AN - Sorry that this chapter is slightly shorter than the other have been so far. Because of that, chapter five shouldn't take too long to get uploaded; I already have it finished. ;-)

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A Draught In Time:

Chapter 4

-dutchtulips-

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After saying goodbye to Harry, Ron found his way back to the drawing room, but only found it empty. Going out the way he came in, through the dining room, he glanced into the hallway, and spotted a two-way door, which he figured lead into the kitchen. Nervously he walked over and pushed it open, and the moment he did so, his eyes found Hermione.

Her hair was still tied back, as she reshelved some cookbooks back into the bookcase, which stood against the wall next to the stove. Ron leaned against the doorway, suddenly unable to tear his gaze away from her. It was a simple task, merely putting books away, but Hermione's slender form, lost in her green robes as she moved about, simply captivated Ron all the more.

A moment later, she replaced the last book and turned around, her eyes brightening when she saw him. His face turned pink then, feeling as if he'd been caught spying on her. But it was Hermione who looked slightly shy, biting her lip as she stared at him.

"Oh, I know that look. You weren't possibly about to say I look beautiful, were you? My hair's a mess, my clothes are wrinkled from cooking all day... I look horrid, Ronald!"

Ron smiled at her words. "You've never looked a mess a day in your life."

Hermione brushed her hands off on her robes and walked over to him, slipping her arms around his torso. "You always know the one thing to say to make me smile. As long as I've known you, you always have," she said softly, still smiling.

His eyes widened, just slightly. It surprised him to know that he was more taken aback, not with Hermione putting her arms around him, but by more with what she'd said. "I - I do?" He stammered. "I never knew that. I always thought... well, I mean, you... you never said so."

Her grip on him loosened slightly and she stared at him, keenly in the eyes. As she did so, a pang of fear erupted in Ron's stomach.

"I said the wrong thing, didn't I," he said, sighing. "I'm just not... feeling myself today. I'm sorry, Hermione. Really."

But she was shaking her head. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. These past few months you've either been abroad or working late at the Ministry, and when your holidays finally start, I've hardly paid attention to you. All I could do was talk Harry's ear off about how he's doing, and how Ginny's pregnancy is going..."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Ron replied, smiling reassuringly. "You... you just caught me off-guard, that's all." Pause. "Besides, I'd quite like to hear about how my sister is doing myself. I can't believe she's -" He cut himself off. "I mean... I... still... can't believe she's going to... have a baby... soon!"

Hermione grinned, and seemed to relax. "Truth be told, I can't, either. And before us! I always thought you and I would be the first to have a child... I mean, didn't you?"

"Huh?" Ron blinked, incredulous. He swallowed hard. The idea of being married had been a shock at first, but now the talk of having babies, children of his own, was a little too much for his still-sixteen-year-old self to take in.

She gave a sort of understanding sigh. "Yeah, I know. You said you wanted to wait, because things with the Aurors have been so busy lately..."

Ron nodded meekly, and tried to think of a response. What in the world am I supposed to say? I can't... I mean, I'm not supposed to be here at all, and if Hermione asks... I can't... I shouldn't... I mean, it wouldn't be right... Then a thought hit him. Something that Harry had said earlier that day, about the Aurors.

"Y-yeah," he said suddenly. "With the Ministry giving us all of those... ambassador assignments... I don't know when things are going to settle down, when I'll be able to be home... more often." Pause. "I wouldn't want... to be away from you."

"I know, I wouldn't want you to, either," Hermione replied, giving a small smile. "So I guess I can wait... a little longer, I mean... because I know it'll be worth it."

Ron smiled back and nodded, not knowing what else to say. A long stretch of silence filled the room then, seeming to end the conversation.

Hermione moved away from him a few minutes later and over to the sink, where the recently washed dishes were sitting in the drying rack. "What time is it?" She asked, pulling out her wand.

He watched her bewitch the now-clean dishes, and as he watched them fly across the room and into the cabinets and drawers where they belonged, he noticed the pair of wall clocks hanging above the sink. One resembled the clock that hung in the Burrow's kitchen; the other read the normal time.

"Just after four," he said simply. He was still watching her, only her back was to him again, and she now moved quite wordlessly. "Are we going somewhere?"

"Oh, no," Hermione replied. "Not unless you want to."

"No, that's okay..." Ron said lightly and leaned back against the doorway, crossing his arms. "It's still early, though. Is there anything you want to do? Do you just want to spend the rest of the day home?"

She finally turned around again, a pleasant look on her face. "Well, yeah. If that's all right with you."

He smiled. "Why wouldn't it be? It's my holidays, isn't it? So much free time!"

"Yeah, a whole week," Hermione said. The dishes were all put away; she was closing the cabinet doors with her wand now. "Is there anything special you want to do with it?"

Ron reached over for Hermione's free hand, and as he clutched it, she lost her concentration; half of the cupboard doors still hanging open. "Being with you is enough for me."

"Are you sure?" She replied, smiling impishly. "Tomorrow's the dreaded beginning of the week - Monday. I've got to be at the bookshop in the morning. You'll have to find some way to entertain yourself while I'm gone."

"Yeah, I guess so," the redhead grinned, letting go of Hermione's hand to wrap his arms around her waist instead. He relished being able to hold her so close, like he'd wanted to for so long. If I ever get back, I'm not going to keep my feelings from her anymore. I'm not going to be afraid anymore, he thought. Out loud, "But... why don't I meet you for lunch? I'll take you to the Three Broomsticks. It'll be just down the road."

"I'd love that." Hermione beamed at him, and then glanced back around at the kitchen. "Oh, stars. Half the cabinets still open." Her wand was still out, and with one flick of her wrist, they all swung closed. "I'm kind of tired, from brunch and everything," she said suddenly, turning back to Ron. "You wouldn't mind if I took a nap, would you?"

He shook his head. "Of course, I wouldn't! You've been up all day, you deserve a rest."

Hermione smiled and leaned in, and this time Ron met her halfway, their mouths capturing each other and kissing, gently. Ron felt Hermione's fingers curling at the nape of his neck, and he smiled through the kiss. It almost felt as if she were melting into him.

It ended several moment later, much like the same way the kiss she had given him that morning had, Hermione's eyes shining. Silently she slid out of his grasp, and disappeared through the kitchen door. Ron stood against the baseboard, watching her as she walked down the hall and into the front room, turned and then went upstairs.

"I love you."

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The next morning came quickly, making the events from the day before feel very much like a blur. As Ron rolled over in the four-poster double bed, it was dark, and he wasn't sure where he was at first. As he drowsily sat up, he realized that the curtains around the bed had been drawn. He sighed.

"Oh, good. It was just a dream. I'm back in the dormitory, It's still sixth year at Hogwarts, and I'm definitely -"

But as got out of the bed and pulled back the curtains, " - still in the future."

Ron sighed, stood up, and started across the room towards the closet. "What am I going to do?" He said wearily. "How am I supposed to have a job, or a wife, if I'm not even -"

He abruptly turned back towards the bed, the thought of her striking him immediately. "Hermione?" He exclaimed, yanking the bed's curtains back, yet only revealing the empty bed.

"Oh... the bookstore...right..." He mumbled, the memory of yesterday afternoon's events seeping into him. "But wait! I told her I'd meet her for lunch! What time is it?" Ron stole a glance at the bedroom clock. The hands indicated that it was just after 11 AM.

Quickly Ron changed out of his pajamas, and grabbed the first thing he saw in the closet, some blue robes. He hastily got dressed, and as he ran a fast comb through his hair, glancing in the mirror hanging over the dresser, he spotted, on top of the bureau, a wand. It has to be mine, Ron mused, and picked it up, stashing it away in his pocket. Shooting another look at the clock, he breezed out of the bedroom towards the stairs. He'd just made it to the landing before he stopped, and took a few steps backwards.

The door to the right was ajar, and something inside caught his eye. Ron carefully pushed the door open all the way, and looked inside.

For the most part, it appeared to be just another bedroom in the house, but it was empty, save for a few boxes scattered here and there. The carpet seemed to have been recently removed, as well, as small pieces of lint and carpet littered the hardwood floor.

Ron's brow furrowed in confusion, but then his rational mind kicked in. Of course I'm not going to know what's going on, he thought with a sigh, closing the door, and then continued heedlessly down the stairs. It occurred to him then, as he paced through the front room, that Ron wasn't entirely sure how he was going to get to the bookshop to meet Hermione. He was positive that his twenty-six-year-old self must've known how to Apparate, but Ron at sixteen certainly hadn't the faintest.

He wandered into the hallway, still thinking about how he was going to get to Hogsmeade, as he turned into the kitchen. Maybe Hermione left a note or something, he wondered, pushing open the door and stepping into the room. But the moment he did, his eyes fell upon the fireplace, and it came to him.

"Floo!" He exclaimed, rushing over to the hearth. "Of course!" He ran his hands over the bricks, and a few moments later, found what he was looking for. On the side of the fireplace, a small vase was mounted, filled with glittery powder. Ron grinned and pulled out his wand.

"Incendio," he uttered, pointing the wand at the fireplace, and immediately a burst of flames appeared in the pit, crackling merrily against the hearth. Quickly Ron snatched a pinch of the Floo Powder and tossed it into the fire. Without a second thought he stepped into the flames, shouting, "Hogsmeade!" as clearly as he could.

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To Be Continued...