Author's Note: Written for a prompt for hh-sugarquill on livejournal, which is part of the hogwartsishome community. Might re-do this at a later point. Mentions of Ginny/Harry, Ron/Hermione and Draco/Ginny, Ron/Luna.
If you sit close enough to the door of the pub, you can feel a cold breeze climbing down your shirt, licking your spine when it's opened. If you sit close enough to the door on a very busy day, Ron's best friend will always joke that you should wear areally warm coat since you'll be in a constant state of cold. However, on the one day that Ron is here by himself, the pub is empty and the air outside is nice and warm. Ron is sitting in the furthest corner away from the door, though, so he's not exactly worried about his body temperature. What he is worried about though is the fact that he's going to be meeting his best friends very soon.
He knows he shouldn't be worried, they're his best friends. They meet at this pub every week to talk to one another, see how their lives are going. They've been doing so since the end of the war, when Harry had been exhausted and hurt and heartbroken at finding Ginny with Draco – Ron grimaces at where his thoughts were headed, shaking his head in slight disgust before fiddling with the spoon that was on the top of the table.
Ron thought that Harry and Hermione told him everything – he sure told them everything, but the red-headed Weasley just couldn't ignore the evidence any longer. He needed to confront his friends, whether they were ready for it or not. And, it wasn't like he was angry with his two best friends. If anything, he was actually extremely happy with them. He had been waiting for this to happen for the longest time – hell, he figured it would have happened before they went off to war. But it hadn't and Harry had said he thought of Hermione as his sister (which, c'mon, Harry's never had a sister; how could he think such a thing?) so Ron had gone for the kill.
Which as he thinks about it now, Ron realizes that probably wasn't the best move yet. Hermione and he had dated on and off for a good two years before Ron finally grew tired of the fights and the emotions and the constant wondering if he was best or second best with Hermione. With one last big fight, a lot of tears and a fight on his and Harry's end (that ended with the two of them not talking for a month) Ron broke it off with Hermione.
It's been two years since then and Ron is happily engaged to Luna, Ginny has moved somewhere with that sodding bastard and Harry and Hermione? They're still playing around with each other's feelings. Or, well, so Ron thought.
It wasn't until Ron had been leaving Hermione's flat a week ago that he had seen them - a pair of ratty old boots that Ron knew belonged to Harry's godfather before he died. Ron, despite popular belief, wasn't as stupid as many people thought him to be. He knew Sirius was dead, and he knew that Harry stole those boots from his godfather – as some weird, twisted way of remembering the older man. Ron had paused slightly, stared at the boots with an arched eyebrow before going on his way, a small smile playing on his face.
He had ignored the confrontation he had been planning afterwards, instead, choosing to watch for more signs. How Harry had been even more attentive towards Hermione, how they were always arriving and leaving together – there were so many signs that eventually, Ron just gave up.
That was two days ago, which was when he decided to bring up meeting at the muggle pub they always go to for their weekly meeting. Harry and Hermione had readily agreed for the night that it was and with a smirk, Ron left with a game plan in his mind.
He had been at the pub for a good fifteen minutes before he saw Harry walk in, surprisingly without Hermione. He arched his eyebrow at that, watched as Harry rubbed his hands together before running his fingers through his hair – a nervous gesture, Ron recognized.
When Harry finally managed to get to their usual table, Ron had removed their drinks from this muggle invention called a cooler and laid Harry's drink in front of him. Harry sat down, played with the handle of his drink and then sighed, tapping his fingers on the table.
"What?" Ron questions, arching his eyebrow again as Harry looks up in surprise before looking back down with nerves. This causes Ron to arch his eyebrow even more, smirk slightly and then lay his hands on the table in front of him, stopping Harry quite well.
"You were going to tell me you're dating Hermione, then?" Ron questions with a smirk as Harry opens and closes his mouth in surprise. His hair is swept to the side, having grown it out so it's reminiscent of their fourth year. His eyes are wide and his fingers continue to clench and unclench in surprise, which causes Ron to snort.
Apparently, having heard the snort, Harry snaps his eyes to his and snaps his mouth shut with a faint look of annoyance on his face.
"How did you know?" He questions, looking at anything other than his best friend. Ron smiles slightly before relaxing in his chair and kicking Harry's foot lightly. With a sigh, Harry finally looks at his best friend and Ron can tell at how taken aback he is by Ron's facial features and posture.
"Why are you so – okay?"
"Because I've known for a bit," Ron replies, a small smile on his face as Harry stops playing with his own spoon.
"How long have you known?"
"How long have you been together?"
"About half a year," Harry replies, causing Ron to sit back in surprise. He figured maybe they were dating for a time less than that, but six months is something huge. Every time Harry had tried to date after Ginny, his relationships never lasted more than three months. To find out that the relationship he had with Hermione had past that marker, and gone into a half year territory was extremely surprising.
"You never knew?"
"Not that long, no. I've only known for a couple of weeks, if that." Ron replies, a little stunned and a little angry. "I missed a lot then," Harry looks at him in confusion, tilting his head slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I missed you being nervous on asking her out, on your first date, kiss, and night together. I missed you guys celebrating being together for one month, then for more than three months." Ron says, taking a gulp of his drink.
Harry pauses in sipping his own drink, before setting it down and sighing.
"Hermione and I figured you'd be angry, upset." Harry whispers, causing Ron to snort.
"And the fact that I'm happily engaged to Luna means—"
"Well, we – well, Hermione, figured maybe it was a rebound or you settling or—" Harry finishes, having seen the anger that crosses Ron's face at that line before he could close off the emotion on his face.
"It's Luna for you, then?"
"Yes. And I was never angry or upset when I learned about you and Hermione," Ron says, crossing his arms together and looking downwards.
"I didn't think you would be, but well, I kind of reverted back to my seventeen year old self," Harry mumbles, crossing his own arms and enabling a privacy charm above them so no muggles could hear their conversation.
"How didn't you know the whole time?" Harry questions minutes later, the two of them having remained silent for the rest of the time.
"It was quite hard to miss, actually." Ron replies, shrugging.
"What—"
"Your boots – well, Sirius' boots that you stole." Ron replies as Harry smiles slightly then finally, finally relaxes.
"I'm sorry for not telling you right away."
"No, don't be. I don't mind that you didn't tell me right away. I can understand why you wouldn't - -wanting to have something to yourself for once. It's the reasonwhy you didn't tell me that I mind,"
Harry remains quiet after that, biting his lip in a way that screams Hermione that Ron just bursts out in laughter. Harry looks up in confusion, eyes close together, causing Ron to laugh even more.
"I'm sorry, it's just – shit, stop with the Hermioneisms." Ron laughs, having coined that with Harry a few years ago. Harry blushes and shakes his head before looking down, breathing and relaxing for good.
"We should've told you, we shouldn't have hidden it from you for the reasons I stated," Harry says, leaning towards Ron and smiling in apology. Ron returns the smile before looking up at hearing the door open and laughs when he sees Hermione – frazzled, dazzled, worried Hermione.
"I take it Hermione and yourself had it planned to talk to me about your relationship today – break it to me gently?" Ron says with glittering eyes as Harry nods and laughs lightly, looking up at his girlfriend and realizing how obvious she actually is.
"Hey love," He says when Hermione finally makes it to the table. Hermione pauses, looking between a smirking Ron and a smiling Harry, and she lets out a breath of relief before slumping into their booth.
"I take it telling Ron about us went well, then?" Hermione replies, smiling towards Harry causing Ron to smirk and snort all at once.
"Actually no – he already knew." Hermione opens and closes her mouth in surprise before looking towards Ron, who laughs.
"I called you guys here today so I could confront you about it," He laughs, realizing that essentially, they had planned on talking about their relationship today anyway. Harry, having realized this himself lets out a laugh that comes deep from the belly.
"Harry!" Hermione groans, not liking the fact that she was probably pretty obvious today.
"What was it that made you—"
"Do you remember when I visited your flat last week?" Ron asks as Hermione nods her head slightly.
"I saw Harry's boots at the door, and then I kind of just – knew. I started watching for signs afterwards. You guys arrived everywhere together. You left together. You were very attentive towards one another – more than before." Ron says with a shrug as Hermione blushes and Harry plays with his spoon again.
"So, you're alright?"
"Hermione, happily engaged. I don't appreciate you guys not telling me because you thought I was going to be angry. But I'll learn to deal with it," Ron replies, shrugging as Hermione blushes even more, realizing how wrong she was about her beliefs towards Ron's emotions.
"Ronald, I'm so sorry!" She says, putting her hand on Ron's. Ron smiles lightly, shrugging before looking at the two of them together, grinning.
"So, half a year, eh?" He questions with happiness, inching forward in the booth. The conversation goes on like that for a while, the trio ordering food and then eating the food. They talk about a variety of different things.
From the relationship between Harry and Hermione, to the relationship between Ron and Luna, and when the wedding is. By the end of the night, the trio is a happy trio again, leaving the pub with excitement and happiness.
"Where you guys going to go?" Ron asks.
"My flat," Harry says before pausing. "We're thinking of moving in together. We know it's fast by normal relationship standards, but well,"
"You've been best friends since we were eleven, yeah I know." Ron grins, slapping Harry on the shoulder. The three of them are finally at their apparating spot, and with a grin, they apparated to Harry's flat, Ron feeling included for once.
"So, when are you going to move in together?" Ron questions, relaxing into Harry's couch as Harry snorts.
"Not mincing anything, are you mate?"
"Nope." Ron laughs, before the night goes on and the day moves forward, with the trio's friendship better then ever.
In two weeks, Harry and Hermione move in together. Within three months, Ron is helping his best friend pick out a wedding wing and within ten months, Ron is holding a bundle of joy while in his wedding tuxedo, Hermione and Luna having planned to do the wedding together. The years go by, but the trio wouldn't have had it any other way.