Chapter 1: Revived Acquaintances
"Oh, come off it Hermione! N.E.W.T.s are ages away!" said Ron huffed impatiently as he dragged her by hand through the snow, the hems of their cloaks sopping wet and their socks drenched and freezing.
"Ron, you know how important it is for me to pass if I want to work at the ministry -" she began in protest.
"Really Hermione," said Ron. "Would you rather study or spend some quality and much needed alone time with your boyfriend?"
"Oh Ron, you know I like to spend - time - with you, but this is my FUTURE!" she cried.
"We're seventeen and I love you. Don't you think I'm in your future?" asked Ron hotly.
"Of course Ron! I'm just so -" But what Hermione was exactly, Ron didn't wait to find out. They had reached the greenhouses, and he spun her around gently to face him, her back against the wall of Greenhouse Five.
His faintly freckled hands moved from her shoulders to hold her hips affectionately. Hermione's felt suddenly winded, as she so often did in these situations with Ron. He gazed at her intensely with bright cobalt eyes, his brows furrowed as he studied her face. Hermione's eyes darted over his and she was in a state of pure enchantment as her stomach churned for that split second before he kissed her.
Hermione's body was freezing from the weather, but it was on fire all the same. Ron had a way of making her forget about anything and everything else. How could he not realize this power he had over her? Nothing mattered now. It was only them...
Ron pulled away and searched her eyes once more, his warm breath turning the bitter air to steam. Both were breathing heavily, and as Hermione's fingers crept up to his shoulders and down then up again across his chest, is was all Ron could do to stay still. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes a bottomless brown, Ron kissed her again, gently, his lips just grazing over hers.
Hermione's eyes flickered shut on impulse, and as Ron held her closer she whispered, "You'll always be in my future."
"Beg your pardon, sir, but, this is the end of the road." The conductor prodded Ron's shoulder. "Excuse me!?"
Ron stirred in his seat and his eyes snapped open abruptly. "Sorry," he muttered. He gathered his luggage and stepped off the train, nearly tripping in his groggy condition.
Once in the empty station, he set down his heavy suitcases for a moment to rest. One solitary person walked away in the opposite direction - otherwise he was alone.
Ron picked up his belongings again and rushed to the men's bathroom. Once inside, he quickly Apparated to right outside the backdoor of the Burrow, where Fred and George had teased Harry and Ginny no more than a few hours ago.
Ron glanced his wristwatch. The time was 7:48 A.M. If it was still a habit of hers, Ginny at least would be awake.
He took a deep breath, ran a hand through his hair once more, back and forth to make the carrot-colored locks stand on end, then flattened it. Ron levitated his suitcases, and sent them through the door while he followed soundlessly behind.
"Don't worry Harry! Ron isn't coming - "
"Yes, he is! Your mum told me yesterday, he'll be here any minute!"
"Oh really Harry. I think I'd know -- he's my brother!"
Ron stepped through the dark and otherwise silent house to the front room where the voices came from; flowing though the house and breaking the tranquil quiet. As he stepped into the carpeted room, Harry and Ginny arguing on the couch became visible. Harry, who was facing the doorway in which Ron stood, broke out in a wide grin as he saw him.
"You aren't that great of a sister then are you?" quipped Harry as he rose to greet Ron.
Ginny, however whirled around and got there first. She flung herself at him wildly, nearly toppling him.
"Oy Ginny, get off!" groaned Ron. "You're heavy!"
Ginny glared at him jokingly. "Yes, well I'm two years older as well."
Ron smiled warmly at her, and then turned to Harry.
Harry heaved a deep sigh and said grinning, "It's great to see you again, mate."
"And the same to you," replied Ron with a cordial nod.
Ginny stood there for a moment, beaming at them both. Suddenly, as though she'd just realized where she was, she quickly offered to take Ron's suitcases upstairs.
"You and Harry can catch up and have breakfast together," she said as she excused herself.
Ron and Harry walked together into the kitchen.
"What happened to your glasses?" asked Ron abruptly.
"Don't need 'em," said Harry simply. "How was school?"
"Well," said Ron. "You know how school is."
They continued to talk and share stories of the past two years as they drank warm butterbeer. Harry spoke animatedly about his career in quidditch, and Ron about his grueling auror training as if nothing had changed. But much had. Harry told Ron nearly everything that had happened, everything except he and Ginny. Harry and Ginny hadn't talked about telling him and neither had time the past few weeks to discuss it in depth, so they simply chose to leave it unmentioned.
"So how about you Harry, are you seeing anyone?" asked Ron.
"Why - you interested?" said Harry teasingly.
"Ha. Ha. You're avoiding me. I can tell," said Ron, eyes narrowed.
"Thing is, mate - I haven't dated since Hogwarts," Harry said miserably, hoping he sounded convincing.
"Oh.," said Ron. "Well, what about Hermione?"
"What about her?"
"Is she seeing anyone?" asked Ron, afraid of the answer.
"Nope," said Harry. Ron grinned distinctly. "Do you still fancy her?"
"Of course."
At that moment, Ginny came bounding down the stairs. "Harry," she said breathlessly, "can I have a word real quick?"
Harry nodded and Ginny led him upstairs.
Ron sat quietly, alone at the kitchen table awaiting their return. Five minutes passed. then ten. then fifteen. When twenty minutes had gone by, Ron went upstairs to look for Harry and Ginny. He hadn't climbed the worn, stained and splintered stairs in quite a while.
At the sixth step from the top, Ron paused. He shifted all his weight onto the step and the aged oak emitted a tell-tale groan. Ron smiled to himself. Yep. Still there.
He climbed the rest of the steps and, upon reaching the top, he called out, "Harry.. Ginny.. what's going on?" As he moved down the hallway, he pushed open doors at random. His room was empty (it still looked the same) as was Fred and George's. Percy's room was vacant as well, but it looked much more lived in. Perhaps Harry had stayed there over the night. But why would he stay here? It was only Ginny. and they weren't that great of friends anyways.
When he reached Ginny's room, he knew they must be in there. No noise came from the room. Ron gently pushed the door open, but as what lie behind came into view, he felt his throat tight tighten. He couldn't have made a sound if he'd wanted to.
Ginny lay on her bed, with Harry above her on all fours. They were kissing - no, snogging - intensely. Harry had one arm beneath her, and the other was holding him up. His body dipped downward rhythmically as he kissed her, and slightly up again as they broke away. Ginny's small hands grasped his neck; ran themselves through his hair passionately. They continued in this way, until Harry removed his hand from her back and slowly let it run gently across her stomach beneath her shirt. Ginny let out a giggle as he kissed her further, and he smiled. His hand moved higher and higher still - until Ron refused to watch.
He bolted through the hallway and tore down the stairs, nearly tripping in his haste. When he reached the first floor, he slowed to the front room and collapsed onto the couch. Harry and Ginny. he should have guessed. He let at a low chuckle at his stupidity as well as theirs. He guessed they had put a silencing charm around the room which was thoughtless, because they had forgotten to merely lock the door.
Ten minutes later, Harry and Ginny showed up in the living room, both looking slightly dazed.
"Sorry Ron. we didn't mean to take so -," said Harry.
Ron was silent. ".You could have told me."
"What?" asked Harry, trying to look confused.
"Oh Ron, we were going to tell you. but you only just got home and we thought we'd wait a while." cried Ginny.
"That wasn't the way I would have chosen for you to find out," said Harry solemnly, casting a side long glance at Ginny.
Suddenly, Ron's hard, serious face was illuminated by a bright smile. "I was only joking. congratulations!"
Ginny and Harry's faces softened a bit as well.
"Next time though, take care to lock the door!" said Ron.
******
Hermione awoke with a start. She glanced at the clock, and groaned. Harry, Ginny and Ron were expecting her in twenty minutes. She hurried out of bed, showered, and dressed. She was picky in what she wore today, for she would see him, Ron, for the first time in two years. Twenty four months. One hundred and four weeks. Seven hundred and thirty days! She did the math quickly in her head. He'd been gone for so long. She had no idea where they stood anymore, after all she had only received two letters from him over the span of time he attended school.
Hermione hurried into the small kitchen of her cheap flat. She fixed herself some tea, quickly downed it, then Apparated to Hogsmeade.
The small town was bustling with people. The cobble-stoned streets were bulging with all sorts. Children of all ages darted in and out of Zonko's and every few minutes, the doors of the Three Broomsticks would burst forth, permitting another group of unusual people into the streets of Hogsmeade.
Hermione checked her watch. she was just in time. She took in a quick lungful of air outside the doors of the Three Broomsticks, then heaved the doors open with all her might. As she stepped over the threshold, she found herself face to face with none other than Ron Weasley.
"Oh, come off it Hermione! N.E.W.T.s are ages away!" said Ron huffed impatiently as he dragged her by hand through the snow, the hems of their cloaks sopping wet and their socks drenched and freezing.
"Ron, you know how important it is for me to pass if I want to work at the ministry -" she began in protest.
"Really Hermione," said Ron. "Would you rather study or spend some quality and much needed alone time with your boyfriend?"
"Oh Ron, you know I like to spend - time - with you, but this is my FUTURE!" she cried.
"We're seventeen and I love you. Don't you think I'm in your future?" asked Ron hotly.
"Of course Ron! I'm just so -" But what Hermione was exactly, Ron didn't wait to find out. They had reached the greenhouses, and he spun her around gently to face him, her back against the wall of Greenhouse Five.
His faintly freckled hands moved from her shoulders to hold her hips affectionately. Hermione's felt suddenly winded, as she so often did in these situations with Ron. He gazed at her intensely with bright cobalt eyes, his brows furrowed as he studied her face. Hermione's eyes darted over his and she was in a state of pure enchantment as her stomach churned for that split second before he kissed her.
Hermione's body was freezing from the weather, but it was on fire all the same. Ron had a way of making her forget about anything and everything else. How could he not realize this power he had over her? Nothing mattered now. It was only them...
Ron pulled away and searched her eyes once more, his warm breath turning the bitter air to steam. Both were breathing heavily, and as Hermione's fingers crept up to his shoulders and down then up again across his chest, is was all Ron could do to stay still. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes a bottomless brown, Ron kissed her again, gently, his lips just grazing over hers.
Hermione's eyes flickered shut on impulse, and as Ron held her closer she whispered, "You'll always be in my future."
"Beg your pardon, sir, but, this is the end of the road." The conductor prodded Ron's shoulder. "Excuse me!?"
Ron stirred in his seat and his eyes snapped open abruptly. "Sorry," he muttered. He gathered his luggage and stepped off the train, nearly tripping in his groggy condition.
Once in the empty station, he set down his heavy suitcases for a moment to rest. One solitary person walked away in the opposite direction - otherwise he was alone.
Ron picked up his belongings again and rushed to the men's bathroom. Once inside, he quickly Apparated to right outside the backdoor of the Burrow, where Fred and George had teased Harry and Ginny no more than a few hours ago.
Ron glanced his wristwatch. The time was 7:48 A.M. If it was still a habit of hers, Ginny at least would be awake.
He took a deep breath, ran a hand through his hair once more, back and forth to make the carrot-colored locks stand on end, then flattened it. Ron levitated his suitcases, and sent them through the door while he followed soundlessly behind.
"Don't worry Harry! Ron isn't coming - "
"Yes, he is! Your mum told me yesterday, he'll be here any minute!"
"Oh really Harry. I think I'd know -- he's my brother!"
Ron stepped through the dark and otherwise silent house to the front room where the voices came from; flowing though the house and breaking the tranquil quiet. As he stepped into the carpeted room, Harry and Ginny arguing on the couch became visible. Harry, who was facing the doorway in which Ron stood, broke out in a wide grin as he saw him.
"You aren't that great of a sister then are you?" quipped Harry as he rose to greet Ron.
Ginny, however whirled around and got there first. She flung herself at him wildly, nearly toppling him.
"Oy Ginny, get off!" groaned Ron. "You're heavy!"
Ginny glared at him jokingly. "Yes, well I'm two years older as well."
Ron smiled warmly at her, and then turned to Harry.
Harry heaved a deep sigh and said grinning, "It's great to see you again, mate."
"And the same to you," replied Ron with a cordial nod.
Ginny stood there for a moment, beaming at them both. Suddenly, as though she'd just realized where she was, she quickly offered to take Ron's suitcases upstairs.
"You and Harry can catch up and have breakfast together," she said as she excused herself.
Ron and Harry walked together into the kitchen.
"What happened to your glasses?" asked Ron abruptly.
"Don't need 'em," said Harry simply. "How was school?"
"Well," said Ron. "You know how school is."
They continued to talk and share stories of the past two years as they drank warm butterbeer. Harry spoke animatedly about his career in quidditch, and Ron about his grueling auror training as if nothing had changed. But much had. Harry told Ron nearly everything that had happened, everything except he and Ginny. Harry and Ginny hadn't talked about telling him and neither had time the past few weeks to discuss it in depth, so they simply chose to leave it unmentioned.
"So how about you Harry, are you seeing anyone?" asked Ron.
"Why - you interested?" said Harry teasingly.
"Ha. Ha. You're avoiding me. I can tell," said Ron, eyes narrowed.
"Thing is, mate - I haven't dated since Hogwarts," Harry said miserably, hoping he sounded convincing.
"Oh.," said Ron. "Well, what about Hermione?"
"What about her?"
"Is she seeing anyone?" asked Ron, afraid of the answer.
"Nope," said Harry. Ron grinned distinctly. "Do you still fancy her?"
"Of course."
At that moment, Ginny came bounding down the stairs. "Harry," she said breathlessly, "can I have a word real quick?"
Harry nodded and Ginny led him upstairs.
Ron sat quietly, alone at the kitchen table awaiting their return. Five minutes passed. then ten. then fifteen. When twenty minutes had gone by, Ron went upstairs to look for Harry and Ginny. He hadn't climbed the worn, stained and splintered stairs in quite a while.
At the sixth step from the top, Ron paused. He shifted all his weight onto the step and the aged oak emitted a tell-tale groan. Ron smiled to himself. Yep. Still there.
He climbed the rest of the steps and, upon reaching the top, he called out, "Harry.. Ginny.. what's going on?" As he moved down the hallway, he pushed open doors at random. His room was empty (it still looked the same) as was Fred and George's. Percy's room was vacant as well, but it looked much more lived in. Perhaps Harry had stayed there over the night. But why would he stay here? It was only Ginny. and they weren't that great of friends anyways.
When he reached Ginny's room, he knew they must be in there. No noise came from the room. Ron gently pushed the door open, but as what lie behind came into view, he felt his throat tight tighten. He couldn't have made a sound if he'd wanted to.
Ginny lay on her bed, with Harry above her on all fours. They were kissing - no, snogging - intensely. Harry had one arm beneath her, and the other was holding him up. His body dipped downward rhythmically as he kissed her, and slightly up again as they broke away. Ginny's small hands grasped his neck; ran themselves through his hair passionately. They continued in this way, until Harry removed his hand from her back and slowly let it run gently across her stomach beneath her shirt. Ginny let out a giggle as he kissed her further, and he smiled. His hand moved higher and higher still - until Ron refused to watch.
He bolted through the hallway and tore down the stairs, nearly tripping in his haste. When he reached the first floor, he slowed to the front room and collapsed onto the couch. Harry and Ginny. he should have guessed. He let at a low chuckle at his stupidity as well as theirs. He guessed they had put a silencing charm around the room which was thoughtless, because they had forgotten to merely lock the door.
Ten minutes later, Harry and Ginny showed up in the living room, both looking slightly dazed.
"Sorry Ron. we didn't mean to take so -," said Harry.
Ron was silent. ".You could have told me."
"What?" asked Harry, trying to look confused.
"Oh Ron, we were going to tell you. but you only just got home and we thought we'd wait a while." cried Ginny.
"That wasn't the way I would have chosen for you to find out," said Harry solemnly, casting a side long glance at Ginny.
Suddenly, Ron's hard, serious face was illuminated by a bright smile. "I was only joking. congratulations!"
Ginny and Harry's faces softened a bit as well.
"Next time though, take care to lock the door!" said Ron.
******
Hermione awoke with a start. She glanced at the clock, and groaned. Harry, Ginny and Ron were expecting her in twenty minutes. She hurried out of bed, showered, and dressed. She was picky in what she wore today, for she would see him, Ron, for the first time in two years. Twenty four months. One hundred and four weeks. Seven hundred and thirty days! She did the math quickly in her head. He'd been gone for so long. She had no idea where they stood anymore, after all she had only received two letters from him over the span of time he attended school.
Hermione hurried into the small kitchen of her cheap flat. She fixed herself some tea, quickly downed it, then Apparated to Hogsmeade.
The small town was bustling with people. The cobble-stoned streets were bulging with all sorts. Children of all ages darted in and out of Zonko's and every few minutes, the doors of the Three Broomsticks would burst forth, permitting another group of unusual people into the streets of Hogsmeade.
Hermione checked her watch. she was just in time. She took in a quick lungful of air outside the doors of the Three Broomsticks, then heaved the doors open with all her might. As she stepped over the threshold, she found herself face to face with none other than Ron Weasley.