In Between

Author's Note: Hi all! These stories are all based on roleplays I was a part of almost 10 years ago that I have just recently discovered again and reminisced. I recently re-read the entire series and re-watched all the movies and got back into this ship and my insane love for my OTP. I hope you enjoy!

More to come. I have about 5 already done, just have to turn them into chapters, and will be adding more. Will become more mature as time goes on.

Please review!

Chapter 1: After the Battle

It was done. Over. Years of fighting, years of facing death, experiencing loss, longing for normalcy… all of it was done. They were free and they were alive. All three of the trio agreed it was important for them to stat and help rebuild Hogwarts. It was hard work and difficult to be in the place where so many perished but it needed to be done.

Hermione was helping in the hospital wing, helping tend to the wounded while also rebuilding the areas around it. She enjoyed the quiet and solace it provided her after months of not being able to shut her mind off. It was strange, not having somewhere to be or something to do. She woke up most mornings suddenly, looking around, thinking she needed to get up and hurry, get moving, that someone was going to find her. And then she'd remember… no one was after them anymore. They had nowhere to go, nothing to find or do. They could just be.

Meanwhile, Bill had recruited Ron to help with the rebuild of the various houses: Gryffindor Tower, Ravenclaw. He was working harder than he ever had, well besides the past year, of course, but he didn't mind it. It kept his mind off things. Off the loss of his brother. Off the horrors of the past year. The only thing it was never able to stop him from thinking about was that kiss. Hermione. He just wished he knew what to say. He wished he could have a moment alone with her to say it.

Hermione let out a deep, almost thankful sigh. She had never felt exhaustion the way she had felt it in the past few weeks. It felt like forever since the final battle with Voldemort had taken place at Hogwarts and he was finally, finally defeated by Harry, but, in reality, it had only been a few weeks. She had spent day after day in the hospital wing helping Madam Pomfrey tend to the wounded and the sick while helping to rebuild the areas around it. It was the least she could do and she felt that this way, she was doing her part.

After scrambling around all day, she had finally received a moment of well-deserved rest. Doing the first thing that had come to mind, she had taken a book from the library, a fictional book (she did not need anymore facts floating around in her mind) and gone outside to the courtyard to read. Sitting under a large tree on the soft grass beneath it, she basked in the shade and warmth and began to read.

Bill was a ruddy slave driver, but Ron didn't mind. He found he was actually quite good at lining up stones and sealing them with magic, though a good amount of manual labor was necessary as well, hence the sore muscles. The past couple weeks were a blur; Fred's funeral was the hardest thing he had ever been through, but he felt he was doing his part by insisting to help George with the business- it's what Fred would have wanted. He knew he couldn't replace Fred, he didn't want to, but he could at least try to be someone his brother needed right now. It had been a very hard decision, especially since it meant he wouldn't be going back to school with Hermione (because of course she'd be going back to finish) but it was the right thing to do. Not easy, but right.

The only thing keeping Ron going through all the turmoil and exhaustion was that kiss. It still brought a goofy smile to his expression when he thought of it, which soon faded when he realized he had no idea how to approach Hermione. What were they now? Was she his girlfriend? Likely not yet, though he figured she'd want to have a discussion about it. It was Hermione, for Merlin's sake. She'd want to talk about it.

Bill insisted Ron take the rest of the evening off, so at sundown he plucked a Quaffle out of the Quidditch shed (which thankfully had gone untouched by the Death Eaters' curses) and lazily tossed it up into the air, catching it, and repeating the process as he made his way down towards the grounds. He froze when he reached the courtyard, spotting Hermione a few yards away.

"Hi," he said rather dumbly, just standing there holding the awkwardly shaped ball, looking around to see if anyone else was around. There didn't seem to be; the grounds were quiet.

Hermione knew that voice anywhere. She didn't even have to look up from her book to know who was standing in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she looked from her page and looked at Ron. She faltered for a moment, taking in his ruffled appearance, feeling her breath catch at the sight of him in the summer breeze.

"Hello, Ron." She said softly, trying not to give away the fact that her nerves were doing overtime at the moment. It had been ages since her and Ron had been alone, talked at all. Not since that kiss. The kiss she had instigated. The kiss she was sure she'd never forget. Closing her book after marking her page, she looked up at the red-head once more, wondering what would come of their encounter.

"How's... the hospital wing?" He asked slowly, in a rather strained tone once her eyes landed on his own. His brain screamed at him to go sit down next to her, but his feet wouldn't listen; he stayed standing there in the middle of the courtyard, just a short distance away from her, and as if it would curb the tension, he threw the Quaffle high up into the air and caught it. Nope, didn't help.

He didn't know what to do in these situations. It was different when he thought she couldn't possibly fancy him. Because why would she? He was just Ron. But she kissed him. She started it. So that had to mean she had feelings… right? He knew he was probably being a world class idiot but he was never really sure with Hermione. It was always a question mark. His heart and his instincts said that yeah, she probably returned his feelings but his head, his stupid brain, couldn't catch up. It was still filled with self doubt, with insecurities and still heard every word the locket had said to him.

Though Hermione knew it would have to be discussed eventually and wanted to sort things out, she was glad Ron was avoiding the topic of their kiss for the moment. She needed to catch her breath and sort out her thoughts. There was so much on the line.

"It's just fine. Tiring and hectic, but fine. But I shouldn't complain at all. It's nothing compared to what the people staying in that wing are going through." She was being logical and reasonable as usual on the outside, but her insides were screaming, restless and most of all, wanting Ron to kiss her again.

Ron nodded in understanding. "We just finished rebuilding Gryffindor tower. We're going to start Ravenclaw's tomorrow." He shifted his weight slightly from one foot to the other, his arms folded over the Quaffle. "The Head Girl's room is bloody huge- you'll be glad you'll get to live there when you go back in the fall." His fingers started to strum lightly on the leather skin of the ball, his eyes adverting to the ground. He didn't tell her about his decision not to return to Hogwarts... and he figured he better tell her before she finds out from someone else. She'd be disappointed, of course, he knew that much because she valued education so much but he hoped she'd understand what he had to do for his family.

Hermione nodded, listening to Ron talk about what he had been going through lately. When he mentioned her returning to Hogwarts, she looked down at her hands, having been thinking about that decision for a while now.

"Sometimes I don't know if I should go back, if I can after everything," She said softly. "I always planned to take my N.E.W.T.s, of course, but I don't know if I can be back here as a full-time student again. So much has happened here." She shrugged, as if it were the most simple thing in the world when, in reality, it was something she had been thinking about, agonizing over in her mind for weeks.

At her words, Ron frowned slightly, looking slightly put off. With the green light from Professor McGonagall, he'd already engraved Hermione's name on the nameplate of the Head Girl's room door. She had to go back. It was Hermione! He knew she wanted to but she was obviously as scared and uncertain of the future as he was. That made him feel somewhat better.

"But... Hermione, you've got to go back. You've always wanted to be Head Girl, and... I need someone in this school to keep an eye on Harry and my sister." Ron pulled a face, grimacing slightly, though he knew, deep down that he had no right to be grossed out by it. Ginny couldn't get a better bloke than Harry… but still. It was his best mate. And his sister. Ugh.

Hermione shrugged slightly, shifting her position on the grass. "Well, yes, being Head Girl was very important to me once but now… I've seen that there are more important things." She said softly, shaking her head. "Oh, I don't know! Perhaps I need to think things through a bit more." She admitted, looking back at Ron when a thought occurred to her, catching onto what he said for the first time.

"What do you mean you need someone to keep an eye on them? Won't you be doing that yourself?" She looked up at him curiously, wishing he would sit down or something. He was already tall enough as it is, but when he was standing and she was sitting on the ground, she was craning her neck to look up at him.

Ron took a few strides towards her, tossing the Quaffle up once more. He paused for a moment. Should he sugar coat it? No, that wasn't Hermione's style. No he just had to suck it up and bloody spit it out.

"Well... no. I'm not... coming back to Hogwarts. George was going to give up his shop, since he couldn't run it without..." he trailed off, considering his words. "I'm going to help him run the shop for a while. He needs someone to run the Hogsmeade branch, and well... I said I'd do it." Family was the most important thing to Ron, no matter how much he used to complain about them. And truth be told, he was kind of touched George wanted him to help. Not Charlie or Bill. Ron.

"Oh." Hermione said softly, somewhat sadly. She stopped to consider his words, mull them over. One half of her couldn't picture going back to school without Ron there and the other half was touched by his blatant decision to support his family. Sure, it would be difficult going back to Hogwarts without Ron there asking her for homework help, nagging her to come to Quidditch practices or making fun of her insatiable appetite for knowledge but, if he wasn't going back because of his family, then she was alright with that. "That's very honourable of you, Ron."

He shrugged indifferently. "I can't say I'll miss the homework and the boring classes, but, well.. it'll be... weird." Oddly enough, he had the feeling that Quidditch and the feasts would be the second and third thing on his lists of things he'd miss most. There was one particular thing that would be number one on that list. Or one person, he should say.

"But I can see you on Hogsmeade weekends and at holidays," he added, his cheeks tingling with scarlet. "And Harry too. You'll visit me at the shop, won't you?" He tried to hide the hopeful expression on his face but he was never really good at that sort of thing.

"Every chance I get." She answered immediately, without even thinking. Once realizing what she had said so bluntly, she felt a small blush rise to her cheeks but she masked it by looking at her hands for a moment.

"I'm sure McGonagall will let me… I mean Harry and I visit more often than that. And if not, well, we've already broken every rule in the book… what's a few more?" She smiled a bit. Those two boys really had changed her over the years. Little Hermione wouldn't be so quick to break the rules. But she wasn't little Hermione anymore, was she?

He snickered some, brow raised in amusement. "We've really had an influence on you over the years, haven't we?" He joked, feeling better about the situation already, unaware he was basically speaking Hermione's thoughts aloud.

Ron dared another step closer so he was peering over her, staring down at the book in her lap. "You can't possibly be researching anything else... what's left that you haven't covered, the history of dung beetles and their mating rituals?" He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. He hadn't been able to tease her in ages. Things were far too serious for teasing. It didn't feel right before.

Hermione rolled her eyes at both of Ron's comments, happy to be back to their usual dynamic. She'd never admit it to him, but sometimes she missed the teasing and the bickering. Not many people could get under her skin and set her heart alive the way Ron could. It was one of the reasons she'd fallen for him. He affected her so much more than anyone else.

"It's fiction, Ron. Just something to relax me." She looked up at him again and found herself having to crane her neck because he was so tall and just feet away from her. "You can sit, you know." She told him, patting the grass beside her. "I won't bite."

She won't bite... well she nearly tackled him with that kiss, he reminded himself. Realizing that wouldn't be such a bad thing to have happen again, he sat next to her on the grass, stretching out his lanky legs and gripping that Quaffle a bit too tightly out of nerves.

"What, er.. fiction book is that?" The only fiction Ron read were Wizarding comics when he was much younger.

Hermione shrugged, holding up the book to look at the cover. "Just a muggle novel I found in the library. They don't have many but I recognized the title of this one." Her voice was slightly shaky as she could feel the warmth radiating from Ron's body beside her. Their legs were almost touching and she was thankful there were shadows from the tree branches above them to cover up the red that was steadily rising to her face. She missed this. She missed his warmth. She missed just being with him without impending doom hanging over them.

Ron swallowed harshly when he heard that her voice was shaking a bit. Was it possible that he was making her nervous, just as she was making him nervous?

"Muggle novel... sounds... boring," he said half-heartedly, his eyes still fixed on the book's cover. However, his usual banter sounded slightly less convincing as other things were currently on his mind.

Hermione let out a shaky laugh, breathing in deeply as she did so. "It is, actually. For once, I agree." She said, laughing nervously, not sure what else to do at the moment. Hermione was usually the one to bring things up, sort things out, make things right but at the moment, all she could think about was how Ron's leg was touching hers. Every ounce of courage in her had flown away with the warm breeze.

When she laughed, Ron smiled, daring a look up at her face. His fingers continued to blindly map the stitching of the Quaffle, and he couldn't handle this giant awkward monster settling over their heads.

"Hermione," he said in a strained voice, trying to work up the bravery to mention the unmentionable. Now or never, was what he had said. And they had already spent years dancing around their feelings. Or at least he had. He wouldn't claim to ever know exactly what she was feeling or thinking.

"D'you remember... that thing... that happened?" He managed, wincing slightly at how poorly he articulated what he was trying to say.

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, giving him a confused look. "Millions of things have happened recently, Ron. Could you be a tad more specific?" She knew, of course, what he was referring to but she needed him to say it. Then, after hearing it from his lips, could she maybe get the reassurance she needed to discuss things. She wanted to talk about it, she really did, but nerves and fear of rejection were getting in the way.

She was probably being silly. Apparently it was insanely obvious to everyone how Ron felt about her, but she would always have that doubt. She was plain, bookish, know it all Hermione. Maybe he had just kissed her back because it was the heat of the moment and they might die at any moment. She didn't know for sure how he felt unless he told her. And she'd been hurt by him in the past. She was entitled to be afraid of rejection, as illogical as it seemed to anyone else.

"Y'know, the thing," he said with more force, hoping she'd understand him. When she seemed adamant about wanting him to spell it out, he sighed slightly. "You know, when you jumped me?" Brilliant, Ron. Just brilliant. Way to muck things up before anything even started. He really needed to develop more of a filter.

"Jumped you?" Hermione nearly choked, or would have, had she been drinking at the moment. Her eyes widened. Really? That's how he thought of it?

"I did not jump you! How dare you… I… I kissed you! There's a huge difference, Ronald." She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling annoyed with his words. "Jumped you… how dare… didn't even…" She mumbled incoherent thoughts under her breath, not looking at him. She hoped that had just been Ron being… well, Ron. He did have a tendency to choose his words poorly.

He held his hands in the air, waving them a bit to try to stop her from ranting back at him, his face aflame as the Quaffle rolled off of his lap and onto the grass.

"No! Hermione… that's.. that's what I meant.." he stammered. "When you... kissed.. me," he said slowly, feeling braver now that she wasn't looking at him. "I just... well, I just wanted to say.." he started, really thinking of his words before he spoke them aloud, in a much softer, sweeter tone. "It was... bloody great."

"Oh, how eloquent…" She muttered under her breath, still not looking at him. Maybe she should cut him some slack. He wasn't always the best at words. She knew she was going to have to be the one to state it plainly.

"Look, Ron…" She said, looking up at him for the first time in minutes. "If you have something to say, just say it. Please." She stressed the last word. He had to know she was desperate to work this out.

"I thought I made my feelings perfectly clear when I did that thing…" She said, using his words. "B-But if you don't return the feelings than just get it over with and tell me now. I don't think I can go another minute hoping when there isn't any. I don't want to be awkward anymore! I don't want to keep wondering…" She was babbling now, a side effect of the nerves.

Feeling his heart clench at her admission, he started to panic. Now it was definitely now or never, she made that perfectly clear.

"No! Hermione, I'm an idiot!" he admitted quite loudly. Then he continued, his voice returning to a normal volume, albeit shaking slightly. He needed her to know. He needed her to know just how much he has wanted that kiss, thought about it for years, pictured it, how much he wanted her.

"I.. I fancy you too. I have for... ages." His blush was creeping into his hairline, but he pushed on. "I thought you knew. But I thought- I thought I wasn't..." good enough for you. He couldn't make himself say it. She had to know he thought the possibility of her liking him back was farfetched right? That he was just Ron and she was this brilliant, beautiful girl that was so much better than him?

Hermione took in a deep breath at his admission, her skin erupting in goose flesh at his words. He'd admitted it. Her heart skipped in her chest. He felt it too.

Feeling a bit of her bravery return, she reached over and took his hand. "Thought you weren't what, Ron?" She asked softly, entirely unsure of what he would say. He couldn't possibly believe he wasn't good enough? That was insane.

When she took his hand, he instantly laced his fingers with her own, taking a deep breath. Courage, Ron. Explain it so she understands.

"Look. You're... Hermione Granger," he said, as if that explained everything. Realizing she'd want clarification, he went on. "You're smart! You're brilliant, and you're.. beautiful," his blush turned to a near purple at that, but he pressed on. "so you deserve a bloke who's... smarter and... better than someone like me." He didn't dare look at her. Not after that.

Hermione felt her heart clench at his words. How could he possibly think any of that? "Ron…" She said softly, squeezing his hand gently. "You're all those things. You're…" she searched for the right word. "you're wonderful. I don't want anyone else."

She knew he always felt overshadowed. By his older brothers, by Harry, but she never thought he sincerely believed that she was too good for him! It was ridiculous. He was far more than he realized.

He let out the breath that he didn't realize he was holding. "You're mental," he said suddenly, but his tone was light and joking as he dared a side glance at her.

"Yes, I am." She said softly, turning too so their eyes met. "About you." Her voice was barely above a whisper but she hoped he had heard her. No turning back now, was there?

He sobered immediately, licking his lips out of nervous anticipation. "Well then... in that case... feel free to jump me anytime you'd like," he said teasingly, a trademark lopsided grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Hermione rolled her eyes and broke out in a genuine smile. "You're insane sometimes, Ron," She said, happily. "But I love you anyways."

She sucked in a breath when she realized what she had said. Good one, Hermione. He finally gets over his shyness, the awkwardness is finally starting to dissipate and then you go and let that bomb of an admission slip out? He'd be running for the hills in moments, surely. Even though she knew it was what she felt, she'd known for a long time this was more than just a crush, she was nervous and braced herself for the stuttering and/or running away that might occur on his end. She felt ridiculous. Had she ruined everything with one simple statement? Maybe it was far too soon for that.

But Ron didn't move and he didn't run. He felt frozen in his spot and he just stared at her in awe. "You... do?" he asked curiously, noting the clamminess that was happening between their interlocked hands, but he didn't let go.

And then it all made sense, how different he felt about Hermione than any other girl- the difference between his feelings towards Fleur, Lavender, and any other small crush he'd had. How she affected him so much more than anyone else. How his feelings had been building up for years and his denial of those feelings for so long had only strengthened them. This wasn't a little crush. It wasn't even just someone he fancied. He loved her. He reckoned he had loved her for years. He always had been a little bit slower in the emotional maturity arena.

"Blimey, I reckon I love you too." He finally breathed out. Merlin, that actually felt good to say! What a weight off his shoulders. What a joy it brought to him to know he loved her and she loved him to. Bloody hell. They were in love.

Hermione broke out in a huge smile, launching herself at him and hugging Ron fiercely with tears of happiness stinging her eyes. "Oh, Ron! I thought I'd never hear those words!" She held onto him tightly for a few moments before pulling back to grin at him, relief washing over her face. Her happiness radiated off her in waves.

Ron wrapped his arms tightly around Hermione, when a flash of something caught his eye behind her. "Oi! Bugger off, you nosy midgets!" he bellowed, glaring at the fourth year students he had recognized from earlier that day. In a flash, they were gone. "Er... sorry," he said with a blush.

Hermione shook her head and waved her hand in the air dismissively. Reaching up, she took his face in her hands, smoothing a bit of hair by his ear down. "I love you." She whispered again, resting her forehead against his and grinning like a loon. Tears of happiness and relief still glistened in her eyes, threatening to fall over onto her cheeks.

He was grinning like a goof as well, those fourth years forgotten when she was touching his face. "I still think you're mental," he whispered in reply, and before she could respond, he gingerly pressed his lips to her own, his arms still locked behind her waist from their hug.

Hermione let out a soft sigh at the back of her throat at the feel of his lips on hers again. She reveled in the fact that there was no longer a war raging around them and they had all the time in the world. Snaking her arms around the back of his neck, she ran her fingers through the hair there at the base of his neck, submitting herself to the kiss.

Ron felt goose bumps rise all over his body; the feeling of her fingers running through his hair was maddening. This was more innocent than anything he'd done with Lavender, yet it affected him so much more. Because he loved her. And she loved him! After a few moments, their kiss slowly began to grow with passion; years of built up tension between them diffusing in a single moment.

Wondering how on earth either of them went this long without doing this, Hermione felt chills go down her spine as the kiss intensified. Nothing compared to this feeling of knowing Ron felt the same way she did and the fact that she was able to show her feelings for him through something as intimate as a kiss. Pulling away from the kiss for some air, Hermione smiled softly, giving him one last soft kiss before meeting his eyes. Nothing compared to this feeling. Nothing in the world.

Ron panted a bit, trying to catch his breath, after she broke the kiss, his heart hammering in his chest as he willed his pulse to slow. "Blimey," he said rather breathlessly, staring at her with glossy eyes. Another lopsided grin appeared on Ron's face.

Hermione flushed at his exclamation. "I'll take that as a good reaction then?" She asked with a slight smile. Truth was, she was rather nervous about kissing Ron. She had only been kissed once before and that had only been a peck so she wasn't very experienced. She wasn't sure of her abilities and hoped she wasn't horrible at it. She didn't want him to compare her to Lavender in his mind. She didn't want Lavender to be a better kisser than her. She wanted Ron to think there was nothing better than kissing her but she didn't have anything to compare it to, really. It this had been any other skill, she would have practised until she knew she was good at it. But she supposed she'd just have to practise with Ron. No harm in that!

He nodded at her question, reaching to take her hands again. Did she think he didn't like snogging her? As if there was anything better. "Bloody brilliant would describe it, I think." He said, a lopsided grin on his lips.

"But as much as I'd like to continue doing this all night, we probably should get going. Let's get back inside. One more kiss like that and I'd probably have to keep you out here all night," he confessed, his cheeks pinkening as he laughed some.

Hermione couldn't help but think that her cheeks would be permanently pink if things continued on this route. "That's a good idea." She agreed. "It's getting late." She looked around at the slowly darkening sky and felt a slight shiver from the wind.

He stood, still holding her hand as he led her into the castle, his free hand flipping a crude hand gesture at Harry and Ginny as he heard them clapping and catcalling as they passed.