Diclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Sorry, repost, I found a mistake and had to fix it!
What Mattered...
Rain soaked through Hermione's chiffon blouse as she stood staring at Ron, her mouth hanging open in shock, completely disregarding the droplets that beat on her head and shoulders, dripping from her hair.
She was shivering, and her lips had long since turned blue, but none of that mattered, not now, not when...
"Wh- what do you mean?" she stammered, unconsciously wrapping her arms around her wet torso, fingers gripping the soggy material, "What d-do you mean, 'you're tired of waiting' waiting for what?" She somehow managed to hold herself upright, even though all she wanted to do was sink through the muddy path she and Ron had been standing on for the last five minutes.
"I- just," Ron ran both hands through his hair, swiping his fringe away from where it had been plastered to his forehead, "This!" he exploded, "Us," he gesturing wildly between them.
If possible, Hermione's heart sank further, dread was creeping over her, fogging her mind, impeding her capability to make a sensible response. She was struck dumb.. in a sense.
"R-Ron, what are- I d-don't-"
They were less than two feet apart, but to Hermione, it felt like a chasm had erupted between them.
I can't wait anymore, Hermione! I'm sick and tired of waiting!
Ron was going to leave her. She knew it.
"Listen, Hermione," Ron said urgently, crossing the space between them, gripping her by her arms, shaking her a little. She remained frozen, staring up at him in horror, waiting, waiting, for the words she knew would come out of his mouth.
"We've been stuck in a rut since you got out of school," Ron was saying, "We never move anywhere, not forward, definitely. If anything, we've gone backwards."
Hermione mouthed soundlessly, he our hands coming up to grip Ron's forearms, "What are- what are you s-saying?"
Ron's bright blue eyes were almost maniac as the searched over her face, apparently he found something in her panicked expression, for he sighed heavily, releasing her arms and taking a step back.
The rain continued to beat down on their bodies, their clothes, long since soaked through. And still, they stood. Despite the way the wind picked up and swirled about them, whipping leaves and twigs about their legs.
Ron rubbed his hands over his face, wiping away some of the water, "Shit, Hermione, don't you see what's happening?"
She shook her head, eyes wide and watery for reasons other than the heavy rain fall.
"We're turning into one of those couples," said Ron, moving forward again, clenching his hands into fists, the movement almost frantic, "The ones that reach a point where they never move forward, or do- do- become-" Ron threw his hands up in frustration.
"I don't know what you mean!" Hermione cried out, rushing forward all at once, clutching Ron by the front of his sopping jumper, "Tell me, Ron, we can fix it. You have to tell me!"
Tears poured from her eyes, mingling with the droplets of rain that were already running down her cheeks, "I don't understand," she whimpered, her fingers gripping the heavy, wet fabric even tighter.
Ron, trembling from more than just cold, brought both arms up and wrapped them around her shoulders, crushing her to him, "I'm afraid we'll end up being one of those couples that stay together because of habit, or- or something, not because of love," he whispered, his voice, barely audible over the drumming and whistling sounds of the weather around them, "I'm afraid one day, we'll wake up and not want to be with each other anymore. I'm scared you'll leave in the middle of the night because you realise you aren't happy."
Hermione pressed herself more firmly against him, unable to speak once again, but Ron went on.
"I keep thinking that we'll stay like this forever. Just, Ron and Hermione. Not married, barely coping together, always arguing..."
She felt his shoulder shrug and his chest inflate as he drew in a shuddering breath.
"A-and I know it doesn't make much sense, but, there it is," Ron let out a deprecating laugh, "I'm tired of fighting, Hermione. And I am so sick of things being this way with us."
Hermione lifted her head from his chest, looking up at him, blinking frequently as droplets of rain hit her upturned face, "We can fix it," she said pleadingly, "We can make things work out, we- we can-"
"No, Hermione, I don't want to work it out."
Her heart dropped straight out of her stomach and she began crying in earnest, babbling nonsensical words about what she must have done wrong.
"I want to move forward. I want to marry you."
Each breath hitched in her chest, little gasping sobs emitted from her mouth, but even in her frenzied state, Ron's words sunk through.
"Y-you what?"
Ron was lowering himself onto one knee, unmindful of the mud and wet. His hands trailed from her shoulders to her hips, where he gripped her through the cotton skirt that was now soaked and sagging. He was staring straight up at her, as though she were a ray of sunshine in the middle of all the wind and rain.
"Hermione," he murmured, his eyes pinning hers, "Marry me," he implored, averting his gaze only to bury his face against her stomach, his nose pressing right above her belly button, he let out a shaky breath before looking up again, "I don't want to wait anymore."
Dumbly, she nodded, her hands rising of their own accord to rest on either of his shoulders, shaking, she tugged him a little, he rose, instantly cupping her face in both of his hands, his fingers buried in her hair.
"Yes?" he asked, an almost smile on his trembling lips, "You'll marry me?"
Hermione nodded again, top shocked to think, too overwhelmed to speak.
But she didn't need to.
Not a moment later, Ron was kissing her.
And she was kissing him back.
The rain still pouring and the wind, howling.
But none of that mattered.
Not storms, or words, or anything.
The only thing that Hermione cared about, was the feel of Ron's arms around her, and the way his lips moved against hers, how his breath felt against her ear when he whispered how much he loved her, and the fact that they would always, always be together.
Forever.
A/N: Believe it or not, I was typing the next chapter for Just For Now, and hit a rut... fifteen minutes later, I have a new one-shot. And I know it's random and out of the blue, but.. it just wrote itself.
Regards, Marie :)