Ron awoke but did not want to open his eyes. He knew the minute he did he would see the damp, dreary walls of his cell. He wanted to live in this dream, the dream where he was finally home with his family and, more importantly, in bed with his wife. Ron thought that if he could just stay there a little longer and hold on to what it felt like to have his wife in his arms again he would be able to make it through the day. As he focused on that thought he still could feel Hermione's arm over his waist and smell her perfume. This jolted him from his thoughts, forcing his eyes open he blinked at the sight before him. He really was home. His wife really laid beside him her eyes closed in peaceful sleep and her soft lips turned up in an angelic smile. He let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. It hadn't been a dream. His mind went through the events of yesterday and he was so grateful that it was all real. He was home, in his own bed, his wife next to him. It was all real.

He felt like he could lie there for hours, watching Hermione sleep. He never remembered her looking so at rest and so content with life. She was beautiful. A growling stomach forced Ron to the realization that he needed to get out of bed and find something to eat. Carefully removing Hermione's arm from around his waist, he lightly brushed his lips over her knuckles and slid out of bed. He shrugged into his robe and walked quietly across the room to the door. Looking back at his wife he softly whispered, "Soon, 'Mione, soon I'll be able to love you like you deserve again. I promise"

He took his time walking the hall from their room to the head of the stairs, slowly rediscovering all he had forgotten. He took in all the new things she had bought here and there, while he was gone. He hated to think of those days he was being held away from her, how he had to endure feeling her heartbreak for him each day. He tired so hard to put the thoughts behind him, but it seemed it was the only thing he could think of. "I'm going to make it up to you Hermione, I will." He said to himself.

Shaking his head he continued walking the hall. There was a new piece of artwork hanging at the top of the stairs. It was a Quidditch Pitch. Ron smiled, "She would" he thought to himself. Before he was taken hostage, Ron had wanted to buy this piece. Hermione had told him she wanted something more practical. They fought all the way home over the artwork. It had only been a week before he was taken. How silly the argument seemed to him now. They never had made a decision but he was glad to see that she had gone and gotten it for him. Ron studied the picture a little closer and noticed that she had, had the artist add to the picture, there floating on a broom was a player, a remarkably red headed player.

He had started to walk down the stairs on his way to the kitchen when he heard a sob come from the bedroom. He turned quickly around and ran back down the hall only to find Hermione exiting the room calling his name in a frightened voice.

"Ron, where are you. Ron?"

"I'm right here Hermione. I'm right here." He caught her in his arms when she flung herself into him when she reached him.

"I thought I had been dreaming, I thought you were gone again and it had all been a dream." She said the tears now flowing. "I didn't know what to think Ron. I had that dream so many times and when I woke up and you weren't there I thought that yesterday wasn't real, I thought it was only a dream. A dream."

"I didn't want to wake you. I was just going to look around the house and make some breakfast before you got up."

"You scared me."

"I am sorry, luv. I didn't mean to. You looked so peaceful lying there and I just needed to get up and move around. I needed to explore and find things again, everything just feels different. I just need to get used to it all again."

"It's ok, really. I guess I understand, it was just that there were so many mornings I woke up feeling you remembering what it felt like waking up in your arms only to find you gone. Then this morning I woke up and was just enjoying the feel of your arms not really asleep but not awake either, then when I turned to say good morning to you, you were gone. I was so afraid it was that dream all over again." Hermione said her head resting on Ron's chest still holding him close, tears falling down her cheeks.

"I'm here now, it's all real and I am never letting you go again," he said pulling her away from him a bit and looking down at her. "You, Hermione Weasley are stuck with me for life." Ron grinned at the small smile that was spreading across his wife's face and he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Why don't you go back to bed? I'm just going to go down and get a piece of toast and sit in the living room a bit. We had a rough day yesterday and we could both use the rest."

"No, I'm up now. I'll just go down and get us some breakfast. I've missed cooking for you. I think I'll pull out that cookbook Mum gave us and I'll find that recipe for waffles you like so well."

"Sounds great. I'll be down soon." Ron said as he squeezed her hand and watched as she walked down the stairs and turned towards the kitchen.

As he continued down the stairs he looked at the new pictures hanging on the wall. In each Hermione was pictured with members of the family. She looked as beautiful as always but Ron noticed one thing as he kept looking, closely observing the pictures- her eyes. She was smiling but her eyes, her eyes were full of sadness. Nothing pained him more than seeing that look in her eyes and remembering what he felt from her while he was missing. He hated knowing that he was the cause for part of that sadness. He continued walking down the stairs taking in the other pictures, pictures of his nieces and nephews and avoiding the eyes of his wife. Finally, he reached their stair and he looked to the familiar picture that always had been there. It was of their wedding day, a random shot the photographer had taken while waiting for the others members of the party to all get there, he and Hermione were standing staring into one another's eyes holding hands totally oblivious to what was going on around them which included the twins hexing Percy's punch glass every time he tried to take a sip. It was their favorite picture from the wedding so they had placed it here where they could be reminded of that moment they were sharing whenever needed. He quickly took the final few steps and made his way to the kitchen. As he pushed the door open he smiled at the sight before him. Hermione stood studying the cook book intently as she stirred the waffle batter, she was mumbling something about crazy ingredients. Ron casually leaned himself against the door frame and continued to watch her, why she refused to use magic in the kitchen was beyond him but he found it quite cute to watch her fret so.

"Do you need any help?" he asked still leaning in the door way.

She looked up and smiled at him, "No, I think I've got it now. Take your coffee there and go rest in the living room." He picked up the coffee she had nodded to with her head and left smiling as he heard her quietly mutter a spell he knew she thought he couldn't hear.

He made his way to the living room taking his surroundings back in, finally settling himself on the sofa. He took a sip of his coffee and looked around the room. He nodded as he took in the room, of course it would be exactly as I left it, he thought to himself. He looked over by their reading chairs nestled around the big window and saw the book he had been reading all those years ago still laying over the arm of the chair. He saw the scrapbook he had made for her their first Christmas on the coffee table. He set his coffee down and then picked the book up starting to look through it. As he flipped through the pages he couldn't stop the grin spreading across his face. These were some of his favorite memories. Times that he had clung to while he was imprisoned, the times that so often helped him through the pain. Each picture he looked at seemed to brighten him more, he really was home. Continuing to flip he landed on a picture that he couldn't help but chuckle at. He loved this picture. It was a snap shot of the moment that started it all. Her hair was flying all over, he was as red as a tomato both were screaming at each other, but their eyes held so much more between them besides anger. He looked down and read what he had written on this page, Thank you for reminding me what exactly the point was. He was still laughing when Hermione came in carrying his tray with a plate overloaded with his favorite waffles.

"What did you find so funny in there?" she asked as she set the tray down on the coffee table and settled herself beside him.

"This," he said giving her the book and leaning forward to cut a piece of waffle. Taking a big bite he grinned at her as he chewed. "Mmm, these are perfect 'Mione"

"Thank you, Ron." She looked down at the picture once more. "You know this really is what started it all. Did you know I turned Victor down three times before finally saying I would go?"

"You did what?"

"I turned him down three times. I was so sure you were going to ask me. I never imagined you didn't even know I was a girl."

"Oh I knew you were a girl, trust me on that one. I was well aware of your gender." He smiled up at her and raised his waffle filled fork at her as if toasting her.

"Well if you knew I was a girl why didn't you ask me?" she said still starring at the picture.

"Because I was a boy and dumb." he said pushing his now empty plate back and draping his arm around her. " It's as simple as that. If I could I would go back and do it again."

"I would say no to Victor as many times as it would take, if I could go back now with what I know." She snuggled into him and continued flipping through the pages.

Ron felt more at home than he ever had in the two days he had been back. This is the way it is supposed to be he thought, just me and her sitting here, no worries at all. He pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her head, as they continued looking. Hours passed as they sat there talking about the various pictures and moments in the scrapbook.

"Ron," Hermione said when they had finally put the scrapbook back in its place, "It's about time go back to your parents. We owe them an explanation about last night."

"I know, I know. Let's get dressed and get this over with. I don't want to have to relive it anymore than just this once." He said the dreariness clearly back in his voice. As he walked up the stairs Hermione noticed the droop in his shoulders was back too.