Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter, or titanic for that matter.

A/N – Okay, there was a reason I had them all watch Titanic, and it's at the end of this chapter. Hahaha. And I'm sorry if Mrs Granger is a bit weird at the end of this. She just went that way. And I had to get some Hermione fluffiness in there. (see last line.) And thanks for the reviews, I'm really getting into this story now.

And does anyone have any ideas as to who could be the new DADA teacher at Hogwarts? All the possible people were killed in Deathly Hallows really, so I may have to make an OC for it. Hmm.

And this story is not finished, even though the ending looks like it could be. A couple more chapters (one involving George, one involving a partay!) and they go to Hogwarts, and things may get a little bit more complicated…

Please review. Please. It really helps me, seriously.

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Four.

Hermione had to admit it – she was surprised that the evening was going as well as it was. Yes, she might have argued a little bit with Ron, but it wasn't serious, that was just what they did, and after reassuring her mother that they were not on the cusp of splitting up, everything had returned to going smoothly again.

True, no-one had really been talking to each other (to her knowledge anyway) but surely that would pass sooner or later… once everyone got used to each other. After all, there was a big cultural difference to get past – the fact that she and Ron knew magic and her parents didn't. Despite this, Hermione felt sure that once everyone was seated together at the table, they would begin to converse with each other and enjoy each other's company.

But then she hadn't really considered what Ron might do.

His table manners weren't that bad, Hermione thought, as she watched Ron drown his dinner in gravy and tomato ketchup. And he hadn't really slurped the soup that loudly, had he? It was a very runny soup, and… oh, who was she trying to fool? Ron eating dinner with her parents had so far been a complete disaster. Her father had seemed to warm to him slightly, but now, Hermione could see he was eyeing Ron with disdain. Right, she thought. Time for the trump card.

"Mum, Dad, did I tell you that Ron has been made Head Boy this year?"

Her father raised an eyebrow, which Hermione sincerely hoped was a good sign. Her mother gasped, before setting down her fork and clapping loudly.

"Oh well done Ron! I expect your mother was very pleased!"

Ron nodded, the tips of his ears flaming scarlet. He busied himself with making sure all of his chicken was completely soaked in gravy, refusing to look up. Typical, Hermione sighed.

"Yes, Ron's the third Head Boy in his family, aren't you Ron?"

Ron still didn't reply. Not really the best time to be modest Ron, Hermione thought.

Mr Granger frowned slightly for a second.

"Ron." He asked, as if trying to figure something out. "Hermione hasn't told us, what marks did you get in your exams?"

Why did her father always put so much focus on grades, Hermione thought. Wasn't it enough that Ron had been chosen to be Head Boy? Did he have to have perfect grades as well? And why wasn't Ron answering?

"Um, I got, er, I passed everything except Divination and History of Magic…" Ron mumbled, still studying his plate intently.

No-one seemed to have anything to say in reply, and continued eating. This was awful, Hermione decided. The tension in the room could have been cut with a blunt knife, and the silence was almost unbearable. The scraping sound of knives on plates was the only sound that could be heard, aside from Ron's noisy chewing. Hermione raced to clear her plate, before excusing herself to go and help with dessert.

She headed into the kitchen to retrieve four china bowls, and began to arrange the fruit her mother had prepared into patterns. It felt bizarre, yet strangely soothing, to be doing something so trivial and pointless. She finished, stood back for a moment to admire her work (it had been a long time since she had done something like this without magic) and then weakened and levitated the four bowls. It would have been next to impossible to carry them all at once after all. She set them down on the table, where everyone immediately began eating. Hermione supposed they couldn't stand the silence as well.

Her mother finished first, and put down her spoon.

"Now, I thought we could all finish watching the film together. It's very good so far, isn't it Hermione?"

Hermione nodded. It had been quite good, if a little unbelievable. The idea of finding a drawing from almost a hundred years ago intact was pretty absurd – but then again, she had spent the last year camping in a tent the size of a house searching for various objects that contained part of a dark wizard's soul. And she wasn't usually a fan of romantic films, and that was definitely where this one was going, but it did feel nice to spend time with her mother, doing something normal for a change. The four of them cleared the table, before settling onto the sofas in the living room to watch the film.

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Hermione didn't know if she should be sitting so close to Ron, what with her parents sitting right across from them. She felt almost guilty, considering she had spent the entire year, no, almost seven consecutive years, with him, and not them. But nevertheless, it was nice to be able to lean her head on Ron's shoulder. The wine had made her slightly sleepy, and the feel of the soft wool of his jumper on her cheek was very pleasant. She could feel Ron's breath, and smell his smell. It felt so intimate, yet modest at the same time.

She could feel her eyes closing, and the soft music in the background lulling her to sleep. The suddenly, she felt Ron jump beside her, as if he had just been slapped in the face. She lazily opened her eyes, and saw exactly why Ron had reacted the way he did. Kate Winslet was sprawled upon a sofa, completely naked.

Normally Hermione would have been quite miffed to find out that Ron would be ogling some other woman, but now it was one of the most hilarious things she had ever seen. Ron was furiously blushing, avoiding looking at the TV screen, fidgeting nervously and crossing and uncrossing his legs for some reason Hermione could not fathom. To her surprise, her father was acting in a similar way, trying to look as of he was not paying attention at all.

"Um, Ron?" her father asked. "Would you like to have another look at the computer?"

Ron leapt up from the settee, and almost raced out of the room, his long legs moving faster than Hermione had ever seen. Her father followed, closing the door behind him.

"It's all over now as well." Her mother remarked, as the scene changed. Hermione laughed, and moved to sit by her mother.

"Men." continued Mrs Granger, pulling Hermione into a hug. "Who'd have them, honestly."

Hermione nodded, then the two settled back into silence. Hermione was becoming quite engrossed by now, as the film changed from being just a romance to a fight for survival. It reminded her painfully of the Battle of Hogwarts almost. The Battle where so many people had been lost – only here, there were no winners.

"It's not real though, is it…" Mrs Granger remarked quietly, interrupting Hermione's thoughts.

"It is, Mum." Hermione answered, confused. "It really happened. Maybe not Jack and Rose, but there really was a Titanic…"

"I know that." Mrs Granger replied. "That's not what I was talking about."

Hermione tore her eyes away from the screen long enough to answer.

"Then what were you talking about?"

"Them. Jack and Rose. They can't really have been in love. They haven't known each other for long at all."

Hermione frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, to me, real love is more than just kissing on the deck of a ship and then drawing naked pictures. That's all lust, isn't it? For it to be love, they have to get to know one another, to recognise each other's faults and accept them, and to celebrate their similarities. I doubt this Jack even knows her surname."

Hermione was confused. Where had all this come from? Her mother had never been like this, for as long as she'd known her. She'd always been very concise and clinical – perhaps it came from being a dentist. She had never spoken about feelings before. Especially not to her. Hermione had never been particularly close to her mother. In fact, though she hated to say it, Molly Weasley had been more like a mother to her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if we all fell in love at first sight, we wouldn't be with who we're with right now. I didn't like your father when I first met him, in fact, I thought he was boring – but now we've been together for over twenty years. And I seem to remember you weren't too nice about Ron in your first letter home."

Hermione smiled at the memory. He had been an idiot back then. And he was still an idiot, but somehow, it didn't matter any more. Her mother was right.

"So that's why, these two can't be in love. Maybe they will be, or would be, but they are not right now."

"Why do you think that?"

Her mother shrugged. "I don't know. It's just something I believe in."

She turned to Hermione.

"You hold on to him, you hear?"

Hermione nodded.

"It's only a film Mum." She whispered softly.

"I know." Mrs Granger sighed. "It's just I heard it described somewhere as the greatest love story ever told, and… it's not. And forgive me for sounding so corny…" She chuckled slightly, before continuing. "But real romance is so much better, don't you think?"

"Yes." Hermione replied, without a second thought.

Mrs Granger smiled.

"I love seeing you so happy sweetheart."

"Me too. It makes a change really."

Her mother's grin faded, and she reached for the remote and paused the film.

"Hermione, I know that you're going into your last year of school now, and it's all very important, and your father and I want you to do well, and we know you will, so please, try to make sure you're happy. Have some fun! You can afford it, after last year."

It was Hermione's turn to frown.

"What do you mean?"

"After this year, you'll have so many more responsibilities, you'll have to provide for yourself, so this is your last year of freedom. Try to enjoy it."

This was quite probably the last thing Hermione would have expected her mother to say. How could she do anything like that, she had to work hard for her N.E.W.Ts, they were called Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests for a reason, and of course, she was Head Girl, she couldn't spend all her time messing around…

"Has it finished yet?" came a small voice from somewhere outside the door.

Hermione laughed loudly.

"Ron! Don't be so stupid!"

Ron entered the room slowly, still averting his eyes from the television screen.

"Well, it's just we have to get home…" he said.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, jumping up from the sofa. "I'm sorry Mum, we said we'd be back for 11, and oh no, it's half past ten…"

Mrs Granger got up, smiling, and hugged Hermione warmly.

"Of course, it's fine. I'll see you again soon."

Hermione nodded, before grabbing her jacket from the sofa arm where she had draped it earlier.

"Yes, I'll come back. We both will, won't we Ron?"

Ron nodded, not looking quite so sure. Still, at least he made the effort, Hermione thought.

"Oh, and Hermione?" she heard her mother call after her as she turned to leave. "Don't forget what I said."

"I won't." Hermione answered.

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"So, what are we doing tomorrow?" Ron asked, as he and Hermione walked to the nearby woodland where they were to Apparate from.

"I don't know." Hermione shrugged. "I was going to look over some books for school.."

No. That wasn't really what she wanted.

"… Just in the morning, then I was thinking we could maybe have a picnic, or go to Diagon Alley… or… I don't know. Whatever really."

She could tell Ron was smiling, even though the darkness forbade her from seeing him.

"Sounds good." he replied, squeezing her hand.

After all, Hermione thought, as Ron kissed her, it wouldn't do to be working all the time. Especially when they had all the time in the world now.