An Unconventional Fairytale: The Future, and all that

Bloody rain.

Ron stood at his bedroom window and watched as the rain washed away his plans to take Hermione to their tree. It hadn't been the bacon sandwiches he was looking forward to; Hermione said she wanted to shag- make love for the first time out there. Girls really could be barmy sometimes. Whatever, he didn't care. Or at least he hadn't cared until the rain foiled his plans.

He was surprised he wasn't more nervous. But then, they'd done pretty much everything else, so it was really just a technicality at this point. But dammit, he was looking forward to that technicality all week. Every day this week he looked outside from the shop to see blue skies, his anticipation building. Finally, Thursday arrives and he wakes to English weather giving him the middle finger.

"Fuck."

"Don't be so happy to see me."

Ron whirled around to the bright center of his universe. "You're here."

"Of course. If I let a little rain keep me away I'd never be here."

She crossed to him and easily fit into his arms, standing on her toes to lift her lips closer to his. She tasted like cinnamon scone.

"I see mum didn't let you pass without feeding you."

"Yes, apparently I'm still too thin."

"You're not too bad," he replied, his hands circling her waist. "I can still make out a rib or two, but you're much better than a couple months ago. I'm not afraid of snapping you in half anymore."

"Yes, well, I've learned my lesson. Always remember to plan for food."

Hermione laid her head on his chest and he enjoyed the feel and smell of her. She really had become too thin while they were on the run. They all had, but it showed on her much more having already been so thin to begin with.

"I had plans for today," Ron mumbled into her hair.

"Did they involve a blanket and tree?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, love, but it doesn't matter." Hermione looked away, "There wouldn't have been much more than eating anyway."

Confusion crossed his face. "Why not?"

"Well, let's say that weight isn't the only thing I finally got back."

He was still confused.

She looked at him before finally formulating her answer. "Well, it's 'that time of the month'."

"Time for what?"

Hermione looked exasperated at him. "You know, how girls, once a month..."

"Oh! That time. You confused me with the 'finally' comment." He looked down at her, worried. "What do you mean 'finally'?"

Hermione looked out the window to some faraway place. "Well, sometimes, if a woman is under too much stress or not eating right, her body will just... stop."

"Stop?"

"Yes. She'll stop ovulating and..."

"Yours stopped?"

She nodded.

"That's not good, is it?" Worry creased his face.

"Not really. It's a survival mechanism. But after a couple of months of eating properly and lately no stress, it's back." She sighed. "I've never been so happy to have cramps."

"Well, good." Ron tightened his arms around her. "Not the cramps thing, but that you're back to normal. Do the cramps hurt much?"

"They can, but there's a potion for it." Hermione quirked her lips at him, "Didn't think you'd be interested in 'female issues'?"

"Well, I'm not. But I figure I'm gonna learn more than I want to eventually, so I might as well start now."

Hermione shook her head and gave him a wry smile. "I've finally got you to want to learn and you're not going back to school. There's irony in there somewhere." Hermione sighed and sat on his bed.

He joined her and wrapped her in his arms. "If I had known there was a class on 'Hermione' I would have signed up years ago. As it is, I just found out about it a month ago. Think I'm doing pretty good so far." He looked at her expectantly.

Thinking about the thoroughly naughty things they'd done over the last few weeks made her blush. "Yes, well, I've always known you could accomplish anything you set your mind to."

His hand brushed her hair back over her shoulder, exposing her neck. Ron noted she had taken to wearing shirts with lower necklines. He leaned down to kiss her neck. "So, I'm doing well?"

"So far."

She smelled like vanilla- kiss- and strawberry. "Anything I should practice more? Perhaps I need tutoring?"

Her fingers slipped into his hair to hold him. "You could... Oh. Maybe... Ah. Just... just don't stop."

His words were murmured into her skin, "Yes, ma'am." As he kissed and sucked his way along her neck and jaw, he felt her lay back onto his bed, pulling him over her. Maybe he couldn't get into her knickers today, but there were plenty of other fun places on her body. He leaned back just enough to push her top up so he could run a line of kisses down her belly. Ron looked up at her and felt his breath catch. She was laid back, hair splayed out on his pillow, eyes closed and lips parted in bliss. You'd think he'd be used to this by now, but he still had trouble accepting that Hermione was his.

Not like a possession- bloody hell, she'd hex him if she ever believed he thought that way. No, 'his' as in he was the lucky bloke she trusted enough to see her like this, to do these things to her. She let him see her at her most vulnerable. She trusted him to keep her safe. Well, that settled it then.

For the last couple of weeks he'd been trying to decide his future. He had a good thing going with George at the shop, and Ron could see himself staying there as is brother's new partner. But he also thought about going to Auror academy in the autumn. Sure, he'd gotten pretty good this last year at defensive spells and such, but too many times it wasn't enough. Even if he didn't do it forever, at least he'd learn how to protect Hermione properly.

"Ron?"

She had lifted her head to look at him, poised over her belly where he had stopped and got lost in thought.

"What part of 'don't stop' are you having trouble with?"

He blinked and refocused on her. "Sorry, just... I just figured out what I want to do."

Hermione leaned back on her elbows and tipped her head. "Do?"

There was something odd about having this conversation leaning over her exposed belly while Hermione lay back on his bed, but that didn't stop Ron.

"Well, I've been thinking lately, about what I want to do with my life." Ron sat back on the bed, resting his hand on her calf. "I've been thinking about what I want to do, you know, as a career." He looked up at her, a little hesitant. "I want to apply to Auror academy."

"You want to be an Auror?"

He took a deep breath. "Yeah."

Her eyes looked down, to the side. "Oh."

"What? You don't think I can?"

"No!" She sat up to touch his cheek. "No, quite the contrary, I know you'd be brilliant. It's just..." She looked away. Her voice was small. "I didn't think it was something you still wanted."

"Well, at first I thought maybe I wanted to do it because Harry does. And maybe that was true, but I've thought about it and it's something I want to do. For my own reasons." He took her hand. "Now, I'll probably apply where Harry does, because… well, you know. But he's not the reason I want to do this."

He looked deep into her eyes, willing her to understand without him having to say it out loud. Her fingers traced the lines of his face, settling on his lips.

"It's dangerous."

"Yeah."

"I'll worry about you." She looked everywhere on his face but couldn't look into his eyes.

"Hermione, if you don't want me to do this..."

"I didn't say that." She took his face in her hands, "You'll go to academy, learn everything you can and be brilliant. I know you will."

"Will it keep you from worrying?"

"No. But you'll always come home to me."

Her eyes were glassy, but he saw the truth behind them. She believed in him. She honestly believed he would be a good Auror. 'Brilliant' was her word. Well then, if Hermione said it, then it must be true.

Ron took her hand where it rested on his cheek, his thumb stroking the backside. "Thank you."

"For?"

"Everything. Believing in me. Letting me do this."

"Ron." She kissed him gently. "I've always believed in you. I know I didn't say it much... at all, but it's true." Her hand stroked from his cheek to over his heart. "I just couldn't fathom how a person who clearly had talent also had no apparent interest in learning how to use it. Why do you think I bothered to help you so much?"

"Pity?"

She released a laugh. "I kept hoping that if I helped get the paperwork out of the way you'd focus on the application. And you did. 'Es' in Potions, Charms and Defense- you always did well in the classes that were less theory."

"Yeah, well, I'm not going to have you at Auror academy. I'm gonna have to get by on my own."

"And you will, because this is something you want. Something you've chosen."

In that moment Ron knew that he would do well. Maybe not 'Hermione' well, but he'd pass his classes and training because no matter how hard or boring it became, he'd think about the way she was looking at him in this moment and his resolve would strengthen. He would do it for her.

"At the very least it will distract me from the fact you're at Hogwarts."

Hermione looked at him sadly. "True."

"I'm gonna miss you."

She shook her head to ward off the thought. "That's still months away, let's not think about that. How are things at the shop? Have you told George your plans?"

"Seeing as I sorted it out just now- no, I haven't told him. But I will. Otherwise, things are good. Most of the shop is back to full stock. I've been helping him sort out some ideas he and Fred came up with while hiding."

She sat up to take interest. "Like what?"

"It was an idea for creating a distraction for Death Eaters. It's a small ball that when it hits a wall or the floor conjures the illusion of a person generally misbehaving and causing trouble. We're going to call then 'Detention Decoys'. The idea is the decoy is doing something worse than you were and Flich will run off after it while you slip away."

Hermione was giving him her 'eyebrow of disapproval.'

"What?"

"Filch. Or prefects you mean."

"Yeah, them too."

The eyebrow was still there.

"What?"

She added the glare of "what the hell are you thinking?"

And it dawned on him. "We'll, think of it this way. As Head Girl, you'll know what to look for now."

Hermione's eyes pinched shut. "We don't know that Professor McGonagall will make me Head Girl. I may have missed my chance."

"Don't be silly, of course you'll be."

She gave him a shy smile. "That's not the point."

"Oh, I know the point and I also know Detention Decoys will sell like mad."

Hermione shook her head. "Working on anything else? That won't help students get out of their studies?"

"Ah... oh, actually, there is something else." Ron started glancing around nervously. "See, George has been staying here at night; I don't think he likes being alone, you know. So, he asked me if I want to move into Fred's old flat."

Hermione's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "What did you tell him?"

"I thought about it and I told him I didn't just want to live in Fred's old place. Frankly, that's kinda creepy. So I said we'd let the family pick anything of his they wanted to keep, and whatever was left would go to the Ministry- they're collecting for families who lost their homes and whatever during the war."

"He agreed?"

"Yeah. Like I said, even if it's across the landing, I think he would feel better having someone there."

"That's wonderful, Ron. And you can make the place your own."

"Yeah, well, sort of." Ron looked around again.

Hermione's head tilted in question. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I was wondering... I'd understand if you didn't. So don't feel like you have to..."

She placed her hand on his thigh. "Ron, you haven't even asked me whatever it is yet."

"Right." Ron took a deep breath. "Hermione, I was wondering, if you'd want to..." Sigh. "I'd rather it be our flat. If you want."

She froze for a moment, lips parted in silent shock. "Move in together?"

His face was hopeful. "Yeah."

"Our flat."

Ron smiled at her, remembering something she told him not too long ago, "Our bed."

She looked into his hopeful eyes and knew the answer.

"Yes."

His grin was from ear to ear. "Wicked."

They smiled and their lips crashed together to seal the deal. He pulled back a bit, worried. "Will your parents be okay with it?"

"Mum yes. Dad, well, he'll come around."

Ron didn't look convinced.

"I happen to know that he and Mum lived together before they were married, so unless he wants to be a hypocrite, he'll accept it."

He felt a little better about it. "All right. I don't want there to be any trouble."

Hermione shook her head, "There won't be."

"I can't get a read on Mum though. Something tells me she won't be happy, but she won't be angry either. Hard to say."

She nodded in agreement. "She's made a few comments to me that make me think the same thing."

Ron perked up at her confirmation. "So, I'll need your help, getting the place ready."

"Of course! I can't wait."

"It's not very big, just two rooms. But it's got a serviceable kitchen and bath of its own."

Her smile matched his. "Doesn't matter. It will be ours."

"Ours. I like the sound of that." As he looked into her eyes, shining with excitement, Ron could feel the pull towards her. They'd talked about their future again and it didn't frighten him. Now that they had an actual plan, he could feel his own excitement building. A future with Hermione. The draw towards her lips was a near-physical thing.

As if on cue, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. Hermione adjusted her top and they sat very properly upon the bed.

"Thought for sure we'd catch you snogging! Glad I didn't take that bet." Ginny flopped down on the camp bed which was still set up. Harry, shaking his head in amusement, sat next to her.

Hermione looked at her incredulously. "You take bets over us?"

Ginny looked back sympathetically. "Hermione, we've been taking bets since the Yule Ball. Did you really think that row went unnoticed?"

"Well, I had hoped..."

Harry looked at Ginny with a look of mock hurt. "Why didn't I get to take part in this betting?"

She just shrugged. "It was decided you were too close and had unfair advantage. I tried to tell everyone you weren't that observant, but they didn't listen."

Harry looked to the room in general. "I think I'm supposed to be offended."

Everyone shared a good laugh yet no one tried to correct Ginny. It was an unstated fact that Harry typically had more important things to think about than whether or not his best friends would ever manage to get out of their own way long enough to realize they fancied each other. Harry was usually just happy when they were speaking to each other and not in a row.

So it was Ginny who noticed the shy looks and smiles between her brother and his girlfriend. "What's up? Spill."

Ron looked at her. "Don't know what you mean."

"You two. The shy glances, all smiles, and she's blushing- you two were snogging, weren't you?"

Hermione very formally corrected her. "There may have been some kissing, but earlier- not when you came up." Again, Hermione and Ron shared a look. "Might as well tell them."

Ron shrugged in agreement. "George offered me the other flat. And we're going to take it."

Harry and Ginny replied in unison. "We?"

Hermione clasped her hand in Ron's. "Yes. We."

Ginny didn't look so sure. "Mum's gonna rupture something."

Ron shook his head. "I think she'll be all right. Hermione's practically family anyway."

"Kids!" They could hear the woman in question from down below. "Lunch!"

Hermione sighed. "No time like the present."

Everyone rose to go downstairs. Ron lingered back and took Hermione's hand in his. She looked up at his nervous expression. "Can it wait until after we eat?"

A/N: I promised I'd return! As predicted, life has been busy and is looking like it won't let up. Long and short- updates will continue to be sporadic. But have no fear, they will continue.

I have to hang my head in public shame because I wrote 'Mom' instead of 'Mum' (twice!) HalfASlug may never forgive me. In fact, my Honorary British Person award was granted and then revoked within the same chapter. Ah, well- I'll keep trying.

J.K. Rowling was granted Honorary Goddess of the Universe. It has not been revoked.