Hermione was sitting at a table in the Gryffindor common room, (in the corner, away from the noise some 5th year boys were making), re-writing up in neat the essay she had been planning and writing for Potions throughout the last fortnight.

She carefully double-checked the dates of certain theorists she had researched. It was a very important essay; Slughorn was using it as a basis to see what kind of grade they would achieve if they gave the answer in the NEWT exam.

Just to be sure, Hermione made another note in her diary that she ought to start memorising all the dates of alchemists in the medieval period. It was bound to be on the exam...

She was just re-reading the finished essay carefully a third time through when an excitable tapping sounded at the window. It was Pig.

The essay out of her mind rather suddenly, and a barely contained grin on her face, she dashed to open the window and took the letter from Pigwidgeon, the latter looking immensely pleased with himself and zooming happily around the room. Feeling rather giddy, she sat back down and unfurled the parchment to read Ron's endearingly messy scrawl.

Dear Hermione,

How's the Potions essay going? You rewritten it ten times and rechecked every fact at least twice yet? - Hermione scowled; this was only her fourth draft! - Remember to calm down won't you, (I've seen how you get, Hermione; Mungo's would be interested) Slughorn thinks the sun shines out of your every orifice and lets face it, you are without a doubt the cleverest witch in, never mind our year, but probably our entire generation. And your prodigious skill in the art of essay writing has never failed you yet. - Despite herself, Hermione was already smiling again, feeling a warm flush spread through her cheeks -

Whatever you said about being rusty from our year of "travelling" (accurate description, by the way, really captures the thrill and danger of it all) McGonagall was banging on about your essay on physical transfiguration for a full week by the sounds of it, remember?

Harry and me are still doing OK at the Academy – Harry considerably better in the more practical courses as usual. How he manages to learn these spells in half the time that everyone else needs is still a mystery to me. I'm not bothered though; that's Harry's thing, isn't it. The man did defeat old Voldie...

But, I do have to tell you about this one class I'm actually managing to get full marks in, (un-fucking-believable, I know – nobodies quite sure how its happening). It's the Strategics and Concepts of War class I told you I liked. I'm actually quite good at it... sort of reminds me of chess a bit really in parts, which is a piece of piss, isn't it? Hermione was grinning now, her heart filling with pride -

Grimmauld place is FINALLY done being all refurbished. It was starting to get seriously annoying – even Kreacher got grumpy and he bums the place out nightly.

Oh - thank you thank you thank you! for brewing that beast of a potion! – you're amazing. How anyone can have the patience to wait 2 months to make a potion is beyond me. But the Portrait of Mrs Black is now on a fire somewhere, where it fucking belongs! Me and Harry were talking in shouts at each other all day just for the hell of it. You've got to come see it all repainted and everything – we actually managed to stay inside your crazy budget. My room looks pretty decent now as well. You'll be overjoyed to hear that apart from a few CC posters its not orange either – well sort of anyway – it's more like a red.

It's weird not seeing you around all the time. Harry thinks so too. Especially weird in really dull lessons – we actually have to pay attention and make our own notes. The experience has been quite traumatising to tell you the truth.

This weekend we're still busy. They've got us on another field assignment and they're pretty desperate for us to do it. They've figured out Voldemorts runaway supporters practically wet themselves if Harry's around, and that this possibly gives us an advantage. Me and Harry work well together too. We're free for a few weekends after this though, so let me know what you're doing.

You wanted to know how George was doing? I dunno really – the same. He's still drinking quite a lot which is kinda shit. Me and Harry went over the last two evenings, sorted out his inventory and check book. Charlie and Bill have said they're gonna keep coming round to check up as well, but lets face it, they need to get back to their jobs, and I'm nearer anyway. I don't mind doing it though – I'm taking care of it. Don't you start worrying about it all too, Hermione. I know what you're like. It's all under control.

Anyways, before I get you too depressed, let me know know what you're up to – and try not to write a novel on how much you love Arithmancy again, Hermione. I know you do by now, lets face facts. I'll try and see you as soon as I can, I don't really want to have to wait until Christmas. Let me know if you can get away for a bit. Or if there's anymore Hogsmeade trips. Hope you're good.

Love Ron

P.S we've apparently got a massive family thing happening this Christmas, (Aunt Muriel's even coming – I'm screaming horrifically in my joy) Mum wants to know if you'll be there too and has asked me if you could invite your parents...You really don't have to do this if you don't want to.

Hermione, smiling fondly, sighed, a strange mixture of emotions tumbling over each other inside her. Poor George... she would have to help with that when she got back. Whatever Ron and Harry said or hoped, George just wasn't going to get over this any time soon... Ron was being wonderful about it though. Whilst she had been in Australia retrieving her parents, he had been with George and helping out with the business constantly.

Hermione smiled. She always felt so happy after receiving one of his letters, and, it was strange – but this was always accompanied by a painful ache starting somewhere in her stomach and reaching her heart. She missed him far too much.

The longest amount of time she had ever really spent without him in the last few years had been for a brief period when he had walked out on them – but she quickly stopped that thought.

Hogwarts wasn't bad or anything, but it wasn't the same and could be extremely lonely without Ron... even with Ginny in the same year as her now, she found she just needed to speak to Ron every so often. It was like some obscure addiction... the urge occurring on a daily basis and it was frustrating because it would interrupt her studies!

It was bizarre – who would have ever believed that she needed someone as disrupting as Ron around in order to perform well in exams...

She reread the letter several times, making sure she had taken in all the details, until finally, the common room growing steadily quieter as the night drew on, she was simply reading it to hear his voice in her head. She wondered, an awkward squirming feeling disturbing her stomach, if he missed her as much as she missed him. Evidently he wished to see her as soon as he could, which obviously meant he cared a lot. But this much? To the point where if she thought about it for too long during the day it would physically hurt?

"Ouch!"

Her thoughts were disrupted by a sharp peck at her fingers. Pig was looking up at her happily. Waiting for a reply probably...

Suddenly though, she noticed her essay lying forgotten amidst scraps of parchment.

Feeling suddenly rather annoyed with Ron for distracting her from her essay, she resolved to write a reply tomorrow and finish checking through her essay tonight. She couldn't help smiling a little though as she did...