Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were sitting on the couch in their cottage in Godric's Hollow. Ron had his feet up on the coffee table in front of the couch; Hermione's back was leaning against Ron's shoulder, her feet draped over the arm of the couch. Ron was absentmindedly flicking his wand in the air, making random things happen, whether it was sparks flying or levitating old Daily Prophets. Hermione was reading some Muggle book, no longer having the need to devour Hogwarts, A History.
After a while, Ron got bored of playing with his wand, but unfortunately didn't have Harry to play chess with.
"Can I put the radio on?" Ron asked.
"Yeah," Hermione said, still reading.
Ron once again flicked his wand, this time at the wireless which rested on the stand behind the couch. The radio immediately clicked on, at a deafening volume.
"Ron! You're going to wake Rose!" Hermione reprimanded, dropping her book in her shock.
"Sorry!" Ron said, quickly flicking his wand at the radio to lower the volume.
"Honestly, Ron," Hermione mumbled, picking up her book and engrossing herself in the story.
Ron scowled at Hermione, though she couldn't see it, closed his eyes, and leaned his head against the back of the couch, listening to the wireless. The news nowadays was quiet and slow; occasionally there were still reports of Dark wizards running rampant around the countryside, but they were usually either false or people just wanting to stir up trouble and were immediately quashed by Harry and the Auror Department.
Tonight's news was about a string of arrests of wizards who had played jokes on Muggles – Arthur Weasley had had to clean up those messes – and a list of candidates who would be running for Minister of Magic in September.
"And now for what's new in Quidditch," the announcer's voice said. "Bulgaria beat America by a score of 260 to 100 thanks to Viktor Krum's marvelous capture of the Golden Snitch."
Hermione's hand froze in the middle of turning the page of her book and Ron's eyes snapped open at the sound of the Seeker's name. Hermione shifted uncomfortably and almost literally buried her face in her book. Even years later, Viktor Krum was still a sore subject between Ron and Hermione.
"Hermione?" Ron said.
"Hmmm?" Hermione answered, still hiding in the novel.
"Do you still write to him?"
Hermione closed her book, swung her legs onto the floor, and looked at Ron.
"Once in a while," Hermione said. "I think the last time I got an owl from him was about six months ago."
"Is he married?" Ron asked. Hermione could see that he was getting jealous.
"No. He's too busy with Quidditch," Hermione said.
Ron clenched his teeth in frustration.
"Is this jealousy still about the Yule Ball?" Hermione asked, the ends of her lips pulling up in a slight smile.
"I'm not jealous," Ron said, scowling again.
"Yes, you are!"
"I'm not," Ron said indignantly.
"If you say so," Hermione said, leaning back on the couch and opening her book again.
After a few minutes of silence, except for the radio, Ron said, "Did you love him?"
Hermione looked up from her book and blinked at her husband. "Who?"
"Krum."
Hermione dropped the open book onto her lap. She was silent for a moment and then said, "Yes and no."
"What do you mean 'yes and no'?" Ron asked more forcefully than he had intended.
"Well, he was my first real boyfriend, and he treated me kindly. More than you did, I might add," Hermione said, poking Ron in the chest. "So in that respect I loved him. But was I in love with him? No."
Ron looked relieved.
"Did you think I did?" Hermione asked, amused.
Ron nodded.
"What if I had? Would I really matter?"
"I don't know…" Ron mumbled, not looking at Hermione.
"You think if I loved him, I'd leave you," Hermione said, wise as ever.
Ron didn't say anything, but was confirmation enough for Hermione.
"Do you really have that little faith in my love for you?" Hermione asked, hurt.
"No," Ron said. "I just thought…maybe you'd want to be with someone more famous or popular," Ron mumbled.
"I want to be with you," Hermione said, softly but forcefully. "Quite honestly, being friends with Harry Potter is the closest to fame and popularity I ever want to be."
Ron smiled broadly at Hermione's joke and was reassured by her swift kiss.