-Is that you?-

As Ron sat at a table in the Leaky Cauldron, he kept glancing over at the door that lead out on the muggle street. He had arrived an hour early, purely out of nervousness and had become more and more anxious the closer it came to noon.

Now that it was five minutes to, Ron found himself fixing his newly cut hair in the reflection of a metal water jug. He had tried to dress his best for Hermione, he had changed a lot physically in a short time and he wanted to impress her, so he had gotten a hair cut the day before, and picked out a dark pair of blue jeans and a white cotton t-shirt to wear.

He heard a small bell ring in the direction of the door, and when he turned around he saw a beautiful woman walk into the Leaky Cauldron, wearing a pink, knee-length rain coat. Her brown hair was wet but neatly wrapped up in a loose bun, and underneath the rain coat she was wearing a white blouse and a knee-length black skirt.

Ron hadn't realized who this Venus was, until he noticed all of the luggage she was carrying. His eyes popped out of his sockets and his jaw dropped a bit as he stared at Hermione.

Hermione had just entered the Leaky Cauldron and was happy to be out of the rain. She had underestimated the run from the car to the pub while dragging all of her school things, and was hoping that Ron had a "dry" way of getting them to the Burrow.

She dropped her things on the floor, forgetting about Crookshanks until he hissed. She bent down and placed her face against his cage, whispered "Sorry" and then stood up and searched the pub for Ron.

Her eyes fell on a handsome man who was staring at her a few tables away. He had the weirdest expression on his face, but that's not why she noticed him.

Being the only person, apart from her self dressed in muggle clothing, he wasn't that hard to spot, but it was also his physique that caught her eye. He was quite tall and his exposed toned arms, along with his posture gave Hermione the feeling that he was in pretty good shape.

It wasn't until she noticed his ginger hair did her heart stop.

Ron caught Hermione's eye, saw her expression and was pleased to see that his plan to impress had worked, and it had to be said that he was pleasantly impressed as well.

With a new found confidence, he got up from his seat and strolled over casually with his nervous hands in his pockets and a small grin on his face.

"Hullo." Said Ron when he met up with Hermione. He was trying to look her in the eyes, but she was too busy staring him up and down.

"Whoa … Ron you really look different." She exclaimed.

"Why thanks. And so do you. I almost didn't recognize you, that was until I saw all of your stuff. Couldn't leave anything at home could you?" joked Ron playfully as he nodded over to the pile of bags at her feet.

Hermione looked into his eyes, with raised eyebrows in a playful look of annoyance. Even though he was good looking, Ron hadn't changed a bit on the inside. "So … how are we getting to your house? I have way to many things to apperate and – "

"Don't worry Hermione. Give me some credit, I have thought this through you know." cut-in Ron. He reached down and grabbed three of her bags and nodded towards the same door she had entered. Hermione gave him a questioning look but picked up the remaining bag and Crookshanks' cage and follow Ron back outside into the rainy muggle street.

Hermione followed Ron as he jogged over to a beat up, navy blue 1958 Ford. He popped the truck and placed Hermione's luggage neatly inside, and then he motioned Hermione to the front seat of the car while he placed Crookshanks in the back seat.

When Ron and Hermione were both sitting in the dry car and out of the rain, Hermione turned to him and said, "Oh no. This isn't going to be like that time you and Harry took your father's car to Hogwarts is it? We really can't afford to get into that kind of trouble Ron."

Ron looked at her worried expression and smiled, "Don't worry about it. There is nothing magical about this car, and I'm planning to drive to my house. Yes Hermione, I have a muggle driver's license." He said to Hermione's wide eyed expression.

"Why would you get a driver's license?" asked Hermione. Why would any wizard get one, she wondered.

Ron blushed, he didn't want to admit it, but he had done it for her. He wanted to impress Hermione so badly that he had went through all of the pain-staking paper work and annoying practices just for this day.

Hermione seemed to have read his mind, because she didn't ask anymore questions, and Ron turned over the engine and began the long trip to the Burrow.