A/N: Hey everybody! Thanks for the reviews. A couple of you were asking why Hermione was acting strange. Well, in my mind when I wrote it, it made perfect sense and she wasn't acting strange. However, not everyone thinks like I do (which is probably a good thing), so I decided to backtrack a little into Hermione's POV to hopefully explain her behavior.

Catching Up

The bell rang. With a final reminder about their homework assignment, Hermione dismissed her students. As they clustered into their groups of friends, she glanced at the clock. Ron should be arriving any minute now. She was nervous about seeing him again. Did he still care about her the same way? Would this be just a fleeting visit before he ran off again? She sighed and began to straighten a pile of last night's homework.

She looked up at the sound of a small cough, still holding the papers. There, leaning on the doorframe, was Ron. She had been expecting him of course, even thinking about him just moments earlier, but now that he was really there, right in front of her, she could not move. He stood up, ran a hand through his hair –she had always loved that little nervous habit of his- and stepped closer. "Hi," he said.

Hermione shook herself slightly, pulling herself out of her reverie. She smiled. "Ron!" she said warmly, walking towards him and wrapping her arms around him. He hugged back, but he noticed that this was no different than the kind of hug she would have given him or Harry at the end of term at school. It was not the tender, loving embrace he had come to know just a few short years ago.

Hermione broke away and said, "Well, I don't have another class until just before dinner, so why don't we go back to my rooms and talk?"

"I'd like that," Ron answered.

They stepped through the portrait hole into a cozy, circular common room with a small open kitchen, a bedroom branching off of either side, and deep, Gryffindor red walls. Hermione headed for the kitchen. "I'm going to make some tea; would you like some?" she called, setting a kettle on the stove.

"Sure, that'd be great," said Ron as he walked along the wall, looking at the many moving pictures there. There was a shot of what he assumed was the current Gryffindor Quidditch team, one of him, Harry, and Hermione from third year, and a few more recent pictures of his family. He paused before a photo of a dark-haired man who appeared to be about his age and was smiling at the pretty blonde in his arms.

"Is that…?"

"Neville and Luna, yeah," said Hermione, appearing at his side and handing him a cup of tea. "They got engaged last summer."

"Really? Wow, I guess it never really occurred to me, but now that you mention it, it kind of makes sense," Ron said, following Hermione to the sofa.

They sat down and she asked, "So, how long before you have to go back to work?"

"Actually…" he hesitated, setting his cup on the table before facing her again, "I quit."

Hermione felt a small bit of happiness spring to life inside her, but she could not help exclaiming, "What? Why? What are you going to do for work?"

"Relax, Hermione," said Ron calmly, "Lupin and I are going to the ministry the day I get back to see if there are any positions for me at the Auror headquarters. If not, I'll pick up some of the slack in Dad's office until something opens up." Hermione didn't look entirely satisfied. "Look," he continued, "I thought this job was what I wanted, my so-called 'big break.' It was exciting and important and it paid well. I thought taking it would make me happy, but it didn't. That's when I realized that all I ever really wanted or needed…was you." He paused, a pleading look in his eyes.

Hermione was stunned. She knew she should be worried for him and angry that he hadn't secured another job before making the decision to quit, but all she could think about was what he had said. All she could see was his face. His red hair falling into his eyes –those same beautiful blue eyes that had made her melt at seventeen, and that today, six years later, reflected all love, passion, and longing that she felt in her own heart.

"So tell me something Hermione," he said, "Quitting my job, coming back here, was it worth it?"

"Ron," she breathed, a smile of pure joy and love spreading across her face. Ron seemed to take that as a yes, because he leaned forward, placed a hand behind her neck, and captured her lips in tender, passionate kiss. When they parted, both were silent for a moment until Hermione said quietly, "I suppose I should go start preparing for my next class, but I'll see you at dinner."

Ron nodded and clasped her hand, intending to walk her there. However, as soon as they stepped out of the portrait hole, they were met by a shy-looking girl in Gryffindor robes. "Excuse me, sir. Are you Ron Weasley?"

"Yes," Ron answered.

"The headmistress would like to see you."

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. "You go ahead, I'll find out what she wants," he said. Hermione nodded and continued walking, while Ron, after thanking the girl for the message, turned in the opposite direction toward McGonagall's office

A/N: Ok, so there's chapter 3. Just one more chapter to go! I'm sorry it was a little short. Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers! Please let me know what you think of this one and I'll try to update as soon as possible. Also, if anyone is wondering about the title, it's the title of the Rascal Flatts song that inspired this fic. I didn't make it a songfic because it's a multi-chapter, rather than a one-shot, so it wouldn't have worked. Anyway, thanks again and please review and keep reading!