Romione - The Beginning of Dating
The Battle of Hogwarts was on Saturday, 2 May 1998
They helped to rebuild Hogwarts over a couple of weeks (even with magic, it was a large property that took a lot of work)
Then the Weasleys went back to the Burrow along with Harry - who wasn’t keen to get back to Privet Drive - and Hermione who had no home to go back to
Hermione was a huge help to have around those few weeks. Molly hardly left her bed, distraught from Fred’s death, so Hermione helped around the house and brought her tea
But she was especially a comfort to Ron
They never wanted to leave each other after the war, so they shared Ron’s room
Hermione insisted Ron didn’t have to give up his bed while Ron insisted she take it until Hermione suggested they just share it
It was innocent. Not that other things didn’t cross their mind after years of pining, but it was the last thing they thought of after the casualties and deaths they’d witnessed
But they would hold each other. Some nights they’d talk until the sun came up about the war or sometimes they’d just talk about nothing in particular
Other nights they would just embrace each other in silence, neither wanting to talk but not wanting to be alone
Hermione would talk about her parents and one night, she asked Ron if he would go with her to get them, to bring back their memories
"You want me to come to Australia?"
"You don’t have to. Oh, of course you don’t want to leave home now. Forget I said anything, it’s-"
"Hermione, of course I’ll come. I want to come."
When they found them, Hermione couldn’t bring herself to say the charm because she was crying too much, so Ron did it himself
He was a little nervous as Hermione was better at such things, but he tried really hard for her sake and it worked
There was a tearful reunion and Ron felt a bit silly standing around until finally Mrs Granger looked at him, then up at his red hair, and she beamed
"Oh, my goodness! Ronald!" she gave him a large hug as if they were the best of friends. "We haven’t seen you since you were - what was it, dear? - 12 or 13! Of course, the amount Hermione spoke about you, it felt like we saw you every time she was home-"
"Don’t be embarrassed, Hermione. He’s a lovely looking boy!"
While Mr Weasley loved Ron, he was not keen for him to share a room with Hermione so he took the sofa while Hermione took the spare room
It was difficult to fall asleep at first because they’d gotten so used to the other’s presence at night
The room felt so quiet to Hermione without Ron’s snoring, and to Ron without Hermione humming symphonies in her sleep
Both thought of the other
But eventually they did fall asleep and Ron was the first to wake up when he heard Mrs Granger tiptoeing around the kitchen, trying to make tea silently and failing
"I’m sorry, Ron, did I wake you?"
"No! No, I’m always up at... 5 in the morning."
"Oh, good! I’ll make you some tea. How many sugars do you take? Do you watch Friends? I’ve got a few episodes recorded we can watch on telly!"
Ron is his father’s son and Mrs Granger is delighted by his interest in the television, but doesn’t make him feel silly and answers all his questions
She offered to make him breakfast, but he declined, rather waiting until everyone was eating so he wasn’t a burden even though he was, in fact, starving
When Hermione ran down later that morning, she spluttered with laughter at Ron who was sat on the sofa with her mother, gawping at the screen
"Did he just say Rachel?" Ron gasped. "But isn’t that one Rachel? The bride was called Emily! Ross! Ross, her name is Emily! Why can’t he hear me?"
"They can’t hear you, Ron, it’s pre-recorded"
Ron was crestfallen. "So you just have to watch and do nothing? You can’t help? Blimey."
Ron expected some sort of speech from Mr Granger, but he seemed too fascinated with Ron to think about being an overprotective father
Hermione had avoided the gory details, but she told them enough for them to be hugely impressed and proud of their daughter and her new boyfriend, the war heroes
But, as parents, they were also worried by the whole deal. Even if Hermione didn’t tell them everything, war was war and there was a small tremor in their daughter’s hand that hadn’t been there before
Sometimes a car would backfire on the street or a neighbour would shout and they would see Ron and Hermione tense up, gripping each other’s hands tighter
Mr Granger changed his mind about Ron and Hermione sleeping in separate rooms because he could see they needed it
"We can’t avoid it anymore," said Hermione. "We need to talk about Hogwarts. You’re not coming back for our final year, are you?"
"No," said Ron. "No, I’m not. Are you?"
Ron went with Mr and Mrs Granger to see Hermione off at King’s Cross for the final time, and they met up with Harry and the Weasley parents so they could see off Ginny, too
Harry and Ron watched as Ginny and Hermione waved from the departing train
"Merlin, I love her," Ron said
"What?" Harry smiled teasingly. "What was that?"
Ron’s cheeks were red as he realised what he had said out in front of his parents and Hermione’s
But suddenly all he could say was, "I didn’t tell her! I won’t tell her for months!"
Arthur clapped his son’s back. "You know, the train hasn’t completely gone yet.”
Without much thought, Ron ran to catch up with her window and shouted, “Hermione!"
He window opened and her head popped out
"I LOVE YOU!" he bellowed
She smiled so brightly as she called, "I love you, too"
And then the Hogwarts Express disappeared
Hermione flopped back into her seat, a dazed look on her face and Ginny grinned at her
The same grin Harry was giving Ron
Ron was barely listening when his parents invited the Grangers over for tea
Harry joked that he hadn’t looked like that since he accidentally had a love potion in sixth year and asked, "Hermione never slipped you anything this morning, did she?"
Hermione and Ron did their separate things. Hermione took over Hogwarts as Head Girl - naturally - and was treated like a celebrity along with Ginny, Luna and Neville. Ron went with Harry and started his trading as an auror
They wrote each other several times a week about all the updates of their lives, and both saved every letter
Ron kept his letters from Hermione in an old shoe box which he kept under his bunk to look through on particularly difficult training days
Hermione kept hers together with red ribbon tied in a neat bow in her bedside table to read when she missed him most
Ron told her how busy training was and how he couldn’t get away on Halloween to meet her at Hogsmeade
She was upset, but decided to get some of his favourites from Honeydukes to send to him
When she and Ginny went in, though, they found Harry and Ron waiting for them
Ginny and Harry kissed, Ron and Hermione embraced each other and he swung her around
"You’re meant to be at training!"
"We wanted to surprise you!"
"But you said you couldn’t come!"
They all hung out together for the most part, but separated for the final hour for some alone time as couples
(So Hermione and Ron could make out out of public view - naturally, it ended up in The Daily Prophet)
"Have you seen the photo they used of us? Ron, it’s pornograhic!"
"I don’t know, I like it”
That Christmas, the Grangers and Harry stayed with the Weasleys as no one wanted to miss another Christmas with their children
Harry waited until Hermione, Ginny and the Grangers were gone to round up the 8 Weasleys
"The thing is," he said. "Well, I know I’m meant to just ask you, Mr Weasley, but, well, you’re all so important to Ginny and to me, so- I- I want to-"
"You want to marry Ginny?" smiled Molly
"If that’s okay with you, yes."
Ron was Harry’s best man while Luna and Hermione shared the role of Maid of Honour
Hermione spoke with Dudley who Harry was now on better terms with, and made him feel a bit more comfortable as she was more used to talking to muggles than some of the wizards who seemed to scare him
She even danced with him as Ron danced with Luna
Luna said, "you have so much love for her in your eyes, perhaps it will be your wedding we’ll be dancing at next"
"Nah, no way, too soon," said Ron, but suddenly he was feeling a bit giddy
As Ginny threw the bouquet, he muttered something and flicked his wand discreetly and the flowers landed in Hermione’s hand
She looked at them in amazement, then to Ron who was watching her lovingly and she waved the flowers at him while she laughed
"What do you say, Ron?" asked Harry. "Are there more wedding bells in the future?"
And as he watched Hermione laughing with Ginny about the flowers, he smiled and said, "I hope so"
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