A week had passed since the Hogwarts Express had pulled into King's Cross and Hermione Granger was so busy with making her arrangements for her scheduled move to St. Mungo's healer training program that she hardly had time to think of anything else. However, she managed to find time to think about Ron.
"He's so stubborn," she thought aloud. "Stubborn, hot-tempered, difficult, adorable, caring, sweet…" Hermione stopped when she realized that she had gotten off track. She continued to pack her clothes and belongings into her suitcases until she was too tired to go on, and she fell asleep.
Hermione barely had time to make it to the cafeteria at St. Mungo's before she was pulled down the hallway by a group of fellow residents.
"Hermione! Come quickly!" one young woman said to Hermione.
Hermione had to run to keep up with the group. "What's going on?" she asked the man running next to her.
"There's a Quidditch player from the Chudley Canons in the emergency room. He was knocked out by a Bludger and the Chief of Staff wants all the new residents to see how to deal with Quidditch injuries."
Hermione's stomach plummeted at his reply. "Please, no," she thought to herself. The group of residents rounded the corner and entered the emergency room. Hermione, her heart pounding, pushed her way to front of the group and screamed.
"RON!" she cried.
"Bloody Hell!" Ron yelled. "Watch your position!"
Two weeks after leaving Hogwarts Ron began training for the Chudley Canons. The Canons had been scouting for a new Keeper and offered Ron the position during his last year at Hogwarts.
Ron swooped to the left and sent an oncoming Quaffle to the other end of the field.
"Brilliant, Ron," yelled a teammate.
After two hours the team manager blew his whistle and yelled, "Take a break, guys. There's water in the team lounge."
The players exited the field and retired to the lounge. Ron collapsed into the closest armchair.
"Nice blocking, Ron," the team captain said, patting Ron on the back.
Ron's face lit up. "Thanks, mate," he replied, grinning.
Several minutes passed as the teammates rested, talked, and laughed. The conversation went from Quidditch to recreation to women.
"My wife is driving me crazy. This whole week has been a nightmare," one team member said soberly.
"Wait until you guys have your first kid," another team member chimed in. "You'll be running all over the place trying to please her." A couple of the guys chuckled and a flurry of "That's the truth" and "Living Hell" could be heard.
"What about you, Ron?" the team Seeker asked, nudging Ron. "Got a special lady waiting for you at home?" One teammate playfully punched Ron's arm and another teammate whistled.
"Not anymore," Ron replied, looking down at his feet.
"We've all had our problems with the opposite sex," one of the Beaters said, trying to lighten the mood. "They're impossible!" he added. The team laughed and then made their way out to the Quidditch pitch.
The Quaffle was on the opposite side of the field and Ron had taken the free time to think of Hermione and their predicament. He was so engrossed in his own mind that he didn't hear his teammates yelling at him.
"Ron! Look out!" he finally heard, but it was too late. The Bludger hit him in the side of the head and sent him spiraling to the ground.
"What happened?!" Hermione cried.
The Chief of Staff spoke softly and sternly. "He was hit by a stray Bludger in the side of the head. He fell 50 feet and has broken 3 ribs, his left wrist, and he is unconscious."
Hermione's eyes filled with tears and she tried to hold them back, but when the other residents were dismissed her tears flowed freely. She leaned over the bed and brushed a chunk of Ron's hair off of his face. The blood on his freckled face had been washed off but Hermione took notice of the deep cut on his cheek.
"Oh Ron," she whispered. She sat on the edge of the bed and took his hand in hers, turned it over, and planted a kiss in his palm. She stayed with him a long time until she was called for duty at the nurses' station.
Later that night, when the other residents were sound asleep, Hermione snuck over to the wing at St. Mungo's where Ron was. His room was dark and cold and Ron appeared to still be unconscious.
Ron heard someone enter his room and figured it was a nurse or janitor. He was about to drift back to sleep when he heard Hermione's voice.
"I wish you could hear me," he heard her say.
Ron's pulse quickened. "She doesn't know that I awoke earlier today," he thought to himself. He decided to keep his eyes closed and remain still.
He almost jumped when her hand brushed his cheek in a loving embrace.
Hermione sighed. "Ron you have me worried sick," she began. "When I first saw you lying there I didn't know what to think. I couldn't go on without you." After saying that, Hermione leaned down and kissed Ron on the cheek. Ron wanted so badly to grab her and pull her back for a more passionate kiss, but he knew that she would be furious if she found out he was only pretending to be unconscious. Hermione pulled his blankets up farther on his chest and placed her hand on his upper arm.
"Wow," she breathed. "Did you have these before your training started?" she chuckled, gently squeezing his bicep.
It took everything in Ron's power to stifle a grin. "Excellent," he thought.
"Goodnight, Ron," Hermione said before exiting his room.
"Goodnight, my love," Ron whispered back after she had left.
Hermione awoke early and shuffled over to Ron's room where she found him in exactly the same position as the night before. She did not have time to check on him because she had to make her rounds throughout St. Mungo's.
Hermione's day passed quickly, thanks to her busy schedule, but she had not found time to stop in at Ron's room until after dinner. She was surprised to find his bed empty and his belongings gone.
"Where is this patient?" she asked the janitor that was folding the bed sheets.
The old man answered, "I do believe he was dismissed, madam."
Hermione could feel the hot tears prickle behind her eyes and a lump of heartache rise in her throat. She walked slowly back to her room, ready to cry herself to sleep.
However, about twenty yards before she reached her room she caught sight of a traill of rose petals that had been strewn across the floor, leading all the way to her door. She ran to her door and pushed it open quickly. Her heart leaped when she spotted Ron sitting in her armchair next to her desk. The bed and floor were covered with rose petals and the overhead light had been dimmed.
"Ron, I was so worried when I saw you yesterday and then today when I went to--"
Ron stood up. "Hermione," he interrupted as he made his way over to her in two long strides.
Hermione didn't have time to finish her sentence because Ron had captured her mouth in the most passionate kiss that she had ever dreamed of. He ran his hands up and down her back as he kissed her with avid fervor. Her arms encased his neck and her fingers wove themselves through his silky red hair.
She whimpered his name when he kissed and nibbled at her neck. After several minutes, Ron and Hermione parted and stared into each other's eyes.
"Hermione," Ron started. "I know that we always find something to fight about and I know that I'm usually right--"
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, stepping back.
Ron chuckled and pulled her closer to him "But I also know that no matter how mad I get at you, my love for you is always stronger. I love you, Mione." Ron blushed to the tips of his ears.
A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek and Ron brushed it away with his thumb. "I love you too, Ron," Hermione managed to murmur, before Ron stole her breath away with a kiss that sealed their love for each other.
"He's so stubborn," she thought aloud. "Stubborn, hot-tempered, difficult, adorable, caring, sweet…" Hermione stopped when she realized that she had gotten off track. She continued to pack her clothes and belongings into her suitcases until she was too tired to go on, and she fell asleep.
Hermione barely had time to make it to the cafeteria at St. Mungo's before she was pulled down the hallway by a group of fellow residents.
"Hermione! Come quickly!" one young woman said to Hermione.
Hermione had to run to keep up with the group. "What's going on?" she asked the man running next to her.
"There's a Quidditch player from the Chudley Canons in the emergency room. He was knocked out by a Bludger and the Chief of Staff wants all the new residents to see how to deal with Quidditch injuries."
Hermione's stomach plummeted at his reply. "Please, no," she thought to herself. The group of residents rounded the corner and entered the emergency room. Hermione, her heart pounding, pushed her way to front of the group and screamed.
"RON!" she cried.
"Bloody Hell!" Ron yelled. "Watch your position!"
Two weeks after leaving Hogwarts Ron began training for the Chudley Canons. The Canons had been scouting for a new Keeper and offered Ron the position during his last year at Hogwarts.
Ron swooped to the left and sent an oncoming Quaffle to the other end of the field.
"Brilliant, Ron," yelled a teammate.
After two hours the team manager blew his whistle and yelled, "Take a break, guys. There's water in the team lounge."
The players exited the field and retired to the lounge. Ron collapsed into the closest armchair.
"Nice blocking, Ron," the team captain said, patting Ron on the back.
Ron's face lit up. "Thanks, mate," he replied, grinning.
Several minutes passed as the teammates rested, talked, and laughed. The conversation went from Quidditch to recreation to women.
"My wife is driving me crazy. This whole week has been a nightmare," one team member said soberly.
"Wait until you guys have your first kid," another team member chimed in. "You'll be running all over the place trying to please her." A couple of the guys chuckled and a flurry of "That's the truth" and "Living Hell" could be heard.
"What about you, Ron?" the team Seeker asked, nudging Ron. "Got a special lady waiting for you at home?" One teammate playfully punched Ron's arm and another teammate whistled.
"Not anymore," Ron replied, looking down at his feet.
"We've all had our problems with the opposite sex," one of the Beaters said, trying to lighten the mood. "They're impossible!" he added. The team laughed and then made their way out to the Quidditch pitch.
The Quaffle was on the opposite side of the field and Ron had taken the free time to think of Hermione and their predicament. He was so engrossed in his own mind that he didn't hear his teammates yelling at him.
"Ron! Look out!" he finally heard, but it was too late. The Bludger hit him in the side of the head and sent him spiraling to the ground.
"What happened?!" Hermione cried.
The Chief of Staff spoke softly and sternly. "He was hit by a stray Bludger in the side of the head. He fell 50 feet and has broken 3 ribs, his left wrist, and he is unconscious."
Hermione's eyes filled with tears and she tried to hold them back, but when the other residents were dismissed her tears flowed freely. She leaned over the bed and brushed a chunk of Ron's hair off of his face. The blood on his freckled face had been washed off but Hermione took notice of the deep cut on his cheek.
"Oh Ron," she whispered. She sat on the edge of the bed and took his hand in hers, turned it over, and planted a kiss in his palm. She stayed with him a long time until she was called for duty at the nurses' station.
Later that night, when the other residents were sound asleep, Hermione snuck over to the wing at St. Mungo's where Ron was. His room was dark and cold and Ron appeared to still be unconscious.
Ron heard someone enter his room and figured it was a nurse or janitor. He was about to drift back to sleep when he heard Hermione's voice.
"I wish you could hear me," he heard her say.
Ron's pulse quickened. "She doesn't know that I awoke earlier today," he thought to himself. He decided to keep his eyes closed and remain still.
He almost jumped when her hand brushed his cheek in a loving embrace.
Hermione sighed. "Ron you have me worried sick," she began. "When I first saw you lying there I didn't know what to think. I couldn't go on without you." After saying that, Hermione leaned down and kissed Ron on the cheek. Ron wanted so badly to grab her and pull her back for a more passionate kiss, but he knew that she would be furious if she found out he was only pretending to be unconscious. Hermione pulled his blankets up farther on his chest and placed her hand on his upper arm.
"Wow," she breathed. "Did you have these before your training started?" she chuckled, gently squeezing his bicep.
It took everything in Ron's power to stifle a grin. "Excellent," he thought.
"Goodnight, Ron," Hermione said before exiting his room.
"Goodnight, my love," Ron whispered back after she had left.
Hermione awoke early and shuffled over to Ron's room where she found him in exactly the same position as the night before. She did not have time to check on him because she had to make her rounds throughout St. Mungo's.
Hermione's day passed quickly, thanks to her busy schedule, but she had not found time to stop in at Ron's room until after dinner. She was surprised to find his bed empty and his belongings gone.
"Where is this patient?" she asked the janitor that was folding the bed sheets.
The old man answered, "I do believe he was dismissed, madam."
Hermione could feel the hot tears prickle behind her eyes and a lump of heartache rise in her throat. She walked slowly back to her room, ready to cry herself to sleep.
However, about twenty yards before she reached her room she caught sight of a traill of rose petals that had been strewn across the floor, leading all the way to her door. She ran to her door and pushed it open quickly. Her heart leaped when she spotted Ron sitting in her armchair next to her desk. The bed and floor were covered with rose petals and the overhead light had been dimmed.
"Ron, I was so worried when I saw you yesterday and then today when I went to--"
Ron stood up. "Hermione," he interrupted as he made his way over to her in two long strides.
Hermione didn't have time to finish her sentence because Ron had captured her mouth in the most passionate kiss that she had ever dreamed of. He ran his hands up and down her back as he kissed her with avid fervor. Her arms encased his neck and her fingers wove themselves through his silky red hair.
She whimpered his name when he kissed and nibbled at her neck. After several minutes, Ron and Hermione parted and stared into each other's eyes.
"Hermione," Ron started. "I know that we always find something to fight about and I know that I'm usually right--"
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, stepping back.
Ron chuckled and pulled her closer to him "But I also know that no matter how mad I get at you, my love for you is always stronger. I love you, Mione." Ron blushed to the tips of his ears.
A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek and Ron brushed it away with his thumb. "I love you too, Ron," Hermione managed to murmur, before Ron stole her breath away with a kiss that sealed their love for each other.