A/N: Ok, I lied. This story just does not want to end. Probably have a couple more chapters after this. Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think :)


The wind began to pick up as we gathered our things. Folding the blanket, we packed it along with the remnants of our picnic into the basket. I held onto it as Ron picked up the broom, but he took the basket from my hands, saying, "Leave it. I'll come back for it later." Then he walked over and stashed it beneath a tree before returning to where I stood.

"Ready?" he asked, holding out the broom.

I nodded as I took it from him, my throat suddenly dry.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I said as I mounted the broom, my hands a bit shaky.

Ron put his hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him, my face hot. "I'm sorry," he said, "for – you know – sort of dragging you into this."

I couldn't help it, I laughed. "Ron, it's not like you forced me."

"I kind of did," he mumbled.

I rolled my eyes. "As though you could," I retorted.

He grinned at this. "Yeah, I reckon you're probably right," he said with a chuckle.

There was a pause, and then he continued, "I know flying isn't really your thing, Hermione, but…I'm glad you decided to come, in any case."

His face flushed as I looked up at him and said quietly, "I'm glad I did, too."

"Besides," I added, blushing slightly, "I – I had a good time today…"

A smile stretched across Ron's face as he said, "So did I."

A strong gust of wind swept suddenly past us then, throwing my hair over my shoulder as a crack of thunder boomed once more, considerably louder than the last time. Looking up, I noticed the dark clouds looming in much closer than before.

"We'd better get going," I said.

Ron mounted the broom behind me and kicked off the ground. As we took off, rising into the air, my body slid back, settling comfortably against his. I watched the world drop away below us, growing ever smaller until we were soaring as high as the clouds, leaving the storm behind us. I leaned back against his chest as my eyes roamed over the landscape, his warm arm wrapping around my waist as his chin dropped onto my shoulder.

I smiled, tilting my head back towards him, my mouth against his ear as I said, "You know, flying really isn't so bad, after all."

I felt his low laughter vibrating through my body as his chest pressed against my back. "Is that so?" he asked, nuzzling his face into my neck.

I nodded, sighing as he dropped a kiss onto my shoulder. "I could get used to this," I murmured.

I relaxed into him as we flew back the way we'd come. I hardly noticed the scenery this time, it all seemed distant and blurred to me somehow. It was as if we were in our own little world up there in the sky, just the two of us, far away from everything and everyone else. I felt safe in his arms. My fears having abated, I wanted that flight to last forever.

Of course, all good things come to an end. Eventually, I noticed us approaching populated areas and I realized we would have to do something to avoid being seen, the vanishing charm having long since worn off. I reached for the wand in my back pocket, noticing Ron's sharp intake of breath as I did so.

I felt my face grow warm as I blurted out an apology, "Sorry – I was just – erm, I needed my wand."

"Er, no, that's – ah, n-no problem," he stammered, clearing his throat before asking, "What do you need it for?"

Rather than explain, I simply twirled the wand in my hand, waving it around the both of us as I spoke the incantation. Looking down, I noticed our bodies immediately taking on the color of the sky around us. Satisfied, I slid my wand carefully into my back pocket once again.

"Blimey, Hermione!" was Ron's startled response. "You can perform a Disillusionment Charm?" he asked, sounding impressed.

I was glad he couldn't see the color of my cheeks as my face turned positively hot at the mixture of surprise and admiration in his voice. "Well…" I said slowly, "I've never tried it before, but I read all about it in Achievements in Charming."

Ron snorted. "Of course, you did." He paused for a beat, then continued as something seemed to dawn on him, "Hang on a minute, if you knew how to do that this whole time, then what were you going on about before?"

"What do you mean?" I asked nervously, pretending not to understand the question.

"You know," Ron persisted, pitching his voice high as he mimicked my earlier words, "We'll be breaking a hundred wizarding laws, Ronald, anyone could see us!"

I swatted at him. "Oh, shut up," I said, grasping the broom tightly as I stretched forward, leaning away from Ron. "That doesn't even sound anything like me," I added, my voice sounding a bit petulant even to my ears.

"Sure, it does," Ron said, and I could practically hear the grin in his voice as he continued smugly, "That was a spot-on impression, that was."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes but deciding not to dignify this with a reply.

Ron only responded by pulling me back against him, however, his arm tightening around my waist as he pressed his mouth to my ear. "Go on, Hermione, admit it," he said, and I shuddered, his low voice in my ear doing strange things to my body. I shifted uncomfortably at this power he seemed to hold over me, both resisting it and yet, at the same time, craving more of it.

"Admit what?" I snapped, my voice coming out clipped and irritable.

He pressed closer to me, his lips softly brushing against my ear as he spoke slowly, drawing out the words, "Admit I was right…"

I cleared my throat, pressing my eyes shut. I was never more grateful to be invisible than at that moment, as the deep rumble of his voice vibrated against my eardrum, flooding my body with a tingling warmth.

"About?" I asked, a little breathlessly.

Does he know what he's doing to me? I wondered, noting the hint of triumph in his voice as he declared, "Those were just excuses not to go flying. You were scared."

It seemed pointless to deny it now, and as my brain didn't seem to be functioning properly, anyhow, I probably couldn't have thought of an argument if I tried.

"Alright," I said, "I was scared. So, what?"

"So…" he said, prompting me.

I remained silent, knowing what he wanted, but refusing to give it to him.

"Come on, Hermione…" he said, a pleading tone in his voice.

I laughed. "Okay, fine," I said finally, "So, you were right."

He let out a loud whoop, thankfully directing the sound away from my eardrum. I laughed again, shushing him as I said, "Quiet, Ronald, what if someone hears you?"

"Eh, they'll probably just think it's a bird," he said easily.

"A very loud, obnoxious, overgrown bird," I retorted.

"I think you meant to say witty, charming, and sickeningly handsome," he countered.

"Well, you've got the sickening part right, at least," I said, grinning.

Ron chuckled, leaning in to place a kiss on my cheek as he said, "You love it."

I smiled to myself as I leaned back against him. "Perhaps," I said.

His arm wrapped snugly around me, chin dropping back onto my shoulder once again. We passed the rest of the flight in a comfortable silence. Too soon, I saw my neighborhood coming into view.