bill she was going for a walk before heading outside. After about ten minutes she found Harry sitting by the lake. Reality looked like it slowly was catching up to him as she noticed his always messy hair looked like it had been pulled a million different directions. He had a cracked smile on his face but dried tears stained his puffed out cheeks. His emerald green eyes now looked red with anger, exhaustion, and a bit of sadness. Ginny walked up to her ex-boyfriend and sat down next to him. With the events of the day flashing through her mind she gave Harry a sad smile before her look turned angry.

"Hey Gin," he said oblivious to her look.

"HOW DARE YOU SCARE ME LIKE THAT HARRY POTTER!" she yelled at him suddenly punching him after every word.

"Ow Ginny," He said rubbing his arm.

"YOU DON'T CONTACT ME FOR MONTHS AND THEN THE NEXT TIME I ACTUALLY REALLY SEE YOU VOLDEMORT IS SAYING THAT YOUR'RE DEAD AND I SEE HAGRID CARRYING YOUR LIMP BODY IN HIS ARMS! ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY IS OW!"

"I know, I'm sorry Ginny."

"You terrified me. I really thought you were dead and I didn't get to say goodbye or anything."

"I know, I'm really sorry Gin but I needed everyone to think I was dead so I could catch Voldemort by surprise."

She crossed her arms and glared at him.

"I never stopped thinking about you. Sometimes I would open the map and just stare at your name hoping you were okay. I was afraid that if anyone knew we were in contact that they would have an extra reason to hurt you.

"My family are 'blood traitors' and I was fighting on the good side they would have hurt me anyway."

"I didn't want to take any chances. I love you Ginny," he said before he could stop himself.

"You do?" she said her ocean blue eyes getting rid of some of the anger.

"I think I do," Harry said turning to look at her.

"I love you too Harry," Ginny said after a few minutes of silence. Harry wrapped his hands around her back pulling her into him before Ginny cupped his face pulling his lips to hers. After a few minutes of bliss they pulled away smiling.

"I can't believe it's over," Harry said.

"I can always kiss you again," Ginny joked.

"The war Ginny."

"I know. What were you doing out here anyway?"

"Thinking. My whole life revolved around me defeating Voldemort but now that he's gone I feel so lost. What am I going to do now?"

"I don't know but whatever it is we'll figure it out together. Me, you, Ron, and Hermione," Ginny said taking his hand and helping him up.

"Yeah just the four of us."

"Always," she said smiling. Still holding Harry's hand the pair walked back to the Gryffindor common room together. Harry looked around the common room to see his best friends asleep in each other's arms.

"It's about time," Ginny said also seeing her best friend and brother.

"Yeah," Harry agreed smirking a little.

"Come on we should get some sleep as well," Ginny said

Harry followed his again girlfriend up the stairs and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. The four woke up at around ten the next morning with Bill yelling at them "wake up you lazy bones!" He smirked when he walked in to see his little brother asleep with his arms wrapped around Hermione and walked up to see his little sister asleep with Harry's arms wrapped around her. The four hazily walked into the Great Hall for some breakfast talking to each other about last night's events (Ron and Harry separate from the girls of course). After breakfast Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione helped some of the teachers clean up. At around one the four walked out to the beach where Harry and Ginny reunited and talked about random stuff. After a while Ron turned to his girlfriend, best friend, and little sister before asking…

"So now that it's the end what's next?"

A few moments later Harry answered.

"It's not the end Ron. It's just the beginning."

Well that's chapter one. I hope you like it. I just love Ron & Hermione together and it's sad we never got to read or see them officially get together. Ginny and Harry too. By the way this story is going to be chalked full of Romione moments with some Hinny. So if you don't ship them I would not recommend this story.

Chapter two preview: Romione's first date and Bill and Fleur's big announcement!

Read and review please and check out my other HP story 15 Things About Us. In your reviews answer this question and I'll give you a shout out in the beginning of the next chapter.

QOTHC (BTW these are all going to be taken from the Harry Potter tags): Favorite Book?

MA: Prisoner of Azkaban - Time Travel, Sirius Black, Lupin, Dementors, and Hagrid being a professor, what more could you ask for?