Hello everyone! I hope you are all being safe and healthy during these dark times.

I know, I know, I'm horrible for being absent for YEARS. But! I have now finished my studies and I am now in the process of looking for employment which means I have a bit of down time while waiting for replies from the places I applied to. For the record, I do not recommend doing a master's in a foreign country during a pandemic lol and if anyone would be kind enough to hire me / knows any job opportunities I would be forever grateful lol!

I'm also working on the next chapters for Little Teddy Lupin! I just need a bit more time to write and get back to the rhythm of writing and I'll have an update in no time.

Enjoy this little slice of love and light from me and tell me what you think through a review or a message. I would love to chat!


The meeting with the prefects went on way longer than Hermione Granger thought it should have. More than once she had to get between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw prefects who were heatedly debating whether they should suggest a new menu to the kitchens for the upcoming Halloween feast. The Hufflepuffs were pushing for a more Halloween themed menu with the special inclusion of Jack-o'-lantern pot pies and pumpkin soup in small cauldrons while the Ravenclaws were pretty set on keeping tradition alive by sticking to the Hogwarts' usual Halloween menu of blood red cherry pie and squash soup in little black bowls.

"Well if it isn't broken, why fix it?" a Ravenclaw heatedly argued as a Hufflepuff rolled her eyes. "Change is good, you dolt."

As the head girl, it was her duty to listen to the prefects' suggestions and also mediate when disagreements arose, but sometimes these meetings just seemed so comical to her. Seriously! Fighting over soups and pies! Surely there are more pressing things to talk about than that? But with Voldemort defeated and the feel of celebration still in the air month's after the battle of Hogwarts, it would seem like everyone in the wizarding world had no other choice but to go back to worrying over the most infinitesimal thing on their list. Suddenly everything was a whole lot lighter and the imminent threat of Voldemort vanished into thin air. The wizarding world was back to being the cooky, mental, and carefree paradise that it had been before the dark times, and Hermione couldn't be happier. She finally has the chance to finish her Hogwarts education while both Ron and Harry are undergoing auror training.

Coming to a stop in front of a suit of armor, Hermione bent its right arm towards her and twisted its thumb 5 times clockwise and its pinky 2 times counterclockwise, prompting a steep staircase to appear on the once bare wall beside it. Hermione was still smiling to herself as she made her way towards one of the top towers where the head girl's quarters was located. A few steep steps later and she was finally in front of her door and with a quick tap of her wand was finally in her room.

Hermione completely adores this room. It was just as homey as her old room in the girls' dormitory, the only difference being that instead of the usual 5 beds, there is only one big canopied bed complete with fluffy pillows and warm blankets. High windows dominated the walls and every spare inch that wasn't a glass window was a wall decorated with enchanted banners with the names of former head girls throughout the years. The decor of course was nothing but red and gold and the Gryffindor lion is emblazoned on almost everything. Hermione's favorite spot, however, was the enchanted fireplace facing the bed with a few mismatched chairs and cushions littered just in front of it. She of course added a bit of her touch to the room as she enchanted tiny floating balls of light to suspend from the ceiling and bob around her from time to time, much like little ghosts of light to keep her company.

Hermione let out a yawn as she busied herself picking up random things she knocked over while getting ready in a rush that morning. She was planning on getting some advance reading done for her Ancient Runes class but the meeting seemed to have drained her of what remaining energy she had left. It was almost close to midnight anyway and the light drumming of rain all around her was gently lulling her to sleep. With heavy limbs, she started to get ready for bed.

A couple of times while walking around on her way to the bathroom, she swore she heard something tapping on one of the windows but she dismissed it as the rain which was coming down heavier than before. She was about to extinguish all the lights when she heard the tapping again a couple of feet above her head, this time more forcefully. With squinted eyes she looked up at a wet blob bobbing up and down just outside her window and could just make out a shock of ginger hair through the glass.

"Rmynee lemmein!" The blob shouted through the rain.

"What in the world? Ronald? Ron? What in the hell?" Hermione squeaked as she hurriedly opened the latch on one of the windows to let in a sopping wet Ron Weasley who immediately flew into the room and landed quite ungracefully on the red carpet in front of the fire, the twigs on his broom sticking out in weird places from the force of the wind and rain outside.

"Blimey, Hermione I've been out there since 10. It was so hard to find which tower was yours in this rain without anyone seeing me flying about! Poor owls doing that every single day of their lives just to deliver our stupid letters."

Hermione only looked at him with wide shocked eyes, "What? When? How are you here Ron? Aren't you supposed to be in auror training with Harry? Is everything alright?"

Ron only looked at her sheepishly, "I - uh - can I at least have a cup of hot chocolate before I explain myself?"

Hermione smiled despite her shock, "Oh right of course!" and without another moment's hesitation, Hermione jumped into Ron's arms, not minding at all that he looked like he took a swim in the lake with the giant squid or that he was dripping water all over her carpet. Hermione buried herself further into Ron's embrace as she felt his lips plant a kiss on her head, his arms tightening around her, his broom and rucksack forgotten on the floor.

"I don't think this is how you prepare hot chocolate but I'm not complaining." Ron joked.

Hermione laughed and stayed in their embrace for a couple more seconds before turning her head up into Ron's face with a smile. Ron smiled down at her widely before pressing a kiss onto her still smiling mouth.

"A month is definitely too long without seeing you." Ron whispered.

Hermione couldn't stop smiling as she nodded, "I definitely agree. I don't think the letters are cutting it out for me. They really don't hold a candle to the real thing."

Ron placed his chin on top of Hermione's head and sighed, "I know. Your letters do keep me going though. They remind me of the reasons why I'm - we're - doing this."

Hermione gave Ron a squeeze as she leaned her head back to look into his face once more. "Do you want to take a hot bath first? I'll get you some food and hot chocolate. You need to dry and warm up so you don't get sick."

"You need to do the same! I think I brought in half of the storm when I flew in." Ron laughed while trying to take Hermione back in his arms as she moved away. Hermione only rolled her eyes, "Just take a bath already."

Ron was still laughing as he picked up his rucksack and made his way to the bathroom. "Oh and uh can you kindly ask the house elves to bring us some treacle tarts too? I've missed them a lot."

Hermione rolled her eyes but nonetheless sent a favor to the kitchen for some treats to be brought up to her room. A little less than a blink of an eye later and a quick picnic was set up for the two of them in front of the roaring fire. Hermione had to wrestle a galleon into the house elf's hand for his service but the house elf still disapparated leaving behind the galleon on the floor.

"Kricky is no pay! Kricky is not want pay!"

Hermione sighed and picked up the galleon, she'll just have to deliver it personally to the kitchens some other time.

"Trying to revive S.P.E.W. are we?" Ron laughed coming out of the bathroom now drier than when he arrived.

Hermione only gave him a look and tapped the space beside her in front of the fire, their food all laid out and ready to be feasted on.

"Oh goody, Lamb chops! They really went all out didn't they." Ron murmured excitedly as he sat crossed legged beside Hermione, his knee touching Hermione's in a familiar way. Hermione watched him eat through the food with a smile while drinking her own hot chocolate. Completely content on just listening to all his stories from the past month of auror training.

"And then - and then Harry almost pissed himself when the boggart transformed into mum telling him off for dating Ginny! It was hilarious! You should've seen it, Hermione!" Ron chuckled as he demolished a second slice of treacle tart, "I swear Kingsley was holding in his own laughter! Can you imagine? The boy who lived and killed You Know Who, now afraid of my mum!"

Hermione's tinkering laugh and Ron's chuckles filled the room as the fire continued to keep them warm. The storm outside seemed so far away with Ron's arm around her and her hands gently placed on his right knee. Hermione leaned her head on Ron's shoulder as he placed another small kiss on the top of her head. Hermione could sense that he was about to tell him the reason for his abrupt visit and it looked like this conversation won't be as lighthearted as the previous one about Harry's boggart.

"We were in the French Alps before I came here, learning about tracking animagi and wizards. I don't know why but it felt so much colder than I think it really was. I couldn't concentrate on what we were doing and I couldn't sleep at night either." Ron started in a quiet voice as Hermione squeezed his knee, silently giving him strength.

"I - I think it was because it reminded me of when we were looking for the horcruxes, you know?. I - you saw me back then. You saw how those things got to me, how the pressure and fear and jealousy all got to me. I'll forever be making it up to you and Harry for walking out on the both of you at a time when you needed a friend the most. I think I'll forever be guilty of that, of giving up and being weak when the two of you were nothing but strong for me."

Hermione didn't say anything as she adjusted her place on Ron's lap, now facing him as she hugged him tightly.

"I also keep thinking about George. About how he's doing now that - that - Fred - now that he is alone. I don't think they've ever been apart for more than a few seconds and now he has to face the rest of his life without him. He wrote to me a couple of days ago, updating me about Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. He said everything is going well and that stuff is literally flying off the shelves. He said it's fine and all and that Angelina is helping him cope with everything. He's just having a bit of trouble actually inventing things by himself. He's always had Fred to bounce ideas with. I was thinking of suggesting to him that he should expand his business with products that protect you against the dark arts. He's got the brilliant mind to invent them, it just needs proper execution, you know?"

A pregnant pause followed Ron's words before he swallowed and continued, "These past couple of months haven't been the best for me. There were so many times during training that I kept questioning why I was there. Am I really built to be an auror? Harry for sure is. He's killed the snake bloke and what not, but me? I don't really know, Hermione. But then what and who should I become? I want to be an auror that you're proud of, Hermione. I want to be someone worthy of you, now and in the future when you become the future queen of the wizarding world or something," Ron ended with an awkward laugh.

Hermione opened her mouth to answer but was cut short by Ron's soft whisper, "My boggart changed," he started, "It's no longer a spider. Now, it's you walking away in silence. Just you with your back turned walking away, not looking back. I mean I still don't like spiders but I'm more scared of losing you than facing a stupid spider. I think that's why I needed to come see you today. I wanted to see for myself that you're still here - with me."

Hermione squeezed Ron tighter towards her and nuzzled his chest reassuringly.

"I'm here. I've always been here and I always will be here." Hermione whispered. "You don't have to be an auror to make me proud, Ron. You never have to be anyone you're not just for me. I will always be proud of you and I will always love you."

Ron snorted, "Yeah you say that now but what will happen in the future? What will I tell your parents? Our children? - " Ron stopped abruptly as he caught himself talking about their future children all of a sudden.

"Our children huh?" Hermione smiled as she swore she felt the blush emanating from Ron's whole body.

"You - you love me huh?" Ron stuttered with a choked voice . It was the first time Hermione had said it to him outloud.

Hermione giggled, "Of course I love you, Ronald. Did you really think we were just kissing and cuddling as friends all these weeks?"

Ron remained silent as Hermione continued to giggle, "I know this isn't the right time to be laughing but I really must say I find all of this endearing!"

"I- I'm serious, Hermione! What if I can't be who you want me to be? What if I'm not good enough for you? What if - "

Hermione took both of Ron's red cheeks in her hands and looked him straight in the eye, "I want you to be you, Ronald. No one else. It doesn't matter if you're an auror or a professor or a ministry worker. It doesn't change the fact that you're you and that's all I want."

Hermione breathed deeply and continued, "I want that brave boy who sacrificed himself in wizarding chess all those years ago, that boy who offered Harry and I his home so openly even though he already had 6 other siblings and he had the smallest room, that man who sat beside my bed day and night in shell's cottage while I battled nightmares upon nightmares, that man who has always been there for me through stupid troll fights and deadly curses. I want you and no one else."

It was Ron's turn now to hug her tightly as she rattled on a bit faster now.

"In Malfoy Manor when Bellatrix was - was - was hurting me, I swear I could hear you screaming my name all the way from the dungeons. When I was fighting for consciousness through the hurt and the pain, all that kept me fighting was your voice screaming my name. My only thought was that I need to stay alive for you. How can I give up to the darkness when you were fighting so bravely for me?"

Hermione sighed, "I love you, Ronald Bilius Weasley. Just you. I know who you are to your very core and I love everything there is that is you. Your caring heart and your stupid smile. You were the only person who saw me as someone more than a know it all muggle born trying to prove something to the world. I know it took us a good 7 years to get here but that's just because you were being so bloody stubborn and - "

"I was being bloody stubborn? Merlin! What about you huh? Dancing around with Viktor Krum and Mclaggen! Bloody good looking bastards! I should have hexed their bloody noses off when I had the chance!"

Hermione giggled as Ron fumed, "Oh shut it. They're not here are they? You're the one who's here and you're the one I chose among all those bloody good looking blokes because you're the best looking out of the lot!"

Ron blushed again as he chuckled, "Yeah I guess so. I have been putting on some muscle from auror training."

Hermione leaned her head back and gazed into Ron's red face, an awkward smile gracing his lips.

"You don't have to be an auror, you know. You could be anything you want to be as long as you stay as the Ron I love, as my Ron. I don't care about anything else as long as you stay beside me as my Ron."

She smiled as she squeezed his cheeks together, making his lips pucker comically.

"I am always proud of you no matter what. We have survived so much together ever since we met Harry! We survived a bloody war together! Killed horcruxes together! How can I not be proud of the man you've become? I've seen you grow into who you are today. Into the best man I could ever have the honor of loving. You don't have to be an auror if you don't want to be. You have nothing to prove to me nor to anyone. What's important is that you're here with me."

Ron's adam's apple bobbed as he took in her words, his eyes so tender it warmed Hermione all the way to her toes. For a moment, Hermione pressed her lips to his and they stayed in that embrace for a while before Ron broke the kiss and placed his forehead on hers, his hands holding both her cheeks and her hands placed firmly on his chest.

"I want to be an auror - for Fred. I want to bring in as many dark wizards as I can not just for Fred but for Lupin, Tonks, Sirius, Dumbledore - everyone who died in the hands of dark magic. They deserve the justice I want to bring them," Ron paused, "- but I don't think I want to be an auror for all of my life. I - I don't want to be surrounded by all of the evils of the dark arts forever. I want to be surrounded by love and joy and by you and our children someday. I don't want to keep disappearing for raids every fortnight and miss your birthday. I don't want you up all night worrying about whether I will come home from a mission."

Hermione nodded through Ron's big hands and gave one of his palms a kiss, "We've been fighting the dark arts for such a long time already. Ever since we were 11! I don't want to dedicate my whole life to it," Ron continued, "I used to be jealous of Harry, of how he turns every head whenever he walks into a room, but now that we've had a tiny bit of what it's like to be him, I'm pretty sure I don't want any of it. The fame and the whispers that follow you when you walk through a crowd. It's all so shallow and stupid, isn't it. I just want to live in peace with you, laughing and joking about our incredibly normal day because our lives are incredibly normal and peaceful."

Hermione didn't even notice that her cheeks were suddenly wet with tears. This meant the world to her, this boy who's growing up to be an amazing man in front of her, envisioning his plans for the future with her.

"We will have all of that and more, Ron. So much more. We'll be surrounded by family and love and we'll always be there for each other no matter what. Just as we've always been. You have nothing to fear. Remember what Hagrid kept telling us? What's coming will come and we'll meet it when it does. I know I have nothing to fear as long as you'll be beside me through it all."

Ron smiled and leaned in for a kiss. He was still smiling as he drew back from her, this time with his arms secure around her.

"How long can you stay?" Hermione asked.

"For a week or so, I was hoping you could sneak me some food from the Halloween feast." he replied cheekily.

Hermione only rolled her eyes as she moved to settle more comfortably on his chest for a cuddle but was stopped by Ron's strong arms propping her up. She looked up at him with a questioning look but he only smiled and gave her another peck.

"I love you too, by the way. I keep forgetting to say it."

Hermione blushed despite herself, "It's alright, you've always taken a longer time to realize your feelings. I'm quite used to it really." she replied chidingly.

Ron let out a mocking chuckle, "Very funny, Hermione. For the record, I've known that I love you ever since we were 12 with the whole basilisk stunning stuff. I was just too young to realize what it really meant to love someone yet, but the feelings were always there and they always will be. The only difference is that now I can say it out loud for the whole world to hear and without fear that you would hex my balls off of me in my sleep."

Hermione pinched his side as he continued to laugh, "It's true! Every word!"

Ron gently laid the two of them on their side on the floor, a ghost of a smile still playing on his lips. Stroking her hair he whispered, "I love you. I really do. More than you can ever know, Hermione Granger. Thank you for seeing me for who I am and not for who I think I should be."

Hermione looked into Ron's blue eyes and smiled as she grabbed his callous hand and gave it a kiss. She moved closer to his embrace as Ron took out the deluminator from his pocket and extinguished the lights one by one.

"I love you too, Ronald Weasley and I will continue to say it everyday until it finally gets through that thick ginger skull of yours just how much I do."

Ron chuckled as they embraced in the dark. They fell asleep intertwined with each other, the embers glowing red in the fireplace.


Hermione Granger bounded into the great hall in a rush, her usually immaculate Hogwarts robes were askew and she was missing her red Gryffindor tie. She let out a sigh of relief as she just made it a few minutes before the great hall was being emptied of breakfast. She nabbed a quick croissant from the Ravenclaw's table before she prepared herself to run to the northern tower for her Arithmancy class.

"Stupid bloody git! Making me late! Can't keep his hands to himself!" Hermione mumbled almost inaudibly, her cheeks still red from the rushing and the morning activities with Ron. She left him in her room smirking when she suddenly realized how horribly late she was already.

"I can't believe he's staying for a week! I will be so busy!", even though she was complaining about him, the smile still wouldn't quite leave her lips as she checked her book bag for her quills and parchments.

"Miss Granger, a word if you please." Mcgonagall's words chased Hermione as she made her way out of the great hall.

She turned around and once again attempted to straighten her robes, "Yes headmistress? Is anything wrong?"

"All preparations for the feast are all set I believe? You were able to compromise with the prefects?"

Hermione stood straighter and nodded, giving Mcgonagall a quick rundown of what happened during last night's meeting.

Mcgonagall only nodded, "Good, good, perfect. I expect that no pumpkin soup fights or cherry pie canons between the tables will occur and if there ever is one, you will handle it."

Hermione nodded as Mcgonagall patted her shoulder on her way out of the great hall,

"And oh, Miss Granger. Do tell Mr. Weasley to attend the Halloween feast tonight. I'm sure he would appreciate being let out of that tower for a nice supper."

Hermione blushed right down to her toes as her eyes widened while looking into Mcgonagall's sparkling ones.

"And extend the invitation to Mr. Potter as well. I believe he was sighted in the Three Broomsticks with Ms. Weasley. I hope to Merlin he had chosen a well reputed inn to stay at while he visits her. We don't want the Daily Prophet to get any ideas of camping outside our gates for an interview! Nonetheless, Hogwarts would be delighted to welcome home two of its brave former students."

Hermione only opened and closed her mouth as her face turned red.

"Off with you then, Miss Granger. I'll be expecting Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley tonight!"

With that Mcgonagall walked away with a smile on her face and Hermione all but flew to her Arithmancy class, her cheeks still red and a small giggle threatening to burst out.


Well? What do you guys think? :)

I hope this little story reminds you that you are worthy of all the love in the world just by existing. This story has been in my archive for almost 2 years now and to be completely honest I've forgotten I even wrote it. I randomly saw it today and idk it just made me feel better and lighter. Times are tough for everyone and I haven't been doing well but it's always nice to be reminded that love and goodness exists in the world. May we never forget that or at the very least be reminded of it when we need it the most.

Leave me a review or a message to chat!

Lots of love,

The Malfoys (Viktoria)