Previously: "Yeah," Ron said pensievly, taking Hermione's hand. "'Mione, I've got to speak to you. It's kind of urgent…"

Instantly, Hermione's heart began to hammer in her chest, faster and faster. Thud, thud, thud, thud. It wasn't a happy pounding, like how she felt when Ron proposed to her. It was more like a dull clunking noise that was like a painful blow each time it beat. Ron squeezed her hand, bringing her back to reality.

"Go on..." she urged him, wanting it to be over.

Ron took a deep breath. "Look, there is really no easy way for me to say this... but the Ministry has ordered Harry, me, and the rest of the aurors to go away..."

It was exactly what Hermione had been expecting, but hearing him say it was much worse. She pursed her lips together sadly. How many times had he said this to her before?

He continued. "I can't tell you where and for how long, but it'll be... a while," he said, running his hand up and down her arm. "I'm really sor-"

"Damn it, Ron, don't touch me!" shrieked Hermione, anger contorting her features, worming her way out of his grasp. She felt anger coming to her defense, masking her true feelings of fear.

Ron's jaw dropped open, he was speechless.

"Close your mouth," Hermione instructed him firmly. He quickly obeyed, and seemed to find his voice again, but his voice was weak and quickly faltered by an angry look from her.

"Look, I know its bad timing-"

"What the hell, Ron? How many times has this bloody happened?"

Suddenly Ron jerked, perhaps hearing Hermione use a swear word jerked him out of his reverie, and his voice was much angrier than before.

"What? It's not in my control-" he started defensively.

"Yes, Ron, blame the world again, it's never in your control, is it?" she sneered.

"What's your problem?"

"My problem? Oh, I don't know, maybe that you're NEVER here, always going off on some bleeding mission, and now that we have a wedding to plan-"

"Well, thanks to you, no one - not our friends, family, not a single bloody person knows about our engagement, on your insistence."

"Oh shut up. I only did that because..."

"To what? You just want to play the victim, don't you?"

"What the hell does that even mean? As usual, you're not making any sense."

"Oh, I'm not making sense? Look, I can't control my work, but what I can control is telling people that I'm going to get married!"

Silence.

"You're always going away on missions. You don't even care about me."

"Are you mental? Why do you think I'm working so hard? It's for our future, our family, our kids-to-be -"

But Ron was cut off by Hermione sidling up close to him and kissing him. No sooner did he register she was kissing him, she pulled away and lightly slapped him on the cheek, her face an odd mixture of amusement and contempt.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Ron asked, rubbing his left cheek.

"For being an arse," replied Hermione casually, before walking away, leaving behind a bemused Ron muttering, "women."

Ron followed her into the kitchen, looking puzzled.

"Our fights always end in kissing." he said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, good observation Ronald!" Hermione replied sarcastically, as if speaking to a young child.

"I should fight with you more often." Ron said, a wicked grin playing his features, as Hermione shook her head but smiled.

"Anyways, what was that all about?" He asked, watching Hermione put the kettle on the stove.

"Ok, maybe I overreacted a little bit." she said, removing two mugs from the cabinet and placing them on the table.

"Just a tad." murmured Ron, rolling his eyes and sitting down on the table, but was instantly quelled by a glare from Hermione.

"But really Ron, you're leaving too often. And now when we have a wedding to plan..." she trailed off, sitting down as well. With a wave of her wand the kettle was pouring the steaming water into the mugs, and then replaced itself back on the stove.

Ron sighed - it was time to take matters into his own hands. He grabbed Hermione's hands, which were folded on the table, in his own.

"No one knows about us, 'Mione. We have to tell them - think about how happy they'll be for us! And as much as I hate it, I need to leave." He said, squeezing her hand.

"You're right," Hermione sighed. "But don't forget - we'll have to tell my parents as well."

Ron shuddered. The one time he had met Mr. Granger was scary enough, and now he had to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage!

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." He said gently, more to himself than her, and she nodded.

Removing her hands from his, she grabbed a mug of tea and took a sip. "So when are you leaving exactly?" she asked.

"In three days." he said sadly, staring down at his own mug. Usually he didn't mind missions, but this time, he really didn't want to go.

"So, I guess we'll tell everyone when you get back?" Hermione asked tentatively, to which Ron agreed.

He reached over to take her hand again, but mid-way, his stomach growled.

Hermione sighed and got up. "I'll make some dinner."

"No, I'll do it today, 'Mione." he said, and Hermione beamed. He had never offered to make dinner before.

~Two Days Later~

"Thank God you didn't make dinner again, Ron!" Hermione told Ron, sitting on the sofa with Chinese take out on her lap.

"Okay, so maybe the lasagna got singed a little..." he avoided eye contact.

"The lasagna from the packet." Hermione corrected, and then laughed, "Singed? More like burnt to a crisp!"

But it was clear that Ron's mind was elsewhere.

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

"I know." she replied, setting down the noodles on the table.

"I'm going to miss you." he stated.

"Me too, Ron." Hermione wondered where he was going with this - they had been through this so many times.

"I know you're thinking, 'why is he saying all this?', but this time it just feels different, you know?" he asked.

"Umm, no." she replied truthfully.

"Well, because we're engaged now, I feel like... like I have something to come back to."

"You didn't before?" she said jokingly.

"I'm serious. It's just... different. Like I have something really worth fighting for, you know? Making this world a better place for our kids to live in-"

And for the second time that week, Ron found himself being cut off by Hermione placing her lips on his.

A/N: Thanks for sticking with the story if you have thus far! I'm sorry there was no diary in this one, I promise it'll be in the next chapter! Let me know what you think please. Thanks so much, you guys are great.

xoxo