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It had been months since Ron and Hermione's argument in the kitchen. Molly had spoken to her son briefly over Owl, but other than that, nobody had heard or seen him at all.
Hermione was feeling gradually more and more uncomfortable. She knew that she was welcome in the Weasley house but Ron was Molly's son.
She was furious with him at first, when he had first admitted his infidelity and his general mistreatment of the girl he proclaimed to love and the girl she had always seen as another daughter.

But Hermione knew, at the end of the day, she wasn't Molly's daughter and things had become strained in recent days and Christmas Day was approaching fast. Hermione sensed that Molly was anxious to have son home for Christmas and Hermione was unsure of how to excuse herself and give suitable reason without hurting her feelings and Molly was unable to ask Hermione if she would be alright if Ron came and stayed for a few days without sounding as though she wished for Hermione to leave.

Molly was more irate than usual and she snapped at Fred and George for the tiniest things. They were normally used to her sharp tongue and her general impatience for their behaviour, but her level of strictness was strange... even for them.
Hermione decided to take things into her own hands. She threw her things into her trunk and took a deep breath before going to face the dragon...

"Molly?"
"Yes dear?" Molly barely glanced up from her cooking.
"I was thinking... I probably- I mean, what I'm trying to say is... I'm going away from a few days" Hermione managed to stumble almost every word. But she's said it!
"What? Hermione, it's nearly Christmas! You can't-"

The fire place in the kitchen suddenly burst into huge bright green flames. Molly dropped her pastry and cursed loudly as it hit the kitchen floor with a splat.
"Ron!" Both women gasped in surprise.
"Ronald! You should have owled. You're so thin!" Molly grabbed him by the arms and pulled him into a rib-cracking hug.
"Hello Mum .. Mum, mum! I can't breathe!" Ron panted, trying to wriggle from his Mother's grasp, all the while his grin stretching up into his hairline. His face dropped as soon as he saw an awkward looking Hermione, crumbling pastry nervously in her hands.
"Hello Ron," she mumbled nervously. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly feeling like sandpaper. But inwardly congratulating herself on not passing out.
"How are you?" Ron asked carefully.
"I'm, I'm not too bad thank you .. How's Lavender?" She smiled and sat down at the dining table. Molly coughed quietly and swiftly made her exit.
"She's alright thanks .. Happy that I'm home and that y'know?"
"Good, good. I'm glad .. I'm glad that you're happy" Hermione swallowed hard. It was becoming difficult to breathe. She wanted to run. How could this be happening again? What was she thinking, staying at the Wesley's? She should have stayed at home and handled this by herself as she usually did. It was nearly Christmas! Of course Ron was bound to turn up sooner or later. All she knew was that she was thankful that Lavender had made the intelligent decision to stay at home. Hermione wasn't sure how she would have reacted if she had come along too ... she guessed it was most likely Ron who had suggested that she not join him.
"Thanks Curly. That means a lot" Ron managed a small smile at her. Hermione winced as she heard him call her by her familiar nickname. She winced ... but then she bristled. He must have thought that it was all okay now. She suddenly stopped missing him, she stopped feeling as though she wanted him back. Why should she? He left HER, he made the huge mistake of leaving her and now he was stuck with Lavender. It was his loss entirely.
"Look Ron, I'm going to get out of your hair now. I'm leaving now. My stuff is packed, I'm going home. I understand you and Lav" she spat her name out as if it was a curse word, "I understand that you both want to be with your family for Christmas" She went to stand, but Ron stopped her.
"No, Hermione. That's why I'm here! I just wanted to see everyone before hand and then you could carry on staying here.. Mum won't want you to leave anyway! No one will! They'd all rather have you here than me, that's obvious..." He shuffled from right foot to left, clearly uncomfortable even in his own home.
"Oh Ron. Merlin ... is that what you really think? You have always been a bit thick aye?" Despite herself Hermione smiled and patted his hand. Even after all this.. She still couldn't bear to see him upset.
"You what?" Ron's fingers twitched beneath her hand and she remove them quickly and blushed.
"Your Mum is missing you like crazy. I swear to God, she lays your place out at the table every night and sits in silence through all the meals, just watching your seat hoping you'll magically appear!"
Ron looked as if he'd been stunned a hundred times in the brain.
"And your brothers! Fred and George and just gagging to play tricks on you! I'd be careful to let them know you're here actually ... they have months of practical jokes to make up for. You'd probably end up in St. Mungos!"
Ron grinned and the thought of his two elder brothers warmed his heart greatly.
"Look Hermione, I can't even begin to tell you-"
"Ron, really don't. It's okay. I understand now. You didn't want to hurt me, you loved Lavender all along. But you're a kind and sweet man. She's very lucky. I honestly do want you to be happy. I'd rather that you were happy with her than unhappy with me. Truly, I do"
Ron's eyes filled with tears.
"Hermione, you're going to make someone so, so, so happy you know. I do love you! I just, it's the love we had in school. I'll always love you"
"Oh you daft boy. You still are that boy I met on the train with dirt on his nose. Who would have known we'd ended up like this aye? How silly? And I love you too, please stay here for Christmas?"
"I don't know .. I'll speak to Mum"

At that moment, Molly and Arthur burst through the door. Evident that they had been eavesdropping, Molly face flushed with emotion.
"You have to stay for Christmas Ron. You both do!"
"Dad!" Ron and his Dad embraced and then yelped and he received a sharp clip around the back of the head. He looked at his father, puzzled.
"That's for not returning hardly any of your Mother's owls" *SLAP* "And that, is for Hermione! Now, give us a hug. Do you want a cuppah?"

"Molly. I think I'm going to make a move..."
"No, no, no! Hermione, you can both stay! You're both grownups and you're still friends!"
"Yes of course Molly, Ron's my best friend.. But, I thought he would like Lavender to come for Christmas with you all"
The Weasley's all went silent at Hermione's revelation.
"Well I'm sure it'll all be fine ..." said Molly, rather unconvincingly.
"I'd rather go. I need some time on my own anyway. Honestly Molly, I am all packed up. I need to go. Please understand?"
Hermione would have been comfortable with spending Christmas was them all .. but she wasn't sure she could handle the 12 days of Christmas with the incessant whinging of Lavender and her need to be attached to Ron's hip at all times, also her need to wear pink at all occasions and her terrible high pitched voice crying out "Won-Won" out into the night as their rooms would have been directly next door to one another. No, no. Hermione had limits.
There was silence again. Everyone was waiting for Molly's emotional outburst that they could see bubbling below her calm demeanour. But she just took two steps towards Hermione and cupped her face in her hands.
"You're a very good girl. I do understand. But you have to promise me, that unlike my wayward son over here. You'll come back, very, very soon. Okay?"
Hermione sank into her hug gratefully and squeezed Molly, a huge rush of affection running through her. She had known Molly for years, and shouldn't have expected her to get angry so quickly. She was Mum to seven children, she had the patience of a saint and of everybody, and she had been the kindest to Hermione in her time of need. She had taken her in without a word and treated her as her own.
"Of course Molly. What would I do without you"
Molly waved her hand and hid her tears, sad that Hermione was leaving, but pleased she had her youngest boy back. She ruffled Ron's hair as she sipped her tea. Hermione swore she could have been back in her Hogwarts years! It was all going to be alright.
Ron grinned and she grinned in return. She felt a stirring in her heart, but it was no longer painful. It was simply love. Love in its most innocent form. In friendship.
The fireplace glowed green again.
"Lupin!"
"Afternoon Weasley's. Hermione. Ron! You've returned!"

Hermione grinned. Molly saw Remus beam as soon as he locked eyes with her, and an idea began to embed itself in her brain ..

"Remus, hello my dear. You're looking thin! Would you like to stay for dinner with us?"
"Oh I couldn't, I just came to give Hermione this book on Animagus I found, it has a foreword from Dumbledore and I thought she might find it an interesting read" He pulled an old leather bound book from inside his cloak. Wincing slightly, they guessed he had some fresh wounds from his recent stint as a wolf. The book was practically falling apart and Hermione took it from him relishing the weight of a new book in her hands. Gently turning it over and inspecting it with delight.
"Thank you Remus! I hope you know this counts as my Christmas present!" She said breathlessly and smiled at him as he blushed and ran his fingers through his hair.
"How are you Ron? It's been far too long. I'm glad you're back and I bet Harry is too"
"So am I, I've missed him. My best mate after all" Hermione said in a soft voice and Ron squeezed her shoulder and shook Lupins hand.
"Good to see you too mate. Pop over soon yeah?"
"Of course. Right then ... I'll let you all get on with tea and I'll see you soon I expect" Lupin went to reach for a handful of Floo powder, but Molly snatched the back of his robes.

"Oh wait Remus! Hermione was just leaving. Perhaps... Perhaps you would be kind enough to escort her home and help her with her trunk?" Arthur recognised that twinkle in his wife's eye and he glared at her, wondering what it was she was up to. He knew that look far to well for it to one of innocence and there was something suggestive in her tone of voice.
Lupin paused for a moment before he spoke.
"I'd be delighted. But erm, Hermione .. Are you staying in London for Christmas?"
"Erm, yes. Yes I guess I am," she barely took her eyes of the pages and Lupin looked decidedly uncomfortable.
"Well, if you'd like, I was planning to spend Christmas at my cottage. I would very much appreciate if you'd keep my company. I mean if you'd like too, just for a week or so. I mean, what's the point of us both spending Christmas alone?"
Molly knew exactly what she was doing. She has raised mostly boys all her life. She knew when a male had a crush from a million miles away.
Arthur shook his head, frowning in his wife's direction. Naturally, she fluttered her eyelids innocently. She didn't know what he meant at all!

"That sounds wonderful Remus! I'd love too"

Ohhhh, juicy, juicy, juicy! But pairing these two I can live out my wildest fantasies with Remus. So wrong on so many levels, but it had to be done! Thank you for reading!

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