4

In exactly 2 days Hermione would be going to Australia with Bill and Mr. Weasley to get her parents back. She was nervous as hell, though she didn't know why. Over the last week, the burrow had returned more or less to normal. Everyone had attended the funerals, Fred's, Tonks', Lupin's and others. Hermione had never worn so much black. George was proving that was infact inbearable with Fred behind him all the way. He still only answered to Gred or Forge, and insisted on wearing Fred's jumpers. Pretty much everyone that didn't call the burrow home had left and now it was just the Weasley's, Harry and her. She and Ron hadn't said anything yet, and though they shared touches and glances, the others remained oblivious to their relationship. Except George, who burst out laughing everytime he saw them together and had to blame it on Fred, who, he claimed had told him another joke. No one questioned it.

That evening though, they had decided that thay would let everyone know, at dinner. They had spent every moment they could be alone, kissing and discussing. Although she had to admit there had been more kissing than discussing. Many nights they woke up at 2 a.m. and went out into the garden. The weather had improved dramatically since Voldemort had been destroyed. The grass was soft, thanks to the care Molly Weasley had put into it. Hermione always felt guilty in the morning, when she looked out the kitchen window onto the fields. The patches of land where she and him and been rolling around on in the middle of the night. He'd lie on top of her, holding himself up to make sure he doesn't squash her. Which she didn't think she'd mind. Her hands found themselves in his hair or under whatever T-shirt he was sleeping in that night. She found herself obsessed with his muscles. The ones that still surprised her. His arms and shoulders are what she loved the most. When he held her tight and they stared at the moonlight shining onto trees, she didn't care if she ever read another book in her life; she just wanted to stay right there.

Molly was busy trying to get Ginny to set the table. It wouldn't have taken much time, but she was getting into deep conversation with Harry. Although never about what actually mattered, their relationship. They were still tiptoeing around that. She knew because Ron had asked him and told her.

When the meal was finally announced, after what seemed like forever, she wasn't really all that hungry. Here were the most important people in her life, bar her parents, and how they would react to their knews meant everything.

She and Ron shared reassuring glances all through the eating, and attempted to include themselves in as many conversations as possible.

"Um… guys… ahem." Ron cleared his throst loudly and finally 12 pairs of eyes turned to look at him, which set him back a step, "Right… yeah. I wanted to say something. Well not just me." She took that as a sign to stand up.

"Yes, we wanted to say that…" she took his lead. "We're sort of…"

"…together. We are together. Me and Hermione." Ron grabbed her hand as if he was about to pass out. A bunch of smiles appeared from the table. Harry and George were laughing at them silently.

"It was kinda obvious… wasn't it?" they asked each other. The rest of the family disagreed and murmured on their discreetness. Not a trait usually possessed by a Weasley.

Molly stared at the two of them for a while before saying anything. It wasn't certain whether she was concerned about her son, or worried what her son mught do to Hermione."Are you sure? I mean… you're young…"

She felt Ron tense up a bit, "Mum…"

"No. Let me." She whispered, then turned to face Mrs. Weasley, "Mrs. Weasley, Molly. Me and Ron couldn't be more different. I like to read and study and follow the rules. He like quidditch and chess and following after his brothers… We have fights nearly every day…", she heard him mumble something along the lines of : are you sure you're helping? But she ignored him. "But frankly, that's what makes me and Ron so… right. I'd rather spend a lifetime of arguing with Ron than a day without him. I love your son, Mrs. Weasley. And I believe he loves me…"

She shot him a questioning look, and he continued. "I do. I love her. A lot more than a 17 year old should love someone. But I don't regret it. I think Hermione said it perfectly, mum, we… me and her… we're right. Just right."

There was silence until George stood up and gave them a standing ovation. Molly nodded, content with their answer and dessert was momentarily forgotten while people congratulated them.

That night, Hermione walked in while Ron was getting changed into his pyjamas and Harry was lying on his bed. For the first time, she didn't walk out embarrassed. Instead she sat on Ron's bed, waiting for him to finish so that they could carry out the second part of their plan.

"Harry…we were thinking. This thing with you and Ginny. It's ridiculous. You guys really need to sort this out." Ron said, once he had.

Harry sat up on his bed, slightly shocked at Ron's forward approach to the subject. As a matter of fact, so was she. "There's nothing to sort out."

At this she laughed, "Oh really, so you two aren't really tiptoeing around eachother?"

Harry made a face, "What should I do?"

"How about you sleep in Ginny's room tonight. You can take my bed. Just talk about it. Maybe tell her the whole story about our trip…" Hermione smiled encouragingly.

"But, mate. Leave out the part where I left, okay?" Ron laughed.

"Well, okay… but what about you Hermione?" Harry asked. When she looked at him questioningly. "What will you do for tonight?" he asked, not realising the silliness of his question.

Ron laughed again, and squeezed her shoulder "We'll be fine."

Harry nodded absently as his thoughts were occupied by his impending talk with Ginny. Soon after he gathered some clothes for the morning, he left the room and shut the door.

Ron pulled her up off the bed, "Well that was wasn't as painful as I'd thought…"

"Hm, and we killed two birds with one stone," she smiled seductively and he pulled her into a kiss.