I Don't Think I Love You Anymore
Hermione sat by the fire in the Burrow kitchen and read out of her Charms book. It was the Christmas Holidays at Hogwarts and she was glad for the break. Much to the surprise of most of the Wizarding world, Hogwarts had opened its doors again only months after the battle in which the Dark Lord had been defeated by Harry Potter. McGonnagal as the new official headmistress had offered students an extra year if they wanted or needed it and Hermione had jumped on the opportunity, never one to miss out on learning, but it had really been a tough semester for her, especially as Ron and Harry had decided not to join her in returning.
She was looking forward to seeing them when they got off of work, excited because Ron had finally got up the nerve to ask her out and because the two of them were her best friends and school just wasn't the same without them. She looked up from her text when Ginny came shrieking down the stairs. "They're here!" the tiny red head yelled in Hermione's direction. She was just as excited as Hermione to see the boys. Hermione put down her book and quickly followed Ginny out into the yard to see the boys walking up the hill in their direction. Ginny started sprinting off in their direction and Hermione couldn't help but catch the same fever and follow the smaller girl toward her friends.
Her long hair flew around her head as she raced toward the two people in the entire world that she felt the strongest connection with. Ginny was already all over Harry when Hermione joined them and so she threw herself into Ron's arms, holding in a fierce embrace. "What a great greeting," Harry laughed.
"I could get used to coming home if I got this treatment every time," Ron added as Hermione dropped light kisses over his cheeks. After a few moments Ginny disentangled herself from Harry and Hermione let go of Ron to greet her other best friend. He smelled just the way she remembered, like grass and chocolate mixed with something that she suspected he used as an auror.
"I can't believe I haven't seen you two in months!" she exclaimed as Harry's strong arms embraced her.
"We miss you too, 'Mione," Ron told her as she let go of Harry. The foursome walked up the hill happier to be in the company of the others than they had been for what seemed like ages. Harry was busy with his first taste of being an auror. At seventeen he had become the youngest auror ever, starting his training just weeks after Voldemort's defeat. Ron was helping George at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. George had been completely devastated for a while and having Ron around had really helped him. He was starting to regain that sense of Weasley twin-ness that he and Fred and possessed so much of. Hermione and Ginny were still in school, though now in the same year. They were due to finish up in the spring and Hermione couldn't have been happier. She had planned to become a healer with St. Mungo's and was taking lessons from Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing as well as making trips to St. Mungo's every few months for interviews. Ginny wanted to be an auror as well, though her mother really wanted her to find something else. She had decided to work in the ministry office of magical law enforcement as an office assistant for a year, and then start her training in compromise. She had tamed down a bit in regard to appeasing her mother after Fred had been lost.
Mrs. Weasley was waiting in the kitchen for them when they finally made it into the house. "There you are, dears. I thought perhaps the boys had gotten here when I saw Hermione's book abandoned."
"You abandoned a book?" Ron mock gasped which earned him a swat from his girlfriend. Mrs. Weasley embraced the boys and then instructed them to set the table. "Mum! We just got home!"
"You live here, Ronald, and I expect you to help out a bit," Mrs. Weasley said firmly. "When is George going to be here?"
"He said he had some business stuff to take care of, but he'll be here at 7," Ron told her. "It's like him to show up only when he knows the food will be ready."
"You leave your brother alone, Ron," Mrs. Weasley instructed. "He's running a business."
Ron grumbled, but he and Harry set the table while the girls helped Mrs. Weasley get the food ready. Mr. Weasley turned up just before George and greeted the brood, then when the shop owner walked into the kitchen Mrs. Weasley started serving the food. The talk was pleasant and Hermione felt as thought things were finally getting back to normal as the people around her laughed and filled the kitchen with warm thoughts.
After dinner Hermione really only wanted to sit around with her two best friends and catch up, but Ginny wouldn't be forced away from Harry's side and George would have been lonely had they excluded him from the group so they all sat in the living room and talked about things going on with the people that that had and were going to school with. Neville had asked Luna to marry him, surprising everyone at Hogwarts and Ron, Harry and George when they found out.
"When did they get together?" Ron asked.
"Neville? The shy, clumsy bloke?" George asked with a laugh.
"That's right. Neville asked her. They've been going out since the battle. With her father gone his grandmother asked her to stay with them," Hermione said.
"I didn't think he had it in him, either," Ginny put in. "But he walked right up to her and gave her a ring. She said 'yes' immediately.
"Good for him," Harry laughed. The conversation moved on to Lee Jordan and his job as an announcer for Ireland's quidditch team and it was Hermione's turn to be shocked. She obviously hadn't thought that his school hobby would take him that far. As their conversation went on Hermione found herself glad to be with the entire group, but longing for private time with her two friends. She hoped that sometime during the break they would find an excuse to steal them away.
George went home at nearly midnight and Ginny pulled Harry to the side to 'talk' and so Hermione at least got to spend some time alone with Ron. He led her upstairs to his bedroom in the attic and they actually talked for a bit. He kissed her softly and she nearly melted. She wanted nothing more than to curl up with him and fall asleep with his arms around hers, but he kissed her again, this time more insistently.
She responded by wrapping her arms around his shoulders and playing with a strand of his ginger hair and was thoroughly enjoying herself as he traced circles on her back. He broke the kiss for a moment and moved his mouth to her neck and her body began to heat up. He put one hand inside her shirt and traced her breast through her bra and she had to take a step back.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I…I just don't think we're ready for this," she said quietly.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Ron…I love you, but…well I want to take things slow." He reluctantly agreed, removing his hands from her shirt and placing it on her waist and staring into her eyes.
"I really want us to move forward, Hermione," he told her.
"And we will. We've only just started dating," she said. She was glad when Harry and Ginny came up, ready for bed so she didn't have to see the disappointed look in Ron's eyes. "'Night, Harry. Ron," she said, following Ginny out. They bade the girls goodnight and settled down to sleep. Even when Hermione was in bed she kept thinking about what had happened with Ron. Ginny was breathing slowly in the other bed and Hermione tried to fall asleep, hoping that sleep would allow her to forget about how he had seemed to want to hurry things along. Eventually sleep took her, but she didn't quickly forget about Ron's desires.
The rest of the break went by far too quickly for Hermione. She didn't get the time with her two friends like she had wanted, but the company of Ginny and George at least took the pressure off of her in regard to Ron's wishes. She couldn't help but feel like he was sulking a bit. Christmas brought her a sweater from Mrs. Weasley, new quills from Ron, a day dream product and a huge wink from George, personally made perfume from Ginny, a book on the Wizengamot from Harry and a few muggle gifts from her parents. She went back to Hogwarts content, with only a little niggling in the back of her mind about her relationship with Ron which she squashed in favor of getting back into her studies. She only hoped the feelings would go away by the time she saw her friends again.