Hermione could breathe freely again. As soon as Ron was brought home, her lungs were filled with fresh air. When he sat down in his usual spot in the dining room table, she breathed in. When he slept peacefully in his too-small bed, she breathed out. However, her breathing still felt constricted (in a good way) and she still got butterflies when he looked at her in a loving way. The same way, she realized with a jolt, he had looked at her in the mirror of erised. It all seemed like a miracle to Hermione. She remembered the first day he had come home, the kids had jammed a cheesy, but nonetheless lovely, yellow crown onto Ron's head, which clashed horribly with his hair, but Hermione never thought he had looked more perfect to her.
But she needed to talk to Ron, as perfect as he was, about their engagement. No one knew yet, and the urge to tell someone was jumping in front of Hermione, dangling right in front of her very nose. Trying to talk to someone alone in the Weasley household, where the couple were staying for a while while Ron recovered, was hard enough. But trying to get Ron alone after his injury proved to be one of the single hardest things Hermione had ever done - when not trying to save the wizarding world, anyways - he was constantly talking to people, entertaining the kids, and modestly trying to tell the story of the attack. After many attempts of trying to talk to him alone, she was finally able to corner Ron in his old room, which was the room they now shared together.
"Ron, we have to talk." she began, walking over to Ron who was sitting on the bed, scrutinizing a small, plastic figure wearing black and red robes, it seemed, of Hermione didn't know what. A drawer from the very same chest of drawers from which Hermione had taken Ron's journal was open, exposing what seemed like small pieces of paper.
"Yes, yes we do." said Ron in a very serious tone, and then immediately pulled Hermione down onto his lap. Ignoring Hermione's squeals of protest, with a mischievous glint in his eye, he began to tickle Hermione Granger. Finally, many happy complaints and giggles later, he released her so that they were both lying side-by-side on his bed.
"I'll get you next time." Hermione said, narrowing her eyes at her fiance.
"Whatever you say, darling." Ron humored her, running his hand up and down her arm.
"But, seriously, Ron, we've got to talk about the-the engagement. I think it's time we told our - our families." Hermione was finding it harder and harder to concentrate on her words as Ron began to kiss her neck. "Ron..." she told him half-heartedly.
Ron looked up, his blue eyes seemed to stare into her very soul. "Yes..." he replied, intertwining their hands together.
"You have to talk to my dad." Hermione tried to say it gently, but Ron's eyes nearly bugged out of his head.
"WHAT? No way, Hermione! Bloody hell, I can't do that!" Ron nearly screamed. "He'll punch the living daylights out of me!"
"Shhhh! Ron, you helped save the wizarding world from impending doom. I'm quite sure you can handle this. He's not going to kill you!" Hermione said impatiently.
Ron muttered something under his breath, but with a puppy-dog look from Hermione, finally relented and said, "fine, let's have them round for dinner next week." Hermione beamed at him and gave him a big hug.
"And we have to tell your family." She told him, after he sneaked in a kiss.
"Oh, Merlin." Ron sighed. "We have to make sure they're all there, otherwise that one person who missed it will hex us into oblivion."
Hermione agreed. "So let's tell Mrs. Weasley to invite everyone over for lunch tomorrow?"
"Sounds good," replied Ron, as he sat up against the pillows. "And Mum won't get suspicious about having everyone over there, she'll be too excited about the prep, so that's... Hermione?" Ron sounded quizzical as he stared at Hermione, who wore a look that Ron had seen often in school when she figured something out. "Hermiiionne..." he called.
"Hmmmm?" Hermione suddenly jumped out of her trance, and Ron asked her if she was okay.
"Oh, yes. I just.. I just figured that I'm going to be the next Mrs. Weasley."
Ron was speechless for a while too. When he finally spoke, he said,"Merlin... we're going to get married, Hermione!" he said. "Wow, I never thought I would say that. I'm getting married to Hermione Granger." he turned towards her. "My 14-year-old self would have just died and gone to heaven."
"And so would my 14-year-old self." she told him sweetly, as she began to caress his face lovingly.
"Imagine, 'mione! When we have kids, it'll be like - it'll be like little versions of us running around! I can just see them now : a girl with my amazing sporting abilities, irresistible charm, and gorgeous good looks" - Hermione coughed, which oddly sounded like 'nonexistent' - "and a boy with your brains, beauty, and bushy hair."
"Ronald!" Hermione punched Ron lightly on the arm, for which she had to lean over, and oddly enough, her own writing and name caught her eye. She quickly sat up, and reached over Ron and put her hand into the open drawer, and pulled out the stack of papers.
As soon as Ron realized what she was doing, he was shocked. "No - Hermione - stop!" he said, his ears already turning red. "Don't - don't look at that - it's private!"
He tried to snatch them from her, but it was too late - she had read most, if not all, of the tiny little papers, and had broke out into a huge smile, two pink spots appearing on her cheeks.
"Really, Ron?" she asked her fiance, whose face was closer to resembling a tomato with each passing second.
"I was a lovesick teenage boy, okay? Leave me alone."
She leaned over and gave him a great big kiss on his flaming cheek, and also a huge hug.
"Ron, that is the cutest thing I have ever seen." she whispered to him softly, resting her chin on his shoulder.
"Thanks." he replied quietly, stroking her hair. Thus ensued a long snogging session that both had missed for quite a while.
Lying on the bed, the reason of the passion being shared between the two lovers, were small strips of paper, evidently ripped, that all bore the words : love from, hermione.
A/N : Hope y'all enjoyed this fluff!
Thanks for the lovely review and the addition of this story to your favorites / alerts. It makes me feel happy. :)
Next chapter : lunch with the weasleys and dinner with the grangers!
