A Partner for Life
Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've been off track with this story for a while but I'm getting back into it and will do my best to update more regularly :-)
Lessons that day felt like being caught up in a hurricane: hundreds of people firing questions at me about my suprising new boyfriend, yet when I was with him myself, I felt safe within the eye of the storm. Of course that was only during lunch and Biology, afterwhich I was forced back into the snake pit, quite unable to escape all the hissing comments that were being thrown in my face.
Ron was lucky enough to escape all this harrassment, as people were still too cautious to go anywhere near him. But, the minute I was freed from the way too personal comments being put upon me by none other than Parvati Patil, I charged into the parking lot, and the moment I saw him stood leaning by the side of his admittedly grubby looking Ford Anglia, I couldn't help but let an enormous smile spread across my face and hurry towards him as safely as I could across the forever wet tarmac.
"Hey," said Ron when I came to a slippery halt in front of him, "you appear to look as happy as I feel."
"That's because I am," I replied chirpily, reaching my hand out and cupping the side of his face; it felt nice to not have to restrain myself whenever I felt the urge to touch him. Ron seemed to enjoy the freedom too, and nuzzled his face into my palm.
"Come on," I said, "let's get out of this goldfish bowl, I hate the way everyone's been staring at us."
"Well in fairness, we have been making it clear these last few weeks that we hate each other's guts," smiled Ron, heading over to the driver's side of the car while I clambered in the other.
We drove in silence for a while, I had no idea where we were going, but in all honesty I didn't care. As long as I was with Ron, nothing else seemed to matter. The way he looked at me; his face mirrored all the emotions that must clearly have show on mine whenever I looked at him, it was pure magic- quite literally! I had never felt happier. How could it be that the one person I could not stand, was the one man I simply could not resist!
We came to a halt at a field which brushed the edge of the road. Ron jumped out the driver's seat while I followed somewhat cautiously, as I had noticed a fair number of deathly looking rabbit holes dotted throughout the grassy carpet. Now was not the time to wind up breaking my ankle in one of them.
Ron laughed as he watched me eyeing the ground furtively while I made a slow but steady path towards him, "how long do you reckon I'll be standing here before you reach me?" he teased.
"Shut up! Do you want me to go falling down one of these rabbit holes,"
"Not really, I prefer your body in the shape that it is," he smiled; for some reason that comment made me flush, but I kept my focus on the uneven ground until I was right next to him.
"Fancy taking a stroll?" he said, taking my hand.
"Across a field spewn with rabbit holes and droppings? Actually I'd rather not,"
"Oh, well I wasn't exactly thinking of just wandering around a big field," replied Ron, "I know a much more luxorious spot, just beyond those trees," he pointed in the direction ahead.
"Ok then, but please could you hold onto me; I'm not joking about those rabbit holes!" I said seriously.
"No worries, you just make sure you're holding on tightly to me, and promise me you won't let go," Ron said sternly.
"Why the sudden solemness?" I asked curiously.
"Because I've just decided we're not walking," said Ron chirpily.
"Wha-we're not flying!" I said hysterically.
"Nope, but hold on tight!"
Before I had a chance to let on the sudden realisation of how we were about to travel, I felt a strange tightness engulf my entire body; it felt like I was being squeezed through a very narrow tube, losing all the air from my lungs. But just as I started to feel like I was suffocating, the sensation ended almost as soon as it started. I then noticed we now stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking the most gorgeous lake I'd ever seen in my life.
"Wow," my mouth fell open at the sight before me, "this is so beautiful!"
"Is isn't it," agreed Ron, "you feeling alright in yourself? Apparition can take a lot out of y'eh when you travel with it for the first time."
"Yes I think I'm ok. Wish you'd given me some warning though!"
"Yeah I did, I told you to hold on tight," smiled Ron; I dragged my eyes away from the breathtaking view before us to look at him in all his equal beauty.
"You're so handsome," I sighed without thinking.
"Am I? Glad you think so," said Ron in a suprised voice, "this is a bit of a far cry from you calling me a buff git the other day."
"I know," I agreed, "but then I never thought I'd be telling you I loved you like I did this morning."
Ron smiled, "I liked it when you told me that- but did I tell you that I love you too?"
"Um no I-I don't think you did," I replied shyly.
"I love you," he then said, looking at me sincerely. My heart lit up.
"Really?"
"Of course I do you silly girl. I mean ok you rub me up the wrong way and you are completely obssessed with reading books and work, not to mention you're bloody bossy when you want to be," he flashed a small grin, "but how could I not love you?" his eyes gazed into mine.
"Oh Ron," there were tears in my eyes, "you are the most arrogant, buff, irritating, lazy, swarve git I've ever met," I let out a breath, "but I do love you too."
Ron enveloped me in his arms, and we stared out towards the oncoming sunset which was beginning to settle across the lake. But then something suddenly clicked in my head:
"Hang on, I am nowhere near as bossy as you just said!" I spurted indignantly, "I merely like to think of myself as an assertive individual."
"Well I don't think it was fair of you to call me lazy!" retorted Ron, "where do you think my muscles came from- thin air!"
"Wouldn't suprise me!" I snapped, removing myself from the warmth of his embrace, "I bet there's a spell you can use to tighten up those biceps."
"If only there was a spell which would stop you from being such a bossy madam!" replied Ron, "life would be so much more peaceful!"
"Oh what so now you're wishing that I would just shut up!" I challenged furiously, "well go on then! I'm sure there is one; get out your wand and cast a spell on me, then you can make me into your perfect kind of woman seeing as you can't seem to take me for what I am!"
"Despite how much this is tempting me," retaliated Ron, "there is no way in the world I would ever do that cause she wouldn't be the girl that I happen to love!" and with that he grabbed hold of my arm and pulled me towards him. But I was still putting up a fight; whacking him in the chest repeatedly until he firmly raised my chin up to face him and pressed his lips roughly against mine.
I don't know the exact moment when my fury turned into passion, but soon I was kissing him like there was no tomorrow. His lips felt so good against mine, our tongues fought for dominance in each other's mouths as our hands wrapped tightly round one another. I felt a lustful feeling overcoming me and wondered if my craving for kissing Ron would ever let up.
Eventually we had to come up for air, and rested our foreheads together. Sunset was blazing across the lake now, and we remained to watch the last of the day's light drain away before apparating back to the car.
Sirius noticed the change in me over the next couple of weeks. I was perkier, chattier and more enthusiastic about life. He certainly didn't show any signs of complaint, but I could tell he was trying to work out what had brought about this sudden change in my behaviour, and I had a feeling it wasn't going to take very long.
School had become more bearable now that the initial shock about me and Ron had begun to wear off. But we still attracted a lot of attention. We spent nearly every waking hour together (and every unwaking hour) laughing and arguing and finding out more about each other. Ron's world fascinated me, but at the same time it also terrified me. Whenever we were on the topic of the magical world, ground shifted beneath my feet; sometimes it felt that my boyfriend was so far away from me, it was like he was about to disappear.
On one of the rare days when Ron and I couldn't spend all of our time together, I was outside cleaning my truck when all of a sudden he appeared in the holding pen.
"Goodness Ronald! Could you try and act a little more mugglelike, I've got neighbours."
"There's no-one else around," said Ron absently, he jumped down from my truck, "blimey this thing's got in a bit of a state hasn't it?"
"Don't be disrespectful," I warned him, "this truck's not much older than your grubby Ford Anglia,"
"Yeah but at least my motor's in a bit better nick," he replied, "anyway, enough about how brilliant my car is, I've come over here to ask you something."
"Spit it out then," I teased.
"Would you like to come and visit my family tomorrow?" he asked calmly.
Panic set in, "meet your family? Oh but but what if they don't like me?"
Ron chuckled, "right so you're worried not that you'll be in a house full of pure blood wizards, but cause you think they won't approve of you?"
"Glad I amuse you," I said sourly, continuing to scrub at my truck.
"Hey," said Ron putting his hands on my shoulders and turning me to face him, "don't worry, they're gonna love you-perhaps nearly as much as I do, and that would be saying something."
I laughed and pulled him in for a hug. I never felt more content than when I was in his arms, but suddenly Ron stiffened and began to pull away.
"What is it?" I asked, looking up at his face; which appeared to be focused on something beyond my front drive.
"Complication," he said simply, before placing a tender kiss on my forehead and withdrawing from my arms, "I'll pick you up at ten tomorrow," and with that he Disapparated. I was getting good at remembering the words used in his world.
As I carried on with the task of cleaning my truck, I wondered what had gotten Ron so anxious. But then the answer came round the corner in the form of James and Harry Potter arriving in their blue van not two minutes after Ron had Apparated. I waved a greeting towards them afterwhich I then saw Sirius' police car cruising round the same corner; appropriate timing.
"Hermione!" said James jubilantly as he climbed out of the van, "good to see you, I see you're taking good care of our redden'" he came and patted the side of my truck.
"I'm doing my best," I replied with a grin
"Sure you are," said James cheerfully, but then he fixed me with a firm stare and said, "let's hope you're doing your best to take care of yourself as well."
I didn't say anything, but I could guess what, or rather who he was on about.
Harry then bounded over to greet me, breaking the tentative atmosphere between me and his dad, who headed over to see Sirius. I prayed he wouldn't tell him about me and Ron.
"Hey Hermione, how are you? Sorry we've come over at such short notice, but our flat screen's packed in and dad wanted to watch the football," he rolled his eyes.
"That's not a problem," I laughed, "my dad doesn't appear to mind," I gestured towards Sirius and James who were now giving each other fierce bear hugs.
"Can't quite tell who the adults are sometimes," smiled Harry, I agreed wholeheartedly and proceeded to lead him into the house; James' words still ringing in my ears.