A/N: It's still the nineteenth where I am, so... HAPPY 35TH BIRTHDAY, HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER WEASLEY! :) I hope you and Ron enjoy my present. :)
This is actually two years to the day I posted my very first fic as wazlib88, and what an amazing two years it's been! I'm so thankful for everyone I've met and for the way I've been able to grow as a writer in such a fun, supportive environment. Thank you guys for sticking around. :)
Disclaimer: I am not JKR, but I do love Romione. So. Yeah. :)
"Why won't you just tell me?" Hermione asked her husband for what felt like the hundredth time. "Honestly, after thirty-five birthdays, I'm a bit sick of surprises."
"Just because you're almost forty doesn't mean you have to be so tetchy," Ron scolded, tapping her lightly on the nose as he cooked their dinner.
"Almost forty?" Hermione frowned. "Accelerating the process a bit, aren't we?"
"Surprises keep you young," Ron insisted. "You'll see soon enough."
"Keep making those jokes about my age, and you won't be able to see anything," Hermione grumbled, causing Ron to chuckle and kiss her on the cheek.
"It's a good surprise, promise," he said, dishing the stir fry onto four plates.
"Well, it ought to be. I took the day off for it," Hermione surmised.
"I'll be there. That's worth the day off, eh?" Ron quipped, waggling his eyebrows.
"Always a perk," Hermione retorted with an eye roll.
"I can feel the love," Ron chortled, levitating the plates and stepping carefully toward the table as Rose and Hugo tore into the room, like they had been summoned by the smell of food.
Even in his sarcasm, Hermione mused as Hugo and Rose ran to hug their parents' legs, Ron was wiser than anyone took him for.
Twelve hours later, Hermione woke slowly, as she tended to when she allowed herself to sleep in. She could already feel a well-rested smile spreading across her face as she moved to stretch her arms - but she couldn't. Her duvet seemed to be actively pinning her to the bed.
"Ron!" Hermione shrieked. "Ron, where are you?"
When she heard his laughter from down the hallway, any panic she'd felt left and annoyance took its place. If this was the surprise…
"Sorry, love," Ron said as he entered the room, waving his wand to free her. "Had to make sure you didn't go wandering off and ruining your surprise, see?"
Hermione simply frowned, but Ron, undeterred, stepped forward and offered her a hand out of bed. "Happy birthday," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Ready for your surprise?"
"Shouldn't I get dressed first?" Hermione asked.
"Nope." Ron grinned, taking her hand in his and tugging her out of their room and down the stairs.
"If this is some sort of 'sexcapade,' Ron-"
He snorted. "Sexcapade? Nah. The kids will be home by dinner time."
"Then why don't I need to be dressed?"
"Well, the kids won't be home til dinner time," Ron said, squeezing her hand. "C'mon, into the backyard."
"I don't need to be dressed, and we're in the backyard?" Hermione exclaimed, but Ron just continued to grin.
"There're protection charms up," he said, placing his free hand on the door knob. "Ready?"
"I'm not sure," Hermione said honestly, but Ron had already opened the back door and pulled her through, and then…
"Oh…my…" Hermione gasped. It was…a house? Or was it more like a tent? The structure was nearly as tall as the one they'd just stepped out of, but it was made entirely of…
Books?
"Bought 'em all, too," Ron declared, still grinning at his wife's stunned expression. "It's just a cylinder, with one large room on the inside, but it's held up by magic. I thought it might be a nice place to spend the day, y'know, relaxing or-"
"I love you," Hermione cut in, squeezing his hand as she rushed toward the…was it a fort? "How many…"
"More than a thousand," Ron said proudly. "There's a new shelf in your study that'll fit them all - extension charm, see. And I checked, too, they're all new ones for you. Not all of them are in English, but-"
"Even better!" Hermione could feel tears welling up in the corners of her eyes as she flung her arms around her husband, who chuckled as he picked her up and swung her around in his embrace.
"I've always wanted to buy you a library," Ron murmured into her hair. "'Fraid this is the best I could do, but-"
"It's perfect," Hermione gushed. "Oh, Ron, I used to dream of having a house made of books, ever since I was a little girl!"
"I know," he replied. "You told me once, before we got married. I've always remembered, but it's a bit of a feat, isn't it? Had to save up some extra money from the shop first, you see, and…"
Hermione stared at him in awe for a moment, then placed a finger against his lips and tugged him quickly toward the makeshift door and inside - and oh, the stacks of books that made up the walls were more beautiful on the inside, if that was even possible.
"I know you can't read them like this," Ron said, rubbing the back of his neck as Hermione surveyed the room. "What do you think?"
Hermione pretended to contemplate for a moment, but she simply couldn't keep the smile off her face. "You, Mr. Weasley," she declared, stepping back into her husband's embrace, "have earned a sexcapade in the book fort."
And with that, she cut off his triumphant holler by capturing his mouth with hers - and it was a very happy birthday, indeed.
A/N: This one's a little short, but life is pretty busy with work, school, and swimming! Senior year might be a bit of a challenge, but I'm up for it - and I will write for my favorite babes whenever I get the chance. :) Thanks for reading! :)