Two years after the dreaded night where Voldemort had died, Ron and Hermione were still going strong. They lived above Weasley Wizard Wheezes in a flat with Harry, Ginny, and George. It wasn't quite what Hermione wanted, Ron knew, but she seemed happy enough to live with all her friends.

Ginny had joined the Witches' Quidditch League, on a team called the Holyhead Harpies. Ron and Hermione tried to come to as many matches as they could.

Percy and Audrey had started planning their wedding, and Mrs. Weasley was constantly trying to help.

Bill and Fleur had had a baby girl, who was named Victoire. The whole family had been at St. Mungo's to see baby Victoire in the first few hours she was born. Hermione had never seen a more beautiful baby, and she knew it was the part-veela from Fleur that shown out of Victoire.

Hermione was still working at the Ministry and both Harry and Ron had joined her to begin their training to become Aurors. One particularly seemingly normal day, Ron and Harry were both getting ready to head to the Ministry.

Ron and Harry shared a room, Hermione and Ginny shared a room, while George had his own room. After showering and getting dressed, Ron opened the door to Hermione and Ginny's room.

Ginny was already having breakfast in the kitchen, but Hermione was still asleep; she had had a late night at the Ministry, and had taken the day off today, only to satisfy Ron's pleading. Ron approached her and swept her bushy hair to the side to kiss her neck. She stirred slightly and smiled in her sleep. Ron kneeled down by her side just as he watched her eyes open.

"Hey," she said sleepily. "Are you going to work?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, Harry and me will be back at six. George is already downstairs opening the shop."

Hermione lifted her head to kiss Ron softly on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," Ron grinned. "Go back to sleep, you stayed up too late last night."

Hermione smiled and lay back down, closing her eyes. Ron stood up and slowly made his way out of her room, his eyes never leaving her. The last thing he wanted to do was go to the Ministry and leave Hermione. However, he regretfully closed the door behind him and turned around to be face to face with Harry.

Harry smirked and shot Ron a knowing look. Ron ignored him and said, "Let's go."

"Whatever you say," Harry said. They Disapparated to the Ministry and entered through the employee entrance.


Ten hours later, Ron and Harry left the Ministry, both silently stunned.

"How are we going to tell Ginny and Hermione?" Harry asked Ron. Ron shook his head; he couldn't handle what he had heard his trainer, Neil, say.

"I don't know," Ron said. "I don't know how to handle this."

They Disapparated silently to their flat in Diagon Alley. Hermione and Ginny were in the kitchen, and greeted both of them. Ron turned to Harry and quietly said, "You take Ginny, I'll take Hermione. I think they should hear this separately." Harry nodded.

Ron turned to Hermione, who was smiling at him. "C'mon. I need to tell you something." He took her arm and led her out of the flat, out of the shop, and onto the streets of Diagon Alley.

"Ron, what is it?" Hermione asked, bewildered. He looked at her and saw mild curiosity in her eyes.

"I have to tell you something," Ron said.

"Alright," Hermione said, nodding. They started walking down the street.

"Hermione, Neil told me I had to go away for a while to an Auror camp for more training."

Hermione looked up at him and knew he was going to say the worst. "For how long?"

Ron paused, and braced himself for the explosion. "A year," he said meekly.

"WHAT?" Hermione's voice was heard throughout the streets and many people looked round to see where the source of the yell was from. "A – a year?" she said weakly.

Ron nodded. "Hermione, you know it's the last thing I want to do. Harry's coming with, and he's telling Ginny right now."

Hermione's eyes were glittering with tears. "Can't you w-work something else out? Can't you –" she broke off and her voice choked.

Ron pulled her into a hug and she cried silently into his chest. After a few moments, he pulled away and took her by her shoulders.

"Hermione, look at me," Ron said. She looked into his eyes with a slight pout. "Whatever it takes, I'm going to change this. I want to be an Auror, but I want you more."

Hermione smiled. "Ron, just promise me you'll still go to training. I don't want to get in the way of your dream, but I just can't have you away that long."

Ron nodded and kissed her softly. Hermione smiled and led the way back to the flat.


The next day, Ron and Harry approached their Auror trainer, Neil, to confront him about training.

"Neil, is there any chance that Harry and me could do our training a bit slower than everyone else?" Ron asked.

Neil looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Harry intervened. "What we mean is that we don't want to be gone for a year. We both think it's much too long. Is there any chance we can be gone for a few months at a time?"

Neil smiled knowingly. "Ah, I've heard this before. Your girls don't want you going, do they?"

Harry and Ron shook their heads. "Not for a second."

"I can fix this," Neil said. "What if you go away every three months for two months until you've been trained for a year? Then we can see where we can go from there. It takes three years to train a wizard to become an Auror, and you've already completed a year and a half at the Ministry."

Harry and Ron nodded. "We know."

"So…in two weeks, you'll be going away for two months?"

Harry and Ron beamed. "Perfect."


Harry and Ron were able to see Hermione at lunch that day and tell her the good news. She was overjoyed with the relief that her best friends wouldn't be away for a year.

"So we'll be going away in two weeks at a hidden camp for two months," Ron said.

"As long as it's not for a year, I'm alright with it," Hermione said. "I'm already dreading the day you two go away."

"Honestly Hermione, it's only two months," Harry said. "We've been away from you for that long during summer breaks when we were in school, remember?"

"Yes, but now that the war's over, I don't want you two out of my sight," Hermione said. "I hate being away from you two."

"You'll be fine," Ron reassured. Hermione smiled, but he knew her enough to know it was a forced smile.


The day of Harry and Ron's departure came soon enough, but Ron now didn't have the heart to leave Hermione.

The train that was going to take them to the Auror camp was parked on the tracks, the engine getting ready to take the train across the country.

Ron hugged his sister goodbye and turned to Hermione, who had just gotten done saying her farewells to Harry. Her eyes were filled with tears and as always, Ron wanted to throw himself on the tracks and wait for the train to run him over at the sight of her tears. "It's two months, Hermione. I'll be back before you can miss me."

"I know," Hermione gave him a watery smile. "I just…I'm not going to have anything to distract me, while you will! You won't miss me at all because you'll be getting trained for the next two months!"

"Hermione, you know that's not true," Ron said sternly. He pulled her into an embrace and kissed the top of her head. "I promise, I'll miss you every second of every day. I always do." He felt her tears fall onto his chest and he squeezed her tighter.

The train whistle eventually went off, and Ron and Hermione broke apart. "I love you, Hermione."

"I love you, Ron." Hermione said back. He hugged her one last time and followed Harry onto the train. He waved out of the window and kept Hermione's face in sight until the train turned a corner, and she was gone.