"THE LAST FEW DAYS TOGETHER"
I own nothing PLEASE don't sue me. Has anyone actually been sued cos of this site?
Hermione Granger looked at the red head before her and pursed her lips like Professor MacGonagall was famous for. She was seething with anger now and everyone in the common room could feel it except apparently for the red head who seemed to be just as angry.
"You can't do that Ron! You just can't. We are in seventh year, you're a god damn prefect and to top that head boy. You can't keep acting like a first year. You have to act your age!" she bellowed her hands gesturing wildly. Ron Weasley looked at her and took a sharp breath as if he failed to understand what she had just said.
"Mione I was just trying to lighten up things around here." He saw her melt a little like he knew she would when he called her Mione. But her eyes were still burning with anger. She refused to turn and walk away from him. The poor first year students looked as if world war three had just erupted around them while all the other students continued their work, a Ron and Hermione fight was not that uncommon and they knew how they ended.
"Lighten things up! Lighten things up! Voldemort is posed to attack here any moment, we want to be ready. Why do you think the DA is now official? We are being groomed for war!" she screamed.
"All the more we need to loosen up. Keep our minds off the whole thing." He said. She hated that he was right so she spun on her heel and stormed out of the common room. Harry sighed and put his book down. He took a deep breath and looked at his best friend who was red in the face.
"Ron, she was right though. You shouldn't have jinxed those fireworks to follow Malfoy, even if it was funny. We can't help the rift between the houses grow." Harry sounded very wise for his years; maybe he knew he had to be. Since fifth year he had grown ready to face Voldemort and was prepared to kill, that took some skill and he had to fight his conscience for some time, but he knew it was the only way. Ron looked at his best friend and spun on his heel and walked out of the common room uttering profanities under his breath.
He was half way down the hall when he spotted Hermione coming his way. He took a deep breath and prepared to continue the fight. Instead she stayed quite and just came into his arms. He was a little put of by this as she had looked like she wanted to curse him only moment ago. But as she held him he realised he was holding her too.
"Ron I am sorry." Now he felt like laughing. Hermione never said sorry, even if she had been wrong. He looked down into her eyes and saw that they were red and puffy, she was crying. He ran his thumb over her cheek to wipe her tears. He kissed her forehead and sighed. She was warm in his arms. How could he tell her? How could he tell them all? He was going; he had been called to fight.
"Mione come with me." He said as they walked the hall, his arm around her waist leading her outside. They looked down and Hagrid's hut and sighed, he had been gone now a year. No one knew where he had been sent to; all he had gotten was an owl to be called up. The draft was hard. Half the seventh years were being called to fight now. Hermione feared finding a note left, not for her, no she was ready. She didn't want Harry or Ron to leave her. No one had ever come back. No one knew if those missing were living or dead.
He walked her to the lake and they sat down, her arm still around his waist. He loved this spot on the lake, it was under the willow tree, and the grass was soft and mossy under them. Hermione leant into him. She turned and looked up into his blue eyes. He smiled down his apology.
"You're going aren't you? You got a letter." She said kneeling up looking into his eyes. Her two palms were flat on his chest. He broke eye contact and he heard her gasp.
"When?" she asked making his eyes meet hers.
"Next Friday, I am leaving just before dawn. Dumbledore is sending me on a secret mission." She looked like she was about to cry again and he pulled her near him. They had never been this close before; he had always thought they had all the time in the world, but you never have all the time you think. He looked down at her and he tried to smile. He just couldn't make his lips curl into a smile. But he did something he had wanted to do for a long time. He leant down and kissed her. She backed of a little and looked at him shocked, then she smiled and kissed him back. The kiss was soft and gente as they tasted each other for the first time. He savoured the taste of strawberry lip balm. He felt tears fall, not from his eyes though, but hers. Hermione was weeping.
"Hey don't cry." He whispered as he again wiped her tears. She looked up into his eyes which seemed also to be misting with tears. She cradled his face with one hand and sighed trying to swallow the tears. She closed her eyes and felt his lips kiss her eye lids.
"I love you Ron." She whispered. She had wanted to say that for years, in every fight they had it had been on the tip of her tongue wanting to be screamed out. She felt him smile against her skin.
"I love you too Mione." He whispered as he kissed her jaw line. She back away a little and looked into his eyes.
"You're not coming back are you? What ever you are about to do, where ever you are going you're not coming back? Are you?" she said. His smile left him. He knew he could never lie to her. He bowed his head. The moment Dumbledore had told him he had known he wasn't going to make it back. Dumbledore had given him a choice but he knew that if he succeeded in this mission, Hermione and Ginny would have an easier life, maybe he would even help Harry. Ron had told his parents. They were proud but he knew they had cried when he had left the kitchen. He was in effect living on borrowed time. He tried to think positively maybe he would be the one to make it back, maybe he would be the one to survive. Charlie hadn't survived, no he had already lost a brother perhaps two, Bill was on a mission deep in the Ural Mountains and hadn't been heard from in three weeks.
"I don't know. Mione listen to me. No matter what happens I will try come back to you. I love you, I think I always have." He said as he saw her eyes fill with tears.
""Friday is only two day's away." she said fighting to keep the tears from spilling. He nodded sadly and leant against the bark of the tree.
"You know, I had dreamt that you and I would finish school and then go work in the ministry. You of course would be my boss, and we would eventually get married. I can imagine you as Mrs Ron Weasley. Then after we had both got our promotions, we would have a little one. Maybe a boy or twins. Yeah twins, one boy one girl, we'd call them William, after your dad and Constance but we would just call her Connie. Then maybe after a few years we would have more only three more mind. I want a big family; lots of laughter and playing. Then when all the kids had grown and were happy we would live in the south of France near a vine yard and lavender fields. We would just sit there looking out on the vast countryside and be happy. Harry would come and visit with Ginny and we would sit and laugh about what we got up to in Hogwarts. But I suppose there's no point dreaming about that now." Ron sighed softly; a tear was escaping down his cheek as he imagined the life they were being robbed of fade from his view.
"Ron, we could get married." She said softly kissing his tear away. He looked at her as if she was speaking a foreign language. She smiled at the look on his face and took his hands in hers. He smiled and stood, picking her up and standing her on her feet. He knelt before her.
"Miss Hermione Granger, will you marry me?" he said softly as he looked into her eyes. She smiled and nodded wildly.
"Yes, yes I will." She laughed as she was again high in the air. Ron ran with her in his arms back to the castle. He let her run beside him as they burst through the common room passage and into the room. Everyone looked at them as if they were waiting for someone or something to chase after them.
"Harry! Harry! We are getting married." They both called as their best friend looked at them oddly.
"But you were just fighting here. I mean I haven't seen you both fight like that since first year." He said puzzled, but then he smiled as he saw the goofy grins on his two best friend's faces.
"Hey guys I am happy for you. When is the big day?" Harry sighed as he came towards them. Hermione turned to Ron and she could read the question in them, she smiled and nodded an answer to the unspoken question.
"Today." She smiled. Now there were distinct gasps from everyone in the room. A loud cheer went up from the gathered confused Gryffindor's. Such a loud cheer that Professor MacGonagall came to investigate.
"What pray tell is happening here. Mr Weasley? Miss Granger?" she said looking at the grinning pair.
"We got engaged. Professor, is Dumbledore around? We want to get married right away." Ron said holding Hermione's hand tight. The old Professor looked at them and her eyes twinkled.
"But Mr Weasley you're. Oh I see. Certainly, I shall get the head master. Do you want to go get your parents?" she said smiling sadly. She knew that both knew this marriage was going to be short lived, perhaps it was Ron's last request from his old professors, and even she could not deny them a little bit of happiness when she was aware of what lay ahead. Without a word both Hermione and Ron began to run to the door and didn't stop till the left the school grounds where they vanished with a pop.
"Jesus! Hermione, you'll give me a heart attack someday popping in like that!" her mother said as she bent down to wipe up spilt cake batter she had dropped when Hermione and Ron had apperated into her kitchen.
"Is dad around? Oh you remember Ron." Hermione said looking out the kitchen window into the back garden to see if she could see her dad.
"Oh yes Ron, how are you? Your dad is upstairs. Why what is wrong? Is it you-know-who?" her mother said blanching a little.
"No I am getting married in about an hour." Hermione said as if she said it everyday, her mother gave a sharp squeal and dropped the dish again and it shattered. Hermione smiled and waved her wand cleaning up the mess and fixing the broken dish. Hermione's father had dashed into the kitchen when he had heard the squeal and crash.
"Hermione? Ron? What are you both doing here? Is anything wrong?" Mr Granger said looking at the two oddly waiting for some bad news.
"Oh Will our baby says she's getting married, in an hour, an hour." Mrs Granger said softly. Mr Granger smiled a little.
"Let me guess this is the lucky chap. Well congratulations Mr Weasley. How do we get to the wedding?" Mr Granger said smiling at Ron shaking his hand briskly. Mr Granger and Arthur Weasley had become great friends as, Mr Granger was curious about wizards and Mr Weasley was equally curious about Muggles. Hermione's mum just shook her head and brushed flour of her apron.
"Well, I am going to port key you to Hogwarts; Professor MacGonagall shall meet you both. We have to go tell Mr and Mrs Weasley." Hermione smiled as she held Ron's hand. She wouldn't let go of is hand until she had to at dawn on Friday. She didn't want to think about him leaving, not yet.
"Before we go I need to give you something Hermione, I had planned to give to you for your wedding, so I suppose I should better get it now." Mrs Granger said before dashing off up the stairs. She reappeared a moment later with a thin clothes box. Hermione knew what it had in it, she had loved looking at it since she had been old enough to understand what it was. It was the vintage wedding dress which had been worn by three generations of Granger women. She smiled and hugged her mother.
"Okay just touch the dish again; when I fixed it I made it a port key. It'll feel a bit weird but it won't hurt." Hermione said as her father looked at the pyrex dish on the counter top. With some trepidation both Mr and Mrs Granger touched the dish at the same time and vanished. Ron turned to Hermione, he looked at her sadly. It was going to hurt her when he left on Friday morning. She would most likely be a widow within a week of him leaving. Yet looking in her eyes he knew that she had already thought about that and all she wanted was him.
"We'd better get to the Burrow." She said squeezing his hand a little tighter, she would only think about the moment they were in now, not the moment when he would vanish and not come back. With a pop they were in the Burrow, this time Mrs Weasley dropped her dish but instead of shattering on the tiled floor it bounced back onto the table.
"Ron! Hermione! What's wrong? You're not going now are you? Arthur, Fred George!" she called and the three red heads ran from outside, they stopped dead when they saw the two Gryffindor's in the kitchen. The twins smiled a little when they saw the pair holding hands. Arthur saw this too and smiled sadly the thought of Friday in his mind too.
"We are getting married, in about half an hour. Come on we need to get back to Hogwarts." Ron said in a rushed voice. He saw his parents smile their first genuine smile of happiness since Charlie was lost. Fred and George looked a bit sad.
"Drat only three weeks of the pool. Ginny is going to be loaded." Fred sighed as he came and hugged his brother and soon to be sister-in-law.
"Well are you coming, I have to go make sure my best man isn't forgetting anything. And Ginny is trying to find a ring." Ron said trying to break the four Weasley's out of their semi-coma like trance. It worked and Mrs Weasley began to wipe her eyes with the corner of her apron muttering something about 'her baby'. They all apperated back to Hogsmead where a horseless coach was waiting for them.
The castle was abuzz, it seemed everyone was excited about the up coming nuptials; even Snape seemed to be trying to smile for them. He knew that any happiness the students got now might be the last they had for some time. The great hall had been magically decorated with lilies and baby's breath; real fairies fluttered over head sprinkling fairy dust over them all. Most of the students were already sitting in their seats waiting to see the two most famous feuding students marry.
Ron and Hermione stood at the entrance to both dorms and kissed slowly before they parted.
"I'll see you in gosh ten minutes." He said as the twins pulled Ron up his stairs while Ginny and Lavender pulled Hermione up towards the dorm where her Mum was waiting to help her put the dress on.
Harry smiled at his best friend who kept fussing with his dress robes as he stood watching the back of the hall waiting for the doors to open and see Hermione come through them.
"Relax, she is coming." Fred chuckled as he stood next to Harry. That didn't help Ron and he could feel his heart racing with anticipation. Slowly the doors opened and music played as if from no where, he watched as Ginny and Lavender walked up the aisle side by side. Ron tried to ignore the way Harry's jaw dropped when he saw Ginny in the emerald dress gown. Slowly under a shower of fairy dust he saw a vision, he saw Hermione, she was beautiful, she was dressed in a full length gown that showed off her narrow waist and slender arms. She smiled up at him as she left her fathers side at the top of the aisle. Before them Dumbledore smiled sadly down at them. He knew this was going to be a short marriage, but he smiled at them.
"Today we are gathering to join the tempestuous spirits of these two students. Under normal circumstances I would have told them to wait a little longer, but things occur. Now I turn to you, friends and family, to watch as these two become man and woman, as they become man and wife before us and the eyes of the gods above. Now, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger I ask you to join hands." They did as Dumbledore asked and joined hands. Dumbledore tapped their joined hands and a velvet gold rope appeared.
"This rope now binds you both together, forever. I wish you happiness and luck. Mr and Mrs Ronald Weasley." The headmaster sighed as the rope seemed to melt into the joined hands. Hermione smiled and Ron kissed her gently on the lips. Mr and Mrs Ronald Weasley, he couldn't believe it. Only a couple of hours ago they had been fighting in the common room. Holding hands the newly weds walked down the aisle and out of the hall to the applause of all around them. Hermione fell into her husband's arms and let out a slight sob.
"Oh don't cry, not today." He whispered tilting her head up gently with his knuckle. He kiss the tears away, she tried to smile but a sudden vision of her attending his funeral had entered her mind and had seemed to burn itself onto her eyelids. As she looked into his deep blue eyes she whimpered.
"Ron, tell me you'll come back. Lie to me if you have to just tell me you'll come back." She said holding his eyes with her watering brown ones. He sighed; he would have to lie to her. If she knew what he had to do, she would never let him go on Friday morning. He leant down and kissed her softly.
"I promise you, I shall do everything I can to get back to you, no matter what." He whispered before he kissed his new wife. Before he knew it both the Granger family and the Weasley family surrounded them cheering. They were lifted up onto their shoulders and carried back into the great hall which was now ready for a great feast.
"The poor elves!" Ron heard Hermione whisper and had to laugh, even now she was still into SPEW. The top table was waiting to be filled by the couple and their party. Professor MacGonagall was wiping tears from her eyes as she shook the hands of the pair.
"I always knew. You two are made for one another." She said as Dumbledore put his arm around the Professor.
"Now Minerva, this is a happy day lets not cry. I should think that we need food and music. Let the feast begin." With that food magically appeared on the tables. Hermione heard her parents gasp and Mr Granger laugh as Arthur Weasley began to explain the whole matter. Hermione took her husbands hand and they went to join the feast.
Finally time came for the feast to finish. Mr and Mrs Granger were going to join the Weasley's in the Burrow for the night. Then a question occurred to Ron. Where would he and Hermione go? He couldn't get to her dorm and there were four other guys in his dorm. Just as he was about to ask, Dumbledore came over to him with a golden key.
"Here you go a wedding gift from us all on the Hogwarts staff. Take the key and say 'hope' it will take you to Diagon Alley's best hotel. You can stay there until Friday when I shall come to." The headmaster stopped seeing the shadow of sadness pass over the two newly weds faces. They thanked the headmaster and Hermione couldn't help but hug the old man. He seemed a little surprise but hugged her like a grandfather patting her hair softly telling her all would be well. She wished she could believe him. He let her go and she held onto her husband's waist.
"Shall we go?" he asked looking down into her eyes. She was about to nod when she saw Harry and Ginny. Ron saw them too.
"You should tell them. They have a right to say goodbye." She said softly. He knew she was right, she was always right. He smiled at her and then she went to his sister and Harry.
"Harry, Ginny, we need to tell you something." Hermione said as they sat at the table to two were at.
"I knew it you're pregnant!" Ginny said clapping her hands together, laughing. Hermione felt herself go red and shook her head. Ron took a deep breath wishing that had been the news he was going to tell the pair who looked at him expectantly. He took a mouth full of wine and sat before them.
"I have been drafted." He saw both Harry and Ginny pale.
"I have to go on Friday morning. I might not make it back." Ron said softly, he could feel Hermione slump slightly against him, he saw Ginny's eyes well with tears, she had lost two brothers' three if she counted Percy, who was still estranged from the rest of the family. Harry looked just as pale, he couldn't imagine his life now without Ron, they had been best friends since their first day at Hogwarts seven years before. They sat silently for a few moments letting the news sink in.
"When did you get the letter?" Harry asked his voice was shaking and his skin was whiter then anyone had ever seen it.
"Two days ago. Remember when I went to see Professor MacGonagall after potions, she took me to Dumbledore." Ron said softly as he felt Hermione holding his hand tighter.
"You'll be okay mate, you've fought enough. You got a good head on your shoulders. You'll make it back. I know it." Harry said as he looked at his best friend. Ron smiled at the belief his friend had in him, but if they knew what he had to do they would know that it was almost certainly suicide. He didn't want to nor would he tell them that he was going up against a band of Dementors and Bellatrix. If Harry knew he would want to come and that was the last thing they needed, they needed to keep Harry safe until his time came. Ron stood and took his wife by the hand. Ginny and Harry stood too and came and hugged the pair.
"Ron be careful please." Ginny whispered in his ear before they let go. Harry shook his hand and pulled him into a brotherly hug.
"Be careful mate, cos if you're gone I'm going to need someone to teach me to play chess properly." He said in a half smile as he let his friend go slowly." Harry said sadly. Ron smiled and ruffled the seekers hair.
"Hey you know me, I've got a thick head, and it'll take a great blow to knock it of. I'll be fine. If only to knock yours of, for going out with my baby sister. Harry actually can I talk to you alone for a second." Ron said ushering Harry over to a quite table leaving the two women alone at the table. He looked at Hermione, she was doing so well to look happy but he knew how to read her eyes better then anyone, he knew she was terrified for him.
"Harry, can I ask you something?" Ron said in a quite voice. Harry nodded and Ron continued.
"I need you to look after them, Ginny has lost so many brothers already, losing me might destroy her, she loves you always has, I know you love her. Please just look after her. Then god Hermione, this will destroy her, if, I should say when I don't come back, she'll need you too be there for her. She'll need her best friend. You too, watch yourself; I won't be here to watch your back mate. But believe me; if I succeed your job in the end will be so much easier." Ron said softly, he watched his best friend take a deep breath to fight tears. Ron felt the gold key in his pocket and smiled.
"Don't worry about me, I chose this mission cos I knew it would be the hardest on you if you had to do it. You've done so much for us; I need to do this for you." Ron stood and took his best friend in his arms again in a brotherly hug. Harry saw fear in his friend's eyes but didn't say anything; he also knew that whatever Ron had to do he hadn't taken it on lightly. He left Harry there and went to his wife. Wife, he liked that. Hermione was his wife. This morning they hadn't even been a couple now they were man and wife.
"Mione, you ready to go?" he said as he took her hand. She smiled and nodded as he took the key from his pocket. He looked into Ginny's eyes and smiled.
"Don't worry about me." He said as he kissed his sister's forehead. He looked at his new wife, he had never seen her look so beautiful and he wanted to remember her as she was now forever. Her hair was loose and in tame waves with white flowers intertwined in it, her face glistened from the fairy dust, her skin was tanned slightly and she seemed to glow. She held the key with him and together they said 'hope'.
They appeared in a small but beautifully decorated room. A large king sized bed rested near a bay window. She smiled at the way the room seemed to glow golden.
"Mrs Hermione Weasley." She said softly looking at her husband. He came to her and brushed her hair away from her neck and he nibbled it. She laughed and took his cloak of.
"Has a nice ring to it." He laughed as she sat on the bed. She smiled as he came to her loosening his robes. He sat next to her, fumbling with her buttons until the dress lay upon chair next to the bed.
"Are you sure you're ready?" he asked as he lay beside her tracing patterns on her naked torso. She smiled and nodded as she kissed him passionately. He slowly traced his hands over her body as she also traced his hands over his back and chest. He gasped as he looked down at her; she looked even more beautiful then ever as he saw how her hair spread out over the gold pillow. He ran his fingers over her face and sighed. He gasped as he felt her tongue lick its way down his chest until he felt he was on fire. He moaned out her name as she again moved positioning him between her long lean legs. She moaned as she felt his fingers tickle her opening, her breath came in short gasps as she waited for him to move again. But he continued to stroke her gently causing her to moan out in anticipation.
"Ron please, now." She moaned softly in his ear. He smiled down at her and she gasped as he filled her. At first it was sore but as she grew accustomed to him she let her breath out in slow gasps.
"Did I hurt you? I'm sorry." He said softly, she smiled up at him and shook her head.
"You can move if you want too." She said as she arched her back thrusting both their chests together as they began to rock back and forth their movement getting faster and faster. The rocking movement caused Ron to cry out in pleasure as he felt her tense tight muscle close around him. He couldn't hold himself back and then together they cried out. He rolled over holding her tight, not even drawing from her; she smiled and enjoyed the feeling of him within her.
"I love you Mrs Weasley." He gasped as he tried to get his breath back.
"I love you Mr Weasley." She said as they fell asleep in each other's arms.
Friday came too soon for the pair, who not once left the bed as they explored each other thoroughly. Ron slept that night because Hermione made him; she had given him a draft because she knew he needed all the rest he could get if he was coming back to her. The knock on the door was like a knife in her chest as she sat there in the arm chair watching her husband sleep. She went to him slowly and shook him, he woke and smiled up at her before he realised that it was now Friday. He saw the tears in her eyes and pulled her into his arms.
"Shush, it'll be okay. I told you. I'll be back." He whispered as the knock came to the door again. Ron stood and put his trousers on. He opened the door and saw a very serious faced Dumbledore and Professor Snape.
"I am sorry Ron and Hermione but it's time to go." Dumbledore said softly. Hermione fought and lost the battle with her tears and they fell rapidly down her cheeks. Ron took her in his arms and held her. It broke both their hearts to let go.
"I'll come back. I'll fight my way through hell to come back." He said as he kissed her cheeks. He held his wife for as long as possible until he really had to go.
"Ron please be careful." She called as he left the room. When the door closed and she was left alone she fell to her knees and wept there for hours. He was gone from her.
THE END.
I own nothing PLEASE don't sue me. Has anyone actually been sued cos of this site?
Hermione Granger looked at the red head before her and pursed her lips like Professor MacGonagall was famous for. She was seething with anger now and everyone in the common room could feel it except apparently for the red head who seemed to be just as angry.
"You can't do that Ron! You just can't. We are in seventh year, you're a god damn prefect and to top that head boy. You can't keep acting like a first year. You have to act your age!" she bellowed her hands gesturing wildly. Ron Weasley looked at her and took a sharp breath as if he failed to understand what she had just said.
"Mione I was just trying to lighten up things around here." He saw her melt a little like he knew she would when he called her Mione. But her eyes were still burning with anger. She refused to turn and walk away from him. The poor first year students looked as if world war three had just erupted around them while all the other students continued their work, a Ron and Hermione fight was not that uncommon and they knew how they ended.
"Lighten things up! Lighten things up! Voldemort is posed to attack here any moment, we want to be ready. Why do you think the DA is now official? We are being groomed for war!" she screamed.
"All the more we need to loosen up. Keep our minds off the whole thing." He said. She hated that he was right so she spun on her heel and stormed out of the common room. Harry sighed and put his book down. He took a deep breath and looked at his best friend who was red in the face.
"Ron, she was right though. You shouldn't have jinxed those fireworks to follow Malfoy, even if it was funny. We can't help the rift between the houses grow." Harry sounded very wise for his years; maybe he knew he had to be. Since fifth year he had grown ready to face Voldemort and was prepared to kill, that took some skill and he had to fight his conscience for some time, but he knew it was the only way. Ron looked at his best friend and spun on his heel and walked out of the common room uttering profanities under his breath.
He was half way down the hall when he spotted Hermione coming his way. He took a deep breath and prepared to continue the fight. Instead she stayed quite and just came into his arms. He was a little put of by this as she had looked like she wanted to curse him only moment ago. But as she held him he realised he was holding her too.
"Ron I am sorry." Now he felt like laughing. Hermione never said sorry, even if she had been wrong. He looked down into her eyes and saw that they were red and puffy, she was crying. He ran his thumb over her cheek to wipe her tears. He kissed her forehead and sighed. She was warm in his arms. How could he tell her? How could he tell them all? He was going; he had been called to fight.
"Mione come with me." He said as they walked the hall, his arm around her waist leading her outside. They looked down and Hagrid's hut and sighed, he had been gone now a year. No one knew where he had been sent to; all he had gotten was an owl to be called up. The draft was hard. Half the seventh years were being called to fight now. Hermione feared finding a note left, not for her, no she was ready. She didn't want Harry or Ron to leave her. No one had ever come back. No one knew if those missing were living or dead.
He walked her to the lake and they sat down, her arm still around his waist. He loved this spot on the lake, it was under the willow tree, and the grass was soft and mossy under them. Hermione leant into him. She turned and looked up into his blue eyes. He smiled down his apology.
"You're going aren't you? You got a letter." She said kneeling up looking into his eyes. Her two palms were flat on his chest. He broke eye contact and he heard her gasp.
"When?" she asked making his eyes meet hers.
"Next Friday, I am leaving just before dawn. Dumbledore is sending me on a secret mission." She looked like she was about to cry again and he pulled her near him. They had never been this close before; he had always thought they had all the time in the world, but you never have all the time you think. He looked down at her and he tried to smile. He just couldn't make his lips curl into a smile. But he did something he had wanted to do for a long time. He leant down and kissed her. She backed of a little and looked at him shocked, then she smiled and kissed him back. The kiss was soft and gente as they tasted each other for the first time. He savoured the taste of strawberry lip balm. He felt tears fall, not from his eyes though, but hers. Hermione was weeping.
"Hey don't cry." He whispered as he again wiped her tears. She looked up into his eyes which seemed also to be misting with tears. She cradled his face with one hand and sighed trying to swallow the tears. She closed her eyes and felt his lips kiss her eye lids.
"I love you Ron." She whispered. She had wanted to say that for years, in every fight they had it had been on the tip of her tongue wanting to be screamed out. She felt him smile against her skin.
"I love you too Mione." He whispered as he kissed her jaw line. She back away a little and looked into his eyes.
"You're not coming back are you? What ever you are about to do, where ever you are going you're not coming back? Are you?" she said. His smile left him. He knew he could never lie to her. He bowed his head. The moment Dumbledore had told him he had known he wasn't going to make it back. Dumbledore had given him a choice but he knew that if he succeeded in this mission, Hermione and Ginny would have an easier life, maybe he would even help Harry. Ron had told his parents. They were proud but he knew they had cried when he had left the kitchen. He was in effect living on borrowed time. He tried to think positively maybe he would be the one to make it back, maybe he would be the one to survive. Charlie hadn't survived, no he had already lost a brother perhaps two, Bill was on a mission deep in the Ural Mountains and hadn't been heard from in three weeks.
"I don't know. Mione listen to me. No matter what happens I will try come back to you. I love you, I think I always have." He said as he saw her eyes fill with tears.
""Friday is only two day's away." she said fighting to keep the tears from spilling. He nodded sadly and leant against the bark of the tree.
"You know, I had dreamt that you and I would finish school and then go work in the ministry. You of course would be my boss, and we would eventually get married. I can imagine you as Mrs Ron Weasley. Then after we had both got our promotions, we would have a little one. Maybe a boy or twins. Yeah twins, one boy one girl, we'd call them William, after your dad and Constance but we would just call her Connie. Then maybe after a few years we would have more only three more mind. I want a big family; lots of laughter and playing. Then when all the kids had grown and were happy we would live in the south of France near a vine yard and lavender fields. We would just sit there looking out on the vast countryside and be happy. Harry would come and visit with Ginny and we would sit and laugh about what we got up to in Hogwarts. But I suppose there's no point dreaming about that now." Ron sighed softly; a tear was escaping down his cheek as he imagined the life they were being robbed of fade from his view.
"Ron, we could get married." She said softly kissing his tear away. He looked at her as if she was speaking a foreign language. She smiled at the look on his face and took his hands in hers. He smiled and stood, picking her up and standing her on her feet. He knelt before her.
"Miss Hermione Granger, will you marry me?" he said softly as he looked into her eyes. She smiled and nodded wildly.
"Yes, yes I will." She laughed as she was again high in the air. Ron ran with her in his arms back to the castle. He let her run beside him as they burst through the common room passage and into the room. Everyone looked at them as if they were waiting for someone or something to chase after them.
"Harry! Harry! We are getting married." They both called as their best friend looked at them oddly.
"But you were just fighting here. I mean I haven't seen you both fight like that since first year." He said puzzled, but then he smiled as he saw the goofy grins on his two best friend's faces.
"Hey guys I am happy for you. When is the big day?" Harry sighed as he came towards them. Hermione turned to Ron and she could read the question in them, she smiled and nodded an answer to the unspoken question.
"Today." She smiled. Now there were distinct gasps from everyone in the room. A loud cheer went up from the gathered confused Gryffindor's. Such a loud cheer that Professor MacGonagall came to investigate.
"What pray tell is happening here. Mr Weasley? Miss Granger?" she said looking at the grinning pair.
"We got engaged. Professor, is Dumbledore around? We want to get married right away." Ron said holding Hermione's hand tight. The old Professor looked at them and her eyes twinkled.
"But Mr Weasley you're. Oh I see. Certainly, I shall get the head master. Do you want to go get your parents?" she said smiling sadly. She knew that both knew this marriage was going to be short lived, perhaps it was Ron's last request from his old professors, and even she could not deny them a little bit of happiness when she was aware of what lay ahead. Without a word both Hermione and Ron began to run to the door and didn't stop till the left the school grounds where they vanished with a pop.
"Jesus! Hermione, you'll give me a heart attack someday popping in like that!" her mother said as she bent down to wipe up spilt cake batter she had dropped when Hermione and Ron had apperated into her kitchen.
"Is dad around? Oh you remember Ron." Hermione said looking out the kitchen window into the back garden to see if she could see her dad.
"Oh yes Ron, how are you? Your dad is upstairs. Why what is wrong? Is it you-know-who?" her mother said blanching a little.
"No I am getting married in about an hour." Hermione said as if she said it everyday, her mother gave a sharp squeal and dropped the dish again and it shattered. Hermione smiled and waved her wand cleaning up the mess and fixing the broken dish. Hermione's father had dashed into the kitchen when he had heard the squeal and crash.
"Hermione? Ron? What are you both doing here? Is anything wrong?" Mr Granger said looking at the two oddly waiting for some bad news.
"Oh Will our baby says she's getting married, in an hour, an hour." Mrs Granger said softly. Mr Granger smiled a little.
"Let me guess this is the lucky chap. Well congratulations Mr Weasley. How do we get to the wedding?" Mr Granger said smiling at Ron shaking his hand briskly. Mr Granger and Arthur Weasley had become great friends as, Mr Granger was curious about wizards and Mr Weasley was equally curious about Muggles. Hermione's mum just shook her head and brushed flour of her apron.
"Well, I am going to port key you to Hogwarts; Professor MacGonagall shall meet you both. We have to go tell Mr and Mrs Weasley." Hermione smiled as she held Ron's hand. She wouldn't let go of is hand until she had to at dawn on Friday. She didn't want to think about him leaving, not yet.
"Before we go I need to give you something Hermione, I had planned to give to you for your wedding, so I suppose I should better get it now." Mrs Granger said before dashing off up the stairs. She reappeared a moment later with a thin clothes box. Hermione knew what it had in it, she had loved looking at it since she had been old enough to understand what it was. It was the vintage wedding dress which had been worn by three generations of Granger women. She smiled and hugged her mother.
"Okay just touch the dish again; when I fixed it I made it a port key. It'll feel a bit weird but it won't hurt." Hermione said as her father looked at the pyrex dish on the counter top. With some trepidation both Mr and Mrs Granger touched the dish at the same time and vanished. Ron turned to Hermione, he looked at her sadly. It was going to hurt her when he left on Friday morning. She would most likely be a widow within a week of him leaving. Yet looking in her eyes he knew that she had already thought about that and all she wanted was him.
"We'd better get to the Burrow." She said squeezing his hand a little tighter, she would only think about the moment they were in now, not the moment when he would vanish and not come back. With a pop they were in the Burrow, this time Mrs Weasley dropped her dish but instead of shattering on the tiled floor it bounced back onto the table.
"Ron! Hermione! What's wrong? You're not going now are you? Arthur, Fred George!" she called and the three red heads ran from outside, they stopped dead when they saw the two Gryffindor's in the kitchen. The twins smiled a little when they saw the pair holding hands. Arthur saw this too and smiled sadly the thought of Friday in his mind too.
"We are getting married, in about half an hour. Come on we need to get back to Hogwarts." Ron said in a rushed voice. He saw his parents smile their first genuine smile of happiness since Charlie was lost. Fred and George looked a bit sad.
"Drat only three weeks of the pool. Ginny is going to be loaded." Fred sighed as he came and hugged his brother and soon to be sister-in-law.
"Well are you coming, I have to go make sure my best man isn't forgetting anything. And Ginny is trying to find a ring." Ron said trying to break the four Weasley's out of their semi-coma like trance. It worked and Mrs Weasley began to wipe her eyes with the corner of her apron muttering something about 'her baby'. They all apperated back to Hogsmead where a horseless coach was waiting for them.
The castle was abuzz, it seemed everyone was excited about the up coming nuptials; even Snape seemed to be trying to smile for them. He knew that any happiness the students got now might be the last they had for some time. The great hall had been magically decorated with lilies and baby's breath; real fairies fluttered over head sprinkling fairy dust over them all. Most of the students were already sitting in their seats waiting to see the two most famous feuding students marry.
Ron and Hermione stood at the entrance to both dorms and kissed slowly before they parted.
"I'll see you in gosh ten minutes." He said as the twins pulled Ron up his stairs while Ginny and Lavender pulled Hermione up towards the dorm where her Mum was waiting to help her put the dress on.
Harry smiled at his best friend who kept fussing with his dress robes as he stood watching the back of the hall waiting for the doors to open and see Hermione come through them.
"Relax, she is coming." Fred chuckled as he stood next to Harry. That didn't help Ron and he could feel his heart racing with anticipation. Slowly the doors opened and music played as if from no where, he watched as Ginny and Lavender walked up the aisle side by side. Ron tried to ignore the way Harry's jaw dropped when he saw Ginny in the emerald dress gown. Slowly under a shower of fairy dust he saw a vision, he saw Hermione, she was beautiful, she was dressed in a full length gown that showed off her narrow waist and slender arms. She smiled up at him as she left her fathers side at the top of the aisle. Before them Dumbledore smiled sadly down at them. He knew this was going to be a short marriage, but he smiled at them.
"Today we are gathering to join the tempestuous spirits of these two students. Under normal circumstances I would have told them to wait a little longer, but things occur. Now I turn to you, friends and family, to watch as these two become man and woman, as they become man and wife before us and the eyes of the gods above. Now, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger I ask you to join hands." They did as Dumbledore asked and joined hands. Dumbledore tapped their joined hands and a velvet gold rope appeared.
"This rope now binds you both together, forever. I wish you happiness and luck. Mr and Mrs Ronald Weasley." The headmaster sighed as the rope seemed to melt into the joined hands. Hermione smiled and Ron kissed her gently on the lips. Mr and Mrs Ronald Weasley, he couldn't believe it. Only a couple of hours ago they had been fighting in the common room. Holding hands the newly weds walked down the aisle and out of the hall to the applause of all around them. Hermione fell into her husband's arms and let out a slight sob.
"Oh don't cry, not today." He whispered tilting her head up gently with his knuckle. He kiss the tears away, she tried to smile but a sudden vision of her attending his funeral had entered her mind and had seemed to burn itself onto her eyelids. As she looked into his deep blue eyes she whimpered.
"Ron, tell me you'll come back. Lie to me if you have to just tell me you'll come back." She said holding his eyes with her watering brown ones. He sighed; he would have to lie to her. If she knew what he had to do, she would never let him go on Friday morning. He leant down and kissed her softly.
"I promise you, I shall do everything I can to get back to you, no matter what." He whispered before he kissed his new wife. Before he knew it both the Granger family and the Weasley family surrounded them cheering. They were lifted up onto their shoulders and carried back into the great hall which was now ready for a great feast.
"The poor elves!" Ron heard Hermione whisper and had to laugh, even now she was still into SPEW. The top table was waiting to be filled by the couple and their party. Professor MacGonagall was wiping tears from her eyes as she shook the hands of the pair.
"I always knew. You two are made for one another." She said as Dumbledore put his arm around the Professor.
"Now Minerva, this is a happy day lets not cry. I should think that we need food and music. Let the feast begin." With that food magically appeared on the tables. Hermione heard her parents gasp and Mr Granger laugh as Arthur Weasley began to explain the whole matter. Hermione took her husbands hand and they went to join the feast.
Finally time came for the feast to finish. Mr and Mrs Granger were going to join the Weasley's in the Burrow for the night. Then a question occurred to Ron. Where would he and Hermione go? He couldn't get to her dorm and there were four other guys in his dorm. Just as he was about to ask, Dumbledore came over to him with a golden key.
"Here you go a wedding gift from us all on the Hogwarts staff. Take the key and say 'hope' it will take you to Diagon Alley's best hotel. You can stay there until Friday when I shall come to." The headmaster stopped seeing the shadow of sadness pass over the two newly weds faces. They thanked the headmaster and Hermione couldn't help but hug the old man. He seemed a little surprise but hugged her like a grandfather patting her hair softly telling her all would be well. She wished she could believe him. He let her go and she held onto her husband's waist.
"Shall we go?" he asked looking down into her eyes. She was about to nod when she saw Harry and Ginny. Ron saw them too.
"You should tell them. They have a right to say goodbye." She said softly. He knew she was right, she was always right. He smiled at her and then she went to his sister and Harry.
"Harry, Ginny, we need to tell you something." Hermione said as they sat at the table to two were at.
"I knew it you're pregnant!" Ginny said clapping her hands together, laughing. Hermione felt herself go red and shook her head. Ron took a deep breath wishing that had been the news he was going to tell the pair who looked at him expectantly. He took a mouth full of wine and sat before them.
"I have been drafted." He saw both Harry and Ginny pale.
"I have to go on Friday morning. I might not make it back." Ron said softly, he could feel Hermione slump slightly against him, he saw Ginny's eyes well with tears, she had lost two brothers' three if she counted Percy, who was still estranged from the rest of the family. Harry looked just as pale, he couldn't imagine his life now without Ron, they had been best friends since their first day at Hogwarts seven years before. They sat silently for a few moments letting the news sink in.
"When did you get the letter?" Harry asked his voice was shaking and his skin was whiter then anyone had ever seen it.
"Two days ago. Remember when I went to see Professor MacGonagall after potions, she took me to Dumbledore." Ron said softly as he felt Hermione holding his hand tighter.
"You'll be okay mate, you've fought enough. You got a good head on your shoulders. You'll make it back. I know it." Harry said as he looked at his best friend. Ron smiled at the belief his friend had in him, but if they knew what he had to do they would know that it was almost certainly suicide. He didn't want to nor would he tell them that he was going up against a band of Dementors and Bellatrix. If Harry knew he would want to come and that was the last thing they needed, they needed to keep Harry safe until his time came. Ron stood and took his wife by the hand. Ginny and Harry stood too and came and hugged the pair.
"Ron be careful please." Ginny whispered in his ear before they let go. Harry shook his hand and pulled him into a brotherly hug.
"Be careful mate, cos if you're gone I'm going to need someone to teach me to play chess properly." He said in a half smile as he let his friend go slowly." Harry said sadly. Ron smiled and ruffled the seekers hair.
"Hey you know me, I've got a thick head, and it'll take a great blow to knock it of. I'll be fine. If only to knock yours of, for going out with my baby sister. Harry actually can I talk to you alone for a second." Ron said ushering Harry over to a quite table leaving the two women alone at the table. He looked at Hermione, she was doing so well to look happy but he knew how to read her eyes better then anyone, he knew she was terrified for him.
"Harry, can I ask you something?" Ron said in a quite voice. Harry nodded and Ron continued.
"I need you to look after them, Ginny has lost so many brothers already, losing me might destroy her, she loves you always has, I know you love her. Please just look after her. Then god Hermione, this will destroy her, if, I should say when I don't come back, she'll need you too be there for her. She'll need her best friend. You too, watch yourself; I won't be here to watch your back mate. But believe me; if I succeed your job in the end will be so much easier." Ron said softly, he watched his best friend take a deep breath to fight tears. Ron felt the gold key in his pocket and smiled.
"Don't worry about me, I chose this mission cos I knew it would be the hardest on you if you had to do it. You've done so much for us; I need to do this for you." Ron stood and took his best friend in his arms again in a brotherly hug. Harry saw fear in his friend's eyes but didn't say anything; he also knew that whatever Ron had to do he hadn't taken it on lightly. He left Harry there and went to his wife. Wife, he liked that. Hermione was his wife. This morning they hadn't even been a couple now they were man and wife.
"Mione, you ready to go?" he said as he took her hand. She smiled and nodded as he took the key from his pocket. He looked into Ginny's eyes and smiled.
"Don't worry about me." He said as he kissed his sister's forehead. He looked at his new wife, he had never seen her look so beautiful and he wanted to remember her as she was now forever. Her hair was loose and in tame waves with white flowers intertwined in it, her face glistened from the fairy dust, her skin was tanned slightly and she seemed to glow. She held the key with him and together they said 'hope'.
They appeared in a small but beautifully decorated room. A large king sized bed rested near a bay window. She smiled at the way the room seemed to glow golden.
"Mrs Hermione Weasley." She said softly looking at her husband. He came to her and brushed her hair away from her neck and he nibbled it. She laughed and took his cloak of.
"Has a nice ring to it." He laughed as she sat on the bed. She smiled as he came to her loosening his robes. He sat next to her, fumbling with her buttons until the dress lay upon chair next to the bed.
"Are you sure you're ready?" he asked as he lay beside her tracing patterns on her naked torso. She smiled and nodded as she kissed him passionately. He slowly traced his hands over her body as she also traced his hands over his back and chest. He gasped as he looked down at her; she looked even more beautiful then ever as he saw how her hair spread out over the gold pillow. He ran his fingers over her face and sighed. He gasped as he felt her tongue lick its way down his chest until he felt he was on fire. He moaned out her name as she again moved positioning him between her long lean legs. She moaned as she felt his fingers tickle her opening, her breath came in short gasps as she waited for him to move again. But he continued to stroke her gently causing her to moan out in anticipation.
"Ron please, now." She moaned softly in his ear. He smiled down at her and she gasped as he filled her. At first it was sore but as she grew accustomed to him she let her breath out in slow gasps.
"Did I hurt you? I'm sorry." He said softly, she smiled up at him and shook her head.
"You can move if you want too." She said as she arched her back thrusting both their chests together as they began to rock back and forth their movement getting faster and faster. The rocking movement caused Ron to cry out in pleasure as he felt her tense tight muscle close around him. He couldn't hold himself back and then together they cried out. He rolled over holding her tight, not even drawing from her; she smiled and enjoyed the feeling of him within her.
"I love you Mrs Weasley." He gasped as he tried to get his breath back.
"I love you Mr Weasley." She said as they fell asleep in each other's arms.
Friday came too soon for the pair, who not once left the bed as they explored each other thoroughly. Ron slept that night because Hermione made him; she had given him a draft because she knew he needed all the rest he could get if he was coming back to her. The knock on the door was like a knife in her chest as she sat there in the arm chair watching her husband sleep. She went to him slowly and shook him, he woke and smiled up at her before he realised that it was now Friday. He saw the tears in her eyes and pulled her into his arms.
"Shush, it'll be okay. I told you. I'll be back." He whispered as the knock came to the door again. Ron stood and put his trousers on. He opened the door and saw a very serious faced Dumbledore and Professor Snape.
"I am sorry Ron and Hermione but it's time to go." Dumbledore said softly. Hermione fought and lost the battle with her tears and they fell rapidly down her cheeks. Ron took her in his arms and held her. It broke both their hearts to let go.
"I'll come back. I'll fight my way through hell to come back." He said as he kissed her cheeks. He held his wife for as long as possible until he really had to go.
"Ron please be careful." She called as he left the room. When the door closed and she was left alone she fell to her knees and wept there for hours. He was gone from her.
THE END.