The beginning after the end
"I know. I know 'Mione. But still, the bloke has made a difference to the prats that had the job before him." Ron's annoyed voice came from the bedroom, heard only by his wife, and, though he didn't know, his two young children.
"What do you think Mum and Dad are talking about?" asked a 6-year old Hugo.
"I don't know," Rose said pressing her ear to the door. "But I heard Mum talking to Aunt Ginny on the phone about the new Minister. Apparently, he is trying to pass laws to make house elves work harder. Mum was completely against it."
"Dear, need I remind you about Fudge or Scrimgeour?" Ron was now close to the door, his voice was now much louder.
"No, you do not. They were just as much of a pain in my arse as they were to you and Harry's, so no crap from you." Hermione chimed.
"Blimey Hermione," Ron eyed his wife. "I thought you were still against language?"
"Only around Rose and Hugo, and I am not the same goody I was in first year, prat!" Hermione emphasized the last word by sticking her tongue out at her husband.
Hermione heard a snigger from outside their cozy bedroom but figured it was her aged cat, Crookshanks.
"Ok that is it," Rose declared, "I'm going in there to find out what they are talking about, they are going to get into another row!"
Rose barged into her parent's very tidy room with a very curious Hugo following her. Ron and Hermione both looked like they had just seen Voldemort because both their faces drained of color. Apparently, they had thought they were having a very private conversation.
"Uh, how much of that did you two hear?" Ron asked dumbly pointing a finger between the two.
"Enough, but not enough to know what you were talking about." Rose said.
"The new Minister is trying to pass a new law to make house elves work harder or be dismissed. I'm so mad about it. They should – "
"'Be getting paid, not dismissed.' I know. I heard you talking to Aunt Ginny earlier." Hermione glared at her daughter. Ever since they got a Muggle phone, Rose had figured out that if she listened real hard she could hear what the other person was saying and follow the conversation. Once she had heard her dad talking to Uncle Harry about Aunt Ginny possibly being pregnant again. This had launched the "Where babies come from" talk.
"Though I don't know why you're getting your knickers in a twist, Mum." Rose said plopping down on their very comfy bed. She heard her dad mutter something about "not the bloody spew again" or something, which her mother obviously heard, because the color shot back into her face.
"It's S-P-E-W, and yes again. These creatures are very skilled at magic and their masters force them to use it only on command. They are beaten," Rose cut her moms rant off.
"Ok mom I'm sorry. What Is S-P-E-W, anyways?" Rose said attempting to change the subject.
"It's this crazy club your mother started in our fourth year; it's for elves' rights or whatnot." Ron said with an annoyed voice.
"Hey, it was not crazy. Back in fourth year," Hermione was talking to her two kids now perched on the edge of her bed. "Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny, your father, Grandpa Weasley, Uncle George, your uncles Charlie and Bill, and I all went to the quidditch world cup." She purposely left out Fred for obvious reasons. "We saw a house elf, Winky, be dismissed. It was awful!"
"It wasn't that bad. It was worse for Harry. They thought it was him who made the dark mark." Ron said.
"It was bad! All they know is that life, and when they get dismissed they have no idea what to do!" Hermione was now yelling at her husband.
"Wow! Ok, could you two stop, you are going to get into another row! Have you always been like this?" Rose asked her ashamed looking parents.
"Well," her parents said in unison.
"Ever since our first day at Hogwarts we have been fighting." Hermione said.
"Yeah, on the train she corrected my magic. But I like the little fights, it is what make our marriage interesting." Ron said half laughing.
Hermione gave a little scoff and Ron put an arm around her waist.
"Fighting is actually how we got together." Hermione chimed.
"Oh, do tell!" Rose said squirming.
"I'm getting out of here!" Hugo yelled and ran out of the room.
"We've told you about the finale battle before, right?" Hermione asked her daughter. She nodded.
"After the final battle, your dad and Uncle Harry went straight up to bed in the 7th year dorm. Aunt Ginny and I stayed in the common room and talked."
"Ugh!" Hermione plopped down on her favorite chair in the Gryffindor common room. "Who knew fighting a battle could be so exhausting?" she said half laughing.
"I know. I think I'll go to bed." Ginny said heading towards the stairs to the girl's dormitory.
"No! Wait. I want to know what all has happened since we left." Hermione said grabbing her wrist.
"Ok, but it's a long story, I mean you were gone for a while." Ginny said. Hermione nodded.
Ginny proceeded to tell her the major events that had happened. Neville had stood up to the Carrows many times. The make-shift D. A. meetings had gone well, but there were not many people willing to break rules. She talked about how everyone had questioned her about Harry the second she got on the train. She blabbed on about how much she missed him and how lucky Hermione was to have her man with her.
"Speaking of that brother of mine, what happened between the two of you? Spill!" she said half laughing.
"Well, nothing happened while we were gone. But," she said.
"But what?" Ginny squealed.
"After you and Tonx left the Room of Requirement, I kissed him." She whispered.
"WHAT?!" Ginny yelled.
"SHHHHHH! We were talking and Ronald said we needed to get the house elves out. I just realized that I love him, and I ran over and kissed him. Even if it was rudely interrupted by Harry!" she said.
"Well, The-Boy-Who-Lived is about to become very familiar with my Bat Bogey curse if he keeps that up!" they laughed for what seemed like the first time in ages to Hermione but after the giggling subsided, Ginny asked. "But are you two together now?"
"I don't know. Are you with Harry?" Hermione chimed.
"No idea! Hey, tomorrow why don't we take our guys to breakfast on the grounds? Like a picnic. It will save you the persistent questioning by Mum and Dad." She laughed.
"Good idea. It will give us a chance to figure things out. Why don't we meet in here at nine and then wake up the men." Hermione said with a mischievous smile on her face.
"Hermione Granger, are you getting ideas?" Ginny asked.
"Maybe!" Hermione spit out.
The girls went their separate ways in the dormitory and fell asleep thinking about their respective men.
"Hey, you never told me about that. Not even after-"Ron started.
"Shhhhhhhhh! Let her finish!" Rose yelled.
The next morning, Ginny ran down the stairs at 9:01 to find Hermione already there staring at the fire.
"Ready?" Ginny asked.
"Let's go!" Hermione said heading for the stairs to the boy's dorm.
As they crept up the stairs they saw Neville coming down.
"Oh, hi Ginny, hi Hermione, I'm wiped, what about you?" he asked.
"Not really. Hey, are Ron and Harry up there?" Ginny asked.
A smile went on Neville's face. "Yeah, but so are Seamus and Dean. Be quiet."
They said their goodbyes and the girl headed upstairs. There were four beds; two open and two closed. Dean and Seamus were snoozing away in the open ones so they stuck their heads in the others. Ron was in the one on the left and Harry on the right. Together they opened the curtains of both beds and then the curtains letting sunlight stream in the room.
"Gimefivemoreminutesmum!" Ron mumbled into his pillow.
Ginny was quite shocked to find that that Harry was already wide awake. He was sitting up in his bed reading the Daily Prophet. He showed it to them. The headline read "The Boy Who Lived Saves the World!".
"Maybe you will get a new nickname!" Ginny said half laughing.
"Merlin forbid!" he was laughing too.
"Come on. Get out of bed! We are going for breakfast." Ginny said pulling the sheets off Harry. Luckily he was already half dressed in red and green plaid boxer shorts (obviously Seamus') and a Chudley Cannons t-shirt.
"We?" Ron asked.
"I'm taking you, Gin is taking Harry. We're going for a picnic." Hermione said giddily. Each boy raised their eyebrows at their respective girls.
"Oh get up you prats!" yelled Ginny. Just then they heard stirring next to them. Dean and Seamus had woken up. Both looked very startled and had their blankets pulled up as if they were attached by a sticking curse to their chins. All six burst out laughing.
"Ok. Ok. Just let us get dressed." Ron said. Hermione noticed he was still wearing his tattered robes.
Hermione and Ginny headed down the stairs and waited not so patiently in the common room. Once the boys had descended, they headed for the kitchens.
"Did Master Potter enjoy his sandwich last night?" asked a rough voice behind them when they entered the kitchen. They all turned on their heels to find Kreature.
"Yes I did, thank you Kreacher." Harry said with a smile.
"So, you are already getting room service?" asked Ginny with a smirk.
"Well I did just save the world!" he said. All four of them burst out laughing.
"Um? What would Master Potter like for breakfast? What ever he wishes be brought to the Gryffindor table." Kreacher said.
"Actually, Kreacher, we were wondering, if it's not too much trouble, if you could prepare two picnic baskets. We would like to get away for a little bit." Hermione said nudging Ron with her elbow.
"A wise choice in me eyes. Already Kreacher has seen many men with cameras being pushed away by Missy McGonagall." He said with what looked like a smile, though none of them could be sure. They all said thank you and within five minutes, he had returned with two medium baskets. When he handed them to the men, they were indeed heavier than they expected.
"Kreacher has packed blankets and cusions for Master Potter, Missy and Master Wheezy, and Missy Granger. Kreacher also has packed so candy and butterbeer, just in case." He said looking very pleased. Again saying thank you, they headed out the door and left the castle trying to avoid everyone, and steering clear of the Great Hall.
"So where exactly are we going?" asked Ron.
"Well, you and I will be heading to the north side of the lake, Ginny and Harry the south. We'll be able to see each other in case any trouble comes up, but otherwise it will be private." Hermione said beaming.
"You've got this all planned out, don't you 'Mione?" Harry said with a smirk. He received a blow on the arm and two girlish mischievous smiles.
"Yes, I do. And Ron is the only one aloud to call me that!" she said returning Harry's smirk. Ginny took Harry by the wrist and lead him around the lake. Hermione went for a more gentle approach. She entwined her hand with Ron's which was gratefully returned. He and Hermione set up the picnic under a large tree, which included treacle tart, pumpkin juice, and other Hogwarts favorites. They found the candies and butterbeer and placed them aside for later.
"This is nice." Ron said with a sort of dazed smile.
"Yes it is." Hermione said glancing over at Ron.
"You know, I don't think we've had this much peace in about a… in about a year. And I'm glad that I'm here with you." He said more to the blanket then to her.
"Me too." She said quietly.
"I just have one question." He said looking her in the eye. Wow her eyes are beautiful, he thought.
"Yeah?" she said returning the gaze.
"Last night, in the Room of Requirement, when you… when you kissed me, did you…did you mean it?" he said stuttering.
"Ronald, why on earth would I kiss you and not mean it?" she said with a smirk and a giggle.
"So you did?" he asked eagerly.
"Yes, Ron, I did." She said. With those words he scooped her up and kissed her flat on the mouth. At first it was a chaste kiss, but within seconds it became more passionate. Both broke away but soon Ron became enthralled in a fit of giggles. At some time or another they had managed to knock over the pitcher of pumpkin juice, because when Hermione sat up, Ron saw a large orange spot at the top of her back. The juice had made the fabric practically transparent, therefore revealing to Ron a very red, lacy bra.
"Where did you get that, Madam Malkins?" he asked between gasps.
"Oh Merlin! This is Lavender's. It was in the dorm this morning. My old one was torn to smithereens last night, along with my shirt." Ron rolled over laughing at the thought of Hermione with a torn shirt, he could just imagine her cowering in a corner, her hand holding her shirt together. This sudden outburst earned Ron a blow on the back of his head.
"Ow!" he yelped.
"So anyways, I grabbed the first one I saw in the trunks, and this was on the top of one." She finished before Ron could giggle again.
"Well that one is very unfamiliar to me, so she must have bought it this year at Hogs Meade, probably at Fredrick's." this comment also earned him another blow on the head.
"I was only kidding. We never got further than swimsuits at the lake. Well, there was that time she walked into the dressing room with me in my knickers. But still, that looks like one from Fredrick's. I remember when I was about seven; Fred and George found a pink one that looked just like that in Mum's laundry basket. It turns out that one of Bill's old girlfriends had left it there. He got a nasty floo call that night!" the both once again burst out laughing. She thought about what he had said. Hermione knew almost immediately what store he was talking about. "Fredrick's" was a lingerie store on the outskirts of Hogs Meade. It was on a list of stores that students were not allowed to go into on the visits, but some girl always got away with it. They sold many things in that store that Hermione's mother would have been appalled at.
"Pity I never got to see that on her." He said with a smirk.
"RONALD! That is not even in the slightest funny. Here you are snogging me, but then you go fantasizing about your ex!" she yelled. She got up, and stormed off towards the castle. Ron ran after her.
"Hermione, wait! I didn't mean it!" he yelled.
"Oh, yeah, well it sure looked like you meant it when you two were thrashing around like a pair of eels! Do you know how much that hurt me? Do you?!" she bellowed. They now had a fairly large audience (including Ginny and Harry who were holding hands) to what would probably now be the most infamous fights between the two.
"Hermione, the truth is that I only dated Lavender to make you jealous. I thought that if you saw us snogging then you would get mad, which you did, and then have the same feelings for me, not send birds flying at me." He said eyeing her carefully.
"Ronald, you really hurt me. I had no idea you felt that way about me for that long. I was so thick. I've fancied you since the moment you saved me from that troll in second year."
"We were both thick, 'Mione. And do you know how long I've fancied you?" he asked. She shook her head "no". He took her hands in his. "Ever since I was on the train ride to Hogwarts in out first year, bushy hair and all!" he finished by pulling slightly and one of the ringlets in her hair. He remembered how bushy it was.
"So does this mean we're together?" he asked pleadingly.
"I guess so." She said. She heard a mountain of applause. The entire crowd was smiling and clapping and whistling. She dropped on of his hands and they went towards Harry and Ginny.
"Sorry 'bout your picnic." Ron said.
"It's ok, we got everything done that we needed to." He said holding up his and Ginny's adjoined hands and giving her a peck on the cheek. They all headed back to the castle together with the crowd following. For once everything was right in the world.
"Well Rosie, was that a good bedtime story?" asked Hermione.
"Rosie?" asked Ron. Rose had fallen asleep listening to the story.
"Well, at least she heard some of it." Ron said.
"Yeah, and it was fun thinking about that. I think I have a picture that Denis Creevey took ok that kiss." She said with a smirk.
"I love you, 'Mione." He said putting an arm around her waist.
"I love you too." She said placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. She took his hand, let Rose's head fall gently out of her lap and onto their bed, and led him out of the room, closing the door on a snoozing Rose behind them.
