AN: Thank you so much for all your lovely words. As always, if you enjoy this chapter let me know, either by leaving me a review or reaching out to me on tumblr. I love chatting about my stories and all your theories! :)

It's time for the Ottery St. Catchpole Junior School disco, and the end of the summer term.

It takes a while for Ron to call a taxi to take Hermione home. She feels terrific in his arms, her body warm and soft against his chest. He wants to prolong the moment for as long as he can, and as his nose nestles closer into her nest of curls, Ron realises he hates the thought of having to say goodbye to her tonight.

When the car finally arrives to collect her, he leans his long neck down to capture her soft lips in one last kiss.

"I don't want to let you go," he admits when he pulls away, his nose brushing against hers.

"I know. It won't be for long, though, right?"

Hermione looks hopeful, but the smile on her face doesn't quite reach her eyes, which are shimmering with tears.

"Only a week. We'll speak again at the disco, I promise."

With a sigh and a nod, Hermione untangles herself from him to pull her coat and trainers back on. After collecting her bag, she lingers on the doorstep just a moment longer. "Night then, Ron."

"G'night, Hermione."

Despite the rain and wind, Ron stays on the doorstep until the car disappears, ignoring the increasing sogginess of his socks. When he's sure he can no longer see Hermione or the taxi, he shuts the door and leans against it, letting relief wash away the residual anger. Their talk could have gone a lot worse. Sure, it was tense in places, but their arguments were passionate. With a small laugh, he realises that they were almost like foreplay, and he's keen to work out the other ways he can turn her on.

Ron pushes himself off the door and heads back into the house, a smile on his face.

⁂

The week following that Sunday is the longest of Ron's life, and he's not even acting dramatic about it. It's as if time is fed up with the whirlwind of planning, arguments and romance the past three weeks have been and is now dragging its heels so it can take a rest. It doesn't help that Hugo has chosen this week to make sure his last five days of Year Three are his most well-behaved, providing no reason for Ron to turn up to the school to get a sneaky glimpse of Hermione. He even does his homework on time without any nagging from Ron.

Although the pace in the restaurant has picked up after the success of the summer fete, it's not enough to run Ron off his feet or keep him distracted from thinking about Hermione.

He's delighted with the way their conversation went, despite the anger. They were open and honest with each other. Of course, hearing what Hermione had to say hurt Ron, but when they said goodbye, a deeper understanding sat in his heart, and he's sure she felt the same.

Ron decided to tell Hermione about his past. She didn't make him do it. Equally, Hermione is an adult and has complete autonomy over what she wants to talk about and share with him. He can't force her or pressure her to disclose her secrets if she's not ready. And now that she's spoken with him, he can understand why she chose not to tell him. Men in the past have burned her, telling her that she's too much or too full on. Of course, she's going to act guarded with the next bloke that comes along.

Ron sees this as a challenge now. He wants to be the man that smashes down those walls and helps her to trust again.

Their conversation helped him realise that his feelings for Hermione might be more than lust, and it pushed him to explore the fury he felt about her secrets and work out how he can use the emotion to move forward. He's keen to strengthen their bond and not let the good work they've begun go to waste.

Still, it sucks that he fell in deep straight away, putting his whole trust in her for her not to feel comfortable doing the same. Ron has always worn his heart on his sleeve, but he needs to realise that it can lead to his downfall if he's not careful.

But he won't let it stop him from acting the way he does. It works for him, and more importantly, it shows Hugo that it's okay for men to feel and that they don't have to be strong all the time.

With such important emotions to explore and decisions to make, Ron should appreciate the time dragging and having space to contemplate what Hermione told him on Sunday night. But Ron has never been the most patient of people. He's desperate for Friday to hurry up. There's only one last chat standing in between them being able to work out the following steps in their relationship and finally determining their future.

Together.

Ron refrains from texting Hermione during the week. She deserves the same respect she's given him and the space to think. This whole situation isn't all one-sided, and he has to remember that Hermione is dealing with a fuck ton of feelings too.

Still, when Friday comes around, and with his mind made up on how he wants to progress with her, Ron can't help but text her as soon as he's opened his eyes.

Good morning, it's the final day of school! ? I hope that everything has gone well this week x

His thumb lingers over the send button, debating whether to tell Hermione how much he's missed her or that he's looking forward to seeing her at the school disco later, but he doesn't want to overstep his mark. Even sending a kiss might be too much. He deletes the small letter before sending the message on its way. There's a fine line between a platonic and romantic relationship, after all.

Throwing his phone back to the bed, Ron stretches his long limbs. As he finishes a loud yawn, Hugo barges into the room with a massive grin on his face.

"It's the last day of school!" he shouts, launching himself onto the bed.

Frowning, Ron sits up in bed. "Wait, didn't you read the letter from Headmistress McGonagall? They've decided to extend the term for another week. The party is next Friday."

"What? No way!" The massive grin on Hugo's face disappears, and he looks like he might cry.

"Nah, I'm only kidding! You survived the whole year in school and your first one in junior school to boot. How do you feel?"

"Amazing." Hugo flops across his uncle's legs. "I've learned about all the things ever. My brain feels like it's going to explode."

"Good! I need you to do well in school, get a good career and earn loads of money. Then I can quit work, and you can pay for everything for me."

"No way, that's not my job!"

"Yes, it is," Ron persists. "That's the perks of guardianship. I look after you. Then you look after me."

"I'm going to ask Miss Granger when I get to school, 'cos I don't believe you."

Ron ruffles Hugo's hair with a laugh. "You can try, but she'll only back me up. Are you excited about the disco later? It's been a while since I've gone to a school party. Tell me what to expect."

Hugo rolls onto his stomach and looks up at his uncle as he thinks. "Albus says you have to snog a girl at the end of the disco. He's not lying because James told him, so it must be true."

"Oh." Ron wrinkles his nose up in disgust. "Who will you snog then?"

"Nobody. Girls are gross. Will you snog anyone?"

"I don't think I'll kiss anyone. All the girls are a little too young for me. Now, let's get breakfast. I'm starving!"

Once Hugo has untangled himself from the bedsheets, Ron fishes his phone out from the mess. He follows Hugo out of the bedroom and downstairs, still in their pyjamas and checks for a reply from Hermione. His heart leaps when he spots the waiting message.

I can't wait. This has been the longest week ever, with three assessments and an interview. I'm looking forward to the disco later, though ?

His stomach twists with excitement, and Ron's hopeful that it's not only the disco Hermione is looking forward to. Of course, she could mean the results from the summer fete, which he has forgotten about with all that's going on.

McGonagall will be confirming the final amount raised, as well as who contributed the most and what they'll win. At least if he doesn't get a chance to talk with Hermione, there'll be that good news to brighten his evening. There's no way any of the other stalls beat them—Weasley Watering Hole had a queue that stretched the length of the fete all day. They must have made loads of money.

Reaching the kitchen, Ron puts the kettle on then leans against the counter as he waits for it to boil. Whilst keeping one eye on Hugo as he pulls four slices of bread out of the bread bin, Ron fires a reply to Hermione.

I'm excited. If we're lucky, we may even get to dance the Electric Slide again ?

Ron abandons his phone to help Hugo load the toaster. With breakfast devoured, he chases his nephew back upstairs to get ready for school. Not only is there a disco to look forward to this afternoon, but because it's the last day, the kids can wear their own clothes instead of their school uniform.

"I hope Miss Granger lets us play board games and watch a movie today," Hugo tells Ron as the kid pulls his Chudley Athletic top over his head.

"Don't you still have to learn today?"

Hugo shakes his head, a serious look on his face. "No, not on the last day. It's against the rules. Miss Granger said it depends on what mood she's in. If she's grumpy, she's going to make us do maths all day."

Ron chuckles. He's sure McGonagall doesn't have that rule written in the school manifesto, but he can see Hermione as the kind of teacher to allow the kids a little freedom, especially on their last day. He thinks back to his last days in school and the excitement he felt at the prospect of not having to do classwork. They were his favourite days.

As if she knows they've been talking about her, Ron's phone buzzes in his pocket. He pulls it out, grinning as he reads the response from Hermione.

I hope so x

It's only three simple words, accompanied by a small kiss, but they release a whirlwind of butterflies into his stomach. To anyone else, they would look insignificant, but to Ron, it assures him that he's made the right decision. Now he's even more excited about the school disco.

⁂

In contrast to the dawdling pace of the week, Ron's working day flies past. Despite school not breaking up until this afternoon, families have already begun their summer holidays meaning the lunchtime shift is full of families waiting for their food. The restaurant is busy, and Ron decides to abandon his managerial duties to help the wait staff serve tables. As a result, he works well past the end of his shift, and it's not until Cedric comes in to relieve Ron that he realises.

Fortunately, he's brought a change of clothes with him, and he's already arranged for Hugo to stay behind once school finishes to save faffing about. With only moments to spare, he heads to the back office to clean up. George is still at his desk, finishing a pile of paperwork, and he wolf-whistles as Ron pulls on his new shirt, a light blue with a summery print over it which he's pairing with his tightest pair of jeans for maximum effect.

He uses the small mirror in the office to sort out his hair, wishing he'd thought to shave this morning.

"You're looking smart for your kid's school disco," George comments as he leans his chair back against the wall and puts his feet on his desk.

Ron chuckles. "I thought I should make an effort. I enjoyed working on the PTA this last month, and I want to carry on with it next year. Having a project to share with Hugo has helped us bond."

"That's good. I suppose the bonus of working with Miss Granger helps?"

Rolling his eyes, Ron turns to look at George. "Nice to see you don't know how to let a topic go. Now I know Ginny told all of you about my argument with Mum last weekend. Were you not paying attention to your messages? It was directed to everyone in the family."

"I'm only looking out for you, Ronniekins," George holds his hands up in surrender. "It's my job since you're helping me out by looking after Hugo. How has your week gone?"

"We've not talked, but I think I have it all sorted out in my head. I'm hoping I'll get a chance to grab her for a chat later."

"Yeah? And what will you say?"

Ron taps his nose with a smirk. "I guess you'll have to wait and see." He gathers his dirty work clothes, stuffing them into his rucksack. "I'll text you when I know the results from the competition, though."

"Oh, good. I have my fingers crossed, although it's a no-brainer, right? Business is booming, and I'm confident that's because of the extra publicity from the summer fete. I feel like I've already won. Unless it's food-related, the prize is all yours. And Miss Granger's, of course." George smirks back.

"Cheers, mate." Ron crosses the office to fist bump his brother. "Do I look alright?"

"Like a dream."

Letting out a loud puff of breath, Ron nods his head in acknowledgement before waving goodbye. "Talk to you later then."

His stomach swirling with nerves, he casts his eyes in the mirror one last time before heading out into the restaurant. After collecting the boxes of leftovers he boxed up earlier, Ron weaves his way between the wait staff with practised ease. It would suck if a waiter spilled food over him now. He needs to look his best. He wants Hermione to swoon as soon as she lays eyes on him. That'll make it easier for him to ask her back out.

⁂

The school is like a ghost town when Ron turns up. The disco doesn't start until five, and most kids have gone home to get ready. Because of this, he's able to grab a parking spot not far from the gates for once. He grabs the takeaway food boxes from the passenger seat and Hugo's party outfit before wandering towards the school, a spring in his step.

The summer weather hasn't returned since the storms last week, but Ron is glad. It'll be stuffy in the hall with hundreds of kids throwing themselves around, and the cool air will help calm them down afterwards. He nudges the blue wooden doors open with his hip then makes his way down the corridor. As he passes through the large hall, he spots the DJ already setting up in the corner.

"Alright, Weasley," DJ McLaggen nods in his direction. Cormac is the only children's entertainer in the village, and Ron has lost count of the number of times he's been subjected to Cormac's 'shows'. The guy uses various skills, including magic and gymnastics, all performed at an okay standard. But it entertains the kids, and that's all that matters.

Despite his mediocre skills, McLaggen is alright most of the time, although he had prattish tendencies in school, and Ron tried his best to avoid him.

"Yeah, I'm alright, ta mate. I'll catch up with you later. I've got a food delivery to make." He raises the takeaway boxes as if needing the evidence then carries on with his mission to get to Hermione's classroom, where he's told Hugo to wait for him.

Despite the noise in the hall, Ron can hear a rabble of voices in the classroom as he nears it. With a slight frown, he heads through the door then grins at the sight that greets him. Not only is Hugo keeping Hermione company, but he's joined with Lily, Albus and Rose. The Potter/Weasley children sit around a table with the teenager, sticking together paper decorations with glue and sellotape whilst Hermione cleans her classroom around them.

She looks stunning—her tight curls cascade down her back, and she's wearing a floral top with jeans. As she leans over to pick up the crayons that have been strewn across a table, he gets the most delightful view. With a gulp, he puffs out a hard breath of air.

"Hi everyone," he calls in the hope that announcing his arrival will distract him from the beautiful woman roving around the room. "I've brought food."

It's a good job Ron grabbed more food than was needed earlier, even though he only intended to feed himself, Hugo and Hermione. Neither Harry nor Ginny gave him a warning that Lily and Albus were staying behind. Plus, he had no idea that Rose would be here. With all these extra bodies in the classroom, it's going to make getting Hermione alone a little trickier.

He hangs Hugo's outfit on the nearest coat hook before setting out the boxes on a table. It's all finger food, stuff leftover from today's lunch service, but it'll give them all enough energy to survive the disco.

"Oh, that's amazing. I was wondering how I was going to feed the five million this afternoon." Hermione smiles as she wanders over to him. "Thank you, Ron, that's thoughtful of you."

She stops close to him, and their arms almost touch. Electricity zips between their skin, warming his body and reigniting the passion he's tried all week to keep in check. Even though he's made up his decision about their relationship following their chat the other day, he knows he can't move too fast and risk blowing their hard work out of the water. Plus, four sets of eyes stare over at them.

With a cough, Ron steps away, not missing the drop of Hermione's shoulders. "It's all food we can grab while we set up, nothing too fancy. Is there anywhere I can get a few paper towels?" he asks as the kids swarm the food.

"Yeah," Hermione sighs. "In the staff room."

"Alright, be right back."

A long exhale escapes Ron's lips as he leaves the room, letting the cool air in the corridor calm him down. He hadn't even noticed the creeping heat from Hermione's proximity until he got away from her. As he heads towards the staff room, he reminds himself that the place is full of children, and it would be inappropriate to grab her and snog her senseless with little eyes watching, but it doesn't stop the desire pumping through his veins for her.

He sneaks into the staff room, feeling like a naughty school child. This place was forbidden territory during his time in school, and even though that was twenty-five years ago, he can't shake the feeling that McGonagall will find him and give him detention. Spotting the paper towel dispenser, he crosses the room, keeping his eyes trained on his destination, not wanting to risk peering at the other goodies in the room for fear of amplifying the headmistress's wrath.

As soon as he pulls the first towel out, the door clicks open, and Ron freezes, his heart pounding in time with the ridiculous dance music McLaggen is using to test his kit. He can't believe his suspicions were correct and could kill Hermione for suggesting he ventures into the banned area. With the blue paper still clutched in his hand, he spins on his heel, his eyes wide with terror.

Rose stares back at him, one eyebrow raised in a questioning look. She looks identical to her mum, with thin lips that have been drawn tight in a smirk and her hands on her hips, one foot tapping impatiently. It's a little scary.

"Mum sent me to help you," she says before stepping past him and pulling a few more towels out of the holder on the wall. "Good job, too, because you'll need more than one with the mess those kids are making with that food."

Ron laughs, the tension dropping from his shoulders. "I was planning on getting more. You startled me before I could."

After pulling half of the contents out and folding them into a neat pile, Rose turns towards Ron. "Do you like my mum?"

The blunt question throws him for six. He's not sure how much Hermione has told Rose about their relationship or what happened between them. He's also aware of how rude he's acted about Rose, although never to her face, and he feels guilty. With the look she's giving him, Rose looks a lot older than her fourteen years, and he's scared of messing things up or getting off on the wrong foot with her.

"Yeah." He can't help the smile that crosses his face as he answers despite his nervousness. "A whole load. She's the best thing that's happened to me, apart from Hugo, of course," he gushes.

A grin tweaks at the corners of Rose's mouth, but she does a much better job at maintaining her composure. "Does that mean you're going to ask her out again? She told me what happened between you two. We talk a lot, me and mum, and we don't keep secrets from each other. She really, really likes you, but I don't think she can handle having her heart broken again. She's already sacrificed a lot for me, and she deserves happiness. I think you can give her that, but that means accepting me as well as her. I promise I'm not a brat. I'm a perfect kid."

Ron raises his eyebrows as Rose continues to babble, his pulse picking up. If Hermione has told Rose about him and all that happened since they met, then he must mean a lot to her. He opens his mouth, but the teenager standing in front of him doesn't give him a chance to speak.

"And now that she's found out she's got a permanent job here and she's staying in Ottery, then that means things will be okay for the two of you. She won't be leaving, which means you'll have plenty of time to get to know each other properly. It's perfect!"

"Wait," Ron interrupts, pride bubbling in his stomach. "Your mum passed her interview?"

Rose clamps her hand over her mouth. "I didn't mean to let that slip. She probably wanted to tell you herself. Please don't tell her I told you."

He smiles at Rose's keenness. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. And thank you for coming to speak to me."

As he talks, a plan forms in Ron's mind. Initially, he planned to corner Hermione during the disco and tell her he's made his decision. But it's far from ideal, and grabbing a sneaky minute together doesn't feel appropriate given the passion of their relationship thus far. Plus, Rose's sudden appearance and the guilt Ron feels for not giving the teenager a chance have helped him realise that to show Hermione that she can trust him and help her break down those walls, he needs to make an effort with Rose as well as Hermione. They're part of the same parcel, just like him and Hugo.

Maybe there's a more romantic way to win Hermione back, and if Rose feels that passionate about him getting back with her mum, perhaps she can help.

He pulls a few more towels from the dispenser then gives her a gentle nudge towards the door, still paranoid that McGonagall will burst in any moment and give him a bollocking.

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow? Because if not, I think you can help me do something nice for your mum. What do you think?"

She squeaks in joy, doing a happy jig. "Yes, yes. What can I do?"

"Let's make a plan."

⁂

After the group devours the food Ron brought, they get to work, helping the other teachers and PTA members hang decorations and get ready for the party. Although he's not trying to avoid her, his time with Hermione is limited, and by the time they've finished helping with the set-up, a flood of children fill the school hall, and the disco begins.

They're both busy sorting out spillages, upset children and banged knees and it's not until McGonagall has gathered the PTA to announce the winner from the summer fete that Ron finally gets a chance to speak to Hermione. He waits in the corner of the hall, half-paying attention to the kids. He takes his responsibilities as chaperone seriously, and he wouldn't want McGonagall's announcement to distract him. Ron doesn't notice as Hermione sidles up to him, bumping his hip with hers.

"Hey, I haven't had a chance to catch up with you all evening. How's it going?"

"It's good," he turns his head to smile at her. "Are you having fun?"

"Yeah." Hermione glances at McGonagall, making sure they're not missing the start of the Headmistress's speech. "I hope it's okay that Rose is here. We decided last night for her to come down to celebrate the end of her term, too. She wants to get to know the rest of the kids in the village because it turns out I'll be staying in Ottery. I got the permanent teaching job here."

Ron doesn't have to pretend to be surprised or proud of Hermione. Unable to sweep her up in his arms, his fingers instead seek out hers and tangle together, squeezing her hand. "That's amazing news, Hermione. I'm glad to hear you'll be staying."

"Yeah?" she questions, her smile growing wider. "Because that means that we can make a proper go of a relationship if you want?"

His heart flips. Of course, it's what he wants, and he yearns to put Hermione out of her misery and ask her out again, but now he's got the idea of making a grand, romantic gesture in his head, he doesn't want to spoil that. He fumbles for the right thing to say that won't break her heart or remove the hopeful look from her face but will give him one more day to pull out all the stops.

He opens his mouth to speak, but McGonagall takes the opportunity to clear her throat and call their attention. Keeping hold of Hermione's hand and stepping a little closer to her to hide the fact they're still attached, Ron turns his attention to the Headmistress.

"Good evening, everyone. I promise I won't keep you long. I'm sure you're all keen to get back to the party. I wanted to use this opportunity of having you all together to announce the totals from the summer fete. I'm pleased to let you know that we raised over two thousand pounds, smashing last year's record of one and a half thousand. Combined with the amount we raised through the rest of the year, it means that we can finally start work on the playground, and I'm already receiving quotes from interested parties.

"Of course, this is all down to the hard work you put in. Every year you find interesting new ideas for our stalls and keep the crowds coming in by acting friendly and working with smiles on your faces. This year's prize has been donated by an anonymous supporter—a family day pass to Thorpe Park. The stall that raised the most money was Weasley Watering Hole's contribution, hosted by Ron Weasley and Miss Granger. Congratulations!"

Even though he was positive they had the best stall, it isn't until Hermione throws her arms around him and buries her head against his neck that he realises McGonagall's announced their names. His heart almost stops in disbelief.

"We did it!" she says against his skin, the vibrations from her lips and her hot breath sending a jolt of excitement straight to his lower stomach.

He doesn't get to enjoy the sensation for long, as Hugo and Rose join their little pile on, small arms slipping around them and nestling close.

"I can't believe it." Ron grins back as Hermione pulls away from him. Around them, people return to the party, patting them on the back in congratulations as they pass. But all Ron can see is his little family unit, or what could be if he doesn't ruin things with Hermione tonight.

"I can," she says. "We worked hard, and it paid off. Maybe we should go for a celebration after this?"

He closes his eyes with a sigh, hating the thought of what he's about to do, even though the payoff will be worth it. He doesn't want to ruin anyone's good mood, especially as both kids peer up at them with excited looks on their faces in anticipation of the tasty pizza they could be getting tonight.

Pulling Hermione back into the hug, his lips find her ears, and he whispers, "I need one more day."

He doesn't have to wait long to see her reaction.

"Oh," she whispers back, letting go of him as soon as the word has left her mouth. A wave of disappointment crosses her face, but she masks it with a smile as she notices Hugo and Rose still watching them. "Sure, okay. One more day."

Letting go of the rest of them, Ron steps away, shoving his hands in his pocket. "Since you're staying in Ottery now, why don't I introduce Rose to Victoire tomorrow since they'll be in the same school year in September? Unless she has other plans? Then maybe I can bring her back to yours, and we can all get pizza?

He exchanges a look with Rose, who tries hard to hide her smile but nods with enthusiasm. "Yes, please, if that's okay, Mum?"

"Sure, I guess." Hermione's smile drops. He knows it must be strange that he's asking to spend time with Rose instead of Hermione, but he can't give away his surprise. Hermione turns to survey the school hall. "I better go and check the punch, make sure it's topped up."

She wanders off without another word.

"Is Mum okay?" Rose asks.

Ron nods. "She will be once she sees what I have planned tomorrow. She might be a bit upset tonight, though, because I think she was looking forward to getting shit sorted. Look after her for me, will you?"

"Of course." Rose gives him a cheeky grin. "I think she'll forgive you. I'm quite looking forward to you being my step-dad."

An excited flutter fills his stomach, though he tries his best to squash it down. The whole situation with Hermione still isn't resolved, and there's still a chance it could all go wrong tomorrow. "I'll text your mum once I know what time I can come and pick you up tomorrow. I'll give my brother a call because I still think it's worth you meeting Victoire. It can be your reward for being helpful."

With a nod, Rose wanders over to her mum, leaving Hugo, who's grinning up at Ron like an idiot.

"What are you smiling about?" Ron asks, eyebrows raised.

The kid's eyes flit to Hermione and Rose before settling back on Ron. "We're going to Thorpe Park with Miss Granger! Do you think Rose will come too?"

"I dunno, we'll have to ask. But we have plenty of time to make plans. Now go and have fun with your friends. The party is almost over."

Hugo scurries away, and Ron watches with a smile. His plan is clicking together, like one of those mind-puzzles his dad likes to do.

He just hopes the risk of upsetting Hermione tonight will pay off tomorrow.