A/N: Hey Guys! Sorry it has taken so long for an update on this. With the school year wrapping up I have just been going crazy with finals and such. Anyways on to the story!

Disclaimer: I think it's safe to say that I don't own Harry Potter, no matter what the voices in my head want me to believe.

Chapter 2: One Step At A Time

Ron's POV

I wake up to laughter.

Two weeks.

It's been two whole weeks since it all ended.

It hasn't been easy. We lost a part of us. One whole giant piece.

But we're gonna make it. I know we are. I know because Mum smiled a day ago.

I know because Ginny and Harry got back together 3 days ago. I know because Dad returned to working on his muggle things in the shed 8 days ago. I know because Hermione and I made love for the first time 13 days ago. But most of all, I know because the laughter that woke me up was George's laughter. And I'm so happy to hear his laughter that when I open my eyes I don't even care if it's because I pissed the bed. Whatever is making his eyes shine as bright as they are now as I look at them, has got to be worth it. I knew it was worth it, and nothing could change my mind. That is until of course I followed his eyes and saw what he was looking at. At the foot of my bed is my Mum, her mouth open in shock, as she looked at me. A very naked me, in bed with an equally naked Hermione. And I am thankful to God that her left arm is under the sheets, hiding her scar. The scar that she only trusts me to see.

We had told everyone that we were together the morning after the battle. They had all been really happy, glad to have a moment of joy through all the grief, but also not surprised, all agreeing that it was "about time". Mum especially was supportive of our relationship, but I really don't think she's gonna be too supportive of her youngest son and his girlfriend having sex in her house. But a man can hope.

As I looked between my Mother's shocked face and my beloved girlfriend's peacefully sleeping face I pray to God that Hermione doesn't wake up yet. If she does, the embarrassment she would feel would be monumental, plus it would result in at least a week of no shagging.

Hermione is already stirring beside me (probably from George's laughter).

With this in mind I silently shoo him out of the room and speak very, very softly to my Mum.

"Mum, I know you're mad, and I know this" I say gesturing towards me and Hermione in bed together, unfortunately still naked " is against house rules, but please, please just walk out very, very quietly. I don't want Hermione to know this is how you found out. Wait in the hallway, and i'll throw some clothes on and we can talk. Alright?" I ask pleadingly.

To my relief she slowly nods and makes her way out into the hall.

Once the door is closed I jump out of bed and put a t-shirt and pair of boxers on.

With one last glance at Hermione to make sure she's still asleep I close the door behind me.

Out in the hallway, Mum is waiting with a red face and… tears in her eyes?

She doesn't say anything. She just stands there.

"Mum? Are you alri-"

"MY BABY BOY!" She cries and pulls me into a hug.

To say I was confused would be a huge understatement, all I knew was that my dear Mother had gone completely mad, barmy, off her rocker.

"Mum? Aren't you mad at me?" I ask.

"Oh nonsense sweetheart, i'm not mad. I'm just….oh im just proud of the man you've become. Seeing you like that just makes me realize how much you've grown. You're not a little boy anymore,"

I smile at her, but I still can't believe she's not even a little bothered at what she saw a few minutes ago.

"So….are you sure you're not upset?"

"Oh it would have been preferable if you two would have waited until marriage, but I know what it's like to be young and in love. But I do have to ask you this, are you two being safe about things? I'm not ready to be a grandmother by you quite yet Ron."

"Of course we are." I assure her. Because we are, I mean, why wouldn't we be?

"Very good. And please do use silencing charms."

If my face wasn't red before, it certainly was know.

"Yes, Mum." I say, scratching the back of my head.

"Alright dear, I am going to start breakfast now."

She looks over my shoulder. "Oh good morning Hermione!" She says before hurrying down the stairs.

My eyes are so wide they are practically popping out of my head. I slowly turn around to see a very red faced very red face says it all, she heard everything.

"Ron?" She squeaks, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah?"

"Please tell me she wasn't talking about what I think she was."

When I do nothing but blush harder and look down at my feet, Hermione seemed to know the answer.

She looked mortified. "Why did you tell her?"

"I didn't, she walked in on us in bed a few minutes ago."

In 7 and a half years of knowing her, I have never seen her look as embarrassed as she does now.

No going back now I guess.

"...her and George."

Instead of her yelling and hexing my bollocks off while saying that she'll never have sex with me again, she did something completely unexpected.

She burst out laughing.

After I got over the initial shock of her reaction, I joined in.

A few minutes later we were downstairs, avoiding taunting glances from Harry, Ginny and George.

Breakfast was a lot happier than it has been, and I didn't even care that much that it was because my Mum had walked in on me and Hermione in the aftermath of one of our newly discovered all-night shagging sessions.

After breakfast Hermione and I took a walk down to the pond by the Burrow with Harry and Ginny.

We didn't go swimming, instead we laid out a blanket and sat in the sun. We sat in a comfortable silence until Ginny spoke.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you wearing long sleeves? It's blistering hot out today." Ginny said.

Hermione looked at Ginny and then at me. I was the only one who knew about the scar on her arm, besides Fleur, not even Harry had seen it. We had talked and we had agreed not to say about her torture until she was ready. We made sure that Harry, Bill, and Fleur knew not to say anything to anyone. And by the look on Hermione's face, I could tell she still wasn't ready for everyone to know.

"Well, i'm actually a little chilly." Hermione said. But I could tell by Ginny's face that she wasn't going to believe that for a second.

"Oh come on, Hermione! You've been wearing long sleeve shirts or jumpers ever since you got here! What's going on?"

"Ginny! Drop it!" I warned.

"What? We're her friends if there is something wrong she can trust us!"

Seeing the look on my and Hermione's faces, Harry seemed to take the hint.

"Gin," he began "maybe you should-"

"No Harry!" Ginny shouted "You three have been gone for almost an entire year, and you still have secrets! I know you can't have possibly have told us everything! It's not fair that I always have to be kept out of the loop!"

"Ginny," Hermione began " I know it's been hard for you, not knowing where we were for all that time. But you have to know that it was hard for us too. We have told you everything that is important for now. It's just that some things that happened we aren't ready to tell yet. But I promise you, we will tell you sometime soon. You don't have to be "out of the loop" any longer.

All we want is for everyone to recover and to be happy again. This has been a terrible year for everyone, and we just have to move on."

Ginny sighed "Fine. Look i'm sorry I have been giving you guys such a hard time. I've just been so worried about you guys this year, and after Fred…"

"We know Gin." I said, giving her a one armed hug with the arm that wasn't around Hermione's waist.

"Okay then, how about we go and have some tea?" Harry said.

"Sounds brilliant" I said.

And as we walked back into the house I caught the slightly anxious expression on Hermione's face.

Sometime soon we'll have to face our demons. But right now, we drink tea.