I watched a thestral soar over the tree tops of the Forbidden Forest. I'd never imagined that was what they looked like. How ironic was it that in the end it was Voldemort that had finally allowed me to see them. Ron shifted his weight readjusting his head where it rested on my collar bone.
"Ruddy freakish aren't they?" he said looking at the same winged skeletal horse.
I didn't answer I simply brushed his bangs back and kissed his forehead. I wasn't sure how long we had been sitting here but the sun had risen properly and was now beating down warm upon us. It had been only minutes after Harry had administered the final blow that he had pulled Ron and I away and explained everything. He explained how Draco had actually disarmed Dumbledore making him master of the Elder Wand, so when Harry had disarmed Draco at Malfoy Manor he had become the wands master, which is why it turned on Voldemort when he tried to kill Harry with it. When it was explained so simply it made perfect sense, there was discussion about what to do with the wand. In the end Harry had decided he didn't want to keep it, since it is the most powerful wand in existence he used it to fix his old wand. After awhile Harry had told both Ron and I to get some sleep, but as utterly exhausted as we were I think we both knew that sleep would not come. So we walked, we walked all over the remains of the castle hand in hand just talking, about everything. Finally we ended up where we were sitting at that moment, the owlery. There was not a single owl, I supposed they had all stayed away because of the battle. We sat on the window ledge, me leaning against the wall and Ron leaning against me his head resting on my chest, my fingers absentmindedly playing with his hair. We had been silent for quite some time, I was overwhelmed by the peacefulness of it all. I felt the warm thick spring air, sweet with flowers, and watched the birds soar slowly through the bright blue sky, and listened to Ron's steady breathing, even in light of everything that had happened just a few short hours ago the world felt…righted.
"I reckon we should probably try to get some sleep." Said Ron softly, "I can't remember the last time I did…"
"You're right…" I said with a sigh, we stood and stretched. Ron smiled at me, a real genuine smile and I returned it. He threw his arm around my shoulders and I put mine around his waist and we headed back towards Gryffindor. When we had reached the fifth floor Ron stopped just as we were passing a large ornate wooden door. I knew it well, it was the door that lead to the special prefect's bathroom.
"Hey 'Mione. Do you mind if I meet you back in Gryffindor?" said Ron slowly, "I really need a bath I'm covered in grime and I'd rather not sleep that way."
I squeezed him tightly, I knew I was being childish, immature, and completely ridiculous but I didn't want to let him go, even for the short amount of time it would take him to have a quick bath. Ron gave me a crooked grin and lifted my chin so he could give me a peck on the lips.
"I won't be long love. I don't wanna spend a second away from you either." He said.
He made to pull his face away put I impulsively put my hand behind his neck and pulled him back in giving him a long, slow, drawn out kiss. Unlike the kiss in the Room of Requirement this one was not full of blazing fire, it was glowing embers in my core that began to slowly burn. All of sudden I knew what I wanted, the thought flew into my mind with the force of a Bludger, and it felt like hundreds of squirmy things exploded in my stomach. I couldn't want that now! With everything going on? With everything we'd been through how could I even think it? Because you love him, and you are alive, and you're together. Said a small voice inside me, and I knew it was true. I pulled back to look at Ron's face, and hoped against hope my hands weren't shaking.
"Bloody hell Hermione…. Remind me to tell you I need to have a bath more often if that's your reaction." He said, his breath still a little uneven.
"Ron…" I began, hating how small my voice sounded. I swallowed hard, once the words came out there was no taking them back, "Do you mind if I join you?" I said, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat.
His face blanched, he stood there as still as a statue, the only clue I had that he was still alive was that he blinked periodically. My resolve crumbled immediately, what was I thinking? He just lost his brother, we haven't slept in days we're both emotionally ravaged, and here I am thinking about…..I felt utterly humiliated.
"I'm sorry"! I gasped, "that was so stupid of me, just forg—" my words were cut off by the crushing of his lips against mine.
"Shut up." He whispered as he pulled away and in one motion he swept me up in his arms and turned to the door.
I took my wand out and tapped the exact spot that we had been shown when we became prefects and the door swung open. Ron carried me into the huge bathroom and set me down on the stone floor. I looked around, the bathroom looked the same as it had the last time I had been here. There were no windows in this room it was lit by a handful of torches set in brackets along the wall, their light sent wavering reflections off the shiny smooth marble of the now empty Olympic sized bathtub with it's wall of hundreds of different taps along the far side.
I pointed my wand at the door behind us and the lock clicked into place with a resounding snap. As it did Ron met my eyes and his were filled with the same nerves that were running through every inch of me. After another moment I couldn't hold his gaze any longer so I looked away, painfully aware I was blushing. My eyes found the door at the far left side of the room that led to the dressing rooms.
"I'm just going to take a minute… to make myself more presentable." I mumbled, "I'll….meet you in there." I finished trying hard not to look at the bath tub.
"Ok…" said Ron softly, his voice sounded as small as mine.
I walked into the dressing room, it had a wall with pegs along it, on which to hang your clothes and a pile of fluffy white towels, next to a long counter with sinks and mirrors. I looked at myself in the mirror and groaned. I was covered in dirt and blood. My hair was matted and frizzy giving it the appearance of a birds nest. I began to splash water on my face and neck but it was no use, under one layer of grime was another. I looked over at the row of showers along the back wall, it seemed entirely absurd to shower before taking a bath, but I was filthy and I refused to walk out there to…..Ron, I purposely skipped over the details in my head, looking like an ill treated house elf! I stepped in to the shower letting the warm water flow over me. I scrubbed and scrubbed watching the water turn brown as it flowed off me. After a good ten minutes of scrubbing and wrestling with my hair I stepped out and examined myself in the mirror.
The improvement was immense, I wouldn't be winning any beauty contests, and I still looked exhausted, but at least I was clean. I threw my damp, lank curls into a messy bun on top of my head and then turned away from the mirror. Suddenly I was struck with a dilemma, what did I wear? I wasn't about to put back on the dirty rags that were now piled on the floor, but the idea of walking out there wearing nothing brought those uncomfortable squirmy things alive in my stomach again. In the end I reached for one of the towels sitting on the pile and wrapped it around myself. I put my hand on the door that led back to the main bathroom, as I cracked it open the sound of running faucets met my ears. Unexpectedly, my heart started pounding out of my chest and my breath caught in my throat. I took a step back and leaned against the wall trying to steady my breathing. Waves of panic rolled over me. What was I doing? This was not me, I didn't do things like this! I was a good responsible girl! It was other girls who did things like this. I didn't jump into bed, or in this case bath, with the first boy who came along! But this isn't the first boy ho came along… I opened my eyes and my breathing slowed, this was Ron, my Ron. I would never love anyone else the way I loved him. I stood up and shook my head slightly to right myself. Then I squared my shoulders and took a deep cleansing breath. It was the same feeling I used to have before every exam, the moment of panic, and then the calm assurance. I turned back towards the door but at the last second I remembered something. I ran back into the bathroom and grabbed my wand from where I had left it on the sink. I pointed it at my stomach and did the complicated motion Ginny and I had read about what seemed like a lifetime ago. The contraceptive spell, this may be impulsive but I was still me, and I was covering all my bases.
I pushed open the door that led to the main bathroom and I gasped. The first thing that hit me was the beautiful smell, the bathtub was emitting a intoxicating floral sent. The second thing that caught me was the beauty of it. Ron had filled the tub up almost to the brim but instead of traditional bubbles he had found a faucet that emitted thick glowing foam that now coated the surface of the water making it look like molten gold, and I was fairly sure it was also the source of the delicious aroma. I tore my eyes from the beautiful water and I found him, standing under one of the faucets at the far end letting clear water run through his shaggy red hair. I watched the path of the water as it ran down his chest across the defined muscles of his stomach, I realized I was biting my lip. I began to walk across the room towards the tub never taking my eyes from him. Suddenly I tripped and my feet caught on something on the floor, I looked down and felt a swoop in my stomach. His clothes were lying in a pile at my feet. The water had stopped running. I looked up and saw he had made his way across the tub and was now leaning with his arms folded on the edge nearest me looking up at me with a shy smile.
"Nice towl." He teased with a smirk.
"Oh thanks, I picked it out especially for you." I shot back, and I walked over and sat down on the edge of the tub putting my legs into the silky warm water up to my calves. Ron moved closer until he was right in front of me.
"Come on in…the water's great." He said and flopped back into it to prove his point. He resurfaced a second later right in front of me and I jumped in fright, which just made him grin.
"That wasn't funny Ron!" I said trying to glare, but I knew I was smiling.
"It was a little funny…" he said gently, but there was something in his voice, and his eyes that made my pulse quicken, that same burning ember. He pushed the towel back and brushed his lips along the side of my knee. I closed my eyes and sighed. He brought his fingertips to the place where his lips had just been, and as he stood and brought his lips to mine his hand began to trace it's way up my thigh under the towel an came to rest on my hip. We were kissing vigorously now, our lips moving perfectly against each others. After moment more I pulled away, light headed and needing to catch my breath, but he was not deterred his began to move his lips down the side my neck, and I sighed once more twining my fingers in his hair.
"Ron…" I breathed and he brought his face back to mine looking deep into my eyes, "Wasn't I supposed to be joining you in this bath?" I said, brushing my nose against his.
I felt his hands on the towel but we didn't break our gaze, I felt the towel fall away and he kissed me as he pulled me with him into the warm soft water. I finished the kiss as we stood their waist deep in the water and took a step back, still keeping his arms around me. I felt the color rise in my cheeks as he stared at me, drinking me in with an awed expression. He ran his hand down the side of my neck as his eyes met mine again.
"Are you scared?" he asked, barely above a whisper.
I shook my head slowly, "No." I whispered back, I stepped back to him and kissed the spot right above his heart, I looked up into those grey blue eyes I had adored since I was twelve.
"I love you." I said.
He wrapped his arms around me pressing my body against his and pulled us both into the sweet golden water.
"How do you feel?" said Ron.
It was sometime later, though the exact amount of time I couldn't tell you. At the sound of his words I lifted my head from where I was cuddle comfortably against his chest and look at him incredulously.
"How do I feel? You honest need to know the answer to that question?" I said with a sarcastic eyebrow, the water rippled as I turned to look at him.
"That's not what I meant.." he said, brushing my hair off my shoulder and kissing it, "It didn't you know…" he paused looking shy, "hurt you or anything?"
"No Ron…"I said with a smile, kissing him lightly, "It was quite perfect actually."
I wasn't exaggerating, I turned out all my worrying had been completely unneeded, while there was a slight amount of discomfort at the beginning there was in no way the amount of pain I had been prepared for. Ron and I seemed to just, fit perfectly together, like puzzle pieces. Something that was secretly a very satisfying thought to me, we were completely compatible emotionally, and physically.
"What are you grinning about?" said Ron tilting his head.
"Oh nothing." I said, blushing that I had been caught, I put my head back on his should and he sighed.
"What's wrong…." I said, as I intertwined our fingers under the water.
"It's nothing… I just kind of feel…. Guilty…" he said slowly.
"For what?" I said, I heard the edge of hurt in my voice and began to pull away. Did he regret what we had just done?
"No no no!" he said his eyes getting wide in recognition, he grabbed me and pulled me back tight against him.
"Not guilty because of that!" He went on to explain, "Guilty because my brother died not twelve hours ago, yet at this exact moment I cannot remember a time in life when I have ever been this completely, irrevocably, and incandescently happy."
Tears welled up in my eyes as I kissed him and spilled over as I gave a small hiccupping laugh.
"Ron that's nothing to feel guilty about…. That's exactly what Fred would want. You know he wouldn't want anyone mourning when they could be happy." I said.
"You're right…." Said Ron with a tired smile, "when did you get so smart?" he said kissing me on the nose, he then proceeded to yawn widely.
"I think it's time for bed." I told him.
"Right…. Ummm…" he began, and we both looked around the room and back at each other, "What do you propose we wear?" he said, and we both began to laugh.
"There's some bath robes in the dressing room." I said still chuckling.
"Yeah let's just hope we don't bump into anyone from here to Gryffindor Tower." said Ron, and he hopped out of the tub and reached his hand down to help me out behind him.
I was awake but I didn't want to open my eyes. I felt the warm sunlight on the side of my face, I heard birds chirping a frantic song back and forth outside the window. I also heard and felt the loud rumbling snores emanating from the soft warm chest I was using as my pillow. I opened my eyes slowly and watched the dust particles trickling in the beam of sunlight that peeked through the crack in Ron's bed curtains. I wondered what time it was, it had been almost one in the afternoon when Ron and I had finally made our way to Gryffindor Tower and collapsed in this bed. As consciousness seeped back into my brain I was aware of soft voices very close, voices I knew well. As I listened realization washed over me and a huge grin spread across my face. On our arrival in the room we had seen the hangings pulled around Harry's bed and heard his slow rhythmic breathing and thought nothing of it, except that we were glad he was finally resting. Now though as I heard him conversing quietly with a distinctly female voice, I realized he had not been resting alone. Suddenly Ginny shrieked and they both started laughing, it sounded as though they were having a wrestling match. Ron jolted awake looking confused and bleary eyed.
"What the?" he mumbled, he looked at me and I just grinned and pointed to the bed next to ours.
He yanked back his curtain and snapped at them to be quiet, which of course earned him a snide comment from his sister. Their banter went back and forth for a few minutes before Ginny pointedly asked him why he wasn't trying to rip Harry's head off for their impropriety. I saw Ron's face go brick red and I grinned evilly as I said loudly that if he did he'd be a filthy hypocrite! I heard Harry laughing from the next be over and Ron turned on me, he pushed me down on his bed and hovered over me.
"That wasn't nice." He said, pretending to glare.
"Oops." I said mischievously, and he rolled his eyes and kissed me. After a moment Harry said something about breakfast. I knew Ron couldn't ignore his stomach for much longer so Ginny suggested that she and I go back to her dorm and I could borrow some clothes from her, and we told the boys we'd meet them back in the common room. I had my robe to pull back on but Ginny was forced to make a make-shift toga out of the bed sheet. Thankfully we were the only four in Gryffindor tower so we made it to the girls dormitory without much trouble.
"Oh my God Hermione!" Ginny gasped the minute we got through the door, and I couldn't help myself I collapsed into giggles with her. Ginny and I were not usually like this, so girly and silly, but we hadn't seen each other in so long, and we were so completely happy that it was infectious.
"When I heard your voice in that bed!" Ginny continued, as she rummaged in her chest and tossed me a comfortable looking blue cotton sun dress.
"Yeah gave you a bit of a shock there didn't we?" I said with a grin as I pulled it over my head.
"You think?" said Ginny, she buttoned her jean shorts and threw her Hollyead Harpies t shirt over her head.
"Alright dish." She said, plopping on her bed and looking at me eagerly, "I wanted to know everything."
"Isn't that weird Gin? I mean he's you bro—"
"LALALALALA not listening!" she put her fingers in her ears shaking her head, "Listen," she continued, once she was sure I stopped the thought, "I'm choosing not to acknowledge that thought for sake of girl talk with my best friend ok? So dish!"
"Ok…. It was… a little scary at first." I began.
"Yeah me too… but it got better… and then it was just sort of…"
"Perfect…" I finished for her, and we both grinned.
"What about you though? I mean the Boy Who Lived, the Vanquisher of the Dark Lord. Now those are some bragging rights!" I teased.
" Yeah well what can I say I'm pretty much amazing." said Ginny with mock superiority and we laughed.
"Honestly I was just hoping he didn't pass out from exhaustion or something…" said Ginny as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. I couldn't contain a sort of laughter.
We made our way back downstairs to meet the boys I ran to Ron and kissed him.
"You look beautiful." He said.
"You are biased." I answered.
The house elves had brought us a heaping plated of eggs bacon and toast, we all dug in, and ate hungrily. There was very little talking, but as I looked around he table I knew as I met each pair of eyes what we were all saying silently. We were about to head into this new chapter of our lives, together. It was time for happiness, and time for new beginnings.