Ron woke up the following morning to Hermione's alarm going off. He reached over to her in an attempt to coerce her into having a longer lie-in, but he pulled back when he heard her squeal.
"No, no, no, no, I'm late! This is not good!" she said frantically. She jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom.
As much as he didn't want to see her get moving, he could certainly get used to the sight of her walking around in just her knickers and one of his shirts. Ron closed his eyes as he heard the shower turn on and replayed the night before. After they had cleared the air and spent the rest of the afternoon exploring their new relationship, they'd gone to dinner with her parents.
Hermione had suggested she spend the day with them today, and Ron was fine with it. He knew it was important to her to reconnect, and some of that needed to be done with just the three of them. So that's where Hermione was getting ready to head now. He heard the door open and Hermione came out wrapped only in a towel.
"I forgot to grab clothes," she said in frustration with herself. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"
"Not if you keep walking around in just a towel, I won't be," Ron said. "Are you sure you can't come back here for a little bit?" He knew she was referring to her leaving him alone all day, but he couldn't pass up the opportunity to try and get a little extra time with her first.
Hermione had gathered her outfit in her arms and turned around to give him a look. "I'd love to, but I'm already late. And we both know if I crawl back in bed, I may not have the resolve to get up again." She walked back into the bathroom. "What are you going to do all day?"
"I dunno. I'll think of something. Don't worry about me. Have fun with your parents."
Hermione came out of the bathroom again and walked over to the edge of the bed. "I just feel bad."
Ron sat up and swung his legs over the side to meet her. "Don't. You need this time with them. That's why we came. I'll find something to do, and I'll see you later tonight. Just...keep me updated, okay?" Slight worry etched across his face. He knew he was on good terms with her parents, but he still worried that she might not return.
She must have noticed his concern because she leaned over and kissed him. "I will. I'll see you tonight." Ron nodded as he watched her grab her bag and head out the door. He laid in bed a while longer before finally getting up.
After getting ready for the day and finishing his breakfast, Ron made his way to to look through some of the brochures from the Australian Ministry. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the phone on the wall ring. At first he wasn't sure what to do. It wasn't like he answered telephones often. He reminded himself not to shout into the receiver like that awful attempt at calling Harry when he was younger.
He picked up the phone and said, "Hello?"
"Hello, Ron? Is that you? This is Graham. Graham Jacobsen. I showed you to your flat when you first arrived."
Ron had honestly completely forgotten all about the man. Now that he thought about it, they probably should have updated the Australian Ministry days ago. "Er, yes, hi. Is everything alright?" Ron asked.
"Yes, yes, of course! I'm just checking in to see how your search has been going and if you need any assistance!"
"It's been great, actually. We've managed to locate Hermione's parents, fairly quickly actually, and she's been spending the last few days getting reacquainted with them."
"Excellent, excellent! So the resources the Ministry sent over with the muggle teeth cleaners and addresses of Wilkin's in the surrounding area were no doubt helpful, then?"
"Er, yeah," Ron said. He wasn't about to tell Graham that they'd actually stumbled upon Jean and Hugo by accident.
"Great. So anyways, like I said, I was asked to get an update. Since you've located them, we were wondering how much longer you were anticipating to stay."
"I'm not sure. I can talk to Hermione and see if we can get a clearer answer for you tomorrow or the day after if that's okay."
"Yes, sure! No rush. It will just help to have an idea to prepare your portkey trip back. Let's see, let's see, oh yes! One more thing. You received a letter here from England through the Portkey Post. Wouldn't want to make owls travel all this way. If you're available, you can come pick it up at the Ministry anytime."
A letter? Is everything alright back home? "Sure, yeah, I can actually be down there in fifteen minutes."
"Excellent, I'll meet you in the entrance hall. See you in a jif!" Graham said before hanging up.
Ron hung up the phone and immediately began moving around the apartment to grab his things. He figured he could spend a few hours walking around and seeing what else Melbourne had to offer from the magical side of things. Before he knew it, he was apparating to the spot Graham showed them almost a week ago, and walked the short distance to the Ministry entrance.
He had barely stepped a few paces inside when he saw Graham waving frantically. "Ron! Over here!" They met in the middle as Graham said, "So good to see you again! I hope you've been enjoying your stay here so far."
"Yeah, it's been great," Ron agreed.
"Here's the letter that came for you. If you want to send a response, we send our international post out at 13:00 every day. The drop box is over here."
Ron followed him over to the box that had a small slot in it. He was curious how this system worked. Whether it was his lack of knowledge about other cultures and customs or not, he always assumed the owls just traveled the distance to their destination. Though, for a continent like Australia that was so far away from other places, he supposed this system made sense. It'd be hard for an owl to travel over an ocean with no resting points.
"Thanks."
"Absolutely. Well, I must be getting back to my obligations. Like I said, feel free to call if you ever need anything. Just press 9 on your dial pad and it will transfer your call to my office. A little magical touch so you don't have to memorize a ten digit number. I look forward to hearing from you!"
Graham shook Ron's hand before walking away. Ron looked at the letter in his hand. He didn't want to return to the flat just to read it, so he decided to walk around a bit to find a place to sit and read what it said. There was a small park a few blocks away that Ron stumbled upon. He chose one of the vacant benches and sat down. The handwriting looked like Harry's.
Hey Ron,
I hope you and Hermione are having luck finding her parents. It's odd here without you two, but I've been keeping busy. Listen, I'm not trying to rush the process, but I wanted you to know that I met with Kingsley yesterday, and he said they're looking for recruits in the Auror program. The other letter that I sent with this is from him. He's inviting us into the program if we want. I think I'm going to go for it. We have to complete the screening process by the end of the month, so I'm hoping you'll be back by then to start with me if that's what you want to do. By the way, are you and Hermione sorted yet? Ginny wants to know. Well, anyways, let me know when you decide.
Harry
Ron reread Harry's letter a few times before pulling out the second piece of parchment that he now knew to be from Kingsley. Was this actually an invitation to join the Aurors? Would he be able to achieve his dream? Did he still want to pursue that dream? He slowly peeled off the wax seal and unfolded the official Ministry parchment.
Mr. Weasley,
I hope this finds you well and that you are having success on your current mission. I am reaching out to you to personally invite you to join the Aurors. As you know, we are woefully understaffed as a result of the war, and your integral efforts make you a prime candidate for the program. Typically, the training period is an extensive three years, but given your experiences, you will have an opportunity to pass out of the training program after a year, and be promoted to Junior Auror status.
I understand that you are predisposed on a mission, but this offer is time sensitive. The Auror department has agreed to honor this offer for select people, yourself included, but they are requiring all candidates to begin on 3 August. Paperwork and a screening, however, must be completed by 1 July. I have attached the preliminary paperwork for you to set up your appointments with the Ministry, and they will be in touch should you be interested in pursuing this avenue.
Please take the time to think about this, but do not wait too long to reply. The Aurors will be lucky to have someone with your skillset in the department. Best of luck on your continued search. All my best,
Kingsley
Ron's hands were shaking slightly at the letter. He had a personal invitation from the Minister of Magic to join the Aurors. His finger followed the application that he looked over. It seemed straightforward enough, and the prospect was certainly appealing. He knew deep down that he absolutely wanted to try, but something was preventing him from returning to the Australian Ministry to fill out the paperwork and send it back that same day.
Ron thought it through to make sure he'd have enough time to discuss with Hermione first. He reviewed the application, and it said he could return his paperwork from Australia, and it said that he could request a timeframe for his appointment. That was good. Maybe he could return next week, but his heart wrenched at the thought of having to leave Hermione here. Ron folded the contents of the two letters and tucked them in his jacket pocket for safekeeping.
He looked around the park, thinking about what to do next. It was a beautiful, crisp day, just like every other day had been since they'd arrived, even if it was colder. He smiled, thinking Hermione would be cold, but he was perfectly comfortable. The weather here differed so greatly from the weather in England, and Ron was slightly envious of how nice it seemed to be year round.
He finally decided to walk around. This part of Melbourne wasn't as familiar to him, but Ron figured he could always apparate back to the flat if need be. A smile spread across his lips as he stood up and began walking back towards the Ministry. He'd gone from not knowing what life had in store for him now that the war was over to having a career prospect. Nothing could break his mood as he looked around at the places to explore.
About an hour later, Ron found himself wandering aimlessly around Melbourne's streets. He'd gone in several of the shops that interested him along the way, and had just finished up a light meal he'd gotten at a cafe. The food was great, and he wished Hermione had been there to. He told her he was fine with today's plan, but he still missed her. They'd been spending so much time together that it felt odd to be apart from her, even if it was just for the day. Even when her mum had whisked her away to shop, he still knew exactly when he'd see her next.
As he made his way down another new street, Ron stopped outside the window of a unique looking jewelry shop. He knew it was still early in their relationship, but he walked inside anyways to see what the display cases held. Most everything would probably be out of his price range, but maybe he'd gather an idea or two for Hermione.
"Good afternoon," a bright and energetic salesperson said to him.
"Hello," Ron said.
"Is there anything I can help you find today?"
"Oh, er, not really. Just looking," his ears turned red.
"Not a problem at all! I'll be around if you need anything," she smiled and went back to her work.
As he walked around slowly, browsing the selection, he was appreciative that there seemed to be a wide variety of items and price ranges. Ron avoided the section with the rings. It was way too early for that, and he didn't want to get his hopes up with wishful thinking. So, he found his way over to the earrings, which he was pretty sure she never wore often, though he was certain her ears were pierced, and then the necklaces. He shuddered at the recollection of Lavender giving him that horrifying 'sweetheart locket' back in sixth year, and swore to himself that he wouldn't get anything like that for Hermione.
Once he'd finished circling the perimeter of glass cases, he moved to the center displays, which appeared to be bracelets. There was a small display among them that had a variety of blank bracelets and little pieces scattered all around.
Ron looked around and caught the salesperson's attention. "Find something I can help you with?"
"Er, yes. What are these?" Ron asked her.
"Oh! Great question. These are charm bracelets! Are you familiar with them?" she asked kindly.
"No, not really," Ron admitted.
"No matter! You see, you pick out a bracelet first, though I'm sure you would have gathered that, and then you have all of these amazing charms to choose from. We have hundreds of them on this display for you to choose from."
"So, the charms are like symbols, then?" Ron asked for clarification.
"Precisely! They are becoming increasingly popular."
Ron nodded as an idea was forming in his mind. He was unable to get anything for Hermione's last birthday, and Christmas for that matter. Maybe this could be the way to make it up to her. "How much?"
"The bracelets are 50 dollars, and then the charms range anywhere between 15 and 50 depending on what you're looking for."
Ron thought about what the salesperson said as he felt the wallet in his pocket. Bill and George had both given him money before he'd left. He was determined not to use it unless he had to, since he felt guilty that he was taking it to begin with. Maybe he'd splurge a bit, and when they got back to England, he'd take up a part-time job at the shop with George in order to pay him back, and then earn a little spending money of his own.
In truth, he was about to use it to pay for their posh dinner the other night, but Hermione had insisted she use her parent's card. He'd need to make it up to them, too, at some point. Focus, Ron. Okay, I could get her the bracelet, and a few charms. No more than five. He knew if he didn't set a limit, he'd blow all his money on this one gift.
"Okay, I'd like the silver bracelet, I think. Is there a list of charms, or will I need to look through all these individually?" Not that he minded, since he had nowhere else to be today.
"We have a list right here!" There was a stack of laminated papers that she grabbed one from and handed to him. "When you've decided what you'd like, I can take them out for you and we can put them on the bracelet at the register."
"Great, thanks!" Ron said as he began to work his way through the list.
She wasn't kidding when she said there were hundreds. They were broken down into categories on the double sided sheet. He knew he definitely wanted to get her the book charm. That was without a doubt. He saw that there was also a heart with roses engraved in it. It looked fancier than the other charms, but he figured he could splurge a bit on it since it held a special meaning for them both.
As his eyes skimmed the list he noticed an assortment of animals. I wonder…, he thought. He saw there was definitely a dog, which he wasn't surprised by, but he was even more pleased to see that there was an otter charm! "Well, they are quite cute," he muttered to himself.
Four charms down, one more. He initially looked for an elf, but didn't have any luck there. He wasn't surprised, and he worried that even if he saw one, it'd be one of those Christmas looking ones. Giving up on that, Ron ended up finding a seashell charm which instantly brought him back to Shell Cottage. That was no doubt the turning point in their relationship, and it also represented the place where Dobby was buried. It could definitely serve a double meaning, for sure.
He brought the paper up to the counter and told the kind salesperson his choices, watching as she bustled around to collect everything. She rang the items up, and Ron pulled out his wallet to pay for the items. He carefully tucked the receipt away so he could keep track of his purchases.
"Would you like this wrapped up in a gift bag?" she asked him.
"Yes, please," he said, glad to have her assistance.
He asked if the charms could be arranged the following way on the bracelet: book, otter, terrier, seashell, and heart. It represented the chronological order of the charm's meanings to their relationship. The salesperson finished wrapping up the bracelet and handed him the gift bag when she was finished. "Thank you so much for your business, and best of luck. I'm sure your special someone is going to love this!"
"Thanks for your help," Ron said as he exited the shop.
He figured he should probably head back before he spent any more money that day. Ron could watch the telly, and there was enough food for him to make something at the flat. There was an alley nearby that he decided to turn into, so he could apparate back to the flat. Better to be safe than sorry, since he really had no idea where he was. He turned on the spot and appeared at the apparition point nearby. He approached the building, typed in the code and let himself into the foyer.
When he made it up the stairs, he unlocked the door and walked into the main living area, just as a silvery ball floated toward him. At first, his heart constricted and he immediately became on edge. He was even more worried for Hermione's safety when the ball transformed into Hermione's otter patronus.
A moment later he could hear Hermione's nervous voice. "Hi! I hope this works. It's the first time I've tried to send a patronus message. Anyways, I'm having dinner with my parents and will be back after. Most likely between seven and eight. I hope you don't mind. See you soon."
The silver otter pranced over to him and moved in a figure eight pattern around his legs before nuzzling him and disappearing into a wisp. Ron couldn't help but smile with pride. Hermione was okay, and she'd produced her first corporeal patronus complete with a message. He checked his watch as he set the bag down on the table. Only a few hours until he could see her again.