Chapter Nine: Dinner and a Movie

A/N: Just a reminder, I do NOT own any of the original Harry Potter characters (I can't remember if I put a disclaimer). Not that you need reminding, it's just a good way to lead up to this: I DO own Destin, so don't steal her! Hahahaha, anyway ...

What a day. The last half was torture; even with Hermione's help they didn't completely finish the job Maybe that was because Ron couldn't stop trying to stare at Hermione, and when he did he couldn't stop drooling. Harry kept having to drop things loudly to bring Ron back to reality; Hermione accused him about being more clumsy that Ron, but Harry lied and told her he was worried about tonight's announcement. All in secret, with only her guilty conscience's knowledge, Hermione was doing a little spying herself.

She had just finished the floor in the second room when she joined Ron and Harry. The temperature had seemed to increase, if possible, and she turned the corner just in time to witness it. Like a smack in the face she realized how good he looked just standing and laughing with Harry over Gawd-knows-what. It was a nice, peaceful and happy scene so she just stood and observed. Before she knew it Ron started to take his shirt off. Now Ron was a fine male specimen; tall with muscles rippling across his chest, stomach and forearms.

Now Hermione was always taught that there were two types of people; optimists and pessimists. She applied her rule to here. If you were an optimist you'd say that he was half naked. But if you're a pessimist you'd say it was the wrong half. Hermione always prided herself about always being optimistic, but damn, in this particular situation she had turned into a pessimist. 'He's always brought out the worst in me,' she thought, then laughed despite herself.

Ron looked up and gaped at her beauty. Then he remembered she was laughing at them. "'Oi, 'Mione! You'd better get yer arse over 'ere to help!" That was that. Hermione didn't notice all the attention Ron was giving her and she got to watch his big muscle crazy back slowly burn in the afternoon sun.

Molly came out of the house at six. "Dinner'll be ready in an hour, go wash up. All of yeh."

Arthur, Bill and Harry headed off to the Burrow after quickly cleaning the mess. Hermione finished putting everything away slowly. "'Mione?" Ron spoke quietly.

She looked around quickly and whispered, "Ron?" mockingly.

He smiled at her. "Instead of going to the Burrow why don't you just go to my house to shower? That way you don't have to wait for a cold one," Ron offered.

"Really? That would be wonderful Ron. Where is it?"

***~~~***

His house was amazing clean, contradicting all of Hermione's assumptions. 'I wonder what it would be like to live here.' Ron's distinguished voice interrupted her thoughts. "It's small, but there's only ever been me."

Hermione nodded. "Small but spacious. I'd rather live here than in a big house by myself." She smiled, turned and tilted her upper body to one side and teased, "It's very clean," then straightened.

Ron shook his head with a smile, adoring her cute teasing method. "I'm not around much, job keeps me busy. Also, I need to have organization everywhere now, it came as a requirement for the job."

"Work, huh? Who'da thunk? Keeps you in line well enough. But as I recall it was me eating, breathing and sleeping work while you and Harry were off playing Quidditch all day."

"Quidditch was just as much work, just a different kind is all." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Bathroom in the last door to you right, fresh towels in the end closet."

"Fresh towels? Who's your housekeeper?" she teased. Ron's house was nicely furnished good, matching furniture with pictures of family. It was on the small side; his kitchen, dining room and living room had no separation. Down the hallway there were three doors; one the bathroom, another must have been his bedroom, the other probably his office.

She moved to the end of the hallway and opened the closet. Neatly stacked were assorted blue towels of different shades. 'How much he has changed!' she thought astounded. She grabbed a large towel and walked into the bathroom.

***two showers later - back at the house***

"Hermione, Ron! You're back, good. We were just about to eat," Molly welcomed.

They both sat down at the large, extended table. "You two were gone a while. Where'd you go?" Ginny asked politely. The kids had already been dished out (baby was already napping) and the adults were starting to pass the food around the table.

"Ron invited me over to his house for a hot shower." Everyone raised their eyebrows in question. On the spot, she tried to explain, "So I wouldn't have to wait for a cold one." The looks changed into accusatory ones and Hermione felt herself heat up; face turning beat red.

Ron, her undying savior, laughed. "Yeah." The looks turned to him. "It seems I'm the only gentlemen here to let a lady have the first shower." Everyone dropped their looks and went back to the food. Everyone but Ginny.

"So there's nothing between you two yet?"

"What?" Hermione was astonished.

"Yet?" Ron choked.

"Ginny!" Molly exclaimed.

"Pointing out the truth!"

"Truth? What about you!?"

"Me?"

"Try honesty!"

"What?"

She sighed. "Harry, and everyone else here, knows your pregnant -" their mouths dropped in shock of her bluntness, " - it's not hard to figure out. And Bill, we are all waiting for you reason of sudden appearance."

Ron laughed loudly at the sudden death silence hovering in the room. "Leave it to Hermione. Don't get yer knicker's in a twist Gin; your plate is piled a mile high, topped with frequent mood swings. And I would also like to know what you're up to Bill."

**~~~**

"What a night," Hermione sighed as she set popcorn on a box. She had the kitchen set up, but the living room was still a mess. Only the one large couch was functional, coffee table was off holding more boxes; boxes acting as tables and they had to dig to find the movies they wanted. She tied her hair up and on slipped a dance style sweater. She remembered when she had cut the neckline off, well ripped to be more precise. She was having a sleepless night so started to watch a movie. Tired and in a bad mood she felt it was choking her so she ripped across the neckline, creating a new one that started at the edge of the shoulders cutting down to an inch bellow her collar bone.

Ron had hovering over a box of movies, searching for a good one; judging by the cover or title. "Well at least it'll give Mom something to worry about other than us. While everyone was accusing us about the shower Mom was smiling like mad. Almost as if Christmas came early." Ron stood holding two movies. "I've narrowed it down, but you have to help."

Hermione looked at his selections and laughed, Ron looked offended. "Nothing personal Ron," she giggled, "But only you could have narrowed it down to two movies so different from each other. You see, 'The Hours' is about life and death and what it all means and 'Quest for Camelot' is a cartoon with adult quirks about King Arthur times. One's complicated and the other is very simple, to say the least."

Ron looked at the movies again. "Meaning of life huh? Well adult quirks sound much more interesting, doesn't it?" Hermione laughed again. He moved around, starting the VCR. "Bill changing banks to be closer to home is only the tip of the iceberg I tell yah."

"What do you mean?"

"I caught him in the fire with some girl and he's missing that metal, bone ring he always wears."

"They one that he always wanted to give his - oh! This is huge! Who all knows?"

"You and me. Mom, Dad, Percy, Ginny and Harry know nothing about the ring, so it doesn't mean much to them. Charlie knows, I reckon. But Bill knows to many of Charlie's secrets and it would be too risky is Charlie said something."

"Charlie has secrets?"

"Yeah, only I've figured them out though, but he thinks I'm none the wiser." Ron moved in and sat beside Hermione.

"No wonder you're so good at your job; you know about everything don't you?" Ron fell in an awkward silence. "What is it?"

The movie was about to start; he paused it. "'Mione ... Now that you're back in the Wizarding world full time I'm obligated top give you certain information about a case I've been working on. It's a case I've been working on a while now, and I can't give you all the detail s right away. Maybe tomorrow we could go the office and I could describe it better." He paused.

"Is there a short version available?"

"With out giving great amounts of detail?" Ron swallowed, "I've known about Destin and have been involved with her life through different activities. It's her case, but throughout the whole time I was under disguise and could never be near you or Brent. I would be put on a memory charm after each check so I never really knew anything about her."

"What's this all about Ron?" Hermione demanded in shock.

"There was a prophecy made."

"Oh no!" Hermione gasped in horror.

"Nothing as demanding as Harry's. Nothing even close," Ron reassured quickly. "Just something with enough interest to make sure she was getting along fine."

"Nothing to worry about?"

"Nothing at all. We couldn't inform you because it could've changed how you raised her. It w as a positive prophecy; involving a long, uncomplicated case to look after," Ron explained.

Hermione nodded understandingly. "Good thing, just need to be lightly watched then?"

"Exactly. You mad at me?"

"No!" Hermione answered excited. "My daughter is destined to be important."

Ron laughed loudly. "Didn't you already know? Why else would you name her Destin? Obviously she was destined to be important!" As Hermione laughed at herself Ron admired her. He let the laughter die slowly before saying the other thing bothering him. "'Mione?"

Hermione sensed that was serious. "Yes?"

"I'm really sorry . . . About the circumstances in why you had to leave."

The pain in his gorgeous blue eyes was like a stab in her heart . She took his much larger hand in her own. "It's okay Ron; you've been forgiven for a long time now. Time heals all things." She smiled. "Anyway, it's hard to be angry with someone who gave me the best little girl in the world."

Ron smiled back, relieved. "She is pretty great, isn't she?"

"Well with my brains and your athletics she'll be head girl for sure, not to mention all the teacher's will love her."

He laughed. "Head girl yes, teacher's loving her, I'm not to sure of. With two parents like us she is bound to be adventurous and troublesome."

"Oh, she'll never be caught. Like I said, her brain will think of a way to get out with your athletics she'll outrun anything that'll come her way." Ron laughed again. "And with my bone structure along with your flaming red hair and fabulous blue eyes, no doubt all the boys will be drooling."

Ron grew serious. "And if they do more than that I'll kill 'em."

Hermione laughed. In the silence she realized something. "I really miss this," she confessed.

"Me too." The moment was perfect. Ron slowly moved closer to her, They closed their eyes and felt each other breathing only inches away. Ron kissed her softly, almost unsure. 'Mione reached up around his neck to encourage him. She parted her lips and awaited his invasion. Her tongue met his for a firm kiss. Ron slipped a hand on her thigh, slowly moved up along her skirt under the sweater, stopping at her waist. Shivers ran up her spine so she moved her hand down his shoulder.

Ron groaned in pain as she pressed her hand down on his sun burn. "Ron I'm so sorry!" He just laughed. "Oh, that's just so funny. Hold on, I'll go get some lotion." Hermione got up and came back quickly.

"Smells like a girl." Ron commented.

"What are you twelve?" Hermione helped him with his shirt. "Your whole back is beat red, like a lobster."

"I'm thirteen tomorrow." Pause. "Cold!" Ron twitched away.

"Baby."

"Thanks for the support." Another pause. "'Mione, what's going to happen. With us I mean."

"Let's take is slow, just watch the move tonight." Hermione enjoyed rubbing her hands up and down his back. Slow Hermione? Yeah right! This could turn physical in a heart beat. But for Destin, I'll take it as slow as I can handle.

"Sounds perfect. Lets watch the movie." Ron unpaused the movie and they watched it together, ending up sleeping on the couch in each others arms; both smelling strongly of Hermione's moisturizer.