Here's the next chapter just in time for Valentines Day.
Thank you for the reviews. They are very much appreciated.
The Ministry of Magic seemed busy at this time of evening as Ron Weasley battled his way through the Atrium and towards The Minister For Magic's Office.
He got in the lift and pushed the number one button and it rattled towards Hermione's floor. He wished he had a mirror to check out his reflection. He was sure that he was looking as nervous as he felt.
He hoped that Hermione would be up for going home early although he knew he was probably going to have to persuade her. He would drag her home if necessary.
The lift reached Level One and Ron got out of it and walked through the silent corridor towards Hermione's Office.
He met no one along the way until he ran into Percy who was coming out off a meeting room.
"Ron!" He cried jovially. "How are you?!"
"Blimey, Perce! What are you doing up here?" Ron asked in astonishment. "Shouldn't you be on Level Six?"
"I was just meeting The Minister's Secretary, Ethel. Wonderful woman. Very efficient. I'm hoping to finish a report into the effects of faux Floo Powder. The faux Floo industry is really spiralling out of control. Some people can be so cheap! It's two Sickles a scoop for goodness sake and I've sent a memo about it to Harry's Department urging immediate action but it's being bogged down by all the other memos. The man has no organisational skills whatsoever and if we don't-"
"That's great, Perce." Ron interrupted having no desire to fall asleep standing up or hear Percy badmouthing his best mate. "We should meet up for a drink, sometime and you can tell me all about it. But I really must meet with the Wife. I've cooked her Dinner and hope to spend the night in with her for once. She's always so busy these days we barely have time to spend an evening in."
"Ah yes," Percy said, giving Ron an knowing look. "I'm taking Audrey out to the Theatre. Well don't let me keep you, then. Best of luck. It was good to see you, Ron. Audrey awaits."
Percy strode off down the corridor, chest puffed out and horn rimmed glasses flashing in the light. Ron had to suppress a snicker at the sight of him. As Percy disappeared around the corner, Ron let out a guffaw and set off again towards Hermione's Office.
The door of Hermione's Office was already open when Ron reached it. He peered in and saw that the Office was empty. Ron crept in and waited by her desk.
He glimpsed at her bookshelf and saw that it had a number of rare and dangerous books on there. His eyes found a copy of Rita Skeeter's Biography of Harry. He resisted the temptation to set it on fire and continued looking at the bookshelf for five minutes before Hermione entered her Office. She saw Ron looking at her bookshelf and narrowed her eyes.
"Ron?" She asked wearily.
"Surprise!" Ron cried raising his arms for a hug.
"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"Does a man need an excuse to see his Wife?" Ron asked half exasperated, half amused.
The next thing he knew, Hermione slammed him against the desk and pointed her wand at his throat.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?!" He shrieked in alarm.
"What spell was Ron Weasley going to cast when I met him and Harry Potter on The Hogwarts Express thirty years ago?" She asked in a fierce voice. "Answer me!" Her voice sounded dangerous and demanding and gave Ron a thrill.
'She looks absolutely sexy', Ron thought. Her bushy brown hair was wilder then usual and her expression was fierce and her eyes blazed in a way that he could never say no to her. He could look at her like this forever but he knew he had to answer her. The tip her wand was slowly digging into his neck.
"I-I was trying to turn Scabbers yellow, wasn't I? It was that stupid spell George gave me. He knew it was a dud but he just did it for the laughs. It went um…How did it go again? Oh yeah, Sunshine, Daises, Butter Mellow, turn this stupid fat Rat yellow. You asked me if it was a real spell and then said that it wasn't very good." He laughed at the memory. "You were a right little madam back then. It's obvious where Rose gets it from and there was the time when-"
"Ron, you can shut up now." Hermione said, releasing him and stowing her wand away. "I know it's you."
She swooped down and kissed him. Ron melted into the kiss, one hand making her hair ever wilder then it was before so when they parted, she looked positively wild.
"What was all that about?" Ron asked with a laugh whilst admiring his Wife.
"I had to check if was really you, didn't I?" Hermione said. "The last time something went missing from my Office. Well…" Her cheeks went pink and she muttered something incoherent before sitting behind her desk.
"What are you doing here?" She asked. "Shouldn't you be at the Joke Shop?"
"I've got a surprise for you." Ron said.
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "If you are here to play a joke on me, then Merlin won't help you, I'll gouge you eyes out with this quill!" She hissed brandishing her large Eagle feather quill.
Ron threw his hands up defensively. "When have I ever pranked you?" He asked.
"You turned our hair pink once with that comb." Hermione said. "Hugo was teased mercilessly about it by James and Rose was worried that it was going to be permanent."
"Oh, yeah." Ron said sheepishly. "In my defence, I did send that comb to James and got an earful from Ginny about it. She said he used Harry's old Invisibility Cloak to hide his hair."
"And what about that time when you put those stink pellets in my Office? And then there was that time when you-"
"Okay, okay! I get the point! I pranked you more then once in the past. Stop going on about it, will you? I swear it's not a stink pellet, this time!"
Ron dug his hands in his pockets.
"I've got something for you. I must've been sound asleep when you went off this morning. Thanks for the card, by the way. It was lovely. Here."
He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Hermione who took it and ripped it open. She read the card and her face softened.
"Oh, Ron," She said softly. "Thank you. That's so sweet."
She got up and kissed him before stowing the card away in her bag.
Ron shifted the weight between his feet: it was nor or never.
"So, do you fancy anything to eat?" He asked in what he hoped to be a casual sort of voice. "I mean, I'm pretty peckish, myself. I'm not sure if you're peckish as well. Have you been eating Toffee all day? I mean Toffee's all well and good but it doesn't fillyou up, does it? I mean I suppose it does if you eat a large amount of it like Hugo did when he was six and he got a hold of that large slab of it that my Mum made and threw up over my best jumper. But it's not much to go on if you've got a long day like you have. I mean it's nice but-"
"Ron, as wonderful as it is to hear your insights about Toffee, I hope you have a point to get to." Hermione said testily. He was just going to have to wing it, then.
"Come home and have Dinner with me." He said hurriedly. Hermione's eyes widened with surprise. He ploughed on.
"Look, I know you're usually busy. Being Minister for Magic's a tough job. I know that but you're a bloody brilliant Minister, Hermione. You deserve a break, once in a while and it's Valentines Day and I'd very much like to spend the evening in with you. I've spent all day cooking Dinner for us to have, this evening and I hope you'll come because I don't want to spend it alone."
Hermione's face softened. "Oh, Ron" She breathed as her brown eyes grew brighter then normal.
"I know it's been over a year since that business with that Time-Turner," Ron continued, getting into his stride. "But I can't stop thinking about those realities where you and I weren't married. I mean it's hard to believe because we've been together for so long and we renewed our vows, last August and I was sober, thank Merlin. But I can't imagine a world where you and I aren't married and Rose and Hugo don't even exist. Harry was dead in that world where Voldemort won!Can you believe that?!"
"Ron," Hermione said softly. "Of course I would love to spend the evening in with you. I did have a meeting planned with the President of the Gobstones Association, but I'll get Ethel to reschedule it."
She walked around her desk and hugged him which Ron returned gratefully.
"You spent all day cooking?" She asked in astonishment after she pulled away.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Always the tone of surprise." He chuckled.
"But you didn't burn anything, did you?"
"Of course I didn't burn anything!" Ron exclaimed, half amused, half exasperated. "Anyway, that was years ago. Harry's given me a lot of pointers, since then."
"Okay, I believe you." Hermione said placatingly. "It's just that I can't forget that time when you burnt Rose's Sausages."
Ron laughed. "She thought it was funny!"
"They were like charcoal!"
"She still ate them. Said they were nice."
"Okay, I'll take your word for it," Hermione sighed, picking up her bag.
"I'm really glad you came actually, because it's been such a hectic day. It'll be nice to go home early for once."
"I'm just glad I didn't have to drag you home." Ron laughed.
"I would loved to have seen you try." Hermione retorted as they made their way out of the Office.
"Ethel!" Hermione called down the corridor. "Cancel the Gobstones President! My Husbands taking me home!"
Ron grinned as they walked down the corridor, hand in hand and wondered briefly if Harry and Ginny were having a night in as well.
Thank you for reading and Happy Valentines Day to those who celebrate it.