A/N: This is the last chapter! Enjoy!
Hermione
Two days before Christmas
Her Nan's house was looking very nice, Hermione thought, as she stood in the main hallway, surveying the space. The walls were painted in various neutral shades, the wooden floors were installed, new light fixtures hung in every room, and the kitchen... That was the best part. Hermione stood in the doorway, admiring the pristine marble countertops that gleamed amid the perfectly matching state-of-the-art appliances. It had taken Ron two extra days to fix the water damage in the corner, although he'd proudly announced last night that it was completed. Good timing too, he'd told her, as tomorrow was Christmas eve. Ron estimated they could add the trim and hardware today, which was all that was left to do of the work they'd planned.
Ron. She blew out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, her thoughts overwhelmed by his face. He'd been the same since their kiss, friendly and flirty, but he hadn't tried to make another move. Why should he, she reflected, frowning at a smudge on the new paint. She'd been the one to run off without an explanation, hadn't she?
The truth was, if Hermione considered him just a random guy, she might not have hesitated. She was leaving town soon, so if there were no strings attached, then what was the problem? She scowled as she flicked her wand, inciting a spell to scrub at the smudge. The problem, she reflected sourly, was that despite only knowing him for a week, she was very far from having no strings attached. In fact, she didn't really want to admit how many strings he'd managed to latch onto her.
And then there was the little issue of her impending departure. She peered closer at the wall, scrutinizing the smudge again. She was leaving town in two days, and then that would be the end of that. Besides, there was one more thing that she needed to tell him, and she knew he wasn't going to like it. Maybe after he heard it, he wouldn't want anything to do with her anyway.
"I reckon you'll be able to put the house on the market tomorrow, if you want to," Ron's voice floated behind her, and she froze at the enormity of his mingled emotions, so clearly evident in his tone.
"Yeah," she squeaked, spinning around to look at him. She wrestled internally, examining the man before her and weighing her options, before sighing in resignation. "I'm uh… I'm not sure I'll need to. Put it on the market, that is."
"What do you mean?" Ron asked. He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. The depths of his blue gaze surveyed her intently.
"I got an offer yesterday," she explained, not meeting his eye. "A very generous offer, at that."
Ron frowned at her. "How could you have an offer already?"
"Small town, I guess," she shrugged. "Everyone around here seems to know what I'm up to."
Hermione nearly squirmed under his steady scrutiny before he spoke. "Then it's someone local, which should be good news, but you seem nervous in telling me." He cocked his head to the side, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. When all the color began to drain from his face, Hermione knew he'd figured it out. "No, Mione," he breathed imploringly.
She gulped, opening her mouth to speak a couple of times before the word finally escaped her lips. "Malfoys."
He stared at her dully, expression sinking into the agitated state he unconsciously adopted when it came to that family. "You can't be serious."
"I know you don't like them," she tried to keep her voice soothing, begging him to understand. "But I need to respect my mum's wishes. She technically owns this place. She wants me to take the first fair offer and close quickly."
"But Hermione," he said through gritted teeth. "They'll bring their business into the heart of our town."
"You don't know that," she argued, taking a few steps towards him. "They could rent it out, or use it for commercial business, or-"
"That's shite," Ron spat. "We both know what they're going to use it for, Mione."
Her tongue felt heavy at his use of her name, and she crossed her arms over herself instinctively. "We don't actually know what their business is. It's unlikely that they're going to move in, so who's to say what they intend for this space."
"I thought that this house, all those memories... I thought they meant more to you." Ron's voice was gravelly, raw, and her eyes felt misty at the sound of it. "I thought that I... that this town meant more to you."
"It's just business," she answered reflexively. "I know it feels personal, but let's approach it with logic."
"Right. Logic." They stared at each other for a long time, Ron as though seeing her in a new way. The thought made her cringe. "I'm going to get some lunch." He shuffled out of the house, the door slamming behind him.
Hermione sighed, feeling a knot settle in the pit of her stomach. She'd known that wasn't going to go well, but at least it was over. She pulled on her own coat and drifted out into the street aimlessly, not feeling hungry. She wandered until she reached the main square, then rested on the same bench she'd sat on with Ron what felt like a century ago, staring absently into the Narnia tree grove.
"Ms Granger," a familiar and unwelcome nasally drawl sounded off to her right, and she turned, not at all startled, to see Draco and Lucius standing there. "I trust you saw our offer on Eleonore's house?" Draco asked her, sitting down on the other side of the bench.
"I did," she responded carefully.
"It is significantly over the probable market value," Lucius barked, striding several powerful steps and coming to a stop in front of her with his hands behind his back.
"Er, yes, I suppose it is," Hermione replied. "I hope I have time to consider."
"That's why we're here actually," Draco said, picking at his impeccably black pea coat and looking bored. "You don't have time. We'd like to close this deal very quickly."
Hermione frowned at him. "The renovations aren't completed, and I haven't yet had it appraised."
"We'll add ten percent to the offer for your trouble," Draco answered dismissively, waving his hand. "And buy out the remainder of your contract with the Weasel, if need be."
"You mean Ron," she responded sharply, hating the slight against him.
"Today would be ideal," Lucius intoned, ignoring her correction. "We have… plans that need attending."
"Today?" Hermione stared at him, nonplussed. "You just want me to take your money and walk away today?"
"We'll pay cash," Draco affirmed, nodding. "What do you say?"
"I… I need to think about it more," Hermione muttered.
"You can have," Lucius checked a gold watch on a chain from his breast pocket. "Four hours. We'll send an owl for your response." She nodded, and men strode off again, leaving her more conflicted than ever.
The urgency of their offer made it infinitely more sketchy, and Hermione was inclined to agree with Ron that their business wasn't likely to be above board. On the other hand, she did have commitments to her mother, and felt obliged to follow her wishes. She'd only been here a week; how invested could she be in this town- or its people? She frowned, watching a fairy preen itself in the reflection of a floating bubble.
Hermione's mind was racing at top speed. Maybe it wasn't about an obligation to Ottery St Catchpole, or her mother's wishes. Maybe this was an opportunity for her to change her life; to be a different kind of person, with different priorities. Maybe this was a chance to choose a new type of family… even to find love?
"Sickle for your thoughts?" Luna sat lightly on the bench next to Hermione, blinking her large eyes.
"Hi Luna," Hermione responded distractedly. "It's nothing, really, how are you?"
"Wonderful," Luna replied. "I've just finished a piece on the Crumple Horned Snorkack that ought to really boost sales this month."
"Hmm," Hermione replied, lost in her thoughts. "That's nice."
"Yes it is, isn't it?" Luna gazed forward into the trees, and the two of them sat on the bench together in silence for several long minutes.
"Can I ask you something?" Hermione timidly ventured, fiddling with her wand in her fingers.
"Questions keep us alert for Nargles," Luna nodded.
"Right," Hermione eyed her companion. Luna was wearing a winter hat with pom-poms that fell down to her waist, a yellow puffy coat, and what appeared to be homemade jewelry. How this woman, who she had so very little in common with, could help her with her moral conundrum, Hermione had no idea. But Luna had something that Hermione envied, even if she couldn't quite put into words what it was. "Do you love what you do, Luna?"
"Oh yes," Luna purred. "Editing the Quibbler makes me very happy."
"Even though it's not the best in rep- er- sales?" Hermione asked cautiously.
Luna didn't answer for a while, her eyes trained on the movement of the magical hoof prints that were created and erased in the snows of Narnia. "You know," Luna said thoughtfully. "Following my heart has always made me feel more fulfilled than following my head."
Hermione turned to look at the woman, chewing on her lip as she considered this oddly pertinent answer. "Luna," she ventured again. "Is there any way I could talk to your dad today?"
"We can go right now," Luna smiled. "I was on my way there before I stopped to rescue you from the Wrackspurts. They were swarming you on this bench."
"Er, thank you," Hermione replied, and they both stood, Luna leading the way.
After speaking with Xenophilius, Hermione made a series of phone calls and sent a number of owls. She was so busy that she didn't arrive back at her Nan's house until later in the evening. Ron was in the kitchen waiting for her, a wrapped present on the counter.
"I know you have to sell to Malfoy," he said without preamble when she walked into the room. "I understand your predicament, I really do." He ran his hand tiredly down his bearded face. "I know it sounds like I'm being sarcastic, but the honest truth is that the smart thing for you is to take the offer. I support you; no hard feelings."
Hermione cautiously approached the counter, her eyes never leaving his. His features were sad, although determined. She wished more than anything she could make him smile.
"Ron, I…" She trailed off, unsure of what to say.
"I know," he told her, then he tapped the present. "I got you this for you to celebrate the house being finished, which it officially is, by the way."
She blinked in surprise, then whirled in a quick circle, taking everything in. He was right, the trim was up and the hardware was all installed. "Wow, Ron, it's perfect." She had to swallow past the lump in her throat. "It looks really nice."
When she turned back to him, he was smiling faintly at her. "I knew you'd like it." He stood up, swinging his coat over his broad shoulders. "Don't forget about us small town folk," he told her, placing his hand on her arm. She leaned into his touch, but it was gone in a moment. Ron stopped in the doorway, angling his head back to look at her. She drank in his blue eyes, trying to imprint them in her memory. "And good luck, Mione, you know, with everything. You're going to be great." Then he was gone.
Hermione stood in stunned silence, watching the empty frame of the door for far longer than she needed. She turned back to the present, opening it slowly. She found a small metal sign that read "Evergreen Cottage" in an elegant script. Ron had scribbled a note, tucked inside. I ordered this in memory of your Nan. I thought it would be nice to know that a piece of your life lives on in this house, even when it has new owners. Merry Christmas, Hermione. -Ron
Hermione read and reread the note several times, then pulled out her phone and sent a brief text to her mum: I have an offer for you. Will send the details shortly.
Ron
Christmas Eve
Ron popped into Ginny's bakery shortly after lunch, thinking maybe one of her scones could fill the emptiness in his chest. He'd only known Hermione a week, but she'd awakened something within him, and he didn't think he'd be able to lull it back to sleep anytime soon.
"Hey Harry," he called, maneuvering around the crowd and walking behind the counter. He snagged a biscuit from the display.
"Oi," Harry shouted at him. "You have to pay for that."
"Add it to my tab," Ron said, his mouth already full.
"She's in the back," Harry gestured amiably. "Get out of my way, already."
Ron shot a grin at his friend, and ducked into the storage room. He found Ginny sitting at desk with a quill and several large tomes in front of her, balancing the store ledger. "Hey sis," he said, settling onto a stack of boxes and taking another bite of his biscuit.
"Did you pay for that?" She asked him sternly, scratching several lines onto a page.
"That is such a sticking point around here," he reflected, finishing the biscuit off. "Listen, do you know if mum rented out my room at the Burrow again? I was thinking I'd stay there tonight."
Ginny glanced up at him. "What're you talking about? You know it's rented."
"Hermione took the Malfoy deal," Ron shook his head. "She's long gone."
"Wrong, brother." Ginny stopped writing and gave Ron her full attention. "You really don't keep up very well on gossip."
"Well, update me then," he demanded impatiently, feeling his pulse quicken.
"Hermione turned the Malfoys down," Ginny reported. "It was the talk of the town this morning. They were livid, but there's nothing they can do about it."
Time stopped between heartbeats, as Ron stared at his sister, dumbfounded. "She…"
"Turned them down, yeah." Ginny picked up her quill again.
"So she… she hasn't left?" Ron asked, feeling stupefied.
"I imagine not," Ginny said absently, distracted by her books again.
"Right," Ron murmured, standing. "Turned them down, huh?" He left the storage room with a bounce in his step, leaving his sister behind him rolling her eyes.
Hermione
Christmas Eve
Hermione made her way down the main street, towards the tree lighting ceremony, the last big event of the Ottery St Catchpole Christmas season. Ron hadn't asked her to go this time, but she had resolutely dressed in her warmest clothes and ventured out into the cold of the night. She was determined to finish what she started here, in this quaint wizarding town, despite the path having taken her completely by surprise. The town was still yet more decorated, and now, after dark, every surface twinkled with multi colored lights. Hermione could have predicted nothing about the past ten days she'd spent here, but she wouldn't trade it for the world. Here she was, a virtual stranger, walking among a village that called out to her by name. She smiled and waved at the kind souls who greeted her, feeling further confidence in the decisions she'd made in the last twenty-four hours.
The energy was infectious as the entire village filed into the main square, where the largest Christmas tree Hermione had ever seen had been erected. It was beautiful magic, she thought, as she paused to watch a rose in one of the branches bloom, drop its petals, shrink, and bloom again on a loop. She smiled, walking a slow circumference around the masterpiece of a tree, taking it all in. There were real icicles hanging artistically, and ornate magical snowflakes that fell from the top of the tree to its base. Baubles adorned every limb, each more intricately formed than the last. There were tiny flying reindeer, laughing jolly Santas, glimmering cupcakes, color flashing candy canes, bowtruckles running up the strings of garland, and miniature moon calves that danced among the branches.
But the top of the tree, that was the showstopper. Hermione paused in her walk and took a few steps back, tilting her head to take in the captivating view. At the pinnacle of the tree was a large, twinkling ball of magic. It moved and gleamed the way a star in the sky might, sporadically shooting out rays of light and giving the effect that it was raining shooting stars.
"Fancy seeing you here." She turned her view away from the tree to find herself several metres from Ron, his voice rolling over her huskily.
"Hi," she responded, feeling shy. "I loved the sign for Evergreen Cottage. It's gorgeous. Thank you."
"You're welcome," he said. The lights reflecting off his eyes made them seem to twinkle even more.
"You must have ordered that very early on," she chanced, trying to gauge his reaction. "It was a custom design, right?"
Ron merely shrugged. "I heard you didn't take the Malfoy offer." His eyes swept over her face, and she shook her head, biting her lip. "Why not?" He asked, lowering his voice taking a step towards her.
"A better one came along," she responded hesitantly.
"What's that, then?" Ron asked, shoving his hands into his pockets and halting his progress towards her. His face gave away his feeling of confusion. "You got another offer?"
Hermione turned away from him suddenly, unable to maintain her eye contact with this man while she talked. Her heart was hammering, and she pretended to be inspecting the tree as she spoke in the calmest voice she could muster. "It was me. I bought the house from my mum."
She held her breath, waiting what felt like years for his reaction. "You." His voice was hoarse, and she could feel rather than see his intense stare on the side of her face.
"Me," she repeated firmly.
"And why," Ron took another step towards her. Hermione turned her head in time to see him lick his lips. "Why would you do that?"
"Erm," Hermione dragged her eyes away from his lips, which had quite distracted her, and dug around in her beaded bag, before extracting a flyer. She held it out to him timidly, turning to look at the tree again. "This."
Ron gently reached out his arm to accept the flyer, and examined it for several long minutes, while Hermione felt her insides squirming with anticipation. "The library is reopening."
It was a statement more than a question, but she kept her eyes firmly facing forward as she nodded anyways. "Yes."
"And what does this have to do with you buying Evergreen Cottage?" Ron took another step and placed his hand on her elbow, gently pulling her to turn and face him. She followed his lead, feeling dwarfed by his broad form, now so close to her.
"I spoke with Xenophilius," Hermione responded carefully, reading the nuances of Ron's face. "He agreed to a foreclosure price for it."
"You… bought…" Ron said faintly, looking stunned.
"The library," Hermione repeated, now determined for him to know the truth. "I want to rebuild it, to operate as not only a library, but also a bookstore and coffee shop. I've already spoken with Ginny about carrying her items on the menu." Ron's face began to light up in a way that made her stomach swoop, and she rambled on nervously. "I've contacted local schools to see if they want to do afternoon programs, and so far they've been enthusiastic. I also plan on carrying the textbooks for the magical boarding schools, which should be high earning items, and save people a trip into London." She stopped talking when he closed the distance between them by wrapping an arm around her waist.
"And then what?" Ron asked, smirking at her. "You're going to live here full time? Aren't you afraid you'll be bored in our small town?"
"I don't know," she answered him playfully, running her fingers up his arm. "I think I could find ways to pass the time."
His eyes darkened, and she felt the blood rush to her face. "But what about your parents?" Ron frowned at her.
"I had a very long-er- chat with my mum," Hermione responded. "She's not pleased, but in the end she accepted my offer to buy Nan's house from her. I made a few calls, and I'm going to sell my condo in London as soon as I can."
"I'm proud of you," Ron whispered. "I know that was a hard conversation."
Hermione nodded, gulping. Her glance kept being pulled back to his full lips. "That's sweet," she whispered. "Thank you."
"And your lawyer career?" Ron's face gave away his concern. "Do you think you'll miss it?"
"No." She shook her head firmly. "I think in another life, that might have been a good fit for me, but…" She looked at the enormous Christmas tree, at the shooting stars falling around them, at the cheerful crowd milling about, shooting knowing smiles towards the entwined couple, and she sighed peacefully. "Right now, Ron, what I want in my life is bigger than my job. I want a community like this, I want purpose and joy in my work, and I want…" She trailed off again, looking up through her lashes at him shyly. "I want a loyal, hard working, handsome man who sees me for all my flaws. That is, if he'll have me?"
The tree lit up behind them, and the crowd burst into cheers. Ron's face was glowing anew, washed with the light from the huge tree. Hermione turned her head to look at it, smiling. "Guess we missed the countdown. It's beautiful."
He used his hand to gently pull her face back to look at him. "You're beautiful," he said firmly, and leaned in to kiss her. Hermione let out a small moan, which incited Ron to pull her even closer. How long they stood by the tree, wrapped in each other, Hermione didn't know, but the best part, she thought joyfully, was that it definitely wouldn't be the last time she got to kiss Ron Weasley.
"I just thought of something," he exclaimed, pulling away from her a fraction. "What about the renovations at your new library?" His eyes danced with delight.
"Oh, I know a guy." Hermione grinned. "I was hoping he'd help me."
Ron graced her with the full force of his lopsided smile, before capturing her lips in his own again.
A/N: Fin! I hope you enjoyed my attempt at a Romione holiday story. Let me know if you liked it!