Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
The two boys arrived back to The Burrow in high spirits, but when they could hear the muffled cries of Molly Weasley coming from the master bedroom the smiles that had been so planted on their faces removed themselves in an instant. A wave of guilt passed through Ron. He felt bad for having such a good time when he knew that for some, it almost felt like their world had come to an end. But then as he remembered Fred, and the kind of person he was, he realised that Fred would hate nothing more than for his family to be living in misery. He allowed himself a small smile as he remembered one of the numerous pranks that Fred had pulled.
"Ron, can we talk for a bit?" Ron's head snapped up to see Bill looking at him. He was a bit curious as to why his eldest brother wanted to speak to him, but he decidedly held his tongue. Bill simply walked into his room and then cast a silencing charm on the door.
"So, how things going with Hermione then, they're looking pretty good?" Bill gave him a knowing grin.
"You could say that I guess." Ron replied blushing slightly as his thoughts turned to the morning.
"Glad to hear it, she's a fine catch. Anyway, what I have to ask is a bit awkward I guess, but believe me, you should be glad I'm the one talking about this. Charlie doesn't really care much for this kind of thing, George is well... you know and Percy..." he started laughing.
"Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about contraception." Bill said decidedly. Ron went beetroot red at this causing Bill to laugh some more.
"Now you see why you didn't want it to be Percy giving this talk." Ron cracked a smile at this imagining Percy trying to give 'The Talk'.
"So really I just wanted to make sure you knew how to cast the contraception spell, do you?"
"Erm... yeah, George and... Fred actually gave me a book on all that... stuff."
"Oh really?" Bill said with an amused look on his face.
"Yup. I mean why have a nice easy chat, when you can give someone a terribly awkward book instead." Ron replied brightly.
"Oh." Bill said. "Anyway, you two talking to each other about what's going on? I'm assuming you two are getting pretty... physical."
Ron paused. That was the one thing they hadn't done. They hadn't talked about anything.
"No." Ron finally said.
"No?" Bill replied with a slight look of incredulity.
"It's just..." Ron paused to look for a way to word what had been going on. "It's just been so happening fast. I mean we haven't even talked about what we are."
"I'm not going to preach. But you need to, soon as possible." Bill replied.
Ron nodded.
"Anyway enough of all this seriousness. Up for a table jousting competition?" Bill asked.
"Sure." Ron said, a bigger smile permeating his features.
The two of them walked outside and took two tables with them. As they had their wands raised, the two tables began to joust to their command. Ron was continually losing however, his mind occupied with Hermione. He had never been good with words, and he wasn't sure exactly how to broach the issue of what was going on between the two of them.
-x-y-z-a-b-c-
Meanwhile in another part of the house another talk was going on. Hermione and Ginny were sat in Ginny's room together.
"So you and Ron." Ginny said with a smirk on her face.
"Hmm?"
"About time don't you think. You two should have gotten together years ago." Ginny said succinctly. "Anyway, you enjoying finally having a boyfriend?"
"Well..." Hermione paused, unsure what to say. It wasn't like the two of them had actually said a word about what was going on. "We haven't actually talked about anything." Hermione admitted. Ginny sighed.
"You know this is Ron you are dealing with here. You have to take initiative. It's not like he's going to say no."
"How do you know that?" Hermione asked softly.
"He's in love with you Hermione!" Ginny replied exhasperrated.
"Did he tell you?"
"No."
"Then how do you know?"
"Harry told me what happened with the locket."
"Wait what does the locket have to do with this?" Hermione replied confused.
"What it said when he stabbed it." Ginny replied, looking a little confused as to how she didn't know.
"But, it didn't say anything!"
"Maybe they didn't tell you but it did!" Ginny replied heatedly.
"And so just what did Harry say happened then?" Hermione asked her voice also raised.
"Some really terrible things."
"And those terrible things were?" Hermione asked again.
"They were about you. It projected an image of you and Harry. And your image proceeded to torture Ron and tell him that he was stupid to ever think you could love him over Harry." Ginny paused for a second her face looking somewhat upset. "He cried you know. After he destroyed it. He never cries, but he broke down then." Ginny said her voice coming out shakey. It was all so obvious to her. The locket had played on Ron's worst fear.
Whatever argument Hermione had felt like bringing up died on her lips at this point. Her thoughts turned back to the time they had been roaming the country hunting for Horcruxes. The locket had always affected Ron the worst and now she could see why. She even felt guilty for the way she had treated him after he had returned. She barely acknowledged his presence to show her displeasure and almost as a form of punishment, when actually he had tormented enough. She had to find Ron. She wasn't going to let him go another second without knowing the truth. She had to let him know that she loved him. She wanted to put all his fears to rest for good. She stood up from the bed and walked towards the door.
"Wait, where are you going?" Called out Ginny, taken aback by how Hermione had just gotten up to leave without saying so much as a word.
"To find Ron." she said as if it was obvious and then she walked out the door.
-x-y-z-a-b-c-
Ron growled in frustration as his table fell to the ground again causing Bill to start laughing.
"You know, you're never going to beat me by just flying straight at me." He called out. Ron just growled again.
The two of them raised their wands at the tables again and they began to float up. Ron's table however wobbled and fell all of a sudden. Out of nowhere Hermione had appeared and was tugging at his other arm.
"Sorry, Bill, but I need to borrow your brother." she called out apologetically, as she grasped onto Ron's arm tighter and began walking off with Ron in toe.
"Wait where are you taking me?" Ron asked, a little worried at how Hermione had just walked up, plucked him and was now dragging him towards the broomshed. She pushed him against the shed with force and then finally looked up at him.
"Have you gone mental?" Ron asked a bit worried. Hermione simply rolled her eyes.
"I have tell you something and it can't wait." she said, her voice more tender than Ron had ever heard it, her eyes locked onto his. She grabbed both hands of his and gave them a gentle squeeze. At this point Ron wasn't sure what to do, he was rooted to the spot.
"Ron," she said, whilst taking a step closer. Ron felt his heart rate soar as this happened. "I love you." and with that she wrapped her hands around his neck and crushed her lips against his. Ron however was so taken back by this he didn't even kiss her back. He wasn't even sure he heard her right. He pushed her away gently and stared in a dazed like state. Ron opened his mouth as if to say something but his mind failed him and he realised he had nothing to say. Hermione giggled a little. She hadn't expected this reaction but she certainly felt a little pleased that she had the power to reduce Ron into a gobsmacked state.
Ron wasn't entirely sure that he had heard Hermione correctly. It sounded like she had said the three words that he so desperately had been craving to hear from her. He looked at her, and the tender expression on her face and he felt he wanted to be sure.
"Say it again?" he asked tentatively.
"I love you." she replied softly, her cheeks going pink. The words finally sank into Ron and as they did they seemed to induce a feeling of euphoria in him. Hermione watched as his face went from one of shock to a very wide smile. "Well say something then." Hermione demanded, with a soft voice.
"Well... um... I love you too." Ron replied slowly, as if he didn't feel in total control of his own body.
"Really?" Hermione asked in a small voice. This caused Ron to snap out of his stupour.
"Yes!" He replied brightly, he pulled her in closer and whispered in her ear. "I love you, Hermione Jean Granger." Tears began to form in Hermione's eyes and they slowly slid down her face alarming Ron. "Wait, what's wrong?" He was perplexed as to why she was crying. Hadn't she just told him that she loved him, and he had told her that he loved her. But before he had any further chance to dwell on the issue Hermione pressed her lips against his again and pressed her body flush against his. Ron visibly shrugged before wrapping his arms around the small of her back and lifting her up slightly. The kiss began to grow more heated as Hermione wrapped her legs around Ron. She pulled away from his face, sucking on his bottom lip at the same time. Hermione then began to plant kisses down his jawline and onto Ron's neck causing him to let out a long moan.
Hermione's hands began to wander across the front of Ron's body and she began to grope at his chest leading to more moaning on his part. Ron in response lowered his hands until they were firmly cupping her bum cheeks. As she began to suck and nibble on the side of his skin, Ron shuddered with pleasure and squeezed her ass.
"Oh for goodness sake you two. You're like cats in heat!"
The two of them disengaged from each other to see Ginny grinning at them.
"And just what do you want?" Ron replied, clearly irritated, his ears going red with embarrassment. Hermione face had also gone even more pink.
"I was sent to look for you two as it's dinner time. Though I think you two have stolen my appetite." Ginny said a smirk.
"Well that's not a problem, I'll eat your food for you." Ron replied irritated. "Oh and I haven't said anything about you and Harry so I'd appreciate it if you would keep thoughts like that to yourself."
Ginny's mouth opened and closed at this and Hermione just shrugged at her. It was true, Ron had turned a blind eye to whatever Ginny and Harry had been getting up to, for once. Hermione thought it was a rather mature response from Ron. However in the interests of maintaining the peace she thought it would be prudent to get the two siblings inside before Ginny could think of a retort, as she had no doubt that Ron would fall back into old habits happily if pushed.
"Lets just go in you two." came Hermione's voice.
-x-y-z-3-2-1-
Before dinner even started there was a green burst of flame at the fireplace and out of it walked a worn out looking Arthur Weasley folled by a tired looking Kingsley Shacklebolt. Molly rushed straight over to the two of them.
"Evening dear, you didn't tell me we'd be having guests!" Molly fretted.
"Sorry, I should have floo called." Arthur admitted.
"Kingley, please come into the dining room. We were just about to have dinner. I would be most honoured if you would join us." said Molly. With the help of Fleur she had prepared as usual dinner to feed a whole army.
"Oh I wouldn't want to impose-" Kingsley began.
"Nonsense, you're doing no such thing. Come in and sit down. I insist." Molly cut him off. And with that she lead him into the dining room where everyone had already taken their seats.
"So what brings you here Kingsley?" Harry asked. He was sure this wasn't just a courtesy call.
"You, actually I need to talk to you three." he said, motioning to Hermione and Ron. "We're currently trying to put together a full picture on the extent of the damage caused by Voldermort and exactly what has been happening over the last 3 years since he came back."
"How's the hunt for the rest of the death eaters going." came a raspy quiet but strong voice. It had come from George Weasley. He had literally spat out the name death eater like it was simply the most repulsive word combination in the English language.
"We've caught most of those who were most loyal to Voldermort, but we are having trouble with finding others." Kingsley sighed. "Many have slipped away into hiding. It's actually overwhelming the Auror department somewhat. We're stretched really thin as we are having problems telling which auror's under voldermort were actually loyal to him and which were just under the imperius curse."
"It's a lot like what happened 17 years ago." Arthur supplied. "But it's worse now, most of the ministry was under his control so now we are being forced to evaluate nearly everyone all over again."
"What's being done with Azkaban?" Hermione asked also curious as to how everything was going to be sorted out. Many people had been falsely imprisoned in Azkaban and also there was the issue of the dementors themselves.
"Those who were falsely imprisoned such as muggleborns have been released already and also I'm working to remove the dementors from there, but I must admit that I am running into resistance from others."
"That's bloody ridiculous!" cried out Ron. "Who would still want to use the dementors after they rebelled?"
"Ronald Bilius Weasley, if you use language like that again I'll hex that mouth of yours shut!" called out Molly sternly.
"Sorry." he said quietly. And then he continued "So just who is opposing the removal of the dementors."
"Delores Umbridge for one." Kingsley replied.
"WHAT?" the golden trio all shouted at the same time in disbelief.
"How is that old hag still allowed a job?" Harry called out. The three of them remembered the incident at the ministry very vividly. How she was still allowed a position baffled him.
"I actually wanted to remove her from her post the moment I got in, however we weren't able to put a full case against her until late today. We will be removing her and she will be tried." Kingsley stated, a small smile flitted across his face when he mentioned that she would be removed before disappearing. "We're going to need you three in the court for a lot of the trials by the way. As witnesses. But we'll talk more about that later."
The rest of the meal was uncharacteristically silent. The idea that there were still Death Eaters on the loose bothered Ron more than he let on. After what had happened to Fred he felt a burning passion to hunt them down and exact revenge upon those who had stolen Fred Weasley from the living. When the meal finished Fleur who had been more than helpful since returning to The Burrow offered to do the dishes so that the rest could go off and discuss things with Kingsley.
Kingsley, Harry, Ron and Hermione walked towards a more private area of the house and they sat down.
"So, I'm going to be honest here. We're pretty lost as far as trying to figure out everything that's happened over the last few years and I need you guys to tell me everything you found out so we can really build a picture and put everything back together." Kingsley asks.
"Of course." Harry answers immediately. The time for secrets had been and gone he thought.
And so the three of them began to explain exactly what had happened from when Voldemort had first come back to power again. The three of them spun an intricate web of detail for Kingsley. It took hours. At the end of it Kingsley was quiet, his brain obviously whirling with thought.
"I don't know what I can say to you three. You've done so much and so young too. I don't think the wizarding world will ever be able to thank you enough." he finally said.
"We didn't do it to be praised." Harry said quietly. Ron rolled his eyes and said nothing. If there was ever a person that was deserving of praise, it was his best friend, Harry Potter and if there was ever a person that was so opposed to receiving it, it was also Harry. "We had help... and so many died to help us... to help me." Harry said in an even quieter tone. Ron thought about Fred, who'd been taken so young and he felt a wave of anger rush over him and pieces of the puzzle he didn't even know where there began to form in his head.
"Kingsley," Ron began, "You said the auror department was stretched pretty thin at the moment right?"
"Yes."
"What would it take to be allowed to join the auror department at this time?" he asked cautiously.
"Normally we would only take on NEWT students after having them take numerous character tests before admitting them into the training program." Ron's face fell at this. He had little to no intention of going back to school. How could he when there were still death eaters left on the loose. Kingsley noticed this and seemed deep in thought.
"So are you three going to go back and do your NEWTS?" he asked.
"No."
"Yes!" The three of them cried at the same time. Hermione saying yes and then looking at the other two in shock.
"You're not going back?" she asked looking back at both Harry and Ron.
"Nothing left for me there." Harry replied simply, a note of sadness in his voice. Ron nodded accordingly with this assessment. He was done with school, it all seemed a bit pointless now and he wasn't willing to go back.
"Normally I wouldn't do this, but to you two I think I shall bend the rules a bit and allow you into the straight into the Auror department on an internship basis." Kingsley said. He was met with open mouthed jaw drops from both Harry and Ron.
"What do you mean by internship?" Harry asked.
"Because we are spread so thin at the moment, the department doesn't have the resources to teach people in classes so instead you'll be taught on the job. We'll pay you a decent amount of course and you earn bonuses for sucessful operations."
"When can we start?" Harry asked eagerly. The prospect of being paid to hunt and bring death eaters to justice sounded a lot like a job he could throw himself wholeheartedly into.
"Well, whenever you are ready. I'm sure after all that you have done the department would be willing to bend a few schedules to slide you in." Kingsley answered.
"Well this is bloody brilliant, help defeat a dark lord and suddenly life ambitions are made easy to attain." Ron joked, clearly in high spirits at the idea of being able to join the Aurors.
"You two sure you want to do this now? Nobody would blame you for wanting to take a break." Hermione asked her two companions. Ron looked up at her with a penetrative glare.
"How can I rest knowing that Death Eaters who are responsible for the death of... Fred and many more are still free and on the loose?" He asked her, his eyes burning in passion. Hermione had to recoil slightly after the statement which was delivered with such passion.
"I thought you would be interested to know, that Neville Longbottom has already opted to join as an intern. His reasoning much the same as yours." Kingsley chimed in.
"Neville?" Ron asked slightly surprised.
"Well, it's not really that suprising considering what happened to his parents." Hermione chimed in. Her brow then furrowed. "Kingsley, I was wondering what I would need to do to have a portkey arranged."
"A port key? Why?"
"I need to go to Australia." she said simply.
"Australia?" Kingsley asked looking a bit lost.
"I wiped my parents memory of me and sent them there last year." she said, her voice beginning to shake slightly and the end of her sentence. Ron reached out to her hand and gave it a supportive squeeze.
"I can have one arranged for you in that case. Though I would feel more at ease if you would let the Ministry retrieve them. Afterall you three are still going to be targets for the remaining Death Eaters."
"No!" she said forcefully. The rest of the room winced slightly. "Sorry," she apologised, obviously not meaning to have come out with such a negative reaction. "It's just, I have to be the one to do it. I'm the one who sent them away from their lives." By this point tears were slowly escaping from Hermione's eyes as she looked at Kingsley.
"Okay, I'll have one set up, but will you at least allow me to send some aurors with you?" he asked softly.
"That won't be necc-"
"We'll go with her." Ron interrupted her before she could even finish the sentence.
"Why? This doesn't involve you." she said heatedly.
"I don't care. You are not going to walk around on your own anywhere with death eaters still on the loose!" Ron replied with just as much passion.
"Are you suggesting I can't take care of myself?" she shouted back at him. Harry sighed, being totally used to the two of them being at each others throats.
"Haven't you learned anything over the last few years? Whenever we split up, things go wrong!"
"They aren't your parents! You don't have to explain to them that you likely ruined their careers without their permission and tampered with their minds." by this point Hermione was full on sobbing.
"That doesn't mean we can't come along! If you think I'm ever going to let even the chance of another Malfoy Manor happening you must be out of your damn mind!" Ron bellowed. Hermione's face softened at this moment and Harry chose to back up Ron.
"Look we get that you have a lot of explaining to do and you're scared about how your parents might react. But that doesn't mean you have to wander around alone."
"Okay." she said softly.
"Okay what?" Ron asked.
"You two can come with me." Hermione answered with a shakey smile reaching her lips. Harry turned to Kingsley who had been silently watching the row with a bit of an embarrased look on his face, not really sure whether he should have been present for such a thing. Harry didn't blame him, whilst he had been privy to many many fights between the two of them.
"So that will be okay, the three of us going to Australia?" he asked Kingsley.
"You three can go. But you'll be under watch from Ministry contacts in Australia." Kingsley replied. "When do you intend to leave?"
"Four days time." Hermione answered. Ron winced, she was picking the day after Fred's funeral.
"I'll have everything set up then." he then stood to his feet. "I'm afraid it is late and I must be going. But I do thank you three for sharing everything with me." And with that he walked out of the room.
Short chapter. Sorry, but I've got the next one started and its going to be fairly long. Also, I'm in need of a beta. I can't proofread to save my life! So someone help me out. Read, review, critique a bad review is like a breath of fresh air to me. Critique so I can make the story better. Got another story in the works also, next generation fiction, but not really for you romance lovers.
