AN: Happy Tuesday! I hope you all have a fantastic week. I have some good news. This story is finally all written and beta'd and ready to post. After this chapter, there are only two left. I will be sticking to my weekly posting schedule, as I'll be using the time to get ahead in some new stories as well as finishing off Change Your Mind (and if you're not already ready that, then you should be!)
As always, all my love goes out to my wonderful betas - Adenei, be11atrixthestrange, Cheesyficwriter and QuickSilverFox who are the bestest ever! I hope you enjoy this chapter, please let me know xxx
The court empties out, and the Weasleys head back to Harry and Sirius' house for a party.
The court started to empty as soon as Judge McGonagall had left. A swell of noise went with them, as each observer discussed the sentencing and everything else heard in the courthouse that morning.
As they followed the rest of the public out of the gallery, Ron could hear his brothers speculating at how well Draco would fare in prison, each theory louder than the last, despite their mother's persistent hushes and protests about how improper it was to discuss these things in a house of law.
"I reckon he'll be a prison bitch before the end of his first day," George chuckled. "He's just too soft and pretty looking."
"Oh, for sure," Bill replied. "They love blondes in prison. He'll be clinging on to someone's pockets within a week."
"Will you two be quiet," Molly scolded. "Prison isn't like that. You watch far too many television shows."
George was quick off the mark to respond. "How do you know, Mum? You done a lot of time, have you?"
As his brothers chuckled, Ron lifted his head, the corners of his mouth curving up into a smile as he made eye contact with his oldest brother, Bill.
Kingsley and Moody were waiting for the group in the busy foyer, huge grins on their faces.
"Well, that outcome was more than we could have hoped." Kingsley extended a hand for Hermione to shake.
"What happens now?" asked Hermione, and Ron didn't miss the cautious tone in her voice.
"That's it. Of course, Crabbe and Goyle's trial still rattles on, but I think they'll change their minds now that their boss has gone down. We won't need you for that, but one of us will give you a call to let you know how it goes. Otherwise, you're all free to get on with your lives."
Kingsley moved to Ron next, shaking his hand too. "You know, son, if you ever want a career in the police force, you have my card. I'd be happy to mentor you through the entrant exams. Or if you want any advice or have any more difficulties, you know where to find me."
A sense of pride bubbled in Ron's chest. He could imagine himself as a police officer, maybe investigating some high profile crime. "Thanks. For everything you've done."
After letting go of Ron's hand, Kingsley gestured to the entrance to the courts, where it looked like the crowd of waiting paparazzi had doubled in size. "We'll help see you out. It's the least we can do."
Placing a hand at the small of Hermione's back, Ron moved with the rest of the family, Harry, and Sirius towards the doors. As soon as the detective opened them, the group were greeted with another assault of shouted questions and camera flashes. Making sure Harry and Ginny were in sight, Ron pulled Hermione close to his body as they pushed through, aiming for the cars.
They got to Ron's vehicle first, and he quickly pressed the button to unlock it, holding the door open for Ginny and Harry to climb into the back before letting Hermione into the front seat. Kingsley held back the swarm of journalists as Ron hurried around the car and climbed in. After checking that the rest of his family were safe in the other vehicles, he pressed the button to start the ignition then pulled away, giving a quick wave to the police officers as they left the car park.
"I hate the paps," Harry lamented as he fastened his seat belt. "They even got to catch me in a suit. They'll be having a field day."
"You know they're not here for you, right?" Ron raised his eyes to the rearview mirror to glare back at Harry. His best friend blushed bright red and turned his attention to making sure Ginny was okay.
"You okay?" Ron concentrated on the road in front of him but placed his hand on its usual spot on Hermione's thigh, squeezing it.
"Yeah." She turned her head to smile at him. "Just tired."
"Well, it's only twenty minutes back to the house. Then it's party time."
He allowed himself to relax as Hermione placed her hand over his and rested her head against the window, although there was still the minor niggle of worry at the back of his mind. She wasn't quite being herself, still, and Ron was concerned that this ordeal might have broken her for good.
⁂
Hermione was quiet for the rest of the journey home, and Ron found himself grateful that Harry and Ginny ended up in the car with them. After his initial displeasure at the journalists, Harry's mood picked up. Ginny was exuberant with Draco's sentencing, and it was infectious to everyone but Hermione.
She barely waited for Ron to apply the handbrake as he pulled onto the drive. As soon as he turned the engine, Hermione was out of the car. She rummaged in her bag, eventually finding her house keys before letting herself in and disappearing.
"She okay?" Harry slid out of the car.
"I think so, mate. Hermione didn't sleep very well last night, so maybe she's gone for a nap. I'll go check on her in a bit once I make sure my brothers aren't going overboard with this party." Ron started to move towards the house, disarming the security system before it had a chance to kick off.
Ginny followed, placing a comforting hand on Ron's shoulder. "It's been a tough few weeks. She'll be fine."
Since they were the first in the house, they wandered through to the kitchen and put the kettle on. Soon enough, the rest of the family piled in, their high spirits matching Harry and Ginny's. After speaking briefly to George and Bill, Ron decided to pull in extra security for the night.
During the short journey back to the house, the siblings had been in touch with a lot of their mutual friends and invited them over. With the list Ginny and Harry were currently working through, Ron would need help if he had any hope of relaxing tonight.
He used the phone in Sirius' office to plead Sloper, Kirke and Flint to come in and work the night, eventually bribing them with triple pay. After wandering through to double-check everything was okay in the kitchen, Ron took the two cups of tea his mum thrust into his hands and headed upstairs to find Hermione. There were still a few hours before everything kicked off, and everyone seemed happy to get on with the arrangements. Hopefully, he might even get a chance to squeeze in a nap.
Turning towards the front of the house on the first floor, Ron noticed that Hermione's bedroom door was closed. He gave it a small kick, but there was no answer. Cursing, he shifted both cups of tea into one hand before pushing open the door, trying his best not to make a noise.
He smiled as he laid eyes on Hermione. She was already fast asleep, lying on top of the duvet in only Harry's tour t-shirt and a pair of knickers. She'd pulled her hair out of its tight up-do, and curls already escaped her loose ponytail, framing her face. Sighing, Ron set down the tea then removed his suit, hanging it on a spare hanger he found in Hermione's wardrobe. Creeping across the room so as not to wake her, Ron located her blanket and pulled it over her body before sliding onto the bed.
Ron drank his tea before wriggling down, trying to get as close as he could to Hermione without waking her. He spooned up to her, splaying his hand across her belly. Immediately, she adjusted to his body, letting out a soft sigh. Burying his head against her curls, he shut his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
⁂
Ron couldn't have been asleep for too long because the summer sun was still shining through Hermione's curtains when he woke up. They hadn't stayed cuddled up for long; she was a wriggler, and at some point during their short nap, Hermione had rolled away from him, taking the blanket and tangling it between her legs. She was lying on her front now, and her t-shirt had ridden up, revealing her underwear-clad backside and a delightful patch of skin just above the waistband.
He felt a stirring of pleasure as he admired her for a bit longer. Hermione must have felt his eyes on her, or maybe she just woke herself up naturally. Either way, she turned her head on the pillow to face him, giving him a sleep-filled smile.
"Were you watching me sleep?" she inquired, her fingertips reaching out to brush his fringe off his forehead.
His eyes closed, the touch of her hand against his skin sending a buzz of excitement south. "You know I can't help it."
"You're a creep."
Ron let out a breathy laugh, then grabbed the wrist that was connected to the hand still stroking his hair, using it to pull Hermione into a hug.
"Well, then I'm a massive creep. I can't help watching you, especially when you look that cute when you sleep." He trailed his hands down her back, slipping under the material of her t-shirt to rest on her backside. She let out a content moan as he circled his thumbs over her exposed skin. "Are you okay? You were quiet when we got home."
"Everything just got a little overwhelming, and I was exhausted."
"I didn't like that you just walked away." Ron stared down at her. "I thought by now you'd know you could just talk to me or tell me what's going on."
"I know. I'm sorry." Hermione's cheeks flooded pink. "I think if I tried to talk to someone, I might have exploded. I wanted to get a nap in, and then I might be able to deal with this party later. You need a lot of energy to deal with your family."
He frowned, the speed of his heart picking up. Ron's family was important to him, but if Hermione had a problem with that, it might make his life ten times more difficult. "Is that a huge problem?"
"What? Oh, no, God no, Ron. They're fantastic!" She lifted her head and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. "I'm just not used to it. There was only me, Mum and Dad. And Cormac was an only child, too. Even living with you, Harry and Sirius—things are still quiet. Your family is a delightful whirlwind, and I'm enjoying getting used to them."
Ron returned her kiss with a smile. "I guess they're all I've ever known. I sometimes find this house far too quiet. Do you want to get up and get showered so we can head back downstairs to them?"
"Not yet."
Hermione shook her head, sliding one of her legs between his, and Ron couldn't help the moan that escaped his mouth. He rolled onto his back, pulling her with him as their lips crushed together in a passionate kiss. Carding his fingers into her ponytail, he pushed her even closer to him.
He knew he needed to stop before he got too carried away, but her smell was intoxicating — the lingering scent of her perfume, combined with the strawberry scent from her shampoo, threatened to overwhelm him. Already feeling frustrated after their make-out session in the park yesterday and, combined with the delight of their post-nap hazy kissing, it was beginning to get too much. Ron was painfully aware of his growing hardness against her thigh, and regretfully, he pulled away.
Hermione frowned, shifting to sit up and straddle Ron. He groaned as her action caused an infuriating amount of friction against him.
"What's wrong?" she asked, gazing down at him under long eyelashes.
"Nothing. I just don't want us to get carried away."
His hands betrayed his words; he just couldn't help it. They gravitated to Hermione's hips, his fingers playing with the elastic of her knickers.
"Carried away?" Hermione scoffed. "You talk like I'm a damsel in distress, and you're trying not to have your wicked way with me. But we're in my bed, with barely any clothes on, and I assumed you locked the door when you came in?"
"Well, yeah, but—"
"Ron! It's been six weeks. You don't need to be gentle with me any longer. I want to move past this, but I need you to help by acting normal with me."
He groaned as she placed her hands over his and pushed her hips against him again. She looked so sexy, with her hair all messed, her face flushed, and lips swollen after their kisses, and he didn't want to resist her anymore. He might explode if he did.
"Are you sure?" He squeezed her hands, giving her one last chance to withdraw her consent.
"Positive. I am ready to get back to this relationship. Don't get me wrong, you've been amazing through all of this, but we were on such a great trajectory before all the Draco shit happened, and I…."
Her words faded out as Ron clocked Hermione's use of a swear word. He rarely heard it from her lips, and she often shouted at him for using vile language, but he found the sound of it a massive turn-on. His heart thumping, he pushed himself into a sitting position to press a loving kiss against her lips, putting a stop to her words.
Ron's hands drifted up and down her back, pulling at her t-shirt then pressing Hermione closer to him. Eventually, his fingers ended back in her hair, pulling out her bobble so he could get proper access to her curls. Whimpering, Hermione's tongue swept across his teeth, and he parted his lips wider to allow her entry. He devoured her until he felt his lungs were going to explode before finally pulling away again.
"Have you got condoms stashed in here?" His chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath.
Hermione blushed bright red. "Yeah. I bought them while we were on tour. I wanted to be prepared. I planned to go to the doctors to go on the pill, but then everything happened, and it dropped down on my to-do list."
He didn't think he could love her any more. A huge smile erupted on Ron's face as he shifted his hands from her hips to the bottom of Hermione's t-shirt, lifting it over her head. It was strange having Harry's face staring at them whilst they talked about contraception and sex, and what was underneath was ten times better anyway. As soon as her skin was revealed to him, he started to shower it with kisses.
"We can go and sort that out together," he murmured against her skin. "We have all the time in the world. We should both be responsible for that, anyway."
Hermione moaned, thrusting her hips against his again. "Okay handsome, whatever you want."
Ron didn't respond, choosing instead to lose himself in the delightful taste of her skin. He moved with her as she leaned over the bed and dug in her bedside table for the contraception, both of them laughing as he tried to keep his lips pressed against her. With the prophylactic secured, they fell onto the bed in a mess of limbs and finally gave in to each other.
⁂
When Ron and Hermione emerged from her bedroom over an hour later, fingers entwined and feeling closer than ever, the music was already thrumming from the lower levels of the house.
"At least they didn't tether the playlist to all of the speakers. I don't think I would have been able to do what we just did with this crazy music in my ear." Ron laughed.
"I think this is a remix from that big DJ guy Harry met in Scotland."
"Even worse then. It's bad enough you insist on wearing that damn t-shirt. Harry's bloody everywhere!"
"Ron! He's your best friend." Hermione grinned, giving his shoulder a playful shove.
"Exactly. I have to put up with him all the time. There's no escape. Anyway, are you saying you would have enjoyed it?" He smirked back at her.
"Maybe before, although I didn't listen to a lot of pop music before I knew him. Definitely not now."
"Oh yeah, I forgot you were all about classical music when you joined us. How things have changed."
"You be careful," Hermione threatened, "or I'll start playing more Vivaldi."
"Viv-whatty?"
"Exactly!"
They let go of each other to traverse the stairs, and Ron immediately felt the loss of her hand in his. As soon as they reached the downstairs hallway, he looped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her towards the sound of all the noise, giving a quick nod to Kirke, Sloper and Flint as they sat near the front door with plates of food on their laps. The sight brought a smile to his face—his mother was a terror about ensuring everyone got fed properly, and his crew were no exception.
Despite the fact the kitchen was full of guests, Hermione and Ron's late arrival didn't go unnoticed.
"Here are the two lovebirds," George teased. "We thought you two might have done a runner. We didn't scare you off, Hermione?"
"Not at all. Just needed a break from your constant yapping," she quipped in reply, sending a surge of pride through Ron's heart.
When George's's eyes lit up with glee, he reached out, pulling Hermione out of Ron's grip to envelope her. It was clear to Ron that they were determined to make her one of their own. He chuckled as she disappeared. Helping himself to a beer, he searched for Harry, eventually finding him talking animatedly to Ginny and Seamus on the patio.
"Hey, guys." Ron squeezed himself into the circle.
"Ah, good timing Ronald. We were discussing the rise of Chudleigh Athletic this season." Seamus' Irish lilt brought a smile to Ron's face. He missed his friend.
Ron puffed his chest out. "For once, I don't have to spend the whole summer thinking up new ways to maim their manager. I knew that sticking with Chudleigh would eventually pay off, but who knew it was going to take twenty-two years for them to start playing well. Not only have they managed to stay out of the relegation zone again, but we're looking at promotion. It all hangs on tomorrow's game."
"Are you going to watch it?"
"Maybe. It's not like their games sell out. I was going to wait and see how tonight goes and how hungover I am in the morning. Plus, it was hard enough bribing my team to come in and work tonight's party. I'm not sure they'd thank me if I dragged them in tomorrow to look after this git." Ron gestured towards his friend.
"Hey!" Harry frowned as the rest of the group laughed. "I don't need babysitting."
"Are you sure?" Ron grinned. "Because if you're entirely self-sufficient now, then I'm out of a job. Although Kingsley was keen to have me."
"I might put you out of a job anyway." A grin appeared on Harry's face as he threatened Ron with his beer bottle.
"Nah, but seriously. With Draco locked away and the trial against his goons and that Rita woman going well, then maybe we can afford to relax things a little. I might even start letting you take my sister out without a chaperone."
Ginny gasped. "You mean, I may finally get to go on a date with my boyfriend?"
"Yeah, with only one of my guys watching from a car parked outside."
"Instead of two? Oh, Ronnie, you're so kind."
"Anything for my darling sister!"
"Was Hermione okay?" Ginny's expression softened.
"Yeah," Ron breathed out. "She's perfect."
He was well aware that he probably looked like a love-struck idiot, but he didn't even care. Ginny's eyes lit up with glee as she saw it. "Oh, Ronnie, you're in so deep." She started making kissy noises at him.
The tips of his ears started to burn. "Shut up!"
"Make me," she challenged.
Ron drained his beer then shoved the empty bottle into Seamus' hand. He took off at a sprint towards Ginny, chasing her down the long garden. The pair squealed as they wove through guests, much to their delight. It seemed the whole house was in high spirits.
⁂
It was as if Hermione had a bungee cord tied around her waist. All night, she circulated the people at the party, seeming to prefer spending time with Ron's brothers, but every so often, she bounced back to him.
"Come on. We're doing shots."
She'd located him sitting on the stairs talking to Flint. Immediately, she tangled her fingers with his and pulled him back towards the kitchen and to where his siblings and their partners, including Harry and Ginny, were standing at the island, shot glasses waiting on the marble countertop.
"Since when do you do shots?" He raised his eyebrows at her.
"It's a one-off. We're celebrating, Ron."
Hermione was giddy, and he couldn't stop the huge smile from spreading across his face. She had changed over the past three months since he'd started falling for her, but not in the wrong way. She'd relaxed more, getting rid of her bossy, old-secretary mannerisms that used to rile him up. Although he fell in love with that girl, this Hermione was even more exciting and intriguing, and Ron was glad to see yet another side of her brilliant personality shining through.
"Come on then."
He picked up the closest shot glass and eyed the layered liquid, his nostrils filling with the cool scent of whiskey and cream.
"Duck Farts? Seriously?"
He threw a sceptical look at Charlie. Surely the exotic shot was his doing. Ron could handle straight shots, but not this messy mix of liquor and he was pretty sure Hermione wouldn't be able to manage this.
"Three, two, one."
Ron couldn't tell which one of his brothers counted them down, but he took the shot with ease, letting the liquor burn his throat. Scrunching his eyes up, he pushed away the immediate worry that he might be sick and focused on taking long breaths until the nausea disappeared. It had been a while since he'd done shots like this. In the early years of Harry's career, they'd spent a lot of their downtime in bars, drinking. They'd partied hard. But all of that had changed once Hermione and Ginny had joined them.
A spluttering forced his eyes open, and Ron turned to watch Hermione as she struggled with the shot.
"You okay, sweetheart?" He rubbed her back as he stepped closer to her.
"That's gross," she gasped, much to the joy of the Weasley siblings. "How the hell can you drink that? I was almost sick."
Her fingers fumbled for her plastic cup. Finally locating it, she took a long sip of it, and Ron smelled gin. He was pretty sure Hermione usually stuck to wine, so he'd have to keep a closer eye on her.
"You get used to it after a while, 'Mione." Bill grinned. "Fleur used to struggle. 'We don't drink like this in France,'" he mimicked his wife's strong French accent with a laugh, taking the playful slap she gave him as if it were part of a well-rehearsed play. He kissed Fleur on the temple. "But if you want to be a part of the family, you have to learn to drink like a Weasley."
"She does not," Fleur chided. "These idiots have years of practice. Bill is practically prehistoric now, and Charlie isn't that far behind him."
"Oy!" Charlie frowned. "My job is stressful, okay? These are worry lines, not age lines."
"You're a vet, mate." Ron laughed. "You play with dogs all day."
Hermione sank into his side as the banter continued. They stood there for a while longer until Fleur stole his girlfriend from his side.
⁂
The next time Hermione gravitated back to him, Ron could tell she'd had more alcohol than he'd ever seen her drink. He was settled on a deck chair on the lawn, discussing his business plan with Percy when Hermione appeared in his eye line. Weaving her way down the garden, she was barefoot and holding the hem of her maxi dress up so that it didn't catch in the grass. As soon as she got to him, she plonked herself in his lap.
"Hi, handsome." She pressed a hard kiss against his lips.
"Hey. Where have you been?" Ron raised an apologetic hand to his brother, who acknowledged it with a nod before leaving them alone.
"Chatting with Fleur. She's fascinating. I've already got myself an invite to her parent's house over the summer. I love France!"
"Am I allowed to come with you?" His hand gravitated to its favourite spot at the small of her back, stroking her skin over the material of her dress.
"Maybe, we'll have to see." Hermione winked.
Ron pressed a short kiss to her lips. "Have you been enjoying the party? How are you feeling?"
Hermione looked around as if checking who was in the vicinity before leaning towards him. She lowered her voice, "I'm a little drunk."
"No way," Ron whispered back. "I can't tell."
"Are you drunk?"
"No, I've only had a couple of beers."
"You don't have to be the big, tough security guard all the time, love. You're allowed to relax." She pouted at him before leaning in to steal another kiss from him.
"I am relaxed. But I've done all this partying stuff before. And it's a family house party, not some rave. Anyway, I'm happy just to sit back and watch everyone else." Ron reclined his chair to prove a point, pulling Hermione down to lay on top of him. She snuggled closer, resting her head against his chest, and he automatically lifted a hand to stroke her hair. "Do I need to put you to bed?"
"Not yet." She let out a happy sigh. "I love your family, Ron."
"I think they're kind of fond of you, too."
Hermione lifted her head to gaze at him. "I love you as well."
Ron chuckled. "That's a relief. I was beginning to worry about you abandoning me for one of my brothers."
"Nah, I'd take Fleur if I had a choice. Anyway, you're the only Weasley for me."
Ron couldn't say how long they lay there together, the sounds of the party at the top of the garden filtering down to them over the late-night breeze. Their peace was finally interrupted when Hermione let out a groan.
"Okay, I think I drank too much. My head is starting to spin."
"Alright." Ron pushed the chair back into a sitting position, trying not to jostle Hermione too much. He helped her up then pressed a steadying hand to her hip. "Think you can handle saying goodnight to everyone first?"
"Of course." She shot him a scathing look. "I'm drunk, not rude."
Ron put his spare hand up in surrender. "Okay. Just be careful what you say around Sirius. You don't want to ruin things with your contract renewal meeting on Monday. I'd prefer to work with you rather than learn how to tolerate someone new bossing me around."
"I do not boss you around." Hermione seemed to consider her words for a moment before letting out a loud laugh. "Alright, maybe I do."
They laughed together as they made their way back up the fairy light lit garden, arms tangled around each other, and Hermione leaning into him for support.