A Grown Up Romantic Date

"I'm going to be late!" Ron shouted as he threw shoes willy nilly trying to find the matching black shoe to the one he had already put on. His head was in his closet and his wand was lit as he looked in to the deep recesses of his rather messy closet.

Ron was dressed up in his muggle best tonight. He was wearing a midnight blue dress shirt with a pair of dark blue jeans. He currently had a black dress shoe on his right foot and was sporting a slightly holey burgundy sock on the other foot.

"What are you looking for?" Harry asked as he stepped into the doorway of Ron's room in the two-bedroom flat they shared in London. Harry ducked as yet another shoe came flying. "Watch where you're throwing!"

"I can't find my other shoe!" Ron shouted as he stood up to look at Harry. He pointed his lit wand at his one covered foot.

Harry looked down at Ron's mismatched feet. He let out a loud chuckle. "Well that would be because that's my shoe." He replied still smiling. "And the other one is in my closet."

Ron looked down. "Bloody hell!" He exclaimed. He growled as reached down and pried the shoe off. He tossed the shoe carelessly at Harry, who caught it before it beaned him in the head. Ron fell to his knees and dove back into his closet like a mad man on mission, to look for his pair of black shoes. "I'm going to be so late!"

Harry smiled. "Relax Ron, things will be fine." Harry reassured as he bent down to help his friend search for his shoes. He knew Ron was nervous about tonight's date. "You've been planning this date for weeks. You have everything taken care of and planned out. You will whisk her off her feet, I'm sure of it."

Ron stopped his digging, sat up on his heels and looked over at Harry. "Are you sure?" he asked, his blue eyes awash of uncertainty and anxiety.

Harry looked over and smiled at his friend. "I know it will. She loves you." He said putting a reassuring hand on the red head's shoulder. "She will see how hard you have worked to make this perfect for her."

"I know it's just…." Ron trailed off.

Ron and Hermione had officially been a couple for just about a year. After the final battle, they had confessed their long-hidden feelings for each other and officially become a couple. However, they had yet to go out on an official first date. Sure, they had met for coffee, grabbed lunch here and there sent letters and hung out with Harry and Ginny a lot but nothing like an official dinner date just the two of them.

After the final battle, there had been a lot to do, a lot of plans to be made and a lot of things to put back together. Hermione had returned to Hogwarts to finish her final year and to complete her NEWTs. Ron and Harry had joined the Ministry instead and began their Auror training. Both had been working really hard at their studies and duties and they hadn't spent a lot of time together. They had tried to meet up when they could but Ron's Auror duties didn't always match up with Hermione's Hogsmeade weekends. They had met a few times over the year and had spent part of the holidays together but there hadn't been a lot of time for just the two of them.

When they had managed to find a moment or two alone, they did not waste it. The war had taught them the value of time. Being apart this year had been really hard on the both of them after spending so much time together over the years. It seemed unfair to Ron that just as their relationship started to bloom and become physical, they got pulled apart because of their chosen paths. Ron did not blame Hermione (but maybe McGonagall for not allowing him to visit) for her choice to return to Hogwarts. He knew that her education was a priority to her and he would never stand in the way of that. He often just got frustrated over not seeing her, not being able to hold her and kiss her and not being able to just be with her. They had both had a hard time leaving each other their last meeting in Hogsmeade just a few weeks ago.

That was when Ron has proposed the official date. Hermione had already accepted a job at the Ministry for when she had graduated and had been looking for a flat in London near Harry and Ron. "We will do it right. We'll have dinner, go for a romantic walk. I'll bring flowers and dress nice. The whole deal." He had promised before giving her one final passionate, jelly-knee kiss and leaving her at the gates to the Hogwarts grounds. Since that moment, he had been planning and re-planning and arranging everything so it would be the perfect night together.

And here it was. Hermione had graduated just last week and had moved into a flat just a few blocks away from Harry and Ron. They hadn't seen each other much this week as Auror training was getting pretty intense and Hermione was trying to get into the groove of working at the Ministry. He had walked her home after work yesterday but had been so beat from training, that he hadn't stayed past a sweet and simple kiss and an I love you.

But today, he was ready. Well, sort of.

Ron sighed. "I just want tonight to go well." He said looking away from Harry. "I want to show her how much she means to me. I want her to feel special. I want it to be special." He had worked very hard to make things just so. After all they had been through the last couple years, he just wanted to have the most perfect night together.

"I know." Harry said giving Ron's shoulder a squeeze before letting go. "I know you want it to be special. You've been saying that for the last few weeks. You have reservations at her favorite restaurant. And it's a perfect night for a walk through the park like you have planned. And she will love the pink roses you picked out for her. I saw them on the counter."

Ron looked up, a look of terror on his face. "Oh crap! I forgot to put them in water!" Ron gasped as he scrambled up.

"Relax," Harry smiled. "I filled the sink up some and set them in it." Ron sighed with relief and fell back to his knees. But then relief because doubt again.

"See, Harry," he grumbled putting his head in his hands. "I can't even remember to put the bloody flowers in water. I'm totally going to screw this up. Why does she even like me? I'm a screw up."

Harry glanced away from his friend into the closet. "She knows you. She knows the good and the bad about you and yet she still loves you. You've been friends for so long there's not much she doesn't know about you. She even knows you snore."

Ron looked up, the look of terror returning to his face. "Oh, bloody hell, I do snore! She's never going to want to sleep with me now." He exclaimed looking at Harry. It took a moment but then his face began to turn the color of a tomato as he realized what he had just blurted out.

Harry's head whipped to look at Ron as his eyes widened. "What did you just say?" he asked, feeling his own cheeks getting a little hot.

"Well… I… um… You see … um… our relationship has been going so well lately and the last time we met in Hogsmeade things got pretty… um…uh… heated? I got the feeling that she might be interested in taking things to the … uh… next level." Ron was turning the color of the sun. Harry looked away from Ron and into the closet.

Ron really didn't know why he was telling Harry this. Sure, they were like brothers but there were some things brothers just didn't share with each other. He was just so nervous about tonight. "I mean I love her and she loves me and as you said we have been friends for a while and I mean someday I think I want to marry her and maybe even have kids... and the last time we met up before she graduated we had just missed each other so much… and I love her and …and…" Ron rambled.

Harry searched for something to say. It was a bit much hearing about his best friend and his other best friend becoming physical. "I get it, mate. I really do. And I know you're nervous." Harry searched for more to says as he considered Ron's closet again. Suddenly, Harry eyes caught a pair of black shoes in the back and he reached for them. He turned to Ron and handed them to him. "Put these on, fix your hair, grab those beautiful flowers and go get your girl. Knock her off her feet and wow her. If your plans don't put her in a romantic mood, I don't know what will." Harry gave him a smile. There that would work. He thought to himself.

Ron looked at his friend and a smile slowly spread across his face. "You're right Harry. It gonna go fine." Ron stood up and slipped on his shoes. He ran his hands through hair a couple of times and glanced in the mirror next to his closet. "How do I look?" He asked turning to Harry.

Harry was now standing in the doorway again. He grinned at his friend. "Much better mate. Why don't you brush your teeth for good measure and I'll grab the flowers from the kitchen and meet you at the door?"

Ron cupped his hand over his mouth and tried to smell his breath. His face contoured into a sour face and he nodded at Harry. "Right Harry, I'll be right there." He said as he turned and rushed into his bathroom.

A few minutes later, the boys met at the door to their flat. Harry handed Ron the deep pink rose bouquet.

"Good luck mate." Harry said clapping Ron on the shoulder. "I'm glad you two figured out how you felt about each other. I hope tonight goes well for you."

"Thanks Harry." Ron said, giving his friend a smile. Then he noticed the clock on the wall behind Harry. "Bloody Hell I'm so late!" A look of anxiety covered Ron's face as he reached into his jeans pocket, pulled out his wand, gave it a swish and disapparated.

Ron appeared a moment later outside flat number 2D, Hermione's new place. He took a deep breath, ran his fingers through his hair one more time for good measure and then gave a knock. He waited nervously, looking down at his matching black shoes.

"Come on in Ron!" Hermione's muffled voice yelled from the other side of the door. Ron looked up, took a deep breath and turned the handle.

As he entered Hermione's flat, he took another deep breath. It smelled just like her. A mix of lilac and earl grey tea. He smiled, and his nerves steady some. As he closed the door behind him, he looked around the small flat. When she didn't appear, he spoke. "Mione?"

When she didn't respond, he took a step forward and turned toward the living room. That's when he saw her and his jaw dropped. The roses, too, fell from his hand and made a light thump on the carpet. "Her…Hermione?" he stammered.

Hermione stood in the door way of her bedroom wearing something that was definitely not appropriate for Luigi's Italian Restaurant. She wore a lavender lacy piece of lingerie that came to just barely bellow where her legs came to meet. Her bushy brown hair hung freely down past her shoulders and her cheeks were flushed. A smile was on her lips but a little fleck of nervousness flashed in her eyes as she gazed into his eyes.

Ron's mouth gap open and closed. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. He wasn't prepared for this but she was gorgeous. He could feel his heart start to race and his brain shouting at him to go kiss her. Unfortunately, he was so stunned he couldn't make his feet move.

Hermione took a step toward him and as he saw her move, his feet came up from the floor and he raced to her. "Hermione," he breathed as he took her into his arms and pulled her body to his. His voice was deep and hoarse, full of desire.

"Hello, Ron." She breathed. Her voice was almost a whisper, catching as he held her close. She loved the way he held her so tight and so passionately. She felt safe and secure but also strong and sexy and wanted.

"I've missed you." He uttered as his left hand pushed against the small of her back and he reached up to cradle her cheek with his right. He gazed down into her soft brown eyes for a moment and then he took her lips with his, sliding his hand to cradle the back of her neck. His kiss was passionate, devouring. Hermione sighed as her heart raced inside her chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with every fiber of her being.

The kiss deepened again as Ron's tongue invaded Hermione's mouth and her hands began to trace their way down his back. A growl erupted from deep insides Ron's throat when she grabbed his rear through the pockets of his jeans. He kissed her deeper then, biting her lip gently and running his hands up and down her back, giving her goosebumps. When he squeezed her butt, she jumped a little, breaking the kiss. Ron didn't hesitate a moment but began kissing her neck and nibbling her ear.

"Ron," she gasped, when he bit her ear. Ron stopped and pulled away a little to look her in the eyes. They were both breathing heavy, Hermione almost panting. Ron could see desire and need in her eyes. She wanted him the same way he wanted her.

Hermione reached for Ron's hand that was holding her against him. She pulled it off and took a step back. She did not break eye contact as she took a step backward toward her room.

Ron didn't move his feet but looked deep into Hermione's eyes. He raised an eyebrow almost to say, Are you sure? When she nodded ever so slightly, he smiled.

"I love you," He murmured as he took a step toward her.

She smiled. "I love you too." Her eyes turning dark. She tugged his hand again, urging him to come forward again.

He smiled a devilish smile. "Well so much for dinner." He stated and followed her into her room.

XXXXXX

AN: I do not own Harry and Friends. I challenged myself to do a short and sweet scene as I am usually a long-detailed story person. Please let me know what you think.