Sorry this chapter is coming so late. This was supposed to be about Australia, but as I was writing, it got too long. Ron and Hermione had some unresolved issues that I figured a 21 hour plane ride would help them hash put lol . Don't worry, you will still find out what happened when they went to Australia, just not now.

On with the fic :)


If I could fly, I'd be coming right back home to you

I think I might give up everything, just ask me to

Pay attention, I hope that you listen cause I let my guard down

Right now I'm completely defenseless

For your eyes only, I show you my heart

For when you're lonely and forget who you are

I'm missing half of me when we're apart

Now you know me, for your eyes only

For your eyes only

I've got scars, even though they can't always be seen

And pain gets hard, but now you're here and I don't feel a thing

-One Direction If I Could Fly


Chapter Twenty-Four: Weasley's On A Plane

The Hogwarts Express pulled into the station later that night. Harry, Daphne, Ron and Hermione grabbed their bags and exited the train onto the platform.

"So, how exactly are you two getting to Australia?" asked Harry. "Surely you're not gonna try to apparate to a place you have never been."

"No Harry, that would be foolish." said Hermione in her matter of fact voice.

Ron looked at Hermione. He had thought that it was indeed the way that they were going to get there. "I thought you had been there before, Mione." he said.

"Now when have I ever mentioned that I've been to Australia? I only sent my parents there because it would be the last place the Death Eaters would even consider looking or so I thought."

"Okay, so how exactly are we getting there?"

"By a plane, or course."

Daphne and Harry his back their smiles as they watched Ron's face change from confusion to sheer horror in a matter of seconds.

"Are...you...MENTAL?" said Ron pushing his hair back in frustration. "I'm not getting on a fucking plane!"

"And why not? How else do you expect to get there? Swim?"

"We can floo there or some shit! I refuse to get into some metal can that's gonna be thousands of feet in the air!" yelled Ron.

"Fine! Stay here then! I'm go by myself! I don't need you throwing a temper tantrum about getting on a plane to distract me from what I have to do for my parents!" said Hermione and with that, she began to storm off.

Ron grabbed her arm. "No, no, no, don't do that." he said turning her back to face him. "Fine. I'll get on the stupid hunk of metal that defies logic."

"The whole wizarding world defies logic Ronald..."

"Whatever. I don't want you traveling by yourself. So I'll just sleep the whole time."

"It's a 21 hour flight Ronald. No way are you going to stay sleep that long." said Hermione. "Look. If you don't want to go, you don't have to. I'm not going to force you to get on the plane."

"Hermione, I told you I would go, now I'm going." said Ron, holding Hermione's hands. "This is important to you, so it's important to me. I'll get on the plane with you."

Hermione smiled and gave Ron a hug. "Thank you sweetheart."

Harry and Daphne finally let out their laughter. "Mummy and Daddy stopped fighting. All is right in the world." joked Harry.

"Sod off, Potter." said Ron.

The four walked out of the station. "You'll write if something happens okay?" said Harry to his best friends who nodded. He hugged them both and gave Hermione a brotherly kiss on the cheek. "See you in January." he said, taking Daphne's hand and letting her lead him in a different direction.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Ron.

"Well, we wait on Kingsley to arrive, and then he will take us to the airport." Hermione began to explain. "He has made arrangements for our plane tickets, our hotel stay, food, everything we need. Even shopping money."

"We're staying in a hotel? And I was so looking forward to roughing it on the outback." joked Ron.

"You're such a git." said Hermione, poking at his side.

Fifteen minutes later, Kingsley showed up with a Ministry car to take them to the airport. He had spared no expense for them, and had gotten them on a plane that was a direct commute.

Molly had managed to get a passport made for Ron ("Did she really have to use this ruddy picture? I look like total git") that Hermione had held onto for him. He was nervous to show the ticket lady when it was time to turn in their tickets. She studied it a little too much for his liking.

Finally, they had made it on the plane, having been seated in first class. Ron was fascinated by all the buttons and clips that were on the seat, although the sight of the emergency breathing masks unnerved him quite a bit, prompting him to ask Hermione an overload of questions.

"What magic are they using to keep the plane in the air?"

"How will we breathe being so high up?"

"Are we allowed to use magic in case shit happens?"

"All this petrol in this thing. What happens if someone throws away a match that wasn't properly blown out?"

"What happens if we crash into the ocean?"

"Are you sure the pie-lits can actually fly this thing?"

Finally Hermione shot him a look that clearly told him to shut up.


When the plane took off, or took everything in Ron not to let out a scream in terror. The feeling scared him, watching them leave the ground scared him, and seeing them so high up in the sky that he could easily touch a cloud definitely scared him. He looked over at Hermione and was shocked that she was sitting there reading a book as if she was back in their common room.

"How the bloody hell can you be so calm?!" exclaimed Ron in a shaky voice.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Over been traveling on planes ever since before I can remember. I would get on a plane much quicker than I would a broom."

"Okay, that makes zero sense, Hermione. You have total control of a broom, while you don't have any control of this tin can." Ron pointed out.

"You do have a point. However, I'm nice, comfortable, and dry in here. I could fall asleep in here when I get tired. I don't have to worry about my bum hurting or going numb from sitting on a stick." said Hermione, going back to her book.

"You have points too. But I can't deal with something that I can't land when I want to or direct out of danger. said Ron.

"You just like being in control." said Hermione.

"And you don't?"

"Not in control of everything."

"But what about your life, Hermione? You don't want to be in control over if you live or die" asked Ron.

Hermione mulled over the question before she looked up from the book and answered. "I mean of course I would want to have some control over it. But initially, we all die eventually. That's 100% bound to happen. Even Voldemort who set out to live forever, was killed."

"If we didn't destroy the horcruxes, he would have."

"Are you really going to debate me on this?" asked Hermione, saving her place and closing her book.

"Yes. I really am. This is about your life. What you make of it. How you end it. I know we don't live forever, but I for one wouldn't want to die a virgin, or-"

"Wait." interrupted Hermione. "Are you really going to bring sex into this? What is it with guys and making everything about sex?"

Ron placed a finger on Hermione's lips. "What is it with women and not letting people finish what they are trying to say?" he said with a grin.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Point made. Continue."

"Okay. As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted by my beautiful girlfriend, I wouldn't want to die a virgin, not being able to get married and start a family. I'd want to at least be able to live to see grandchildren."

Hermione blushed. "That's actually what you want? You wouldn't want to do all that fun bachelor stuff first?"

"To be honest, I don't really see myself living that life. That's more reserved for the Seamus and Dean type. Now I wouldn't want a family as huge as mine, but I wouldn't mind having two or three kids."

"That's actually amazing." said Hermione. " I would have never expected that from you"

"How not? Where have you been the past seven years?"

"Right next to you, heading you talk about how much being in such a big family was so hard."

"And it is, but I never said I didn't want one. I'm not cut out for the one night stand life. I'm not exactly a ladies man, Mione." said Ron.

"Could have fooled me sixth year." joked Hermione.

"Very funny." said Ron rolling his eyes. "Sixth year should have been the start of you and me, and you know it."

"You're right, I did know it. You were the clueless one." noted Hermione.

"I wasn't actually. I felt for you just as much as you felt for me, if not more." said Ron, getting defensive.

"Well you certainly didn't act that way." said Hermione, feeling herself growing upset. "We were fine, we were going to Slughorn's party together, and we were getting along so beautifully. And then, you just turn cold as ice and acted like I had betrayed you or something. And then you betrayed me."

"I didn't suddenly turn on you. I had a reason."

"And what pray tell was that?"

"Krum."

Hermione's blinked confusingly at him. "Viktor made you act like a prat?"

"Well, you had lied to me about him. You told me that nothing happened between the two of you, and Ginny told me how you and your precious Vicky had snogged." said Ron, matter of factly

Hermione's jaw dropped. "I don't believe this. Sixth year happened because of a simple kiss that happened in our 4th year?"

A simple kiss and a snog are two different things. Especially when you lie about it."

"I didn't snog him Ronald. It was a kiss on the hand, and then a quick kiss on the lips, that's it!"

"A likely story." mumbled Ron.

Hermione leaned over and gave Ron a quick peck on the lips. So quick, he didn't even realize it much. "There. That's exactly what it was. It was nothing. I wouldn't lie about that and you know it, Ronald Weasley!"

Ron felt incredibly stupid. "So that was it then?" he asked sheepishly.

"Yes, Ron. That was it. I have never seen Viktor as anything more than a friend, no matter how many times he mentioned wanting more. I was too busy being in love with this blind prat of a boy to pay attention to anyone else." said Hermione, smirking almost Dracolike.

Ron sighed, defeated. "Have I mentioned how much of a git I am?"

"You may have. Doesn't hurt to mention it a few more times." said Hermione as she opened her book to go back to reading.

Ron pushed Hermione's book from her face and gave Hermione a heartfelt and passionate kiss.

"I'm a major git."

"Apology accepted." laughed Hermione.


For a couple of hours, the ride was silent. Though Ron was starting to get somewhat used to being in the air, he still wasn't hung on the idea. However, he decided to keep his mouth shut and just try to attempt to enjoy the ride.

When a late dinner came by, Ron started to perk up. They had served fried chicken one of Ron's favorite things to eat, along with a nice size slice of chocolate cake and ice cream. After dinner, they showed everyone how to convert their seats into beds.

The pair did as the attendant said and were handed sheets and a blanket. They climbed into the bed, still not speaking to each other. Ron was beginning to think that something was wrong.

"Mione? are you okay?" asked Ron.

"I'm fine. Just been thinking."

"About what?"

"Mum and Dad. I'm so afraid." said Hermione.

"Afraid of what?" asked Ron, confused.

"Afraid of what will happen when I return their memories back to them." said Hermione. "I will gather that they will be plenty upset with me. I would be, if it was me."

"They might, but once you explain what happened-"

"Ron, you know I can't tell them everything that happened. They will take me out of school. Out of the wizarding world."

"They can't do that Hermione. You're of age now, they can't tell you what to do." said Ron.

"That's true, but shouldn't I have a moral obligation to respect their wishes? Especially after what I've done to them?" asked Hermione, her voice starting to crack.

"No." said Ron flatly.

"No?"

"No. You can be there for them, and understand where they are coming from if they are that upset. But you have an obligation to yourself to live your life. To do what you want to do, and make the best of it. There may be a chance that they would want you away from Hogwarts and the rest of the wizarding world, but is that what you want?" asked Ron.

"No, never. I could never go back to living as a muggle with everything that I've been through." said Hermione.

"Exactly. And besides, what would the wizarding world be without Hermione Jean Granger in it? Hell, what would I be if you never got your Hogwarts letter? Harry and I would have had to drop out third year, and we would have all been lost or dead during the horcrux hunt... Don't look at me like that Mione, it's true." said Ron with a wink.

Hermione beamed at Ron as she scored towards him and snuggled up under his arm. "What would I be without you?"

"Probably 90 pounds starving and exhausted because you would be too stubborn to eat and sleep like you were third year." laughed Ron as he tested his head on top of hers.

"Besides that. I'd be friendless without you and Harry. I wouldn't have laughed as much as I have as a teen if it wasn't for you. And I wouldn't have the Burrow."

"You'll always have the Burrow." said Ron. "And you'll always have me."

Hermione brought Ron's hand to her lips, kissing it sweetly in appreciation. She felt her eyes getting heavy as sleep tried to claim her.

"I love you Ron." whispered Hermione as she let sleep win.

Ron smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too, Hermione." he whispered back. "I love you too.