AN: Because I don't have enough on my plate right now, please enjoy this Romionecom based on the movie Valentine's Day. If I had forever and wasn't writing for IWSC and had Lego House on the go, I may have made this a bigger thing and written all the interwoven stories. But I don't have the time, and I want to post the last chapter of this on Valentine's Day as my gift to my readers because I love you all so hard (plus I don't have anyone in my real life to buy presents for!) So enjoy this. As you read this first chapter, you may not be happy, but know Romione is always my end game.
Enjoy xxx
In which we meet our main characters - Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, as they go about their days on the most romantically commercial day of the year.
The type of work Ron Weasley did meant he was usually up early in the morning, although it took him three alarm clocks before he finally got out of bed. It was an occupational hazard, but honestly, he didn't mind — he loved his job.
Still, even he had to admit he was up way too early that morning. Valentine's Day was always his most important day of the year, and he expected to do a ton of business today. He could have done with the sleep. But his stomach was a bundle of excited nerves and he had struggled to drift off.
He rubbed at his eyes then shifted carefully in bed to turn on his side so he could watch his girlfriend as she slept. Her back was to him, and her mess of long blonde hair obscured his view of her. She mumbled in her sleep and Ron felt a surge of love for her, building up from the bottom of his stomach until he had to breathe it out in a hard puff of air.
Ron knew he had to do it then, while he was still feeling brave and not later when he was exhausted from his busiest day of the year.
He unfolded his long limbs out of bed and dug in his dresser, eventually locating the small velvet ring box at the bottom of his underwear drawer. He opened the box quickly, breathing a sigh of relief as the ring glimmered up at him from its satin cushion. It was almost as beautiful as her.
Tiptoeing carefully so as not to disturb her or the large dog that slept at the bottom of their mattress, he settled on one knee at her side of the bed. He pulled her hair away from her face so he could see her better. She had fallen asleep with her mobile phone in her hand again, and Ron rolled his eyes fondly as he peeled it from her stone iron grip.
She started to stir as he placed the phone on her bedside table, smiling at Ron as she opened her eyes.
"Good morning," she whispered to him. "What are you doing down there?"
Ron laughed, realising how silly he must look to her right now. His heart was pounding and during that brief pause he took to gather his nerves, he remembered that he hadn't even bothered to brush his teeth that morning. He wondered if he should abort his mission now and try and find a more perfect time.
But if not now, then when.
He took a deep breath, summoning every ounce of his courage before holding the ring box out to her, his eyes fixed firmly on her.
"When I was a kid, most of the advice that my dad gave me was rubbish. But there's one thing that he said that was pure genius. He said 'if you're ever with a girl that's too good for you, marry her.' And you, Lavender Brown, are way too good for me. So will you do me the honour of being my wife?" He opened the ring box, so she could see the huge rock he'd saved for over a year to buy her.
Ron held his breath as she sat up quickly in bed, regarding the ring closely. It was probably for only a couple of seconds, but to him, it felt like a lifetime as he watched her eyes flit from the ring to his face and then back again. His stomach plummeted nervously and he thought he might be sick.
Suddenly, Lavender launched herself out of bed with such force that she pushed him back to sit against his heels. Her arms wrapped tightly around him. Before he could ask his question again, she captured his lips with hers.
They kissed until they were breathless, hands pulling at each other and Ron wondered if it would escalate before he got an answer. Then just as quickly as she had thrown herself at him, she pulled away, beaming widely.
"Yes, of course, I will. I love you so much!"
He took the ring from the box, sliding it onto her finger before pulling her to the floor with him, showering her with kisses.
He'd never felt so happy.
⁂
An hour later, Ron left the house with a spring in his step as he dialled the number of his best friend, Hermione. He let it ring, forgetting how early in the morning it was until he got her answering machine.
"Hermione, hey! Sorry about the early call. It's Ron if you didn't know!" He laughed down the phone. "Of course you know, you have caller ID. Anyway, give me a call when you get this. I have some news!"
He hung up, hoping he hadn't sounded too excited. Hermione was perpetually single, despite all her best dating efforts. He didn't want to rub his happiness in, especially today of all days. He slid his phone back into his pocket as he got to Harry, who was leaning casually up against a wall, his hands shoved in his jean pockets in his usual spot.
"She said yes!" Ron bounded over to Harry, unable to stop the news blurting from his lips as soon as he saw his other best friend.
"Who said yes?" Harry frowned at Ron from behind his glasses.
"Lavender! I proposed to her this morning, and she said yes! I told you I was going to do it today." Ron stopped in his tracks, staring at Harry. He had talked at length about his plans to marry Lavender over the last year or so. How could Harry forget? Ron felt a lurch of self-doubt deep in his stomach, but he pushed it aside and put his smile back on his face.
Harry stopped walking when he realised Ron wasn't by his side. "Oh yes, of course! Congratulations mate!" He clapped his hand on Ron's shoulder before carrying on walking.
"Well, you could sound happier!" Ron scowled but followed Harry anyway. They got to the main road and he unlocked his work van before climbing into the driver's seat. "Did you not think she would say yes?"
"Well you've been together for five years, I guess it was inevitable." Harry shrugged. "But honestly, the vibe I always got from her is that she was always too busy with work to want to settle down. She must love you a lot to say yes!"
Ron regarded his best friend intently before shrugging and starting up the van. "Exactly! I can't believe you didn't think she would say yes. You're supposed to be my best friend, Harry! Anyway, buckle up because I am going to be super cheesy today. It's Valentine's Day, after all!"
They made their way across London to the New Covent Garden Market to buy their wholesale supplies for the day ahead. Harry and Ron shared a thriving flower business just off Oxford Street, and their day always started at the market. They parked the van outside and made their way in — Harry helping himself to a flatbed trolley from its usual spot. They worked their way around the bustling market, selecting the flowers they needed from the various stalls.
Eventually, they got to Neville, a close friend of theirs.
"Neville!" Ron high-fived his friend, missing the shared look between Harry and Neville. There would never be a moment where Ron could be accused of being grumpy, but even his current energy level was new for him. "I need something special from you…"
"Yeah? What's that?" Neville stopped helping Harry to load their pre-ordered flowers on to the trolley.
"Well, I need a present for my new fiancée."
"Fiancée?! So she actually said yes?" Neville looked more surprised than Harry did, and his attention was fixed firmly on Ron.
"Yes!" Ron laughed and pulled himself on to the workbench, almost squashing two lilies as he made himself comfortable. "Why are you two so surprised?! I know I'm shooting well out of my league with Lavender, but she's stuck by me for over five years. It was the next natural step!"
"I'm not surprised, I promise!" Neville pasted a smile onto his face and scurried behind his desk. He pulled out a long, elegantly wrapped silver box and passed it to Ron. "Have this on the house, for my favourite customer and close friend."
Ron started to open the box, his eyes lighting up in pleasure but Neville but his hand on top of it, forcing it closed. "Don't ruin the magic. Save it for the right moment. I promise you it will be worth it!" Neville winked at Ron before moving to help Harry again.
⁂
In a modern-looking penthouse flat across London, Hermione Granger was lying in bed, watching Cormac McLaggen as he dressed for work. The man was muscular, something she hadn't appreciated until she removed his suit the night before. She licked her lips as butterflies stirred lazily in her stomach.
"Are you sure you have to go to Edinburgh on today of all days?" She sighed and forced her attention back to the article she was reading on her phone, trying not to give away just how disappointed she felt. She thought she might have succeeded until he turned, his eyebrows raised as he caught sight of her dressed only in his button-down shirt from the night before.
"I'm afraid so. Although seeing you in bed like that is making it harder if you know what I mean?" He wriggled his eyebrows at her, and she laughed, forgetting how forlorn she felt just a moment earlier. Trust her luck to finally snag herself a man, only for him to be one of the busiest stockbrokers ever.
Cormac put one knee on the bed, and Hermione pushed herself forward to meet him in a soft kiss. She didn't notice the gift box he held behind his back until he presented it to her. She took it from him eagerly, sitting back on her heels as she opened it and pulled out a cuddly soft toy.
Hermione couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed — she was a grown woman after all — but she pasted a massive smile on her face as she pulled the toy close to her chest.
"It's lovely. Thank you, Cormac!"
He stood back up and continued getting dressed.
"I know you're probably expecting flowers or jewellery or lingerie, but I saw that guy in the shop yesterday and couldn't resist buying him for you. He's adorable, just like you!" He flashed Hermione a massive grin in the mirror and then moved to pick up his bag. "What are you going to do with yourself tonight?"
Hermione's disappointment grew as she heard Cormac refer to her as adorable. It wasn't the look she had been going for. She was fast approaching her 30's and wanted to be sexy and beautiful. Sure, Hermione thought as she watched her reflection in the mirror, she did look quite cute with her petite frame, wild long curly brown hair and button nose. Still, she would prefer for her lover to think more of her, especially after everything they'd done last night.
She let out a soft sigh and flopped back down in the bed, making sure the shirt covered her modesty. "I guess I should go to Hannah's party. Although I was looking forward to finally having a reason to give it a miss."
Hannah Abbott, an old school friend of Hermione's, held an "I hate Valentine's Day" party every year for all their single friends. Love hearts were banned unless they were beaten by a stick, and there was always a steady flow of vodka and wine.
Cormac turned on the spot. "How about I make it up to you when I get home tomorrow? Dinner, dancing, maybe another sleepover?"
She considered the invite briefly, but couldn't help the smile that crept across her face. "Oh okay, I suppose I can settle on tomorrow. Can I have a kiss before you go?"
He grinned and moved back to her and Hermione rose back to her knees to reach him, wrapping her arms firmly around Cormac before planting a kiss against his lips.
"Have a nice trip. Try not to miss me!"
"I'll do my best!" He returned the kiss, chancing a sneaky grab of Hermione's bare backside before letting go of her. "Feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Just lock up and push the key back through the door or something. I'll ring you when I land."
Without waiting for Hermione to respond, he left the room, pulling his bag behind him.
It didn't take long for Hermione to get ready and leave Cormac's flat. It was her first night staying over, and she didn't feel at home there, feeling a little strange about being there without him. As Hermione strolled to the tube station, she checked her phone for messages. She only had one, and she tried to ignore the bleak feeling of loneliness as it crept back over her. She listened to Ron's message before changing her direction, deciding to take a detour to his shop on Oxford Street before she went to work.
⁂
Hermione stepped through the door half an hour later, her hands full with a tray of coffees and baked goods. She cast her eyes around the already bustling shop. Ron opened early on Valentine's Day, in the hope of ensuring everyone could get their orders in on time. She spotted his fiery red hair over the sea of customers and carefully weaved her way over to him. He had his back to her, concentrating on putting together a bouquet and he didn't notice her straight away.
"Good morning, sunshine!" She took one of the cups from the cardboard holder and slid it across the workbench at him, topping it with a novelty heart-shaped biscuit.
"Hermione, hi!" He turned and gave her a brief hug, trying his best to avoid her full hands. "Happy Valentine's Day!"
"Thank you, you too!" She smiled up at her old friend. They had known each other since their first year of secondary school, almost nineteen years ago now, and he had been a consistent presence in her life along with Harry. "So what's this news you need to tell me? Are you okay?" Her eyes searched his face, trying her best to determine his mood as she rested a sympathetic hand on his arm.
"Yes, I'm bloody brilliant! Lavender said yes!" His face erupted in a huge grin, seemingly ignoring Hermione's concern.
"She did?" Hermione felt her stomach churn briefly, and she tried her best to hide her surprise. "Oh wow. Congratulations!"
She evidently wasn't that good at arranging her expression as Ron took a step back from her, a frown on his face. "Not you, too? Seriously, what's wrong with you all?"
"We just want to make sure you're happy!" Harry stopped as he got to them, his arms full of red roses. He pressed a kiss to Hermione's cheek. "How was your date last night?"
Hermione extracted Harry's coffee and another biscuit, leaving it on the table next to Ron's. "Oh, it was brilliant!" She gushed, pulling a rose from Harry's hands and smelling it. "Cormac was the perfect gentleman. I may have even gone home with him."
She felt a hot blush creep over her cheeks. She was usually quite conservative when she was dating, but she couldn't help but throw caution to the wind last night.
"On the third date?!" Ron looked incredulous.
"Hermione!" A smirk had appeared on Harry's face.
"Oh, shut it, you two!" Hermione grinned back at them. "He was just so attentive and sweet. It's a shame he's not going to be around this evening — he's had to fly to Edinburgh for work!"
"So?" Ron grinned, his excellent mood spurring him on. "Go and surprise him!"
"Ron! I just can't fly up to Scotland tonight. I have work!"
"Yeah, and tomorrow is a Saturday, you have plenty of time. There are loads of flights from City Airport. It could be the start of something special, just like Lavender and me." Ron turned back to his work.
Hermione looked to Harry for the deciding vote. Although she was usually the voice of reason in their friendship group, she needed someone to tell her it was a bad idea. However, Harry was grinning eagerly back at her. She sighed and shifted her attention back to Ron — she had never seen him so happy and in love, and she wanted that for herself too. She quickly weighed the pros and cons up in her head before coming to a decision.
"Okay fine, I'll go!" She checked the time quickly then moved to kiss both boy's cheeks. "Ron, I am happy for you. Really happy! Just be careful when you're picking a best man. Remember which one of us brings you nice treats!"
"Oy! The person he should choose is in the name, Hermione — best man!" Harry grinned and wandered away, laughing to himself.
Ron gave Hermione a smile. "Stay safe, okay? Ring me when you get there and have a nice night!"
She grinned and kissed his cheek one last time before leaving with a bounce in her step, the rose she stole from Harry still in her hands. She held the door open, grinning as Lavender stepped into the store.
"Lavender, hey! Ron told me the great news. Congratulations!" She gave the girl a quick smile and a congratulatory hug before leaving.
Ron looked up as he heard Hermione speak Lavender's name. He watched with a fond smile as Harry headed over to her.
"Alright, Lavender? Or should I say Mrs Weasley now?"
Ron abandoned his work once more, making his way over to his best friend and his fiancée. He intercepted Lavender before she could get embroiled in a conversation with Harry and took her hand, lacing their fingers together as he pulled her to a quiet corner of the shop.
"Not that I'm not pleased to see you, but what are you doing here?" Ron grinned as he stole a kiss from her.
"You left your wallet on the side this morning!" She held it out for him, eyebrows raised but a loving smile on her face.
"So I did. Maybe it was just a rouse to see you again — " Ron reached out for it, but frowned as he spotted her bare ring finger. "Where's your ring? Don't say you've lost it already?"
"Oh…" Lavender passed the wallet to him and lifted her hand to her face, staring at it before sighing. "I just… I just didn't want all the questions when I got to work. Especially today. You know what they'll be like: 'Have you set a date? Will you have bridesmaids? How many kids will you have?'"
"Three, with at least one more dog to keep Chudley company!" Ron grinned at her.
"Right." Lavender looked less than impressed with his answer, and he felt another surge of self-doubt. "Can we not just keep this between us for now, Ron? We like secrets, don't we? Remember those six months when we first started dating?"
"I guess…" He pouted at her, ignoring the lurch of his stomach as he took her hand, planting a kiss on the back of it. "If that's what you really want?"
"For now. I promise we'll tell everyone soon though, okay?" She reached out, sliding her hand to the back of his head and pulling him in for a kiss. When she pulled away, she had a smile on her face. "I have to go, I'll see you later, and we'll talk more about this." Lavender left the shop with one more quick kiss, leaving Ron staring at her, feeling more confused than ever.