a/n: after the last chapter some of you have been wondering "what the heck is going on with Ron?" So I hope this chapter clears things up.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Previously in Chapter 20:

Hermione gave Ron one last kiss and rolled onto her left side away from Ron.

Ron noticed how empty his arms felt. A vision of Lu snuggled into his right side appeared in his mind, and Ron thought to himself, 'why am I thinking about Lu right now? Oh shit, what is going on with me?'

Ron smiled to himself and shook his head as if to clear it. He chided himself for getting caught up in Lu being back and being sucked into the old feelings he had had when Lu was here before. He reminded himself that he'd moved on from then and had reconciled with Hermione and they were getting along well and they were happy. He rolled to his left and slid his left arm underneath Hermione's neck and slid his chest against her back. Hermione sleepily reached around and pulled over Ron's right arm and wrapped herself up as the little spoon. Ron pulled her tight against him and settled in.

"Hmmm," she murmured. "So good, so safe, so warm, I love you Ron."

Ron kissed the back of her head gently and replied, "love you too 'Mione."

And Ron realized he truly, truly, loved Hermione. Sure Lu was soft and affectionate but she was static and the only thing they really had in common was break ups. Hermione was alive and moving and challenging and he could see an amazing future with her. He calmly laughed at his earlier musings and thought to himself 'what was I thinking?' as he slowly drifted off with Hermione securely in his arms.

It was finally Friday. Ron had been working exhaustively on his case and was making progress it seemed despite the 'help' of the French Auror Corps. He and Hermione had spent most of their nights together working so their weekend would be free. She was helping him with his case; she was especially helpful in providing insights into the French culture. He had been helping with her plan, offering insights into how some groups would respond to her proposal and helping craft counter arguments to possible objections.

By the end of the week Ron was feeling really good about the raid he had planned out for next week. Timing in this case was critical to apprehend all the suspects that were involved, otherwise he would have planned the mission for the previous day. It was a perfect weekend for him to get away as everything was all set up. He just had to wait till Wednesday.

Hermione too had been working hard all week. Her extensive reorganization plan had been reviewed by Minister Shacklebolt, and she was making the final tweeks he had requested. She was scheduled to go before the Wizengamot next week to present her plan and she wanted to make sure it was bulletproof. She just had a few more revisions to make and then she was to meet Ron at the ministry portkey office at 5 as they had arranged. Despite being so busy all week, Ron had found a quaint cottage on the northern coast for them and had made all the arrangements for the weekend including setting up the portkey.

As usual, Hermione got caught up in her work and when finished looked up in horror and realized it was half six and she was really late to meet Ron. She rapidly threw all the parchments into her bag and ran as quickly as she could to the portkey office, hoping that Ron would still be there. She knew she had screwed up badly and didn't know what she was going to tell Ron if she could find him.

She turned the final corner into the portkey office and was relieved to find Ron sitting calmly reading one of the old Quidditch magazines left in the waiting room. She ran to him and gasped as he looked up at her, "oh Ron, I'm so sorry, I lost track of time and I know I'm late and I'm really really sorry."

As Ron stood up with a scowl, Hermione threw herself to him said quietly, "I'm so sorry Ron, I hope you can forgive me for being late. You're probably thinking 'same old Hermione, late again' but I'm really sorry. I so want my proposal to go through next week and I was just making the changes Kingsley wanted and I'm sorry."

Ron put his arms around her and said, "yeah Hermione, I was thinking just that… 'same old Hermione,' and I started to get angry at being second priority again. I also thought about coming up to your office and dragging you out." He put his hand under her chin and lifted it up so he could see into her eyes. "But then I had the chance to really think about things and to think about us. At first I was really annoyed, but then I realized that I could choose how to respond to your being late. I could chose to be angry and selfish and demanding, or I could choose to see the big picture and to choose us. Instead of being angry, I chose us, Hermione, I chose us. I chose what's best for us instead of what's best for me. What's best for us is for you to finish your work so that you can be relaxed and comfortable and enjoy this weekend, so I choose not to be angry."

"As we go forward in this relationship I've realized what's important. It's not you, and it's not me. What's important is us. I also realized that being passionate about your work is who you are. It's who you are and I love you. If it's who you are then it's who we are. It defines you as the person I love and therefore it defines the us that we are. So, I'm glad you're finished, I'm glad you're here and I look forward to spending the weekend together. As we go forward I hope that together we can make us the most important person in our relationship. I love you so much and I'm hoping to always choose to do what's best for us."

This was not what Hermione expected to hear. As she listened to Ron, her eyes got wider and her mouth dropped open. She expected the Weasley temper to show up and she expected to be yelled at. As Ron finished, she was amazed at the wisdom and grace that came from him, but the more she contemplated what he said, the more she realized that she shouldn't be surprised at his maturity and forgiveness. This was the new Ron and she gloried in the fact that this amazing man loved her. She sobbed and buried her face in his chest.

"Oh Ron, I love you too and I don't deserve you. Thank you, thank you Ron."

Ron gently moved her away from him and wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks before kissing her lovingly. "Let's go get away. Are you ready?"

It was a glorious weekend in a little cottage on the coast in North York Moors National Park. Ron and Hermione slept late, made love, ate well at the local pubs, and talked long and hard about their relationship and their future. They talked about what they each thought it meant to be 'us.' They talked about and confessed their past mistakes and misunderstandings and gave each other grace and forgiveness. They talked about their work and the important things happening next week; Hermione's presentation to the Wizengamot on Tuesday and Ron's raid on Wednesday and how they had both benefited from the help of the other. They talked about their hopes and dreams. They played chess and sat outside and read and walked along the shore. Hermione even got Ron to play a muggle game called 'Scrabble.'

Sunday morning they sat in a little café enjoying breakfast and tea. After finishing his full English, he put his fork down and smiled at Hermione. "One year ago who would have thought that you and I would be sitting here together? I certainly didn't."

Hermione looked up puzzled and then Ron could tell when the realization hit. Hermione looked down and tried not to look sheepish. She said softly and sadly, "I broke up with you a year ago today, right?"

Ron smiled and said, "yeah, May 14, 1999, worse day of my life. But look at us now. I think we're doing great, and I look forward to getting to be more and more us."

"Oh Ron, I look back and recognize it was one of my worst days as well. I don't know what I was thinking and I'm so glad you helped me finally figure it out and we're here today. I'm thrilled to be thinking about the future and learning more about being us. It has been wonderful this weekend and it's been just exactly the break I needed before Tuesday."

Monday morning and both Hermione and Ron were back at work. Ron was putting the last details together for his mission. He would be leaving Tuesday evening right after Hermione's presentation to the Wizengamot and he should be back late Wednesday.

Hermione was putting the finishing touches to her presentation. Her plan would completely restructure and rebuild the Ministry. The plan would not only reorganize the Ministry, it would remove the rampant nepotism and pro-pureblood bias in hiring and promotions. It would create local wizarding districts for more local control, especially of the new wizarding primary schools and the new medical clinics that had recently been approved after her hard work. Most important her plan included several layers of checks and balances that would prevent the creation of future dark lords.

Tuesday after lunch found Hermione in her best dress robes standing at the podium in front of the entire Wizengamot. Behind her showing support was Minister Shacklebolt and all the Ministry Department Heads. After following Ron's advice and working with each department, Hermione had persuaded every department to be part of the new plan. Also sitting there in their finest Auror dress uniforms were Ron and Harry. Just before she had walked up the podium to begin her presentation of the plan she had spent a quiet moment with just Ron. He had whispered to her words of support, encouragement, and love. As she began her presentation she had looked over at Ron and he gave given her a big smile and a thumbs up.

Hermione was wrapping up her presentation. She finished with a final admonition to the Wizengamot to "move Wizarding Britain into the 20th century and to a preeminent position in the Wizarding World by approving this comprehensive plan and improving the lives of every witch and wizard in the Britain."

Minister Shacklebolt took over the podium after her presentation and stated loudly, "I encourage each and every one of you to embrace the future and to approve what I have titled The Granger Plan."

Hermione jumped up and ran over to the podium. She whispered into the Minister's ear before he could continue. Kingsley looked at Hermione questioningly and the nodded and grinned. He turned back to the assembly and smiled as he said, "I have been requested to retitle this plan. Instead of The Granger Plan, let this be known as The Forward Plan, as it does indeed move us forward."

Three hours later the discussion and questions amongst the Wizengamot membership continued, but Ron had to leave for his mission. He hugged Hermione and once again congratulated her on all she had accomplished and laughed again at her request to rename the plan. "You could have been even more famous!" he had teased her. Ron stood and kissed her discreetly. "I'll see you soon, I promise."

"Be careful," Hermione whispered to him.

Ron replied "always," and walked quickly out of the Wizengamot chambers. He had work to do and he was thrilled he was finally able to go get it done.