I needed to release some of my fangirliness so I wrote this wonderful little piece of fluff placed post-Deathly Hallows. Having Hermione and Ginny still at Hogwarts while Ron and Harry are off working for the Ministry is hard on everybody! Ron's POV.


The lift doors opened and the cool female voice said, "Atrium."

"Yeah, I know," Ron said irritably, stepping out into the grand hall. A never-ending stream of witches and wizards was pouring out of and into the fireplaces at either side. Ron started forward, accompanied by the two other Aurors.

As usual, many people stopped to stare at the trio. Well, not so much as all three of them, but at least the one just behind Ron, the one with dark hair and glasses.

Harry Potter was trying not to draw attention to himself but it wasn't working. He was just too easily spotted. Having defeated the greatest Dark Wizard in history just eight months ago, he was even more incredibly famous than before.

Walking just behind Harry, Neville Longbottom was strutting along, not even noticing the attention they were getting. He was smiling and waving at people he recognized.

Ron approached a line in front of a fireplace, digging around in his robes for the pouch of Floo Powder.

"Don't they have anything better to do then to stare at me?" Harry muttered to Ron, glancing around wearily.

"Apparently not."

"It's like Hogwarts all over again."

Ron finally found the Floo Powder and pulled it out. Harry and Neville took a handful each.

"Speaking of Hogwarts, want to have a visit?"

"Can't," Harry said. "Minister Kingsley wants a meeting."

"Shame."

"Yeah, I'd have fancied seeing Ginny…"

They reached the fireplace and Ron climbed in first. He nodded to Neville in farewell; he smiled back cheerfully.

"The Burrow!" he said and was whisked away by the fire. He spun and landed in the Weasley's small living room. He stepped out of the grate just in time; another roar of the fire and Harry appeared behind him.

Brushing soot off of themselves, they walked into the kitchen to find Mrs. Weasley bustling around the table. George was reading the Daily Prophet and smirked upon seeing them.

"You two are home early. Look what came."

George threw three flat, pentagon-shaped objects onto the table. Harry scooped them up curiously as Ron sat down at the table and pulled a plate towards himself.

"Ron!" Harry said excitedly, handing him one of the objects. Ron took it and surveyed it. Looking up him, smirking, was himself.

"I'm on a Chocolate Frog Card?!" Ron shouted, jumping up.

"Harry Potter, 1980 to present," Harry read from his. "Known for the first and second defeat of the Dark Wizard Voldemort. Oh, saying his name now, are they?"

"Ronald Weasley, 1980 to present," Ron read. "Known for his assistance of Harry Potter's second defeat of the Dark Wizard Voldemort."

"Hermione's got one too!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Says the same thing as yours, though…"

"Wicked!"

Molly swept over and wrapped her arms around her son.

"I'm so proud of you! A Famous Witches and Wizards Card! Just like Dumbledore!"

"Mum, don't cry." Ron was grinning. His bad mood seemed to have evaporated.

"Nice one," George said, shaking Ron's hand as Mrs. Weasley transferred to Harry. "Percy'll hate that you've beat him at something."

"What has Ronald beaten me at, George?"

"Speak of the devil!" George said, sweeping over to his brother, who had just entered the kitchen. "Ron's gotten himself on a Famous Witches and Wizards Card. How does that make you feel, eh Perce?"

"Really?" Percy said, looking surprised.

"Really," Ron said, still grinning.

"Well… congrats, old boy," Percy said, tottering over to shake his brother's hand.

They all settled in for a little celebratory dinner, Mr. Weasley showing up right in the middle. The Chocolate Frog Cards were passed around the table at least five times.

"I must say, you look very spiffing in your portrait, Harry," Percy said on the third go-around. Ron caught George's eye and they snorted into their pudding.

Around five o'clock, Ron announced that he was off for a visit to Hogwarts.

"Oh, give these to Ginny and Hermione!" Molly said, handing him a large box that Ron knew was filled with some kind of homemade goodie.

"Say hello to Ginny for me," George said.

"Me as well," said Percy.

"Tell Ginny I love her." Ron rolled his eyes at Harry, who grinned. "And give my best to Hermione."

"Got it. See you!"

Grabbing the Wizard Cards, Ron walked to the yard and outside the gate of the Burrow. He turned on the spot and was suddenly standing on the High Street of Hogsmeade. The castle dominated the northern horizon. This sudden proximity with Hermione made him giddy. He usually visited every week if he could, but it had now been almost a fortnight.

Ron started up the hill to the castle. He passed the Three Broomsticks, where he waved at Madam Rosmerta, and the Hog's Head. Through its windows he could see Aberforth glaring at him.

When he reached the castle gates, the Auror guarding it recognized him instantly and undid the enchantments on the gate to let him through.

"Thanks, Williamson."

Williamson nodded and began re-doing the protection spells once Ron had stepped through.

The lake soon came into view, glittering brilliantly in the faint March sun. The evening was rather chilly; Ron fastened up his robes. The trees of the Forbidden Forest were swaying in the breeze on the opposite side of the lake.

After a while, he reached the front steps to the castle and hurried up them. The Entrance Hall was brightly lit and warm. To his right came the sounds of dinner finishing up. He ignored it and went right up the marble staircase to the first floor. He passed the old Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, thinking of all the teachers they had had in the subject and the odd things that had happened in it.

On the second floor he spotted Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, also full of memories, though not all of them the best. He had the ghost who inhabited it to thank for that.

He heard groans of pain coming from the hospital wing on the third floor and Madam Pomfrey trying to convince someone to drink medicine. He passed the hump-backed witch that led to Honeyduke's and kept on trucking up.

On the fourth floor he wondered if he should stop by the library, just in case Ginny or Hermione was there but decided against it when a gaggle of fourth-year girls skittered out of it, giggling, with Madam Pince on their heels.

Ron finally arrived on the seventh floor. He took the long way around to the Gryffindor Common Room. He did not want to go through the corridor in which he had seen his brother die. He could not bear it, so he avoided it at all cost.

He approached the Fat Lady.

"Harry Potter," Ron said. It was the new password.

She looked him up and down and swung forward to let him gain entrance.

"Hiya Ron!" It was Dennis Creevey. He had just leapt up from his seat by the fire to ambush Ron. "Where's Harry?"

"Couldn't come this time, sorry Dennis."

Dennis looked thoroughly putout.

"Hey, you haven't seen Ginny or Hermione have you?"

"Ginny was just here…"

But he was cut off when Ginny appeared out of nowhere at his shoulder.

"Hey, Ron!" She hugged him and he handed her the package.

"Mum," he explained. She peered into it.

"Yum, treacle tart. Harry's favorite."

"Yeah, we were sort of having a celebration."

He showed her the Famous Witches and Wizards Cards. She laughed.

"Just what you've always wanted, right?" Ginny said.

"Shut it."

"You think Harry'll let me keep his?"

"Yeah, he won't miss it."

"How is he?"

"Same as ever. Famous."

They laughed again.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Library, I would imagine."

"Damn, I was just down there."

He bade his sister goodbye and ventured back out of the portrait hole and down the three flights of stairs to the library on the fourth-floor.

Ron crept in silently, not wanting to evoke the wrath of Madam Pince. He filed along the rows of books until he finally located the bush of brown hair in the far corner. He lurked behind her, unnoticed. She was busy scribbling something, though she had one hand in her lap as if she was hiding an object in her hand.

He leaned as close to her ear as he could and whispered, "Hermione."

She jumped with a squeak; the noise was joined by a shriek that sounded like an owl.

"Quiet, Pig!" she shooshed Ron's owl, whom she had evidently been petting as she wrote.

"Ron!" she whisper-shouted. "Do you want to get me thrown out?"

"You're the one harboring an owl."

She turned slightly pink and turned to clear away whatever she had been working on.

"I'm sorry," Ron said, pecking her on the cheek. "Did I disturb you?"

"Not really."

"What were you doing?"

Hermione finished packing up her bag and stood.

"I was writing a letter."

"To who?"

She glared at him with her signature you should know this already expression. Ron looked down at Pig. The owl nipped Hermione's finger affectionately.

"Oh, right."

She took his hand and they walked from the library. Able to talk at normal volume once more, Ron gave her the Chocolate Frog Cards. She beamed at hers and laughed at his.

"What's so funny?" Ron demanded.

"It looks just like you," she giggled.

"What's wrong with that?" said Ron, affronted.

"Nothing!" She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Can I keep yours?"

That's just what Ginny had asked of Harry's.

"I was hoping I could show it off at work tomorrow."

"Please?"

Ron sighed, annoyed.

"Why do you want it?"

She didn't answer. They were silent all the way back up to Gryffindor Tower. Ron dropped her off outside the Portrait Hole. Feeling as though he had done something wrong, he said, "Well… goodbye. I'll come back in a week or so. Hopefully Harry'll be able to come too."

"Bye."

Ron turned to go. He was a quarter of the way down the corridor when he stopped, realizing something, and sprinted back.

"Wait!" he called. Hermione had been about to climb in the portrait. She turned.

"Can we trade?"

Her face lit up. She held out her Card and Ron took it, replacing it with his.

"So we'll be able to see each other everyday, right?" He now understood why the girls had wanted their respective boyfriends' Cards. The girls were stuck at Hogwarts while the guys were out catching Dark Wizards. It didn't seem fair.

"Goodbye," Hermione said, smiling, and turned again to the Common Room.

"Wait!" Ron said once more and, gathering her up in his arms, kissed her. After a few minutes, he set her back down and she staggered into the Portrait Hole, which had been hanging open the whole time.

"I'll come back next week!"

The Portrait swung shut, but not before Ron caught a last glimpse of Hermione's bright red face. The Fat Lady was muttering darkly as he walked away, a new spring in his step. He stared down at Hermione's card with renewed interest and slipped into the pocket in his robe that was closest to his heart.

For a day that had started out so dull, it had ended unquestionably bright.


Thank you for reading, please review!