She opened the door to see him leaning against the door frame, red in the face.

"Jeez, Mya! You really need to move into a ground floor flat, or get a lift or something," panted Ron.

Hermione giggled. She reached for her wand, but remembered Harry and Ginny's laughs, and couldn't bear to think what Ron would say. Instead, she took Ron's jacket from him as he removed his hat and ruffled his hair.

They looked at each other, smiled and engaged in a quick hug.

"Come on in," said Hermione, "Can I get you something to drink? Wine, coffee, juice?"

"Coffee, please. It's bloody freezing out there. It's snowing you know," said Ron, rubbing his hands together. Harry and Ginny both stood up when they saw Hermione come into the room, followed by Ron. Harry and Ron hugged briefly and gave Ginny a quick kiss on the cheek. Hermione soon returned from the kitchen carrying Ron's coffee. She handed it to him, then momentarily disappeared into a small side room, returning bearing two beautifully wrapped gifts: one pink, one blue. Upon seeing them, Ron choked on his coffee.

"Oh, Harry, Ginny. I'm so…" Ron started, but was soon cut off by Hermione.

"What Ron's trying to say, is that these are for James and Lilly. From both of us."

They exchanged a look.

Harry and Ginny took the gifts and thanked them.

"Uh, Mya. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yeah, sure."

They stood in the kitchen as Ginny and Harry chatted.

"Thank you so much. I've just had so much to do," Ron said, running his large, strong hands through his floppy hair.

Hermione tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "It's fine. No problem. Honestly,"

They could both feel themselves reddening with embarrassment and feeling: Hermione's cheeks, Ron's ears.

"It's just that the ministry's been so busy recently, things aren't perfect with Katie."

Even the name made Hermione feel a sudden jealousy. Ron and Katie Bell had started going out 2 years ago. After going out with both of the twins for a bit, she ended up with to the youngest Weasley boy.

"Oh? What's wrong?" Hermione enquired, trying to disguise her feelings and sound concerned.

"Oh, I dunno. It's just that, I feel kind of trapped, you know?"

"I know," she said. She completely understood where he was coming from. She had never really liked Katie. Yes, a big part of it was because Ron was "hers", but, she was just a bit too perfect for Hermione's liking. And she'd always taken Ron away from them a bit. Especially at the beginning. He always seemed to be out with her, never at the usual fort-nightly gatherings.

"I'm thinking of breaking up with her,"

"What, seriously?" Hermione asked, genuinely interested. Ron and Katie had had hundreds of fallings out, but never a proper break-up.

Ron rubbed the back of his head. "I don't feel like I love her anymore. And she's such a pain about work, you know, 'cause she gets really irritated if I'm late and stuff. And when I'm with her I never see that much of you guys. And I've started to have these feelings…"

For you he thought.

"…that I…want to…you know, just try being alone for a bit."

Hermione didn't know what to feel: happiness that Ron was breaking up with her? Or disappointment that he hadn't thought about her?

Luckily, they were both saved from that awkward moment of being lost in thought with each other by a crash. Their eyes met, and they simultaneously ran through to the living room.

"Ginny?" Hermione called anxiously.

"I'm sorry, Mya," she replied, slowly bending down to pick up one of the packages, "I was trying to see what it was." Colour rushed to her cheeks as she stood, embarrassed.

They all laughed, glad to be all together.

"Dinner's ready," Hermione said, waving her wand gently behind her back, bringing plates of piping hot food to the table instantly.

They followed her into the dining room, and all began to enjoy a perfect meal, expertly prepared.