Chapter 16 – Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches
When Ron came into the bathroom, his beautiful witch was already lying in a fragrant bubble bath. Hermione had lit a few candles, which suffused the bathroom in a beautiful light. Ron smiled and he knew exactly what to think of the next time he would cast his Patronus. Merlin's pants, he didn't know that one could feel so much at once. Hermione winked at him.
„You like what you see?"
"You bet! You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life."
Hermione sat down and slipped forward a bit in the tub to show Ron to sit behind her. He smiled and accepted the invitation too gladly. As soon as Ron sat behind Hermione, she snuggled up to him with a long sigh. He wrapped his arms around her, leaned gently forward and put his chin on her shoulder.
"What's wrong with my beautiful witch? Is everything okay, or are you regretting not waiting?" Hermione raised her arm backwards and put her hand on Ron's cheek.
"No! Merlin's sake, Ron. Why do you always think so bad of yourself? I have no regrets. . . I love you."
"I'm sorry, Mione. I love you, too. But something's still bothering you, isn't it?"
Hermione took her wand from the edge of the bathtub and put a warming charm on the water. With her wand she let foam rise from the tub into the air and formed the Eiffel tower out of it in elegant movements.
"You're worried about your parents, right?" Ron asked. Hermione put her wand to the side and began to sob. Ron took her firmly in his arms to show her that she was not alone. "Please tell me what's bothering you." Hermione shook her head. Ron kissed her on the cheek.
"You know, a very smart witch told me last night that it's better to talk about it. And just as you want to share my pain, I want you to share your pain with me." Ron tried to convince her.
Hermione took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "You know, Ron, it's not that simple."
"I'm with you. We will find a solution. And I'm sure if we don't come up with anything, my family will help us. Hermione, my family loves you. You can tell by the fact that every time my mother sees you, she pulls you into a bone-crushing hug."
Hermione had to smile. Ron was right. As so often. Although she was good at making diagnoses or brewing potions, she had not yet found answers to life's questions. She didn't really need to. Her parents had everything planned so far. Training as a healer. Job in the Muggle hospital and a future Muggle son-in-law they must have chosen for her. Hermione became angry and hit the water with her fist when it burst out of her.
"No. Stop. Stop. That's enough now. I don't want this anymore."
Ron was lost in thought and was looking for a solution, although he only knew that Hermione's parents were not very enthusiastic about their world and they wanted to bring her back to France. He flinched in shock when Hermione shouted and withdrew from her.
„What don't you want any more Mione? Us? But I thought…" Ron asked slightly startled.
Hermione interrupted him with her still angry voice and turned to him so she could look at him. "Ronald Billius Weasley, if you don't stop doubting yourself or us, I will hex you. Then you won't only be afraid of your mother and Ginny!"
She saw his frightened expression and took his face in her hands before she continued speaking in a softer voice. "I'm sorry, but we definitely need to work on your confidence, Ron. I just found my happiness with you and I don't want to lose that. Of course I love my parents and so far I have always wanted to show them that I can do everything they want me to do. But my idea of a happy life has changed completely… With you... "
Ron bent over to kiss Hermione. "Do they know about us?"
"No… I didn't tell them about you before our first date because I didn't want to let it spoil my evening and since then we have actually been together all the time."
"And I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Neither do I, but I have to get back to the dorm by tomorrow morning. I need to change clothes, I need to talk to my professor about postponing my exams, I need to write to my parents and…"
Hermione panicked and talked faster and faster.
"Hey, easy, Hermione. We'll do all that. But first of all you take a deep breath, calm down and I think we'll get out of the tub first, otherwise we'll both know what we look like at 80." Ron laughed while Hermione got red cheeks and had to laugh too.
"Well, there you go." Ron reached for his bathrobe and duplicated it. He put on his, helped Hermione out of the bathtub and then wrapped her in the much too large bathrobe.
"I'll see if I can find something comfortable for you to wear." He said and a short time later Ron returned with a T-shirt and short sports pants.
"If you want, I'll help you write the letter… I mean… you'll have to write it yourself but I could just sit behind you and pat your back." he grinned coyly.
Hermione smiled at him. "That would be wonderful, Ron. Would you like to gather everything together while I get dressed?"
„Sure!" Ron gave her the clothes and kissed her on the forehead.
He already sat on the sofa and smiled warmly when Hermione came into the living room. She looked simply stunning in his much too large clothes.
"If you like, we can give the letter to my owl later. Then your parents should have it in the morning. They know post-owls, right?"
"Yeah, they think it's weird, because. . . It's magic." Hermione sat down on the sofa in front of Ron and took the parchment and pen that lay in front of her on the small table and began to write the letter to her parents.
Mum, Dad,
I'msorryIhaven'tcontactedyou forsolong, butalothashappenedinthelastfewdays.
Hermione looked at Ron. He began to stroke her back. She closed her eyes for a moment before she turned back and continued writing.
Firstofall, Ifeelverywell. ThatisalsothereasonwhyI'mwritingtoyou. Ihavemadesomedecisionsthatyou probablywon'taccept. Afterourlastfight, whereyou againdidnotconsidermyneeds, Ifeltvery bad. Ithoughtitwasmyfaultagain. Becausemyachievementsmightnotbegoodenoughforyou. Just becauseIhavemagicalabilitiesdoesn'tmeanthateverythingcanbedonesoeasilywithawandand an "abracadabra" (which doesn't even exist in the magical world). Ihadtolearnandworkjustashardfor beingallowedtodotheinternshipatSt. Mungo's. Well, here are the decisions I've made:
Firstly, Iwilltalktomyprofessortomorrowinordertopostponemyfinalexaminationforhalfayear, ifpossible. Secondly, Iwilltrytoworkpart-timeatSt. Mungo's untilmyexams, inordertogainexperience, amongotherthings, sothatthirdlyIcangetapermanentpositionthere. You readitright! Iwanttostayhere. Whenyou readthereason, Iknowyou willthinkitschildishandimmature. Iaminfinitelygratefultoyou thatyou actuallyonlywantedthe bestforme. Butinmylife, inmyworld (where unfortunatelyyou havenot beenveryinterestedin) Ifeelcomfortableandthis bringsmetomymostimportantdecision. I'vemetthekindest, mostsincereandfaithfulmanyou couldeverwishfor. HisnameisRonaldWeasleyandI'mgoingtomoveintohisownapartmentwithhim. IamwelcomeinhisfamilyandIfeelascomfortableasIhaveneverfeltsincemychildhood, beforeI became "different". Ifyou wanttocontactme, you canstillsendanowltomyoldaddress. I'llbetheretwiceaweekto pick up my mail from Parvati. I'msorry, butIhopeyou'll understandmeeventually. Iloveyou both.
Hermione
Hermione gave the letter to Ron so that he could read it too. When he'd finished reading it, he looked at her proudly.
"Wow. I am so incredibly proud of you. How do you feel?" Ron wanted to know.
"Better. I would like to send the letter away, eat some food and then just fall asleep in your arms."
"Sounds like a good plan to me!" Ron grinned.
Later, when they were in bed, Hermione had snuggled into Ron's arm. He had fallen asleep and was breathing evenly in and out. But Hermione just couldn't fall asleep. She was so infinitely happy, but also afraid of her parents' reaction… but eventually she fell into a restless sleep.
Hermione woke up in the middle of the night.
She was still firmly embraced in Ron's arms. The moonlight shone through the window and allowed Hermione to observe his sleeping form. She gave a satisfied sigh and let her fingers glide gently over Ron's chest. As she pondered the events of the last hours, her cheeks turned flaming red and she buried her head in his shoulder. She took a deep breath and let herself be enchanted by his scent. He was so sensitive and tender. How he touched her and slowly took away her fear, making her reach heights again and again, heights she was not aware of, that her body was able to feel. And that he was the one who triggered it in her.
He seemed to know exactly what he was doing and how he should do it. Suddenly it dawned on Hermione and she made a panicky sound. "He knewwhathewasdoing, ofcourse. ..He'sdoneit before. Probablyalotmorethanonce. Afterall, hewasinalong-termrelationship" Hermione thought and suddenly felt stupid and inexperienced. She had just lost her innocence to a man who was much more experienced than she was and he probably had very different ideas about her night of love.
"Hermione? Is everything all right?" asked Ron, his voice still slightly rough from sleep. Hermione was startled at the sound of his voice, as she hadn't noticed that he had woken up.
"Of course. Go back to sleep." She answered a little too harsh. She was just about to let go of his arms when he pulled her closer.
"You're lying. Please tell me what's wrong. Are you having second thoughts about your parents? You know that I am always there for you and if you would feel more comfortable if you go to France, then I will of course accompany you. From now on, it's just you and me."
At his words, Hermione noticed how her eyes became slightly moist and she could no longer hold back her tears. She knew her behavior was stupid and immature.
Ron looked at her lovingly and kissed her shoulder. He made soothing sounds and gently stroked her arm.
„That's not the problem... Ron, I feel so stupid. you are so wonderful, and today was just so lovely. You were so incredibly sensitive…"
"But?"
"But I realized something…"
"What is it, Hermione? If it bothers you that much, it can't be stupid."
"Well... I mean…You just knew exactly what you had to do, how you had to touch me to awaken this desire and lust in me. Ron, even though it was actually clear to me, I've only now really realized that today wasn't the first time for you. And. . . and. . . I am jealous of your ex-girlfriend for being the one to share this experience with you, and also embarrassed that my inexperience probably didn't meet your expectations." Hermione now sat up and held her hands in front of her face. All of a sudden she was ashamed of herself. For her behavior, her inexperience. . . Ron now looked at her in bewilderment and his ears glowed like fire.
"Look at me, Hermione." he demanded. Surprised at his tone, Hermione looked up into his eyes. His blue eyes were intense, almost as if they wanted to convince her of something. Ron took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"Hermione…"
"Ron, you don't have to say anything, I know this is all my prob-"
"Please stop. First, you have to know you could never disappoint me. What we both experienced today, what we shared with each other, was unique for me. Hermione, I love you and the fact that you gave yourself to me, that you trust me… I can't tell you how much that means to me." He said gently.
"Ron…I- "
Ron interrupted her again.
"Hermione, please let me finish. When I met Lavender, I was very young. She was my first, and until I met you, my only girlfriend. But as I told you, she had deep feelings for me that I couldn't and wouldn't reciprocate."
"Ron, I don't understand what -"
"Merlin's beard, Hermione! What I'm trying to tell you is that until a few hours ago, I was a virgin."
"A virgin?" Hermione whispered quite surprised. Ron nodded sheepishly. Hermione couldn't believe what he'd just told her and beamed happily at him.
"Yes, virgin." He repeated.
"But. . . but you. . . I mean. . . you. . . well. . . you knew exactly where to touch me and how to touch me. And you weren't nervous at all…" she stammered.
Ron's face now took on a color she'd never seen before. Suddenly Ron got out of bed without a word, went to his closet and rummaged in one of his drawers. Hermione looked at him slightly confused as he lay back in bed with a book in his hand.
"Well… uhm… Fred and George gave me this book when I got older. They said they couldn't allow me to embarrass myself in front of Lavender, after all I am a Weasley and our name is a guarantee of quality and all that rubbish. Well, that's just like Fred and George. Anyway, they gave me this book." He handed the book to Hermione and she quietly read the title.
"Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches?" Without even paying attention to Hermione, Ron quickly went on talking.
„I started reading it, but as I said, I wasn't in love with Lavender. So I never tried what I read. We didn't really do anything but kiss. I've never even seen her in a bra. . . I hope you don't think I'm a pervert, but after you wrote me that you wanted to see me again, I started reading the book again." He nervously ruffled his hair and scratched his neck. "Hermione, I didn't want to disappoint you."
Hermione couldn't help it. She flung her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her. Ron shifted almost his entire body weight to Hermione and she began to kiss him wildly and passionately. After a few moments, Hermione detached herself from Ron's swollen lips.
"Oh, Ron. Do you know how happy you make me? I am so glad that we both could share this experience with each other. I love you!"
"I love you, too. So much. So you don't think I'm a... well…"
Hermione shook her head and tenderly stroked his chin with her fingers.
„No, Ron. Of course not! Honestly, I think it's incredibly sweet that you care so much."
Hermione sighed contentedly and put her head back on his chest while Ron put his arms around her. After a few minutes of silence, Hermione suddenly began to speak again.
"Ron?"
"Hmm?"
"So. . . um. . . I wanted to ask you. . . is Fred your other brother? Your mother said something at St. Mungo's like 'can't lose another son'".
"Uhm...yeah…"
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
"I do, it's just hard... He died in the war and…I couldn't do anything. I should have been there to help him, but Harry and I..."
Hermione noticed how strongly Ron was still burdened by these experiences. How much his past affected his life.
"You blame yourself for his death, don't you?"
"Yes, I do... It was me who brought Harry into our family. . . Please don't get me wrong, I love Harry like a brother, but... well…"
"I know what you mean. But Ron, after everything you told me so far, this war was inevitable, right? And your family would have fought anyway, regardless of whether you were friends with Harry or not."
"I know… I know. But you should have seen the look on George's and Mum's faces when they were there. You know, sometimes I think it would have been better for everyone if I had died instead of him…"
"Stop it! Now! Ron, you can't be serious? Don't you know how much your family loves you? Do you know how much they suffered and what fear they had of losing you? I saw them at St. Mungo's. And Ron, I never want to hear you talk about yourself like that again. I don't even want you to think like that, you hear me?" she practically begged him.
"Okay." He answered quietly.
"Ron, look at me, please. You're already the most important person in my life and you are so loved. Not just from me, but from your family and friends. Please never forget that."
Ron kissed Hermione gently and nodded. He took her in his arms and Hermione ran her fingers in gentle movements over his forearm. After a few minutes she heard Ron's slight snoring. She smiled, kissed his chin and whispered: "Good night, Ron. I love you!"
