Their 19 Years: Chapter 26
All rights are JK's.
Now I apologize but I am about to go on a highly necessary rant for a few moments about several reviews I have gotten recently. A couple people have said my characters - especially Ron, are out of character. I am sorry but that really pisses me off. The war changed everybody, and no one is for sure what all of them were like afterwards, so people come up with their own interpretation of them post-deathly hallows. This is my interpretation of them and I am going to explain into detail why they act the way they act with a few of the main ones.
Ginny: Ginny has just recently gotten back together with her boyfriend (Harry) that she hasn't seen in almost a year, which can mean they have few issues with getting back into the swing of things and acting like boyfriend and girlfriend again, which prompts her jealousy towards Ron and Hermione. She is also feeling left out because Harry, Ron and Hermione have experienced things she could never imagine while they were away.
Harry: Harry is feeling a bit strange with not having to be in fear of his life anymore, and just being allowed to have a normal life again with Ginny and the Weasley's. He also feels a bit awkward about having his two best friends that he has known for years snog the hec out of each other.
Hermione: She is finally together with the boy she has liked for years and seeks his comfort when she is upset. The war and the horcrux hunt has weakened her emotionally and she needs Ron to help her through it. She also knows that her and Ron have been through a lot together and has no hesitation in calling him "love" or "hun". Like let's get real here people, they pretty much were dating all the way through the deathly hallows, they just didn't know it;)
Now Ron is the one I have had the most complaints about so this one will be the longest. Prepare yourself.
Ron: Ron is still emotionally scared by Fred's death and now knows what it is like to lose someone you love, so he feels no hesitation in spilling all of his feelings out to Hermione about how he want to have a future with her. He almost lost Hermione at Malfoy Manor and knows what it is like to have her so close to death, so he protects her with his life. He has loved her for years and became super worried about her during the horcrux hunt so now that he is allowed to treat her the way he has always wanted to treat her if she were to be his girlfriend. This involves calling her "sweetie" and "sweetheart". It is not unknown that they will get married to the both of them so they don't feel strange acting a bit like they are already married. We all know that throughout the entire series Ron has been the sensitive and emotional type so his gentleness and loving behaviour has been their all along and he let's it show through when he is with Hermione because he loves her.
Bottom line, I love my version of the characters, and if you actually took the time to read this I like you very much and I hope you now see why I wrote them the way I did. Now enough of this AND ONTO THE STORY!
The next week was spent getting everybody settled and ready to back to Hogwarts. Hermione, of course had already dived into all of her books and had left a permanent indent in the couch where she had sat for most days during the last week. This was why it was no surprise to Ron to find Hermione immersed in a book she had read multiple times.
"Love, will you please come outside or something," Ron pleaded throwing himself onto the couch beside her.
"I am reading Ronald," she chastised not looking away from the page.
"I noticed that," he said tonelessly. His eyes then lit up as he got an idea.
Leaning towards her, Ron began to pepper the side of her neck and face with the softest of kisses.
"Ron," she warned, her voice faltering a bit. He gave no answer and kissed his way to her mouth, pulling her into a snog. Of course Hermione couldn't resist and pushed the book onto the floor so she could shuffle towards him, never breaking away from him.
"Hehem," a voice interrupted their snogging session.
"Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione exclaimed, pushing Ron off of her as he whined in protest, "I am so sorry."
"No worries dear," she said with a knowing smile, "I just made some tea for you two," she placed a tray on the coffee table.
"Thanks mum," Ron said, having no hesitation in diving into the biscuits that lay beside the steaming tea pot.
"I will just call your father in, looks like it will just be the four of us today cause George wanted to take Ginny out for ice cream in thanks for helping him get the shop all set up again," she explained pushing the back door open and yelling out into the yard for Ron's dad. Of course George had offered to take Ron as well but he had sad he wanted to spend the day with his girlfriend, which really implied snogging in a house with no interruptions. But apparently that was not possible even with all of his siblings gone.
Mr. Weasley appeared in the doorway, face covered in sweat and hands covered in grease.
"Just about have that muggle grass-cutter thingy fixed," he said delightedly, Mrs. Weasley siphoning the grease of his hand with her wand.
"A lawn mower," Hermione supplied smiling. She loved how Ron's family was pureblood but loved muggles like her, and treated them just as equally, unlike the Malfoy's.
"Brilliant those muggles," he marveled.
Hermione scooted off the couch and to the other side of the coffee able so Mr. and Mrs. Weasley could sit on the couch. Ron also moved to the arm chair behind Hermione and rested his hands lightly on her shoulders.
"So your first shift at the shop is tonight," Mrs. Weasley said smiling as she poured tea into four cups.
"Yeah going to be busy," said Ron running a hand through his hair. Ron had been a bit nervous about starting at the shop because he was afraid he would never be as good as Fred - well he knew he would never be able to replace Fred, no one could.
"What time do you start?" Hermione asked looking up at him.
"Like in half an hour, all I have to do is change into my dress robes.. Thankfully Ron still had the dress robes that Fred and George had bought him after the whole yule ball fiasco. Although Mrs. Weasley had to charm them a bit larger because Ron had grown out of them years ago.
They drank their tea and chatted about the upcoming school year and what internships they would be taking at the Ministry, then suddenly George apparated into the living room looking flustered.
"Ron! We need to go!" George yelled frantically waving his arms.
"What? You said be there at four!' Ron yelled back springing to his feet.
"That was the original plan until I can into your room this morning and told you we were opening an hour earlier," he explained tapping his foot impatiently.
"Okay well let me just get changed," he said rushing out of the room.
"Some things never change," Hermione laughed, remembering how Ron would always be late for class when they were at Hogwarts.
Ron was back less then a minute his dress robes askew and hair sticking up every which way. Everyone laughed and Mrs. Weasley rushed to adjust the midnight blue collar.
"Mum that's enough," he whined shooing her hands away from him, similar to the way he used to when he was younger.
"Okay we really need to go," George reminded him irritatedly.
"Right okay," he said grabbing his wand. He strode over to Hermione who still sat on he floor and leaned down to kiss her quickly. "Love you, and I will see you when I get back," he told her kissing her nose then apparating away with George.
The shop has streamers strewn from the ceiling that released confetti, and there were fireworks bouncing off the walls. This only added to the excited vibe that the customers lining up outside the store were omitting.
"This is going to be crazy," George warned, "this is almost as busy as when the shop first opened."
"Better let them in and face the music then," Ron sighed. George gave him a funny look that clearly stated that he had never heard the muggle term before, but Ron muttered "Hermione" and George nodded.
"Alright, prepare yourself," George said half nervous and half upset. Obviously George was thrilled to have the shop opening up again, but it gave him reminders of the time when he used to run it with Fred. Those days were gone though and everybody had to move on.
George opened the door and cut the thick red ribbon that blocked off the door, letting all of the anxious customers in. Ron was no where near prepared for the million questions thrown at him, asking where this was, and what the price of that was?
"Aisle six, no ten, seven Galleons, three sickles," he said quickly, trying to remember where everything was with people yelling in his face.
"Holding up alright Ron?" shouted George from the floor above him pulling down a new package of Extendable Ears.
"Yeah," he yelled back, quickly jumping to the side as a girl no older than eight sprinted past him.
"Just think, only nine hours till closing," he cackled. As much as Ron was dreaded the fact that he would have to do this for another nine hours, he like seeing George happy again.
Exactly eight hours and forty-three minutes later, George was showing the last of the customers out Of the store, their hands full with brown bags that sported an orange WWW. Ron collapsed against the counter, dead on his face, and his ears ringing from hours of shouting, exploding, snapping, and shrieking.
"Well," said George pulling two butters out from behind the counter, "I think this deserves a toast!" Ron took the bottle in his hands and clinked it against George's. "To an amazing first day at the WWW!"
"Cheers."
After they relaxed for a few minutes, they grabbed their wands and set the shop right before locking up and apparating back to the burrow.
"Oh you're back!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley who had been knitting on the couch.
"Yep, and business was booming, had a line out the door all night," George said retiring to the couch and propping his feet up on the coffee table. Ron shrugged off his jacket and hung it over the chair just as the girls came rushing into the room.
"How was work?" Hermione asked hugging Ron and accepting his light peck on the lips.
"Great, bloody exhausting though," he cursed running a playful hand through her curls.
"Well then off to bed the both of you," Mrs. Weasley ordered.
"Mum I don't live her anymore," reminded George with a grin.
"Right," Mrs. Weasley said, "but still off to bed."
"Alright, alright. Thanks Ron for all the help, see you tomorrow bright and early," George reminded before apparating away.
Ron was just settling into bed when a light knock sounded on the door.
"Harry, honestly you don't have to knock anymore," Ron yelled slightly irritated.
"It's me," said a soft feminine voice from the door.
"Oh! C'mon in love," Ron said sitting up in bed to see Hermione pad quietly into his room dressed in her pyjamas. She sat on his bed and snuggled up to him without hesitation. Ron smiled because this act that had become so normal to them over the last couple months, would have scared him to death a year ago.
"What's up sweetheart?" he asked kissing her forehead lovingly.
"Just wanted to say goodnight," she mumbled, closing her eyes and resting her head on his chest.
"Looks like you're about to fall asleep," he laughed.
"Tell me how work was," she requested drowsily.
"Sure you will be able to stay up?" he asked grinning in the minimal light.
"Yep."
Ron started to tell her the details of his day, but Hermione was out within two minutes. Ron chuckled to himself and lifted her up bridal style. He carried her back to Ginny's room where her and Harry were chatting quietly on Ginny's bed. They gave him questioning looks when he entered carrying the snoring Hermione.
"Bored her to sleep with my talk about work," he laughed quietly.
"She's not the only one," snided Ginny, "I am getting drowsy just listening to you now."
"Haha," Ron laughed sarcastically. He place Hermione gently down on her bed and pulled the blankets tight around her. He pushed back the curtain of hair that lay across her forehead and kissed her crown tenderly before giving Harry a look that said he should follow him out of the room. Harry gave Ginny a kiss and then left the room in the wake of Ron.
The boys climbed the stairs to Ron's attic in silence and climbed into bed. Ron fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and dreams of fireworks and brightly coloured candy clouded his mind.
Okay guys I won't talk long cause I ranted at the beginning. But I am alive if you thought I died or something because I haven't updated in weeks. Here is a chapter though!
Read and Review!
daddyron404