Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all affiliates do not belong to me...
Author's Note: I have not abandoned "An Improbable Romance" and I know I have not updated in forever, I just am having a bit of a block on that story. Not really sure where this story is going yet, I just sat down to write and decided to post it since the first chapter is finished. Hope you enjoy it, and let me know what you think!
The wind whistled softly against the window pane as Hermione put her feet over the side of her bed and sat up. Two hours she had laid there in Ginny's room, chasing sleep but never quite catching it. It was no use. She walked over to the window quietly, careful not to wake Ginny, and gazed out the window at the snow that was slowly piling up below. Knowing she would not be falling asleep anytime soon, Hermione pulled a sweater and a pair of jeans over her pajamas, grabbed her wand, and left Ginny's room, slowly closing the door behind her and heading down the stairs.
The fire in the Burrow's kitchen was warm as Hermione tiptoed past it. Her shadow danced around the familiar room as she tightened her boots and pulled on a coat and mittens, opened the back door and slipped out into the swirling cold.
Trudging through the ever growing snowdrifts, she made her way past the garage, the broom shed, and the frozen pond before coming to the woods at the edge of the Burrow's lot. Hermione turned onto the beginning of a skinny path, winding into the heart of the woods. The trees surrounded her, blocking out some of the wind and cold, and she sighed heavily, feeling much better outside where the cold air opened her lungs and cleared her head. After rounding a corner the path ended in a small clearing, holding a large oak tree with a wooden swing hanging from it. Hermione sat on the swing and moved her feet slowly, gently rocking along with the wind and snow. Nothing in particular was on her mind, just a great deal of little things that were in no particular way important, but just grouped together to sort of overwhelm her. She sighed again and picked up her feet, swinging a little bit faster, and tilting her head up to watch the stars through the shifting clouds. Strong hands suddenly covered hers where they clutched the ropes of the swing. A little bit startled, she tilted her head back further quickly and looked up into infinite blue eyes that could only belong to one person.
"You scared me, Ron," she said, smiling at her inability to hear him approaching in the deep snow. "What are you doing out here?"
"Couldn't sleep. I saw you from my window and figured I'd see where you were running off to in the middle of the night."
"I couldn't sleep either. I decided to take a walk and ended up here." Ron began pushing her slowly on the swing. "I used to love swinging at the park with my mum when I was younger," Hermione said quietly.
"You'll see her again soon, Hermione," Ron said. "And your dad."
"I know," she replied, sighing. "It just seems like forever since we've gotten together. After Harry defeated Voldemort I thought that I'd see them a bit more often. Don't get me wrong, I love being here at the Burrow, it would just be nice to visit."
"Is a bit of strange time to take a holiday, but they'll be back soon, eh? Next month? You can visit them as soon as they're back."
"You're right, of course," said Hermione. "It's going to be strange going back to the muggle world, even if it is just a short time."
"Well don't worry Mione," Ron said, smiling, "I'll call you on the fellytone while you're there."
"Telephone Ronald," she replied laughing.
"I know, I know. I was only joking."
"And you don't need to call, you can come by and visit anytime. You and Harry and Ginny." she said.
"You don't think I'll go and make a prat out of myself in front of your parents though? Call them muggles and ask inappropriate things?" He said, smiling again.
"Oh well I'm sure you will do that, but that's just your lovely charm," Hermione laughed, tilting her head back to look at Ron again.
"Well thanks, I'll take that as a compliment," he replied, and gave her a playfully harder push on the swing.
"You should." Hermione smiled, looking back up at the stars again, which were just visible in the cloudy, winter sky.
"The sky's nice here isn't it?" Ron said, looking up as well.
"It is. The stars are almost as bright as they are at Hogwarts." Hermione shivered as the wind picked up.
"You're cold," said Ron, noticing her shiver and grabbing the ropes to slow the swing. "Let's go back inside."
"Okay," Hermione answered, sliding off the wooden seat and dusting the snow off her jeans.
"How long do you think you'll stay at your mum and dad's?" asked Ron as Hermione fell into step beside him on the path.
"A few weeks, maybe a month," She replied, pulling her jacket a little tighter around her from the cold.
"And what will you do after? Come back to the Burrow?"
"Maybe for a bit," said Hermione. "I haven't really decided on anything for sure yet. Find a job, a flat, figure out what I want to do with my life. Are you going to stay at the Burrow for now?" They had not talked like this in a long time. With all of the panic and stress of the war looming over them since they had left Hogwarts there had been little time for planning out futures, not even knowing if there would be a future for everyone. So much of their time had been spent searching for horcruxes and helping Harry and the Order to track down the remaining faithful Death Eaters and finally Lord Voldemort.
Ron was quiet for a moment. "Well I'll start Auror training next month, but I guess I should probably be looking for a flat as well. Can't stay at the Burrow forever." They reached the back door of the Burrow and went inside, where the fire still warmed the room. They pulled off their jackets, scarves, and boots, and Hermione twirled her wand around until a jet of hot air burst from it's tip. She moved her wand down the bottom of her jeans to dry them, before doing the same on Ron's.
"Thanks," said Ron with a cheeky grin. "Fancy a cup of tea?"
"Sure," Hermione said, sitting down at the table while Ron made tea with a quick wave of his wand. He brought it over to the scrubbed wooden table and sat across from Hermione.
"So any new ideas on a career then?" Ron asked after taking a sip of his tea.
Hermione set her cup down. "I haven't quite made up my mind. I've spent half my life planning things out and all, but now that it's actually time to choose something I'm not so sure. Maybe a healer? Or a job in the Department of Magical Cooperation, now that the ministry is no longer corrupt."
"Not even considering being a professor with all those brains? Or writing a revised edition of Hogwarts, a History?" Ron laughed and ducked as Hermione threw her spoon at him.
"You are a prat, Ronald," she said, laughing in spite of herself. "Will you ever let that book go?"
"Umm...No. I don't think so."
"You're a git, you know that?" Hermione laughed, as she waved her wand at their now empty teacups, which flew up to the cupboard, cleaning themselves as they went. They both got up from the table, Ron stretching and yawning. Hermione led the way up the stairs, and stopped at Ginny's door.
"Goodnight, Hermione," Ron whispered, pausing behind her on the dark third floor landing.
"Goodnight, Ronald," she replied, putting her hand on the door handle.
"Hermione-"
"Yes?" she turned her head to face him.
Ron hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "Er...Goodnight."
She smiled at him, perplexed. "Night."
Ron started up the stairs, disappearing into darkness. Hermione could hear the ghoul in the attic banging against the pipes before she opened Ginny's door and closed it quietly behind her. She pulled off her jeans and sweater and climbed into her bed, looking out the window after she had laid down. The snow was still coming down in gusts, but her head was much clearer than it had been in days. She turned onto her side, a small smile playing across her face as sleep claimed her almost instantly.