Author's Note: Okay so I'm behind on the challenge. What else is new? Anyway. It's Valentine's Day and I felt like writing a little Romione love. They get so little attention and recognition even though they're canon. This one-shot is written as a narrative, meaning there's no dialogue whatsoever. It's different than I normally writing, but I like how it turned out. I hope you do too!

Thank you starrnobella for reading this over. Any mistakes you find are my own. Much love, xxDustNight

Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to either J.K. Rowling. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.

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Defying the Odds
Rated: T
Pairing: Ron/Hermione
Summary: With everyone seemingly against their relationship, Ron and Hermione defy all the odds to remain together.

Prompt: 28 Day Ship It Writing Challenge: Day Eight: An unpopular ship in the fandom

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Defying the Odds

Despite originally being the couple that everyone was waiting to see get together, Ron and Hermione found that once they were, in fact, together, everyone was waiting to see them fall apart. It made their relationship rather difficult in a way, having their friends, family, and the papers constantly discussing the durability of their relationship.

Ron and Hermione took it in stride, though. Both of them willing to ignore the chaos going on around them for the sake of their budding love. Ron was great, in Hermione's opinion. Somehow the loss of his brother had solidified the fact that he really cared for Hermione. She suspected he was afraid of losing her, but she was there to stay as well. She had no one, aside from Ron, the Weasleys, and Harry. Her parents were still safely oblivious in Australia, so she was alone.

Ron was always there for her when she felt bad over sending her parents away, and, in turn, she was there for him as he grieved the loss of Fred. During this time, the world seemed to accept their relationship. It wasn't until months after, when Hermione was planning on sitting her NEWTS and Ron was considering becoming and Auror, that things started to take a turn.

The papers started wondering if their love could last, printing rumors that their paths would lead them astray. While Hermione and Ron continued to ignore the horrid articles, their friends and family started to question them too. Harry and Ginny, the chosen couple as they were called, talked to them about taking things slow. Molly and Arthur, though pleased with the pairing, wondered if maybe they should focus on their careers before settling down.

Hermione insisted they could do both. Why couldn't they work toward their goals and have a healthy relationship at the same time? In fact, why did they have to stay living at the Burrow? Ginny and Harry had moved into a flat near Diagon Alley before the start of her seventh year at Hogwarts. While she was away at school, Harry remained there during his Auror training. Ron and Hermione had a discussion and soon, they too were moving into a simple flat.

Having sat and passed her NEWTS with flying colors, Hermione accepted a position at the ministry. It was just filing papers for now, but it allowed her a foot in the door. Ron was at the Ministry too, training to become an Auror alongside Harry so they could vanquish the rest of the dark wizards. It worked for the both of them; they could meet for lunch and then travel home for dinner. Each day they fell more and more in love while the papers continued to print articles about how they were meant to fall apart.

When Ginny graduated from Hogwarts, Harry proposed and they were married before the following September. Ron and Hermione remained together too, although they both agreed they were not yet ready for a commitment such as marriage. The papers went wild at that gossip, insisting that they were going to break things off before the holidays. They couldn't have been more wrong.

By the time the New Year rolled around, Ron was officially an Auror and Hermione had been promoted to a position in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She was making a difference in the Wizarding world, just like she always wanted to do. At one point that spring, she and Ron traveled to Australia so she could return her parents memories. Though they were a bit distraught, they were happy to have their daughter back. The couple helped her parents relocate back to London and reopen their dentistry.

Hermione's father adored Ron, as did her mother. They spent the weekends visiting and before long, Ron was secretly asking Mr. Granger if he could ask Hermione for her hand in marriage. He was given permission without question, and then he began saving up for the perfect ring. Something simple, but elegant. He'd already picked it out. Now, he just had to buy it.

Time went on, Ginny and Harry started talking about a family, and the papers continued to count down the days of Ron and Hermione's demise. As Hermione moved up the ladder at the Ministry, people began to wonder if she would leave Ron in pursuit of her career goals. Ron confided in Harry that he was waiting to propose until Hermione had been promoted again.

The odds were against them, Harry told him. There was no way Hermione was going to get promoted to her desired department. If he wanted to marry her, he should just go on and get it over with. Ron decided to wait. He trusted Hermione was close to her goals. He had no plans of derailing her dreams. Sensing something amiss, Hermione tried to get Ron to open up to her.

They'd had fights before, but this one was worse. Ron didn't want to tell her what he was keeping from her, going so far as to say he was just annoyed with work. Hermione, always able to catch him in a lie, insisted he tell the truth or she was going to spend the night at her parents. Ron refused. It was the first time they were truly apart since the end of the War. The papers went wild.

Their fight didn't last for long. Hermione returned to their flat within a few days, apologizing for being so silly. Ron was sorry too, revealing that he was anxious for her to be promoted because he wanted to ask her something important. Confused, Hermione asked for more information and finally, Ron got down on one knee and asked her to marry him despite not having bought the ring yet.

Hermione was thrilled regardless of that. She told him that she wanted nothing more than to marry him, and that she didn't want to wait. He insisted, at least until he bought the ring. She allowed him that much. Within a few months, he'd finally saved enough and bought the ring. He presented it to her on her birthday, which also happened to be the day she was promoted to the Magical Law Enforcement Department. In the end, it all worked out accordingly.

With a shiny new ring on her hand and a new badge on her robes, Hermione proudly went to work the next day. The papers reported all sorts of rumors and speculations. Some insisted she was pregnant, others said she'd given Ron an ultimatum. In the end, the only thing that mattered was that she and Ron were happy. They ignored the papers; the truth would come out in due time.

Together, they began planning for a summer wedding, both willing to wait until they both had a lull in their work. The papers, having now realized Hermione was not pregnant, began printing stories about who each of them would be better suited with. They paired her with Neville or Dennis Creevey, and Ron was often said to be perfect for Daphne Greengrass or Pansy Parkinson. It was easy to see what the problem was.

Hermione was a Muggleborn, and so the Wizarding community didn't feel she was worthy of marrying Ron, a Pureblood. It hurt Hermione, even though she knew Ron would never leave her because of her blood status. He'd endured hours of burping slugs in defense of her when they were children, not to mention nearly losing his life in the war. He held her as she cried herself to sleep at night, his words soothing her worries.

Ron began to fight against the gossip, even though Hermione insisted she was fine. Their relationship was never better, the wedding plans moving forward despite the tripe the community said about them. For all his efforts, the media still insisted they were never going to last until the wedding. At this point, it was almost as if they were rooting against them. It made life very difficult outside of their flat.

Finally, summer arrived, and with it, another promotion for Hermione. She became the second to the head of the MLE. At the same time, Ron and Harry were sent on a mission for an extended period. It put their wedding date in danger, so secretly, they eloped. It was just in case Ron didn't make it back in time. Sure enough, he didn't and the papers insisted that they were over. When it came out a few weeks after his return that they were already married, they were called liars.

It took sending in a copy of their marriage certificate to prove that they were truly married. Because of her position at work, Hermione kept her last name which also led to more rumors and lies. It was beyond frustrating at this point, but it did not alter their love of one another. In fact, it only made them work harder at proving how wrong the community was.

When they announced their first pregnancy, of course it wasn't Ron's. Luckily, Rose had the trademark Weasley hair, as did their son, Hugo, a few years later. The papers were slowly losing momentum, and with two children and both their careers taking up their time, Ron and Hermione couldn't have been more pleased. They continued thriving as a family in their little house in the wizarding countryside.

Eventually, Ron left the Ministry to work with George and Hermione became Head of the MLE, with a future plan to run for Minister. This spurred renewed rumors, but they were happy. By this point, the gossip was old news. No matter what would happen in the future, Ron and Hermione knew if they had one another, they would be just fine. With everything and everyone pushing against them, Ron and Hermione defied the odds and came out on top. Their love was eternal and no one could ever take that away from them.