Roses and Revealing Charms
Hermione bustled through Hogsmeade absentmindedly and shivered slightly in the cold. She wrapped her cloak more tightly around herself and wished she had brought her scarf. Thinking it was best to warm up in one of the shops, she walked into Honeydukes and thought she might as well look around. The witch pondered over sugarless sweets for her parents before her eyes landed on the chocolate frogs. A smile flittered across her face when she saw that they had announced the addition of several people who fought at the Second Wizarding War, including her two friends and herself.
Normally the cards wouldn't have been revealed before opening but it seemed the new hype was to collect their favourites and the sweets were piled high on a little mountain categorized to each person. Hermione reached for one that had Ronald Billus Weasley on it and thought she had found the perfect Christmas gift for her boyfriend on top of the suit she had already gotten him. They were going to spend Christmas together at the Burrow with Hermione's parents who had their memory alteration charm lifted as soon as things began stabilising in the Wizarding World. Currently, Ron was somewhere else in Hogsmeade, also looking for a Christmas present. The two had decided to split up to buy each other gifts and soon it was almost time to meet.
When she started to walk to their meeting place; in the Three Broomsticks, she saw Harry and Ginny about to go in.
"Harry! Ginny! Wait up."
The couple waited for their friend to catch up and the three of them walked in together. The atmosphere of the bar seemed to mount at the sight of them and soon there were excited whispers and mutterings amongst the students and other customers, but were paid no attention. They spotted Ron sitting in a corner, he waved at them and
they sat down, Hermione next to Ron.
"I already ordered your drink, Mione." Ron said and he pulled his scarf off and wrapped it around Hermione when she sneezed. Harry ordered some drinks for Ginny and himself before sitting back down.
"Thanks Ron," she murmured, as she covered another sneeze with her hands.
"Harry, are you sure you're going to Mrs. Tonks' for Christmas? My parents would love to see you again." Hermione said to Harry, taking a sip of the butterbeer that had just arrived.
"Yea, I want to see Teddy, sorry Hermione, I'll see your parents next time. There's plenty of time for things now." He said with a grin.
"I suppose you're right," Hermione said smiling. "Are you going too, Ginny?"
"Yea, Mum said it was okay last week."
"You know, why doesn't she just come over to the Burrow? Tonks and Remus were practically family." Ron said, now sporting a foam mustache that Hermione wiped off with a small laugh.
"She said she doesn't want to impose," Ginny replied. "Though I suspect she wants a quieter Christmas, with what happened to her and all."
As they talked on, the outside began to reach freezing points and they decided that it was soon time to return to the castle. Not bothering to walk in the heavy winds, they disapparated outside the Three Broomsticks.
The next morning, everyone made their way towards Hogsmeade station for the ride back to London and they had peaceful compartment all to themselves along with Neville and Luna. Although a bit squashed, the friends sat comfortably and shared exciting holiday plans. When they arrived at London, Ron and Hermione went their separate ways from Ginny and Harry and they apparated to the Burrow from platform nine and three quarters. They arrived right outside the Burrow's gates and saw Molly running up
to them happily.
"Oh Ron, Hermione so good to see you."
She hugged them both tightly, using one arm for each.
"It's good to see you too Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said as Molly withdrew from the embrace.
"How're doing Mum?" Ron asked his mother and she smiled a little sadly but reassured her son that she was fine. Ron knew she was dreading Christmas a little as it would be the first ever Christmas without Fred. Feeling it too painful to think about his brother, Ron shook him out of his head.
"When are your parents arriving again?" Molly asked Hermione as they walked arm in arm to the house, Ron following behind.
"Oh, they're coming tomorrow, in fact I'm actually only came here to say hello. We'll come together since they don't know the way."
Hermione greeted the Weasleys; Arthur, Charlie, Percy and George before bidding farewell to Ron with a shy kiss on his cheek –making sure they were well out of sight- and then she left to her parent's with a loud crack.
On Christmas day, the Weasley garden was strewn with festive decorations. A large Christmas tree stood tall in the living room and there was the traditional gnome dressed in a pink tutu and coloured gold sitting on top, looking understandably surly and grumpy. Around dinner time, the five Weasleys were already seated at the long table. Bill and Fleur; who was now a few months pregnant, had joined them shortly after. They were eating out in the gardens as there was no space inside the house, but a few simple enchantments made the air around the dinner table warm and inviting.
Around six o'clock, Hermione arrived with her parents in a car, which Arthur eagerly tried to catch a glimpse of before being shot down with a furious look from his wife. Hermione was wearing a long blue dress and a black cloak which she took off upon entering the warm bubble. The Weasleys and the Grangers exchanged greetings while Hermione
looked around for her boyfriend but before she could inquire, Molly answered her.
"Ron's still upstairs, I don't know what he's doing."
Hermione excused herself and trotted up to Ron's bedroom and without knocking she opened the door. There was a loud crash and Ron was on the floor. Evidently he had tripped, alarmed by the sudden opening of his door. Hermione burst into laughter as she stared at the red haired wizard who was not only half way through dressing in a beach shorts but was wearing a collared red shirt that clashed horribly with his hair. Not to mention the cap worn inside out.
"What are you wearing?" she asked finally, clutching her sides. Ron's whole face turned crimson as he hastily pulled the beach shorts over his underwear.
"Oi! Why didn't you knock?"
"I'm sorry, but you should lock it if you're changing." Hermione replied simply, still giggling slightly. She walked in the room and flicked her wand, which made the objects in Ron's room rearrange themselves neatly.
"What are you wearing?" she said again, poking at Ron with her wand.
He batted it away and puffed his chest out slightly.
"I'm wearing formal muggle clothes to impress your parents," he said and Hermione subsided into another fit of laughter.
"And where did you get the impression that your flowery beach shorts were formal?"
"Well, George said that-"
"And you believe George?" Hermione interrupted skeptically, crossing her arms. Ron grumbled and muttered swears under his breath, his face darkening. Hermione flicked her wand again and a suit set appeared on Ron's bed.
"Here, this is my first present." She said with a small smile. "I'll be downstairs, and please take that stupid hat off."
Hermione closed the door behind her and walked into the gardens to rejoin the rest of the party. Arthur was talking animatedly to Mr. Granger about the various instruments he used when doing his job while Molly was apologising to Mrs. Granger for her husband's behavior. Fleur was talking about her pregnancy to anyone who would listen with Bill equally excited, nodding vigorously to her every word.
Ron came down shortly after with his smart looking attire and two bouquets in his hands. One was made entirely of red roses and the other, a different assortment of flowers. He handed the latter to Mrs. Granger who thanked him, a little flustered. Ron sat down next to Hermione and gave her the other bouquet.
"Here, this is my first present," he muttered to her and she accepted it, her face a little pink. The rest of the dinner went by with the Grangers now asking things about Ron, though they had heard of him a lot from their daughter.
"When did you two start dating?" Mrs. Granger asked, smiling kindly at Ron.
"Uh, last year I think,"
"What are you hoping to do once you finish school?" Mr. Granger added though he was not as kind looking as his wife, rather he seemed to have a small problem with Ron.
"Well, I'm already helping George with his joke shop, it's really successful…" but he trailed off as Hermione gave him a warning look.
"But I think I'm going into Ministry of Magic afterwards." Ron added, feeling more and more uncomfortable.
Hermione's parents continued interrogating Ron and when dinner ended, he was relieved to be walking alone with Hermione in the still dark air. Hermione was still holding the bouquet of red roses.
"What do they want to know my career plans for? They're Muggles! They don't know wizarding jobs." Ron complained.
"Well, I did tell them a fair bit about our world."
"Oh right, I forgot they were your parents Hermione," Ron exclaimed loudly, making the pair of them laugh.
"By the way," Ron added, looking at Hermione and stopping. She stopped too.
"Just because the war's been over for a year doesn't mean you can stop being cautious, what if I was a Death Eater? What if those roses were set to explode?"
"Oh really Ron? Stop being so stupid," Hermione said waspishly.
"You would check the roses wouldn't you? Given circumstances, it could be hiding something." Ron chimed.
Hermione looked at him suspiciously, who was obviously smug about something and drew her wand out. Tapping it once on her bouquet she murmured "Revelio."
She gasped as a small object floated out from under the roses. It gleamed feebly in the dim moonlight and floated in midair for a few seconds before falling into Ron's outstretched palm. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. There, sitting on Ron's palm was a ring made of silver. It looked a little rugged, handmade and there was a small misshapen ruby encrusted in the middle.
"I would kneel but this is a new suit and well, it's not exactly meant to be an engagement ring." Said Ron, his face reddening with every word he spoke.
"Like a promise ring or sort, but well, I guess you can refuse it if you'd like but I mean you can still keep it, it doesn't have to mean anything-" he was interrupted, this time, by Hermione kissing him gently on the lips.
"Thanks Ron," she said, beaming at him. "I'd gladly take it as a promise ring,"
Ron grinned sheepishly and pulled her left hand towards him to put it on.
"My second present seems a bit foolish now," Hermione said earnestly, blushing a little.
"Come off it! The suit's enough! You didn't need to get me anything else." Ron said dismissively.
"Well, here you go anyway." She handed him the chocolate frog box which he took a little confusedly.
"Honeydukes had these newly made."
Ron opened the box and his face broke into a 'not bad' expression as he saw himself in the card, looking brave and accomplished.
"Cool," he said as he started eating the struggling frog. He shared it with Hermione and slipped the card in his pocket, enjoying their continued walk. Their hands now intertwined with the ruby ring digging slightly in Ron's skin, leaving a mark that would soon be permanent as they continued walking in the calm gardens of the Burrow.