A/n: Here is the last chapter, I know it's been a long time coming, but I really hope that everyone enjoys it! I want to apologize for any confusion regarding the last chapter. You see, I needed to fix all my typos and I had to re-upload it on there. Many apologies if that confused anyone!! And now…the final chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, the author J.K Rowling does.
Chapter 21: Time Heals All Wounds…
It was a gorgeous day outside; it was that time of year when the seasons were caught in between summer and fall. It was also the day that Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were moving into their own, can you believe it…. Apartment!
Hermione was ecstatic with eagerness, as was Ron. It was only a few months before they were standing in Hermione's parents' backyard confessing love for each other, and now here they were moving in together.
All the boxes had been put inside except for a few that remained on the walk outside. Ron picked up one of the heavier ones and followed Hermione through the front door.
"There! That's all of them!" Ron said with a groan as he set the box on the floor.
Hermione turned to face him, she was smiling and looked so happy. "Ron. This is OUR apartment!" She shrieked.
"I know Mione' you keep reminding me!" Ron chortled.
"Aren't you excited?"
"Hermione, you know the answer to that." Ron responded blushing a little, as he looked at her.
Hermione did not think she would ever get sick of hearing it in her head "Hermione and Ron's apartment." She took a deep breath, she felt like it was too good to be true and she was dreaming, but her parents had agreed that it was time for Hermione to move out and get started with her adult life. Mrs.Weasley however had a bit of difficulty parting from her youngest son. She offered numerous times for the young pair to move into the Burrow and live there. But Ron dismissed it and said he needed to move out and grow up.
Eventually though, Mrs.Weasley accepted it (this of course was only after Ron had packed his things.) She had promised to help them with anything they needed as well.
Ron eyed all the unpacked boxes cluttering the floor. "Looks like we have defiantly got our work cut out for us. I didn't think we had this much stuff!"
Hermione looked at it too," Well honestly Ron, you know this isn't much!"
Ron gave a laugh, "Well half of this stuff in these boxes is your books!" he teased.
Hermione shot him a look that was supposed to mean 'I need all these books and if you daresay anything further you'll be in trouble'; but she couldn't do it and cracked a smile instead.
"We are going to need furniture, living room furniture, dining room furniture…" Hermione rambled on; wracking her brain for everything she would need to make it feel like home.
"Yeah but we don't need bedroom furniture!" Ron blushed.
Hermione spun on her heels, she laughed at Ron's remark because their bedroom furniture had been moved in three days ago before everything else. Hermione had taken her queen sized bed from her home, and her dressers as well.
She stepped closer to Ron. Ron's eyes glinted with excitement, "Welcome home Hermione." He said softly just before their lips met.
Hermione's heart leaped again, she knew that this was huge! Moving in together was the first step in getting a marriage proposal from Ron. Every time she thought about it, she got so excited her heart would beat faster inside her chest. Though, she didn't try to think about it if she could help herself.
They separated, and Hermione smiled up reassuringly at him. "Our apartment." She laughed again before Ron kissed her once more.
After a few more minutes, they decided to get to work and several hours later, they had unpacked all their belongings. Nothing was very well organized; books were laying helter-skelter all over the place. Empty boxes were towered high to the ceiling, and it looked to be completely disheveled in every direction.
Ron knew better than anyone that the lack of organization was eating Hermione up on the inside, and he couldn't help but laugh at the look on her face when she would just sort through one stack of items, and turn only inches to her right and find another mess before her eyes.
Ron's stomach rumbled, and Hermione burst out with laughter. "Ron! You can't possibly be hungry, after that enormous breakfast your Mum sent over!"
"That was eight hours ago Hermione!" Ron pleaded as his stomach gave another low murmur.
Hermione got to her feet and walked into their kitchen. "Their kitchen" she repeated in her mind.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked, following her closely.
"Making dinner." Hermione smiled pulling a Tupperware from the fridge that she had snuck in when Ron hadn't been looking.
She loosened the cover and jammed it in the microwave. Ron sniffed, attempting to identify it. "What's in there?"
Hermione didn't respond, "Oh Merlin! We don't have any plates! Or silverware!"
"Why don't you just zap us some?" Ron inquired above the whirr of the ancient microwave that would most certainly need to be replaced at the first available chance.
"Because that's the lazy thing, plus this will be more fun…" Hermione answered back. She had taken one plastic fork out of the box and set it on the counter top hours ago. She pulled out the large rectangle box that contained the food and smelled it. "Our first, home cooked meal in OUR apartment."
Ron smiled. Hermione came closer and waved it beneath his nose, "Your Mum made this for us, she sent it with me before we left."
"Blimey she really did think of everything!"
Hermione nodded. Mrs.Weasley had cooked up a few chicken drumsticks, and added it into the Tupperware with mashed potatoes, slathered with butter. It wasn't much, but it would still be a good first meal. "I wish we had thought of everything, we don't have a table."
Ron quickly rushed from the room and seconds later returned with one of the cardboard boxes that had recently been emptied. He placed it upside down on the floor by the window in their dining room and smiled in Hermione's direction.
"Perfect."
Hermione set the Tupperware and single fork down on top of the box. She gestured for Ron to sit across from her at their makeshift table. Ron did so and couldn't help but laugh as Hermione picked up the fork and scooped up some of the mashed potatoes and fed them to him.
And so they ate their dinner, in their apartment. Together. Happy as they could ever be.
Hermione was still pacing back and forth, it had been over an hour since Ron's departure, and with every minute that went by she became more worried. Questions rolled into her mind that she couldn't answer. She felt very uneasy and didn't know how much longer she could take the waiting.
She bent over and began to clean up the debris left from the fight between her and Josh. Her favorite lamp, the dragon figurine, and several other objects had been ruined or damaged. She really didn't care about them; she was glad that she was okay. She was praying Ron was okay, but she didn't know if he was or not. She began to clean up everything in a desperate attempt to lessen her worry.
Later that night, several rooms had been organized better and there was a small patch where you could see the floor at last. Both Ron and Hermione were very tired from the move; they had been hard at work all day since nine in the morning.
Ron yawned, "Hermione, there is no chance of getting done tonight, do you reckon we should go to sleep?"
Hermione set down the armload of items she had been carrying. "I thought you would never ask!"
They both had the same idea forming in their minds, they both stopped dead in their tracks. Suddenly Hermione tore off in a dead-on sprint to their bedroom.
"Their bedroom.'
It had already been decorated; it was the only room in the house that was completely finished.
Ron was close behind, but Hermione reached it first. She laughed furiously as she jumped onto their bed, proudly proclaiming her victory over Ron. "Okay, you won that time! But don't get used to it! I'll win tomorrow night!" Ron teased when he saw her.
Hermione stuck her tongue out at him in a "Nananananana! I won. You lost!" sort of way.
Ron ran up to the bed and pushed her down playfully. Hermione was still laughing, she couldn't help herself, she was so happy. They got to their knees on top of the bed and came face to face again. Ron took her hands and kissed her again. "I love you Hermione."
Hermione gazed back at him, "I love you too Ron." Ron gave a weak smile before Hermione kissed his lips and stripped the shirt from his back.
Hermione was now sitting on her couch, drumming her fingers on the table next to her; another hour and a half had passed.
"What is taking him so long?!" Hermione screamed aloud. "He should have been back hours ago!"
She took a deep breath to calm herself back down, but soon the silence was broken once more by the squeak of the front door opening.
Hermione spun around so quickly, she nearly twisted her neck off. She rushed to the door and saw that Ron had returned at last.
"Ron!" Hermione cried in a shrill voice, throwing her arms around him.
Ron cringed and let out a moan of pain. Hermione pulled back and took a look at the expression painted on Ron's face. He looked like he was sick; his face was pallid and very lifeless. He was clutching his side tightly, and Hermione noticed blood pouring from it. She looked up at him, his lip was cut open and bleeding, and his jaw was swollen.
"You're in pain!" Hermione cried when her saw him holding his right side and swaying back and forth.
"I'm fine."
"NO YOUR NOT!" Hermione wailed.
"I just need to get patched up is all." Ron told her, trying to stay calm so as not to upset her.
Hermione took him by the forearm and led him to the couch. Ron sat down and doubled over from the pain burning in his side. Hermione noticed it once again and raised his shirt a bit to see that he had been cut quite severely and had already lost a lot of blood. Her eyes welled with tears as she stared at him in disbelief.
Ron forced a bit of a laugh, "You should have seen the other guy."
Same old Ron, always making a joke out of something, Hermione began to cry again. And just like old times, Ron placed his arms around her shoulders, trying with all his might not to scream. "I'm sorry Hermione."
Hermione choked back more tears and dried her eyes on her sleeve. Then she got up and rushed to get her wand. Soon she was back and was healing all of Ron's wounds.
Ron ran a hand over his side and noticed he no longer felt pain anywhere. He got to his feet and drew Hermione into another hug. "Thank you." Both of them were equally grateful to their Hogwarts education that had taught them how to mend wounds without the use of potions, only minor ones however.
Hermione whimpered a bit, and found it difficult to talk once more. Ron rested his hands on her shoulders and backed away so that he could see her. "Hey, hey, I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me. Why are you crying?"
She sniffed, "You could have gotten yourself killed Ron! Over nothing!"
"It was not over nothing! That guy hurt you; he beat you to a bloody pulp Hermione. What did you want me to do? Stand by and let him get away with it."
"No." Hermione said meekly. "What took you so long!" she added looking up at him with a bit of frustration.
"It's a long story."
"I don't care." She said sternly, still keeping her eyes fixated upon Ron.
Ron heaved a small sigh, "I went to his house and found him inside, Hannah's car was in the drive b-but…she must have been asleep. And well, I told him he had no reason to hurt you and he started mocking me. I don't think he realized who I was at first…. He's only met me once. Then after it is he came at me and we had a bit of a row."
Hermione let out a tiny squeak. Ron continued, "Anyway, I punched him and he punched me back. You know the usual fight stuff. But then he got all crazy and grabbed something,i still don't know what it was….he stabbed it into my side….." Ron paused to rub the spot where the hole had been. "I shoved him to the ground and beat him up pretty good. Then the cops showed up, I guess one of his neighbors overheard and called them. I told them what he did to you, and I managed to conjure up a picture of it. They saw he was drunk, and that I was bleeding, so they hauled him off. They wanted me to get help from paramedics but I got out of there as soon as I could."
Hermione was crying again as she looked at him. "I can't believe you went to all that trouble Ron. And with the cops involved, you could have went to jail too!" Hermione was obviously worried still, but Ron hugged her gently again and told her there was nothing to worry about he was fine, and standing right there with her.
There was an uncomfortable silence between them for a very long time; neither of them spoke for they were at a loss for words. They stood there staring at each other, lost in thought of the incidents from that day; until finally, Ron snapped back into reality and broke the long stretch of silence.
"Well, everything's fine now." He mumbled, "I should get going –" It sounded as if her was about to say something more but then, added, "Yeah." And allowed his hand to drop to his side with a lack of what else to do.
He turned his back to Hermione and took a step to the door.
"Ron!" Hermione roared after him, tugging on his shoulder.
Ron turned, "What?"
"Why did you show up here tonight? I m-mean, how did you—you know?" Hermione said flustered.
Ron took a slow breath; he only came to get her back. He wanted to tell her, but now he knew she wouldn't be wanting him in her life since her near death experience when she dated someone else.
"I dunno', I just…. I just, wanted to see you Mione'." He said, touching her hair.
A few tears slipped from Hermione's eyes as she closed them and took in Ron's touch.
Ron could feel his own heart ripping apart in his chest, he needed to tell her now, he wanted to wake up next to every morning, and he wanted to see her when he came home. She was beautiful, she understood him so well it was outrageous, and she had always been there, except for these last few years that Ron was now regretting. It was odd, he felt suddenly obligated to tell her now and knew if he walked through the door he wouldn't be coming back.
"Ron?"
Ron took a step closer to Hermione and grasped her hands. He knew it was now or never, his heart was pounding and sitting in the back of his throat. He was nervous all over again, just like the first time he ever did this.
"Hermione…. God, I love your name. These last three years have been nothing but a mistake, I wish they never would have happened. I was such a git for leaving you; I never should have done it. You are the best thing that has ever been in my life. You always were… I need you to be with me Hermione. I need to see you everyday. I regret leaving you every single day, you have no idea how much I have missed you. I messed up, and I can't change what I did… but Mione' I need you. You're everything to me and I can't stand being away from you for more than a few minutes. You're still the first thing I think of when I wake up, and the last thing I think before I fall asleep."
Ron swallowed hard, Hermione was staring right through him, "I know you've given me more chances than I deserve and every time I've ruined them, but I need one more Hermione. Just one more." Ron was breathless he didn't know where his words were coming from, they were sputtering from his mouth so fast he didn't have time to think about them. "I love you. I've loved you my whole life, I'll always love you. Please Mione'… I can't live anymore without you. I'm begging you for one more shot."
He stared down into her large brown eyes that were now slowly filling with tears she was trying to hold back with all her might.
"Oh Ron." She sniffed. "You're such an idiot." She laughed wiping her eyes, "You already know that I feel the same way. Like I said, what took you so long?"
Ron smiled at her and Hermione returned it. "We need to take this slow Ron, no more fooling around." She added sternly.
"Slow is good…. Because…."
"We're not the same people anymore…"
"We've changed." Ron finished for her.
"Same people…people who—"
"Who drifted apart."?
"So… this is for real now?" She asked breathlessly.
"Forever."
Hermione's heart was thumping, it felt like a dream, she realized that Ron was the only person she would ever need ever again, and hated herself for pushing him out of her life a few months ago. They belonged together, why else would they keep ending up together?
There they stood, Ron and Hermione, a couple…again. This time for keeps. Their hands were still interlocked tightly with one-another. Hermione was still in her pajamas, and had quite forgotten her sleepiness.
Ron bent forward slowly, he could feel the warmth from her small frame, and he was only inches from her lips. He felt Hermione's finger push down gently on his lips and snapped his eyes back open to see her smiling.
"Slow remember." She laughed and turned to walk away.
Ron pulled her hands back closer to his body and twirled her like they were dancing to a slow dance all alone. He clapped his hands to her back and kissed her, Hermione clasped her arms around his broad neck and stood on tiptoe to kiss him back. They didn't separate for over a minute. Hermione was drinking in the feel of his lips, the smell of him, the touch of his hands folded around her back, it was giving her Goosebumps all over and her legs were slowly turning to jelly. For the first time, she felt she was doing the right thing in her head and in her heart. Ron couldn't resist the feel of Hermione against his skin; he had forgotten how good it felt to hold her in his arms. They fit perfectly together; it felt like they were carved from a lump of clay to fit as one.
They parted and Ron rested his head against Hermione's so that he didn't have to go so far away from her and spoke softly, "Is it true?"
Hermione was bewildered, she was still recovering from the shock of being reunited with her 'one and only'. "Is what true?"
"Time heals all wounds…"
"But they leave their scars." Hermione finished his thought for him.
Ron was utterly amazed, after all this time she still stole the words right from his mouth. She still finished his sentences. Just like nothing had changed.
Hermione pulled away gradually to look at him again. "I love you Ronald Bilious Weasley."
Ron smiled. That was the first time he had heard those words from Hermione's mouth in over three years. She had never said it that night they spent together a few months back, or at least as much as he could recall she had never said it. His heart was beating even faster at the sound of her voice. She hadn't called him Ronald…. Since… Ron couldn't remember the last time she called him Ronald, it was usually when she was angry with him, but she wasn't this time.
" I l…" Ron began, but was silenced by Hermione's kiss again.
Hermione kissed him softly for a moment and then stopped, her arms still hooked around his neck and couldn't help herself…. "Welcome home Ron."
Ron laughed remembering the day of their move, "Our apartment."
The End
A/n: I hope you all like the ending; I thought it was cute, with the memory of the move added in. I want to thank everyone for reviewing my story; each and every review is greatly appreciated… so of course you must review once more! Also, I'm sort of toying with the idea of an epilogue to this story… any one want to see one? I'll certainly write one! I'm hoping to get some fresh ideas for a new story; I might do one about Harry and Ginny, but for now I am out of ideas for fanfics, keep checking back often!
Tremendous thanks to all you readers! I hope you have enjoyed the story!