Although he was still several minutes early, Ron was the last of the trio to arrive in the briefing room the following morning. Harry was sitting at the head of the table sifting through the case file, while Hermione had several sheafs of blank parchment laid out in front of her as she absently nibbled the end of a quill. Instantly, he was back in the library at Hogwarts, more intently studying her than he had ever done his books. Shaking the thought, he took a seat next to Hermione and passed her the coffee he'd brought. She smiled at him and lifted the lid slightly to sniff it. "Hazelnut, two creams, no sugar," Ron promised.

"You remember," she said, though she sounded more pleased than surprised.

" 'course. What kind of fiancé would I be if I didn't?" Ron teased.

At the end of the table, Harry rolled his eyes. "Regretting this suggestion already. Where's mine?"

Ron shrugged unapologetically and sipped at his coffee. "You've got your own wife. Have her bring you coffee."

Harry sighed and slid two thick folders down the table to Ron and Hermione. "The man we think is in charge is Alfonso Berisha. He wasn't a Death Eater in the traditional sense on the first go-round, but he was definitely a sympathizer. We believe he's using this resort to pull in support internationally."

"He's not British, then?" Hermione asked, flipping through the file.

Harry shook his head. "He's Albanian, but he's been in England on and off since the first war. We think he may have had ties to Voldemort when he was hiding out in Albania, but we haven't gotten anything concrete on him. He was suspected of involvement with several crimes against Muggles in the late eighties, but Albanian authorities were never able to bring charges against him." Ron saw Hermione stiffen slightly and he reached over to give her hand a gentle squeeze. "We're not trying to make a move here, remember," Harry went on, and Ron sensed the warning was more for his benefit than Hermione's. "This is strictly reconnaissance."

"What is it you're looking for? As far as information goes?" Hermione asked, quirking an eyebrow at Harry.

"We need to know exactly what he's planning, who his contacts might be. Especially if he's got any in London."

"Hang on," Ron interrupted abruptly. He already knew the information about Berisha, so instead had flipped to the portion of the file about his cover story. "What kind of a cover name is Dave?" Next to him, Hermione giggled. "Oh, think that's funny, do you?" he asked indignantly, though her laughter was infectious as he turned on her. "What am I to call you, then?"

Hermione turned the pages until she reached the information about her own alias, sending a glare toward Harry. "You think I look like a Chloe?"

Harry took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Listen, I don't write the cover stories. Can we focus on the mission, please?"

"Of course, Harry. Chloe and I are sorry," Ron replied, though he was struggling to keep a straight face as Hermione was now glaring at him.

"How is it you two were less annoying when you were an actual couple?" Harry complained with a roll of his eyes before diving back into the report.

The three of them spent most of the day going over all the information they had compiled on their target, and the information they hoped to gain on the mission. They had just begun discussing their aliases when Harry finally, awkwardly, broached the obvious. "Dave and Chloe are, as you know, engaged."

Ron and Hermione rolled their eyes in tandem. "Yes, Harry, we know," Hermione replied patiently, though with just the faintest hint of annoyance in her tone.

"I'm just saying. You know. Posing as a couple, you two will only have to kiss about a thousand times."

Hermione scoffed as Ron retorted cheerily, "Maybe one of us will die."

He'd meant it as a joke, but Hermione was clearly not amused, turning her indignation on Ron. "You'd rather die than kiss me?" she exclaimed, smacking him on the arm.

"I wouldn't rather die, I'm just saying these are dangerous people, and maybe one of us will die," he replied logically.

Hermione sat back in her chair with a huff and crossed her arms. "Thanks, Ron. Appreciate that."

"Oh, come on, I'm just taking the mickey out of Harry," he said, turning to her imploringly. "Obviously, we'll have to act like a couple. It didn't need saying." Hermione scowled at him, but she turned her attention back to the file without any further comment.

"Uh…" Harry shifted awkwardly in his chair. "Anyway. You'll need a ring, of course. Hermione, do you have anything you could wear as an engagement ring?" Hermione's raised eyebrow and Ron's accompanying snort gave Harry all the answer he needed. "Alright, then, take her down to evidence before you leave tomorrow. I'm sure you can borrow something from there. You shouldn't need any details about wedding plans; you're on this trip to celebrate your engagement, so it's recent. Just make sure whatever you're telling people, if anything, keep it consistent between the two of you."

"We'll keep it simple," Ron promised. "Anything else?"

"Yeah. Ginny wants the two of you over for dinner tonight," Harry said as he gathered his papers together.

"She knows this is not a real engagement, right?" Hermione quipped.

"She knows. But you'll be gone for two weeks, she just wants to give you a proper send-off. And I was told not to take no for an answer."

"But I've still got to pack," Ron protested.

Hermione sighed. "Ron, we leave tomorrow."

"Yeah, and I only just found out I was going yesterday."

"No, I only just found out I was going yesterday. You've known for a week at least."

"Yeah, well, I didn't know who I was going with."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I wouldn't want some poor girl I barely know to see me in my old ratty Cannons pyjamas, now would I?"

"Oh, but I get the old ratty pyjamas. I see how it is." Hermione's tone had turned teasing, so Ron figured he could get away with what he said next.

"Nah, may as well not even pack pyjamas with you coming, I'll just sleep starkers. Nothing you haven't seen before."

"Oi!" Harry interjected, as Hermione flushed pink. "Save the dirty talk for your vacation." Harry stood and grabbed his file."Or, shit, at least wait until I'm out of the room," he muttered as an aside. "Dinner's at seven."

Ron wasn't sure what exactly to pack for a beach vacation, other than a ton of sun potion, so he pulled his summer clothes out at random and threw them into a suitcase. Hermione had probably packed meticulously, as she always did. He couldn't stop thinking about their conversation that afternoon during the briefing. It was odd, really, how much Hermione would flirt with him now, and how much she accepted in return. They'd spent so much time in their youth hiding their feelings for each other, and then so much of their relationship had been in the post-war trenches of grief that there hadn't been time for lighthearted banter, but ever since they had broken up, their communication had evolved into something entirely different. And yet, it still served as a wall that held in their actual feelings for one another.

Then there was what Harry had said. Obviously, Ron knew that they would have to act like a couple, but he hadn't stopped to give much thought to what exactly that would entail. What would it be like to kiss Hermione again after all this time? He was, quite honestly, terrified, but also eager to find out.

Once he felt satisfied that he had packed enough for two weeks, Ron zipped the suitcase shut and banished it to his office at the Ministry, where they would depart from shortly before lunch tomorrow. It was only six-thirty, but he was sure Harry and Ginny wouldn't mind him coming over a bit early, so he went ahead and Flooed to Grimmauld Place, only to hear Hermione's laughter ringing up from the basement kitchen. "Ron? That you?" Ginny called up the stairs.

"Yeah, it's me." Ron stepped into the kitchen and took the glass of wine Hermione passed him. "Thought you said seven?"

"I just came over early to borrow a couple of things from Ginny for the trip," Hermione replied. "Get all your packing done?" Ron nodded. "Pyjamas too?" she teased.

Ron grinned. "Guess you'll have to wait and see."

"What are—" Ginny started, but Harry cut her off.

"Don't ask."

"Master Harry!" Kreacher scurried down the stairs into the room. "You have, I believe, a boggart up in the drawing room cabinet."

Harry set his glass down and went to follow Kreacher. "Back in a few," he said to the others.

Ginny turned the wine bottle up over Hermione's dwindling glass, only to find it empty. "Bugger. We started drinking too early." She sighed and chucked the bottle into the rubbish bin. "I'll run out and get another."

"Gin, it's fine, honestly," Hermione assured her, but Ginny was already halfway up the stairs.

"It's just the other end of the block. I'll be right back. Don't let dinner burn."

Ron rolled his eyes as his sister disappeared into the front hallway, followed a moment later by the slam of the front door. Hermione glanced shyly at him and said, "I know it's not a vacation, but I actually am quite excited to do this with you."

He wasn't going to get a better opening than that, he reckoned, and as long as they were alone… "I was thinking," he began. "About...what Harry said earlier."

Hermione looked at him curiously. "What about it?"

"Well, it has been a while since you and I have kissed. Do you think maybe we ought to...y'know, practice, before we go?"

Hermione barked a laugh, but her cheeks were reddening, giving her away. "That's the worst pickup line I've ever heard."

"It's not a line." Ron took a step closer to her. "Just saying, I don't want our cover blown because we have to kiss in public and end up looking all awkward doing it."

"Hmm. I suppose that's true." Hermione drained the rest of her wine glass in one swallow and set it down before moving in front of Ron. "Okay. Practice."

Ron tentatively put one hand on her waist, tugging her closer. Hermione put her hands on his shoulders and giggled. "What's so funny?" Ron asked.

"Oh, I just feel so silly," she replied, laughing harder as she took his other hand and placed it on the other side of her waist.

"Well, see then, aren't you glad we're doing this now, without an audience?" Ron couldn't stop the nervous chuckle that escaped him as well.

"Yes, actually. Yes I am." Hermione took a deep breath to steady herself, and once she looked up at him, all trace of humor was gone from her expression. Ron paused to make sure she was comfortable as she raised onto her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his, softly at first, just a test. When her lips met his the second time, there was no hesitation. Ron kissed her back firmly, his hands sliding around to her back as her hands moved up to tangle in his hair. She was the one to deepen the kiss, her tongue sweeping against his lips, and he opened his mouth to hers, responding in kind. As his hand drifted down of its own accord to slip into the back pocket of her jeans, Ron nearly forgot that this was all for show. It was much, much too easy to get caught up in kissing her, like no time had passed at all.

Hermione broke away suddenly with a gasp and looked up at him, breathing heavily. "Well," she said primly, tugging nervously at the hem of her shirt. "Suppose that won't be a problem for us, then."

"Er, right. No big deal." Ron ran a hand through his hair, attempting to flatten it after Hermione's passionate assault.

"Right."

"Right."

The front door opened again, and Ginny called out, "Told you it'd be quick!" As Hermione moved to pick up her empty glass, decidedly avoiding eye contact with him, Ron found himself hoping that his sister had picked up something stronger than wine. This mission was going to be harder than he thought.