Hermione & Ron visit Hogwarts and meet Betsy the house-elf.

Hermione paced impatiently across the landing outside the Floo Network Authority. She had received approval from her superior, Mr Ridgeway, to hire a house-elf to work in the department almost straight away, but it had taken a few weeks to arrange a meeting with Professor McGonagall at Hogwarts. Even though the school year was yet to start, the Headmistress was a busy witch and very hard to pin down.

While she had waited for the response, Hermione had busied herself by finally finishing her translation of The Tales of Beedle the Bard; even utilising her weekends to get it done. She wanted no other distractions once her new colleague was in place and thought it was worth taking advantage of the fact that Ron and Harry were both busy revising for their exams. Hermione had completed her final check of the translation the other night and was satisfied enough to make two copies to take with her to Hogwarts - one for McGonagall and the other for Professor Babbling to proofread for her.

Hermione had woken that morning feeling equal amounts excited and nervous. It had been over a week since she had agreed with Ron to make today's day trip a date and she hadn't seen him since. She wasn't too bothered by the lack of contact though; they had agreed to take things slowly anyway and they'd always felt the most comfortable when they weren't living out of each other's pockets.

She had dressed carefully that morning, taking an unusual amount of time to pick an outfit that was smart enough to impress her potential new colleague but also suitable enough to wear to a first date. She had finally settled of a smart pair of jeans and a nice blouse, pairing it with her usual basic jewellery and a comfortable pair of loafers.

Hermione was about to take another glance at her watch, but she quickly dropped her arm as Ron came skidding around the corner, pulling on an old quidditch jumper as he moved. He came to a stop in front of Hermione, giving her a sheepish smile.

"I'm so sorry 'Mione, my exam started late and it's literally only just finished..."

Hermione narrowed her eyes teasingly. "I'll forgive you this time, but you can't use all these exam-slash-revision excuses to pacify me for being late for forever!" She laughed and opened the door to the department. "You can make it up to me by buying the first Butterbeer..."

Hermione and Ron headed into the Floo Department and were immediately ushered to their connection. They were greeted warmly by the Headmistress as they pulled themselves out of her fireplace.

Professor McGonagall directed them into seats once they'd finished dusting themselves down. Immediately, she started to serve them both a cup of tea from a set she transfigured out of thin air. Hermione noticed a group of house-elves sat in small chairs at the side of the desk and gave them a warm smile as she waited for the Headmistress to take her seat.

"It's lovely to see you both again. Mr. Weasley, I heard from Head Auror Robards that you're doing very well at training..."

Ron blushed bright pink. Despite all his smugness and boasting about being top of the class, it was very unusual for him to get praise from the Headmistress or his boss. He often couldn't believe he was doing as well as he was, so the praise made it feel more real. He managed to mumble thanks to McGonagall as he stared at his cup of tea.

"And Miss Granger - the Minister sent me a copy of the research you did in Australia. It inspired me to start making some changes at the school." Professor McGonagall nodded towards the five elves sat by the desk. Each was wearing a black uniform with a badge on it. The badges had symbols and colours on them indicating the area in which they worked. "Hagrid has been working with Argus Filch to remodel a couple of unused classrooms into living quarters. The school also pays the elves a wage, although this isn't always monetary. Some elves prefer to be paid in clothing or trinkets..."

Ron tried hard to not let out a fond laugh as Hermione started to get teary. Instead, he reached out for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Equal rights for house elves was something she had been passionate about since their fourth year of school and so by association, it was something he cared a lot about too; despite the protests he'd made when he was 14 years old. It was great that all her hard work was finally coming to fruition.

Hermione felt overwhelmed. Proper living conditions and a fair wage were two of the proposals Hermione had included in her research and it was such a fantastic opportunity to see them being put into practice already. Excited, she launched into her well-rehearsed speech about what she was trying to achieve with her register and how she would ensure whichever elf she "hired" would receive the same treatment they are currently getting at Hogwarts. They would be given the option to either sleep up at the castle or would be given somewhere safe to stay at the Ministry. They would have set working hours but could also have the flexibility to work longer or shorter days depending on what work needed doing. Basically, she was hoping to prove that her proposals could work and that it would be advantageous for both humans and elves.

Professor McGonagall looked impressed throughout Hermione's bid, only taking her eyes from Hermione to make notes. She waited patiently for her to finish her speech before speaking with a smile.

"I think what you are proposing is commendable and hiring an elf to work in the department will definitely enhance your research and help you to achieve your goal…"

"Well, I have Ron to thank for that – he was the one who came up with the idea…"

Ron blushed again as the Professor raised her eyebrows slightly. "It's good to see you finally applying that brain of yours, Mr. Weasley. A house-elf in the department, especially one that is enthusiastic about how they're being treated at Hogwarts will be pivotal in helping you get the other more reluctant elves on board."

Hermione grinned. "Well eventually, I'd hope for the department to be staffed with house-elves, centaurs, goblins and fairies. But I guess one step at a time…"

Professor McGonagall laughed. "So taking in everything you've said, I think Betsy would be best suited…"

Hermione was distracted as the house-elf sat in the middle chair squeaked and almost fell off the edge of the chair she was perched on. She looked quite young, but also very enthusiastic.

McGonagall continued. "Betsy was born at Hogwarts five years ago. She was very close with Dobby before he left to rescue the three of you and a lot of her thoughts and beliefs align with his!"

Betsy finally took the opportunity to speak up. She slid from her seat and gave Hermione and Ron a small curtsey. "Mister Dobby was a great inspiration to Betsy. He spoke highly of Mister Potter, Mister Weasley and Miss Granger and it would be a pleasure to help Miss Granger achieve her goals…"

Hermione grinned as she shook the small house-elf's hand. She was wearing a badge with a book on it. "It's lovely to meet you Betsy. Do you currently work in the library?"

Betsy nodded. "With Madam Pince, yes…"

"The library was my favourite place when I was in school. I think you and I are going to get along very well…"

They talked for a while longer, agreeing on a date for Betsy to start work at the Ministry. When Ron and Hermione left the Headmistresses office, Hermione was so giddy with excitement that she'd almost forgotten to leave her translation project with the professor.

After a quick visit to Hagrid to see the new living quarters for the elves, Hermione and Ron started to head down to the Entrance Hall.

"I can't believe how well that went; Betsy is perfect!" Hermione stopped as the staircase they were stood on began to move. "Thank you Ron for suggesting it, I've not been this excited about work for a long time…"

"Probably since you started SPEW…" Ron gave her a cheeky grin.

"It's not SPEW, it's the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare Ronald Weasley and you are still it's treasurer!"

"Ah… I may have lost my badge…" He threw her a fake guilty look, moving off the stairs once it had settled in its new position.

Hermione shook her head but couldn't stop the smile creeping across her face. "Oh I'm so disappointed in you. I thought you might have kept it seeing how being part of the movement meant so much to you!"

Ron couldn't help but laugh. "You have a very blinkered view of my involvement in your movement…"

They crossed the Entrance Hall, pausing to peer into the Great Hall. They were both grateful that the school was empty. Ron rested his hand on Hermione's shoulder as they stood there.

"Do you miss being here?"

Hermione tilted her head back to look at him. "Sometimes. I miss being teenagers and the adventures we always seemed to have. And of course I miss school – you know how much I love learning!" She laughed softly. "But it was really weird being back here after the war without you and Harry and everyone else and I don't miss that feeling…" She placed her hand on top of his, giving it a squeeze. "It feels like a whole lifetime ago now…"

"Yeah… but that's not a bad thing…" Ron gave her a small push towards the entrance. As they started to move, he kept hold of her hand and held onto it tightly.

They emerged into the late summer sun and walked the short distance up the drive, their hands swinging between them. As they entered Hogsmeade, they reluctantly let go of each other, not wanting to draw any attention to themselves. They weaved their way through the crowds, trying to keep as close to each other as possible as they made a beeline for the Three Broomsticks. They parted ways as the entered the pub, Ron heading straight to the bar while Hermione sought out their favourite table.

He soon returned with two Butterbeers and slid into the seat opposite Hermione. He took a long sip of his drink happily.

"So have you heard that George is thinking about buying Zonkos?"

"I had heard him mention it over lunch a couple of times, but I wasn't sure how serious he was…" Hermione took a sip of her drink before casually draping her spare hand across the table. She knew he wouldn't be able to take it or hold it, but she wanted to try and get as close to him as she could.

"Yeah… since the war he's been doing great business. Everyone is looking for more opportunities for a laugh." Ron slid his hand near to Hermione's, his fingers as close to hers without touching them. He made eye contact with her and gave her a grin. "George reckons he's ready to expand and Hogsmeade seems the most logical place. He'd rather buy Zonko's and work with them to expand their offer rather than buy an empty shop in Hogsmeade and push them out of business…"

"I think that's a smart move…" Hermione started to browse the menu. After a short argument about who was going to pay for the food, Ron headed to the bar to order their meals, taking the opportunity to catch-up with Madam Rosmerta briefly. Hermione watched him with a fond smile, noticing as Ron blushed slightly as he talked to the landlady. She made a mental note to tease him about that after. He eventually returned to the table with two glasses of wine.

"So… this is our first date…" He took his seat and passed one of the glasses to her.

"Yeah…" Hermione took a sip of her wine and, since she couldn't hold his hand, she slid her foot to rest against his. She grinned as he pressed his foot back against hers. "It's our first proper date ever, which is crazy given we were together for over a year last time."

Ron laughed slightly. He was grateful that the pub was busy, giving them space to talk without any real risk of being overheard. "Maybe if we'd spent more time doing stuff like this, you wouldn't have felt compelled to stay in Australia…"

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him. "You know that wasn't the reason I decided to stay in Australia. Believe me, if I were unhappy with my life at home you would have heard about it. When have I been one to shy away from nagging you?!" She gave him a cheeky grin, keen to keep things light-hearted.

"Yeah I guess…" Ron grumbled slightly but pressed his foot harder against hers so she knew he wasn't being serious. "You know, in a weird way I'm kind of glad things happened the way it did. I mean, I could have done without the heartbreak but this already feels better; like we have a good chance of coming out of this stronger than we were before." He stared intently at his glass of wine. He still often struggled to speak about his emotions and feelings, but he knew he needed to be honest with Hermione about everything if he wanted them to succeed.

"I feel that too. We don't have the post-war pressure hanging over us and now that Ginny is a famous Chaser, people are even forgetting who we are. We have a chance to take a breath and work things out as Ron and Hermione, two normal people – as normal as magical people are anyway."

"Well, until the next evil Wizard tries to kill Harry I guess…"

"Nah, he's Ginny's responsibility now. It's nothing to do with us…" Hermione laughed.

Ron laughed too, enjoying the comfortable way they were able to talk about serious things without it becoming an issue. It was a good sign that they had both done some growing up while they were apart.

They ate dinner together, their feet remaining firmly entwined under the table. Sharing a private thing in such a public place felt exciting to them both. They discussed everything they hadn't a chance to catch-up on over the last week or so. Ron even gave her an animated retelling of when he, George and Bill filled Ginny and Harry's house with the "Can't Pop, Won't Pop" balloons.

Hermione shook her head disapprovingly, but she had a smile on her face. "I'm surprised Ginny didn't hex you…"

"It would have been worth it! They turned up after their beautiful holiday in the sun, it was pissing down with rain and we filled the house up so well, they couldn't even get into the house!" Ron laughed and pushed back his empty plate. "Are you going to order dessert?"

Hermione watched him fondly. Despite eating being one of his favourite hobbies, it seemed he never gained an ounce of weight. She didn't know where he put it.

"No, but I don't mind buying you dessert if you want some…"

Ron looked like he was considering it. "Actually, I'm okay…" He patted his tummy with both hands. "My last theory exam is tomorrow and then it's a week of physicals…" He pulled a face. "If I get fat before then, I won't be able to defeat all my pretend enemies and then I'll be kicked off the course…"

Hermione almost spat out her wine. "Get lost! I've never seen you looking so fit!" She blushed bright red as soon as she realised what she'd said and her blush grew as a smirk travelled across Ron's face.

"You think I'm fit, huh?"

"I mean, you'd have to be a Dementor to not notice it. You have definitely bulked out since you started training and it does look very good on you!" Hermione drained her glass, trying to get her face to cool down a little.

"Think about it often, do you?" Ron knew he was pushing his luck but he was really enjoying how uncomfortable she looked.

"Maybe…" She lifted her eyes from her glass to look at him, grinning wickedly despite the blush. "The thought definitely kept me company during all those lonely nights in the cottage…"

"Good!" Ron finished his own glass of wine, a smug look on his face.

Hermione frowned and balled up her napkin before throwing it at him. "What about me? Don't you think about me in that way?"

Ron caught the napkin with minimal effort. "All the time actually…" He made eye contact with her and matched her grin. "I've thought about you, like that, since I was about 12, 13 in fact…"

Hermione laughed, blushing even more. "Okay, if this conversation carries on we'll have to rent a room and I'm not entirely sure I want our first time back together to be in a grimy room at the Three Broomsticks with all the locals being able to hear us! If we're not getting dessert we should probably think about leaving before your ego stops you from getting through the door…" She started to gather her stuff.

"Come on then…" Ron went to hold an arm out for her as they stood up, but then remembered they were definitely still out in public. With a small sigh he followed her out of the pub, trying to keep as close to her as he could without raising suspicions. They spent the rest of the afternoon wandering aimlessly around the village for a while, trying to delay the moment they'd have to part ways. As the shops started to close, they made their way up to the nearest apparition point.

Ron stopped walking as they neared it, turning his body so he could get a better view of Hermione. "So, this week is probably still going to be a bit busy with exams. I'm not sure I'll be able to be around much…" He pouted slightly at her.

"That's okay. This was only our first date anyway and we're supposed to be taking it slow…"

"Slow is hard when you've already been with someone and you've known them for almost 10 years… I want more time with you…" Ron whined at her.

Hermione smiled. "Well why don't we go somewhere in Muggle London next Friday to celebrate the end of your exams? I think I can last that long and it'll give us something to look forward to?"

"That sounds brilliant, actually. We may even get a chance to do a bit more than play footsie under the table then…"

Hermione laughed at his eagerness and leaned forward to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I would really like that. I have had a lovely day today; despite all your boasting and teasing…"

"You too 'Mione…" Ron returned the kiss on her cheek before taking a step away from her. "At least we have our thoughts of each other to get us through the week…" He gave her a cheeky smile before apparating reluctantly home.