DISCLAIMER: see chapter 1 for complete disclaimer. Thanks!


Chapter 12: Let's Fly

Oh, promise me that some day you and I
Will take our love together to some sky
Where we can be alone and faith renew,
And find the hollows where those flowers grew…
Clement Scott (1888)


The sun has completely set. It has been four days since Ron last saw Hermione and his conscience was starting to fade. Having heard Hermione call to him, pleading for him to take her…it's very clear that she loves him still. And of course there's no question on his love for her. Would it really matter if they sin over their love? Would it really be a sin to fight for love? He was once told that when he finds true love, he must take care of it and fight for it. He only needs to give it up if the person he loves will be happier in the arms of someone else. Obviously, that wasn't the case with Hermione. Perhaps it's the work of fate—to have them together again. But a voice on his mind would interrupt, It's wrong. He was becoming more and more confused and without really thinking, Ron disappeared by apparition and found himself seconds later to the terrace of Viktor and Hermione's room.

"How could you leave just like that?" Hermione bellowed hoarsely as soon as Ron appeared before her. She was sitting on the edge of the bed facing the glass door of the terrace as if she had been expecting him. Her eyes were bloodshot from days of crying.

Ron was startled for a second. He felt his heart tinge at the sight of Hermione's state. He gradually stepped forward and pushed the glass door open. He was surprised to find it unlocked, "How did you know I was coming?" he asked impulsively with a soft tone as he walked his way towards her.

Ron cowered before her and she dropped her crimson eyes at him. "I didn't" she answered between sobs. "I wouldn't be crying like this if I knew."

"But you're here," he pointed at her position like she wasn't aware of it. "…and you left the door open." he finished. Ron was not really sure why he's even asking such question. Maybe because he felt overwhelmed with the thought that she was waiting for him all along, and he wanted her to confirm that.

Hermione didn't disappoint him, "I was praying you'd come back…but I was losing hope." She cried even more.

Ron felt blameful. For the millionth time, he regrets and hated himself for choosing Auror training over Hermione years back. If not for his selfishness, none of these would probably have happened. He brought his hands to her face to wipe her tears, "I'm sorry. Please don't cry anymore."

Hermione caressed Ron's cheeks; she was starting to calm down but was still trying to catch her breath, while tears remained uncontrollable. "Take me away. With you. Let's start a new life."

"Hermione…" Ron started with a pleading tone but Hermione didn't let him continue.

"Ron, I can't live with someone else when I know you're around." She beseeched.

It's wrong,said the voice on his mind again. The next thing Ron heard was his own voice blurting out, "I won't be around."

"Take me, or I'll run away." Hermione answered forebodingly. Her stare was hard and Ron knew she meant it.

"You'll drive them crazy!" he argued. Deep inside he wanted to hug her and they'll apparate to somewhere…anywhere.

Hermione stood up and backed away from Ron, "You did so too when you went missing." She accused.

Ron stood up but didn't walk to Hermione. There he stood opposite her with about five feet distance. "It's different." He examined her almost swollen face as disappointment crawled into it. "It's not like I planned to do it." he mumbled.

Hermione looked outside the terrace, up to the sky. She had suddenly stopped crying. She sniffed for one last time and swallowed hard. "I'm sick of my life." she stated with a trembling voice. For a moment, Ron thought she was going to bawl again, but the liquid didn't fall. Her words didn't fail to pierce through him though even when he thought he could never hurt more as his heart had already been crushed to pieces.

It was a long silence while Ron debated to himself. Finally, he spoke in a casual tone, "Willing to dare for a broomstick ride?"

Hermione turned to him. Her distressed expression was now mixed with perplexity. "Huh?" she said as she arched an eyebrow.

"Let's fly." Ron offered keeping his tone.

"I'm afraid of heights." She answered almost inaudibly.

Ron beamed at her mischievously. "Hey, Seekers aren't the only ones who have the moves! C'mon! I'm a good flier too."

The change of atmosphere made Hermione relieved. She considered for a moment, "You've always been a reckless flyer." A faint smile formed on her lips. She remembered the times in the past when Ron would insist on taking her for a ride and threatening to try a wronski feint whilst she's on the broom with him. She never had let him though. And as much as she wanted for Ron to take her right then, she much preferred for them to go by apparating.

Having read her reaction, Ron said, "Too bad then, I'll only take you if you'll fly with me."

Hermione frowned. "You're kidding. You can't be serious, Ron." He merely shook his head, and Hermione understood that he was not joking. That didn't stop her from trying to make excuses though, "Besides, you don't even have a broom with you."

"No. But someone from this house definitely has." He gave her another lopsided grin. "Accio broom!" Ron barked and within a flash, a broom flew from one of the closets to Ron's hand. His playfulness made the feeling so familiar.

Hermione felt like she was taken back to the past when she and Ron were young and carefree and so much in love. She watched Ron mount the broom and shortly walked to him. When she was about to get on behind him, Ron slid backwards and prompted her to take the space before him. Hermione thought of protesting but Ron had already taken her hand and she instinctively obeyed his gesture. As they ascended higher in the air, Hermione closed her eyes. Her feet felt very light and her face felt numb with the cold wind against it. She heard Ron whisper, "Look, it's beautiful." His deep voice, his strong chest behind her, his soft yet assuring touch on her arms, his warm breath at the back of her neck…these all gave Hermione the feeling of security. Slowly, she opened her eyes and below, saw millions of lights from the city. It was like the stars, only it looked a lot closer, bigger, and even shinier. She looked above her and there, the tiny stars still far from her reach but even far more beautiful than the city lights. She savored the air, the moment. She was in heaven. Ron was too.

"We're going down now." Ron said, "I'm going to do wronsky feint." He warned with the widest grin he had put on for years.

"Don't you dare, Ronald!" Hermione called as her grip tightened to the broom.

Ron felt her stiffen. He was just playing on her of course and wasn't really going to do the dangerous move. Still, he made sure they'd fly down with more speed than when they rose up. At first Hermione was shrieking her lungs off but relaxed after a few seconds. She enjoyed their flight so much that as soon as they landed she asked disappointedly, "What are we doing here so early?"

But it wasn't early as it was already ten o'clock in the evening. "I suppose we could do with a rest." Ron said lovingly as he gently ran his hands to her brown bushy hair—which by then had looked really insane what with the wind and their speed from their trip.

Hermione moved from Ron shyly and started to comb her hair with her hands. "Are you staying for the night?" she asked in a hopeful tone.

"I can't." Ron answered half-heartedly

Hermione stopped and looked at Ron questioningly. "You said you're taking me."

Ron reached for Hermione's hands and pulled her close. "I'll come back tomorrow. I promise." He said as he tucked some strands of her behind Hermione's ears.

However, she returned this with a suspicious look, "You're not going to be around anymore."

Ron furrowed and smiled. "When was I ever not around you when I had the chance?"

"Just recently." She answered matter-of-factly whilst she unconsciously scrutinized his freckly faced. She missed him so much.

Ron started. "Oh, I was." He said with confidence. "You just don't see me as I was in hiding."

Hermione sighed. "Your family clock..." she pointed at the Weasley clock (which had grown branches of other clocks to include the families of each of the married Weasley kids) by a table beside the bed that Ron had not noticed until then.

"...never lies." The red head finished in defeat. "I tried to avoid you." his eyes gave a hint of regret, and suddenly he lit up. "But look, I'm here again. I was here long before you found me. I thought it was wrong…" he was thoughtful for a moment, and hesitated "…and well, morally, it's still is…But nothing else matters anymore." he gave her an assuring smile.

"If you don't come back?" she answered with a query.

"That means I died a sudden death." Ron stated simply, but this made his companion shudder.

"Ron! Don't joke like that!" she slapped his chest but not that hard.

"You know that won't happen. I'll be here tomorrow."

"What time?" she demanded.

Ron grinned in response. "Won't tell. I love surprising you. Rest and make sure you have enough energy for tomorrow."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Didn't I just say I love surprising you?" With this both knew the conversation was over. He planted a kiss on her lips and apparated back to his room at Memo's place in Ireland. He moved sneakily as he prepared to sleep. This was of course, for the reason that Memo had warned him numerous times to not meet Hermione again and he promised her he would stay away for good. He was sorry to have broken his word to her but he at that moment, all Ron knew was that he had never been so happy for the pas years. He doubted if he even could get some sleep. He contemplated on waiting for the sun to shine when he could sneak out again to spend the day with Hermione, but he reckoned he would need to be awake once he's with her so he closed his eyes and prayed that he would dream of her.

"We're here!" Ron called as their feet landed on the ground.

Hermione looked around. Her eyes were not playing tricks on her. She and Ron landed on a wide field of grass. She wondered what they were doing there but at the same time, marveled at the sky above them where the sun was shining extra brighter with the clouds as blue as Ron's eyes. She inhaled deeply. "Ron, what are we supposed to be doing here?" she asked calmly.

"I am here to teach." He said pointing at himself proudly. "You," he shifted his finger to point at her, "on the other hand will learn."

Hermione arched an eyebrow. "Why don't I like the sound of that?"

Ron nodded as he faked a scowl. "Right, what could I, Ron Weasley, possibly teach Hermione Granger, cleverest witch of our age, that she still doesn't know?"

Hermione raised her nose in the air with a smirk, "Big of a question, that is."

Ron lifted his right hand to his head and pointed to the side of his forehead as if trying to come up with a clever idea "She knows about everything...except...?" he prodded at her to fill the blank.

"Cooking?" Hermione answered uncertainly.

Ron's eyes widened in disbelief, "You don't cook! Oi, you've got to learn, you know I have a big appetite."

Hermione shrugged, "I cook, but not good cooking. I cook for the sake of having something to eat." She smiled at him.

Ron bit his lip, "Well, that won't pass with me. You have to learn good cooking. Are you even a muggle?" he teased.

"Hey, in the muggle world, we have a thing called "deliveries"." She retorted.

"We have that too in here, but I like eating home-cooked best." He informed.

Hermione suddenly became curious. "Does Memo cook good home food?"

But the clever Ron Weasley has the response she wanted "Even if she does, I'm not gonna spend the rest of my life with her, would I?"

Hermione felt heart swell. "And because that was a good answer, I'll start studying good home cooking as soon as I get home."

"In the meantime, you also 'ought to learn flying." The tall red head man was holding the broom up in the air for emphasis.

"I can fly." Hermione said defensively.

Ron couldn't help a chuckle. "Hermione, you can elevate up to at least twelve feet high, and circle around a space having the width of a front or back yard. That's not flying." He nodded at her direction.

Hermione flipped her brown hair from her face. This revealed her sudden pink cheeks. "Anyway, I'm better off riding or apparating, or traveling by floo. I can even tolerate muggle world's traffic jams...it really isn't necessary."

"It is necessary." Ron pressed, enjoying the look of his girlfriend as if scandalized. "You see, when we get everything in place, me and Harry..."

Hermione sighed. "Harry and I, Ron." She pointed to correct him. Honestly, when is he ever gonna remember that!

But he merely rolled his eyes, "...Harry and I--it's the same thing. Point is, the two of us would buy a Quidditch pitch..."

Her brown eyes widened to a sudden realization. "Hold on a second! You're not just teaching me to fly, aren't you?"

He gave her another grin, "Flying is the first lesson, after that it's Quidditch basics."

"Ron…" she tried to protest but he cut her off.

"Hermione, Krum stealing you from me is unforgivable. Having married you and not even teaching you his sport is another. I can't believe at one point in my life I actually admired the git as a Quidditch player." He said scornfully.

Hermione shook her head violently, he thick hair bouncing with it. "There's no way I'm gonna play such violent sport."

"Oh, come on! It's not like I'd let you die over a game."

"There's no point, Ron..."

"Of course there is."

She crossed her arms before her chest. "What, then? If you give me one logical reason, I'd try my best to learn this rubbish..."

He looked hurt, "Hey! watch your word. I love this rubbish."

"This sport."

Ron cleared his throat. "Well, I was thinking of you and me one day doing all the stuffs together like before--not just arguing, you know, maybe we could clean our house together like how we did in Grimmauld Place. Or we'd cook together, degnome the garden...I dunno, all the stuffs, fun stuffs, weird stuffs..." his ears were slowly turning red and the color crept down his neck. "…then when we have kids we'd take care of them together, play with them, teach them...when they're at school we'll work together, we might get bored so we'll play chess, or...or?" he raised an eyebrow at Hermione prodding her again to fill in the blank.

"We'll read together?" she finished with an innocent tone.

Ron spared a nod at the idea, "Yeah, that too! We'll read the Quibbler together, or we could..." he waited for her answer again.

"We could also read educational pieces, good novels? Oh, oh! Are you finally going to read Hogwarts: A History?" Hermione said in an excited tone.

The smile on Ron's face disappeared. "That too?"

Hermione frowned. "What's wrong with that?"

"Well, I just...it feels like I've read it already, you know, how you always refer to it."

Hermione didn't argue, "Fine. But will we knit together? re-build S.P.E.W. together?"

Ron was now thoughtful. Did he really say all the stuffs! "Hmm…I suppose we can knit together. I thought you gave up spew?"

"Well, it's still wrong, you know, enslavement."

"But they're happy."

"Because they don't fully understand the situation they were put into."

"All right, maybe we can discuss about that sometime…" He finally said in defeat. "But, we can also…?" When Hermione didn't answer (actually, she knew what Ron wants to hear but was having fun watching Ron nodding at her with encouraging smile), "We could also play Quidditch!"

"So today's about learning how to fly?"

Ron nodded with utmost enthusiasm. "Exactly!"

Hermione smiled inwardly. She was willing to learn Quidditch. Ron was right. Someday, they'll be doing all thing together…everything that each of them love…honestly, she can't wait for that day. "Still, you should've at least told me, I could have brought my books..."

At that, Ron chortled. "Have I told you, I missed you?"


AUTHOR's NOTE: It was fun writing each other. I'm a big fun of fluffs and I thinks that's what this whole chapter was…anyway, Ron and Hermione back at each other's arms…The sin begins…more to come! Please review. Thanks in advance.