I do not own Harry Potter.

Life After the Last Battle

Chapter 34, Not Feeling Well

Hermione turned over in bed and looked at Ron. He was on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Ron? How long have you been up?" Hermione asked him.

"Couple hours..." he replied quietly.

"And you've just been lying in bed?" Hermione sat up.

"Yeah."

"What time is it?"

"Ten."

"Oh... So, do you want to go get a gift for Harry and Ginny? We never had time to yesterday."

"No."

"Oh. Alright. I'll get it alone then." Hermione got up and showered quickly, then walked out in just her towel, as she had forgotten to take clothes into the bathroom. She glanced at Ron, a blush creeping over her face. But then she realized that Ron wasn't even looking at her. He was still staring at the ceiling.

"Ron?" she asked quietly.

"Hm?" He asked, still not looking.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

"Ok... I love you," she smiled.

"Love you too," he said, and turned away from her. Her smile faltered a little and she went into the bathroom and got dressed.

"Ron!" Hermione called through the house. She had gotten Harry and Ginny a decorative mirror. The frame was wrought iron and curved. She set the package down and called Ron's name again. Nothing. She went up to her room to use he bathroom, and there was Ron, still lying in bed, awake.

"Ron, get up, please. We're going to Harry and Ginny's for lunch."

"Ok," Ron sat up and got out of bed. He walked past Hermione, who had leaned forward to kiss him, and went into the bathroom. Hermione heard the shower turn on. She made the bed and went back downstairs. The house was eerily quiet. Her parents were still out, and Hermione felt bad for being in their home. She didn't know why exactly, but she did. Hermione waited patiently for Ron, but after thirty minutes she was getting annoyed. She went up to her room and knocked on the door. No answer. She walked in and looked around. Ron was nowhere. She knocked on the bathroom door.

"Yeah?"

"Are you almost ready, Ron?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Ok..." Hermione sat down on her bed and waited. Five minutes later, Ron walked out.

"You look nice," he said, glancing at her. He walked over to her and kissed her once, then turned away. Hermione frowned a little. One kiss usually wasn't enough. It wasn't for her, anyway. Hermione held her hand out and Ron took it. They Disapparated.

They arrived in front of George's shop. Ron let go of Hermione's hand and started down the street.

"Where is it?" he asked.

"Over Prospero's Bakery," Hermione said. They walked in silence for ten minutes.

"Wow," Hermione said, looking up at the space over the bakery. It was nice looking from the outside, and there was a lot of space, but she wanted to see the inside. They walked around to the back of the bakery and found a little staircase. The door was a few yards over. Hermione knocked once and waited.

"Hi!" Ginny shouted after she swung open the door. Her clothes were splattered with light blue paint and her hair was up in a messy bun. Hermione and Ron followed her inside and looked around.

"This is really nice," Hermione said, looking around. It was furnished with nice, light colored things, and the kitchen was very large.

"Won't that ruin the furniture?" Hermione asked, nodding at a paint roller that was currently moving up and down the wall on its own.

"Nope," Ginny said as a drop of paint fell and vanished. "It goes back in there," she said, pointing at a bucket. "Cool, huh? George taught me that one."

"Handy," Ron said flatly.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked.

"He just left to get us all something to eat. Sandwiches alright?"

"Yes, that's fine."

"Great. I'll make tea. You and Ron look around," she said, grinning. Hermione led Ron around the flat. The bedroom was big, as was the bed. It was a really nice place.

"Isn't this nice, Ron?" Hermione asked Ron quietly. He shrugged and walked away. Hermione sighed and went into the kitchen where Ginny was setting out cups of tea.

"Thanks," she said as Ginny passed her a cup. The front door opened and closed.

"Hey Harry!" Hermione called.

"Oh, hello, Hermione," Harry said after he walked into the kitchen. He set a brown paper bag down and looked around the kitchen.

"Where's Ron?"

"Here," Ron said from the doorway. He sat down next to Hermione and grabbed the bag. He pulled out a sandwich and began to eat savagely. Ginny, Harry, and Hermione all exchanged glances and started eating as well. Ron finished first and slipped away to the living room.

"So, how do you like our place?" Harry asked Hermione.

"It's really, really, amazing, Harry. I love it," Hermione beamed.

"So..." Ginny said quietly, "How're things with you and Ron?"

"Good. I think he's tired today."

"Ah."

"And then, and then," Harry trailed off, laughing.

"No, Harry, don't!" Ginny giggled, tugging his arm.

"And then she fell right into the bathtub!" Harry shouted and laughed even harder. Hermione laughed with them.

"Harry!" Ginny said, hitting him playfully. Harry chuckled and poured the three of them second glasses of wine.

"Tell me some other stories about when you moved in," Hermione said.

"Alright, well, we haven't been here for that long, but, oh, there's a good one about our landlord!" Harry cracked up again and he and Ginny both crossed their eyes at the same time, then started laughing again.

"Our landlord is completely cross-eyed!" Ginny said.

"The first time we met, Harry laughed and told him it was a funny joke!"

"I didn't know he couldn't help it!" Harry said, laughing harder. Hermione laughed and peered around for Ron, who had disappeared sometime around 9. It was 10 now, and Hermione was just noticing his absence.

"Do either of you know where Ron is?" she asked.

"No, I thought he was in the living room," Harry said.

"Nope, he's not in there," Ginny said, who had a clear view of it from where she was seated at the kitchen counter.

"Well, that's odd. I'd better go find him. I suppose I could try George's, hm?"

"Yeah, do you have to go right now, though?" Ginny asked.

"I think so, though we were having a good time," Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, tonight was fun," Harry agreed.

Hermione said goodbye to them and left. She walked down the street toward Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. When she came to the colorful building, she knocked on the shop door, since the light was on. She waited a few moments and knocked again. The door opened, and Angelina Johnson stood in the doorway, with only a t-shirt and knickers on, looking very tired.

"Oh!" Hermione said, blushing.

"George!" Angelina called. There was some noise and then George was there, clad in boxers only.

"S-sorry," Hermione muttered and started to walk away.

"Something you need, Hermione?" George asked.

"I was just looking for Ron," she said.

"Lost him, have you?"

"You could say that," Hermione said. George studied her for a moment.

"Yeah, he dropped by. He, uh, he isn't feeling to well."

"What? Does he have a fever?"

"No, not like that... there's a pub a few blocks down, try there."

"Oh. Ok... Thanks, George."

"Night," he said with a half smile. Hermione walked away and heard the door close. A pub?