Moments in Time

Author's Note: This will be a collection of one-shots and drabbles of moments between Ron and Hermione. They might be during Hogwarts, after Hogwarts, pre-battle, pre-epilogue etc!

None of them have any connection to each other. They each stand alone.

Fluff, smut and maybe a little angst ahead!

Please leave comments/review! Enjoy!

Title: Don't you dare apologize!

Idea: If Ron and Hermione shared a moment at Bill's wedding

Timeline: DH, Bill's wedding, AU – what if

Hermione gazed out at the beautiful landscape of the Burrow. In all the years she had been going there, she had never come across this certain spot. She leaned her weight against the tree beside her looking at the small pond before her, so many thoughts going through her head.

She thought back to the moment when Ron asked her to dance and the several dances that had followed. She thought about how surprised she was by his invitation (though it had been more of a command) and the fun she'd had being led around the dance floor by him. He stepped on her toes a fair few times but she barely noticed. It had been like she was dancing on air, really, with the elation she'd felt. She didn't know if it was Viktor showing up and talking to her, that caused Ron to gather up the courage to ask her to dance but she honestly didn't care. Whatever the reason behind it, she was grateful.

The wind caused her hair to fly about around her head. She had used a potion on it like she did for the Yule Ball in fourth year; using the same spell, but, this time she had let it down. It was still wavy though, as her curls could never be completely tamed. She felt a shiver run down her arms at the wind, her flowered sundress not at all keeping her warm. If you saw her from far away, she appeared almost like a painting but was much more complex.

Ron noticed when Hermione had left the tent (he noticed just about everything she did these days) and followed her movements until she was out of sight, wondering where she'd gone and if she was okay. Deciding to check on her, he exited the tent and looked around, finally spotting Hermione next to the small pond in the rear of the Burrow, one he had never much visited before. She had an air of melancholy about her, one that he couldn't name or piece together in such words, but even so, he decided to go to her. He was never much of a comforting person, but there was something in her eyes that made his feet move even closer.

"'Lo Hermione," he said, startling her out of her reverie. "Everything alright? I didn't permanently injure those toes of yours, did I?" He asked half-jokingly, half serious. He had stepped on her toes quite a bit when they danced, and although she'd assured him it was fine, he had seen her wince. He was significantly larger than she was and so even if she said she was okay, it had to hurt.

Hermione's head snapped in the direction of which her name was called and the first thing she saw was red hair. Her eyes found Ron's and she smiled ever so slightly.

"Hi Ron." She gave him a smile, though it didn't quite meet her eyes. "Yes, I'm fine. Just…thinking about a lot of things." She turned her gaze back to the pond silently, her hair blowing behind her in the slight warm breeze that permeated the air.

Ron faced the same direction, and an easy smile graced his lips. "Anything you care to share with the rest of the class?" he asked teasingly, not wanting to pry, but always worried about her. He wished he could get a glimpse into that mind of hers. She never seemed to stop thinking.

Hermione tore her gaze away from the pond and settled it on Ron, turning so that her back was against the tree and she was facing him now. She took the opportunity to admire him in his new dress robes. There was something about the way he looked in them, more grown-up maybe, that made her smile.

"You'd probably think it was ridiculous…" She said softly, looking at the ground.

Ron frowned, worried that his ever-outspoken friend was, for once, at a loss for words.

"Try me," he said lightly, trying to keep the mood happy. "I promise you, I won't laugh. I know sometimes I can have the emotional range of a teaspoon, as you said, but I'm getting better at this stuff. You know you can tell me, Hermione," he prodded, looking at her with pleading eyes.

Hermione saw the look on his face and knew he meant it. "I'm just…I'm quite sad about having to leave Hogwarts. I know it has to be done for the greater good and I want to help Harry, of course I do, I just… I'm going to miss it, you know? And it doesn't help that I'm worried sick about Harry, and everyone else for that matter, as well." She looked at her hands once she finished, fiddling with them and avoiding Ron's eyes. "I know, it's trivial and a stupid thing to be sad about, all things considered."

As the silence stretched awkwardly between them, Ron knew he had to say something and comfort her, but couldn't think of the right words. Hermione was always so strong, so collected, and here she was admitting her fears to him. She looked tense, so he decided to say whatever came to mind, despite any lack of finesse.

"Hey," he said softly. "Don't worry. I'm going to miss it too. I'll miss everyone. But we'll have each other, yeah? And, of course, we'll always worry about Harry, but I wouldn't let anything happen to him while I was still around to stop it. Okay? I can promise you that."

Hermione nodded at his words, finding comfort in them. "I'm…" She began to speak and almost instantly stopped what she intended to say, but in a moment of courage, said it anyway. "I'm not just worried about Harry, Ron. The risk is there for all of us. I don't know what I would do if I lost you, too." She felt a slight tinge of pink rise to her cheeks and so, once again, she looked down at her feet, avoiding any reaction Ron might have to that, feeling rather nervous in the moment and not sure why. She didn't feel like she couldn't tell him things but there was something about the tension in the air, the tension between them, that made her quite nervous in the moment.

Ron's cheeks went scarlet again at that sentiment, wondering about the depth of her words, and at the same time hoping they meant what he fervently wished they did. Unsure of where she was going, he chose his path carefully.

"I know. We're your best friends, Hermione, of course you'd be upset if something happened to us. There's nothing wrong with that." Trying to lighten the mood, he added, "Besides, can't expect much to happen to me. Got a head full of rocks, I have."

Hermione cracked a smile at Ron's last statement. "I know, I just…" She paused taking a deep breath. "This is just so much for people our age to handle. Leaving school, fighting a war, risking death every day. I know searching all of it is necessary and essential to our future but it scares me to death and sometimes I just want to run away from it all." She looked up and saw the somewhat confused expression on Ron's face. "I'm sorry…I must sound silly. I'm not making any sense."

Ron reached out and put a hand on her arm, momentarily unaware of the gesture that normally would have, in the past, shocked embarrassment into his system. He was trying to be more affectionate with her, as if it were casual.

"It's not silly, Hermione, don't say that. We're all thinking like that. I'm thinking like that, as well. I'm just not saying it, is all."

Hermione nodded and looked back in the direction of the wedding reception. In the distance, she saw Harry standing with Fred and George, laughing happily at some joke they must have cracked.

"I mean look…Harry's got the weight of the entire wizarding world on his shoulders and he still manages to live his life. I don't know how he does it. I'd've cracked by now." She brushed a few strands of stray hair out of her eyes and stood up straighter. "Alright, enough of this. If Harry can deal with it, I can. He's got such a hard life and goes through so many things and he still manages to be happy. My problems are nothing compared to his."

Ron tutted. "Don't you start pulling that, either. I don't want you keeping things to yourself just because Harry's got the worst luck imaginable. You ever need to tell me something I'm here, you know that? You don't have to keep anything from me." Realizing how vehement he was becoming, Ron stopped, as he felt his face heat up.

Hermione's heart swelled at the passion in Ron's words and suddenly felt much calmer. He'd be there for her, they both would and that's all that mattered. "Thank you, Ron. That means a lot." She said softly to him, impulsively reaching out and hugging him tightly.

Momentarily flustered, but undeniably happy at the feeling of Hermione's arms wrapped around him in a warm hug, Ron hurriedly returned the gesture with nothing short of ecstatic glee.

"Sure, anytime, yeah?" He said laughingly into her hair.

Hermione pulled away quickly after that, feeling a rush of embarrassment for her boldness. "Right, so…" She looked back at the reception once more. "Are you sure you're allowed to be gone this long? You are one of the groomsmen, after all. They might need you for a ritual of some kind." She smiled a bit, turning in the direction of the pond and began to take steps towards it, hoping Ron would follow her lead.

Following her lead, Ron laughed beside her. "I'll be fine. They sort of forgot I was around anyways, after I discovered the food. I don't think there's anything left for me to do."

"Oh, so you did find the food. I was wondering why it was all gone. I suppose that answers my question." She smiled over at him slightly, teasing him for once instead of being teased. The slight breeze picked up for a moment and a gust of wind threatened to lift the bottom of her dress and would have had she not caught it in time. They continued to walk all the time with Hermione grasping at the hem of her dress and attempting to hold it down.

Trying in vain to keep from being distracted by her wayward hem, Ron kept walking forward. Every so often, his eyes would dart downward, only to be pulled quickly back up again, face burning with embarrassment among other things.

"Shut it," he said, jokingly, his face hot. He knew she didn't mean anything by it, but this was a bit new for him, being teased by her.

"All I'm saying is that I'm surprised they had enough food for everyone with you around. I'm glad I got a bite to eat before you did." She finally managed to control her dress and once doing so, backed away from Ron a bit, knowing full well that excessive teasing about his eating habits either annoyed him or made him, for lack of a better word, feisty.

Frowning, he nudged her teasingly. "Ha-bloody-ha. I don't eat that much! I just have a healthy appetite, my Mum always says." At her laughter he frowned again, pretending to be offended, but he couldn't resist the small smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Ron, all of us are afraid of starving if we don't reach the food before you do." She teased, once again taking a step away from him. She was pressing it, she knew that, but it was fun and she usually wasn't on this end of things. She knew he wasn't angry because she could see the smile coming to his lips.

Noticing a challenge, Ron took the bait with a wicked grin on his face. "Oh, that's it. You're gonna get it for that one," he warned, and with a laugh he took off chasing after her.

Hermione squeaked in surprise and took off running towards the pond, laughing the whole way. She'd much rather be doing this then sulking and worrying. It was just what she needed. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Ron was gaining on her and she tried her best to speed up, having trouble doing so in her heels.

Catching up to her quickly, Ron wrapped his arms around her and toppled them both to the ground, landing in the plush grass. They were laughing wildly as they rolled down a minor incline, finally coming to rest with Ron's body above Hermione's. The laughter died down to smiles as neither moved from their position.

Blushing madly, Hermione looked up into Ron's eyes, this time not shyly looking away. She softly reached up and smoothed down a bit of hair right next to his ear and then dropped her hand, frozen in her position.

Shocked and unsure of himself, Ron acted on the first thought that came into his muddled head. He couldn't fight it anymore. War on the horizon or not, he needed to kiss her before he lost his bloody mind. Licking his lips, he leaned his head down and placed a tentative kiss on Hermione's lips, too scared to do anything else. It was soft, it was questioning and it lit a fire in him that made him want more but he held back, keeping it innocent for now.

Hermione, paralyzed in the moment, kissed back the first chance she could. But as quickly as it began, it was over and Ron had pulled away and was now looking at her in a sort of delighted daze. Her eyes were closed but she could feel it. She could feel his questioning gaze on her. Letting her eyes flutter open, she looked up at him and positively beamed.

Ron had pulled away soon after he first initiated the kiss, worried from the pit of his ceaselessly hungry stomach that he had misinterpreted everything, muddled up the signals he thought he was getting from her. He could be a bit thick when it came to these things. When she had kept her eyes closed, he thought she had not enjoyed it and he'd made a terrible mistake, but quickly after she had smiled at him so beautifully that his thoughts faltered.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, hoping that if he had made the wrong call, his apology would fix it.

"For what?" She asked automatically. She reached up, playing with his hair softly again. "Don't you dare apologize for kissing me, Ronald Weasley. I have not waited this long only for you to think it was a mistake." She scolded him and admitted her long-term feelings without thinking. It just came out before she knew what she was saying. At least now it was perfectly clear…or at least, she hoped it was.

Stunned at the admission that could have easily come from his own lips, Ron laughed. "Well," he said, some of the tension easing, "when you put it that way..."

Hermione grinned at him and rested her hand on his neck. "Now that that's been established, what do you say about trying that again? Without the apology." She smiled, a little surprised at her boldness.

Not one to deny a lady what she asked, Ron willingly obliged, and happily pressed his lips against hers again, this time more comfortably. They laid easily in each other's arms for minutes more, Ron taking advantage of the opportunity to explore the mouth he had been dreaming of for so long.

Hermione's arms flew up around Ron's neck, and the thought that this all had to be a dream crossed her mind. She smiled against his lips and wished with everything she had that she was, in fact, not dreaming at all.

Giddily happy, feeling butterflies in his stomach, Ron reluctantly pulled away from the sweet velvet of Hermione's lips, pleased to see them red and her face flushed.

"Well, I don't think you'll be able to go back without them knowing exactly what we've been doing out here," he said jokingly.

Hermione smiled at him so widely, her cheeks hurt. This was finally happening, it was real. "Let them see, then…" She said, unable to contain her happiness. "Let them know. Let Fred and George tease. Let Harry and Ginny say, 'About time!' I probably wouldn't even notice it, I'm so happy." She said softly, flushing pink and avoiding his eyes once she realized how terribly blunt she was being, blurting out her emotions the way she had.

Despite his earlier hesitations, Ron felt as though he could fly without a broom at her words. He would have wondered if he was dreaming, were he not able to feel her body pressed up against his, her breath upon his neck, and the ghost of her kiss still lingering on his lips.

"You may have a point there," he said, and grinned lasciviously.

Hermione continued to smile as she had for every single moment since he kissed her. She reached up, gave Ron a lingering kiss and then pulled away. "We'd better get back." She said softly. "Plus, you're getting heavy. Must be all the food."

Ron pouted playfully, secretly regretting that they had to get back at all. For good measure, he gave her a quick kiss on the nose. He got up and extended his hand toward her, offering to help her up.

Hermione took his hand and pulled herself up, dusting her dress off once she was standing and straightening herself out a bit.

"Hermione…" he started, but quickly flushed with embarrassment and trailed off, looking away.

"What is it, Ron?" She asked, suddenly worried.

Rubbing the back of his neck nervously, he mumbled something under his breath.

"What was that?" Hermione asked, not hearing a word. "Ron, what's wrong?"

He cleared his throat. "I said," he continued carefully, as though watching his words, "Are we going to be able to do this again… sometime soon?"

Hermione laughed a bit. "Which part? The chasing, the falling, the teasing, or the snogging?"

Ron couldn't help but laugh. "All of it, actually," he said with a grin, "but mostly the snogging. Definitely the snogging." Gaining confidence, Ron took Hermione's hand as he walked back towards the party.

Hermione happily leaned into Ron's side as they walked. "Soon. You know me, I'm a planner. I need a plan."

Ron laughed. "You and your plans," he said fondly. "I'm glad that I forced you to be spontaneous today."

Hermione raised her chin and huffed. "You did not force me to do anything, Ronald." She said with a shake of her head and a slight smiled after she was done. She couldn't even pretend to be serious right now.

Ron held back the grin that was threatening to break out, futilely trying to push down the corners of his lips that were curling up of their own volition. "Of course not, Hermione."

Hermione reached over and poked Ron in the chest with one finger. "For all you know, I could've planned this way in advance. You should know by now I'm capable of that kind of thing." She said to him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Momentarily at a loss for words, unsure of whether she was kidding or not, Ron kept walking forward. "If you have planned it, then, I suppose I owe you a thank you. You've saved me a lot of work and embarrassment."

Hermione smiled to herself at his reaction. "Oh honestly! All I was waiting for was for you to say something. I would have done the rest. It was your turn anyways, after everything this past year. I would've waited as long as it took, Ron." She said, suddenly getting serious.

Feeling the need to be as open and honest as she was, Ron turned his head and looked her in the eye. "I would have, as well. Though I reckon I was getting a little bit impatient."

Hermione did the first thing she thought of when she heard his words. She leaned forward and kissed him soundly, trying to show her reaction instead of having to think up the words.

Knowing full well that he expressed himself best physically, Ron kissed her back. Passionately. Lovingly. And with the joy he felt each second that their lips were pressed so close.