The war was over. It was as simple as that. Hermione sat on the front step of the Burrow. The war was over… but it wasn't. No one could simply turn the page or close the book. There were still funeral services to be held, plenty of them. There was still painful mourning to learn to cope with. The next few weeks, if not months, looked pretty dreary to Hermione. Just the thought of the going to Australia and having to explain to her parents about everything made her cringe. It would be difficult to say the least.
The night was completely silent. Stars were twinkling overhead. Hermione listened for movement inside the house. But she knew no one was out of bed. She also knew that no one was asleep either. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were likely in their bedroom, comforting one another over their extreme losses. Hermione had inkling that Harry had taken Hermione's place in Ginny's room that night. George hadn't left his bedroom all day. Percy and Charlie had remained reserved as afternoon and were sleeping off in some room on cots. Bill and Fleur were sleeping in magically enlarged tents in the yard. But Hermione couldn't even hear their breath in the quiet night. That left Ron. Hermione sighed. As soon as they had gotten back to the burrow after leaving Hogwarts, they had basically parted ways. All that she'd seen of him were brief glimpses in the entirely too crowded kitchen or while passing in the hallway with about 4 other people. The last time they had made actual intimate contact was after finding out that Harry was indeed- alive. Since then… nothing.
Hermione felt hollow. After the war, if both of them survived, everything was supposed to fall into place. Hermione had never put too much thought into how this would happen, but she knew for a fact that it would be perfect. She had been through enough suffering in her 17 years to last a lifetime. But then she kissed Ron during the battle. It wasn't supposed to happen that way. This added more confusion and mixed emotions into the chaos that was happening around her. She wanted to mourn for Tonks and Lupin and Fred, and every precious life that had been lost around her. She wanted to scream at everyone and everything. The last year of her life she had devoted to horcrux hunting and the defeat of Lord Voldemort. Her life did seem to have a lack of meaning now that the event that Ron, Harry, and herself had been working towards for half of their lives, was completed. It was over. Yet there were still so many loose ends that needing tending to… her parents in Australia, her plans for the next year, and the biggest of all: her feelings for Ron.
On one hand Hermione wanted to jump and squeal out of happiness that she had finally gathered the courage to kiss Ron. She wanted to cry tears of utter euphoria because he had kissed her back. Yet there they were, not even making eye contact in the past 48 hours. She missed the sound of his voice and the feeling of his presence around her. After spending the last year around Ron 24/7 she doubted that she could ever stop being around him. The past 48 hours were burning in her chest. But she was at a loss of what to do. Everything was a mess. Fred was dead. Tonks and Lupin, Sirius, Dobby, and Colin… Hermione could likely go on for over half an hour. The wind blew and the Burrow creaked behind her. Soft raindrops began to pitter patter on the roof, sprinkling down on the grass surrounding the house. A slow stream of clouds had gathered without Hermione noticing. The twinkle of the moon and the stars was gone, replaced by the rain slowly growing steadier. She sighed, not wanting to move inside. She lifted herself to her feet meaning to go inside. But on an unconscious whim she pivoted and ran out to the front lawn. Rain was becoming heavy now and Hermione threw her head back, her mouth open wide. She laughed and spun around with her arms outstretched. She felt like she was watching herself from above, spinning in circles as plump raindrops fell into her tangle of curls and onto her pink cheeks. At that moment life seemed to go on forever. It didn't matter that she couldn't see what her future held, it didn't matter that everything was in pieces because she was alive. That's all she had to be.
Eventually the cold raindrops had soaked Hermione through enough, and as the moment passed Hermione went inside. After drying herself off with her hand, she grabbed a blanket to sleep on the couch with. Her suspicions had been correct. Hermione had crept upstairs to Ginny's room and found a still wide awake Ginny and Harry sitting on Ginny's bed. Harry was reading a Quidditch book and Ginny was resting her head on his shoulder. Hermione had backed out of the room after a quiet goodnight and a smile from Ginny. She had thought that she had been off the hook then. But as the unmistakable sound of Ginny's footsteps creaked down the stairs, Hermione blew out the breath she was holding.
"Hermione…" Ginny said softly, padding over to the couch that Hermione was sitting on. Ginny plopped down next to her and looked over at Hermione, her curtain of hair falling over her shoulder. "Hermione, thank you so much for letting Harry stay with me." Ginny smiled. "But you don't have to sleep on the couch."
"Where else would I sleep?" Hermione asked wearily, knowing what Ginny would suggest before the words left her lips.
"Ron is all alone up there," Ginny let a small smile play at the corner of her lips.
"You know we've hardly talked since we kissed," Hermione said awkwardly, her cheeks pinker than usual.
"Oh quit it. What do you have to blush for?" Ginny said. "Hermione thank GOD you made the first move, I was afraid Ron would never work up the courage to. Besides, if you go knocking on his door, what's he going to do turn you away?"
"I guess not but-"
"But what?" Ginny snapped, raising her eyebrows.
"If I don't hear you go up these stairs in 5 minutes tops, I'll go wake him up myself. You're welcome," Ginny disappeared back up the stairs. Hermione sighed and ran a hand through her tangled and now frizzy hair. She stood up, exasperated. After pacing around the living room for 2 minutes, Hermione came to a halt at the foot of the stairs. Her stupidity finally reached her and overwhelmed her. This is stupid. We could've DIED in that war. We could have never kissed… never know how the other feels. And here we are wasting the hours away not even making eye contact. And with that Hermione dug her nails into her palms and marched softly up the steps. When she passed Ginny's room, Ginny was leaning against the door frame. Hermione hesitated.
"1 minute and 30 seconds left before I march up there myself missy," she said.
Hermione continued on steadily, her breath shaky. Her heart pounded against her ribcage in anticipation. She was about to ask Ronald Weasley if she could sleep in his room… possibly in the same bed. She stopped dead in her tracks, eyes wide. But not wanting Ginny to interfere, Hermione lifted her hand up to the door in front of her and knocked softly. She heard the rustling of sheets and the thuds of footsteps. Her breathing was rapid and everything was in slow motion as the door swung open. Ron stood there looking wide awake. He was wearing a blue shirt that matched his eyes perfectly and black and white pajama bottoms. Hermione crossed her arms over her red tank top and looked up at Ron sheepishly. Her bare legs were covered in goose-bumps instantly as Ron said "Hermione?"
"Uh, hi" Hermione licked her lips and tugged at her own white pajama shorts. "I just- I…" tears sprung to Hermione's eyes as she looked for the right words. Ron was too quick for her. Like a reflex, Ron was wrapping his arms around Hermione. Hermione stepped forward quickly, sliding her arms around his waist and leaning her head against his chest in one fluid motion. Ron stroked her hair.
"I know Hermione," Ron mumbled against her head. He kicked the door shut behind them and Hermione let her tears soak into Ron's shirt. The feeling of his arms around her sent waves of happiness and comfort through her, pushing away the pain slightly. Ron sat her down on the edge of the bed and Hermione wiped her face off and sniffed.
"I'm sorry…" Hermione said, looking at her hands, laying palm up in her lap.
"Don't be," Ron breathed. "I couldn't sleep anyway," he said. "I haven't slept since before the battle."
"Me neither," Hermione said, locking eyes with Ron. Their hands found each other's on the bed. She blinked suddenly, a mixture of butterflies in her stomach and sparks in her hand shot through her body. The feeling both comforted her and made her tense up a little. Ron squeezed her hand softly; Hermione let two more tears fall. Then she laughed.
"Ronald when are you going to kiss me?" she smiled as more tears spilled down her cheeks. Ron looked up from their hands and licked his lips, looking into her face. He let go of her hand and reached up to touch her face hesitantly. He brushed away the tears that were falling from her eyes and leaned closer. Hermione slid her body closer to his and tilted her head considerably. Ron breathed a laugh, "I can't believe you just asked me that." Then their lips met. Hermione slid her arms around his neck and Ron tangled his in her hair and around her back. Hermione smiled in between kisses and sat back on her ankles on the bed.
"There's just SO much to say to you… I don't know where to begin." Hermione exclaimed, folding her hands into her lap.
"How about we start with, I fancy you like mad." Ron let a half smile light up his face. "But you know that."
"I fancy you like mad too." Hermione smiled. She leaned into him and rested her head where she had always known it would rest perfectly, on Ron's shoulder with his arms wrapped around her waist and their legs entangled. "But you know that."